St. Louis Eats and Drinks: Tuesday In the Park With Sid

It looked like a movie set: The sky was blue, the grass and trees were lush, plenty of people – not a crowd but not just a few – were soaking in the sun, walking or talking or sipping drinks. Small children swooped around, giddy from being released temporarily from their strollers. I was in New York's Central Park last week.

One of my New York pals had found A Deal on a walking tour of the park and thought it would be fun for both of us. She, a native New Yorker, raised her children in Manhattan, so this was definitely not terra incognita to her, but this part of the park was new to me. We met our two tour guides, Sid and a trainee, at the entrance to the park at Fifth Avenue and 72^nd Street. (They arrived by skateboard, but didn't use them in the park.)

It turned out to be a delightful walk with plenty of things you may have heard about, like the boat basin and the Bethesda Fountain, and other unknown little pleasures like one of the whispering benches and a tiny lakeside pavilion just big enough for a bride, a groom and an officiant. We got information on wildlife, trees, history, how the park is currently funded and who the face of the woman who's the center of the Bethesda Fountain is reputed to be – but, said Sid reported that it's only gossip and not verified fact.

We finished up on Central Park West with Sid discussing the Dakota, the legendary apartment building (no, it's not the one with two towers – that's the San Remo) which housed Leonard Bernstein, Rosemary's Baby and John and Yoko. John, of course, was shot at the south entrance to the building.

The park's bad reputation from the 1970's is no longer deserved. Like many urban parks, it isn't particularly wise to go strolling alone at night, but in the daytime it's a busy, busy place – and clearly greatly loved.

Gotham City Tours does smaller groups, which allows them to individualize things, and they offer other possibilities beyond the park. Our tour normally goes for $50 a person, but there's a discount coupon on their website.

A good investment for those who need a break from the roar of much of the business or tourist sections of Manhattan.

Gotham City Tours