Meet 66th Street
The East Side of 66th Street begins at York Avenue anchored by Rockefeller University with its boisterous trees and an impressive, brick-pillared gate. This institution, established in 1901, was the first to be entirely devoted to biomedical research. Historical rootedness is a theme carried throughout 66th, playing a central role in its strong foundation and resonating calm – even Ulysses S. Grant, the eighteenth United States president and a valiant war general, resided on this street from 1881 until 1885.
Heading west, a stretch is consumed by a variety of doctor’s offices and prominent buildings including the main campus of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, founded in 1884. And not too far away, two Roman Catholic churches stand proudly in grandeur and history. St. John Nepomucene is a Slovak-founded parish, serving dually as a place of worship and of social connection since 1925, while St. Vincent Ferrer was dedicated in 1918 as an architecturally innovative church.
The arts impart themselves on the East Side of 66th, too. Andy Warhol, a cultural icon and leader of the pop art movement, lived in a townhouse at No. 57 from 1974 until passing in 1987. Phoenix Ancient Art is a second-generation run gallery founded in the late 1960s that features pieces from 6th Millennium B.C. to 14th Century A.D. And farther along, the Lotos Club is a private literary club that was founded back in 1870. After passing through the carved wooden entryway, I was able to steal a peak inside its magnificent foyer, with textured ornate walls, a circular ceiling, and two impressive lampposts standing on either side of its striking black wrought doors.
And warm and welcoming cafes cast their homey vibes on the East Side. Java Girl is a cozy coffee shop that plays into the history of the city and also my own nostalgia – it has been at this spot since 1998, and was frequented by my friends and I when we lived nearby. A lovely bistro for a lady’s lunch or date night, Bistro Chat Noir capitalizes on the passion and years of experience of owner and founder Susanne Latapie to combine light French cooking with Southern hospitality.
The east and west sides of 66th Street are divided by Central Park, a walkthrough I never tire of for its beautiful seasonality whether budding, blooming, browning, or freezing over. When strolling through in the summertime, the path beams with runners, bikers, and horse carriages. In Sheep Meadow, which was once home to sheep and shepherds, handfuls of people lie on healthy grass, flirting with the sun as others find shade for picnicking.
Approaching the West Side, ABC dominates a full northern block and Tisch WNET Studios at Lincoln Center, who joined the television world on 66th in 2014, lies on the corner of Broadway. ABC has a history dating back to 1943, and WNET to 1948. Between the two, the monumental Richard Tucker Park on Columbus Avenue offers inviting outdoor seating and is site to food trucks, greenmarkets, and live concerts. Richard Tucker was a Jewish, Brooklyn-born opera tenor and cantor who held recitals throughout Europe and America. Continuing on this lyrical note, The Julliard Store also inhabits the West side of 66th, selling sheet music, apparel, and other goods as the official store for Julliard students.
