West Side Rag

Welcome to The Rag! We're glad you're here and hope you take some time to explore all that we have to share. The Rag is an online newspaper and blog dedicated to the Upper West Side of Manhattan, featuring insights and stories from locals who call this vibrant neighborhood home. Our coverage includes topics such as real estate, crime, new and closing businesses, parks, and much more, along with engaging columns about community life. Geographically, the Upper West Side spans from 59th to 110th Streets and is bordered by Central Park and the Hudson River. However, we’re open to covering events beyond those limits. If there’s something happening at St. John the Divine on 112th Street, we’ll report on it. And if Keanu Reeves were to dance in his underwear at 58th Street and 10th Avenue, you can bet we’d share that story too! Since its launch in 2011, The Rag has quickly gained recognition, winning accolades as one of the top neighborhood blogs in the city by the Village Voice in its first year. Life & Style Weekly praised us as “The best insider source about Manhattan’s Upper West Side,” while BrickUnderground described The Rag as “wry, addictive, and up-to-the-minute.”

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Here's How the Upper West Side Voted in the 2025 Mayoral Primary Race

2 days ago | westsiderag.com | Gus Saltonstall

By Gus SaltonstallZohran Mamdani will be the Democratic candidate for mayor of New York City after Andrew Cuomo conceded Tuesday night to the current Queens assemblymember. While the race has not officially been called, Mamdani leads Cuomo by around eight points with 93 percent of votes counted as of Wednesday morning.
Upper West Side Openings from the First Half of 2025: A Very Long List

2 days ago | westsiderag.com | Scott Etkin |Lisa Kava

By Scott Etkin and Lisa KavaSo far this year, one of the biggest stories on the Upper West Side has been the closing of Silver Moon Bakery, the longtime favorite at West 105th Street and Broadway. The fact that this news came just months after the closing of Absolute Bagels, in December 2024, made it even tougher for many locals to swallow.
Upper West Side Primary Election Results: Shaun Abreu Declared Winner, Andrew Cuomo Concedes to Zohran Mamdani

3 days ago | westsiderag.com | Gus Saltonstall

By Gus SaltonstallPolls closed in New York City at 9 p.m. on Tuesday night, and some primary races have already been called. Starting with the most local to the Upper West Side, City Councilmember Shaun Abreu has won the Democratic nomination in District 7, New York 1 called on Tuesday night.
Primary Election Day on the Upper West Side

3 days ago | westsiderag.com | Gus Saltonstall

By Gus SaltonstallPrimary Election Day has arrived in New York City and on the Upper West Side. Poll sites opened at 6 a.m. across the five boroughs and will remain open until 9 p.m.West Side Rag traveled around the Upper West Side during the late morning and, while there weren’t long lines at any of the four neighborhood voting sites we visited, there was still plenty to see.
Where to Find Upper West Side Cooling Centers as Temperatures Soar on Election Day

3 days ago | westsiderag.com | Gus Saltonstall

By Gus SaltonstallStay cool Upper West Siders. The National Weather Service has issued an extreme heat warning for New York City, the highest possible heat alert, through 8 p.m. on Tuesday. Temperatures have a chance of reaching 100 degrees as Central Park is forecast to hit a high of 99 degrees on Tuesday. If a temperature of 100 degrees does register in Central Park, it would be the first time since 2012.
Man Stabbed Multiple Times on Upper West Side, Attacker Arrested: NYPD

4 days ago | westsiderag.com | Gus Saltonstall

By Gus SaltonstallA man was stabbed Friday night on the Upper West Side, a police spokesperson confirmed to West Side Rag. A 22-year-old man was stabbed multiple times throughout his body around 9 p.m. within Strauss Park near Broadway and West 107th Street, police said. NYPD told the Rag that the 22-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman were being harassed by a man in the area, when a “physical altercation ensued” and the attacker kicked the woman, before stabbing the man repeatedly.
The Riverside Park Goats Are Returning: What to Know

4 days ago | westsiderag.com | Gus Saltonstall

By Gus SaltonstallGuess who’s almost baaaaack? The Riverside Park goats. The Riverside Park Conservancy announced last week that five goats will return to the park this summer to help clear invasive plants from the green space. It will be the sixth year that goats are deployed in Riverside Park, and after four years in a section of the park near West 120th Street in Morningside Heights, the goats will be stationed for the second year in a row at 143rd Street.
Bicyclist Killed in Central Park After Collision With Pedestrian

1 week ago | westsiderag.com | Carol Tannenhauser

By Carol TannenhauserA bicylist was killed in Central Park on Wednesday, June 18, after colliding with a pedestrian who was crossing East Drive at 97th Street, an NYPD detective told West Side Rag. Salvador Nico-Garcia, 43, of the Bronx, was riding northbound on East Drive when he collided with a 41-year-old unidentified pedestrian who was crossing the drive in the crosswalk from east to west, the detective reported.
Igor! The Epitome of Upper West Side Hospitality

1 week ago | westsiderag.com | Andrea Sachs

By Andrea SachsWhen Igor Segota went for an interview for a job in 1992 as sous chef at Café des Artistes, he was nervous about his prospects. As a recent immigrant who had gone to culinary school in Yugoslavia, it was hardly a sure bet that he would get a job at such a venerable establishment. After all, it was once the West 67th Street hangout of such cultural icons as Rudolph Valentino, Marcel Duchamp, and Isadora Duncan. Igor figured he could use all the help he could get that day.
UWS Weekend: Great Things To Do In (and Around) the Neighborhood: Movies; Fanatics Fest; Guided Tours of NYC

1 week ago | westsiderag.com | Tracy Zwick

By Tracy ZwickWhether you want to beat the heat with air conditioning, or brave it by venturing out, there’s plenty to keep you occupied in and around the neighborhood this weekend. Let’s Weekend!June 20th to 22nd, 2025See a Movie!With high temperatures in the forecast, why not stay cool at the movies?