Columbus Park is always buzzing with activity–not unlike most of Chinatown; on a recent weekend visit, I was reminded how I love stepping past the cobblers and jewelry repairmen who set up shop at its edges, following the sounds of opera singers and small orchestras  to enter into a fray of mahjong players and senior-citizen gamblers. Dozens of men gather around gaming tables; women tend to play equally tense games of cards, only they wear pastels and wide-brimmed hats. Tai-chi devotees practice in the pavilion, and people of all ages fill the park’s benches. Adjacent to the old “Five Points” convergence, and built in 1897 in place of former tenements, it’s a fascinating mix of old and new–and only adds to that sense Aron and I love, of being in a foreign place, whenever we walk through the heart of Chinatown.

We’re going to check out City Island tonight and then we’re headed to Hudson tomorrow–should be fun! Hope you have a great weekend! Happy Mother’s Day!