Reading in the park

I had a few hours to kill before our book club meeting in Midtown last Wednesday. And 150 pages to go.

I wanted to find some place outside that wasn't too noisy- where I could concentrate on the text and collect my thoughts in the form of talking points. But it couldn't be too quiet, or I was pretty sure I would fall asleep (I DID walk a brisk four miles and play almost two sets of tennis this morning). And the book was pretty dry.

So I pulled out my handy Garden Guide and leafed through looking for the perfect spot. It had to be in midtown, so I could cram right up until the meeting time and not be late. I thought it should be sheltered, because we had been threatened all morning with big rain clouds that were still with us that afternoon. And of course it must be someplace new, since one task I've set for myself in New York on Wednesdays is to explore the many, many parks in town.

Samuel Paley Plaza (aka Paley Park) was the perfect place! It's a little cubby-hole tucked between buildings on 53rd street. Just step in from the street for a few quiet moments, or move deeper into the space if you can stay a while. The waterfall draws you in. I took a spot near it, where the white noise from the rushing water drowned out the street sounds.









I read and thought and peeked around at my fellow park attendees (there has got to be a name for "people hanging out in a park"). Some came and went rather quickly, while a few settled right in beside me with a good read. They drank tea and coffee from the refreshment stand at the entrance, checked their Blackberries and chatted on the phone, murmured in small groups or stared quietly into space. One accented couple asked me to take their photo.

Pretty soon I had a cogent list of talking points on the page. I took a few more photos and headed off to class.