New York - August 26, 2002

Uptown Whirl

DailyCandy Goes Uptown

There are certain things you just can’t say in New York.

Don’t stand in front of Madison Square Garden before a Knicks game screaming “I love Reggie Miller!” Don’t talk about your profound appreciation of Donald Trump’s architectural taste at your next community board meeting. The ultimate gaffe? Admitting “Yes, um, I live … (pause for deep breath) … uptown.”

Hey now. Before you start throwing rotten tomatoes at everything north of 34th Street, hear us out. DailyCandy is taking you uptown, east and west.

Think beyond the obvious allure of northern Manhattan: polar bears at the zoo, Shakespeare in the Park, running along the reservoir. There are more subtle appeals to uptown. The three biggest, to be precise:

1. Food
Of course uptown has good food. (Rich people need to eat too.) We dig Zocalo (174 East 82nd Street, between Lexington and Third Avenues, 212-717-7772) for light Mexican and the funky bar. Via Quadronno (25 East 73rd Street, between Fifth and Madison Avenues, 212-650-9880), the offspring of Sant Ambroeus, has the best panini this side of Rome. Nostalgia plus sugar high? Head to Serendipity 3 (225 East 60th Street, between Second and Third Avenues, 212-838-3531) and get a frozen hot chocolate. Barney Greengrass (541 Amsterdam Avenue, between 86th and 87th Streets, 212-724-4707) really is the best bagel and lox in town.

For the best tea sandwiches, homemade potato chips, and dips in town, stop by William Poll (1051 Lexington Avenue, between 74th and 75th Streets, 212-288-0501). It’s the perfect spot to hit when filling up your picnic basket, and they never forget a name. Isn’t that quaint.

Date night? Compass (208 West 70th Street, between Amsterdam and West End Avenues, 212-875-8600) is simply divine. Have snacks and hors d’oeuvres at either the Carlyle (35 East 76th Street, between Madison and Park Avenues, 212-744-1600) in the recently restored Bemelman’s Bar or at the Mark Hotel (25 East 77th Street, at Madison Avenue, 212-744-4300). For people-watching, E.A.T. (1064 Madison Avenue, between 80th and 81st Streets, 212-772-0022) for lunch and Mr. Chow’s (324 East 57th Street, between First and Second Avenues, 212-751-9030) for dinner are as good as any we’ve seen. For that late-night secret rendezvous, try Gino’s (780 Lexington Avenue, between 60th and 61st Streets, 212-758-4466) or Bella Luna (584 Columbus Avenue, between 88th and 89th Streets, 212-877-2267). Don’t worry: You won’t know a soul.

Dive bars? Ryan’s Daughter (350 East 85th Street, between First and Second Avenues, 212-628-2613) and Subway Inn (143 East 60th Street, at Lexington Avenue, 212-223-8929) will remember your name — even when you forget it. For hangover hamburgers and bloody bulls, J.G. Melon’s (1291 Third Avenue, at 74th Street, 212-744-0585) gives Corner Bistro a run for its money.

And you may be miles from Carmine Street, but you can still get a decent slice at Mimi’s (1248 Lexington Avenue, at 84th Street, 212-861-3363), Mariella’s (965 Lexington Avenue, between 70th and 71st Streets, 212-249-2065), or Ultimate in Pizza (401 First Avenue, between 57th and 58th Streets, 212-319-9027).

2. Shopping
Ready for some real chutzpah? Sit down for this one. Shopping uptown is better. Blasphemy? Hold on.

Think about all the secondhand goods you can score at the Salvation Army (268 West 96th Street, between Broadway and West End Avenue, 212-663-2258). Fancy people don’t take advantage of other people’s misfortune. Fancy people donate.

Hot for high-end? All the biggies have outposts on Madison Avenue in the 60s and 70s: Valentino, Armani, Ralph, Calvin, Chloe. And hello? Where is Barneys (660 Madison Avenue, between 60th and 61st Streets, 212-826-8900), hmm? Smaller boutiques like Scoop (1273-77 Third Avenue, between 73rd and 74th Streets, 212-535-5577) and Intermix (1003 Madison Avenue, between 77th and 78th Streets, 212-249-7858; 210 Columbus Avenue, between 68th and 69th Streets, 212-769-9166) are stocked well enough to please the hungriest ladies who lunch.

Uptown boys (or those who just want to look the part) can go to Bergdorf Goodman Men for everything from bespoke suits to perfect sweaters (745 Fifth Avenue, at 58th Street, 212-339-3342). Peter Elliot (1070 Madison Avenue, at 81st Street, 212-570-2300) carries high-end Italian and English merch and is a great alternative to department-store drama. They’ll even respond to fashion emergencies on their 24-hour hot line and throw in delivery and free alterations.

If you’re fast enough, at Doyle Auction House (175 East 87th Street, between Lexington and Third Avenues, 212-427-2730) you can swipe a socialite’s Birkin bag (before she decides she must re-buy it). Sick of the steep prices antiques fetch downtown? Hit the 77th Street and Columbus Flea Market (Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) on weekends, where it all costs about half as much.

3. Anonymity
We cannot live on food and goods alone. (Wait. We can’t?) There’s that ineffable — quality of life. So here’s the best part: Living uptown feels like enrolling in the Witness Protection program. You walk to the corner deli and don’t run into Uma and babies. No risk of bumping into Miss Karaoke Duet the morning after your memorable “R-E-S-P-E-C-T.” Don’t believe us? Take a hint from the stars. Madonna, Harrison Ford, even limelight hog P. Diddy need their peace and quiet. And they live uptown.

All that, and the city’s best park to boot.