Recent studies show that working out won???t help you lose weight. So why go to the gym? To check people out, of course. But New York Sports Clubs are just as diverse as the city itself. Each gym is like a little litmus test of neighborhood???s population. This week, we investigate all the variety New York Sports Clubs have to offer.
On first work out at the 91st and Third Ave New York Sports Club we were confused. Where were all the rich, botoxed women? Where were the newly divorced Westchester dads cutting loose in the city? And why did everyone look so different?
New York may be a melting pot, but people don???t actually do that much melting. Sure, every demographic and race might be represented, but everyone sticks to their own neighborhood. A friend of ours once made the mistake of his taking his girlfriend and her Upper East Side mom to Queen???s Hideaway in Greenpoint. Things never progressed passed how ???interesting??? Brooklyn is these days.
Most people living south of Murray Hill never venture to the Upper Sides of Manhattan, but the Upper East Side is different than you???d expect. For one, while the UES might have old money on lock down, the UWS is actually more expensive these days. And as long as you???re not raising kids, the UES is surprisingly affordable.
For people who work in midtown and don???t care to know better, living on the Upper East Side is an appealing option. It???s safe, convenient and close to world’s great grass museum, Central Park.
Which leads us to the Upper East Side NYSC. Most gyms have their type of patron, whether gay, banker or hipster nerd. At the UES, there???s no one type. Girls with wearing Kappa Kappa Gamma Rush Weekend t-shirts do sets in between guys who would have done their math homework for them in high school. Chubby gay men are unashamed to workout during peak hours. People spend hours at the gym seemingly because they have nothing else to do.
After a while it hit us: These people are united by their collective apathy toward New York. The Upper East Side is quite possibly the most boring neighborhood in New York. The restaurants are dull and the night life is non-existent. The only thing that???s interesting up there is the high school drama. Even Gramercy has more culture.
But again, the Upper East Side is affordable, safe and close to midtown. This area appeals to people who have no real interest in exploring New York. And laziness does not discriminate by race, class or body mass index. The Upper East Side NYSC might be the city???s only melting pot.
And as for the botoxed women, please, their Pilates instructor makes home visits.
Tomorrow: The Village
No. 1
kiran says:
sad, i live near there, and expend most of my energy trying to leave. you’re right though- some of the cheapest rents in manhattan, no joke. it probably IS so cheap, though, because nobody wants to live there- it’s cultural quicksand. sigh.
Posted: Oct 11, 2007 at 11:03 pm