Union Square Farmers Market

On our last day in New York we took the subway to Union Square. Emerging from that dark and sometimes dreary underworld directly onto a bright summer day full of color and life is an experience I have a hard time putting into words. The Union Square Farmers Market is perhaps the city's most famous and is the flagship of a program designed to promote regional farmers and producers. As someone who likes to eat as much as he likes to garden, I was amazed at what was being offered, including more than a few things I did not recognize. Besides fruits and vegetables, there were also cut flowers, potted plants, fresh bread, jams, jellies, preserves, herbs and lots of opportunities for people watching, and of course photography. The market operates several times a week and at peak season has about 140 vendors. It was the most diverse farmers market I have ever been to, and it must be welcome and therapeutic to many a New Yorker.

(Although my brain is still racked with indecision, I have decided that the photo below of carrots and squash will be my entry in this month's Picture This contest at Gardening Gone Wild. I am not sure why I chose this one over another, but it likely has something to do with the light.)

The day we were there, Park Ave. was closed to vehicles, and the walkers, joggers, bikers and skaters were enjoying the traffic-free street. It made me long for a bike and caused a locally dramatic drop in the city's ever present noise level, but added to the green peace of Union Square (I could almost here the waterfall mural).

If you would like to see the rest of my set, you can do so by visiting my Flickr page.

I♥NY

Amongst ourselves, we Southerners are often expected to hold New York City in mild disdain. This may be a reaction to one too many portrayals of slow-witted, moonshine drinking stereotypes being kept in line by fat sheriffs with bad accents. Even so, I want to go on record as saying "I love New York" - not quite enough to ever want to live there, but certainly enough to visit every so often. Though vacationing there can be expensive, when you factor in all that there is to do and see, with enough options free or nearly so, it can be more of a bargain than given credit for.

Atlas at Rockafeller Center

Central Park

The U.S.S. Maine Memorial

St. Patrick's Cathedral

Joe Pye visits the Battery

South Street Seaport

Some of Donald Trump's trees

Sycamore at the Battery

The Brooklyn Bridge

As fortune would have it, we were able to stay at The Chambers, a very nice boutique hotel just off of 5th Ave., near the Museum of Modern Art. Keeping in mind its location, the lobby, the halls and each of the well-appointed guest rooms are decorated with original contemporary art. Our suite had a bedroom, living room, plus a fantastic terrace. If it were not against the laws of physics, I would have packed the bathroom in my suitcase to take home to replace ours. In the spirit of full disclosure, the hotel's manager is a good friend of ours, and in fact it was through him that my wife and I first met. He was also responsible for our considerable room upgrade, and my brother paid the tab as a joint birthday present for my wife and myself. We are most thankful to both of them for a great trip.

The terrace...

...and its view

(more pictures here)