NY Life

“Derek! Wait! OH MY GOSH IT’S DEREK JETER!”

I shouted these words five years ago as I saw the star Yankee shortstop walking from his Upper East Side Manhattan apartment to a stretch limo. To my surprise, my friends and I were the only ones excited to see him.

“Why is everyone walking around like seeing a celebrity is just an average occurrence?” I thought. Well, it turns out — for the residents of the Upper East Side — seeing a celebrity such as Derek Jeter was as normal as seeing your next door neighbor.

Celebrities, business moguls, high-end fashion models, political figures — they’re all here. If you’re fortunate enough to live in this neighborhood, you don’t need to be a celebrity to live the lifestyle of the rich and famous. While celebrity sightings sound appealing to most, the Upper East Side was not, in recent years, considered hip downtown’s humdrum cousin. Over the past year and half, however, the once stereotyped “sleepy and snooty” Upper East Side has become a destination thanks to an abundance of cool and attractive boutiques, restaurants and hotspots for a fun night out.

In the recent past, many younger generation people, including myself, wouldn’t think twice about where they would go to have a fun time in Manhattan. The easy answer? Hop on the subway and head straight downtown. Let’s be real: is there anywhere as fun as Soho or Tribeca, which offer trendy boutiques, luxurious lofts and fine restaurants? While this question may have been a no brainer in the past, many now reluctantly embrace the Upper East Side.

As mentioned in an article by WWD, “Madison Avenue has certainly come back in the past 18 months or so.”

In the past, Upper East Side stores catered to a more neighborhood-based clientele than trendy Downtown boutiques did. This is no longer the case, as these once stereotyped ritzy blocks are opening new doors to a more diverse group of people. These new stores include a plethora of younger labels which have attracted a crowd that, say two years ago, would default to shopping on the streets of Soho. Some of these new, trendy and long overdue hot spots on the Upper East Side include Joie, Vince, Rebecca Taylor. Others are expected to open soon, including Proenza Schouler and Ippolita.

Ryan Korban designed UES Joie store

In addition to the Upper East Side’s change in the retail climate, new restaurants and other hotspots have attracted crowds looking to get out and have fun. Many downtown regulars have found themselves migrating from popular downtown destinations to come to Uptown  workout facilities, including SoulCycle East and Brownings Fitness. (Who isn’t hungry after a great workout? I know I always am!)  You will be delighted to hear that less expensive uptown restaurants are popping up to offer good grub for less dinero. The Village Voice says that Toloache and Hospoda restaurants, in particular, are ideal for the young  generation to dine and hang.

Spending time on Manhattan’s Upper East Side is not only a chance to try out some of the city’s best restaurants and shopping, but also allows New Yorkers and tourists the ability to experience a popular neighborhood undergoing a revolutionary turning point — where old and new are still at each other’s foils.

By Candice Ibarra

If you’re looking for somewhere to take a friend, or you just have nothing planned this weekend, you might want to take some ideas from my itinerary.

Breakfast at Cafe Sabarsky and a visit to the Neue Galerie

Grab an authentic Austrian breakfast at Cafe Sabarsky (one of the best and most expensive coffees in town), and then check out the Neue Galerie.  A great resource for both New York and world culture, the Neue Galerie is showing now selections from the Ronald S. Lauder(yes, that Lauder!) Collection. Pieces date from the Third Century B.C. all the way up to 20th Century German, Austrian and French works.

Dinner at Hospoda

Right now, the hottest, newest spot on the Upper East Side seems to be Hospoda, a modern Czech restaurant that’s getting one great review after another. The menu consists of meals that are created from locally bought, seasonal ingredients, and the food is paired with custom brewed beer for the finest in dining experiences for the bold and the curious(tongue seems to be the most popular thing on the menu).

Check out “Wanderlust”

Hollywood may have built the industry, but New York provides the inspiration, which explains why there are so many movies about New York and New Yorkers. The recently released film “Wanderlust” starring Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston (and Justin Theroux,) follows a couple as they leave the city for rural Georgia. Yes, I admit, I am going to see this movie mainly because I am curious to see Jennifer Aniston’s boyfriend.

A walk in Central Park

No need for introductions, Central Park is one of the most beautiful parks in the world, and there’s no better way to appreciate the changing weather and get some fresh air between a movie and dinner than to explore it at your leisure.

Dinner at  Sfoglia

If you’re in the mood for Italian,  Sfoglia is traditional to the point of being somewhat rustic, lending a really authentic atmosphere to the restaurant. This is as close as you’re going to get on the Upper East Side to sitting at an Italian grandmother’s table for dinner . The rickety wooden tables and bowls of fruit in place of flowers create a homey feeling. All the food is, of course,  authentic and filling, but do get the pasta, you’ll thank me.

You can check out pics I will take during the weekend, stalk me on foursquare, or just borrow a few ideas from this list, but don’t complain that you have nothing to do this weekend.

By Mirela Gluck

This week, in honor of Earth Day, we get to expand our eco-friendly palate with some other city favorites. We’re huge fans of Quantum Leap and the East Village’s Organic Grill. We love the sustainability idea behind Rogue Tomate and the local flavors at Cookshop. For time-tested and tasted healthiness, we rely on veteran Souen in Union Square and Soho. And for Earth week, we eat Italian.

Il Buco, the old world Italian restaurant on Bond Street, is honoring Earth Day with their 3rd annual rainforrest fundraiser. Il Buco offers 15% off lunch tabs from noon to 4 p.m. through Saturday, and donates the savings to save the rain forest. (If you haven’t eaten at Il Buco, take advantage of this offer and get the bruschetta with mussels, gambas, pollo and pasta special of the day or risotto.)

Jonesing for a more crowded Earth Day celebration? Join everyone and their mother at Grand Central, the annual Earth Fair highlights organic food, preparation and nearby restaurants.

Emma Dinzebach

Stressed or not at all, starting yesterday through April 18th, it’s spa week in Gotham and the perfect excuse to be pampered. Treatments are $50 just for signing up at spaweek.com and this year, city spas are participating like woah.

Some things you should know before you go: 1) Spas book up quickly, so make reservations in advance…as in today. 2) Tip well. On average, 15-20% is the going rate to tip on your massage therapist or facialist. Because spa week treatments are less expensive but not less work, we recommend tipping higher than that on your treatment or tipping 15-20% of the regular cost of the treatment if your budget allows. 3) There are participants all over the city, so use this opportunity to try something new. Have a massage near that Upper West Side restaurant you’ve  been dying to try. New Yorker’s need any excuse to get them out of their hood. 4) Learn more. Other fun ways to follow the Spa Week action? Follow them on Twitter at @SPAWEEK and read their blog, Spa Week Daily.  5) Get Vajazzled. Yup, that’s right. Because nothing says “I’m relaxed” than overpriced crystals adorned to your flower.  6) For a serious laugh, check out Spa Week Daily’s Spa Crawl video blog of this girl – I guess she works for Spa Week – mid-slather, lather and shine at her once a day $50 treatment.

And amidst all of those instructions and options remember to breathe deeply. This is supposed to be relaxing.

Emma Dinzebach