Banksy popped into my radar one day and I bookmarked it. I forgot all about visiting this public…read moreart until today when it showed up nearby in my search. It's unusual so I felt lucky I saw it as I passed by. It's been covered in plexiglass for protection against the weather. It appears people and businesses are rallying to keep it from removal. It fun to photograph public art or as some call his work Graffiti. I'm glad I have the photos in my collection. It's my first Banksy.

Banksy made this public art in 2013 and it's still intact. It's covered by an acrylic shield…read more Pretty hard to find unless you're using a map app or Yelp. Check it out on the UWS and get some cool pictures in front of here. The art doesn't look like it's complex, more of like a commentary that's the more complex thing about this. It somehow has become a thing to check out, because it's one of the few surviving pieces of Banksy public art. Officially it's titled Better Out Than In #20, and was part of a series. These appeared on the UWS in October 2013 and most disappeared soon after that. An acrylic panel protects it from graffiti artists...such as Banksy. So ironic. Zabar's put up the protection and has made the public aware of this. Cool that a great place like that takes an interest in art. They have some of the best bagels so be sure to go get some. As Banksy has gone onto bigger things it's cool that one of his older projects is around. It's at Broadway and 79th on the side of a building. This is a few blocks from Zabar's.

Linus Corragio Sculptor has very cool sculptured chairs located 313 West 100th Street in Manhattan…read more I came across them accidentally walking on West 100th Street from Riverside Park. I was heading east to Broadway and to my left I saw this unusual piece of work. On the building is the sign and phone number that says Chairs by Linus Corragio. I thought the one huge chair in front was the only piece. After taking photos I walked a few feet and found a few more. One had some construction workers sitting on it during lunch. You know me, I asked them politely if I could get some photos of the seat. They were happy to oblige. I walked around the whole tree bed and took a photo of each side. After this experience I immediately became a fan of Linus Corragio. I looked up his story when I got home. He's a long time resident of the Upper West Side. He has a huge portfolio of work. I'm hoping I can locate more of his sculptures around Manhattan. This was a fun learning experience. I love this outdoor public art that everyone can enjoy. I'm a Linus Corragio fan now. I suggest you visit. You may want to make a purchase, haha. Ringo Starr is one of his collectors!

Friendly, easy place!…read more Not really a fan of their lunch sliders, was still hungry (and I don't even eat that much food at a time, in the first place); not sure if I was food poisoned by this either So obviously, review is only for their beer selection. I'm choosing to ignore the food part.

The owner seems nice, and I genuinely like what this place brings to that corner. But honestly,…read morethis will probably be our last time here. The bartenders often have a weirdly grouchy "bro" energy that makes you feel like you're bothering them just by ordering a drink. Last fall, one guy was even playing music that sounded like a Christian radio station. The lyrics literally had the word "Lord" in them. It felt less like a neighborhood bar on the UWS and more like I'd wandered into a roadside bar somewhere in the Bible Belt. Another bartender always seems completely checked out. It's hard to flag him down, so we end up sitting there with empty drinks until he eventually notices. On our most recent visit it was a beautiful day outside, but we decided to sit inside since we were planning to order a bunch of food and settle in for a while. The basement was musty and dark and all the windows were shut. We politely asked if they could open a window or turn on the AC for a bit just to air it out. The response was a flat "No." That was it. When we asked why, he said if he did that someone else might complain, and then he just walked away. He kind of just waived us away, it was the weirdest interaction. That was the last time we overlooked the attitude. We normally like to hang out and spend $120-$150 here, but at that price we don't want to feel like we're an imposition.

An iconic uws brownstone building and apartment. It was the home of fictional Kathleen Kelly,…read moreplayed by Meg Ryan, in You've Got Mail.

They're clueless . They cancel, then postpone, no notice to ticket buyers, and can't seem to issue…read morerefunds! That's called fraud!

The company cancelled the event in May 2025 and did not refund until September 2025 after multiple…read moreemails and escalations. Apparently, this is a scam and the owner does not have the funds to deliver the event.

Beautiful walkway area of Central Park ,lined by trees featuring statues of literary greats. This…read morepaved area features many statues, information plaques on many, vendors along the way, and benches to sit on during a nice day and watch the world go by. It leads to the Bethesda Fountain and Naumberg Bandshell area where NYRR centers its race central during its many events throughout the year.

The Mall and Literary Walk in Central Park is a beautiful, popular and educational environment. The…read moreMall is one of Central Park's most important landscapes and horticultural wonders. The Mall is a wide, straight path lined by rows of American elm trees. It was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux as a formal promenade and gathering space. Like many of my favorite areas in the Park, I enjoy strolling, sitting, people-watching, listening to music, contemplating monuments, and admiring trees. I was there recently and I can't wait for you to see my photos. It was a really enjoyable day in Central Park. When you visit the park be sure to set aside time for exploring the Mall and Literary Walk. Enjoy!

Wow! I stumbled upon this beautiful garden by accident. The garden sits near the Church of St. John…read morethe Divine. The Peace Fountain caught my eye and like a curious child, I entered. As I walked through the garden I reviewed how this garden came to be: "The brainchild of sculptor Greg Wyatt, the Children's Sculpture Garden was commissioned in 1985 alongside the Peace Fountain. Wyatt envisioned a space where children could express their understanding of universal themes like liberty, freedom, and peace". "This Children's Sculpture Garden, the first of its kind, is composed in part by the inner-ring of the "Animals of Freedom," and is a public outreach for younger artists to sculpturally express the universal themes of Liberty, Freedom and Peace" It is astonishing to learn that children are the force behind this. Where was my imagination as a child? We were in a different creative world back then. The new generation are skilled and creative, but not this creative. It's scary to think how AI and Chat GPT have taken over! Where is that sense of wonder?

Large unusual fountain at st Johns cathedral. The fountain no longer has water in it but it's…read moredefinitely worth a look. Our trip was brief to NYC so didn't have time to read and research much .. don't know what all the unusual symbolism is all about but it had a pagan feel to that seemed incongruous at a formal gothic cathedral. There were small metal sculptures in that area that were seemed crudely made or by less skill .. also seemed oddly pagan in nature.

Morningside Heights is a slice of Manhattan that is on my radar and need to explore more. When I…read morewalked up the subway platform I felt a difference here; there's a small village like ambience. It's very different from other parts of Manhattan. I only had a small taste of it and what I've experienced so far is pretty great. I've made a " Neighborhood To Do List" to experience what might be the epitome of culture in the Upper West Side: 1. Columbia University: The neighborhood is known for its strong connection to Columbia University and its surrounding educational institutions, contributing to a unique academic and creative arts atmosphere. I can imagine freshman students who begin their first academic year here.. must be thrilling 2. Parks: I love nature and still find Central Park to be an urban masterpiece. Morningside Heights is close to Morningside Park and the Riverside Park, offering residents ample opportunities for outdoor recreation and enjoying nature. I've visited Riverside Park but need to explore more and Morningside Park will be entirely new for me. Can't wait to discover it! 3. Restaurants: I've peeked into Tom's Diner ( Seinfeld hangout) but will dine there next month as I have an appointment near there. However, there are other great finds to explore: Dagon, Pasticci and Le Monde, I've bookmarked all in Yelp. 4. Churches: Morningside Heights has a wealth of churches, including the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Riverside Church, the Church of Notre Dame. Now, Riverside Church has a bell tower with an observation deck offering terrific views. I'm feeling very Hitchcock vibes and feel a bit of "Vertigo" 5. Historic Architecture: I can't wait to visit Morningside Heights Historic District 6. Community Events: I love jazz and have already bookmarked the Miller Theatre. "At Miller Theatre, we believe that price should not be a barrier to attendance. Our ticket prices are consistently lower than most other performing arts venues in the city, and we offer significant discounts on single ticket prices, including discounts for students, seniors, and the Columbia community." Love it! 7. Farmer's Market: I love visiting markets and MH has a wealth of them. One I really want to explore: The Farmers Market is open year-round, inside the Park at the corner of 110th Street and Manhattan Ave. 8. Shopping: MH has local boutiques for unique finds and that really appeals to me 9. Culture: So many libraries and museums to check out: Butler Library, El Museo de Barrio, General Grant National Memorial, NY Public Library of MH, Museum of the City of New York 10. Getting lost... just picking a block and discovering hidden treasures. More to come.. stay tuned!

Morningside Heights is a neighborhood in Manhattan, New York City. The main thoroughfare is…read moreBroadway. When I lived on the Upper West Side I was right off Broadway. Still to this day, I walk up Broadway to catch most of my favorite sites. Much of Morningside Heights is part of the campus of Columbia University. I really enjoy spending time on campus. There's a cafe for coffee and food. They have clean restrooms, free WiFi , and electric outlets. I feel comfortable there. I find the campus beautiful in all its historic glory. I take lots of photos. While you're visiting this neighborhood Yelp Search other historic sights. I have to return to see many other locations including churches and cemeteries. I did visit Tom's restaurant one day. You can see all my Tom's Restaurant photos on their Yelp page. It's notorious from the Seinfeld Show. I'm so fortunate to live in Manhattan with all these wonderful neighborhoods. Each is special in its own way. It's like lots of little cities in one. When I visit outside my neighborhood I'm a tourist for the day!

One of my closest friends recommended Arco for a group for my birthday…read more They were so accommodating when we reduced the group size from 12 to 8. They have home made pasta - and you can buy fresh pasta to take away! Fun cozy Upper West Side Italian food with fantastic menu options, great service, and great food. I highly recommend it for romantic evenings or larger groups. You will not be disappointed in a city full of some of the best Italian food outside of Italy!

I live in the area and have walked by this place soooooo many times. It's been on my growing list…read moreof places to try. It's also highly rated so I was curious if it really lived up to the ratings. I find restaurant ratings on customer provided scores to be usually extra-high. The service overall was good; I sat at the bar and the bartender provided new glasses for each of the bottled beers I got, even when I was about to re-use a glass for the second drink. The food took awhile to come out but I realized they actually waited to fire up my entree (pasta) after my appetizer (focaccia with cheese meat veggies i.e. almost or basically pizza, except no tomato sauce, but tomatoes instead). It took awhile to cook up the entree even though it was just gnocchi with a cream sauce (pancetta and mushrooms). But this wait was definitely for a good reason. They must have low to medium-heat cooked the hell out of the pancetta. The cured taste was embedded in the cream sauce; a single complex flavor. The texture of the slippery soft but firm mushroom with its inherently light flavor was a great complement to the gnocchi which had a gummy inside and the pancetta which was rich and salty but not too salty. Perfect when you make a bite with all three and the cream sauce. The gnocchi was a bit gummy for me though, it kept getting plastered to my teeth after each bite. The focaccia was cooked well, ending up crispy with a chew in a bite, and it was definitely handmade and fresh tasting light and feeling airy. The place and its atmosphere was very quiet since I went about 45 minutes before close. It's a small restaurant with decent decor of a tiled bar top with wooden stools. It reminded me of Mamma Mia the movie, Italy, and Greece. I would definitely go back. You don't find the care taken to cook food in so many places. If I had to give it a numeral rating out of 5 I would give it a 4.35, but being constrained by stars I have to give it 5 stars; it doesn't deserve 4 stars only which I reserve for solidly good restaurants. Arco Cafe is more like very good, looking at the peak towards excellent.