Early Spring by the Lake in Central Park

A relaxing scene by the Lake in Central Park with the San Remo in the background.

Snowy Central Park After Blizzard "Nemo"

A blizzard nicknamed "Nemo" dumped about 11 inches of snow on New York City's five boroughs. In Central Park, below-freezing temperatures did not dampen the spirits of New Yorkers and tourists for some strolling, sledding, skiing and jogging. These are some scenes in Central Park early this morning.

Sunday in Central Park: The Lake

The Lake in Central Park offers great vistas including this one near the Loeb Boathouse and the Bethesda Terrace. I made this charming image of the Lake with the twin towers of the San Remo in the background last Sunday. 

From the Central Park official website:

Created originally from a large swamp the lake has provided generations of park visitors with startling vistas and countless opportunities for exploration. The most popular use of the lake today is for row boating and the sturdy vessels can be rented at the Loeb Boathouse at the northeast corner of the Lake. Probably the best way to experience the variety of terrains that surround the man made body of water is a boat trip, and there are few greater pleasures to be had in Central Park then a leisurely cruise around the shoreline. Around the lake you can see places as diverse as the Bethesda Terrace, the Loeb Boathouse, theBow Bridge or Hernshead, not to mention the fauna which includes ducks, mallards and a rather extended family of turtles. For the many years preceding the construction of Wollman Rink in 1951 the Lake was also the center of ice-skating in the park. This was a wildly popular diversion, especially at the turn of the century when as many as 40,000 people were reported to have skated in one day. It offered New Yorkers valuable exercise, as well as a socially acceptable place to socialize (although for many years one end of the lake was designated strictly for use by women).

AEROBALLOON in CENTRAL PARK

I made this image of the Aeroballoon that flies over Central Park offering riders a spectacular view of the city. At left of the image are the towers of the San Remo. Below are the details of the Aeroballoon ride (from the official website).

When: July 25 to August 22, 2008:
7am - 10pm, weather permitting

Where: Cherry Hill, Central Park at 72nd Street, west of Bethesda Fountain

Cost: Adults: $25; children: $17.50. Only children over 40" tall may ride. Under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. No babies in baby carriers and no animals, please.



See the City As Never Before – Floating 30 Stories Above Central Park!
Basketed Balloon Over NYC’s Crown Jewel Marks 150th Anniversary of the Plan that Made the Park
To celebrate the 150th anniversary of Olmsted and Vaux's Greensward plan — the original design for the world's most famous park — the Central Park Conservancy and New York City Department of Parks & Recreation invite New Yorkers and visitors to see the City and the Park as they've never seen it before: floating in silence 30 stories in the air!

AeroBalloon™ is an anchored, helium-filled, state-of-the-art balloon that ascends to a height of 300 feet. The balloon will fly daily from July 25 to August 22, 2008 at Cherry Hill in Central Park, and will take up to four passengers at a time for a 10 minute ride. Riders are welcome from 7am to 10pm.

Get a spectacular daytime view of Central Park and bustling streets, or wait until sundown and float above dazzling city lights.

AeroBalloon has been wowing crowds for years at sites throughout the U.S. with its safe, American-made, non-combustible balloons.

Information: Call 646-827-6287. Learn more about the original design for Central Park and how the Central Park Conservancy has restored this urban oasis at www.centralparknyc.org.

The LAKE

Here is a capture of another Central Park sight that I made two weeks ago. Reflected on the serene lake are the towers of the San Remo, a luxury apartment building on Central Park West.
From Centralpark2000.com:
At the heart of Central Park is the Lake.Created out of a large swamp, the 22-acre Lake was intended to provideboating in the summer and ice-skating in the winter. Opened for skating in 1858 at a time when the winters were particularly harsh it was said to accommodate up to 40,000 visitors on one day alone. Not until 1950 when its was closed to skating did the Park winter change dramatically. Replaced for skating by the Wollman Rink, the Lake was returned to nature and the wildlife residents who now dominate it no matter what the season. With its unique meandering shoreline the exploration of this body of water is invited by its visual aura and romantic charm. With its many spectacular views offered from every angle of the travelers journey along its perimeter it is well worth the time it takes to explore its unique perimeter.In the spring and summer and for a month in autumn rowboats cross the watery vista at times appearing inimical to the total Lake experience. Visitors enjoyed this pastime since the Park opened in the 19th Century when "passage boats" carrying 12 passengers at a time would take visitors around the Lake, stopping for departures and arrivals at 6 boat landings located along the shore of the lake. Four of those boat landing still exist providing shelter for those who want a serene place to rest while taking in the majestic view of the Lake with its Mute Swans, many ducks and if you are lucky a Great Egret or a Black-crowned Night-Heron.The Gondola Ride which is now a source of interest and amusement for many who visit the Park was, in fact, a fixture from the past when the authentic Venetian craft crossed the Lake with romantics who soaked in the ambiance to the strains of "O Solo Mio" a song you can still hear from the shoreline as the gondolier of today strives for the original authenticity.