Parks in New York City are glorious things. Green space is rare, which makes fields and trees a celebrated aspect of the landscape. For a gal like me who is from rural Ohio, parks offer a familiar haven from crowded sidewalks and giant metal structures. There are cute little parks sprinkled around the city, many of them are small with only a few benches, but their addition is appreciated.
The kings of New York City parks are Central Park and Prospect Park. Central Park is located in Manhattan and makes an appearance in nearly every movie that takes place in NYC. It's beautiful but the southern portions tend to be overrun with tourists or people selling knick-knacks to tourists. Prospect Park is Brooklyn's big park. Some New Yorkers would argue that Prospect Park is superior to Central Park, not only because of the lack of sightseers (although that doesn't hurt), but because its topography includes understated rolling hills and winding paths that lend themselves to leisurely strolls. Central Park attempts these attributes but the terrain does not lend itself to what Prospect Park so naturally achieves.
Poor Prospect Park is often over-looked, neglected for it's more famous brother.
Central Park and Prospect Park were designed by the same people! Their names were Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. Central Park was first (opened in 185) and later came Prospect Park (opened in 1867). In fact, they say that what they attempted to engineer with Central Park they actually executed with Prospect Park. That's right, Brooklyn's oft-forsaken gem was the pride and joy of the designers.
Prospect Park has concerts and events throughout the summer just like Central Park does, although chances are they feature less mainstream bands and will be attended by more alternative people. It follows Brooklyn's overall vibe.
Alas, summer is over and free events of any kind are at a decline around the city. Luckily, Fall has brought with it stunning vistas in the park. These photos are just a peek at the park's beauty.
I present these pictures as an homage to Prospect Park and dedicate this post to its worthiness.
