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Photo: Courtesy of www.bkmag.com
With snow accumulating less than a week ago, it’s no surprise the entire east coast is celebrating and more importantly, shedding layers when temperatures hit a high of 50 degrees. The Spring equinox is officially 11 days away, but mother nature seems to have gotten a head start. The transition from Antarctic to tolerable happened pretty quickly, so let’s invite spring in just as fast.
Head to a garden. The Brooklyn and Bronx botanical gardens are of the biggest in the five boroughs. The Brooklyn botanical features desert and tropical exhibits with a beautiful Japanese hill and pond section, while the Bronx is currently featuring its two month long Orchid show. Many of us live in urban areas filled with apartments, so the closest you are to a living plant is pretty distant. However, attending a botanical garden is the next best thing. Seldom has anyone seen a real live plant recently and the sight of plants thriving is a great invitation to spring. More importantly, plants provide oxygen and combat airborne chemicals to help you breathe a little easier. So when you’re done, head to their gift shops and buy yourself a house plant to bring the spring aesthetics indoors.
Photo: Courtesy of www.timeout.com
Welcoming in spring also means throwing things away and the biggest offender is your closet. While it seems difficult to part with that maroon turtle neck sweater from last fall, odds are if you haven’t worn it in months, you probably won’t wear it again. The disposal of old clothing is an incentive to free up some hangers and of course, shop some more. But remember that not all your clothes need to hit the trash, the city is loaded with donation centers, Goodwill retailers, Salvation Army’s, and churches who’ll gladly take those items off your hands for a greater cause. Not much can top the feeling of helping out the less fortunate, so go and spend the day giving back to your community all the while, cleaning out the clutter. Try the Bowery Mission or the Goodwill located on 44 West 8th Street.
Odds are, if you weren’t at work or school, you were leaving body impressions into your couch while streaming Netflix this winter. There’s no greater motivation to welcoming in spring than to eat better and go on daily walks. In terms of exercise, head to the Chelsea Piers walkway or rent a Citi bike. Then, hit the farmers market. We recommend the Union Square Monday Greenmarket, open year round from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pick up some seasonal fruits that are native to the spring months such as honeydew, oranges, apricots, mangoes, and pineapple.
Photo: thestuddedlace.com.
Do something completely different to welcome in everyone’s favorite season. It could be as fun as going to a local garden or as simple as buying Essie’s new spring collection of nail polishes. Whatever your preference, the sooner you begin welcoming in Spring, the sooner you can forget this past year’s dreadful winter.
-By Yasmine Rimawi