Duffy Square in Times Square impressed me as a place full of energy and life that perfectly…read morecaptures the atmosphere of New York City. I especially liked the iconic red steps, which offer a great view of the surroundings and the countless bright billboards. It's an ideal spot for a short break, relaxing, or simply watching the city that never sleeps. The area is clean and well organized despite the huge number of visitors. I also appreciate its accessibility and the variety of nearby food options. Overall, it's a place with a unique vibe and definitely a must-visit when in New York.

Located in the heart of Times Square, the statue overlooks it. Surrounded by hundreds of people…read moreand street performers, the statue is almost a beacon to Times Square. One of those New York oddities that's nice to seek out, snap a few pictures, and appreciate for a few minutes, but ultimately move on from.

Verdi Square has always been a gathering place for people that live and work in the neighborhood…read more The Parks Department keeps the grounds fairly clean. The statue of Verdi looks like it was restored somewhat. I liked visiting on April 14, 2025 when I was visiting my old neighborhood. It's old school New York City to me.

A romantic by day stop-off park at W. 72nd and Amsterdam Ave. At night, I don't think I would walk…read moreit alone. It sits on what's called a traffic Island and it's named after Italian composer, Giuseppe Verdi. Of course, growing up in the 1970's we called it Needle Park, after the druggy movie "Panic in Needle Park". My cousin Fran still calls it that. Later in life the homeless guys would sleep on the 73rd street side by the subway grate because the warm air would jet up and keep them toasty. Then in the daytime, all the seniors hung out in the park. This week, it was pretty sweet how we grabbed our dogs, drinks and relaxed in the park for a half hour. All while we were waiting for our train to take us to 91st street and Riverside park, to see the Garden people. More to come! 01/24

A terrific little park in Greenwich. It honors an important part of history. St. Vincent's Hospital…read morewas an important facility in battling the AIDS virus. For a small park in a busy area it feels safe and clean. There's also an AIDS memorial. Among the features is the fountain. It's a popular spot in the summer. The other main structure is the AIDS Memorial. It's dedicated to the victims of the disease. The park was the site of the hospital that played an important part in fighting and learning about it. A few parts of the hospital are still here. The oldest part was turned into apartments, while a newer part is a non emergency care location. If you're around Washington Square Park you should also make your way here. It's a nice park but it's also very meaningful. There's a few cafes and restaurants close to here too.

This small greenspace is a park named for St. Vincent's Hospital, which also has an AIDS Memorial…read moreon site. It honors the hospital and staff which performed heroic work at the height of the AIDs epidemic at this facility which was close by. It served the area for more than 150 years and had quite the history from it's start back in 1849 until it's closure in 2010. The park is well maintained with plenty of shade trees and benches throughout.

Petrosino Square is a very very cool park especially if you are going to the multitude of…read morerestaurants in Soho and you just want to eat alfresco. For example you can pack a picnic from Jack's wife Freda, which is across the street or the market that I just visited , DeEspana Café. Eataly is also nearby. It is a very small space , very intimate but it's great to just relax. get some fresh air and people watch. Come springtime, this little park will be littered with people who are just trying to enjoy a very nice spring day . Or a good five minute meditation space, for now, not crowded and you can find piece of mind in a very small space in Soho. Ok.. close your eyes.. breathe in.. breathe out Repeat and enjoy!

Although Petrosino Square itself is not that interesting, the man behind the triangular square…read morelived an incredible life. Lieutenant Joseph Petrosino (born Giuseppe Petrosino) was the first Italian-American lieutenant in the New York City Police Department (NYPD). He formed the "Italian Branch" an elite undercover police corps to combat the "Black Hand" crime organization in the US and Italy. He was a pioneer in the fight against organized crime. His crime fighting techniques, such as bomb and canine squads, are still used by law enforcement agencies over a century later. Giuseppe Petrosino was born in Padula. He was sent with his cousin, Antonio Puppolo, to live with their grandfather in New York City. When a streetcar accident killed their grandfather, the two young cousins wound up in orphan's court. The presiding judge took them home to his own family instead of sending them to an orphanage. He provided for the boys until other family members could be brought to NYC. This exposed young Joseph to a "politically connected" Irish household for some time which opened up educational and employment avenues. In 1883, he joined the NYPD as the first Italian speaker in the NYPD's history. He had to get a waiver to join as he did not meet the minimum height requirement. He was only 5'3." He became friends with Theodore Roosevelt who promoted him to detective sergeant in the Homicide Division in 1895. In 1908, he was promoted to lieutenant to deal with the criminal activities of organizations like the Mafia. He played a key role in cases like the extorsion of Italian tenor Enrico Caruso by the Black Hand gangsters who demanded money in exchange for his life. He also warned the Secret Service that an Italian-based anarchist organization suspected of ties to the assassination of King Umberto I in 1900 intended to assassinate President William McKinley in Buffalo, NY, but McKinley ignored the warning even after Vice President Theodore Roosevelt vouched for Petrosino's abilities as a detective. McKinley was subsequently assassinated by Leon Czolgosz during his visit to Buffalo's Pan-American Exposition on September 6, 1901. Petrosino's investigations led to thousands of arrests which made him a target during a covert police operation in Sicily. Lt. Petrosino was murdered in Palermo, Sicily, while investigating Mafia crimes. He is the only NYC police officer to die in the line of duty outside of the US. Upon hearing the news of his death, Theodore Roosevelt said "Petrosino was a great man and a good man. I knew him for years, and he did not know the name of fear." Over 250,000 came to pay their respects to him at St. Patrick's Cathedral. New York City closed down for the day of his burial for the city to morn and attend his funeral. While you are there, think about the history and the man behind the square. Then walk across the street and grab a sweet treat from Eileen's Special Cheesecake and check out the art exhibits at the Storefront for Art and Architecture. The current installation is Amanda Williams' " What Black is This, You Say?"

One of the highlights of living on the UWS is the Riverside Park and one of the best things about…read moreRiverside Park is the 91st Street Garden! They have some fantastic volunteers who keep this garden beautifully maintained year round and it's so beautiful that you'll see families, friends, and just about everyone try to pose for pictures with the garden in the background. Huge kudos to the volunteers for maintaining such a beautiful garden and it's on top of the railroad tracks so you can see and hear Amtrak going through.

You'll love 91st Street Garden near Riverside Drive inside Riverside Park…read more Sometimes I pack a lunch and wear my comfortable shoes to walk to the West Side of Manhattan. When I get to Riverside Drive at 96th Street I head South. I pass many interesting and photo worthy places. There's gardens and playgrounds. I took special notice of the gardens on 91st Street. It's best in the Spring. If you missed this beautiful stretch of Riverside Drive, in addition to the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial and the Riverside bike path, you may see people working in this lovely community garden. This garden's claim to fame is that it was used as a backdrop in the 1998 film "You've Got Mail." After being cooped up during the pandemic I may use this garden as a destination for my next adventure in the near future. When you visit the area I suggest you stop to smell the flowers.

Fiorello La Guardia Park is a neighborhood park for property type owned and operated by NYC Parks…read more It is named for Fiorello La Guardia who served as the 100th Mayor of New York City from January 1, 1934 to January 1, 1946. He was indisputably a great mayor. He was a lifelong native New Yorker. There is an outdoor 1994 sculpture by artist Neil Estern and several inground descriptions of a brief biography, his public service elected appointments, date sculpture was dedicated and name of sculptor. I like engraved granite plaques or headstones. I abhor this pose for appearance as it depicts anger and resentment. I prefer a statue when he is standing holding, waving a hat in his right hand, mouth open with an exuberant expression and left hand holding papers or documents. It is in this photo La Guardia seemingly appear to enter a car behind him. Behind this statue is another encroached New York University (NYU) building property.

Located in the Greenwich Village area this is a sprawling park and green space surrounded by…read morebuildings in the background. It's namesake is former mayor Fiorello La Guardia who served the city from the 1930's to 1940's. There is a sculpture of him on the ground, well maintained greenery, benches to sit on, and a small children's playground. Nice spot to give your feet a rest when walking around the neighborhood.

Decided to take the Soundview Ferry from Wall Street to the last stop at Ferry Point. Brought a…read morehammock, picnic, and the dog for a relaxing afternoon in the park and this was a nice place to escape the city while staying in the city. It's also quite popular for golfers who want to ferry from Wall Street since there is a Gold Course as well. The soccer fields were pretty busy with games, but still plenty of space and picnic tables with or without shade and water views. Managed to find just a couple trees that could handle a hammock which made it easy to enjoy the inside areas of the park. There's one bathroom and it was fairly well maintained- just a bit of a walk from the ferry- but close for the soccer fields and parking lot.

NYC FERRY at Ferry Point Park…read more NYC Ferry by Hornblower is finally here at Throgs Neck's Ferry Point Park. Opened towards the end of 2021. The City fulfilled its promise to expand water ferry transportation within The Bronx. Now providing our town an additional mode of transportation, networking residents of the Northeast Bronx throughout NYC in half the time of a surface commute. This second ferry route within The Bronx, with Soundview being the first, is an eye-catching accent to the park. Implementing a striking and sturdy framework of a structure, leading pedestrians and bikers onboard the NYC Ferry. TIPS: Ample free parking Shuttle avail from Parking Lot to Ferry Landing Online tickets avail for Paperless Tickets Ticket Kiosk available on Landing Multiple waterway routes avail within the 5 Boroughs

This little triangle of land sits between the intersections of Bleecker, Carmine and Avenue of the…read moreAmericas (aka Sixth Avenue). It's always been funny to me that in NYC every tiny, large-parking-space-worth of land that could possibly be dedicated or named, well...is. This particular swath memorializes a priest from the nearby Lady of Pompeii Church. In the countless list of similar places in the city, this one stands out as having a sizable fountain adorning its middle. During warmer months when the water runs, passerby can walk by or take a seat at one of the weathered and well-used benches lining the inner perimeter of this plaza, and listen to the sound of gurgling splashes mixed in with the sounds of cars honking, the crowds cheering on players a block up at the West 4th Street Basketball Courts, the rumble of the A/C/E subway lines running under the asphalt roadway, and general neighborhood foot traffic. During peak fall foliage the 14 trees (yes NYC Parks counts and maps all their trees) provide a vibrant scene to behold. A little bit more info at: https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/father-demo-square

PUBLIC PARK: A small Park established in 1923 which was later named in honor of ANTONIO DEMO in…read more1941. DEMO was a Pastor who served at the nearby OUR LADY OF POMPEII Church. Many Record Stores used to be within striking distance of the Park. Spent many a night pounding Bombers in the neighborhood which were purchased from the WAVERLY DELI down the block during my youth. The Park is conveniently located near many Eateries in the area. WORTH VISITING.