Some days call for downtown energy, and some days call for a slower, prettier pace - the kind where you're sipping coffee out of a paper cup with a horse and carriage clattering by. This is Danielle's go-to Uptown day: coffee, Central Park, a little shopping, a museum stroll, and a string of the best bars on the East Side to close it out. Steal the whole thing or just the parts that fit your day.
Coffee: Ralph's Coffee
Start at Ralph's, the little green-awninged coffee shop tucked inside Ralph Lauren's Madison Avenue flagship. Order an iced coffee (they do it right) and a pastry, and let the old-money, Central Park vibe set the tone for the whole day.
Walk Into the Park: The Boathouse
Coffee in hand, walk into Central Park toward the Lake and find The Boathouse (long known as the Loeb Boathouse). Even if you're not staying for a meal, it's worth the detour - rowboats drifting by, weeping willows, and one of the prettiest views in the city.
Shopping Down Madison Ave
From the park, head back out and shop your way down Madison Avenue. This stretch is full of the classics - The Row, Chanel, Bottega Veneta - mixed in with smaller boutiques, so it's an easy in-and-out browse whether you're buying or just window shopping.
Lunch: Pop Into Butterfield Market
Duck into Butterfield Market, the Upper East Side's favorite gourmet grocer, and grab lunch to-go. Their prepared foods and sandwich counter make it easy to build a picnic in five minutes flat.
Eat Lunch in Sheep Meadow
Take your Butterfield haul back into the park and set up in Sheep Meadow. It's the park's biggest lawn and the best spot for a picnic on a nice day (bring a blanket if you have one).
Late Afternoon Stroll at The Met
Wander over to The Metropolitan Museum of Art for a slow lap through the galleries. If you're a New York State resident, admission is pay-what-you-wish, so there's zero pressure to "get your money's worth" - pop in for twenty minutes or two hours. Not in the mood to go in? The Met steps are a New York institution in their own right, and just as fair game.
Happy Hour & Live Piano Bar Martinis at Bemelmans Bar
Head to The Carlyle for Bemelmans - the murals, the piano, the martinis. It's the most classically New York happy hour there is, so get there early if you want a table.
Dinner at Chez Fifi
Cap the night with dinner at Chez Fifi, the cozy French bistro. Great for a low-key group dinner or a date, with the kind of menu you want after a full day of walking.
Late Night Drinks: The Penrose
End the night at The Penrose, the neighborhood's favorite low-key bar for one more round. Good drinks, no pretension, easy to talk over - the perfect last stop on an Uptown day.
