Meet 69th Street

Though the congregation was established in 1895, the golden yellow building, designed in the Hungarian vernacular architectural style by Emery Roth, was not completed until 1916. The church is now the oldest in the neighborhood and still holds services in Hungarian every Sunday.

Opened by Bruno and Thierry Gelormini in 1995, Le Charlot offers the tastes and sights of French-owned Corsica complemented by "French attitude. " Light music plays, rattan chairs surround white-clothed tables, and a plethora of natural light consumes the outdoor seating, pushing inside through open windows. Locals and others strolling in from Central Park are happy to dine in this relaxed environment. Loyal to the French bistro image, Le Charlot offers fresh, colorful dishes. A favorite to many, the mussels sit in a white wine sauce, waiting to be ripped open for their concealed treasures. The artichoke special with champagne vinaigrette bares its petals, enticing one to savor every morsel while peeling away to the tender heart. Reds, whites, and greens share a plate for the Caprese salad. Adding to this calm, tasteful atmosphere, the international staff emanates with charm and good spirits, and the manager told me he was "a part of the furniture, " having worked in this restaurant from the bottom to the top. It was clear the staff had become very close, as they laughed and put their arms around each other throughout my stay. "We are a family here, " one explained, "And we are having fun serving people. "When the aspirations of the staff align with the aspirations of the guests, a restaurant is immediately more invigorated, and with bites and an ambiance resembling that of a Mediterranean island, this is the perfect side street gem to evade the fast pace of Manhattan for a little while.

The birth of the JNF began with a dream belonging to Zvi Hermann Schapira, a mathematics professor in Switzerland. He wanted a fund to be developed that could be used by the Jewish people in order to develop their own country. Theodor Herzl, a Viennese journalist, took Schapira's dream and ran with it. In 1901, the fund was created. Since that time, the JNF has planted countless trees, developed communities in need, and helped the Jewish people connect with the land of Israel.

Considered to be the oldest private club in New York, The Union was formed in 1836 and after several moves around Manhattan, the members found their ultimate home on East 69th in 1933.

The cafe is located inside of Central Park.

Though the Tea Ceremony Society would be interesting enough on its own, the Urasenke Chanoyu Center building also has a fascinating history: the 130-year-old landmark was Mark Rothko's studio, and where he ultimately died. In 1964, the interior was completely redesigned to form four tea rooms surrounding a central tea garden. Anyone interested in chanoyu, the traditional Japanese tea ceremony, can join the society for a fee. In-depth chanoyu classes are offered to members, and monthly tea ceremony demonstrations are open to the public.

Jerzy and Joanna Stryjniak, the founders of the New York Conservatory of Music, recited their story to me like an oft-told children's fairytale. Jerzy made his first trip to the United States in January 1990. He had been dreaming of escaping Communist Poland for years, especially since receiving a Fulbright scholarship in 1983 that he was not allowed to use, and so the trip meant a lot more to the pianist than a holiday jaunt. He was invited to play at a special piano concert in Palm Beach, Florida, presided over by George H. W. Bush and Jackie Kennedy Onassis. Just six months later, Jerzy made his debut at Carnegie Hall. The acclaimed pianist pointed to the review from the New York Times that he still has hanging above his desk, which he claimed was the best review of the season. Jerzy had a refreshingly matter-of-fact way of listing his accomplishments that was as far from bragging as the recipients of multiple accolades can get. He went on to let me know that he was invited back in November of that same year to play for the centennial of Carnegie Hall. He reached behind the desk and graciously handed me a CD of his performance. "That was the beginning of my stay in New York. " And it was a very happy start to a successful career: Jerzy has played in Carnegie Hall ten times since 1990. Jerzy and Joanna, who is a musicologist and teaches music theory at the conservatory, began the New York Conservatory of Music in 1998. It was an enormous investment, which involved building soundproof walls and fitting the practice rooms with pianos. Jerzy considers it very important to have high-quality pianos: he pointed out a Steinway Model B to me in one of the front practice rooms. Joanna informed me that, without a doubt, the main element that sets the Conservatory apart from other music schools is the level of teaching. All of their staff are professional, musically-educated concert instrumentalists. Each lays claim to high-level music degrees and does not have jobs on the side. Jerzy, himself, may have the highest level degree of any musician in the area. He is a "Doctor of Habilitation, " a degree above a PhD that is not offered in the United States. He explained, "My friends say I'm the most educated pianist in New York! "The other instructors are no less impressive. I met Jacob, who Jerzy described as a "world famous composer. " Along with instructing students, Jacob, who studied under the famous composer Krzysztof Penderecki, has been writing fully-realized pieces for some of his pupils to play. "This is absolutely new for New York, " Jerzy asserted. "Nowhere else is a piece composed especially for you. " Jacob is also working on interactive programs for children through which he will help young students explore well-known fairy tales using music. As if that did not already sound like a lot on his plate, Jacob is also responsible for starting the Chamber Music ensembles at the Conservatory. Jerzy estimated that one thousand students have been members of the Conservatory since it opened its doors. Joanna chimed in with "more than one thousand! " I was most impressed, however, when she told me that a good thirty percent of the school's pupils are adults, and went on to share with me that every month, there is a special night where grown students can come together, have a light refreshment, and network. Jerzy was happy to point out that while some of those students are non-musical professionals, such as doctors or lawyers, who wish to add music back into their lives, many have been with the Conservatory since the start. Jerzy and Joanna offer them many resources including lectures on composers, theory classes, trips to Europe, and even the opportunity to play on extraordinary stages including Carnegie Hall and Steinway Hall. But it all comes back to the quality of teaching: As Jerzy expounded, "Six months after we tell them, 'this is middle C, ' some of our students are able to play Chopin in a famous concert hall. "

I had no idea, when I saw a little red-roofed church nestled among the skyscrapers, that I was entering the oldest church on the Upper West Side. Christ and Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church is the result of a series of mergers between some of the oldest parishes in the city. St. Stephen’s Church was founded in 1805 and later merged with the Church of the Advent in 1873. In 1897, the congregation moved to its current location. For a long time, St. Stephen’s was a rival of the nearby Christ Church, since they were both episcopal churches and geographically very close to one another. In 1975, however, after noticing dwindling numbers among the congregations, the two churches combined. I immediately felt a sense of calm upon entering the quiet space. There is no lobby, and so visitors enter straight into the main body of the church. Eerily glowing stained glass windows line the walls and function both as decorations and memorials. Many of the windows have the names of deceased congregation members worked into them. I was surprised and pleased to find some stained glass at the back of the church commemorating members from the 1800s. The church is clearly a place of history, harmony, and serenity.

Expecting to gaze on the exquisite jewels housed in Marie-Helene de Taillac, I was surprised to find myself being looked at instead: Two giant eyes in the display case, containing colorful jewelry in their irises, stared at me from the other side of the window. This was just a taste of the sense of fun and whimsy that I found within the dazzling boutique. The space itself reminded me of a cross between Alice in Wonderland and a room in Versailles. Pink and purple plush sofas occupied the center of the area while crystal light fixtures and walls embroidered with the Marie-Helene crown and fish crest lined the room. The manager, Sarah, who entered the room with a tiny, fluffy dog, explained that Marie-Helene specifically wanted the room to look like a modern take on one of Marie Antoinette's chambers, as opposed to the Paris and Tokyo stores, which are very modern. She envisioned something cozy and elegant, in order to match the ambience of the Upper East Side. While showing me some of their stunning necklaces, earrings and rings, Sarah informed me that Marie-Helene's workshop is at the Gem Palace in India. After working with the family that owns the Palace during an internship, Marie-Helene fell in love with the techniques they used, the respect for handmade items, and attention to detail. Sarah, who has been working at the store since it opened in 2013, met Marie-Helene in India, and was immediately enchanted by the designer's use of stones and color. As Sarah showed me delicate pieces adorned with red spinels (Marie-Helene's favorite stone) and rainbow moonstone, she elaborated, "The beauty of each stone is that you can't find it anywhere else. At the store, we end up saving and saving until we can buy the piece we have been admiring. "Even though Marie-Helene's specialty is stones, she creates beautiful pieces with metal, as well. There was a bracelet made from woven 22 carat gold. It was so light in my hand that it seemed like string. I also took note of a small, new collection made simply with platinum and diamonds, for a "cocktail party" look. The real creativity, however, comes with the use of colorful stones. One collection drew on sky images, with jewels worked into stars and lightning bolts. Another used body parts, with tiny eye earrings and gems in mouth shapes. Another collection featured shells. I was taken with a set of rings that, instead of closing over the top of the finger, hugged it and held jewels in the gaps between the fingers. Sarah noted that the design was created by Marie-Helene's niece, and was inspired by the way jewels are displayed to show their color – between the fingers. Sarah then guided me upstairs to a private showroom, where industry meetings and private showings are held. It also functions as her office. No less colorful and spectacular, the room features a table containing 46, 000 carats of aquamarine. I noticed a gilded mirror on the table, similar to one in the downstairs display room, set with small gems. Sarah told me that Marie-Helene had found the set of mirrors in a flea market outside of Paris. I appreciated the fact that Marie-Helene works with fine stones, which result in jewelry ranging from $700 to $50, 000, but that she can also find joy in the treasures of local markets. Sarah agreed with me, and said that the same principle applies to Marie-Helene's designs: she can see the infinite glamor of an unadorned, well-cut stone. As Sarah so perfectly stated, "There is beauty in simplicity. "