Remember that great Woody Allen line in Manhattan: “He adored New York City. He idolized it all out of proportion…no, make that: he – he romanticized it all out of proportion. Yes. To him, no matter what the season was, this was still a town that existed in black and white and pulsated to the great tunes of George Gershwin.” …Yeah, that one. No place in this city has my heart and my feet pulsating to the tunes of Gershwin quite like Central Park South. That’s why I thought it would be the perfect street to kick off a new UsedYorkCity series: UYC’s Walks. In the series, I’ll be taking you all over New York and sharing some of my favorite strolls with you and all the best stops along the way. So without further adiu, let me introduce my favorite street in NYC, Central Park South.
Starting Point
Take the subway to 59th Street Columbus Circle (the A, B, C, D, 1 trains will all get you there), go inside the Time Warner Center, up the escalator, and to the 2nd or 3rd floor. The TWC’s floor to ceiling windows will give you a gorgeous preview of Central Park South as it heads east.
Leave the TWC and begin heading east on Central Park South (also known as 59th Street). I like walking on the cobblestone park side, and taking in the view from across the street.
You’ll see the prestigious New York Athletic Club on the corner of 59th and 7th Avenue…a place that still requires gentlemen to enter wearing jackets at all times (even if you’re headed to the gym to work out!) There’s something to be said about dressing to the nines, and it’s nice that it’s still mandatory in some small pockets of the city.
I’ve always loved this etching on the side of the Hampshire House:
Once you cross to 59th and 6th Avenue, you can look down at the lake in the park.
You’ll also start seeing horse and carriages along the street, picking up tourists and whisking them away to the park for a pretty penny.
As you near 5th Avenue, you’ll see one of the most iconic NYC hotels, The Plaza. If you’re hungry head downstairs to the basement and try out one of my favorite casual dining restaurants in the city, The Todd English Food Hall. Get the goat cheese and beet ravioli, I promise it will be one of the best dishes that ever hit your lips. If you have a little girl on your walk (or you’re like me and just adore anything pink), you must check out the Eloise room, also in the basement. It’s positively precious. My walking buddy, Gillman, thinks it’s simply the bee’s knees.
Next to the hotel sits the Grand Army Plaza, a wonderful place to grab a bench, sit for a spell, and listen to the wonderful tunes of Gershwin…if only in your head.
Jessica Tiare Bowen lives in the juicy Big Apple with her adorable pink-nosed chihuahua, Gillman. He’s the inspiration for her first published children’s book, “Park Avenue Pound Puppy.” The book is the combined result of her two greatest passions: pooches and penning stories.
Her passions include art, urban hikes through Manhattan, drinking coffee with 3 creams and 6 sugars, making extremely detailed itineraries and traveling to far away places, singing along to Broadway shows, Netflix movie nights, discovering incredible treasures at Goodwill and thrift stores, and listening to stories from little people under 7 and big people over 70.
She started her career as New York City Teaching Fellow, teaching elementary school and theater arts at a special education school in the South Bronx for 6 years. She is now a Special Education School Improvement Specialist working in public schools throughout New York City. She is the Editor-In-Chief of the online New York City travel magazine, Used York City. The magazine focuses on finding the best of New York…as used by New Yorkers. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and an ASPCA Ambassador.
