Prospect Barks

This weekend, Brooklyn Botanic Gardens had the Sakura Matsuri festival (no, it is not a festival to celebrate Tom Cruises robot child "Suri").  This festival is the "Rite Of Spring" festival that includes traditional Japanese music and dance, arts and crafts and a view of all the cherry blossom trees in full bloom.  

The wife and I decided to take our in-laws to the event on Sunday and after a  44 minute train ride, my review of the event is:  N/A

that's right.  N/A.  Not Available.  Not Applicable.  None Apparently.

We brought the dogs with us (and for those who read my previous posts know that my dogs are smaller than a miniture chinchilla on a diet), the park still wouldn't let us in.  After telling them I would carry the dogs in my arms, and after telling them I will clean up after them, and even after telling them I would write a great review on my site about it...they declined and showed me the exit.

So we let the in-laws in and told them to call us when they finished.  Meanwhile, the Swede and I decided to take our two dogs to Prospect Park around the corner.  I have to say "Thank You" to the security at the Botanic Garden for following the parks policy and procedures because it was totally worth missing the garden and attending this park in Brooklyn instead.

This park was amazing.  The sun was high even though they said it would rain (which I now realize that it basically takes the effort of sticking your head out of the window to become a weather man these days).  It was extremely warm and the park was blooming and the grass was bright green.  The dogs ran for hours chasing birds, squirrels and chewing on sticks.  The Swede Wife and I laid in the park and relaxed for what felt like 5 hours (but was probably more like 2).

It was a gorgeous and enormous park that was not crowded with your tourists and UES snobs like Central Park gets.  This had what Brooklyn is now known for:  Strollers, young thirty something parents, and enough 4 year old kids to start a small army.  Kids were everywhere playing soccer.  Parents were strolling around with babies and the young hipsters were laying on the grass as if this was some early opening to a concert on the park.  Afterwards, we took a trip to Union and 7th to a local coffee shop (Izzy's: 410 7th ave, Brooklyn).  Coffee and a sandwich while sitting on the corner in the sun was the best way to let the day slip away.

I had the most awesome time at this park and I can see why so many run to Brooklyn instead of the city to live.  While I hear that the area surrounding the park is very expensive, you do get a bit more space than in the city.  You also get to be away from skyscrapers and loud tucks, cars, taxi cabs, sirens, homeless, drunk people falling out of bars and your usual transvestite/hooker/politician girlfriend yelling obscene language at someone at 2:00 a.m.

So as for the BBG festival, my rating on the event is: 10.  I know I didn't attend, but if it wasn't for them kicking me and my little hobbit dogs to the curb, I would have never got a chance to go and venture into the wonderful world of Brooklyn.