We stumbled upon this beautiful oasis right in the middle of the lower east side. There is a very…read moretouching backstory to this lovely garden. The detailed description in the below photo summarizes this backstory. Very happy to have experienced this.

I discovered a charming garden that was had arches, which added to its overall beauty…read more Unfortunately, I wasn't able to explore the garden further as it had already closed at 4 pm.

I wish I had a green thumb..I love nature, gardens and parks. But when I buy a plant after a couple…read moreof months.. gone, baby, gone. I seek out Community Gardens whenever I can. Brooklyn has numerous gardens stretched throughout the entire borough. However, whenever I'm in Spanish Harlem, I'm close to this garden. Maggie's Magic Garden describes itself as "Wild paradise in El Barrio. Community spirit with community food are all around inclusivity. We live to reclaim and upcycle and connect with our surroundings." That is a truthful description; as it is an "oasis in an urban area". One can truly connect to nature and all the beautiful things it has to offer. I did not know all the wonderful events this beautiful garden hosts.. I plan to check out Crafting in the Garden in the future. This truly special garden worth checking out. Maggie's Magic Garden is located on 1574 Lexington Avenue Check out her Instagram page

Maggie's Magic Garden is absolutely beautiful. It's a National Wildlife Federation certified…read moreWildlife Habitat. It's so comfortable and cozy. It's a great place to rest at the top of the hill on Lexington Avenue! I added this NYC Park to Yelp and I will post the hours. I also messed up the name. It's Maggie's MAGIC Garden. I requested Yelp correct my error and post the hours. The hours say closed Friday but it was open when I was there today! I hope you enjoy visiting this quiet peaceful spot as much as I did today!

If you're wandering around the West Village, take a minute to stop by the Jane Street Garden. It's…read moresuch a serene and peaceful little oasis tucked away in the city. I only spent a minute or two walking through, but it immediately made me feel calmer and happier. There were a few people sitting quietly, enjoying the beautiful surroundings and soaking in the tranquility--exactly what this space seems designed for. In a city that never stops moving, it's a lovely reminder to slow down for a moment. It's a simple stop, but one that's well worth making. Trust me--you'll leave feeling a little more relaxed than when you arrived. I love these little finds all around the city!

This garden provides for a nice little walk along the western coast of the island. I was en route…read moreto buy groceries, and I was pleased to find this place by chance. There gardens are currently going through renovation. But even still, this did not take away the peace and beauty of the place. One walking path runs on an incline, connecting Riverside Drive and 12th Avenue. Another path runs parallel to 12th Ave and the Hudson River Greenway. The photos speak for themselves. If you're looking for a nice walk in NYC, this is definitely one of many places to check out.

A trip uptown usually involves running down 137th to a gargantuan apartment building, making my way…read moreupstairs and entering a comfortable home where I'll watch Jeopardy and eat AMAZING Puerto Rican cooking. Heavenly pasteles, chicken, ribs, tostones, the most flavorful rice and beans you'll ever taste. Crisp salads with creamy avocado, eggplant parmigian... I think for a little while, man, this lady (my boyfriend's grandmother) knows how to cook! My face tingles with warmth after every bite. And then I remember. ALL OF THESE VEGETABLES COME FROM THE COMMUNITY GARDEN. This review MAY seem a little biased, but let's just look at the facts. Jenny Benitez is a sprightly, vivacious and mischievous woman who along with volunteers and her husband, has done a HUGE amount of work on the Northern side of Riverside Park. You can watch a video all about her and her efforts here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHGQxkdhf5Q Anyway. She has devoted SO much time to this park and garden. Her huge, huge heart has been poured into it...it's amazing how much of a difference one person can make, let alone all the volunteers! The garden is the image of perfection. It's nestled in the park, right next to the train tracks. Any vegetable you could imagine probably rests here, lying on the soil or beneath the ground, ready to be plucked up and utilized either in the home or for a summer cookout! There's a peach tree, grape vines, flowers everywhere. It's a sight to see, really. And tucked away enough that it feels almost like a secret. Being a part of the community garden (having a plot) is not as easy as you might think. Because there is still so much work to be done for Riverside Park, and there is a constant need for upkeep, you may have a plot of your own ONLY if you volunteer for a year. It's a system that helps keep the park beautiful, and gives you an opportunity to forget, for a little while, the limiting factors of living in a skyscraper on a grid. Please, please, please...if you are in the area you absolutely MUST visit this spot! It's incredibly special and fantastically inspiring.

Decreased lending, crime, and deteriorating infrastructure motivated women from the Central…read moreBrooklyn Coordinating Council, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, Mayor John Lindsay, Senator Jacob Javits, and Judge Thomas R. Jones to mobilize a corporation to mitigate further decline of the Bedford-Stuyvesant community. The Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation (BSRC), aka Restoration, is a community development corporation based in Brooklyn, New York. It was established on April 1, 1967, making it the first community development corporation in the US. Funding came from the Taconic Foundation, the Rockefeller Brothers Foundation, and the Ford Foundation. Restoration purchased and renovated an abandoned milk bottling plant, which became Restoration Plaza completed in 1972. Within Restoration Plaza is the Billie Holiday Theatre the Skylight Gallery, and various local businesses. Initiatives included financial empowerment programs, workforce development, and community services aimed at improving the financial and occupational outcomes. Restoration has since faced challenges with the decrease of federal funding.

In 1964 then Senators Jacob Javits and Robert F Kennedy created a 7 point plan for community…read moredevelopment. A yr later the Bedstuy Restoration Corporation was formed. Today the corporation aides Brooklyn residents in areas associated with buy not limited to: housing, economic development, financial empowerment and youth services, health & fitness, environmental awareness, arts & culture, and small business services. On the day of my visit it was tax day and tons of people were waiting online to get last minute assistance with filing. They also have spaces where you can use the computer, print and receive assistance with resumes etc. I was recommended to the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration by the Brooklyn Public Library PowerUP! Competition specifically to the Brooklyn Business Center. I reached out to BJ Handal and he returned my call right away and set up and appointment. The day of the meeting he was running a bit late and his colleague Mr. Kevin Edwards started the meeting. He was so knowledgeable and open. The session with him brought me much clarity about the type of entity/ corporation I wanted to establish, elements that should be highlighted in my business plan and how the vision could be expanded. He truly made rich deposits in me. The Business Center also holds classes and workshops as well as events. Check out their website to find out more: www.restorationplaza.org

When reality sets in that I don't have a partner, or when I feel deep in my soul that the only…read morefriend I have in the universe is the city I live in, the city of alphabets, I come to 9th Street Community Garden Park to feel better. Lonely as I am, together we cry. Sorry, my dear reader, I've been a little down in the dumps after a recent situationship went south. I'm trying to see the bright side in it. I think it will give me some space to breathe and allow me to blossom into the person the universe has destined me to become. But yeah, I've been coming here a lot recently to mope and be sad. It's important to let yourself feel feelings in order to process them.... Although wtf do I know I'm just so random dude reviewing a garden ahahahahah. This garden is LUCIOUS with greenery and BOOMING with life. It's so much greenery that it provides a bit of a shelter and capsule from the brutalistic concrete jungle. Sometimes it's just nice to be around life, even if it's not human you know? After all we human beings need sunlight just as much as plants, so it's kinda of nice to just sit and photosynthesize with them every once in a while........Damn I'm down bad ahahahahaha Be careful though you can get lost in here it's lowkey a maze! A-TOWN STAND UP! IG @jnov_ Tiktok @jnov__

It is a cute and well maintained garden in the area. I went on the NYC Open Garden Day so I was…read morestrolling around a few gardens near East Village, and this is one of the best. I also learnt from them that they have a volunteering program that you can work yourself up to become a member and get a lot for your gardening passions. I have never really done that before - but if I decide to do it some time, this is likely the place that I will go try for it!

Came here on date night w/ my boo! Fri (07-19-2019). Bathrooms are downstairs and this was a…read morecooling center for the incredibly hot weather we were having. The security guard was super nice and informative. I stopped here before my dinner reservation to see if maybe, just maybe the box office would be open before the one hour before the show time frame. Turned out it wasn't. I did need to use the loo so that came in handy and the fans blowing some cool air was refreshing from the hot summer sun. Later that evening I returned w/ my boo to see Broadway Bounty Hunter. Great show by the way. If you can, I'd recommend you snag some tickets and see it for yourself. The entryway housed security, box office, elevator, and after it was set up: a snack stand, souvenir stand, and photo ensemble. Behind all of that was the theatre space. Cool space overall and well designed. I'm not sure if the mezz space is handicapped accessible. We took stairs to the far left of the stage to get to our seats. The railings are a little bit wobbly in some areas, so I wouldn't rest on them with all your weight. They would block your vision if you're shorter than the railing once seated if you're in the front mezz. Rear mezz might have better luck. There's a tech person to the right mezz so it's best not to have interference there. There's a cool video of the sound dudes that I noticed when we were exiting the theatre. It's on the overhang of the mezz in the middle. The sound overall was a tad too loud. Some of the singing was tough to hear/make the words... it helps if you try to follow the performers' lips. The props were simple and worked well with the space, set, and play. I think they used two huge tv screens for the scenery backdrop. I'm curious to find out what other plays and performances they host there and might be back for more!

Oh life gets in the way I swear! Anyhow…read more.. Yes I went to see a random play last week and thoroughly enjoyed it. I purchased my tickets on GROUPON and got such a FABULOUS, almost criminal deal! And the original tickets started at $61!!!! Gotta be kidding me! The play was called "Black Light", and left you with taking a deeper look at your values and the turbulent race relations we are facing in today's society. The playhouse was a typical theatre, the restroom facilities were in the spooky basement (insert wide eyes!) but actually I really don't have anything else to say about this establishment. Clean enough, spacious enough, and served all purposes..

You ever took the time to stop and smell the roses? I know it sounds cliché, but have you really…read moretaken out the time? If you haven't you definitely should. There is something to be said about taking time out to appreciate nature and all it has to offer. This garden is a sight to see. This is one of the smaller gardens located in Southside Jamaica, Queens. Its a nice spot to enjoy the sun, take a break or even get some reading in. There's plenty of benches with shade, raised bed plots. Its a nice addition to the neighborhood we call, Southside Jamaica, Queens.

While Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson may give himself a bad rep for his gangsta lyrics he sure knows how…read moreto give back to the Community. In a partnership with actress and Environmentalist Bette Midler, founder of New York Restoration Project the Baisley Park Community Garden was transformed into a complete safe space for the people of the Southside Jamaica Community. Flanked by the Baisley Houses and the LIRR(Long Island Railroad) Fiddy's garden is a sight to behold. Fully equipped with large funnels which work as a rain capture system( and also provide shade) raised bed plots and an overall handsome layout the 1.5 acre garden hosts workshops, school visits and Community meetings, and is in its 2nd year of existence. I enjoy green activities(as evidenced by my name) and I found out that they were hosting the first of a 4-part "Managing Your Harvest" workshop through the Neighborhood Gardening Institute. The sight of vines and trellises running through the gates and the framed walkway reminded me of a vineyard. Not to sound corny but it made my eyes widen with hope, and mind swell with endless possibilities to see such an ambitious project developing across the street from another project, a housing project where the outside doesn't seem as pretty. Many times the outer boroughs are treated like forgotten ghettos, only flanking the "Big City" by association and proximity. The further you get from Manhattan the more you can see these amnesic qualities, and Southside Jamaica is one of those places. This garden is one example of the people taking climate change into their own hands, because while "50" may have sponsored it's resurgence the idea had to start from the first garden and it had to watered, and nurtured into fruition until it hit someone on the head that it's bed could be expanded. Complete with benches, shade and dozens of raised beds, fresh air, and good vibes the Curtis "50 Cent" Community Garden is a place that will continue to grow and be the push for advocacy that the community needs to build upon among other things. It is open everyday from 9-5, and hosts a number of workshops and events. http://www.nyrp.org/Parks_and_Gardens/Community_Gardens/Queens/Curtis_50_Cent_Jackson Peas and Blessings.