June 2016

The Upper West lies between Central Park and the Hudson River between West 59^th Street and West 110^th street. Primarily a residential neighborhood with gorgeous brownstones, the Upper West Side is *arguably* the best neighborhood in NYC to live in. Great restaurants, entertainment and night life (hello Columbia bars), what more could you ask for? With all that being said, lets dive in and find out the BEST this neighborhood has to offer!

We gave you awesome guides to the East Village, Chelsea, The Upper East Side and the West Village, but there are more neighborhoods to get to know! And if you’re thinking of renting a No Fee Apartment on the Upper West Side, this guide is for you.

Coffee

The Hungarian Pastry Shop: A laid-back café with amazing baked goods and the best coffee I’ve ever had. Go for the atmosphere, stay for the coffee. Hit the ATM before arriving as it is cash only.

Located at 1030 Amsterdam Avenue

Breakfast

Jacobs Pickles: A great spot for weekend brunch with friends, Jacobs Pickles is offering up some of NYC’s best comfort food with a local twist. Definitely try the BLT Bloody Mary.

Located at 509 Amsterdam Avenue

Lunch

Milano Market: Grab a sandwich and an Orangina and walk over to Riverside Park for a lovely afternoon picnic! This place will NOT leave you hungry!!

Located at 2892 Broadway

Study/Work Break

The Great Hill, Central Park: One of the highest points in Central Park, Great Hill is a great spot to catch some rays, or just enjoy the outdoors. With trails and places to relax, this part of Central Park will transport you out of the city, even just for a minute.

Located at 105^th Street and Central Park West.

Happy Hour

The Milling Room: With such an awesome atmosphere, you’ll want to stay long after happy hour is over (5pm-7pm).

Located at 446 Columbus Ave

Dinner

Mel’s Burger Bar: With AWESOME beers on tap, awesome burgers and killer fries Mel’s is an Upper West Side staple. Great for groups, or for a date night, you won’t regret coming here for dinner!

Located at 2850 Broadway

Night Out

Jakes Dilemma: Downtown vibe on the Upper West Side, Jake’s Dilemma is awesome. Foosball, outdoor space, beer pong tables and a back room that rivals some of NYC’s finest, this bar offers it all.

Located at 430 Amsterdam Avenue

Looking for an apartment on the Upper West Side? We’ve got you covered. From multi-bedroom shares, to furnished apartments, No Fee Rentals has it all. To check out some of our awesome apartments on the Upper West Side, click here: http://nofeerentals.com/apartments.aspx

Until Next Time!

XO,

Steph

Skip using the oven as a storage space! These 5 Organizational Hacks for a small kitchen are serious life savers. We all know that space is a continual issue in New York City apartments, ESPECIALLY when it comes to kitchens. There is nothing less inspiring than a kitchen that is so small it’s hardly functional. But with many studio apartments in NYC offering half kitchens, and one or two bedroom apartments offering a full kitchen (that is seriously tiny), how can you create the best space for you to unleash your inner Bobby Flay?

1. Skip the Knife Block: You probably don’t have a ton of counter space OR drawer space. Get yourself a magnetic knife strip like this one from the Container Store and hang those knives on your wall! This is a cheap, chic and easy space saver.
2. Add Shelves Everywhere: There’s probably a lot of unused wall space in your kitchen, add shelves to store spices and seasoning… Or take out menus.
3. Wall Racks Are Your Friend: Making a wall rack for your platters and cutting boards creates extra storage and it’s also pretty to look at. Check out this awesome wall rack from IKEA.
4. Utilize Your Cabinet Doors: Hang your most used cooking utensils on the back of a cabinet instead of shoving them into drawers.
5. Work that Under Sink Space: Hooks and baskets are cheap, simple ways to store your sponges and other cleaning supplies without looking cluttered… Making more room for snacks! This is a cheap and chic solution.

Your kitchen can be your worst enemy, but if organized correctly can be your best friend. Create that zen kitchen space you see on HGTV for yourself! If you’re looking for a new apartment in NYC check out NoFeeRentals.com! We even have apartments with LARGE kitchens! (Shocking, we know).

Until Next Time,

XO

Steph

When you make the decision to live in New York City, you’re not choosing to live there because you’ll have a spacious apartment. If you’re lucky, you’ll end up in a great No Fee Rentals building that includes a rooftop deck, and sometimes a private garden, but inside your actual apartment it can be tricky to know where to put what, and how to best decorate accordingly. Not to mention, you’re now responsible for furnishing an entire apartment! Believe it or not, the décor and furnishings you choose make a big difference in how you feel inside your new apartment. Clutter can lead to stress, which can lead to less sleep, which will make you unhappy. While we wish we had time to clean our apartments every day, the reality is we just don’t. Unless you’re naturally a neat and tidy person, you’ll need to design your apartment to be both functional, and fashionable. Finding the right balance between the two is critically important to creating a space that you’ll be comfortable living in for the foreseeable future.

1. Invest in Dual-Purpose Furniture

Rather than trying to work your space around the furniture you have, focus on buying pieces that will work with you and your space. Try a dining table with a built-in leaf that will make it easier to have friends over for Sunday brunch. Or perhaps a hollow ottoman that can also be used for storage (great for scarves, blankets, and even books)

2. Go Vertical with Storage

Thinking vertically, as well as horizontally can help maximize the unused space on your walls and around doors. Place two identical bookshelves on either side of a doorway for a built-in shelving look. Or, a large entertainment center that reaches from floor to ceiling serves as an awesome room divider between your sleeping and living areas.

3. Choose a Light Color Palette

Light shades open up a room. When choosing your palette, focus on using three colors: two light bright shades for the majority of the space. Then add in one darker accent color to keep things visually interesting. Personally I love using white and then a dark grey accent wall. These colors are a classic combo. For a more nautical theme, do white and navy blue! Release your inner Joanna Gaines and make your rooms pop.

4. Know Where to Shop

Furniture can be CRAZY expensive. While it’s easy to get free furniture on Craigslist, you really don’t know where that couch has been and you probably don’t want to know. There are a ton of great options furniture places to get some great deals and steals. My advice? Skip IKEA. Bargain hunters all over NYC know where to go to find the best deals on unique pieces and antique items that come at a fraction of the cost of something new. Check out Artists & Fleas on 88 Tenth Avenue, Saturday and Sunday from 10am-7pm. Another great spot is Chelsea Antiques Garage on 112 West 25^th Street on Saturday and Sunday from 9am-5pm.

5. Dress Up Your Windows

I literally JUST did this in my apartment. How BORING are those blinds that come in your apartment?! They’re functional, and sure it’s easy enough to keep them but buying curtains can add some serious design punch to your living space. Urban Outfitters carries some really cute, unique curtains that can dress up any room. From light and flowy to statement making, check them out here.

If you’re looking for a new apartment, NoFee rentals has so many great spaces listed. They have apartments with lofts, apartments with fireplaces, and apartments with amaaaaazing outdoor spaces. Contact them today to find your dream NYC apartment, and then get to decorating.

Until next time, 

XO

Steph

While the first technical day of Summer is on June 21^st, after Memorial Day Weekend summer is pretty much in full swing here in New York City. While many NYC natives escape the heat, sticking around the city in the summer is actually really REALLY fun.  From the free SummerStage shows in Central Park, just steps from No Fee Rental’s Upper West Side apartments, to finding the best places to get outside and enjoy your city, summer in NYC is a magical time.

Here are some great things to do in NYC this summer:

1. Go to The Warm Up party at Long Island City’s MoMA PS1: Warm Up is an outdoor music series taking place every Saturday in MoMA PS1’s courtyard. The museum combines elements of music, sound and the performing arts, with unique lineups of artists and exclusive installations.
2. See a FREE SummerStage Show: First of all, a free show is a free show and that’s amazing. Second of all, it’s in the always-gorgeous Central Park! The concert series at Rumsey Playfield starts June 11^th and runs until September 27^th, don’t miss it! For more awesome free things to do in NYC, click here.
3. Go to the NYC Summer Ice Cream Blizzard: Mark your calendars people, Sunday July 31^st hosted by Grand Bazaar NYC. All of the best artisanal ice cream makers will be waiting to cool you down! Try some crazy new flavor combinations or some amazing time-old classics. It’ll be from 10am-5:30pm at 100 West 77^th Street, New York, NY.
4. Hit a Street Fair: From new foods to unique crafts, New York City street fairs are some of the best in the world! From Hester Street Fair, to Smorgasburg in Brooklyn, spend an afternoon strolling through tents of cool new products and food!
5. Bryant Park Film Festival: Add a little romance to your Monday nights by checking out classic films under the stars. Bring a blanket and your bestie, the lawn opens at 5 for picnicking and the films begin at sunset.
6. Baseball Baseball Baseball: Are you Yankees or Mets, find out this summer by going to the games! With a ton of affordable seating options, there is nothing more fun than catching a game with your pals. Get a hat and a dog, and go cheer on your fav team!
7. Shakespeare in the Park: Get cultured while having a blast, you can see a variety of all-time favorite plays in the park until August 14^th. Tickets are free, but are hard to get. They are only available the day of the show and well worth it if you can get them!!

With so much to do this summer within the city, don’t flee the city! Plug in your AC unit and stay a while in your No Fee rental apartment! If you’re looking to make the move, no worries we got you! We have the BEST NYC rentals in the most amazing neighborhoods. From multi-bedroom shares in Greenwich Village to a chic studio on the Upper East Side, No Fee Rentals has it all. Contact us today to find the apartment of your dreams!

Until next time!

XO,

Steph

When deciding which NYC apartment to choose, there are many factors to consider: How close is the subway? What are your neighbors like? What is the rent? And most importantly, what is the character of the neighborhood. We gave you awesome guides to the East Village, Chelsea and the West Village, but there are more neighborhoods to get to know! And if you’re thinking of renting a No Fee Apartment on the Upper East Side, this guide is for you.

Which neighborhood comes to mind when you hear Gossip Girl, Central Park or Hermes? The Upper East Side. The famous UES is known for being New York City’s most exclusive neighborhood. Some of America’s most prominent families, such as the Astors, Rockefellers, Roosevelts, Kennedys, Whitneys and Dukes, have resided in this wealthy neighborhood. Nowadays, you can find some of Manhattans finest eateries, bars and hang-out spots here, and many are arguing that the UES is the new Williamsburg (on the cool-ness scale). With all of that being said let’s dive in and find out the BEST this neighborhood has to offer!

Coffee

Two Little Red Hens: Located at 1652 2^nd Avenue, this coffee spot is known for their fabulous desserts. Stop in in the morning before work for a post-lunch pick-me-up and a morning coffee! Thank me later.

Breakfast

Little Collins: Delish menu and awesome coffees, if you want some tasty breakfast on the Upper East Side, this is your go-to spot. Be sure to try The Smash which is avocado toast with feta, chili flakes and roasted pepitas. (YUM) Located at 667 Lexington Ave.

Lunch

Ottomanelli Butcher Shoppe: This old school UES establishment is THE BOMB.COM seriously, I love sandwiches, I could eat them for every meal, I know songs about sandwiches and am an avid sandwich critic. This place is amazing. Located at 1549 York Avenue, definitely go here for lunch.

Study/Work Break

The Frick Garden: A beautiful, secret(ish) garden located at 1 East 70^th Street, that will leave you feeling refreshed, and ready to go back to work!

Happy Hour

Caledonia Bar: Located at 1609 2^nd Avenue, Caledonia Bar is a welcoming bar with 8 rotating beers on tap, perfectly mixed cocktails, over 250 different kinds of whiskey, and an awesome happy hour. ($2 off all drinks!)

Dinner

Mughlai Indian Cuisine: A small hole-in-the-wall gem of a restaurant, this Indian restaurant will not disappoint. Be sure to order the Chicken Tikka Masala, Aloo Papri Chaat (an Indian version of nachos) and Chicken Korma! Located at 1724 2^nd Avenue

Night Out

Bar Coastal: Get your dance on at this great hang-out spot on the UES! With surfboards suspended from the ceilings, plastic palm trees this rowdy sports bar is a perfect Saturday night location. Located at 1495 1^st Avenue

Looking for an apartment on the Upper East Side? We’ve got you covered. From multi-bedroom shares, to furnished apartments, No Fee Rentals has it all. To check out some of our awesome apartments on the Upper East Side, click here: http://nofeerentals.com/apartments.aspx

Until next time!

XO,

Steph

photo credit: <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/68018236@N03/26771731151″>Blue Hour</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a> <a href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/”>(license)</a>