On the southern edge of Central Park, a lovely Hanson carriage awaits........

With a beautiful, docile (?) steed....................

And an affable driver imported from the Emerald Isle...................

All waiting for us and a Birthday ride through Central Park at dusk.....................

We head out past the glass towers of Columbus Circle...................

Dwight is delighting in bestowing this special Birthday gift on his happy wife--just as he did ten years ago for my 50th Birthday................

As we pass the Maine Memorial, there is a demonstration winding down--lots of protesters, speakers, balloons and placards..................

As we look down the boulevards headed towards the Hudson, we see that the sun is just setting............

Some interesting architectural detail on a park side edifice.................

Both the park and its man-made neighbors glow in the sunset .......................

Our driver points out that John Lennon was ambushed and killed just inside this gate at the Dakota where he lived--just this time of evening............

The Dakota is eerily beautiful in the sunset washed light..............

The towers of the San Remo..................

And the Natural History Museum........................

Our driver--as we head up the west side of the park...................

This park side church probably has a rather tony congregation................

Another magnificent west side edifice.........................

In the park another once-famous face peers out at us......................

As we enter the park our driver maintains this position--available for questions and information and able to see via his peripheral vision if anyone is "making out" in the back. We were................

This dog seems to be leading some human out of the man made canyons of the upper west side..................

In the park, the beautiful old lamplights are turning on.........

It's a beautiful time of evening in the park--everything in a rosy glow.........................

This jogger seems to be running sprightly.....................

I guess you would be also--if you were being pursued by the Ghost of the Marauding Cyclist............

That glittering jewel of a restaurant TAVERN ON THE GREEN inside Central Park--This is where we celebrated my 50th birthday ten years ago.........................

Shortly after we got home, Tavern on the Green closed after many decades and all the gorgeous Tiffany lamps and other pieces of the lush decor were auctioned off. This is a backside view of the fabulous outside patio with it's Japanese lanterns and whimsical topiaries. That large one in the middle is the enormous King Kong topiary. This magical place will be greatly missed....................

We're almost out of the park now.......................

It's beautiful and mysterious as evening shadows fall..................

We pose--all aglow--with our trusty docile(?) steed...........................

Yup, right after that last picture was taken, he reached over and bit me on the thigh! In this shot he looks sheepish, I am shocked, and Dwight is strangely excited. Fortunately, his teeth were so old and soft (The horse, not Dwight) that all I got was a pretty interesting bruise on my leg.....................

In the gorgeous pink light of evening, we revisit the scene at the Main Memorial. The protesters are all gone, but they left one calling card telling us what their cause was all about...............

We looked up to see the most amazing sky we have ever seen over Manhattan....................

In the series of photos to follow, I have not altered or enhanced the sky in any way--it was just phenomenal.....................

Even jaded Manhattan sophisticates were walking around just staring up at the sky...........................

And texting their friends telling them to go outside and look at the sky.................

We're feeling all warm and fuzzy.....................

Behind me is the Columbus Circle Monument as the day is ebbing away............................

Dwight is posing with the fountains inside the amazing traffic circle that is the Columbus Monument...................

In recent years, Columbus Circle has been refurbished and it is really magnificient at night...................

The dancing waters................

Looking west towards the Hudson and the Worldwide Trade Tower.....................
On our short walk home, we check out the collant waterfall at the Hearst Tower..............
My birthday has been a truly exceptional day............................
Thanks to my wonderful husband and family.........................
And Mother Nature! Thank you everyone for a great day!