There's a place high up north on the island of Manhattan that hardly anyone speaks of. And yet. And yet and yet. It is beautiful and quiet and the air is cooler and cleaner and the view! Fort Tryon Park is, in my not so humble opinion, one of the most beautiful things you might hope to see in Manhattan--in large part because it so very much a departure from what you expect of this city. It is lush and hilly and the bluffs on the other side of the Hudson part to reveal what surely inspired so much art of the American romantic and transcendentalist movement.
It is an always welcome pause.
It is also home to The Cloisters (the branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art devoted to Medieval artwork). Yesterday was just my second time visiting this museum and I had forgotten how lovely it. It is too small to be overwhelming and wonderfully mixes indoor and outdoor space.
It is my suggestion that if you're visiting New York it's worth riding the A train to 190th and taking the elevator up (follow the signs to The Cloisters). It will empty you at the entrance of Fort Tryon. Walk through the park to the museum, enjoy your fill of Medieval architecture and relics, and then have lunch or brunch or dinner at New Leaf Cafe--one of my very favorite restaurants in New York because it feels nearly out of place, nestled as it is in so much vegetation. These three things (as well as the time for the commute) will fill a full morning or afternoon.
{As I research what to do + where to go in Paris--with absolutely no prior knowledge of the city, it has got me rethinking how to advise people visiting New York. There is so much information I take for granted and I think when I return from my sojourn I'm going to work to revamp any tips/tricks/ideas for really getting the New York city experience when you've only got a little bit of time}.
Happy Monday, I have a feeling it's going to be a good week!
xo