Upper East Side

Ah yes, dahling, you’ve made it…welcome to the Upper East Side! This neighborhood is the home of many stereotypical attributes, including money, great old museums, money, couture, money, art galleries, and well…you get the picture. While snobbery certainly is not the rule here, a certain pride and way of life is undeniable…but really, Buffy, could you live any other way? The Upper East Side is the proverbial crème de la crème; you know you’ve truly made it if you squeeze into digs in this hood. It’s all blue blood and old money and if you’ve just made your million, you’d better be able to strut your stuff like a true debutante or macho moneybags.

This is the most prestigious zip code in NYC, one that houses art dealers, politicians, mayors, consultants, lawyers, bankers, doctors, and socialites of old wealth alike. Apartments closer to Fifth or Madison avenues are generally more expensive and more elegant, however, the entire stretch of the Upper East Side—all the way to the East River—is filled with beautiful buildings, well-maintained parks, and copious eating, drinking, and shopping.

The appeal of this neighborhood goes far beyond simple living spaces. Into art? Try the Metropolitan Museum of Art on for size, literally, and try not to lose yourself in the winding wings of art from all over the world and from all centuries alike. You can also cruise up the “Museum Mile” on Fifth Avenue, which includes the Met, the Guggenheim, El Museo del Barrio, the Museum of the City of New York, and the Goethe Institut.

One of the biggest draws to the Upper East Side is, of course, Central Park. New York City’s most famous greenspace borders the entire western length of the neighborhood, featuring boat houses, the Central Park and Children’s zoos, the Reservoir, and the Arsenal Building—home to Parks department offices and the original site of the Museum of Natural History. And for residents with children, this area is a huge draw for its spectacular public and private schools alone. The quiet, refined pace of life spells perfect settlement for those inclined to do so, or simply for individuals looking to escape the “rat race” of more hectic areas of NYC.