Across 110th Street, New York —

It is incredible how quickly the mood changes when you step across 110th Street and enter Central Park at its northeast corner. I guess it’s no surprise as Bobby Womack wrote the R&B hit about the experience and it’s been used in a couple of films, one by the same name. The song was written about stepping in the other direction however, into the grit of Harlem. I’m wondering what type of music would be written making this journey in reverse, probably the Pachelbel Canon.

This is one of my favorite corners of the park. The Harlem Meer greets you as you enter and even on race day, families make the short detour over to feed the geese. A few steps further south is the Conservatory Garden. This is Central Park’s only formal garden and it is an insider’s tip. Many of the trees and plants that you see throughout the park were cultivated here. The formal layout and ornate statuary of the area never change but the plantings often do. Despite its beauty, I’ve never seen more than a handful of people in these tranquil surroundings. The woman below obviously didn’t come to watch the race.

We did though, so it was time to conclude our brief zen exercise and amble back over to see what the field looks like during the 4th hour.