Sunday in the Park

Today I visited Sunset Park, my neighborhood’s namesake. It’s not even a block away from my apartment! The park is full of a mix of people who represent the diversity of the neighborhood.

This post is going to be all about the pictures:

There were a lot of different Asian activities going on this morning. This was some sort of kung fu type thing, I think. Those are swords they're holding!

There were a lot of Asian people at the park today. The part of Sunset Park where I live is mostly a Latino area, but the Brooklyn's Chinatown is close by in Sunset Park. This little kid is so cute!

This was one of about three dancing sessions going on in the park. I'm not sure if they were lessons or just for fun, but they all seemed to be having a blast!

There were several different kinds of dance going on in this group. These people were probably the best of the couples dancing.

I wasn't sure if they would mind me taking pictures, so I tried to be inconspicuous. Eventually, I decided to go around to the front side of the group to get a good shot and no one yelled at me!

This guy was talking on his phone and looked super happy!

A cute mother and little boy waiting for the pool to open. I left before it did, but apparently it's insanely crowded during the summer. It's public and free and with today's sticky air I don't blame them for rushing for the cool water!

The people on the basketball courts didn't seem as pleased to have me take their pictures. I got a few of some guys playing and then one of the little boys asked me why I was taking pictures, so I left their court, took a couple more quick pictures, and left! I really like this one.

These cute little kids were filling their pails at the water fountain. Very cute!

A guy walking his dog. That's about it... I wonder what it's sniffing.

This is my new friend Mary! She saw me taking the last picture and asked what I was doing. I told her and showed her a couple pictures. Then she continued to tell me about how she told Father Kevin to make today's service short and sweet so she could go home and put shorts on. The she told me several other stories that all included "and I say to him..." "and he says to me". The she told me to take her picture, which I did (only after she took her glasses off). Then she told me I have to make a copy for her and give it to her if I see her in the park sometime. I think I'll do that and look for her next Sunday.

This is 44th street across from the park. My apartment is about a block down that hill.

Cute fire escape on 44th!

After exploring my neighborhood a bit I had a nice 20 block stroll to Green-Wood Cemetery. It's huge! There are supposed to be maps at the entrance (Leonard Bernstein is buried there!), but I couldn't find them. I'd like to go back at some point. It's really beautiful. The huge sign at the entrance says photography is not allowed, but I couldn't resist this gorgeous shot!

After the cemetery I took a different 20 blocks back to my apartment, making a quick stop at Key Foods on the corner for lunch. I spent the hottest part of the afternoon inside sitting in front of the fan and planning my week. Then I went out for dinner. I planned to go to a rice bowl place in Manhattan, but when I got there they were closed for renovation. I decided to walk around the area to find something else and on my way I saw some "joke" or something in the form of 100+ guys on motorcycles riding between cars and on the sidewalks. I'm still not sure what it was.

I ended up at a "fresh" mexican restaurant called Lime Jungle.

The service was a little weird since they didn't have the two waitresses/hostesses assigned to certain tables, but they were friendly. Most importantly, the food was quite good. I got a veggie quesadilla that had cheese, grilled peppers and onions, and, most importantly, black beans!

It wasn't the most amazing thing I've ever had, but it really hit the spot tonight. I had a nice uneventful ride home and I'm ready to relax and get ready for tomorrow. I'm thinking I'll hit up the Museum of TV and Radio...