Travels in the 2nd half

Haupt Conservatory Up in the northern reaches of the Bronx lies an oasis of plants and flowers - The New York Botanical Gardens .  Founded in 1891, the Gardens are a living museum and a research facility. They are also a wonderful place to spend a hot summer afternoon. Most of the 250 acres that now make up the Botanical Gardens were owned by the the family of Pierre Lorillard IV , whose parents founded what is today known as the Lorillard Tobacco Company - the oldest tobacco company in the United States. The estate is still present in the garden in the form of two buildings - The Old Stone Mill and the Stone Cottage. The Stone Mill, which sits along the Bronx River, began its life as a snuff mill. The Stone Cottage was a gate house for the Lorillard estate. Today The Mill is an event space, and can be rented for private affairs. The Old Stone Mill Mill Entrance - above the river The Mill's patio, along the Bronx River The Bronx River ...

China Pons and Grupo Irek One of the great things about living in NYC (or just visiting) is being able to take advantage of the plethora of free cultural events that take place all of the time.  One recent Friday evening The Amazing Ms. D and I joined friends for a screening of the documentary Cuban Roots/Bronx Stories by Pam Sporn. The event was organized by the African Film Festival of NY , the Bronx Council on the Arts , the Bronx Museum of Art, This event was held at Joyce Kilmer Park, which sits across from the the Bronx Court House and is up the hill from Yankee Stadium. The park is named after poet Joyce Kilmer (1886-1918) who is probably best known for the poem Trees .  Kilmer died on the front in France during WW I. The most visible aspect of the park is the Heinrich Heine Fountain. Dedicated in 1899, the fountain sits over 161st Street and is the first thing that many people see when the arrive at the park.   https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki...