Tuesday in the Park With Sarah (Yes, That’s a Broadway Reference)

The rain held off until this evening, and I enjoyed a lovely, cool, ambling stroll through Central Park this afternoon. I almost didn’t remember what is was like to not bake in the subway station on my way to work!

On a side note, if you're curious about what I meant when I said arrived to "Tootsie" dripping yesterday, check out this video someone shot of the Williamsburg streets on Monday. But I made it through eventually (pretty sure my shoes are still drying out.) It could've been worse, though — I could've been stuck on this street (river?).

But back to today: I entered Central park at 59th Street just past Columbus Circle, then hit the highlights up to 86th Street.

I grabbed a map from the Dairy (the park’s visitor center) around 65th Street, but the park is a labyrinth, and even a map isn’t overly helpful because the streets are only marked on the far edges of each side of the park — the middle is all winding, rambly trails. So it’s kind of best just to wander.

The park has many gorgeous lakes and ponds, among them *THE* Pond, where you can find Gapstow Bridge, which got some major screen time in “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” I walked across it, then climbed up a rocky outcropping to get this photo.

I also swung by Sheep Meadow, which was closed to pedestrians today (hence the red flags) since the grass was so damp and soggy from all the rain. But how often do you get a people-less shot of Manhattan from Sheep Meadow?

From there, it was on to Strawberry Fields near 72nd Street, which is a memorial to the singer John Lennon. And yes, there was an obligatory street musician strumming Beatles songs on his guitar.

My next stop was Bethesda Terrace and Bethesda Fountain, both of which overlook the The Lake.

You can rent a rowboat for an hour from the Loeb Boathouse, but considering it’s just me, that’d be a lot of solo rowing (and I wanted to see the rest of the park before work!).

I walked east to the Conservatory Water, also known as the model boat pond from Stuart Little. You can indeed rent a model boat, or just watch people sail them around the pond.

Just north of the pond is the Alice in Wonderland statue, and just west is the Hans Christian Andersen one.

Then I headed across the 79th Street transverse to Belvedere Castle, which overlooks the Delacorte Theater, the venue that's currently home to the Shakespeare in the Park production of “Coriolanus.” Again, just cool how there’s a castle dropped in the middle of a metropolis.

My last stop was the Obelisk, also known as Cleopatra’s Needle. If you’ve read any books in Rick Riordan’s Kane Chronicles series, this would be that monument.

Finally, today in food: A fiesta roll and wild shroom salad from Beyond Sushi, an NYC vegan sushi chain. It’s fish-free sushi that’s previously been featured on “Shark Tank,” and the vibe reminds me of Three Carrots in Indy.

The fiesta roll has black rice, avocado, chayote (squash), and pickled jalapeño topped with black bean purée and makrut lime chips in a tomato guajillo sauce (which comes in a squeezable tube for self-application). Holy cow, that jalapeño went straight up my nose! It looks like sushi, but you’re cognizant that it isn’t sushi — it’s ‘safe’ sushi, I guess. Still tasty!

My wild shroom salad had glass noodles, braised shiitake, portabella, enoki mushrooms, cashews, porcini powder, and micro arugula in a spicy bean and shiitake truffle sauce. Basically, mushrooms and noodles with some other fancily named ingredients. Also yummy!

I had such a lovely, non-scorching, non-dripping day. But I’m even more looking forward to tomorrow night, when I get to see a show with Ben Brantley!