Living in a concrete jungle can sometimes get you down, especially when you have been spoilt with 25 years of South African scenery as well as regular reminders of wide open space and beautiful landscape from the likes of Facebook and the web. So it is always good to take a step back (or forward in this case) and appreciate what is actually right on your doorstep. New York City balances the pollution, congestion and general craziness of too many people and too many rats living on top of each other with some of the most beautiful parks in the world. The following are a collection of photos I've taken of Central Park and a few in Riverside Park on the Upper West Side from the past month. Don't worry, I won't bore you with consistent landscape photos, there are some objects in the pictures too!
First let's do Riverside Park just 'cause. Riverside is close to us as we live on the West side but still a few avenues further than Central which is why we do not frequent it as often. It's a long narrow park, separating the last line of apartment blocks from the Hudson River. When looking for apartments with our broker, Christopher Columbus (not his real name, a derivative thereof), he cautioned us that while Central Park is most well-known, it is the grass of tourists, Riverside is where true New Yorkers take their dogs. I think that worked well when we were looking for an apartment on the Riverside-side. He changed his tune when he found us a place closer to CP. hmmpf!
Nothing like a little S'more Crumbies (
Crumbs) in the park!
Onto the big guns of Central Park. We have other names for it such as Mila's WC or Central Pee (as in the letter, what are you thinking?!) but perhaps that is not polite talk for a blog of this nature so we'll just stick to Central Park for now.
Mila loves CP too especially when she can practice her flying skills.
Some little ones all holding onto a rope so they don't get lost!
Overlooking the reservoir at sunset at 4:30pm!
Never a dull moment in the park.. Beefy the Bulldog, who has his own website and YouTube channel, displaying his skateboarding skills. I am told he makes frequent television appearances. We even got his card!
Christmas Day Central Park excursion. Don't worry the reindeer ears were only on for the photos - we don't want Mila thinking she's a Springbok or anything. She already acts like Bambi.
Ah thank goodness for the outdoors. Food for the soul. See you all on the flip side.
