The Manhattan
neighborhood west of the upper (59th street) and lower (110th street) bounds of
Central Park. Between the Upper East Side and Park Slope in character. Its 220,000 residents (although best understood by Avenue/subdivision of the
neighborhood) are:
- White and often Jewish, some blacks and hispanics (most heavily on Amsterdam Avenue and Columbus Avenue north of 86th street), Asians over-represented but not hugely
- Upper-middle class, lawyers, doctors, bankers (though fewer of the ultra-elite top .01% than the Upper East Side) successful writers, artists, musicians who tend to be more established/less cutting-edge and in their 30s or older (and if younger, they're more often than not associated in some way with Columbia University)
- Fairly mixed, though the wealthiest tend to be on
Central Park West (esp. the closer to 59th street) Riverside Drive & West End Avenue (most esp. in the 70s, but throughout)
- Family-oriented & responsible, lots of kids, not too many people in their 20s
- Internationally aware and oriented
- Often entitled, though many are aware of it. Cultured, well-educated, quick to make it known. Perhaps highest New Yorker and
New York Times readership per capita anywhere. Standard-bearers of liberal establishment. Stodgier and less at the cultural forefront than they'd like to believe. Not arrogant, but pleased with themselves, can come off as obnoxious. Take privilege somewhat for granted. Overall good people.
Sheila is the prototype Upper West Side mom: She's a half-Jewish, half-WASP, Ivy-educated lawyer married to a doctor, she's got two kids in a stroller who are going to a good
private school, orders from Fresh Direct but makes constant trips to Zabar's,
North Face fleece and New Balance running shoes, goes to regular dinner parties and the kids' school functions, likes work and is successful but always balances it with
family life
