Spring Has Sprung!

I don't think I need to remind my readers how much I enjoy the changing of the seasons.  And honestly, I used to think that spring time was anti-climactic when measured up against the other seasons.  I mean, it's a season where the timing is decided by a fat rodent who may or may not be afraid of his own shadow, and I feel like it's the shortest season of all.  And for some people, springtime is characterized by days and days of  pouring rain.  But even though we had a mild winter this year, spring has been absolutely beautiful and I've developed a new found appreciation for the season of showers and flowers for a few reasons. 

1.  Full Bloom -Watching entire streets bloom with flowers brings an element of nature to New York city that almost makes you forget that you're in the middle of a concrete jungle.  Parks and sidewalks all over the city are littered with blooming trees, tulips, daffodils and fluffy purple flowers.  The colors are unbelievable, and even the barest trees are starting to show signs of budding.  My daily walk through Madison Square Park is full of the most vibrant pinks, purples, and reds that you ever did see!

2.  "Fashion shows" - Ok, so it's not THE NY Fashion Week, but the first day of the year where you can walk outside without wearing tights and boots is one of the best feelings I never knew about until these past few years.  When that day comes where you can talk on  your cell phone without having to have gloves on your hands, or when your morning time routine isn't delayed by how long it takes to put on scarves, hats, puffy coats, it's an amazing amazing feeling.  Springtime is marked by the departure of dark black coats, in favor of pastels and floral prints.  It's a beautiful display of colorful, flowy clothing, instead of the winter uniform of black and neutrals.  Chunky boots are ditched for those flats and pumps you have kept in storage for the past few months.  .  Which leads me to my next favorite thing about Spring....

3.  More Closet Space!! -  Winter clothes just take up too much damn room.  Sweaters are so bulky and cumbersome, and New York closets are not conducive to accommodating several pairs of boots. Packing all my winter attire away for the spring/summer cleared out an unbelievable amount of room in my closet.  And more room in my closet only means one thing....I can go shopping!

4.  Daylight savings - The first week of daylight savings is a pain...losing an hour of sleep isn't something that I adjust very well to, but it's worth it if you can muscle through the mornings because it means an extra hour of sun!  Even though I'm not leaving work any earlier, there is something about getting home while the sun is still up that lifts your spirits significantly.  And there is a lot more you can do outside with an hour more of sunlight.

5.  Baseball season - The arrival of spring means the start of baseball season!  Ok, maybe it's not the most exciting sport to watch on TV, but it makes my heart smile to think about leaving work a little early to enjoy a cold one and a hot dog on a warm summer evening.  Or trekking out to the ballpark with a group of friends to sit in cheap seats so that we can enjoy each other while enjoying a little bit of New York Yankees baseball.

6.  Happy New Yorkers - Much like the mad dash to bust out spring time clothes, I love the first nice day of the year, where New Yorkers appreciate being able to spend as much time as possible outside again after 4 months of hiding from the cold.  As a Californian, I took advantage of how consistently beautiful it was while I lived there, no matter what the season.  But something I love about New York is how UNIVERSALLY THRILLED everyone is when we have beautiful weather.  No beautiful day goes unnoticed.  It's the only time in the city of Manhattan where hands down, EVERYONE is happy.  And for a bunch of New Yorkers to ALL be in a good mood???  That's very rare.

7.  Outdoor Seating - This is a seasonal thing, not a permanent thing out here.  So when you start to see restaurants extending their square footage by adding some patio tables, iiiiiit's springtime!

Yes, I have itchy eyes, and yes, I pretty much have a permanent sinus headache during April and May.  But it's the changing of the seasons, and it's a beautiful thing.  And springtime is extremely underrated considering all the joy it brings to the folks who can open up their windows and get some fresh air without freezing to death.  And unfortunately, I feel like its the shortest month (damn groundhog!) because true spring seems to last only from the time between Easter and Memorial Day weekend.  So enjoy some vitamin D, and open up your windows folks because in a few short weeks, we'll all be longing for a nice cool breeze!!!!