Walking Off the Big Apple

This serene lake scene seems far away from the frenzy of the city, but really it's very close. Just take the uptown 1 train to the last stop, Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. The park is the 3rd largest in the city and offers many opportunities for outdoor recreation, including a swimming pool, cricket fields, a public golf course, and an extensive network of trails. Aside from the swan in the lake, another one is slightly out of view, tending to a nest behind the tree. In places, Van Cortlandt Park feels more rustic than its counterparts in Manhattan and Brooklyn.  Nestled under the remains of old woodlands, many of the hiking trails veer away from the city. The 1.1 mile section of the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail is part of a regional trail that starts in Westchester County to the north. The east-west John Muir Trail, though far from Yosemite, covers 1.7 miles of woodlands. Not all is wild. Near the entrance on Broadway, the Van Cortlandt House Museum dates from 1748-49 a

Spring came. Spring left. That's what it felt like this past week or so as the winds howled and temperatures dropped to uncomfortable levels. During a stretch of warm and promising spring-like weather in late March, the blossoming trees on the streets and in area parks started opening and shimmering in shades of designer pastels. They were showstoppers, like Audrey Hepburn in a Givenchy pink dress. Central Park near the Sheep Meadow. Easter Sunday. March 27, 2016. Word on the street (that I heard from a clerk in the wine shop whose friend works for Parks & Rec) is that area trees have started to bloom several times already this spring. Even earlier. Many winter days were unseasonably warm. Remember that spring-like day known as Christmas Eve? Most of the pictures shown here were taken on days when the weather was nice, perfect for rambling walks. The Met Breuer, Madison Ave and 75th St. March 30, 2016 Central Park near E. 72nd St., saucer magnolia, March 30, 20