New York, more than any other city in the world, has pockets of the city that are beautifully nondescript. No, I don’t see those two adjectives as an oxymoron. Nondescriptness doesn’t imply a degree of aesthetic pleasure to me. Some of my favorite outfits are nondescript. In fact, a lot of them are.
Shout out to my gray hoodie from Old Navy.
Morningside Heights is the gray hoodie of Manhattan neighborhoods, a badge it should absolutely wear with pride. Where music-filled streets and high-rise penthouses are found in much of the city, neatly arranged row houses and quiet French cafés are found here.
The neighborhood’s crowd is calming and steady in a way I wish I could put my finger on. If a writer for the prestigious Fordham Ram struggles to describe why they like a neighborhood, then the magic of the city is fully at play.
Anything that falls between 110th and 125th Street and west of Morningside Park makes up one of Manhattan’s smallest neighborhoods. As rigid as Manhattan’s neighborhoods are, Morningside Heights and the Upper West Side are relatively similar. But there is a noticeable difference when one crosses onto 110th on Broadway, as I have done all too many times. The air clears, the traffic slows and the city for the city’s sake takes over. Dogs bark, students laugh and people from all walks of life fill your path. Morningside Heights feels natural and easy, without being sleazy or disheveled.
As Manhattan’s population surpassed one million residents near the turn of the 20th century, the buildings in Morningside Heights were primarily constructed in the Colonial, Georgian or Renaissance Revival styles, which greatly differed from those throughout Manhattan at the time. During the construction of The Cathedral of St. John the Divine on Amsterdam Avenue between 110th and 113th, the first institution committed to be built in the neighborhood, a vast 15-building expansion of Columbia University simultaneously occurred. This development includes the iconic Low Memorial Library and many of Columbia’s student dorms.
Outside of visiting the city’s second-most prestigious school (hint: NYU is third on this very official ranking), there are a plethora of sites to see and foods to eat.
Riverside Park offers a spectacular view of the Hudson River to your west and gorgeous apartment buildings with gardens to the east. For fans of the show “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” you all know to check out Riverside Drive and 113th, where main character Midge calls home.
Complete with tennis courts, basketball courts and similar odds of being crowded as the Jets winning the Super Bowl this year, Morningside Park is the perfect place to grab a coffee and read a book. You won’t be distracted and will only be inspired by the tranquility of the park.
Riverside Church, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke during his time on Earth, is a sight to see. Complete with a theater inside to see plays and other shows, the church’s exterior is art in and of itself.
Tom’s Diner could technically act as a dining or attraction recommendation. Take my advice and use it as the latter. There are plenty of other restaurant options. If the Mrs. Maisel reference didn’t catch your eye, that’s okay. Any self-respecting fan of comedy television should make the pilgrimage to where Elaine, Jerry, George and Kramer dished out laughs and zingers for nine beloved seasons on “Seinfeld” on 112th and Broadway.
Wu and Nussbaum on 113th and Broadway is a place that frankly there should be more of: quick and affordable bites in a classy, yet casual atmosphere. Essentially, if Starbucks or Pret offered dumplings and lox bagels along with their staple baked goods, Wu and Nussbaum have it together and have culinary range and then some.
From pork dumplings to black-and-white cookies, their menu spanning three continents hits the mark, but never the wallet.
Le Monde is the perfect place to go to with your parents. One, because they’ll pick up the check. They’ll also never complain about the music being too loud, or the restaurant being too crowded. Le Monde is a classic French spot with high-end favorites on tap in a spacious and comfortable environment. Not too formal and offering outdoor dining, it’s a place to put on your list and wait to splurge on. The salmon and ambience are well worth it.
Morningside Heights does what it does well: lives life with little frills or spectacle. Boring by absolutely no means and continuing on with a steady pulse of life that doesn’t invigorate, but soothes, Morningside Heights is the perfect neighborhood to discover: a true gift to the city.
