The Central Park Blog » Uncategorized http://centralparkblogger.com The Central Park Blogger's News and Views of New York's Central Park Fri, 25 Jun 2010 03:33:39 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Melody Gardot Kicks Off SummerStage http://centralparkblogger.com/2010/06/melody-gardot-kicks-off-summerstage/ http://centralparkblogger.com/2010/06/melody-gardot-kicks-off-summerstage/#comments Wed, 02 Jun 2010 18:17:13 +0000 John Moore http://centralparkblogger.com/?p=789 Melody Gardot at SummerStage

Melody Gardot Led off the SummerStage season with a brilliant performance last night at Rumsey Playfield. Clad in a shimmering gold dress she lit up the stage, both visually and musically, and brightened what had threatened to be a dark and rainy evening. Her accompaniment by the New York [...]]]> Melody Gardot at SummerStage

Melody Gardot at SummerStage

Melody Gardot Led off the SummerStage season with a brilliant performance last night at Rumsey Playfield. Clad in a shimmering gold dress she lit up the stage, both visually and musically, and brightened what had threatened to be a dark and rainy evening. Her accompaniment by the New York Pops Orchestra was at all times seamless and frequently outstanding as the arrangements perfectly complemented her nuanced interpretations of standards and original material.

The New York Pops opened with a creatively orchestrated “Blue Rondo ala Turk” and followed with “It Don’t Mean A Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing”.   Melody Gardot then took the stage accompanied by a very tight and talented combo that included Charles Staab III on drums, Charnett Moffett on Bass, Irwin Hall and Anthony Ware, both taking turns on Saxophone Clarinet and Flute.

Highlights of the evening included a soulfully bopping version of the classic “Caravan” that featured Gardot’s smoothly sultry vocals as well as solos by Hall and Ware.   Her subtly rich voice was also featured on “If The Stars Were Mine”, “My One And Only Thrill” and “Our Love Is Easy”.

The first song of her encore was an atmospherically perfect rendition of “Summertime” that segued smoothly into “Fever”.  Gardot finished the evening with an evocative, and happily unsentimental, version of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”.  This followed her most personal moment of the performance when she described how her grandmother, who raised her, bought only one video recording to entertain Melody on a daily basis throughout her childhood.  What sounded like some sort of Munchkin water torture resulted in a beautifully realized vocation.

Melody Gardot singing "If The Stars Were Mine" at SummerStage

Melody Gardot singing "If The Stars Were Mine" at SummerStage

The SummerStage Festival itself was run with it’s usual efficiency and good humor.  That combined with a new sound system and a great performance resulted in a perfect kick off to this year’s season.

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]]> http://centralparkblogger.com/2010/06/melody-gardot-kicks-off-summerstage/feed/ 0 Gapstow Bridge http://centralparkblogger.com/2010/03/gapstow-bridge/ http://centralparkblogger.com/2010/03/gapstow-bridge/#comments Tue, 23 Mar 2010 05:42:08 +0000 John Moore http://centralparkblogger.com/?p=640 Gapstow Bridge

Gapstow Bridge

Bearing a striking resemblance to the Ponte di San Francesco in San Remo, Italy, Gapstow Bridge is yet another example of traditional architecture in Central Park. The stone span curves gracefully over the narrow neck of the Pond. Facing south, it offers the quintessential view of the city, with the Plaza Hotel and other towers rising behind the backdrop of trees reflected, amidst the ducks, in the waters of the Pond.

Olmsted and Vaux anticipated 125 years ago that Manhattan’s buildings would one day rise around the empty lots by the park, but they could in no way envision the extent of the city’s vertical ascent. Today, whether reflecting skyscrapers or simply taken on its own merits, the Pond is a very integral part of Central Park.

The northerly view from the bridge is marred by the sight of the Wollman rink which replaced part of the Pond in 1951 with an ice-skating rink and a crescent-shaped brick bunker. Built on a lake bottom without proper underpinnings, with the result that it repeatedly settled, the rink was replaced by the present one in 1987.

Originally, Gapstow was a wooden bridge supported by the unique feature of a large segmental arch of wood on the north and south sides, both arches springing from ledges on the stone abutments. Along the wood walkway of the bridge the railings were of cast iron. Each of the repeated motifs was composed of a half circle topped by a pointed arch, with the spandrel spaces filled by verticals to meet the hand railing. The center section set off by the intersection of the support arch was figured with three cinquefoils.

Gapstow was a unique design using wood and cast-iron trimming, drawn for this commanding site over the Pond, in the picturesque landscape of the Park. It was to last a little more than a score of years. Conjecture has it that wear and tear were simply too much.

The current stone replacement, designed by Howard & Caudwell in 1896, is built of unadorned Manhattan schist. It spans 44 feet of water at its base with a 12-foot high arch, and it has imposing 76-foot long sidewalls extending the full length of the bridge.

]]> http://centralparkblogger.com/2010/03/gapstow-bridge/feed/ 0 Coyotes In Central Park http://centralparkblogger.com/2010/02/coyotes-in-central-park/ http://centralparkblogger.com/2010/02/coyotes-in-central-park/#comments Wed, 24 Feb 2010 06:50:08 +0000 John Moore http://centralparkblogger.com/2010/02/coyotes-in-central-park/ Central Park could be dogged by a coyote problem.

The parks department Tuesday confirmed more than one sighting this week, but said it isn’t a cause for alarm.

“It is a good sign that wildlife is returning to New York,” said parks department spokeswoman Vickie Karp.

It is not known whether one or several [...]]]> Central Park could be dogged by a coyote problem.

The parks department Tuesday confirmed more than one sighting this week, but said it isn’t a cause for alarm.

“It is a good sign that wildlife is returning to New York,” said parks department spokeswoman Vickie Karp.

It is not known whether one or several coyotes are roaming Central Park, but the health and environmental conservation departments are keeping an eye out. It’s not the first time a coyote was found in the park. Hal the coyote was caught there in 2006, but later died after ingesting rat poison.

Last month, a coyote was captured in Harlem and another attacked a woman and a dog in Westchester County.

It’s not uncommon for coyotes to wander into the city from the northern suburbs, Karp said. Experts urge using common sense if you run into one. “We ask that people appreciate all wildlife in New York City’s parks from a distance and do not feed, touch or try to capture [them],” Karp said.

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]]> http://centralparkblogger.com/2010/02/coyotes-in-central-park/feed/ 0 Winter Storm Piles Over 18 Inches of Snow on Central Park http://centralparkblogger.com/2010/02/winter-storm-piles-over-18-inches-of-snow-on-central-park/ http://centralparkblogger.com/2010/02/winter-storm-piles-over-18-inches-of-snow-on-central-park/#comments Thu, 11 Feb 2010 08:02:48 +0000 John Moore http://centralparkblogger.com/?p=572 Blizzard conditions existed for much of the day in Central Park as the snow continues into the early morning. However – heavy precipitation freezing temperatures weren’t enough to keep away the sledding faithful that covered Cedar Hill and other favorite alpine spots throughout the park. Not much for style points – but a big “E” for enthusiasm.

]]> http://centralparkblogger.com/2010/02/winter-storm-piles-over-18-inches-of-snow-on-central-park/feed/ 1 Running Cycles http://centralparkblogger.com/2009/10/running-cycles/ http://centralparkblogger.com/2009/10/running-cycles/#comments Tue, 06 Oct 2009 05:11:03 +0000 John Moore http://centralparkblogger.com/?p=448 Another gorgeous, sun swept autumn day and another run around the Reservoir in Central Park, a pastime I can’t imagine ever growing tired of – although my knees do sometimes offer a minority opinion.  Perfect weather and amazing scenery, a combination that makes exercise seem like utter self indulgence. The Reservoir in Central Park

Arguably the most valuable waterfront real estate on earth the Reservoir has always offered me an immediate remedy to the infrequent, yet inevitable, bouts of metro-malaise. (The feeling of being disguised in a maze – I’m sure I don’t know where I’m going and I’m even more sure I don’t want anyone to notice.)  It is here during my daily runs around the water that I have experienced my only link to any sort of organic rhythm, a place where I could actually see things sprout, bloom and die in a space of time longer than a local stop on the 6 train.  But, as I’ve learned over the years, the Reservoir is more than just a pastoral retreat.   It is also a community unto itself.  In fact it is probably the closest thing, for me, to small town life, a village at the very heart of New York City.

Running the 1.5 mile circuit year after year I’ve become aware of a host of characters that share my daily compulsion.  There’s  Alberto Salazar, for many years the unofficial Mayor of the Reservoir, waving me on with a nod and a smile, a daily presence that is sorely missed.  There are also my fellow runners; the stalwarts that I’ve been slogging alongside, month after month.  Then there are those that come only to observe, to escape the gasp and clatter of the city street.

For instance: every afternoon a smartly dressed woman with tightly drawn black hair walks a tiny beribboned white dog, an invariably color coordinated duo.  A red haired man in plumber’s overalls visits each evening with a tall can of beer in a brown paper bag, a lit cigarette and a smile.  At the south end of the Reservoir there’s a pump house with a terraced area and several benches. There are some men I‘ve seen there for years, stretching, guzzling water, hawking loudly and endlessly adjusting their multi-colored, cross-endorsed accoutrements.  In short doing everything but actually running.  Not that it matters. They’re all part of the community – Reservoir neighbors drawn to the spectacle of a mile and a half of uninterrupted waterfront at the very heart of Manhattan.

I don’t remember the first time I saw her but gradually I became aware of another face traveling regularly in the opposite direction.  She was an attractive young woman and she smiled sometimes, but was otherwise unremarkable and soon became an accepted feature of my daily run.  Then one day as I passed her I noticed something different, and I almost ran myself into a tree as I turned to watch her go by.  She seemed more vital somehow, almost radiant, and I wondered, rather dimly it turned out, if maybe she was wearing more makeup. Time passed and I didn’t see her as often and when I did it seemed that she had gained weight.  She was walking now instead of running and I thought this an unfortunate bit of recidivism.  Then one day as I passed her, it filtered through my endorphin clogged brain that she was, in fact, with child.

After that day I found myself looking forward to seeing her whenever I ran and smiled foolishly when I passed.  Another month or two went by and then when I didn’t see her anymore I began to wonder how things had, well, come out.  A few weeks later I knew as I rounded a curve and saw her coming towards me, beaming and pushing a stroller.

Running around the reservoir, season after season, watching the myriad lights wink on beneath the darkening skyline (New York City dressing for the evening) I’ve come to think of that oval around the water as a metaphor for the calendar.  As I travel up the Fifth Ave. side Cherry blossoms fall silently, carpeting the ground along the eastern shore.  Summer fields lit with firefly’s stretch from the northern edge, with the strands of Aida faintly heard in the background.  On the west side I trudge through piquant drifts of swirling leaves and along the downtown end the trees hang low with ice and snow, the park deserted by the early set of the winter sun, the path darkly lit by a lonely string of sentry street lights.

And just a few weeks ago, as I finished an almost gleeful circuit on a perfect September evening, I saw a young family up ahead at the pump house square.  A mother, a proud father – and a small boy, strangely familiar, all of two years old.  As I neared he slipped from his mother’s grasp, laughing, and started to run towards me.  She quickly retrieved him, and, sweeping him up waved his hand to me as I passed.

I nodded and smiled foolishly all over again.

Then I started back once more around the water, the centripetal tug of the Reservoir, like a great second hand, sweeping me into autumn.

]]> http://centralparkblogger.com/2009/10/running-cycles/feed/ 0 Storm Cleanup Goes On In Central Park http://centralparkblogger.com/2009/08/storm-cleanup-goes-on-in-central-park/ http://centralparkblogger.com/2009/08/storm-cleanup-goes-on-in-central-park/#comments Thu, 27 Aug 2009 22:17:25 +0000 John Moore http://centralparkblogger.com/?p=422 The massive cleanup is continuing this week in Central Park, where the severe storm of Aug. 18 battered landscapes and brought down more than 250 trees. The storm lasted less than 30 minutes, but left areas of the Park’s north end devastated. It also left months of cleanup estimated to cost hundreds of thousands [...]]]> The massive cleanup is continuing this week in Central Park, where the severe storm of Aug. 18 battered landscapes and brought down more than 250 trees. The storm lasted less than 30 minutes, but left areas of the Park’s north end devastated. It also left months of cleanup estimated to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Tree Damage on the East Side Drive

Tree Damage on the East Side Drive

“It was an incredibly localized storm,” said Neil Calvanese, vice president for operations for the Central Park Conservancy, surveying the battered landscapes near the North Woods. “It’s unbelievable. You walk in the south end of the Park, below 90th Street on the East and 85th on the West, and there’s nothing – not a leaf blown off the trees.”

Among the hardest hit areas were the Peter Jay Sharp Children’s Glade and Great Hill, particularly its southern slope near the Pool. Since the storm hit, about 50 Conservancy staff members have been working tirelessly with 28 contractors to assess the damage, clear the debris, and secure affected limbs. Volunteers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture have also been on hand, canvassing the Park to help appraise trees and determine their fate. Crews are on schedule to finish cleanup – the first of three recovery phases – and reopen areas to the public by Friday. The chipping and removal of trees will follow, with the final, and longest, phase being replanting and restoration.

While the damage is staggering, the Conservancy knows the Park is a living, breathing canvas that’s always evolving. “That’s the nature of it,” says Calvanese. “We’ll replant and we’ll restore these beloved landscapes.”

Please take a moment and contribute to the storm damage fund.

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]]> http://centralparkblogger.com/2009/08/storm-cleanup-goes-on-in-central-park/feed/ 0 Complete Central Park SummerStage Schedule Announced http://centralparkblogger.com/2009/04/complete-central-park-summerstage-schedule-announced/ http://centralparkblogger.com/2009/04/complete-central-park-summerstage-schedule-announced/#comments Mon, 27 Apr 2009 08:02:04 +0000 John Moore http://centralparkblogger.com/?p=243 The 24th Anniversary edition of the annual SummerStage Festival in Central Park promises to be one of the best ever.  Here’s a few things to remember that will help you enjoy your time at the concerts.

1) Video cameras are not allowed, so please leave them at home
2) Glass bottles and alcohol are a no-no too
3) Leave your folding chairs at home (we do have bleacher seating and a blanket’s nice too)
4) Shows are rain or shine (you may want to have a poncho handy in case of passing summer showers)
5) Gates open one hour prior to show time and many of our shows fill to capacity so it’s a good idea to come early, especially for our highly visible, popular shows
6) Pack a lunch or purchase food, drinks, beer or wine from our concession stands
7) Central Park SummerStage is located at Rumsey Playfield and is easily accessed by entering the park at 69th Street and 5th Avenue or 72nd Street and Central Park West
8 ) There is priority seating for our wheelchair and disabled patrons
9) There’s a hotline for up to date info on performances: 212-360-2777

Click here for a printable pdf schedule

TV on the Radio
Dirty Projectors
Friday, June 05, 2009
From 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM
A benefit concert to support the full season of free programs at Central Park SummerStage.

Josh Ritter and The New York Pops
Friday, June 12, 2009
From 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Smokie Norful
Tye Tribbett & G.A.
Ruben Studdard
Saturday, June 13, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Indigo Girls
Matt Nathanson
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
From 4:30 PM to 10:00 PM
A benefit concert to support the full season of free programs at Central Park SummerStage.

Word
Wally Lamb
Zoë Heller
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
From 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM

Sharon Olds
Thomas Sayers Ellis
Thursday, June 18, 2009
From 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM

Comedy Central Park
Gabriel Iglesias
Pablo Francisco
Friday, June 19, 2009
From 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Definitely Poetry Hosted by Majora Carter
Earthdriver
Staceyann Chin
Jennifer Johns
Artbattles
Urban Word NYC
Saturday, June 20, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Fête de la Musique
Yannick Noah
Coralie Clément
Mayra Andrade
Sunday, June 21, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

311
Ziggy Marley
The Expendables
Thursday, June 25, 2009
From 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM
 A benefit concert to support the full season of free programs at Central Park SummerStage.

Istanbulive: The Sounds & Colors of Turkey
Mazhar-Fuat-Özkan
Painted on Water featuring Sertab Erener & Demir Demirkan
NY Gypsy All-Stars with Hüsnü Senlendirici and special guests
Saturday, June 27, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Ledisi / Esperanza Spalding
Jonathan Batiste
Sunday, June 28, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Explosions in the Sky
Constantines
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
From 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM
A benefit concert to support the full season of free programs at Central Park SummerStage.

Oumou Sangare, Les Nubians, Asa
Sunday, July 05, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Juana Molina
Curumin
El G (ZZK)
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
From 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Matisyahu
Umphrey’s McGee
Thursday, July 09, 2009
From 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM
A benefit concert to support the full season of free programs at Central Park SummerStage.

Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
Eric Bobo
Saturday, July 11, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Global Family Day!
DJ Lance Rock & Brobee (of Yo Gabba Gabba!)
Billy B.
Iza Trapani, Storyteller
“Sleeping Beauty” Puppet Show
Sunday, July 12, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital Featuring Paulo Szot
Monday, July 13, 2009
From 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Q-Tip
Chester French
Little Dragon
Benji B
Saturday, July 18, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Alpha Blondy & The Solar System
Lee “Scratch” Perry & Dubblestandart
Subatomic Sound System
Sunday, July 19, 2009

From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Bettye Lavette
Budos Band
Felix Hernandez Rhythm Revue
Friday, July 24, 2009
From 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Jerry Rivera and special guests
N’Klabe
Saturday, July 25, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Ginuwine
Joe
Chico DeBarge
Sunday, July 26, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Dance
RIOULT
Germaul Barnes/Viewsic Expressions
Friday, July 31, 2009
From 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM

M. Ward
Mike Watt & Nels Cline +
Saturday, August 01, 2009
From 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM

CineFest Brasil
If I Were You 2 (Se eu fosse você 2) directed by Daniel Filho
Silvia Machete
Sunday, August 02, 2009
From 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM

Toumani Diabaté
Monday, August 03, 2009
From 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM

Music & Film
I Am Cuba directed by Mikhail Kalatozov
The Pedrito Martinez Project
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
From 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Asbury Shorts: An Evening of the World’s Best Short Films
Mingus Dynasty Quintet
Thursday, August 06, 2009
From 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM

Dance
Dayton Contemporary Dance Company
nathantrice/RITUALS dance theater
Friday, August 07, 2009
From 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Boys Noize
Saturday, August 08, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Jazmine Sullivan
Chrisette Michele
Jon B.
Sunday, August 09, 2009
From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Dance
Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company
with musical guest Martha Wainwright
Friday, August 14, 2009
From 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Dance
Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company
with musical guest Martha Wainwright
Saturday, August 15, 2009
From 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM

]]> http://centralparkblogger.com/2009/04/complete-central-park-summerstage-schedule-announced/feed/ 1 Valentine’s Day In Central Park http://centralparkblogger.com/2009/02/valentines-day-in-central-park/ http://centralparkblogger.com/2009/02/valentines-day-in-central-park/#comments Fri, 13 Feb 2009 07:57:49 +0000 John Moore http://centralparkblogger.com/?p=207 From skating on Wollman Rink to dinner for two at the Boathouse Restaurant, Central Park has always provided a wide choice of sites for a romantic rondevouz. Check out the list on CentralPark.com to find the Ten Most Romantic spots in the park.

This is not my most favorite Central Park Movie, but it [...]]]> From skating on Wollman Rink to dinner for two at the Boathouse Restaurant, Central Park has always provided a wide choice of sites for a romantic rondevouz. Check out the list on CentralPark.com to find the Ten Most Romantic spots in the park.

This is not my most favorite Central Park Movie, but it is one of my favorite scenes – they have Wollman Rink looking better than it ever has….

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]]> http://centralparkblogger.com/2009/02/valentines-day-in-central-park/feed/ 0 Central Park Paws http://centralparkblogger.com/2008/10/central-park-paws/ http://centralparkblogger.com/2008/10/central-park-paws/#comments Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:17:39 +0000 John Moore http://centralparkblogger.com/?p=34 Now I have nothing against dogs. As a child I cohabited with several and they all proved to be loyal, steadfast companions whose entire mission in life was to make me happy (that’s besides eating, sleeping and inappropriate behavior with, well, pretty much anything they could jump on or rub up against, all of which [...]]]> Now I have nothing against dogs. As a child I cohabited with several and they all proved to be loyal, steadfast companions whose entire mission in life was to make me happy (that’s besides eating, sleeping and inappropriate behavior with, well, pretty much anything they could jump on or rub up against, all of which taking up about 95% of their time.) I also have nothing against small dogs, my brother’s family once owned a poodle which, without the embarrassing hairdo, looked like a tiny Phil Donahue and was even more ingratiating. The problem I have is with large men walking tiny dogs on long leashes around the reservoir track. During one recent endorphin fueled confrontation I stopped mid-chug and asked an oblivious lump in an trenchcoat if his dogs (two miniscule longhairs that would have, together, lost a fight to a good sized dust bunny.) could read. He looked at me with brow knitted intensity and replied huh? I then pointed to the lettering on the base of the fence which says “no dogs” and said “Could you help them out?” Of course my scathing sarcasm was utterly wasted, not to mention the fact that the next runner bumped into me and scowled in my direction. After a few more grunts all around I decided to resist the urge to kick the dog, or its owner, and resumed trudging along.

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]]> http://centralparkblogger.com/2008/10/central-park-paws/feed/ 0 Bon Jovi on the Great Lawn http://centralparkblogger.com/2008/07/bon-jovi-on-the-great-lawn/ http://centralparkblogger.com/2008/07/bon-jovi-on-the-great-lawn/#comments Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:05:16 +0000 John Moore http://centralparkblogger.com/?p=26 Bon Jovi did indeed rock the Great Lawn. The boys from Jersey made their fans, and home state, proud, singing several of their greatest hits, including “Livin’ on a Prayer” and “You Give Love a Bad Name,” before ending their set with “I Love This Town” — a kind of throwing out the first [...]]]> Bon Jovi did indeed rock the Great Lawn. The boys from Jersey made their fans, and home state, proud, singing several of their greatest hits, including “Livin’ on a Prayer” and “You Give Love a Bad Name,” before ending their set with “I Love This Town” — a kind of throwing out the first pitch for Major League Baseball’s All-Star week. While there was some muttering from those living nearby that it might have been a bit too raucous, think that it was perfectly appropriate. And it certainly was better than the near riot that occured at the Philharmonica’s concert in June when one patron accused another of serving a Russian River Pinot Noir at a temperature well in excess of fifty-nine degrees.

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