I was sitting innocently in Seminar 3 on Friday, when my professor announced my group was going to Central Park the next morning. At 10 AM. And entering from the west side of the park. At 100th street. Now, besides the horrific thoughts I had about waking up at 8 AM and using the subway system on the weekend (always horrible, nothing works) and trying somehow to get from the lower east side to the upper west side (which is also a nightmare), I got slightly excited. I had forgotten about this trip. In my seminar, the class is divided into four groups, each writing a separate paper. My group's paper focus is Central Park and the groups that help to maintain and conserve it. I got the best part of the paper (for me, since I'm an English major and horrible at interviewing or talking to or interacting with humans), the history of Central Park! Besides my obvious dread of interviews with people, I was super excited to learn more about the greatest park in the country, its history, and the values that went into making it.
After many failed attempts to take the subway on the weekend (as expected), I arrived 10 AM Saturday with Starbucks, sneakers, and a comfy coat at the west entrance of the park. I had never been up this far in Manhattan. There were actual parking lots. For cars. I joked with my boyfriend about how amazing that might seem to downtown New Yorkers. We met my group, my teacher and his friend, who works with the Central Park Conservancy. He undertook the gargantuan task of recording every species of tree in the park on an actual map. It's sold in the park, but it's also an app, apparently. Can't imagine the work and dedication that must have taken.
He led us through the park, pointing out migratory birds, different plants and tree species, and orating a brief history of the park, much of which I already knew. It was kind of cloudy, but it warmed up a little as we walked through the Lock, the Pool, and the North Woods. I recommend going up to the North Woods if you're ever stressed out about something. The landscape designer of Central Park, Frederick Law Olmstead, modeled the North Woods after the Adirondack forests. It follows directly in his vision of the park as a place for anyone and everyone to escape the craziness of the city and relax the mind. In his day this "hustle and bustle" was just the clopping of horses and carriages. You can imagine how much more important this area is today. It's one of the few places in the city where you can't see any buildings whatsoever. In fact, you basically forget you're in the city at all. I forgot about all my stress for a couple of hours as I studied trees and ducks. (I'm actually a huge environmental science nerd, ever since I took IB Environmental Systems and Societies in high school. I was also part of the Earthkeepers program when I was in grade school.) Anyway, it's so beautiful up there.
The Pool at 100th Street and Central Park West
Waterfall in the North Woods
After our walking tour, my boyfriend and I walked around a bit looking for a place to eat lunch. We ended up at this cute little Thai restaurant called Tum & Yum on 105th street and Columbus Avenue. They had a lunch special and we were starving, so we made a date of it. Apparently this restaurant had only been in business for 3 months; for newbies, they really had it all together. I had a Thai Spring Roll and Pad Cashew Nut. My boyfriend had Veggie Dumplings and Pad Se-Ew.
Pad Cashew Nut
Unfortunately, this restaurant is too far from the dorms (unless you live at 97th or 92nd street) to order delivery (I checked) but if you're ever up in Manhattan Valley, I highly recommend this place. Fast service and delicious food at a reasonable price!
Anyway, we continued our adventure in Chelsea, since we hadn't been in forever. Chelsea is directly across town from the dorms, between 23rd and 26th street and 10th-11th avenues. We walked around a bit, going into galleries and picking up cards to decorate my wall with. But the most exciting part was when we ran into the pop-up weekend Banksy exhibit! There was a huge crowd of people and police tape, as well as four guards instructing the crowd how long they could look at the painting. Typical Banksy.
The art was hanging from the High Line. There were graffitied cones with velvet ropes. Art. It felt ridiculous to me, but still cool enough to wait behind the police tape for my turn to gawk. After our tour of Chelsea, we went home to make dinner and watch Breaking Bad. I'm currently halfway through the fifth season, and I'm not sure I can hold on. I can't take it, it's just so good and so bad and so frustrating and sad and. Feelings. TV. OK.
So now, I'm going to spend my Sunday writing a paper for my 60's class comparing Obama and JFK. Such joy. Maybe I can sneak out to MoMA later.
Erica
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