This evening I decided to ride my bike through the Kennedy Memorial Forest, which is, to borrow a phrase from Ms. Austen, “a prettyish kind of a little wilderness” on the Southwestern corner of Forest Park. It is this part of Forest Park which reminds me a little of Central Park, because on the adjacent street there are several tall (relatively speaking) apartment buildings which overlook the park.

The sense of Central Park being a valley in a rectangular canyon of high rises is one of the things I find so impressive about it. I especially love winter images of Wollman rink on the South side of the park. And though even a brief survey of this blog will show that I am rather a superfan of Forest Park, I might as well concede that taking all things into consideration, Central Park is really the grand dame of American parks. I have only been there twice, but from the number and variety of people, to the number and variety of attractions, to even the talent level of the artists offering their services or performing, it is really not a contest. Not to mention that it is located smack dab in the middle of the greatest city in the world.

But that confession/concession having been made, I will still take Forest Park for every day use, and just keep Central Park for Sundays, so to speak. After all, in terms of natural beauty and diversity and peacefulness, well that is no contest either, and Forest Park is the lovely, beautiful winner.