The neighborhood began its slow transformation around the turn of the 20th century, beginning with the construction of The Dakota in 1885. Designed by architect Henry Janeway Hardenbergh, designer of the Plaza Hotel, The Dakota was built in a North German Renaissance style, which can be seen in its deep, sloping roof. It’s often said that The Dakota derived its name from the fact that the Upper West Side was as sparsely populated and remote as the West’s Dakota Territory.

Now a designated historical landmark, the building would unfortunately lapse into infamy when its most famous resident, John Lennon, was gunned down in 1980 in the building’s entryway by a deranged fan .

A few years after the construction of The Dakota the Upper West Side would receive its very first skyscraper in the form of the 17-story Ansonia. Built by William Stokes, a tycoon with a dream, in 1904, the Ansonia was the most opulent building in all of New York City. Boasting a beaux-arts design and a Parisian-style roof, the building had over 300 suites, the world’s largest indoor swimming pool and a ballroom that could accommodate 1,300 dinner guests.

The building’s over-the-top grandeur quickly made it the preferred residence for some of the city’s nouveau riche like baseball players, boxers and even gangsters. Babe Ruth and Jack Dempsey were two well-known residents, and it was in the Ansonia that several members of the Chicago White Sox colluded with gangster Arnold Rothstein to throw the 1919 World Series.

While visitors to NYC today can’t stay in either The Dakota or the Ansonia—unless they have a friend living in the buildings—it’s still a lot of fun to walk around the Upper West Side taking in the buildings’ grand architecture and history. Afterward return back to The MAve boutique hotel in the Flatiron District for a good night’s rest.

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Perhaps the most notable building on the Upper East Side is the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, the New York Guggenheim is one of the only museum’s in the world whose exterior is more famous than the collection it houses. Wright’s inverted-circular tower was built in 1959 in a testament to modernism’s unique style and the building has been a massive hit with the public ever since.

Not far from the Guggenheim the Whitney Museum of American Art is housed in the striking Breuer Building. Designed by the Hungarian architect Marcel Breuer, who was trained at the famed German design school Bauhaus, the building was hailed as a somber construction at the time of its completion in 1966. Admiring its gray exterior and inverted-ziggurat shape, it’s easy to appreciate the building’s heavy, almost stoical appearance.

Another museum on the Upper East Side with a fantastic architectural story is the Frick Collection. This museum is housed in the Frick House, which was commissioned by Pittsburgh industrialist Henry Frick in 1912. The house was designed by architect Thomas Hastings, who also designed the grand New York Public Library. The house, with its ample lawns and grand atrium, has the feeling of a country estate despite its central location on Fifth Avenue. Inside the minimalist décor perfectly complements the museum’s collection of European masterpieces.

Currently guests at our boutique hotel The MAve staying for four nights will receive their fifth night free, giving them the extra time to wander the city and take in the small details, like the architectural designs of the Upper East Side.

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Considered to be one of the world’s best ballet companies, the NYC Ballet has been astounding audiences for the past sixty years. Its productions star only the world’s top dancers and employ renowned choreographers for what is almost always a spectacular performance. For those who aren’t normally interested in ballet maybe watching the 2010 film Black Swan, which starred Natalie Portman as a dancer in a NYC Ballet production, will inspire a change of heart.

The NYC Ballet produces more than thirty shows a season, so it should be easy to find something for everyone’s tastes. Like the opera, budget seats start for as little as $20, while nice seats cost around $100.

Next to the NYC Ballet is the New York Philharmonic, which performs out of the elegant Avery Fisher Hall. Founded in 1842 this is the oldest symphony orchestra in the United States, but of course the orchestra hasn’t been going strong for more than 170 years by being resistant to change. Instead the New York Philharmonic often performs groundbreaking contemporary shows that employ popular actors and singers.

Slightly more affordable than either the opera or the ballet, a decent seat at the philharmonic can be purchased for as little as $60.

Though none of the events at the Lincoln Center have an official dress code, it’s still best to dress appropriately. This means no jeans and no sneakers. A nice shirt for men and a cocktail dress for women is more than enough to fit in with the stylish patrons.

After your thrilling night out at the Lincoln Center have a nice stroll on the Upper West Side before returning back to The MAve boutique hotel in NYC’s Flatiron District, which is only a 10-minute taxi ride from the Lincoln Center.

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As it’s located on the Upper West Side, the Lincoln Center is only a quick 20-minute subway ride from our NYC boutique hotel The MAve. Of course a more stylish entrance might be appropriate in way of a town car service, in which case the Lincoln Center would only be ten minutes from the hotel.

Far from the snooze fest that some might imagine, taking in an opera at the Metropolitan Opera is a thrilling experience that’s steeped in luxurious charm. One of the world’s premier opera houses, the sets are stunning and the vocal performances are inspiring. Only the world’s best opera singers perform at the Met and they’re often accompanied on stage by dozens of actors and backup singers who fill the set with color and movement in a mesmerizing assault on the senses.

While there is no official dress code, it’s still best to come dressed to impress as a good part of the fun is mingling with the well-dressed patrons over cocktails and champagne during intermission. The days of tuxedos may be a bit behind us, but a suit or evening gown is still very much appropriate.

Each season the Metropolitan Opera puts on dozens of different shows and each week there is a rotation of several different operas. Tickets run the gamut from budget ($25) to splurge ($250).

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It goes without saying that museums are an excellent place to spend a snow-heavy day. Uptown, on the Upper East Side, there are several world-class art museums awaiting to be explored. The Guggenheim and Whitney Museum of American Art are two good choices, but to spend an entire day in one museum visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This museum is so large that it usually takes several days and visits to see its entire collection and all of its exhibitions. There’s even a cafeteria inside the museum, so visitors don’t have to leave for lunch.

On the other side of the park, on the Upper West Side, the American Museum of Natural History is another interesting choice for snow-dodging visitors. Families will be especially interested, as this museum wows visitors with its huge collection of dinosaur skeletons, IMAX movies and planetarium.

The Museum of Modern Art or MOMA in Midtown is another option, as this museum is home to a huge collection of contemporary art and can easily keep the attention of visitors for several hours at least.

At night head over to the Theater District to watch a Broadway Play. There are dozens on at any one time and there are performances almost every night of the week. Some long-running favorites include The Lion King, Jersey Boys and Mamma Mia.

For the less culturally inclined, catching a sports game is another way to spend a snowy evening. The New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets and New York Rangers are three teams that play inside warm arenas in the city.

After your long day avoiding the cold and snow it’s time to return to our warm boutique hotel, The MAve, for a restful night’s sleep.

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