East 58th St, Midtown

East 58th isn't as pretty as west 58th until you get into the Sutton Place area; but, what it shares with is west side counterpart is wealth. Incredibly expensive homes and shops line East 58th street. The buildings are awfully commercial looking for my taste, but that doesn't stop the millionaires from buying all of the apartments. The street also lacks restaurants and nightlife, save Rosa Mexicano. There aren't really any bars or fun things to do for young people. This is definitely a street for older people who don't go out. Mostly, I'm assuming, because young people that go out a lot can't afford to live here.
The Old Squibb building on the south corner of 58th at 5th Ave is kind of interesting. It replaced a string of marble buildings built by Edith Wharton's aunt. She was a character basis in much of Edith's writing. No one lived this high up during the time that the buildings were erected. And, the aunt wanted to do all marble as an f you to the brownstone aesthetic that was popular at the time (and still is). The Squibb building used the marble from these houses in part of it's structure as an homage to Marble Row when it replaced them. I think that's kinda cool if not the most visually pleasing thing in the world.
Directly across the street is the most notorious Apple Store in the city. It's not any different from the Apple Stores but it has a bizarre glass cube as an entrance. People always ask about the significance when they come here and I'm not sure that there is any. I think it's kind of ugly but a lot of people seem to like it because there is always someone taking a picture.
The area around 58th and Park has a lot of pretty, brick apartment buildings with very high end shops on the ground floor. The buildings around Madison are giant and house equally as rich people but they don't have any of the personality that the ones at Park do. Luckily, the aesthetic of the homes changes back to the old-world when you get around Sutton Place.
The homes and apartment in Sutton Place are stunning. And, a lot of them have had some interesting residents and stories attached to them.

I'm writing about this street to tell you about one thing: Tao Restaurants. It's namesake comes from the religion or social practice of Daoism, an ancient Chinese faith focused on the oneness of all things. In that respect, the oneness has been translated into the pan-asian wonderful restaurant that has become a bit of a staple in Chinese/Asian food here in the city. It is one of the top reviewed restaurants in the city and boasts a wonderful amount of variety.

You have to make this happen on your trip to New York City!