He Paints with Nature

"An artist, he paints with lakes and wooded slopes; with lawns and banks and forest covered hills; with mountain sides and ocean views."
- Architect Daniel Burnham about Frederick Law Olmsted

Wednesday I took the opportunity to walk again through Central Park on my way to meeting a friend and Felipe after work. If ever there were a good way to relax and unwind after a day at work - a walk through this amazing place is the best! This park was specifically designed to be a calm oasis in an urban jungle.

"Every foot of the Park's surface, every tree and bush, as well as every arch, roadway and walk, has been placed where it is with a purpose" is how Frederick Law Olmstead, the park's creator and architect, once described it. He and Calvert Vaux created this masterpiece in the middle of the city, Olmsted working on the layout of the land, and Vaux creating the structures within it (bridges, the Belvedere Castle and so on). And thanks to their vision, me and millions of other visitors get to enjoy the tranquility and beauty of nature in such an unnatural place.


A place to sit and reflect...


and a place to relax with companions...

My first experience with this park was in the winter of 2003. On this visit I used a guide book that gives historical walking tours through the city - including my favorite tour, one of Central Park. In it I learned about Olmsted and Vaux's vision for the park, the history of the land (once occupied by squatters and residences, and later Hoovervilles!), and the historical events that have occurred there. I recommend this book to anyone taking a trip to New York City - it's called The Big Onion Guide to New York City: Ten Historic Tours The book gives so many wonderful facts about the history of this complicated city, things that most conventional tour books do not give you.