Upper East Side Guide: Welcome

By Cheryl — your uptown girl writing for DOWNTOWN Magazine.

Welcome to my new biweekly column, your insider guide to living, dining, shopping, sweating, and socializing above 60th Street. No congestion-pricing stress required.
This column is your essential Upper East Side guide for living well above 60th Street.

Upper East Side Guide: What We’ll Cover

We’ll explore everything that makes uptown life fascinating. Restaurants, fashion, grocery stores, gyms, salons, galleries, and the real essentials, too.

Think hardware stores, repair shops, and shoemakers who still bring your favorite heels back to life.

In addition, we’ll share practical tips and timely picks so you can enjoy it all.

Food, Glorious Food

And then there’s the food. Delis, gourmet markets, and, of course bagels, lox and /pizza.

So much irresistible, unforgettable pizza.

For example, we’ll spotlight neighborhood classics and the newest slices worth the wait.

Old Icons, New Cool

This column will celebrate the icons that shaped my childhood and the newcomers redefining uptown cool. I’ll share where to go, what to try, and how to actually get a table at that three-star spot you’ve been stalking online.

Streets to Stroll

We’ll take walks up Madison Avenue to 96th Street, where the landscape is changing fast. Those once-empty storefronts from the COVID era are filling again with glossy boutiques, stylish cafés, and what now passes for “moderately priced” (we’ll debate that together). Madison above 86th has reinvented itself.

We’ll detour down Lexington for a more grounded vibe, then hop to Third, Second, and First, even York. Yes, we’ll cover the cross streets: 72nd, 79th, and 86th, each with its own attitude and allure.

The 86th Street Energy

Speaking of 86th Street, that’s a whole story. It may not scream luxury, but where else can you find sneaker stores, appliance shops, and every makeup brand imaginable within a few blocks?

What’s Next

Mark your calendars: Sotheby’s is opening this fall in the Old Whitney Museum space. Uptown just got even more exciting.

See You Every Two Weeks

Join me every other week as we navigate the highs, the quirks, and the hidden gems of life above 60th Street. It’s changing fast, and that’s exactly what makes New York great.