ice skating at the pond at bryant park

"Winter" in Bryant Park.

I have noticed that the leaves on the trees in NYC do not really change much. We do not have a peak season to view the Fall Foliage. So how does a city dweller mark the passage of time from Summer to Fall to Winter, you may ask? By walking through Bryant Park everyday, and noting the changing landscapes, albeit installed by construction crews. Simulated nature.

In summer, Bryant Park is filled with cafe tables and chairs, lunch eaters, grass-lyer-oners (I think they call this sun bathing), a beautiful green lawn, ivy under the trees, potted plants, the outdoor cafe at the Bryant Park Grill, and the slatted movie screen which abuts the fountain for the Summer Film Festival. The fountain is off at this time.

In late summer, the lawn is entirely covered with rubber tarps, and New York Fashion Week, Spring/Summer 2009 Collections, is built on top!

In late late summer (perhaps you could call this early early Fall), after the tents are taken down and the rubber tarps which protect the lawn are pulled up, a brand new Lawn is immediately rolled out. New Lawn! In sod form. What was the purpose of the tarps if they were just going to put down New Lawn? It is a mystery, but I am not complaining. The New Lawn is breathtaking. And the fountain is at last turned on! It is glorious. It is Fall. It is my favorite season, next to Spring.

In Fall, as soon as Bryant Park is perfectly green with the New Lawn and the old ivy, the lawn is removed. Rolled up. Taken away. Now it is ice skating season.

Ice Skating Season construction begins at the end of September. It happened to be 80 degrees that week. I do love ice skating. And I can't wait to ice skate in Bryant Park. But what happened to perfect Fall in Bryant Park? I know. They have to put up the rink (and take it down) in time for New York Fashion Week, Fall/Winter 2009 Collections, which begins in February. But Monday, the 27th, was the Grand Opening Celebration for The Pond at Bryant Park. I will see you on the ice!

Look at the two-story structure they are building with the rounded roof.
I found out that it's going to be a (temporary!) seasonal restaurant.
Wow, that is a lot of work for temporary.

The Pond at Bryant Park
The Bryant Park Hotel & Empire State Building in the background.