Real Housewives of New York star Bethenny Frankel has had a tough time of it since she was last on a Bravo reality show. It seemed on the up-and-up for a while — she got married, she had a baby, she sold her business for like a bazillion bucks — but then she lost her talk show, lost her marriage, and lost the dream TriBeCa apartment she built to live in with now-estranged husband Jason Hoppy. Word on the street is that Bethenny has bought another apartment in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood, but does it suit her? Which neighborhood does Bethenny belong in anyway?
Before we get into that, let’s pour one out for Bethenny’s old TriBeCa apartment: Clocking in at 3,400 square feet (excuse me as I sob in the middle of my New York City closet/apartment), this place boasts custom wallpapers, designer fabrics, and a master closet that was renovated from a den into a haven for Bethenny’s many shoes and bags. Another fun fact: it was in the same building that Jay Z and Beyoncé live in. Why didn’t she stay in such a magical, wonderful place? Well, it was a big point of contention in her divorce and relationship with Jason, so she had to get the hell out of dodge. That’s a real estate tragedy, y’all.
Luckily, Bethenny just bought a $4.2 million apartment on Mercer Street in SoHo. She’s renovating, of course, but according to Curbed, this apartment is stocked “with a wood-burning fireplace, mahogany arched windows, and a long hallway stocked with space-saving features like a window seat, desk, and storage cabinets.” Sounds pretty sweet, though I can see why Bethenny was so sad to leave her old place.
SoHo and TriBeCa are pretty different neighborhoods, but I guess they both suit Bethenny if she chose to live in them. But did Bethenny settle too quickly? I think she could have shopped around a bit; maybe she could have found an NYC neighborhood that's even better suited to her new solo style...
Williamsburg
Now known as the birthplace of the Brooklyn hipster, Williamsburg boasts rents so high that they’ve driven out any and all of the original gentrifiers. Gentrification is over when Wall Street moves in, and that’s what’s happening here. Could Bethenny live here? Absolutely not. She would never live in Brooklyn, and she would never be able to put up with her neighbors.
Upper East Side
This is where pretty much all of the other housewives live, so maybe Bethenny should get on up to this moneyed NYC neighborhood and hang with Ramona. As if! Bethenny couldn’t wait to move downtown as soon as she had the money to do so, so I doubt she’s ever coming back.
West Village
With tree-lined blocks and beautiful brownstones, New York’s West Village has character to spare. Though Carrie Bradshaw’s address was on the Upper East Side, the actual façade of her apartment is in the West Village. Would an NYC girl raised on Sex and the City like Bethenny fit in here? I totally think so. The West Village lacks the edge of SoHo, but its quiet streets and movie-star-a-minute sightings seem like a nice place for Bethenny to be. It’s also a lovely place to raise a child.
Midtown West
Now, before you cut me off for suggesting Midtown, a part of the city typically reserved for tourists and businessmen in hotels, just wait a minute: There are some pretty seriously nice high-rise buildings going up in this part of town. If Bethenny lived in one of those buildings, she’d have views of not just the Hudson River but also Central Park and, well, the whole island of Manhattan. Though the amenities are there, I’m not sure Bethenny would love the Disney-fied Times Square so close to her living space.
Financial District
This is another neighborhood with some serious views: Located at basically the southern tip of Manhattan, the Financial District isn’t just Wall Street brokers and bonds. A lot of families are choosing to move there due to the new apartments, great amenities, and proximity to Battery Park. One probable caveat for Bethenny? Because it’s located in such a 9-to-5 neighborhood, things shut down pretty early: Bethenny needs her nightlife, y’all.
East Village
Home of Momofuku and St. Mark’s, the East Village is where Tri-State Area kids like myself used to hang out during trips into “the City.” The neighborhood is a true mix of “old” New Yorkers and new, and I think Bethenny would appreciate the color of this NYC enclave. Hey, Bethenny — if things don’t work for you in SoHo, I think this neighborhood could be your next calling.
With the purchase of this apartment, I hope Bethenny is no longer the “richest homeless person in New York.” Fingers crossed that her life is now a lot more settled.
Images: Giphy (6)
