Local Legend: Insta-Famous 'Apartment Botanist' Talks UWS Life

NEW YORK CITY — Alessia Resta shares her Upper West Side apartment with more than 175 plants, and they're all famous.

Resta is best known on Instagram as the Apartment Botanist where she details the love and care she gives to a menagerie of rare and exotic plants in her 750-square-foot home for more than 37,000 followers.

The Apartment Botanist's green thumb (and eye for a good photo) have earned Resta write-ups in Apartment Therapy, 6sqft and Time Out New York, to name a few, and she remains surprised her plant collection celebrity hasn't gotten her in trouble with her landlord.

When she's not gramming a photo or misting an anthurium, she's enjoying life on the Upper West side with her boyfriend and two dogs — Pachino the Shih Tzu and Zeus the Weimeraner — who make frequent cameos in her Instagram posts.

Patch spoke with Resta for our Local Legends series, where people who make New York City great discuss the neighborhoods they call home.

Last week we spoke to Susan Heyward, the broomstick flying "Cursed Child" actress who loves her life in Flatbush Next week, we'll explore Bushwick comedy with Shalewa Sharpe, who made her comedy debut cracking up Jimmy Fallon.

(Does your neighborhood have a Local Legend we should feature? Nominate them here.)

Here's what Resta had to say about her upper Manhattan home:

Describe the Upper West Side in three words.

Family, nature and relaxation.

Describe a perfect day for you on the Upper West Side.
Wake up, have brunch (Silver Moon Bakery, Jacob's Pickles, Good Enough to Eat, Earth Cafe), stroll through the North Woods in Central Park, visit a plant shop (The Sill) and end the day with some ice cream at my favorite spot, Amorino.

What's your best quintessential Upper West Side story?

A few summers ago my boyfriend, Micah, and I decided to hang out in our building's community seating area. It was newly renovated and included some grass and trees. We began talking with a few of our older neighbors who were reminiscing about the area, and what used to be and what was no longer there.

Eventually, so many neighbors were hanging out outside in the common area, it turned into a little party. People started bringing down snacks and drinks, and we all talked for so long. It reminded me of growing up in Brooklyn and hanging out with your friends and neighbors on your front stoop.

What's one misconception people have about the Upper West Side, and why is it wrong?

I think a common misconception, and one I had myself before living here is that "it's so far away!" Between the B, C and 1, 2 and 3 trains plus all the crosstown buses, it's pretty much accessible to anywhere in the city.

What are some of the best spots on the Upper West Side to see impressive plants/flowers? To buy them?

The Sill and Plantshed are two great places available on the Upper West Side to get in all your plant needs.

What makes the Upper West Side one of New York's best neighborhoods?

The Upper West Side feels like home, filled with friendly faces. People who find their way to the Upper West Side tend to stay, so there is always a familiar face. In general, the community is full of diverse young families mixed with families that have grown up on the Upper West Side their whole lives. There's a nice mixture of old and new and with the Upper West Side, and sandwiched in between two beautiful parks there always seems to be a great view.

This interview was lightly edited for clarity and style.