Central on Sunday

"I'm an introvert....I love being by myself, love being outdoors, love taking a long walk with my dogs and looking at the trees, flowers, the sky."
Audrey Hepburn

It's marvelous to have no schedule, no appointments, and no deadlines to meet. My whole agenda for this day was to have no agenda. So with the sunshine on my shoulder and a whistle on my lips, I spent the afternoon just walking around Central Park.



Central Park is one of those places that make NYC such a great place to live. It's huge, covering 843 acres in the very center of Manhattan, and is a welcome oasis in an otherwise hectic city.



There are several lakes, theaters, ice rinks, fountains, tennis courts, baseball fields, playgrounds, and Central Park Zoo.



Artists cluster around the entrance to the zoo doing portraits and characatures. One in particular caught my attention. See if you can guess why.


You can see mimes in every sort of costume....



Perhaps this one is a 2011 take on Audrey. Of course, she wouldn't say. But she did blow me a kiss to thank me for the dollar I put in her bucket.






This ballerina smiled and did elaborate position changes in response.
Money talks, even if the mime doesn't.





There are guitarists, violinists, and jazz players around most every bend.



You can rent remote-controlled sailboats....



Or take a nap under a tree....

You can see incredible, larger than life size bronzes all over the park. Here's my favorite, Alice In Wonderland, of course.


There were bronze plaques all around the base of the statue of Alice. Some were quotes from the book, and the simple dedication plaque read:
Alice in Wonderland
In memory of my wife
Margarita Delacorte
Who loved all children
GTD


What a good man you were, Mr. Delacorte. Thank you, from me, Anna, and all the other children.



It is a favorite place for photos....



...and for climbing.

Now for a bit of history. When the terrain for Central Park was bought for the city of New York in 1853, it was faraway from civilization. The area contained sheds from colonists, quarries, pig farms and swamps. In 1857, the city organized a competition for the design of this new park. A design by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux was chosen, featuring an English style landscape with large meadows, lakes and hills, and winding pedestrian roads. To convert the swampy area into the park, several hundred trees were planted, 3 million cubic yards of soil was moved, roads and bridges constructed, and a large reservoir dug out. It took 15 years and 20,000 workers to complete the park.
Robert Moses, the New York City Parks Commissioner for 26 years, constructed many sports facilities and playgrounds, renovated the zoo, and installed bronze sculptures, Alice in Wonderland included. But after Moses's departure in 1960, Central Park started to decline. Graffiti, garbage and criminality kept both citizens and tourists from visiting then park. In the '70s, Central Park became a symbol of NYC's decline.
The tide turned in 1980 when a group of concerned citizens created the Central Park Conservancy. Together with the city, it started a $50 million dollar renovation project. Critical areas we're restored, graffiti was removed and criminality was reduced by a large police force. Thanks to their efforts, Central Park is now a clean and safe place, visited by 20 million people each year.

I will close with a wonderful rendition of Three Blind Mice played every hour at The Central Park Wildlife Center right after the tolling of the hour.

It was a wonderful Sunday in the Park...a day well lived in the great outdoors. As I say this, I am reminded of a quote I live by, and one I believe Audrey would have loved as well:

"For yesterday is but a dream
And tomorrow is only a vision.
But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness
And tomorrow a vision of hope."
A portion translated from the Sanskrit

Goodnight everyone. And goodnight, sweet happy girl.


Love,
Anna


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