My friend is moving to New York the end of the month. Her& hubby will live around 75th and Broadway. I do not know NY. I am looking for ideas for a gift for her such as a not-too expensive day spa to give her a lift after the stress of moving,or maybe a gift certificate for a nice brunch or a gift certificate from some nice restaurant/neighbourhood shop or even special coffee place in her new neighbourhood
can someone helpor offer advice,suggestions...my budget is less than $100.

Try www.nysite.com. I found their block maps useful when I planned my trip to NYC. If you go to http://www.nysite.com/westside/blocks/b76.htm it will show you what stores and restaurants are at 75th and Broadway.

A friend always goes to a day spa which, coincidentally, is right on W. 75th St. It's called Feline (235 W. 75th St., 1-800-Feline-1, felinedayspa.com). I've got a price list in front of me and for less than $100 you can give a 1 hour Swedish massage, 1 hour destress aromatic facial or a body scrub. As for food stuffs, Zabars, the quintessential Upper West Side food market, is on Broadway and 80th St and has a website at www.zabars.com.

Thanks for the suggestions... is the spa a really nice one? And is Zabars a well-known, respected food place? Also any suggestions for a good brunch I thought of that also. Or are there any services anyone can think f that a new resident would be so glad to have.

msmiz, Zabar's is extremely well known and well respected; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say famous. It's often thought of as the quintessential NYC gourmet food shop, and has an excellent selectin of things like impoted olive oils and coffee, plus produce, bakery and prepared foods, cheese. meat, you name it. Also, their second floor is one of the best sources in the city for qulaity house and kitchenwares--much imported--at good prices. A Zabar's gift certificate would be an ideal gift for someone moving to the Upper West Side. As an alternative, I'm sure you could have them put together a great housewarming gift basket.

Re your question about the spa, I can only give a half-educated reply, as I've never been. But I walk by it often--I live right in that neighborhood. And as far as I know, it's not going to knock anyone's socks off. If you want to get a spa sort of thing, I'd get her a gift certificate from Avon Centre (in Trump Tower) or Bliss (a trendy Soho spa).

If you want to get her something from somewhere in the neighborhood, Zabar's is an excellent suggestion, though I don't know if they do gift baskets. Two other neighborhood specialty food stores to try would be Citarella and Fairway (both on Broadway between 74th and 75th sts.)

A teriffic restaurant gift certificate would be from Jean -Georges, which is about 15 blocks from your friend's place. It's a wonderful restaurant, but the downside is that $100 wouldn't cover the bill for two people (I think their prix fixe dinner starts at $85).

There's also a wonderful florist in the neighborhood: Surroundings, on 79th St. They probably have a web site.

You know what also would make a a great gift: a fruit basket from Manhattan Fruitier. When I moved into my apartment someone sent me one of these. It was lovely: all sorts of exotic fruits, along with other goodies, beautifully arranged in a gift basket. They definitely have a web site.

Do not get something from Surroundings. I had a similar idea when a family member moved to the Upper West and bought a $100 bouquet. I was invited to their house and could barely find it, since it was approximately the size of two coffee mugs. It was humiliating. Then again, welcome to NY!

Zabar's, on the other hand, does have really nice gift baskets which would make a perfect gift to a new Upper West Sider, and would be something both she and her husband would enjoy.

I think something from Zabar's would be an ideal gift. It's wonderful.

By the way, I have a friend who lives on W. 75th just off West End Ave (very near where your friend is moving). It is a TERRIFIC neighborhood and I enjoy visiting her every chance I get (and I have posted trip reports here listing restaurants, etc. in the neighborhood)! I hope you get to visit your friend sometime.

A nice gift that will keep giving for a while is to get them a subscription to New York Magazine or to Time Out New York. They are weekly mags that will help them discover restaurants, museums, and weekend activities in the city. Defintely less than $100.

Pick up a Zagats guide for $9.95. By far it is the best restaurant guide for every day use.

Not everyone enjoys New York Magazine. I personally find that it glorifies the "money-culture" and the stereo type of the rich, obnoxious upper east side New Yorker (as personified by Lizzie Grubman.) I also think it is extremely liberal in its politics. However, my wife subscribes because she does like the restaurant and clothing info. You know your friends and can judge their peronalities.

Phil: People aren't rich and obnoxious on the "upper westside"? Last time I checked, a one bedroom apartment sold for $450,000 and up and rented for $2,800 a month. Who are you kidding there is no difference between the upper westside of 2001 and the upper eastside. The real distiction disappeared 20 years ago.

John,
Just like a typical New Yorker you saw what you wanted and not what was said. I think you misunderstood what I wrote bcuase I agree with you about the Upper West Side. However, the stereo-type that New York Magazine plays up to is best characterized by the Upper East Side. (Of course I realize that plenty of crappy places exist on the east side just like expensive places are on the west side.)

Hey folks,
Thanks for all the suggestions. I am in
anotherstate in the west and not all that familiar with NY city.

Feline's is a neighborhood kind of spa, not a luxurious or upscale one. I personally feel more comfortable there than at The Red Door or Bliss but understand if it's not good enough as a housewarming gift. Another suggestion I have for a possible restaurant gift is a gift certificate from www.brguestinc.com - they own three Upper West Side restaurants (and more downtown & on the East Side). All 3 are quite good (Ocean Grill, Ruby Foo's and Isabella's), two of them have brunches and you can order this through the Internet. And another suggestion if you want a food store place is Balducci's which just opened a West Side store (although I'd still go for Zabar's).

Just some advice to your friend whos moving to the upper west side. If they get hungry there is a great chinese place that delivers around there called China Fun. Its delicious and cheap. By the way, go with the Zabars suggestion, you won't go wrong.