Central Park

Loaded with activities like relaxing in the park, edged with museums, full of unique events and private events, and tons of public musicians and artists.

Quick Tips:

Get there early and plan to spend the whole day, because there is a lot to do.

Best Way To Get Around:

Take the N/R/W train to 5th Avenue, the 1/A/C/B/D to 59th Street, the 4/5/6/ to 86th Street or any other combination that you can find. Or just take a cab.

Located right off of 72nd Street and 5th Avenue, the Central Park Boathouse is a New York icon. Situated right on the Lake, the Boathouse is a unique restaurant on the oasis of the park. The food, which is basic seafood and American style entrees, is slightly over priced. There are a couple of different sections of this restaurant and each has a phenomenal view. The sections include The Lakeside Café, The Outside Grille, The Express Café and the Banquets Section. Each menu and times can be seen on the website at www.thecentralparkboathouse.com/sections/home.htm.

While I was there, I got the Burger (a $19 burger), which was over cooked and dry, with onions, roasted tomatoes and great pickles, my girlfriend got the Pork Medallions with sauerkraut and apple cider reduction. But the view is great. Overlooking the Lake, you can watch people take out their rented canoes and explore all that the Lake has to offer. You can rent boats from the Boathouse for $12 an hour and $3 every fifteen minutes after that. Plus there is a $20 deposit that you get back after you return it.

This place is not really my cup of tea, but is definitely worth the experience. Plus the bar at the Outside Grille is loaded with people who are looking to mingle and party. But bring money with you because the drinks aren’t cheap and they are nowhere near strong.

For my birthday two years ago, my friend Chris and I went to Central Park to the Summer stage outdoor park for a Ratdog Show. Ratdog, which is Bob Weir’s jazz influenced band, has been touring ever since the Grateful Dead stopped. Weir, the former Grateful Dead rhythm guitarist, has taken full control of the lead man reins and rocked New York in true Dead fashion.

We arrived at the concert early to get close to the stage because it was a first-come-first-serve kind of place and we were right there. Bruce Hornsby opened up the show with some original tunes and the Ratdog came out in full force. The Summer stage area was beaming and glowing with a collective energy that one Dead shows can produce. I have included the set list from that show below and the songs explain the wonder that we experienced that day. If you have a chance, please go to a Ratdog show, they are amazing.


Jam > The Music Never Stopped > Minglewood Blues* > She Says > Help on the Way > Slipknot!, Me and My Uncle@4, Corrina@, Revolution,

St. Stephen+# > William Tell Bridge > The Eleven > Stuff% > Standing on the Moon% > Two Djinn%

E: Two Djinn+% > Slipknot!+% > Franklin's Tower+%

*-with Bruce Hornsby (Keys); +-with Tom Pope (Drums); #-with Mark Greenberg (Percussion); %-with Josh Roseman (Trombone); Stuff - Jeff/Jay/Kenny/Robin/Josh; Bob sat in with Bruce Hornsby for "Morning Dew" First ''Revolution'' (with Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers)

(source: www.ratdog.org/setlists/2005#0901)

With the entrance right on Central Park West and 72nd Street, this place was the inspiration for the Sargent Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band hit, Strawberry Fields Forever. Also, right across the street from The Dakota, this place has become the haven for Lennon fanatics. In the center of Strawberry Fields, there is an Imagine mosaic dedicated to the memory and influence of John Lennon. People sit around, lay flowers down on top of the mosaic, relax in the shaded overgrowth and even lay out in the two surrounding grassy areas.

All around New York, you will see street vendors selling framed pictures of the Imagine mosaic for ungodly amounts when all you have to do is head to 72nd and take your own picture. Plus, you can bask in the surreal feeling that this area of the park portrays and see why Lennon wrote that song symbolizing Strawberry Fields Forever.

Just another Gothic looking building until two events brought it into the spotlight; one is Jack Finney and the other was Mark David Chapman. The first event, Jack Finney’s book Time and Again, opened a lot of people to the wonder of this building and to the history surrounding it. The second event was on December 8th, 1980 when Mark David Chapman came out of the shadows and murdered John Lennon while he was heading home.

Built in the 1880s by two Prussian born architects for the owner of the Swinger Sewing Machine Company (who also commissioned the building of the Plaza Hotel) the Dakota is definitely  one-of-a-kind building here in New York. Rumored that it received its name because when it was built, the residency was so far away from everything else, it might as well be in the Dakota’s, the actual name was given to the building by its designer who loved the Dakotas Territory in the Midwest.

Situated on the northwest corner of Central Park West and 72nd Street, this building is embedded with popular culture. Notwithstanding the Lennon murder and Finney book, the Dakota is represented in Roman Polanski’s movie Rosemary’s Baby (only the outside since the building doesn’t allow filming inside), in Cameron Crowe’s Vanilla Sky, and in songs by Tim Curry, Nas and even Hole. Also, the famous people that have sought residency there are Lauren Bacall, Jerry Seinfeld, John and Yoko Lennon, John Madden, Bono, Leonard Bernstein, Paul Simon, Judy Garland, and many more.

So after leaving Strawberry Fields, the Dakota is totally worth a stop, especially for all of those Beatles fans and star seekers. Over all, it is a phenomenal place with dark over tones and Gothic surroundings. A definite first (and only) in New York.

While walking through Central Park, I saw one of the things that makes New York the city that it is; I saw hundreds of people skating in circles to the sounds of Salsa music. Run by and organization called the Central Park Dance Skaters Association (www.cpdsa.org/), this is a totally free event for anyone who wants to either skate or just dance. Situated right in the center of Skaters Road in the Skate Circle near 72nd Street, this four hour party runs every weekend and on major holidays from 2:30pm until 6:30pm. The Parks Department only allows the permit to go for four hours, then the party moves to the hills for a non Parks Department sanctioned event lasting until the wee hours of the night. The events are fueled by donations taken from the ever increasing crowd of onlookers. So, rent some skates or bring them with you and prepare to dance your ass off because people go all out and enjoy themselves for as long as the party goes on.

While walking through Central Park northbound towards the Boathouse, I came across the famous movie location of the Bethesda Terrace. Seen in tons of movies and a popular romantic hotspot, this place is amazing and after being there, you can see why. The overlook looking down onto the Lake with its many boats aimlessly rowing around is a relaxing sight. Also, at the bottom of the stairs, directly in the center is a large fountain called Angel Fountain. Surrounded with a concrete border, the fountain is a popular place for reflection, picture taking, and people watching. There is usually a street performing musical group playing different styles for the passing families and lovers. Please remember to bring some change or a dollar or two to donate to the efforts of the musicians and other style of street performers.

With the Lake a stones throw away and Gondola boats coming up every so often for a romantic ride, this place screams love and romance. And with the Boathouse Restaurant right on the other side of the Lake, the romance can go on fro as long as you want it to.