Having spent several decades in the city and the Upper West Side in particular, I've come to know and enjoy many local gems. Enjoy a little shopping at a one stop stationery destination, a children's toy wonderland, and a delicious Mediterranean style lunch all within a few blocks of one another.
Gold Leaf is truly a one stop shop. From stationary to fine and everyday pens and pencils, acrylic and oil art supplies, printer ink, custom framing, and even children's toys. Everyone can find something they need and the stores unique offering and friendly service has made it a fixture on the Upper West Side.
Named after the spectacular port city on the Mediterranean’s Turquoise coast, Bodrum breathes some fresh air into the NYC’s Upper West Side with an ambitious, unique menu of Mediterranean food. With Turkish, Greek, Lebanese, French & Italian culinary influences (just to name a few), Bodrum places brick oven pizza next to mezzes, kebabs next to fish, finding a common thread that unifies Mediterranean cuisines.
West Side Kids is another neighborhood gem. It's been open and family run since 1981 and has been a long time toy destination for the neighborhood and beyond. The shop was founded by Alice Bergman and now run by Alice and her daughter Jenny. Today, the store still offers a very comprehensive selection of toys and gifts for children of all ages.
The original Shakespeare & Co. opened on the Upper East Side in 1983. It's the official brick-and-mortar bookstore for Hunter College. More recently they've opened a second location on the Upper West Side. The Lexington Avenue store recently opened up a cafe and the shop features it's own book machine which can produce a book store quality book in minutes from a catalogue of over 7,000,000 in-copyright and public domain titles.
