Queens for a Day
NEW YORK BY BOROUGH, CHAPTER 4: IN WHICH WE MEET ROYALTY
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Downtown Flushing in Queens |
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Canadian immigrants in Kissena Park |
Coming from Atlanta, which is notoriously bereft of public parks, we have been amazed by the amount of land set aside for park and recreational areas in New York. Only two of Atlanta's parks cover more than 200 acres. Chastain Park is Atlanta's largest at a paltry 268 acres, a good portion of which is devoted to its golf course. In contrast, Chastain would not rank in the top 25 parks by size in New York.
Covering 843 acres, Manhattan's Central Park ranks fifth, with each of the top four parks exceeding 1,000 acres. Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx covers almost 3,000 acres-- equivalent to two-thirds of Atlanta's total park and green space acreage. It's not surprising that Atlanta has the smallest park system of any major city in the U.S.
Another aspect of New York that always fascinates us is the population density. We find it quite exhilarating to experience the energy of so many people moving in so many directions in relatively close confines. The incredible variety in the languages overheard in conversations around you just adds to the vitality of the city.
Covering 843 acres, Manhattan's Central Park ranks fifth, with each of the top four parks exceeding 1,000 acres. Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx covers almost 3,000 acres-- equivalent to two-thirds of Atlanta's total park and green space acreage. It's not surprising that Atlanta has the smallest park system of any major city in the U.S.
Another aspect of New York that always fascinates us is the population density. We find it quite exhilarating to experience the energy of so many people moving in so many directions in relatively close confines. The incredible variety in the languages overheard in conversations around you just adds to the vitality of the city.
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Busy street in downtown Flushing |
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Ticket buyer's market at TKTS |
Tonight we scored tickets to August: Osage County, which won numerous 2008 Tony awards as well as the Pulitzer Prize for drama. Although we enjoyed the play, perhaps if the original Tony-winning cast were still intact, this three-plus hour performance might not have seemed so long. At 2 1/2 stories, the set was outstanding. Fittingly for our day spent in Queens, the play was performed at the Imperial Theatre. (photo from augustonbroadway.com)