The High Line is Blooming With Spring-time Fun, Art, and Food!

April 23, 2014

The High Line is open year round, of course, but at this point, now that we've all been up there plenty of times, New Yorkers tend to leave the winter strolling to the tourists. But guess what? IT'S SPRING! Like most outdoor activities around town, suddenly walking the length of the park from 30th down to Gansevoort is a million times more appealing. Especially now that the High Line food vendors have all returned, serving up tacos, excellent coffee, juicy brisket and some of the city's best ice cream sandwiches. I made my way through the park last weekend, and here's what's new this year…

Construction and Renovations at High Line

The amount of construction going on at the High Line's north end, and heading into built-from-scratch Hudson Yards, is really quite extraordinary. That recently-empty lot where there was roller skating and a beer garden a couple of summers ago? A massive residential tower is now there, and with tenants! And there are at least three or four other buildings in various states of completion within a couple of blocks. Which, while not necessarily a pretty sight, is certainly quite a spectacle. Also, peak through the fence and you can see the progress they're making on the third and final phase of the High Line.

A New Art Exhibition Called Archeo

In addition to the usual springtime explosion of buds and blooms all up and down the High Line, a brand new art exhibition has also popped up, with sculptural pieces on display or tucked away at various points in the park. Called Archeo, and featuring works by an international group of seven artists, the show may not be as instantly crowd-pleasing as previous ones (the exception: Josh Kline's "Skittles", which is basically a refrigerated case of fresh-squeezed "juices" with some rather interesting ingredients), but it's still fun as you come across each one.

Plenty of New Food Vendors to Try

Speaking of fun, the lineup of food vendors is solid as always. There are three first-rate carts vying for your frozen-treat dollar this year:

La Newyorkina, with their Mexican paletas in flavors like Horchata and Mango-Chile
People's Pops, featuring freshly-shaved, intensely flavored ices;
Melt Bakery, whose ice-cream-and-cookie combos are an all-time favorite.

On the savory side of things:

Smokeline is back with brisket, pulled pork and smoked chicken sandwiches
Taco Truck also returns, featuring, obviously, tacos.
Blue Bottle Coffee, with their wonderful pour-overs and baked goods, is also on hand.

With the exception of La Newyorkina, all of the food is sold near 15th Street, and there are lots of tables and such under the building there in addition to all of the usual benches.