Flashback to last year's Fourth of July weekend!

Looking to get away this weekend!? If you can still book a rental car, consider Bear Mountain! It's a beautiful park overlooking a lake! It's only about 1.5 hours out of the city and it really is a gorgeous drive! 

The Woodbury Common outlets are only about 30 minutes away from there! I've been to Woodbury a bunch and the best deals I've ever got were on the Fourth of July weekend! Make sure you check the website for additional coupons before you get in the car!

Looking back at July 4th weekend in 2010!

Hope you have a great weekend!!

Highline - Part 2 - Rainbow City and more ;)

Quite the unusual sight for Manhattan, right!?! Rainbow City is in an open lot {another rarity for New York!} at the new top of Highline Park! (30th Street and 10th Ave.) 

Here's the description of Rainbow City from the official website: "FriendsWithYou and AOL are excited to announce the opening of the forty piece environmental installation “Rainbow City” in New York City, in celebration of Section 2 of the High Line. Originally commissioned by Luminato Festival of the Arts in Toronto and showcased in association with AOL and PAPER Magazine during Art Basel Miami 2010, FriendsWithYou presents a vibrant collection of mutable, air-filled sculptures. Inaugurating in the art district of Chelsea during the month of June, this will be FWY’s first large-scale installation in New York City. This happy city is made up of intensely colored balloon pieces, encouraging visitors to be active and explore the giant 16,000 square foot playground. Built for adults and children alike, the installation allows for interaction with each art object, making the experience unforgettable."

WoW! I love the fun and funky things you see in the city! 

What's cool as well about this lot is array of food trucks! Unfortunately, it started raining right as we got there so they closed up - but I'm hoping to make it back to check this out!

Wishing I was here right now! The newly extended Highline Park!

I'm at the Chicago O'Hare airport right now.. Have been for hours and really hoping my flight will leave soon so I can make it to California {for my sister's wedding} before the sun comes up! Ugh.. I was supposed to be there before midnight! Oh United - thanks for delaying me for hours and for checking my bag - even though it was the right size...

Enough of that... just wishing I was right here instead right now. Highline Park is probably one of my favorite places in the city to take a walk. It really is magical. And now - it has doubled in length! If you liked Highline before, you'll be even more wow'd now!

Highline Park is ABOVE 10th Avenue essentially between 10th and 34th Streets. Info about entrances is here.

Brooke, Emily and I walked through it last week and enjoyed taking in all the views! 

I love the theater style steps where you can people watch from above!

No matter what time of year I've visited - the flowers and gardens have been spectacular! Highline is built on top of an old train track (that was never finished) a few stories above street level.

PS - do you like our necklaces?! Creative Brooke and I {with her help:)} made them! Details on that next week!

So many interesting views in the new extension! Oh and I almost forgot to mention - People's Pops are just one of the fun vendors on Highline!

 Gorgeous Emily and me - with the Empire State Building behind!

And what is this below??? Introducing Rainbow City tomorrow ;) Hope your Thursday starts out better than mine!

People's pops

When my cute sister, Brooke, was here last weekend, she had a full list of things to do and places to try! On the list was People's Pops!

People's Pops says they take some of the best local fruit and make it into the frozen treat! We tried the apricot-orange(?) flavor and it was delightful! The real chunks of fruit make it feel like a healthy snack!

 Good to know: People's Pops is inside Chelsea Market and on Highline Park!

An even more royal wedding!

 

Central Park Conservatory Garden

After church on Sunday, hubby and I headed up to the Central Park Conservatory Garden. It was such a lovely afternoon! We took a brief stroll through the {FREE!} gardens before heading to the trellis behind the fountain here...

For a wedding!!! Hubby officiated his fourth wedding. It was most lovely and I think he did a wonderful job! I enjoyed hearing his marriage advice :) The newlyweds looked fabulous and it was a most gorgeous backdrop with the garden!

Afterwards, we took a quick stroll past this tulip garden before grabbing a cab to head back downtown. I didn't edit the colors in these! It really was that beautiful!

I was thinking it would be fun to make a Shutterfly/Blurb/MyPublisher book someday for my kiddos about colors using the photos from the garden! The colors were so vibrant!

Hubby and I walking out of the garden. He promised to take me back on a date soon! I can't wait! Thanks for being my prince :)

Good to know: The Conservatory Garden is open from 8am until dusk. You can enter at 106th Street and Fifth Avenue (Upper East Side). If you can, make it up there soon! 

More flowers and a royal idea for the weekend!

Brooklyn Botanical Garden

A few friends and I decided to check out the Brooklyn Botanical Garden today. Late April through early May is the best time year to visit. Its not too hot, the flowers are enchanting and the Cherry Blossom Festival is happening this weekend. {Family or afternoon date activity?!} You can find the schedule of events here for the Cherry Blossom Festival. Keep in mind - the pricing is slightly higher for the weekend. ($15 instead of $10 for adults.) But its oh so worth it!

It was fun to check out the gorgeous pink cherry blossoms before the crowds {likely} arrive tomorrow.

Thanks to this darling new mom, Jenny, for suggesting we go today! I think her little man, William, even enjoyed the adventure to Brooklyn - just about 20 minutes from downtown Manhattan.

Look at those gorgeous blue eyes! Absolutely stunning! No photoshop needed on these! You never know when I might just do an impromptu photo shoot when I've got an incredibly cute and very cooperative subject!

Yellow, purple, pink, blue.. Gorgeous blossoms of every color this time of year! So glad spring finally sprung in New York!

Good to know:  Admission is FREE on Tuesdays all day and on Saturdays between 10am-noon. Enjoy!

I'm heading to a wedding this weekend at the Central Park Conservatory! Can't wait! Have a great weekend!