Outdoor
Oases in the Urban Desert
On hot summer days, New York
City can be brutal. The sun beats down
relentlessly. The pavement soaks up the
heat to the point that the asphalt burns
to the touch. Sometimes it even melts and
gets so soft that your shoes sink into
it. You can walk block after block
without finding even a speck of shade. On
days like this, the city feels like a
desert and it does not take long before
you are in need of an oasis.
The following three spots
offer a place to sit and cool off on
these unbearable hot summer days, without
resorting to escaping inside into the
air-conditioning. In more comfortable
weather, they can provide a much-needed
respite from your daily routine.
McGraw Hill Garden
This little niche
behind the McGraw Hill Building at 1221
Avenue of the Americas (between 48th and
49th Streets), is the perfect place to
enjoy a mid-day snack. Enter from 48th
Street side, which takes you through a
tunnel underneath a rather nifty
waterfall. The brick patio on the other
side features white wire chairs, hanging
plants and neat wooden tubs of shrubs and
trees. The buildings on either side
provide plenty of shade and the soothing
sounds of the waterfall will help you
relax.
Church of the Holy
Trinity
This French Gothic
building at 316 East 88th Street (between
1st and 2nd Avenues) is surrounded by a
small but lovingly maintained garden.
Several benches line the tree-lined walk
to the Church's main entrance, providing
ample seating in the shade and views of
the beds of ivy, roses, impatiens and
blue hydrangeas. The pretty lawn in the
center is the setting for classical music
concerts on summer evenings.
Conservatory Garden
Located on Fifth
Avenue at 105th Street, the Conservatory
Garden is the ultimate
escape from the rest of the city. Framing
a well-manicured lawn are two arbor walks
that offer comfortable benches and
endless amounts of shade. Venture a bit
further to the "Secret Garden"
to sit amidst a gorgeous array of blooms.
Access to numerous shady trees and three
fountains will help keep you cool.
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