off the map
Central Park is easy to love. It draws residents and tourists in with its vast green lawns, overgrown trees, pools of water and reliable people watching. But sometimes, it gathers too many people, and the city’s peaceful hideaway starts to feel like a spring break frat party.
If it’s solitude you seek, walk five blocks west to Riverside Park, which stretches like a long, green tendril along Manhattan’s west side. It kisses the docks of the Hudson River, and it hosts local soccer and rugby leagues. Whereas in Central Park, you’re likely to hear several languages and the click of camera shutters, Riverside Park feels like a neighborhood hangout. Locals and savvy tourists only.
I took a walk there recently, and was struck by the beauty of spring unfolding. It’s pathways are long and wind through tunnels below the Henry Hudson Parkway. This arch, near 79th Street and Riverside Drive, is particularly enchanting.
Peering at springtime through a tunnel….
And on the other side….
Spy Springtime Through a Tunnel April 28, 2010
Watch ‘Sex’ in the Park August 18, 2009
One of many great things about summer in New York is art in the parks. You can find dancers in Prospect Park, classic films in Bryant Park, and this week, modern movies in Central Park.
Tonight, reels start rolling at the Central Park Film Festival and the first movie up is Sex and the City. I’ve already seen it, but who can resist the chance to watch an homage to NYC on an outdoor screen in the heart of Manhattan? The only thing better would be Annie Hall (note to organizers).
Bloomberg L.P. is sponsoring a movie every night this week, 8 p.m. at Rumsey Playfield near Fifth Avenue and 69th Street. The gates open at 6 p.m. so you can stake out the perfect picnic spot. Pack a dinner, bring a blanket and the rest is free.
Today’s the last day to vote on the viewer’s choice movie, which organizers will show on Saturday. The options aren’t spectacular, but I’m pulling for Desperately Seeking Susan starring Madonna, or the James Bond classic Goldfinger.
Other films showing this week are:
Wednesday, August 19: Shaft (1971), 100 minutes
Thursday, August 20: Ocean’s 11 (2001), 116 minutes
Friday, August 21: Twilight (2008), 122 minutes
Saturday, August 22: it’s up to you!
Plant a Windowsill Garden July 27, 2009
One thing missing from my life since relocating to Manhattan is foliage. Yes, Central Park is nearby and there’s a hearty tree outside my apartment. But I have no plants to call my own, to nurture, neglect, over-water, kill, resuscitate.
But a trip to the Columbus Avenue farmers’ market at 77th Street this weekend garnered some seeds of inspiration. The market, which sported hot apple cider and a tortured pile of fingerling potatoes in winter, is bursting to life this summer. New stands are overflowing with seasonal plums, berries, tomatoes, sunflowers, lilies and herbs.
One vendor sells 14 types of basil. (Fourteen!) Lemon, cinnamon, Christmas and thai basil … you can pick up one-fourth of all known varieties right here on a lazy Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at $2 a pop.
I want to adopt a few of these plants, but where to grow them? I’ve been collecting ideas for a windowsill garden, and so far, these are my favorites:
Apartment Therapy, a go-to source for decorating small spaces, featured a vintage take on windowsill plants. The gardener punched drainage holes in the bottom of old tea canisters for a shabby chic look.
Better Homes and Gardens suggests cutting plants like angelwood begonias, gardenias and Swedish ivy, and rooting them in water. You could collect an assortment of glass vases from antique shops and flea markets to create this chic look.
And IKEA, a reliable standby for such dilemmas, stocks cute pots and planters (as well as exotic plants). These simple, modern planters would dangle nicely in front of a window.
After I figure out the vessel, I plan to consult these tips for keeping an indoor herb garden alive. Afterall, my green thumb is a little rusty.
Hike That Boulder Beer Label July 22, 2009
On a recent trip to Boulder, Chris and I set out to do something completely new: climb a mountain pictured on a beer bottle. Because, why not?
Such an adventure is befitting a state like Colorado. You might taste beer at the Guinness factory in Dublin or buy a keg at the Heineken Brewery in Amsterdam. But in Boulder, you climb the freaking mountain. That’s how these high-elevation folks roll.
The iconic Flatirons, a symbol of Boulder Beer and other area businesses, is a popular destination for rock climbers and hikers. The striking formations are said to resemble the metal irons that pioneers used to press clothes. Out of five irons, at least one has been a popular site for University of Colorado graffiti over the decades.
There are enough trails that inexperienced climbers (like me) can find a challenging but do-able path. We hiked up high enough to get a gorgeous view of the city and watch a few rock climbers at work.
The view from below is just as lovely. In spring and summer, the outlying park is so green and lush with wildflowers and dandelions, it’s worth a visit even if you don’t hike.
Then go home and crack open a cold one because, seriously, you earned it.
Click here for maps, closures, picnics and dog policies. And click here for a live webcam of the Flatirons.
