Lewis had an appointment in midtown-east, so our breakfast began at a nearby Juice Bar.
Afterwards, we lunched at a cozy and reliable Japanese restaurant called Ise. To fend off the summer weather, Lewis ordered cold-noodles in broth with minced vegetables.
Their fried chicken was a nice variation on the usual recipe.
I had their Special: cold noodles with julienned veggies and delicious ground beef with sauce. Stirring it together made a splendid meal--tempting a woman at the opposite table to order one, too.
It was such a nice day that Lewis decided we should "burn off" the pasta calories by walking from East 56th Street to the Metropolitan Museum on East 82nd Street. 30 blocks! From there, we'd take the cross-town bus through the park to his apartment.
The park is always breathtaking, and these are the photos I took, as we traversed 27 blocks-worth of it (nearly half it's length). You can always find a new nook or viewpoint in Central Park.
As soon as you enter, you seem miles away for urban life. It mixes Nature with pedestrian/bike pathways. The tunnels, arches, and bridges attractively break the monotony.
The children's TV show, "Curious George" takes place in a city inspired by Manhattan. I'm sure the summertime amusement park in lower Central Park inspired George's park to have one, too.
Immediately north of it, Manhattan's bedrock outcrops from the Earth for you to climb. Rock / cliff climbing in the big city is a fun reality.
We traversed a rustic area named The Ramble. During the centuries when homosexuality was illegal in the USA, gay men "cruised" through it seeking casual sex. America begrudgingly legalized homosexuality in 2003, yet gay men still prefer that area.
Atop another hill (known as the Kinderberg) is the "Chess/Checkers Pagoda". Covered by enchanting trellis and vines, the shady spot includes 24 permanent "game tables"--both inside and outside. You can even borrow pieces for your game. Dominos are also available. It is also one of the parks's five Visitor Centers.
Players who need time to ponder their next move can enjoy the view, overlooking the baseball fields. We continued along the curving path (like Dorothy's yellow-brick road) and came upon the the spires and gables of the old Dairy.
After all, everyone knows of The Meadow and Sheep's Meadow in Central Park. The cows and sheep that grazed the meadows in turn-of-the-century NYC had to go somewhere, right? Built in 1870 (as Victorian Gothic style) in the initial "children's section" of the park, it provided fresh milk to children... since that was hard to find by some parents. Now, it's a "gift shoppe".
Passing the Pond and flower beds, we drew near to the Mall. Not an enclosed suburban shopping mall, but an allée of tall trees. After all, the word "mall", as defined in 1737 was "a shaded walkway serving as a promenade," generalized from the broad, tree-lined promenade in London. So, when designers created Central Park in post-Civil War America, they called its long/wide promenade "the mall". (But I do love telling tourists that I'm going to the mall in Central Park... but it doesn't have any stores, haha!)
It's an ideal place for flânerie! Lewis and I are expert flâneurs; we know how to stroll and saunter, what to wear to be noticed, and how to admire others in true spectator style.
Perpetually lined with benches, it stretches for 6 blocks. Created as an "open-air hall of reception", its width accommodated passing carriages. It is the only formal feature of designers, Olmsted & Vaux. The tall trees are majestic and serene. You can find everything for Zen moments to street performers to statues (within Literary Walk). Year-round, you can find a requisite saxophone player.
To the right, a real concert was being set up for later in the day. In addition to Delacorte Theatre (which hosts Shakespeare in the Park), the bandshell hosts many free outdoor performances. Up the stone stairs, behind it, is the Wisteria Pergola (which is also lovely in autumn). It offers lots of privacy, since it's hidden by the bandshell.
Walking past it, we saw the rounded wooden benches that I've always loved/admired. So clever, whimsical and ornamental.
The mall ends at Bethesda Fountain... made famous in the star-studded 1980s pro-gay film "Angels in America". The masonry and stonework here is gorgeous!
Rowboats, cyclists, hikers, joggers, hula hoops, hot dog eaters and street performers mingle here... amidst the soothing sounds of the angelic fountain. Many paths also intersect. We chose "the one less taken", upward against a shady hill and spotted lots of rustic wooden benches. This short path is probably often overlooked. Thus, it's a fine spot for solitude within the city.
If you want "conspicuous consumption", eat at the overpriced Boathouse. (I know the family of owners, who are arrogant morons, and also own a few steakhouse chains).
Onward we pressed! Through a vine-covered tunnel and along a rural-style path of wood-chips.
Crossing over a creek, we came upon a sunny clearing. More bedrock invited daring children and climbers.
A fresh snack was provided to us by Mother Nature: raspberries! Bushes grow along that part of the pathway.
After spotting some cyclists getting organized, we decided to rest on a sun-warmed rock near the Turtle Pond.
We veered towards the penthouses of the Upper East Side, in order to reach the Met Museum. Flora, fauna, birds, bees, butterflies, dragonflies, and pedestrians mixed freely.
A cobblestone-lined path led us to the Gilded Age mansions that remain on Fifth Avenue... many clustered near the historic museum (which was established in 1870).
Seen below, we simply can't pass up an opportunity to pop in (pay a dollar) and see what new exhibit occurred in the largest museum in the United States.
Lewis was interested in exploring its latest Chinese History gallery. Some of the Terra Cotta warriors that we saw in China were on loan to the museum.
Players who need time to ponder their next move can enjoy the view, overlooking the baseball fields. We continued along the curving path (like Dorothy's yellow-brick road) and came upon the the spires and gables of the old Dairy.
After all, everyone knows of The Meadow and Sheep's Meadow in Central Park. The cows and sheep that grazed the meadows in turn-of-the-century NYC had to go somewhere, right? Built in 1870 (as Victorian Gothic style) in the initial "children's section" of the park, it provided fresh milk to children... since that was hard to find by some parents. Now, it's a "gift shoppe".
Passing the Pond and flower beds, we drew near to the Mall. Not an enclosed suburban shopping mall, but an allée of tall trees. After all, the word "mall", as defined in 1737 was "a shaded walkway serving as a promenade," generalized from the broad, tree-lined promenade in London. So, when designers created Central Park in post-Civil War America, they called its long/wide promenade "the mall". (But I do love telling tourists that I'm going to the mall in Central Park... but it doesn't have any stores, haha!)
It's an ideal place for flânerie! Lewis and I are expert flâneurs; we know how to stroll and saunter, what to wear to be noticed, and how to admire others in true spectator style.
Perpetually lined with benches, it stretches for 6 blocks. Created as an "open-air hall of reception", its width accommodated passing carriages. It is the only formal feature of designers, Olmsted & Vaux. The tall trees are majestic and serene. You can find everything for Zen moments to street performers to statues (within Literary Walk). Year-round, you can find a requisite saxophone player.
To the right, a real concert was being set up for later in the day. In addition to Delacorte Theatre (which hosts Shakespeare in the Park), the bandshell hosts many free outdoor performances. Up the stone stairs, behind it, is the Wisteria Pergola (which is also lovely in autumn). It offers lots of privacy, since it's hidden by the bandshell.
Walking past it, we saw the rounded wooden benches that I've always loved/admired. So clever, whimsical and ornamental.
The mall ends at Bethesda Fountain... made famous in the star-studded 1980s pro-gay film "Angels in America". The masonry and stonework here is gorgeous!
Rowboats, cyclists, hikers, joggers, hula hoops, hot dog eaters and street performers mingle here... amidst the soothing sounds of the angelic fountain. Many paths also intersect. We chose "the one less taken", upward against a shady hill and spotted lots of rustic wooden benches. This short path is probably often overlooked. Thus, it's a fine spot for solitude within the city.
If you want "conspicuous consumption", eat at the overpriced Boathouse. (I know the family of owners, who are arrogant morons, and also own a few steakhouse chains).
Onward we pressed! Through a vine-covered tunnel and along a rural-style path of wood-chips.
Crossing over a creek, we came upon a sunny clearing. More bedrock invited daring children and climbers.
A fresh snack was provided to us by Mother Nature: raspberries! Bushes grow along that part of the pathway.
After spotting some cyclists getting organized, we decided to rest on a sun-warmed rock near the Turtle Pond.
We veered towards the penthouses of the Upper East Side, in order to reach the Met Museum. Flora, fauna, birds, bees, butterflies, dragonflies, and pedestrians mixed freely.
A cobblestone-lined path led us to the Gilded Age mansions that remain on Fifth Avenue... many clustered near the historic museum (which was established in 1870).
Lewis was interested in exploring its latest Chinese History gallery. Some of the Terra Cotta warriors that we saw in China were on loan to the museum.
*Use this link to see our trip to China to admire that collection: http://halfwindsorfullthrottle.blogspot.com/2014/11/our-trip-to-china-part-v-xian-finale.html
Above: fabric remains from the 17th century!
Below: a jade burial suit!
Fairway Market supplied us with creamy French brie, which Lewis loves when it sits out and gets runny.
Overall, it was a delightful day, and I'm glad we took advantage of it... and the good stuff that the city has to offer!
Above: fabric remains from the 17th century!
Below: a jade burial suit!
The artifacts (and knowing that they were skillfully manmade by lamp-light thousands of years ago) were breathtaking!
We opted to bypass the museum's eateries, but if you want to learn about them, please click here:
Instead, we headed westward. Doing a good deed to get an elderly woman onto the bus, we took it through a tunnel and across the park to the West Side.
Arriving in the West 70s, we went food shopping. Enticed by the label, we bought this rosé wine--always perfect for summer.
A local Japanese market supplied us with mint (green perilla) and a peach to muddle for cocktails.
Fairway Market supplied us with creamy French brie, which Lewis loves when it sits out and gets runny.
Overall, it was a delightful day, and I'm glad we took advantage of it... and the good stuff that the city has to offer!
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