Parx

Two of my favorite parks in Manhattan.

Hudson River Park: perfect for biking (a north-south expressway for two-wheelers, essentially), watching fireworks (July 4th!), reading, waiting, and attending free concerts, which I did on Thursday. Deerhunter and Real Estate were playing out on Pier 54, two bands whose innocuous and mind-numbing music can be found on my iPod's "Background Music" playlist. I left the concert early, escaping the hordes of bobbing hipsters yet sadly leaving behind the Van Leeuwen ice cream truck that was stationed there. At the very least, the $4 candied ginger ice cream was amazing.

H

High Line Park: where Don took me when we were first dating to prove to me he was cool. Built on top of an old elevated train line running through the Meatpacking District in Manhattan (the REAL midnight meat train, apparently), the park is overgrown with a pleasing mixture of native plants (read: weeds) and strategically-placed trees that will eventually provide shade and more structure to the park. Highlights include a futuristic bandshell, old railroad remnants (the metal rails and the wooden ties are incorporated seamlessly into the garden's design), and a constant fresh breeze. I can't wait until they finish the section called "the Chelsea Thicket"; sounds like a prime doobie-smoking spot to meeeeeeee.