The High Line

When we first moved to Chelsea in 2005 there was talk about building a park in the sky – The High Line. It was a far-flung idea, and rumors suggested that the park would never happen. We crossed our fingers and waited.

The original High Line was an above-ground train track built in the early 1900s and used to shuttle milk, meat, produce and other provisions along the west side of Manhattan. 

Abandoned since the 1980s and facing demolition, a group of high profile celebrities and architects rallied around the plan to create a park in its place.

In 2006, that plan became a reality and construction of The High Line Park began. After hearing about it for years, it was a joy to finally see the park open in June, 2009.

Today it’s one of my favorite parks in all of Manhattan. Lucky for us, it’s a few short blocks away from our apartment.

In the summers it’s packed with a mix of locals and tourists, but winter also has its charms. While the flowers aren’t yet in bloom, the raised elevation gives you a different perspective on the buildings below. The clouds seem more vivid, the Hudson a deeper shade of blue.

It’s a great spot for a stroll, a picnic, or as Lauren and I like to do: sketch the buildings and sights below.

And that’s the face you get when you’ve taken too many pictures.