Photos from a Lovely Stroll Through Central Park and Midtown Manhattan
Blooms, blooms EVERYWHERE!
The weather has been all over the place this past week—mostly rainy and gray. Ever the eager beaver, I retired my parka a little too soon and woke up to 32 degrees the next morning. Not ideal! Still, sunshine had become a stranger and beggars can’t be choosers, so when we saw clear skies in the forecast, we made a beeline for Central Park.
This early in the parenting game, we’re pretty much a one-trick pony. When we find something Little C likes, we put it on repeat until we all burn out. Last week I shared our adventure to DUMBO for Jane’s Carousel—well, this week we visited the carousel in Central Park!
For reasons unknown to me, the Central Park Carousel moves surprisingly fast. Not that Caroline noticed, but it definitely caught me off guard. While the ride was fun, the customer service left something to be desired. Based on our (limited) experience, I’d recommend Jane’s Carousel in DUMBO over the one in Central Park—just my two cents!
Walking through the park was such a joy—cherry blossoms were everywhere! We originally planned to take the subway to Bryant Park, but between the weather and the blooms, thought better of it. All told, we walked six miles—the cherry blossoms are mostly to blame!
The Plaza Hotel is such a stunning building—I never pass up the chance to admire it from Gapstow Bridge. Here it is in all its glory on a lovely spring day, with the trees just beginning to fill in. It’s truly one of the best times of year in the city.
Much like the Plaza, St. Patrick’s Cathedral always stops me in my tracks. Fun fact: Soaring to heights of 339 feet, the cathedral took 20 years to build (construction halted during the Civil War), and since its completion in 1879, it remains the largest Gothic Revival Catholic cathedral in North America.
After admiring the cathedral, we stopped by FAO Schwarz to introduce Little C to the toy soldiers who stand guard outside. One of them was so kind to Caroline! For her part, she was a bit skeptical of the whole thing. A sweet stranger even came up behind us to try and coax a smile out of her for the photo—no dice, but the effort was appreciated!
Our plan was to make Bryant Park our turn-around point for the day. Why? Another carousel, of course! Oddly enough, this one was closed. No big deal—we grabbed some pizza and had lunch al fresco, soaking up the Midtown views.
It was windy, and Caroline was mesmerized by the umbrellas scattered throughout the park. I sometimes forget how new everything is to her. Everything feels like an adventure—and I’m trying hard not to lose sight of that.
Lunch was a slow affair. We lingered, played around a bit, and gave Little C some pizza crust to chew on. Unsurprisingly, bagels and pizza are fast favorites for our tiny New Yorker.
This view from the New York Public Library is one of my favorites in the city. It’s hard to tell in this photo, but the Chrysler Building is just behind us. I’ve been snapping lots of photos of C with iconic NYC backdrops—I’m planning to make her a little photo book of her adventures here for her first birthday.
On sunny days, I’m convinced: spring is the best season. Everything feels new again—and I can’t get enough of it.
Cheers!
Antonina
You put the “magic” in strolling. Thank you for another lovely article. One suggestion, however. Please include more photos of “Little C.” She’s absolutely adorable!
Bryant Park has to be a favourite of mine! And the photo book for a first birthday present is such a sweet idea!