24: Central Park 2 - The Heart of the Park

HELLO!! So the summer has proven to be an absurdly rough time for our beebopping adventures. We are beebopping less and being SO slow posting. FYI - we did this walk 114 years ago. Guest beebopper, mi amigo Evan, came with us as a farewell to the city for the summer, and he left over a month ago. WHOOPS! Anyhow - we enjoyed another grand adventure through Central Park (let's hope I can remember what the heck these pictures are of).

We entered the park at the Naturalists Gate (West 77th Street). I might be too squinky or drunken to truly study or appreciate nature.



Our jaunt took us down the path through one of many little covered nature bridge deals in the park. Evan is a jovial acrobat, swinging gleefully in the shade. I am the world's most pathetic jumper, and my two inch vertical was not quite enough for me to reach the lentil.


"Hello friends and tourists!!" Ev is the most friendly man on this planet, and these bus riders are the most oblivious. Also - I did see The Lion King when my parents were in town; it is sort of unbelievably amazing. Mi madre may have been moved to tears within the first five minutes. The apple may not fall far from the tree.


This is The Dakota apartment building, just outside the park at 72nd Street. John Lennon lived here and was killed right in front of it.

You are not alone - the doorman is also wondering why Ev is standing like that.


Finally - a picture featuring our cutely pregnant Jilly. There she is - standing in front of the weird creepy vehicle parked outside of The Dakota. Yes I did go to that website, and yes they do claim that Stephen King killed Lennon. Conspiracy theorists are the funk.


We were lucky enough to catch a Star Wars group leaving the park - light saber at the ready. Here is where I would cleverly slip in an appropriate Star Wars quote if I knew one. I do have a few from Willow and Clueless, however, available upon request.


Strawberry Fields is an area of Central Park dedicated to "the life and music of John Lennon" and named after the song Strawberry Fields Forever. That might be one Beatles' song that I do not know.


This is the famous mosaic in Strawberry Fields. Most of the time this is covered with flowers and/or candles and surrounded by semi-strange people who are clinging to the past with all their might.


Ahhh....David Archuleta, Jill's and my American Idol. Remember how he sings like an angel? When he sang Lennon's Imagine - we were beyond moved, and Jill and I watched the youtube clip at least 14 times. You probably should check out that link, and take note of the following: at 33-39 seconds, the greatness begins, my favorite note comes at 52 seconds, AND he does this little head nod at 1:28 - 1:30 that marks him as the cutest little guy that American Idol has ever beheld.


Caption: Imagine.

Evan's face shows the wonder of an 8 year-old girl at High School Musical on Ice.



It made sense to me that the guy who compiled the dictionary would deserve a statute. And he has one. It is just not this one. I just assumed that good old Dan Webster was the dictionary guy - NOPE he was a very important early politician in the Whig party. He served in the House of Representatives, the Senate AND as the Secretary of State. Because of my confusion, I will also give a shout out to Noah Webster for his great book of words.



It was very, very hot outside. Ice Cream was necessary. Thank you Ev for using two hands, Jill for the fakest smile on this planet and both of you for dealing with my ever-pleasant-and-present rat-tastic nature.




Enjoying our treats overlooking Bethesda Fountain. Side thought: I wanted to be comfy that morning, so I threw on some old baggy jeans. There was regret as I struggled all day to keep them up. Jill pointed out how completely ridiculous I look in some of these pictures, due to the big pants. They are not terrible in this pic, but the saggy bum gets worse. Just a warning.


Bethesda Fountain is GORGEOUS. It was designed by a girl (!) Emma Stebbins and unveiled in 1873. It is featured in a bunch of movies including Enchanted, which is too cute. (3:39 in the clip)


The fountain is also frequented by Serena VanDerwoodsen and Dan Humprhies. I just received a shocking text from Gossip Girl! (or from Evan hiding in the background)



The boathouse! It is the cutest little thing. AND - it is also featured in Enchanted in the same clip from earlier (1:45).


We were at the terrace just in time for Evan to meet up with his calisthenics group. Stretch it out, Ev! And the poor girl in the green shirt was captured doing the wrong move. Embarrassing.


Pretty tiled ceiling under Bethesda Terrace. Jill eats up junk like this. :)


Our nerd-faceness continues. Remember us poking out from behind a tree in the last post? Here we are again. What started in 1999 probably should have finished in 1999.



There was a race in the park, and they were handing out these really, really delicious drinks.


Another great sector of the park.


We are walking the mall. (my screen is dark, as usual, but I suspect that the saggy bum jeans are making another appearance) Central Park really IS fabulouso.


Evan does a great job of capturing the stoicism of this man. This really, really famous and great and accomplished man. I have no idea who the Heck it is!


I know from the Authors card game that I played with my Grandma as a kid that Sir Walter Scott wrote Ivanhoe, Lady of the Lake and Kenilworth. I rocked at that game.


Robert Burns wrote the poem Auld Lang Syne (which reminds me of Billy Joel every time for who knows what reason) AND he also wrote the poem Red, Red Rose (which reminds me of high school choir and not Billy)


Compass Rose.


I will fix the caption on this guy later. My darker than dark screen doth not permit me to read his name.


Sheep's Meadow was not yet opened for the day. Ev and saggy bum are looking longingly at the lush grass.


One time Ev, my roommate Mitz and I were in Sheep's Meadow, basking in the spring weather. Evan attempted to fly a kite in windless conditions. He ran his heart out ALL the way across the park, and the second the running stopped - the kite ate it. He tried twice and failed twice. This anecdote is not amusing or interesting in anyway. Sorry.


Since the Spring began, there have been races in the park almost daily. Whoop Whoop! These people are amped!


Oooh - The Tavern on the Green is a restaurant in Central Park. They have these great sculpted plants (topiaries - is that what they are called??). Ev is shaking hands with this circus bear.

J is standing sweetly by these floras, with a leafy horse hovering behind her.


This place really is absurdly cute.


This photo is dedicated to Buns, Jill's pet bunny.


The Tavern on the Green is the second highest-grossing independently-owned restaurant in the United States. My intensely boring job allows me to do a bit of internet perusing, from which I learned that Suri Cruise celebrated her second birthday with a party here. I know that many of you are beyond excited about that tid-bit. Also - Wikipedia informs me that great and famous shows such as Elimi-date have featured this restaurant.


These flowers are sort of amazing.


What is art? Are we art? Is art art? (can anyone think of the next line??)


I think King Kong, and Evan for that matter, go quite well with the froofy pink table clothes.

Thanks Ev for beeboppin! Holla!