Madison Square Park

This weekend was all about staying indoors out of the rain and generally moping around.  But I still haven't told you about the perfection of last Sunday, when the sky was blue and Mr. P. and I meandered down to one of our favourite parts of the city.  Madison Square Park lies on 23rd Street, where 5th Avenue and Broadway converge.  It's also next to one of my favourite buildings in the whole city.  I don't know how many photos of Flatiron I've taken over the years, but I can't be near it without trying to capture its magnificence.

The park was packed because there was a food festival going on...

... complete with a stall that made ice lollies the old fashioned way, sprinkling cordial over the shavings of a glistening iceberg....

But we weren't there for the food festival.  

New Yorkers are an impatient bunch as a rule.  They don't wait for anything.  But, rain or shine, they wait for Shake Shack...

... Which gives everyone time to admire the blousy tulips...

... and the calming hydrangeas...

... and make new friends...

Though even he got a bit bored in the end...

But, finally, we made it to the top of the queue and scarfed down burgers and shakes with the best of them.  

And afterwards, through the trees, we came across this fabulous creation...

It's by Jaume Plensa and is called Echo.  He took as his inspiration a 9 year old neighbour of his in Barcelona.  I can't tell you what an electrifying thing it is to see amid the buildings all around the Square and the people milling around.

It's made even more impressive by its 44ft height.

Just breathtaking.  And the perfect, tranquil end to a busy, happy day.

C.x