I Love the Upper West Side

The go-to blog and news platform for residents of the Upper West Side.

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"New Absolute Bagel" to replace Absolute Bagels

1 week ago | ilovetheupperwestside.com | Bobby Panza

On Monday, a Reddit thread featured a sign reading “Re-Open” next to the words “New Absolute Bagel,” displayed at the same iconic location as Absolute Bagels, which closed in December 2024 following a failed health inspection. ILTUWS briefly spoke with Samak Thongkrieng, who founded Absolute Bagels in 1990 and built it into one of the city’s premier bagel destinations.
Margaret Mead Film Festival at AMNH Unveils Full Program

1 week ago | ilovetheupperwestside.com | Bobby Panza

The longest-running festival of nonfiction film in the United States, the Margaret Mead Film Festival—named after renowned anthropologist Margaret Mead—is back at the American Museum of Natural History, running from Friday, May 2, to Sunday, May 4. Founded in 1976, the festival has long been a beacon for exploring the powerful medium of documentary filmmaking as a resource for building cross-cultural understanding, community, and resilience.
DOT Unveils Plans for $60 Million Overhaul of 79th Street Transit Corridor

1 week ago | ilovetheupperwestside.com | Bobby Panza

During an agenda-filled evening, the NYC Department of Transportation presented an overview of proposed 79th Street Crosstown Bus—Select Bus Service (SBS) improvements, focusing on transit upgrades and pedestrian safety. The presentation also highlighted data from work completed in 2017 along this major Manhattan corridor, which spans from Riverside Park, through Central Park, to East End Avenue.
Salsa Dancer Awarded $6.45 Million After Slipping on Fish Guts Outside Citarella

1 week ago | ilovetheupperwestside.com | Bobby Panza

A Manhattan jury tipped the scales on Tuesday, April 8, awarding a $6.45 million verdict to an Upper West Side salsa dancer who took a tumble outside Citarella, the gourmet grocer at 2135 Broadway and West 75th Street. Castillo, who asked to be identified only by her last name in an interview with the New York Post — which first reported the story on Friday—said, “It’s been a long, long, long process.
Welcome Back, Apple Bank Sign: The Local Who Helped Fix It

1 week ago | ilovetheupperwestside.com | Bobby Panza

Following some technical difficulties—during which it displayed wildly inaccurate temperature readings before going completely haywire—the Apple Bank sign was decommissioned in October 2024, after ILTUWS sent a week-long report to Apple Bank detailing the discrepancies at various times of day and night. But it was a faithful tipster who first alerted us to the issue, emailing ILTUWS and asking us to look into it.
71st Street Bike Corral Bounced from Planned Location: Block Association Fights Back

1 week ago | ilovetheupperwestside.com | Bobby Panza

On April 3, the 71st Street Block Association sent an email addressed to Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal, City Councilmember Gale Brewer, and State Senator Brad Hoylman. “We are writing to you because we need your help in securing our promised bike corral in the street just off the curb at the McDonald’s Plaza (at 71st and Amsterdam), which was agreed upon when we met on November 18, 2024,” it read. The message was co-signed by Katina Ellison and Karen Raschke, the co-leaders of the association.
Community Board 7 Reviews Street Co-Naming Application for Malachy McCourt

2 weeks ago | ilovetheupperwestside.com | Bobby Panza

The Transportation Committee of Community Board 7 met on Tuesday evening to review an application to co-name a street for Malachy McCourt, an Upper West Sider for nearly six decades until his passing in March 2024 at the age of 92. “He was Irish, but he was a mensch,” said his longtime next-door neighbor Jeff Baron in our story shortly thereafter.
Zabar’s Lands on USA Today’s Top 10 Grocery Store Destinations

2 weeks ago | ilovetheupperwestside.com | Bobby Panza

It’s a popular practice to show friends and family around to your favorite local spots when they come to visit. A drop-in at Smoke Jazz Club for some tunes, then perhaps a slice at Mama’s Too—there’s a swath of Upper West Side culture to dole out for trips long and short. Now, USA Today reports that grocery store tourism has become a popular trend, with people trekking around the country to visit iconic locations for a taste of everyday living, cultural norms, and culinary traditions.
Experience 212 West 72nd Street: The Upper West Side’s Best-Selling Condominium

2 weeks ago | ilovetheupperwestside.com | Mike Mishkin

212 WEST 72ND STREET SURGES TO $60 MILLION IN SALES IN 2025 AND SURPASSES 70% SOLD212 West 72nd Street, a striking modern luxury condominium set at the intersection of 72nd Street and Broadway in the heart of the Upper West Side, continues to see remarkable sales momentum. Since the start of the year, the building has achieved an impressive $60 million in sales, including a staggering $50 million within just 30 days.
Longtime Upper West Sider Kevin Bacon Divulges His Go-To Barney Greengrass Order

2 weeks ago | ilovetheupperwestside.com | Bobby Panza

Place your bets. Place your bets. Kevin Bacon, an Upper West Side resident since moving to the city in 1976, has just revealed his go-to order at neighborhood favorite Barney Greengrass. “This is a place where you go if you really want to feel like a native,” said the Animal House alum while sitting inside Barney Greengrass, a spot we’ve called the quintessential Upper West Side dining experience.