FOUR FREEDOMS PARK

I took a grown up field trip yesterday, an excursion that began with a luxury bus ride and ended with lunch at NYC club, there was not a rowdy kid or PBJ sandwich or in sight. I was invited to visit the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park located on the southern tip of Roosevelt Island by a dear friend on the Tree Trust Committee of the Central Park Conservancy.  The Tree Trust is one of the many arms of the Conservancy and works to raise funds to care for the parks 22,000 trees by offering the endowment of a tree or sapling for a special occasion.  It's a fantastic gift idea for milestone birthdays or anniversary that supports an amazing program within the Conservancy, and who wouldn't want their own tree in Central Park?

Back to our visit. Four Freedoms Park began in the late 1960s, during a period of national urban renewal, when New York City Mayor John Lindsay proposed to reinvent Roosevelt Island (then called Welfare Island) into a vibrant, residential community. Louis I. Kahn, one of the masters of 20th century architecture was chosen to design the park and memorial to Roosevelt. Louis Kahn finished his work and died unexpectedly and NYC faced bankruptcy causing the project to be sidelined. Nothing happened for decades but finally on March 29, 2010, 38 years after its announcement, construction of Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park began.

The Park celebrates the Four Freedoms, as pronounced in President Roosevelt’s famous January 6, 1941 State of the Union speech. The words appear on a massive block of granite-

1. Freedom of Speech and Expression – the best defense against the corruption of democracy.
2. Freedom of Worship – our shield against the forces of bigotry, intolerance and fanaticism.
3. Freedom from Want – so that hunger, poverty and pestilence can be erased from the earth.
4. Freedom from Fear – calling for international institutions and agreements that will keep the peace, control armaments, prevent aggression, accept the Rule of Law, and assure social justice.

The focal point of the Park is a 1,050-pound bronze bust of President Roosevelt. 

Mounted in the sculpture niche, with the Four Freedoms engraved on its south-facing side, the bust stands sentinel at the entrance of what Kahn called the “Room”, a 60’ square open plaza of granite that looks out across the East River to the United Nations.

1. 
   The Park's lawn is flanked on either side by 120 linden trees set in perfectly aligned allées.
   
   The park is extraordinary; an austere, beautiful monument tucked into the NYC landscape and a great trip for the entire family.
   
   

HATS OFF!

I've spent hours looking for just the right spring hat-not of the floppy brimmed, keep the sun out of your eyes variety, but a sophisticated, frothy confection, perfect for the very chic Frederick Law Olmstead Awards Luncheon that takes place this week in The Conservatory Garden in New York City's Central Park. Frederick Law Olmsted is, of course, known as the father of American landscape architecture.  He designed many renowned urban parks, including New York's Central Park, and the luncheon is a celebration of our beautiful city parks. Better known among the ladies who attend as "The Hat Luncheon" the event is hosted by the Women's Committee of the Central Park Conservancy and is always so much fun.  No matter the weather, the lunch is always a beautiful affair, with the park's gardens in full bloom and hundreds of ladies in chic spring suits and extraordinary hats. Oh, those hats! Some are glamorous chapeaus festooned with flowers and bows, but the ones I'm always in awe of are the cheeky, humorous ones: potted plants. caged hummingbirds and butterflies--I can't wait to see this years new crop! 

photos courtesy of New York Social Diary

CENTRAL PARK INSPIRATION

I was invited to a breakfast in Central Park yesterday to celebrate the Tree Trust of the Central Park Conservancy, a non-profit that care of the parks 24,000 trees. It's a fantastic organization and so important to all of us that live in the city. The park is our backyard and playground-its where we go for picnics, take our children to play and walk the pooch--it's our version of country life in the city.
I joined the park tour they gave after breakfast and it was  spectacular--trees and flowers were in full bloom, bursting with hot pinks, bold yellows and shades of purple. I veered off from the group when I saw the wisteria pergola with it's canopy bursting with the heavy lavender hued blooms. The long walkway that lead under the delicate canopy gave me the chance to enjoy the intoxicating blooms that are here so briefly. Sharing with you some images from yesterday and a little wisteria inspiration for your springtime day!

Central Park Pergola

Tabletop Inspiration

Yesterday, a brownstone on my street...

and from around the world...

Have a lovely day!

RUN ALONG

I can't run around the park without bringing my iPod blasting and cheering me along. I'm not alone; nearly everyone seems to be sporting a set of headphones in the park and we're all looking for something new to add to our playlist. The latest iPod app is "Listen To The Light" by Bluebrain. More than music, it's a site-specific soundtrack that uses your phone's built-in GPS system to change the music as your make your way through different locations in Central Park. It sounds like it could be fun--anything to get me around the reservoir faster! 


Have a great Sunday!