Monday, May 17th, 2010

Periodically, My Upper West interviews an Upper West Side resident who helps make our neighborhood the diverse and interesting place we love.  Today, we talk to Michelle Madhok, online shopping expert, west 70’s.

So, what do you do all day?
We publish editorial shopping sites that help busy women shop online. SHEfinds.com is fashion and MOMfinds.com is stuff for moms of little kids.  One of my favorite things we do is keep track of all the online sample sales- they’re fun, easy, and they happen every day.  We write a weekly list of our favorite sample sales on SHEfinds, and MOMfinds has a list of sample sales for kids – all of our links include invitations, so you won’t get locked out if you’re not a member.

How long have you lived on the UWS?
Since 2003.   I met my husband, Michael, in 2004 when he lived on 80th and Amsterdam.  Last year my best friend moved two buildings away.  We are UWS die-hards.

What made you decide to move to the UWS?
I love the laid-back vibe, prewar buildings, convenient subways great grocery stores (Fairway, Citerella, Zabars and coming soon Trader Joes!) and the park.  Also you can breathe on the UWS- there are trees.  In Tribeca there aren’t any trees.

What is your favorite thing about the neighborhood?
The 72nd Street Dog Run in Riverside Park.  My Peekapoo Gumby and I are regulars there.

Riverside Park or Central Park?
Definitely Riverside.  The tourists don’t know about Riverside so it’s always less crowded and the water view makes it a world apart from the concrete jungle.

Describe your best celebrity sighting on the UWS.
Matt Dillon at what used to be North West (Columbus near 79th).  The 16-year-old girl in me went crazy inside.

What is your favorite meal on the UWS? Favorite place for a cocktail?
My favorite place is Recipe (Amsterdam near 83rd), but we eat at least once a week at the Fairway Café (Broadway near 74th).  All of the waiters know us and I’m the Mayor of Fairway on foursquare.  For drinks in the winter I love the bar at Cesca (75th between Amsterdam and Columbus).   It’s cozy and the crowd is always adults.

If you could change one thing about the UWS, what would it be?
We need more cool restaurants/bars.  I love that Recipe opened on Amsterdam and 83rd and it has a West Village vibe, but it is only one place and it’s tiny.

What would you like to see filling the empty storefronts in the UWS, or what would you like to see more of in the UWS?
I also really want one of those cool wine bars to open west of Amsterdam in the high 70s.

Horse and carriage rides in Central Park: romantic, too touristy, or cruel?
Cruel.  It should be outlawed.  Those poor animals have to stand for hours breathing 60th street exhaust.

What are you looking forward to most: completion of Lincoln Center’s renovations, Trader Joe’s on 72nd and Broadway, the shops at Columbus Square, or completion of the 96th Street subway station?
Trader Joe’s– then I’ll have the supermarket trifecta.

What is your favorite thing to do in the ‘hood on a nice UWS day?
The 79th Street Boat Basin (in Riverside Park) is the poor man’s Hamptons.

Who is your favorite UWS resident, past or present?
The Gershwins.  They used to live in the penthouse of my apartment building.

Filed under: Upper West Side, Upper West Side Blog No Comments »
Tags: Interviews, Michelle Madhok, MOMfinds, SHEfinds, Upper West Sider