Our Secret Tour of Manhattan’s Central Park West

August 16, 2012 - by

We’re proud of the facility we’ve developed for our patients, with its elegant waiting room and relaxing views of Central Park. We’re also proud of our location, with many of New York City’s most well-known attractions near our office, literally right around the corner.

Following are some highlights and inside tips on our neighborhood—including things you can’t learn in the average tourist guide. See if you already know of our favorite burger joint!

View Dr. Zevon’s Secret Tour of Manhattan’s Central Park West in a larger map
We begin at our very own building—75 Central Park West—which has an interesting history. Built in 1928, it was designed by Rosario Candela, a Columbia-educated architect who designed many of the city’s most luxurious apartment buildings during the 1920s. (Just before the Depression, at the height of his popularity, Candela had an unprecedented 27 buildings under commission.) The residents at 75 Central Park West have a front-row seat to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, and we’re on the finish line of the New York City Marathon.

If you walk a few blocks to the south and west you’ll find Lincoln Center, the mecca for the performing arts. It’s between West 62nd and 65th Streets and Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues, and is a leisurely stroll from our office to an evening performance. While everyone has surely heard about Lincoln Center, did you know it actually encompasses 38 different venues on a 16-acre complex? Performances cater to every age and genre, from puppet shows to fine arts to funk music and slam poetry. One of the special offerings is the informal Saturday morning “Meet the Artist” series at the David Rubenstein Atrium, which features a performance and Q&A session with the performer.

If you’re in the mood to shop after you take in a matinee at Lincoln Center, wander up a block to the shiny new Century 21 store at 1972 Broadway. You haven’t shopped in New York until you’ve been to Century 21, a small chain of stores famous for affordable fashion at low prices. We delighted to have one in the neighborhood! Southeast of Lincoln Center, the Shops at Columbus Circle in the Time Warner Center also offer great shopping (and some great dining, too).

Hungry yet? When we order out for lunch, here are three of favorites, any of which should satisfy the hunger you worked up during your shopping spree. All three of these restaurants are close by and are also great choices for a quick bite before a performance at Lincoln Center.

  • Shun Lee, at 43 West 65th Street, has fantastic Chinese food—some of the best in the City. If you want the special Beggar’s Chicken (baked in lotus leaf and clay), you’ll have to order a day in advance. It’s worth it.
  • Nick & Toni’s Cafe, at 100 W. 67th Street, has a wood-burning oven and to-die-for Italian dishes. The classic original restaurant is in East Hampton.
  • PJ Clarke’s is a New York institution. We love the burgers here! This restaurant is at 44 West 63rd Street; the original saloon, on the east side of Manhattan, opened in 1884.

After lunch, you should visit Central Park, of course. (We are Central Park Plastic Surgery, after all!) Walk to the east from any of the restaurants to reach the Park, every New Yorker’s favorite playground. Famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted began designing the park in 1857; the Park’s early proponents envisioned that the grand scale of the Park (more than 800 acres) would rival some of Europe’s famous landscaped public spaces.

Our waiting room looks out toward the Sheep Meadow, which was actually home to a flock of sheep until 1934. Now it’s a favorite spot to sunbathe during the summer. Did you know that Dr. Zevon is an avid birdwatcher? Our location is perfect for a quick escape into the Park with a pair of binoculars; Strawberry Fields, the memorial to John Lennon, is adjacent to Sheep Meadow and is a well-known birding spot. There are 235 species of birds in Central Park, and the lush greenery and water sources are ideal for nesting and raising young. The American Museum of Natural History, the Linnean Society, and the Audubon Society all offer guided birdwatching tours of the Park.

Thanks so much for taking the secret tour of our quintessential New York neighborhood, and for letting us share some of its special history and charm. We love it here.

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