Parks & Recreation

view from the tram

I've wanted to ride the Roosevelt Island Tram, ever since seeing a photo years ago of Conan O'Brien on it with a big, goofy grin, but it was always a little farther down on my list of things to do during short visits to New York and I never got to it.  Eduardo came up with the plan for our lazy Sunday, so we packed a picnic, leashed Nori, and headed crosstown to the tram station.  

Nori hoping to spy a duck or two

It was a quick ride - only a few minutes - with picturesque views over the East River and Manhattan skyline.  We strolled along the waterfront to the southern end of the island, stopping to soak in views of the Chrysler building peeking out behind the United Nations and the occasional gleaming yacht or sailboat floating down the East River.  We weren't able to bring Nori with us into the FDR Four Freedoms monument, so we took turns climbing the steps to a tree-lined strip of lawn, down to a bust of FDR and the tip of the island.  Then we settled onto a big patch of shaded grass for a late lunch.  It was a peaceful way to end the weekend.

One tired human and one happy dog

Central Park

Central Park

Nori in particular has delighted in New York's parks.  As soon as she sees us getting ready to head out with our sneakers on, she trots to the door and looks at us asking telepathically, "So where are we going today?"

While I worry how she'll adjust to the NY winter, for now she prances alongside us, occasionally showcasing her faux bravado upon catching sight of the fluffy brown tail of a squirrel or the rusty red breast of a robin.  She'll squeeze herself under the rails to peer into the water, hoping to see some ducks.  For some reason, she goes wild for the horses in Central Park, and I'll never know why because I'm certain the horses are not wild for dogs and we try not to let her get too close to them.  For such a small dog, she has an astonishing energy store - with more energy than her two humans, regularly straining at her leash even after walking almost 100 street blocks, from our apartment up to the Columbia U. campus and back again!

Riverside Park, along the Hudson River

As for me, I'm ready to call it a night.  Until the next post...