Happy 2016, from Central Park

Photo by myself in Central Park.

Pedicab rides can be found easily in and around Central Park. Above, some visitors stop to look east, toward the skyline.

The nice thing about pedicab rides is that you can often find someone to give you a tour in your native language, if it's not English.

Apologies for not having a more festive photo! We've had very grey, overcast (though warm) days lately. Happy 2016, everyone!

Related posts: A Bit of Fog, in Central Park, Before a Tour, Pedicab Style, and Dogs in Costume, at Tompkins Square Park.

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Billionaire's Row, Above Central Park South

Photo by myself, around 67th Street and Fifth Avenue on the Upper East Side.

High above Central Park, around the 20th Floor, you can see quite a bit of Central Park South. Whew, it's a long way down. I was at this location helping a friend measure parts his apartment project.

The square-ish white building to the left is the Plaza Hotel, located at the south east corner of the park. On the far right, the twin glass towers comprise One Central Park, at the south west corner of the park.

The super tall, glass modern building standing at the midpoint was erected only recently, and houses some extremely posh condominium apartments as well as the hotel Park Hyatt. Called 'One 57', for its addresss at One West 57th Street, it is 90 stories high, which is gigantic compared to its pre-war neighbors.

'One 57' is the first in a series of tall towers planned for 57th Street, which is also called 'Billionaire's Row'. These towers will have a crazy view of Central Park, and will make a serious impact to the city as we know it.

The interiors at One 57 are super modern, and apartments cost as much as $30 million.
For more about the building, check out a New York Times article here.
For the building's snazzy website, click here.

Related posts: Bird's Eye View, Above Central Park, A View of Spring, from Central Park South, and The World Above Central Park.

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A Misty View of Central Park

Photo by myself in Central Park.

A look at Central Park near Central Park South, looking east. There are remnants of snow and a mist clinging to the ground. Some pedicabs are parked in the foreground.

Anytime it snows in the city, it's nice at first, but quickly becomes a yucky mess. A white plastic bag clings to a tree branch on the upper right.

This photo is from the stash. We're in sunny Los Angeles through the end of this week. Posts will continue here, in the meantime.

Related posts: The Wintry View from Central Park South, City Portraits - Central Park, and A Snowy View of Central Park.

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Looking South, Over Central Park

Photo by myself around Fifth Avenue and 76th Street, on the Upper East Side.

The view south over Central Park is a nice one, in the height of summer.

The street below is Fifth Avenue, running north-south. The white, square-ish building near the left is the Plaza Hotel, and the two glass towers is the Time Warner Building at Columbus Circle.

Related posts: City Portraits - Central Park, Fall From Above, and On the View from the Upper East Side.

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Bird's Eye View, Above Central Park

Photo by myself from Central Park South.

From certain vantage points, Central Park can look like the edge of the world.

Above, the wall of buildings that line Central Park West. The buildings and leafless trees match each other in a sepia tone. Down below are a man made pond, and just above it, an outdoor skating rink.

The neat thing is that just before I took this photo, I saw some red-tailed hawks flying outside. They swooped slow loop-de-loops above the park, looking for lunch. Unfortunately they were too quick for me to get a photo. Drat!

Related posts: A View of Spring, from Central Park South, On the View from the Upper East Side, and The Wintry View from Central Park South.

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The View Above Central Park, from the Upper East Side

Photo by myself, around 80th Street and Fifth Avenue on the Upper East Side.

The view of Central Park during Fall is quite nice. Most of the leaves have already turned color by now.

This is the view looking southwest. The glass towers on the left at Columbus Circle were built not long ago. The two limestone towers ahead belong to the San Remo, around 74th Street and Central Park West.

The ropes on the left belongs to a window washing rig. The building next door was getting its windows cleaned. Window washers do their work on a platform that is pulled up using pulleys.

Related posts: Looking Out to Central Park West, Sledding Outside the San Remo, and The Skyline on the Upper West Side.

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Striking a Pose, in Central Park

Photo by myself, in Central Park around 81st Street and Central Park West.

A group of yoga students practiced their sun salutations, Thursday night in Central Park.

In the background is the Belvedere Castle, a folly that was built in 1869 by Fredrick Law Olmstead when the park was designed. The two towers on the right belong to the San Remo, a luxury apartment building at Central Park West and 74th Street.

The land dips down in front of the castle into the Turtle Pond. Since the trees are all leafy, you can hardly tell you're in the middle of a city.

Belvedere castle currently houses programs for bird watching and astronomy. There are steps that wind around the castle to raised viewing platforms.

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This week's Times has an article about touring around downtown New York.

The Travel Section periodically prints articles about spending 36 hours in various cities. This week's article focuses only on the area below 14th Street.

The list includes the new World Trade Center, the National Museum of the American Indian and various spots in TriBeCa.

For the Times article, click here.

Related posts: Sun Salutation, East Village, Sunday Morning, Along the East River and Balancing Act, in Bryant Park.

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A View of Spring, from Central Park South

Photo by myself from Central Park South.

After a long winter, Central Park is suddenly green.

The view above Central Park is nice enough from the east and from the west, but it's altogether different from the shorter ends. You get a real sense of how deep the park is, spanning fifty blocks north to south.

I have to say that the views during Fall are the best of all. Stay tuned in another four months, when the leaves change color.

For a look from the same window in January, click here.

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Apologies for the hiccup in time. Blogger was down Thursday night, preventing anyone from editing or posting on their blogs.

On a good note, there are 700 followers on this blog! Woohoo!! What a milestone!!

Thanks to everyone out there. You keep me going every day. I look forward to posting more photos daily from this fantastic city.

Related posts: The World Above Central Park, A Peek Through Central Park and Looking Out to Central Park West.

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On the Imagine Mosaic and Local CSAs

Photo by myself in Central Park.

A photo taken earlier this year at one of the most popular spots in Central Park.

The mosaic is just steps away from John Lennon's home at The Dakota.

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Recently, Mark and I have been focused on eating more healthily. We are joining a local CSA to do just that.

CSA stands for 'Community Supported Agriculture'. Folks basically purchase shares of a local farmer's seasonal crop. You pick up your box of organic vegetables every week or every other week for about six months.

Every week you get a different assortment of veggies. The Park Slope CSA, which we're considering, serves up bok choy, parsnips and kohlrabi, among others. You receive about 8.5 lbs each week or two, depending on the membership.

There are many different CSA's serving the five boroughs of New York, for fresh vegetables, fruits, eggs and even flowers (!). Farms are located upstate, and the produce is trucked in a couple times a week for pick up.

Farmers get money all at once to finance their crops. People get fresh produce that is grown locally. Everyone wins. Apparently the CSA model has existed in Europe and Japan. Only recently has it taken shape in the US.

For CSA's located in and around New York, click here.

Related posts: On Lost Icons and The Dakota, A Look Outside the Dakota and Imagine, Central Park.

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Shine em Up, on Central Park South

Photo by myself at 59th Street and Fifth Avenue.

As usual, horse-drawn carriages are parked along Central Park South.

One driver shined up his ride's hooves with hoof black, Monday morning. Hoof black is similar to shoe polish, and adds a nice touch to the horse's appearance.

The care of carriage horses has long been a hot-button issue in the city. It is tough to see these animals out in all the extremes of New York weather, rain or shine.

There are laws regarding the horses - carriages operate 9 hours a day, seven days a week and can only work when the weather is between 90F and 18F outside. A team from the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) monitors the horses' treatment.

So far I have not noticed that any horses look abused, though some look sad or bored. I can imagine that standing in one spot with blinders in front of your eyes must be very tough indeed.

Related posts: Carriage Horse, Central Park South, A Repent Sign Guy Meets a Horse Carriage Guy and A Horse, of Course, in Midtown.

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A Bit of Fog, in Central Park

Photo by myself in Central Park, around Central Park West and 59th Street.

It was drippy at the end of last week.

You could see a white mist hugging the ground in Central Park. A Pedicab driver stood outside of the frame to the right, calling to passersby for a ride.

On the right, you can barely see the buildings along Central Park South. Ahead are buildings along Fifth Avenue.

The snow on the ground is left over from the Christmas blizzard. Boy, are we ready for Spring!

Related posts: A Blanket of Snow, in Prospect Park, Riding in Style, in the Village and Kicking Back on Firm Ground.

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Even More Snow, in Central Park

Photo by myself in Central Park, near Central Park South.

Ah, can you believe that we woke up on Thursday to another 19 inches of snow?

I happened to be near Central Park for a meeting. Fortunately, I got there a bit early to snap a few photos.

Lots of children were there with the day off school. Seen on the right, they were sledding around all the hills they could find, large and small. Mothers were about too, pushing their baby carriages. Since there was little wind, it didn't feel too cold.

By the time I came out of my meeting, the sun had gone away and everything was a dreary gray.


Through the snow and trees, you can make out the buildings along Central Park South.


Beyond, some buildings along Central Park West. The building on the right is the Majestic at 72nd Street, an Art Deco apartment building.

Related posts: Portrait of a Film Shoot, in Prospect Heights, After the Snow, in SoHo and A Snowy View of Central Park.

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The Wintry View from Central Park South

Photo by myself along Central Park South.

The view from an upper floor of the Plaza Hotel on Central Park South is pretty nice indeed.

Fifth Avenue and the Upper East Side is to the right. Way far away straight ahead is Central Park North, or 110th Street. A bit to the left is Central Park West.

You can be sure I'll be back to this location in the Spring, to take photos when Central Park is completely green! I will bring my big camera for sure.

Related posts: At the Brooklyn Museum - The Dizzying World of Murakami, The Sky is Falling and The View from on High.

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A Peek Through Central Park

Photo by myself around 57th Street and 6th Avenue.

Above, the view between buildings through Central Park to the Upper West Side.

The orange-colored building is the Majestic, a deco apartment tower at 71st Street and Central Park West. The Wikipedia page of the Majestic reveals that the building once housed the heads of the Luciano crime family.

To the right of the Majestic is the swanky Beresford, some ten blocks north. Smoke seems to be coming out of the top, perhaps from wood burning fireplaces.

The aerial view of Central Park looks scraggly during the winter. I'll have to try to take a photo during the warmer months when the buildings aren't casting such a shadow.

Related posts: The Sky is Falling, The View from on High and Hovering Above Park Avenue.

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A Snowy View of Central Park

Photo by myself just outside Central Park, at 60th Street and Central Park West.

We had another dusting of snow, Friday morning.

Weather reports warned of up to 6 inches. I'm not sure how much we really got, but it really was not too terrible.

I was lucky to be near Central Park after a morning meeting. People were walking on the pathways under the cover of umbrellas. Most of the snow came down around noon in huge flakes the size of quarters, that wafted down very slowly.

Back in the office, my coworkers and I gathered at the windows. You could see other office workers doing the same in the buildings around us. It felt like we were all in a giant snow globe.

Related posts: A Blanket of Snow, in Prospect Park, Choose Your Tree on Seventh Avenue and Snowing in the City.

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From the Rooftop of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Photo by myself at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

A nest made purely of bamboo has invaded the roof of the Met.

Now until the end of October, this sculpture is on display overlooking Central Park. It is inhabitable, too - stairways and ramps are constructed within the 100-foot length, where visitors can go for guided tours.

The sculpture is made of interlocking bamboo poles lashed together with elasticized nylon, and was conceived as a work in progress. Its form will morph over the course of the installation and spread east. The sheltered space underneath is used for people to mill about or stand on line for drinks.


Below the sculpture, small groups of people convene in the shade.


Stairs and ramps are built into the structure.


The sculpture looks like a bird's nest from the outside.


Lights are discretely strung up for nighttime illumination.

The roof of the Met is a popular spot for drinks on Fridays, since it is open until 9 pm. The view is incredibly romantic, since you can see the sun setting and the expanse of Central Park.

While waiting in line at the bar, I noticed people hanging onto the poles. Bamboo is known for its remarkable strength, and is routinely used in tropical countries as scaffolding material. Despite its chaotic form and height, the sculpture seems in no danger of collapse.

The wonderful thing about this sculpture are the spaces it creates. I have seen this installation from afar, and it doesn't look like much, just a heap of sticks. Up close and within, it's a different story.

Thankfully, the designers left the gorgeous view of the Park unobstructed.


The spectacular view southward through Central Park.

For more about the exhibit, visit the Met website here.

Related posts: East (Side) Versus West (Side), On View, from the Upper East Side and Another View at the New Museum, The Bowery.

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Before a Tour, Pedicab Style

Photo by myself in Central Park.

A pedicab driver gave his customers a little face time before embarking. When the pedicab is in motion, it's hard for customers to hear the driver.

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We are in for an absolute scorcher today, with highs near 100F. With the bright sun and humidity, it's supposed to feel like it's 105F.

In such weather, I'm not sure I could ever sit in a pedicab being pulled by someone, even if he is doing it for money. By the way, I have only seen male pedicab drivers. If I ever see a female driver, I certainly will stop and take a photo!

Related posts: Riding in Style, in the Village, Enjoying a Ride, in Central Park and Kicking Back, on Firm Ground.

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City Portraits - Central Park

Photo by myself, from a footbridge in Central Park. Beyond lies the Upper West Side.

My fiance Mark and I recently toured around Central Park with our dog Rupert. Bringing a picnic lunch and plenty of water, we walked about and explored the lower half of the 770-acre park.

It was a weekday afternoon and the park was filled with people - visitors, dancers, rollerbladers, jugglers, lovers, boaters and a cellist. Rupert, our Boston Terrier, had a grand time exploring the paths that weave through all sorts of terrain.


At the Mall, a cathedral of stately old oaks frame a seemingly endless view.


A young cellist played for passersby. Rupert can be seen walking ahead.


What looks like a quaint chalet is actually a park store.


At the Lake, looking toward Central Park South.

What I love about Central Park is that generally you are unaware of the city around you. Only at certain carefully planned times does the vista open up to reveal that you're in the middle of Manhattan.

If you're ever visiting, I recommend taking a leisurely afternoon to explore the park. Don't bother with a map. Get lost, discover, and enjoy.

City Portraits is an ongoing, once-in-a-while installment featuring parts of New York.

Related posts: City Portraits - The East Village, City Portraits - The New York City Library and City Portraits - Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn.

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The Stately San Remo, on the Upper West Side

Photo by myself in Central Park.

Beyond the lake in Central Park, lies the Upper West Side. In the background are the stately twin towers of the San Remo, a luxury co-op building on Central Park West. Meanwhile, a couple lounged idly in the grass.

Celebrities such as Tiger Woods, Stephen Spielberg, Demi Moore and Steve Jobs have called the San Remo home. The building was constructed in the early 1930's, just before the Great Depression.

Apartments in the San Remo have recently been listed for as much as 17 million dollars. The apartments high up in the towers routinely command asking prices of $2,500-$3,500 per square foot.

In comparison, typical Upper West Side apartments were priced at $1,000-$1,100 per square foot, at the height of the real estate boom.

Click here for the Wiki entry for the building.

Related posts: Sledding Outside the San Remo, Looking Out to Central Park West and Enjoying a Ride, in Central Park.

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At the Carousel, in Central Park

Photo at the carousel in Central Park, around 65th Street.

Yes, there is a carousel, zoo and lake, all within Central Park. There are actually many bodies of water, since what would a park be without water?

The park has soccer fields, baseball fields, an outdoor theater, a turtle pond, horse trails and formal gardens. There are 58 miles of pathways and trails. You can while away an entire day by wandering around the 863 acres, right in the middle of Manhattan.

For maps and more information about the park, click here for the official Central Park website.

Related posts: Enjoying the Air, in Central Park, The Carousel, Bryant Park and At the Lake, in Central Park.

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