New York: The Bronx Botanical Gardens

Staci may not have loved her excursion to the Bronx in college, but my recent trip to the home of Yankee Stadium has me rethinking the borough. On a whim one recent Saturday, Mike and I decided to check out the new Frida Kahlo exhibit at the NY Botanical Gardens. Though I'd been through the Bronx via train, I'd never actually explored any of it. After an easy 20-minute train ride from Grand Central, we arrived at the gardens and set out to explore the grounds. And man, were they vast. Luckily, they have a tram that takes visitors on a guided tour with prerecorded narration that tries so hard not to repeat the word "forest" that they started calling the grounds a "tree collection." That was pretty much the highlight of the guided tour. 

My favorite part, besides the small Frida exhibit, was the conservatory. I LOVED every room. They have the most unique micro environments which change depending on season. The lotus flowers in the courtyard pools were absolutely beautiful as were the tropical rainforest and desert-scapes. For the Frida exhibit, they even recreated the exterior of Casa Azul which gave me a whole new appreciation for Frida, how she lived, and where her inspiration came from. 

We happened to go on "¡Viva la Frida!" day so there were a bunch of awesome Frida-themed activities like an all-female mariachi band, a Frida look-a-like contest and a flower crown-making station which made everyone in the garden look extra festive. For the duration of the exhibit, they have a film series, textile demonstrations, and Mexican-themed cuisine at the restaurants and food trucks (oh hey, margaritas!). It runs through November 1, so be sure to check it out if you're in the area!

I don't think that the Botanical Gardens is a true representation of the entire borough, but it definitely made me want to visit the Bronx again and see what else it has to offer.

-Jen