Spring in New York

Spring . . . a time of renewal, rebirth and rejuvenation. Spring is my favorite season for many reasons. I love watching the ice break on the reservoir, the crocuses burst through the thawing earth of Central Park and the first cherry blossoms open and dust the city streets with white and pink petals. New York starts to come alive, as do its inhabitants, and even in the worst of times anything seems possible. Perhaps it is for this reason that I am finally taking the plunge and starting this blog. I am not trying to get sentimental or sappy, since neither are traits I possess, but when I thought about what I could write about first, spring came to mind. Although this will primarily be a blog about food, I figured I could digress for a moment and tell you about some of the things I love to do during the spring in New York.

Some of these photos are from two weeks ago, when I took a day off to walk (I call them trots) around the City, and some are from previous years. My camera is simple, but I am proud of the pictures I take. What I love about them is that they show a different side of NYC. If you love the City then you know what I mean, if not, please give it a second chance. First impressions can be deceiving and sometimes you need a local to take you around. Perhaps that can be me! With that said, let us commence.

In the spring I think everyone should:

1) Take a day off and just walk around the City. Wear some solid walking shoes and start at one point and make your way to another part of town. Notice the changing neighborhoods, the people and the buildings you never knew were there. I am not talking to tourists right now, (although you are welcome to try this, but probably already have) but to people that live here. Have you ever tried it? If not, take a day off next week when you know the weather will be nice and get out there. I am a native New Yorker, yet I still find streets and buildings that I never knew existed. It’s cathartic and fun! And if you want to stop mid-way for a coffee or glass of wine and soak in the sun at a sidewalk café . . . all the better.

2) Visit Shakespeare’s Garden at Belvedere Castle. Bring a sandwich, a book, headphones, or a friend, and find a vacant park bench and sit there and decompress. If you are ever feeling overwhelmed by life or the activity of the City, this is the place to go. http://www.centralpark.com/pages/attractions/shakespeare-garden.html

3) Visit the Brooklyn Botanical Garden during the Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Festival, which happens to be this weekend. When I first moved back to NYC from Florida, via Philadelphia, I promised myself that I would try and do all the things that I took for granted. The Sakura Matsuri festival was my first stop and since then I have gone every year. This is not to be missed! For further details go to http://www.bbg.org/.

4) Take a day off and picnic in Central Park. Preferably under a blossoming tree. This is okay to do alone, but awesome with friends or a loved one. Stop at Zabar’s or Dean and Deluca and pick up some antipasto and a baguette. As an attorney I will take the Fifth on whether I have brought wine to the park, but just so you know it is technically not allowed.

5) Get ready for the summer! Do an Internet search of “things to do in NYC in the summer,” and get ready for free concerts, movies, festivals, and not so free, but necessary day trips to Long Beach. What can I say . . . perhaps it is the anticipation of summer that makes me love spring. http://www.nycgo.com/

These are only some of the things I like to do and of course there are many more, but I must start and end somewhere, so this is it for now. Feel free to email me with questions, add to this list, or make comments, but please keep negativity out of my happy world. J You don’t want to bring out my evil side….…..grrrrrr