NYBG - Escape to a Tropical Rainforest

Ahh! The Orchids

Dear Postcard from New York Reader,

Stepping into the Conservatory, a grand Victorian glass palace, was a Star Trek moment come true. You know the scene where the crew of the Enterprise beams down to a foreign planet and stand mesmerized before they set off on their mission? Before my eyes, orchids in every size shape and color clung to the bark and thick foliage of magnificent trees in a steamy humid rain forest.

Their astonishing beauty was nothing less than bewildering. The scene recreated a world millions of years before humans existed, when orchids, lush vegetation and strange animals were the dominant forms of life. More than 85% of almost 30,000 orchid species live high in the air, hanging from majestic tropical trees with their roots exposed!

Of course, I wanted to read all the detailed descriptions for every flower on display; for instance, I discovered Vanilla, a familiar flavor we all love, comes from an orchid! But, time and again the flower textures, colors, sizes and incredible shapes were too compelling to ignore. I forgot about reading and just looked.

Would you believe, some orchids have spots like leopards; some have long hollow tubes, spindles, and pouches like kangaroos. Others have furry spines, hairs, bumps, tails, slippers, and bubbles. Theirs is a fascinating world to engage the imagination for a lifetime. One can easily see why scientist spent many years studying just one species.

Best of all, you can actually take one or more home to enjoy. Shop in the Garden has hundreds of extraordinary orchids available for sale with experts on hand to offer advice on how to care for and grow them.

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Just for Kids:

Even more than the zoo, Spring is the best time to visit the Botanical Garden. There are hands-on programs for children as young as two years old, where they can explore, discover, and experience nature at its most vibrant. Let them get their hands dirty; they can dig, plant and grow vegetables and flowers, feed worms, and create interesting things like compost and bark rubbings.

Don't miss "Chocolate and Vanilla Adventures," at the Everett Children's Adventure Garden where youngsters can warm up with a cup of hot chocolate.

In the mood to feast your eyes on a few more orchids? Click on Ahhh! The Orchids…and select View as slide show.

See the Orchid Show now through April 12th.

Jacqueline Cable
For Postcards from New York


Address to remember New York Botanical Garden, 200th Street at Kazimiroff Blvd, Bronx, NY 10458, 718-817-8700, www.nybg.org.

Hours: Tues-Sun 10 AM – 6 PM.

Directions: Metro North from Grand Central Station twenty minutes to Botanical Garden Station.

If you like today's issue, why not become a subscriber to Postcards from New York? To start receiving your own copy click on Postcards. Or, forward this e-mail to a friend so they can sign-up to receive Postcards from New York too.

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Photo by Joseph Knight



© Copyright 2007-9 The Cable Group

O'Lunney's Times Square - After the Parade

O’Lunney’s Three Sisters - On the road to Donegal

Dear Postcards from New York Reader:

The word “Failte” (Welcome) over a wide arch greets you as you enter; but right now, it’s a sure bet the line outside will be long, and the noise from within loud and raucous. If you are in search of the distinctive flavor of Ireland, you’ve arrived at the right place. Make friends with other folks while on line, O’Lunney’s is worth the wait.

In a city with hundreds of Irish “Pubs” (primarily bars where small tables cramped against narrow walls are commonplace), wide and spacious O’Lunney’s, a buzz with the lively conversations of local and out-of-town revelers, and waitresses maneuvering between tables, has a warmth and ambience one would usually find in a “Public House” on Ireland’s West Coast.

There, the stark haunting beauty of the landscape (see the photograph above) and the lack of entertainment choices make a Public House (Pub) the place where families, with children and dogs in tow, spend hours around a blazing fireplace catching up on local news over a hearty meal with friends and neighbors.

For generations the O’Lunney’s have been Pub owners in Ireland; Hugh O’Lunney likes to say he was born into the business. His three sisters are all Pub owners, while Hugh’s daughter Maureen continues the family tradition here in America. You’ll find her at her dad’s side managing staff and making you feel welcome. This year they are celebrating 41 years in business.

A native Irishmen, Michael Connolly, introduced me to O’Lunney’s years ago. It was the place to go when he felt nostalgic for home. He was sure to meet friends or strangers who quickly became friends over a pint of Guinness. Bright colorful flags of the six Celtic nations (can you guess what they are?)* proudly hang from the walls not far from a portrait of Bobby Sands (This is IRA Country). One can catch up on local news from County Mayo flipping through hometown papers like: The Irish Independent, Western People, Day &; Night and The Irish News.

Leave those papers for another day; St. Patty’s is not the day to catch up on news. Don’t forget to eat something before you down another pint. Savor a taste of Ireland; try the Shepherds Pie, Fish and Chips, Chicken Pot Pie or Corn beef and Cabbage. Servings are big enough for two and will prevent a hangover tomorrow. Sips of frothy Irish coffee make a delicious finale to a festive day.

La Fheile Padraig**

Jacqueline Cable
For Postcards from New York

Tullan County Donegal Today

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Address to remember: O'Lunney's, 145 West 45th St, New York, NY 10036, 212-840-6688, www.olunneys.com

Directions: From Times Square walk north to 45th St. See O'Lunney's sign right off Broadway.

*The six Celtic nations: Scotland, Wales, Brittany, the Isle of Man, Devon and Cornwall, and Ireland.



** Happy St. Patrick's Day (Gaelic)


Photos courtesy of Maureen O'Lunney



© Copyright 2007-9 The Cable Group

A Special Way to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day

Bagpipers on Fifth Avenue

----A Postcards from New York Encore----


Dear Postcards from New York Reader,

Next Tuesday the sounds of bagpipes will usher in one of the city's most festive Holiday celebrations. Wear something green and claim Irish heritage for a day.

Mayor Bloomberg and Cardinal Egan will kick things off as thousands line Fifth Avenue, from 42nd to 86th Street, to watch the parade. Long before it ends, every bar and pub in the city will be packed with lines of people trailing out the door as the Guinness flows freely.

Amidst the spirited revelry, gaiety and leprechaun hats, it’s easy to forget the reason for celebration, the Patron Saint of Ireland’s feast day. Look closely at the cumbersome pipes carried proudly by men in colorful kilts, the tartans of their clans; Those pipes have witnessed three thousand years of Celtic History. their shrill haunting music mirror not only the lush beauty of the land from which they come, but the lilting rhythm and cadence of the Gaelic language.

Make this St. Patrick’s Day a special memory. Unless you visit the far reaches of the Irish Isles or Scotland’s Outer Hebridian Islands, you will not get to hear this live. Experience the rare beauty of the Celtic language first hand at a Mass sung in Gaelic at St. Agnes Church steps from where the parade begins. The tiny Church, tucked away on 43rd Street off Lexington Avenue, is a beautiful setting for the 9:30 AM Service. Get there early, this promises to be a standing room only affair.


A few words on Ireland’s Patron Saint.


Born on the West Coast of Britain, present-day Wales, around 385, as a boy, Patrick narrowly escaped death when Celtic pirates raided his village. Abducted, taken to Ireland, then sold into slavery, he spent several years of privation and hardship among pagans whose language he struggled to learn in order to survive. As a young man, he risked his life to escape his captors, negotiated passage on a ship sailing to Gaul (France) and eventually found his way back to his family. Years later, in 432, he returned to Ireland as a priest determined to bring Christianity to the people who had enslaved him. His feast day and the soaring Cathedral built to honor his memory celebrate his success at turning a bad experience into something wonderful.


Happy Saint Patty’s Day.

Jacqueline Cable
For Postcards from New York


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Address to remember: St. Agnes Church, 141 East 43re Street, between Lexington and 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 10017, 212 682-5722.

St. Agnes also offers Latin Mass in Gregorian Chant every Sunday at 11 AM.

Directions: From Times Square MTA 7 or S (Shuttle) to Grand Central Station, walk one block west to Lexington Ave, one block north to 43rd St. Bus: M42, M104 to Lexington Ave.

If you like today's issue, why not become a subscriber to Postcards from New York? To start receiving your own copy visit www.postcardsfromnewyork.com and enter your email address. Or, forward this to a friend so they can sign-up to receive Postcards from New York too.

You can choose to receive Postcards From New York as an e-mail or RSS feed. Click on the small orange button on the right side of the webpage to activate the RSS. Then you will receive new "Postcards" on your email homepage, or enter your email address on the Home Page at www.postcardsfromnewyork.com to receive "Postcards" via email. Be sure to check your email in-box for a confirmation email, then just click where indicated to activate your subscription.

Photo courtesy of nymag.com

© Copyright 2007-9 The Cable Group