Strawberry Fields Forever

by Lullanotes on Sunday, October 13, 2013

It was summer when we first stepped into New York last year. I was going to Toronto for a work trip and I persuaded a friend to come along with the lure of free accommodation. Because we already flew halfway around the world to be in Toronto, we decided to make a stop in New York as well. It sure was tough trying to find an open jaw flight that was reasonable but we managed it. We didn't exactly go with an itinerary in mind. We just knew from the top of our heads that we wanted to go to Times Square, Central Park, Macy's (yes it was an attraction), see the Statue of Liberty (my wish, not hers) etc.

Summer in New York is warm and not unlike Singapore minus the humidity. We trotted about in breezy dresses, capris or shorts almost anywhere that didn't require a proper dress code. To go to Central Park in that weather was perfect. Central Park is a public park right in the centre of Manhattan. We talked about buying a picnic basket, filling it with goodies and cheese and then going to Central Park to laze for a good part of the afternoon away but in the end we got lazy and just went without the said basket. Central Park, due to New York's good weather, was crowded .. and smelly. There were a lot of horse carriages lined up to be hired for rides so we shuffled along, hoping to find quieter spots. We came to the road junction of 72nd Street and Central Park West, I saw a pretty building and took a picture of it. Little did I know that that building turned out to be "The Dakota", famous for two things: its exclusivity and John Lennon. John Lennon was shot four times in the back just as he was entering The Dakota.


Because John Lennon and Yoko Ono loved being in Central Park, strolling and doing what lovers do, a 2.5 acre teardrop-shaped area of Central Park was sanctioned off in John Lennon's memory and his crusade for Peace. The entrance to this area is directly opposite The Dakota and named "Strawberry Fields" after one of The Beatles' song.


We ventured further in and managed to find a lovely shady spot and that's where we threw down our bags, took off our shoes and started lying on the grass, not believing that we actually made it to one of New York's most famous attractions. By a stroke of luck, we also found Le Pain Quotient, right next to the Sheep Meadow and that's where we bought crusty almond croissants, berry fruit tarts and iced lemon tea to feast on while we laid back on the grass to either watch the sky, read our Kindles or people watch.

Notes:
Le Pain Quotient is a restaurant group founded in Brussels in 1990. Its Central Park outlet can be accessed from the entrance of the 69th Street and has been ranked as "one of the best things in New York City". It serves organic bread, vegan ice-cream and pre-packaged picnic boxes. You can check its opening hours here.

One couple sat pretty close to us and brought their puppy and the puppy was so fascinated with us (more precisely, our almond croissants) that he sat with us, good as gold, his head cocked to one side and his eyes soulfully staring at our bakery treats. We got permission from the owners to feed him and he must have ate an entire croissant on his own. An hour later, some Central Park guards appeared in the vicinity and upon seeing them, the couple scooped the puppy up, popped him into a Balenciaga carrier and made off. There are some rules about bringing your dog to Central Park so I guessed they just wanted to avoid trouble!

In the early part of the evening, tired from all the reading, we packed our shower curtain (which we used as a mat) and started walking around. We stopped for a good while to watch the rollerskating dancers and this is an event open to everyone I believe. They rollerskate to the music and some even carried their own sound system as they skated. It seemed like very good exercise to me, except that I am a complete douche at rollerskating.

Some of them are part of Central Park Dance Skaters Association (CPDSA)


Lovers ― boating on the lake, basking in summer warmth

Central Park is a lush green sanctuary in the middle of the busy Manhattan. You can walk into her leafy embrace away from the hustle and bustle of city life to find a spot of peace. If you think people who hang out at Central Park are just regular park-goers, you should go experience it for yourself. There are many colourful characters literally and metaphorically in Central Park and it is they who lent the vibrancy to "just another big park" otherwise that made it uniquely New York.



When you are in Central Park, it feels like a different place ― a place away from the city but yet still in the heart of it all.
Tips:

1 Remember to pack a mat to sit on, if you do not fancy frolicking on the grass.
2 It is a good idea to first find out where the restroom locations in Central Park are before setting base at some deserted ground.
3 Find out what activities are going on in Central Park so that you can coincide your visit. There may be some orchestra performances.
4 Set aside a few hours at least to go through the motion of what New Yorkers do when they want to take a breather.

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