Roomble's editors within the architectural tourNow he is in New York, from where he shares the most interesting impressions. We were lucky with the flight, for some reason there was no frightening jet lag. Therefore, leaving our things at the hotel, we went to look at the architecture and design. But in order to better understand why this or that architecture turned out to be typical for certain areas of New York, we had to plunge into the history of the city. In New York - as perhaps nowhere else - the area of residence is of enormous importance. And the distance to the center is not the main thing here. Especially when you live in Manhattan. It seems, what is more? However, Manhattan is so big that it's Wall Street downstairs and Harlem upstairs. And those who think that if you live near Central Park, then life is at least a quarter successful, are deeply mistaken. Because in the west, south and east of Central Park there are indeed the most expensive districts of Manhattan, but in the north - just that very Harlem. The division of social strata by neighborhood in New York is still alive. Everyone here is supposed to live in their own place: the aristocrats in the West Side, the bourgeoisie and the wealthy intelligentsia in the East Side, businessmen in Chelsea, the creative public in the Brooklyn Heights area, hipsters in Williamsburg. Therefore, the architecture of each district is really different. 
Upper West Side For example, in the area whereWe settled in - the Upper West Side - it is not uncommon to find houses in Victorian and Art Nouveau style. A striking example of Art Nouveau is the Ansonia Hotel on Broadway. Built in 1899, the Ansonia Hotel has become both the largest hotel in America and the most modernized. Already in 1904, all rooms were equipped with air conditioning. This hotel was truly luxurious: the rooms included a large number of rooms and were rented out as apartments to aristocrats and celebrities. At one time, Fedor Chaliapin, Igor Stravinsky, Enrico Caruso and others lived here. The hotel was built by the architect Paul Dubois, who lavishly decorated its facades in the French spirit. By the way, an 18-storey iron frame is hidden under the graceful facade. The building now houses the American Music and Drama Academy campus. 
A couple of hundred meters from our hotel wasanother famous house in New York is the Dakota cooperative, built in 1884 by Henry Janeway Hardenberg. Residential building "Dakota Apartments" - one of the most prestigious in Manhattan, an apartment here can cost $ 30 million. The most famous residents of "Dakota" were actress Judy Garland, composer Leonard Bernstein, actor Boris Karloff, dancer Rudolf Nureyev and, of course, John Lennon, who, by the way, was killed in the arch of this very house. Yoko Ono, the widow of John Lennon, still lives in this building. But Madonna, when she wanted to buy an apartment here, was refused even before the interview. It sounds crazy, but the cooperatives located on the Upper West Side still have a questionnaire and interview procedure for all property buyers. And the consistency of a person here does not play at all the main role. 
Here on the Upper West Side, welucky enough to see the luxury apartments for sale. The fantastically beautiful house, completely clad in stone, gave the impression of a building from the beginning of the last century. In fact, it turned out that it was recently built by the famous architect Robert Stern. We were impressed by the gorgeous Art Deco lounges, private garden and tiny private fitness area with pool. And when we went up to the 28th floor and saw Manhattan from a bird's eye view, it really took our breath away. $ 29 and a half million immediately didn't seem like much for these crazy views. Of course, the apartment itself turned out to be very beautiful too. Six rooms, a kitchen, and four bathrooms are quite modest by the standards of the Upper West Side. But the views across the three sides of Manhattan are unimaginable. 
This was where our West Side story ended andbegan another - riverside, but more on that another time. By the way, such films as Breakfast at Tiffany's, Devil's Advocate, Autumn in New York, Sex and the City were filmed on Riverside. The editors express their deep gratitude to the designer and decorator Maria Savina for her help in organizing the viewing of luxury real estate. 
How to live in America: apartments and life in Manhattan, West Side
