On the Waterfront

Manhattan is brilliant at using every bit of space available and making the best of its natural assets. No beach? No sweat. Just turn the whole Hudson River waterfront into an outdoor paradise for urban dwellers.

The West Side Highway runs almost the entire length of the western side of Manhattan, hugging the shore of the mighty Hudson River. On the whole, it's godawful ugly, with 6-8 lanes of traffic and lights and confusing turns. For decades, the piers and waterfront were left to rot. But in 1998, the then Mayor Giuliani, with the help of the New York Governor, decided to create the Hudson River Park, the biggest green undertaking since the creation of Central Park. It consists of 550 acres of waterfront running from 59th street in midtown, down to Battery Park, and incorporates basketball courts, tennis courts, a dedicated bike track, jogging track, green spaces, urban art, cafes, playgrounds and even a real sand volleyball area! All the piers are being renovated, the river is being opened to kayaking and sailing, the views to Jersey are phenomenal and Manhattan-ites are flocking to it.

I went for a lovely walk along the West Village/ Tribeca section last weekend. Here's a snapshot of a summer weekend beside the Hudson.

sunbathing

sailing

kayaking

tennis

volleyball

public art

public art

greenspace

Alley Style

I went bowling today. Slap bang in the middle of the world's biggest amusement park, Times Square. It was a thank you from our President for a "solid" fiscal year. 

The place was enormous. 90,000 sq feet of "luxury bowling," with 50 lanes over 3 floors and a host of celebs proudly framed on the walls seductively holding a skittle - or "pin" as I was corrected today. I don't think we brought much talent to the floor, but we made up for that in style. Picture waif thin Manhattan stylistas in shift dresses, silk shirts and thigh skimming skirts. Then end that thought with a Peewee Herman-type red, white and blue lace up that could never be considered cool, but somehow worked on those impeccably gymed and Hamptons tanned legs.  Add a thumping disco beat and huge video screens projecting hotter than hot baseball, soccer and basketball players, and those neon-colored balls positively flew out of the  perfectly manicured hands down the lanes - or gutters in most cases - and ended with a flourish of toned booty sashaying back to the team. 

Best Manhattan moment overheard:

Beauty #1 to team mates: "Did you see that? Did you see what I did?"

Team mate in totally unmoved voice: "Awesome," said during reapplication of lip gloss.  Only in New York.

image: domms bowling