The Happy Client: Upper East Side, 80's

It was so great to see Samantha again at her Upper East Side studio and see how she had settled in...the apartment is fantastic! "I definitely like the pre-war charm- everyone compliments the exposed brick and the fireplace." For me, the appeal was not only the charm- this place is big! In pretty jewel tones, she's been able to comfortably seperate a living area and a bedroom, "I'm glad I went with the open space, so I could create the rooms myself, instead of having a small bedroom or a small livingroom." While the living area has clean lines and bright colors (love the aqua pillows on the cobalt sectional...), her bedroom is feminine to a tee. "The silk flowers on the mantle are an homage to my grandmother," Samantha says with a smirk. "She plants silk flowers outside because she can't bare to see them die in the fall." I just loved that... and admitted that my grandmother had done the same. "It's fine when your driving by in the summer, you really can't tell...it's when you have to sweep the snow off them that it seems a bit obvious."

Who? Samantha, Physician's Assistant

What? Upper East Side Studio

How? Three days, probably about twelve apartments. We stayed on the Upper East Side, so that Samantha's commute to the Bronx would be shorter....she's now a few blocks from the train.

 Best Thing about the Apartment? "location for sure...love the access to the parks, the restaurants and the bars. I thought I'd be heading to Central Park, but I love the park at East End. I've cut my commute in half and i run into someone I know everyday. On the way home from the train tonight, I ran into two people I know!"

Worst Thing about the Apartment? "Ummm...it's definitely more expensive in Manhattan than Astoria- groceries, everything. The truth is, I've stopped taking cabs...I walk more and take the subway, so it may actually be awash."

Best Thing about the Search? "We saw so many apartments- different layouts, sizes and streets, so by the time I saw this apartment and made my decision, I was really confident."

Worst Thing about the Search? "The heat. That one day we were looking, I think it was 100 degrees!"