UES -- Getting Cooler and Trendier?

It is more trendy. It is chaper than Williamsburg and SoHo. I have seen hipsters all over Yorkville...

Um, no. Wishful thinking

But definitely cooler and trendier than LIC.

I'm not sure there's anything that could make UES cooler and trendier, but if people out there like it and are summoned to its streets, knock yourselves out.

The OP is right. UES will always have an extremely wealthy component but its the source of some of the neat deals in NYC. Many people, including artistic, creative, theater types (ie, not frat boys) would always prefer to live in manhattan instead of outer boroughs. Even more true when you consider the relative costs for buying and renting. I have lived on UES and downtown (where I live now), but the UES is still better than many other "hot areas" especially for those who want to be in manhattan. I'd rather live on UES than crown heights, bushwick, or even east Harlem/inwood. Just my opinion and I'm not a typical UESer at all.

Yeah...no. People who cannot afford to live where they like might try to tell themselves that, but no. There are more expensive areas below 34th that are trendy, and their are cheaper areas like WBurg or the LES that are trendy...and then there is the UES. No overlap.

This isn't about the Upper East Side, which is west of Lex.

The only thing that could make Yorkville/Lenox Hill kewl is if they built an elevated railroad all along Third Avenue, and its noise made the storefronts below good only for Irish bars, Hungarian bars, German bars, and the like. Fun City.

Randy, how did you find a turnip truck headed to the City of New York?

The fact that Candy's article starts with OMG it's Derek jeter says everything about the "coolness factor." People might settle there, but is still not a place where anyone is going to go. New interesting places are now being pushed out to greenpoint and bushwick. Went a couple times recently for beers at torst in greenpoint which blew my mind. Opening a pizza place is not exciting or interesting.

There are lots of reasons to move to the upper east side ..many of which are valid , but being trendy and cool hardly.
And would caution calling any/all articles ..."news" when it is more likely public relations.

turnip truck...ahahhah..firecrackah firecrackah sis boom bah

The UES is a wonderful place to live. Good restaurants, bars, pubs, promenade, subways. Who cares if its trendy. I can be in trendy in a 5 minute taxi ride... where I personally wouldn't want to live, despite that I can live anywhere I want.

Greenpoint: a mind-blower destination. To go there for having beers.
Mindblowing. Exciting and interesting.

Buckster: Hail a cab A.S.A.P.
destination: Greenpoint. Have some beers. Then go to Bushwick for, uh, interesting.

I agree with TrUth.

^^DrUnkin' troll lUrking.^ within a minUte of my posting a comment here at 11:07 pm.

Sorry truth, no show tunes, so really not suited to the octagenerian set. But if ever you want to skip high tea you should give it a try. Seriously incredible beer for the open-minded. http://ny.eater.com/tags/trst

^^another imbecile troll^, whose mind is easily blown.

YoU forgot the timestamp, Sybil. Doddering old Sybil. Senior moment.

^^trollalanhart, as usual. Trolling me within minutes of my posting comments on streeteasy.^^
Be it months, weeks, days: he has nothing better to do but to troll me with his drunken "comments".
It's now 12:08am on Wed. 3/27/13.

OP, didn't you just post something like this on another thread??

The UES is one of the best neighborhoods of the city BUT there is no part of the UES that will ever become trendy.
The affordable part of the UES will continue attract young families and professionals but will never be the "hip" or "in" neighborhood.
(can you really see Bushwick hipsters flocking to York Avenue?? c'mon)

That shouldn't discourage you from buying or living there though.
(I prefer to live in a decidedly un-trendy nabe where I got a great apartment on the cheap.)

Thanks all. I don't quite understand it. I love it there. I feel like I'm in the city....not a big suburb like the UWS... the restaurants and bars are great and I think getting better. There are piano bars like Brandy's. I can't quite figure out why people don't like it. Ah well..I love it and am determined to buy there before the prices go up.

Randy, I think you are getting perfectly consistent feedback: there is lots to like about UES, and it might be a good investment given the current prices, but it is not trendy and won't be. I think here there might be a mismatch between what you like (i.e. piano bars) and what is considered cool and trendy (i.e. not piano bars). So perhaps you will get good prices, but it just reflects demand. Good luck with the search!

Thanks Ottawanyc... I've just realized that I don't really want a trendy neighborhood. I want something for the long haul. I'll be one of those older folks one day and I LOVE Central Park. UES it is for me. Thanks again.

There's prime Lenox Hill and then there's the rest. Period. If you can afford it it is totally world class. Also, there are virtually no listings on block between 5th and Madison, from 6-80. Once you get to the museum take off a few points. Park Ave is a snore and beyond that it gets less and less.

Don't want to sound like a snob but if you have $$$$$$$$ should be considered.

But that's just it ... Actual UES is primo-priced. Yorkville/Lenox Hill are too far from Central Park... a neighborhood away.

" I think here there might be a mismatch between what you like (i.e. piano bars) and what is considered cool and trendy (i.e. not piano bars)."

LOL

You can get a decent burger and fries at Bemelmans's, listen to decent piano and the snacks are free with no cover till 9:30, if that's your cup of "tea".

Madison from 80-90 maybe up to 96 has got an interesting vibe. Wouldn't say actually cool, but not bad.

It's been many years since SRO joints.

interesting:

http://galleristny.com/2013/02/moving-on-up-the-avant-garde-returns-to-the-upper-east-side/

ieb....totally my cup of "tea". I really think there is a change happening. The article is absolutely right. Soho and Chelsea do feel like outside shopping malls. It would get tiresome. It is happening quietly, but eventually it will become obvious what is happening uptown.

LA/Chateau Marmont/Bar Marmont - NY/Hotel Carlyle/Bemelman's. Am I streaching things a little too much?

Yes, you are. But it is true that the art gallery scene was mostly centered on and around Madison in the E. 70s, before it moved to SoHo. And a very social scene it was.

IMO East Harlem has much more potential to be cool than the 60s-70s-80s east of Lex.

Carl Schurz park on the water is pretty nice too.

i live up here (ues, just east of lex) and have to admit that it will never be cool in the current sense of the word. it's simply not the same place. that said, there are a growing number of young people here who have been priced out of trendier neighborhoods and i do think there's certainly demand for more youthful, "artisanal" places to go beyond the stereotypical irish pub or neighborhood starbucks. however, the fact that downtown is still culturally relevant, the draw will remain for young people to go there, thereby stunting growth up here (i imagine many young village or bk residents would turn their noses up at the thought of traveling uptown for anything, past visiting their parents).

ieb - i don't think you can really equate the chateau marmont and the carlyle. i love both and frequent them regularly but led zeppelin didn't ride their motorcycles into the lobby of the carlyle and jfk didn't secretly romance marilyn at the marmont. totally different animals...

that said, i wouldn't mind fewer trips on the 6.

whats better....corner bistro or JG melon???

The OP asked if it is getting "cooler and trendier." Probably a bit, but the UES does not aim to be "cool" or "trendy" (since those are terms made for downtown). It is not cool but very livable, a place people can afford and where they can live when older.

Also with regards to Chateau Marmont and the Carlyle, seriously, maybe you have not been to both of them, because while they are both fantastic places where celebrities stay, the atmospheres are nothing alike. I prefer the Carlyle rooms but Chateau Marmont is a lot more fun.

tough call, marco. i'm just happy to live in a place where i can make that choice.

JG Melon says it all.
We can't sit you right away so stand uncomfortably between the backs of the people at the bar and the tiny kitchen where the deliciously small burgers are grilled to perfection in their own juices. They seat you a little too close for comfort to an adjoining table where some past her prime middle aged women argues with an attorney and you know what it's about because she says...8 or 9 times "but I can't live on 3.5 million a year". The choices are slim, cottage fries, spinach salad, go wild and add mushrooms. The burgers, fantastic on taste, get the check...OMG, she's right, we can't live on 3.5 MM A YEAR!

>OMG, she's right, we can't live on 3.5 MM A YEAR!

Call JG Melon, 877 Cash Now!

I always enjoy JG's...you know what its gonna be.

Who cares. does not this type of thinking end in about 7th grade..?

The obvious short answer is no.

UES: cool and trendy? I doubt it wants to be. Let LIC and WillyBurg claim that title.

>Randy, I think you are getting perfectly consistent feedback: there is lots to like about UES, and it might be a good investment given the current prices, but it is not trendy and won't be.

I heard that Eataly is considering a location there, so...

SE why?