• Category Archives Parks
  • Bryant Park

    Bryant Park, named after William Cullen Bryant, has had a long and uneven history – a potter’s field, Reservoir Park (sharing the block with the Croton Reservoir – future home of the NY Public Library), home of Civil War military drills, and the Crystal Palace Exhibition (1853). And it has gone through bleak periods – both in the 1930s and the 1970s, it became one of the worst parks in NYC. In the 1970s, the park was essentially dominated by drug dealers, prostitutes, and the homeless, often referred to as “Needle Park”. Click here for a history.

    In 1992, the park was reopened after a privately funded restoration. With its formal French gardens and crushed stone walkways, it is reminiscent of the Jardin du Luxembourg of Paris. The restoration has been one of the greatest turnaround successes in recent NYC history – the park is frequently cited as an example of how positive transformation can occur even in what appears to be a lost cause. Now the park has restaurants and cafes, kiosks, and free WIFI internet access (click here for more photos). On Mondays in the summer, HBO sponsors outdoor movies. The park also hosts many other programs and events. Check out the Bryant Park official site…


  • Twelve Tribes Arrive

    A friend called me at work to let me know that three Twelve Tribes buses were parked in Washington Square Park, so I made a quick journey to see and record the event. Vehicles of this size are rarely allowed IN the park – apparently their permit for assembly was confused with another group, and they were ushered in and allowed to remain.

    Twelve Tribes is an unusual religious group – kind of a fusion of the unrealized dreams of hippies with fundamentalist Christianity. They live communally in various locales in nine countries. The journey to NYC was part of their Merrymakers Caravan Tour. The bus in the photo, Garden (another photo here), was modeled after the Furthur bus of the Merry Pranksters of the 1960s. Click here for some photos I took of the interior of their Peacemaker bus, which sleeps 17. I did as much reading as possible on their sites and others before this posting. There has been some controversy regarding aspects of their practices, but I have chosen to be as neutral as possible and leave it to you, if you are interested, to investigate on your own and draw your own conclusions…


  • Singing Bowls

    Perhaps you have rubbed your finger around a wine glass and created a tone? There is an entire world and ancient history of “glass music” with a class of instruments called idiophones. These include musical glasses (Verrillon/Seraphine), glass harp, glass armonica, verrophone, etc. (if you are unfamiliar with these, I highly recommend reading some of the links – the entire world is just fascinating). Included are various types of singing bowls – Tibetan singing bowls are typically made of metal, but glass/crystal ones are also used.

    An entire renovation of Washington Square arch was recently completed, including the installation of some huge, high intensity ground lights. These create a unique environment for performers at night. I recently saw Wendy and Aaron performing there (using the name Dievolve). The illuminated crystal singing bowls created a beautiful effect.
    I have included a video; the first part is of Wendy on the crystal bowls and Aaron on a metal one, and the second part features Aaron playing guitar with an aggressive, angry style with Wendy producing her haunting tones. I thought the combo was quite nice in person – I hope it translates in the video clips I have provided…


  • Newlyweds

    While in Central Park, I experienced a unique occurrence. I was watching a musician (thatguitarman.com) who plays weekly at the same spot (photo left). In the middle of the performance, a bride and groom strolled by (Central Park is an extremely popular venue for wedding photography.) The musician confirmed their just married status and asked if they would be willing to have their first dance right there while he played. The couple agreed, and the audience was quite enthusiastic, including a group of boaters nearby in the Lake (with Manhattan buildings as backdrop – Citicorp Building, Plaza Hotel, etc.). Here is a video of that special first dance of the newlyweds:


  • Bethesda Fountain and Terrace

    Posted on by Brian Dubé

    Here we have one of the most photographed fountains in the world: Bethesda Fountain, which stands at the epicenter of Central Park. Officially known as the Angel of the Waters, it was dedicated in 1873. The artist’s brochure makes a reference to Bethesda (from a biblical verse from St. John), after which the fountain became popularly known. The winged figure symbolizes the bringing in of pure water to NYC after the Croton Aqueduct opened in 1842. The lily in her right hand represents purity; her other outreached hand blesses the water below. Click here for a closeup of the fountain with four cherubs below the angel, representing Peace, Health, Purity, and Temperance. Complete details about the fountain here.

    The fountain and terrace area stands at one end of the mall. In this photo, we are facing the Lake, with the wooded area known as the Ramble behind it. Click here for more on the Terrace itself, with photos and info…

    Posted on by Brian Dubé

  • New York Nymph

    Posted on by Brian Dubé

    The Washington Square Park Council has been scheduling summer events in Washington Square Park. Saturday’s event was called Groove on the Green, with SubSwara, JP001, and the FreekFactory dancers. The woman in the photo was apparently one of the FreekFactory, but I found her to be more sprite or nymphlike than freaky. She and a handful of others could be found undulating and writhing to the very amplified “indo-inflected breaks, scratching, and live tabla.” Another photo here.

    The afternoon was very hot and humid, so here we have our New York Nymph with glistening skin taking a breather, amidst the trees, just where we would expect to find her…

    Posted on by Brian Dubé

  • Bow Bridge

    Posted on by Brian Dubé

    The Bow Bridge in Central Park is considered one of the world’s most beautiful small bridges. It certainly is one of the most visited and photographed areas. The graceful arc spanning over the Lake with its boaters and surrounding green instills great calm in an intense city such as New York. It is always a pleasant surprise to happen upon such a magnificent structure while strolling through the park. Kudos to the designers!

    The official Central Park website has many images, and three really nice Quicktime panoramas: Spring/Summer, Fall, and Winter (update: no longer available). You can see the bridge and its surroundings in all the seasons. Here are more photos I took going over the bridge itself…

    Posted on by Brian Dubé

  • Central Park Mall

    Posted on by Brian Dubé

    If you’ve traveled this far into Central Park, you will have noticed a number of things. It’s an amazing park – a triumph in urban landscaping. It’s quite large. It’s remarkably varied, and there are spots like this one where you can’t see any urban structures at all – very bucolic. And you could use a rest. So I recommend sitting on one of the benches here in the central spine of the park: this beautiful wide esplanade known as The Mall and Literary Walk, flanked with quadruple rows of tremendous old growth American elm trees, forming an enormous tunnel of green. Stately.

    Posted on by Brian Dubé

  • Strawberry Fields

    Posted on by Brian Dubé

    In Central Park near the entrance at 72nd Street near the Dakota, John Lennon’s former residence, is an beautiful wooded landscape area called Strawberry Fields. It was named after one of John’s songs, Strawberry Fields Forever, in his honor (John was shot nearby outside of his home in 1980). The song’s title, by the way, hearkens back to John’s youth, where he played in the trees behind a Salvation Army orphanage called Strawberry Field.

    In 1985, Yoko Ono donated 2.5 million to relandscape and maintain the area. The focal point is a large mosaic, a reproduction of a work from Pompei, made as a gift by artisans from Naples, Italy. The only change was the center inscription, Imagine, the title of another of John’s songs. It is typical to find the mosaic adorned with flowers, candles, and other items, left by his fans. On the anniversary of his birth (October 9th) and death (December 8th), people typically gather in tribute at the site. There is also a bronze plaque, embedded in a stone outcropping, listing 121 countries endorsing the area as a garden of peace

    Posted on by Brian Dubé

  • Evening Arch

    Posted on by Brian Dubé

    The Washington Square Arch is one of my favorite NYC icons. It stands at the foot of Fifth Avenue on the north side of Washington Square Park. It always reminds me of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, after which is was modeled.
    The arch recently got a much-needed renovation – it was in serious disrepair. It is now quite beautiful – completely cleaned and restored with banks of high-power lights from below and the sides.

    This was shot in the late evening. At night it really glows – it is one of the nicest illuminated monuments in NYC. Unlike Paris, New York has few fountains or monuments, and a well-lit one like this is even rarer. I would highly recommend seeing it at night if you get the chance.

    Posted on by Brian Dubé

  • Not So Kleine

    Posted on by Brian Dubé

    One of the great strengths and joys of NYC is the music scene. Home to some of the greatest and most diverse venues in the world: from the Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, and Madison Square Garden to small clubs like the Village Vanguard, the Blue Note, Irving Plaza, CBGB, the Knitting Factory, and the Mercury Lounge. And then there are the music schools, some of the finest in the country: Juilliard, Manhattan School of Music, Mannes School, Third Street Settlement…

    And then there are the streets and parks. I am constantly amazed at the quality and sophistication one can find right on the street. Many are students from the fine, aforementioned schools, which I imagine these in the photo are. This was shot at Bethesda Fountain in Central Park. I included a short video of them playing Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik.

    Many, many musicians move to New York just for the opportunities, but be forewarned, the competition is very tough and the city harsh – New York spits artists out as fast as it sucks them in.

    Posted on by Brian Dubé

  • Kerbs Boathouse

    Posted on by Brian Dubé

    Here is a view of the interior of Kerbs Boathouse, which is beside the model boat pond in yesterday’s posting. Members of the Central Park Model Yacht Club keep their boats there, and there are also radio-controlled model boats available for rental to the public.

    This pastime has been going very strong in the park since 1914, and it changed when radio-controlled boats came in for general use in the late sixties. Most of the time, children are dominant in this particular area of the park (particularly at the nearby Alice in Wonderland and the Hans Christian Anderson statues), but the serious adult racers convene at 10AM on Saturdays. The model boats silently race across the pond with their owners concentrating on navigation, while birdwatchers are nearby scouting out the many varieties that seem to congregate in this area. It is a peaceful, quiet, idyllic part of Central Park, even on the really crowded and busy weekends. More photos…

    Posted on by Brian Dubé

  • Conservatory Water

    Posted on by Brian Dubé

    In the original plans for Central Park, a large conservatory was planned for this area. However, budget cuts forced the planners to redesign it, and they used the model boat ponds of Paris as a model. For this reason, it is commonly referred to as the Model Boat Pond (boating activities will be featured in tomorrow’s posting).

    The area is surrounded by some of the most special trees in the park, a large stand of Lebanon Cedars, and a concentration of Japanese cherry trees which bloom intensely in the spring. It is a romantic spot and is featured in many stories and films placed in NYC, as well as in many personal stories of the inhabitants. It is also a place that attracts a number of unusual and interesting birds. There is a large boreal owl in residence in the woods next to the pond — the area around the pond is a favorite for many bird watchers. Surprising that so much wildlife exists in the midst of a large city. This pond truly deserves a visit – on a nice day, it is so relaxing and bucolic. It’s always reminded me of Seurat’s Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte…

    Posted on by Brian Dubé

  • Vivid View

    Posted on by Brian Dubé

    Here, one looks out from the roof of the Metropolitan Museum of Art on a humid, hazy day. In the summer, it’s a great place to go to get a view of city, looking over acres of a dense, vivid green Central Park surrounded by skyscrapers and apartment buildings. In the evenings on Friday and Saturday, it becomes a bar – you can have a drink and be in the open air on a rooftop in a very unique location: within Central Park.

    Lately, many rooftop bars have opened in NYC – see these articles in New York Magazine and the New York Times to get a description and locations for more than 20 of them. The views change dramatically when the sun goes down fully and the lights on the buildings and in the streets come up. Here’s another view…

    Posted on by Brian Dubé

  • Alice in Central Park

    Posted on by Brian Dubé

    The Alice in Wonderland statue may well be the most popular and heavily used statue in Central Park. It is made for children to climb on, and they do. The different textures and levels were designed to be soothing and have become rubbed smooth by many small hands.

    This day was like all the other nice weather days, the statue decorated with many many children climbing like monkeys or finding a spot to sit, be still, and experience oneness with the essence of Alice in Wonderland, even if they have never heard of her. And if, by chance, you have not heard of her (she is popular in the primarily English speaking world), here is a link to her story. Many people count it as their favorite book and find hidden meanings in all the details of its very complex and imaginative alternate world. More photos...

    Posted on by Brian Dubé


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