I try to make it back to New York at least once a year, usually for events, this time my epic High School reunion. I often travel solo but this time my companion was my nine-year-old. There was so much I wanted to share with him and narrowing down our plans was painful…and true to how I roll, the best things happened serendipitously.

We walked by the West 4th Street Courts just a block from my mom’s apartment, a famous spot where Lew Alcindor played before becoming the great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, an iconic public court where legions of other basketball greats have shot hoops over the years. Tucked in the the back are handball courts — I had forgotten about the New York obsession with the game. A tiny pinky ball, perhaps a glove and a wall, that’s all that’s needed. The sport, now called “American Handball”, is a big draw for beach goers, but as I traveled the city I was surprised to see so many courts in every borough. My son was fascinated and wanted to play. A player at W. 4 Street let him on the court to give it a try and he was smitten. The guy even gave him a ball — I LOVE NY.

He promptly lost it and I promised to buy him a ball and play with him, as I have fond memories of playing at Jones Beach, Florida and around town as a kid. In fact, we used to just play against the wall next to my mom’s apartment, which is now a a deluxe condo.

We didn’t seem to pass any sporting goods stores and the Woolworths and Lamstons of my youth have been taken over by Duane Reade drugstores and Chase Bank buildings. So the next day, as we came up from the subway, I decided, on a whim, to see if the local newsstand next to the courts might, per chance, sell them. I’m not sure what inspired me to think that was possible, but for two-dollars, the kid got a handball and thus the highlight of his trip began. We checked out a few courts and he carried his ball with him each day.

A visit to Coney Island with the cousins and a glorious walk on the boardwalk found this handball hotspot in Brighton Beach, perfect with the pink flowers framing the gritty urban court. I reveled in the moment remembering all those years ago, a time when NYC was hurting, crime was out of control and yet people congregated on stoops, listened to music together on boom boxes and the hardcore handball fanatics were part of the pulse of the city.

We stopped at Tatiana’s, a Russian cafe in Brighton Beach. The Nathans of my youth was still recovering from Hurricane Sandy, but after losing everything in the storm, Tatiana’s was up and running again. It felt like we were on the Black Sea or somewhere in Europe, not much English spoken and many families out for a Sunday stroll. We parked ourselves in the cafe and ordered strudel and tea and studied the crowd. We were clearly outsiders, despite my part Russian heritage, but once the piping hot tea and scrumptious cherry strudel arrived I was in heaven. The less than stellar Soviet style service was part of the experience. A walk down the High Street of Surf Avenue unveiled more treasures, a terrific little shop where I bought Armenian sour cherry jam, Hungarian salami and the Russian bread I love. On the street, a vendor sold what looked like Russian pirozhki, but when I tried to confirm the name I was met with much sourness. We bought cabbage, pork, spinach and cherry; it’s great how the sweet and savory co-mingle. They were a tad greasy, but for $1.50 each was a meal.

We climbed onto the elevated subway track laden with our purchases as the stunning spring light made the grimiest steel sparkle. The ride back was quick and edifying. I was captivated by the multi-ethnic faces and so many languages filling the car. It made me want to move back to New York.

I, for one, can never get enough of winter fun. Living in San Francisco, a trip to the mountains is easy but requires some planning and often ice skating indoors has to satisfy my cravings.

In Ottawa, Ontario, workers and students can ice-skate commute (skammute?) on the Rideau Canal Skateway. The 4.8-mile-long, 26-foot-wide frozen canal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Visitors can rent skates, and warm up spots, cafes and other amenities dot the route. It is of course a popular tourist attraction and the centerpiece of Winterlude, a three-week-long winter festival including ice sculptures, skate clinics and Snowflake Kingdom, a snowy playground wonderland.

The world’s largest naturally frozen ice rink has been open for more than 40 years. The average length of the skating season is 50 days. The Rideau Canal skate season typically runs from December to mid March. Some years it is extended to as much as 95 days and you can check ice conditions daily. Moms pushing strollers mingle with commuters and school kids, making rush hour a busy affair on the ice. It gets cold in Ottawa and many insist a packet of tissues is mandatory to fend off the runny noses. Some prefer hockey skates, others speed skates or figure skates. Canadians are of course big ice enthusiasts!

Ottawa, Canada’s capital, is home to some great museums, imposing structures and fine restaurants welcoming an international diplomatic core. If you’re like me and love the idea of a long outdoor skate, Ottawa might be calling.

A recent New York Times Fashion & Style article explores the trajectory of the sport given the cultural craze. From Staten Island to San Francisco, sales of kid-size recurve bows have more than quadrupled this year!

Whether you have a Robin Hood fan, a small Cossack (a kid into ancient weaponry) or you just love fun, free, urban family activities, you’ve got to check out the Golden Gate Park Archery Range in San Francisco when you’re visiting the city. It’s a beautiful and well-maintained piece of park real estate, near the beach. It’s easy to park and accessible by public transportation. It’s always open for folks with their own archery equipment. If you’re looking to try it out as an activity, you can swing by the nearby Archery Pro Shop, where you can sign up for lessons, rent or buy bows or investigate other equipment. You can also buy bows and arrows on-line.

Many folks first try out the sport at summer camp. My kids got a taste of it at Camp Mather, the San Francisco family camp, located near Yosemite, that is beloved by many city families. The setup at Mather was low-tech and we had a blast. We invested in bows and arrows and started learning about the sport.

The next summer on a visit to my in-laws’ home in a somewhat rural area on four acres on Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula, we built our own archery range. We bought a bale of hay for $8 at a local Feed Store and my kids made a target out of a giant poster board.

You do need space and oversight. Archers need to be at least 5-6 years old or have exceptional dexterity and listening skills. The range etiquette is vital, as safety is paramount.

On a recent, glorious, fall afternoon, with perfect pumpkin light, we made a family outing to the range in Golden Gate Park. There were quite a few free targets. Three other parties were there and the mood was genial. One guy handed out cards for another range down the coast near Pacifica, wanting to make sure we all knew about it (archery buffs are quite passionate about their sport).

There are often Community College and other classes held at ranges, so check out local options. We spent about an hour; all shot a few rounds, and the kids left with smiles across their faces and rosy cheeks.

There are the famous routes to Coit Tower where one can catch a glimpse of the Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, and the now famous Mosaic Stairs in Golden Gate Heights. Although not as crowded as say, Lombard (the crookedest street in the west), these top stairwalks can be bustling.

Instead, grab Adah Bakalinsky’s stairwalk bible, now in it’s 20th edition, and explore some of the more quirky areas. The book offers up the popular routes, but many of the stairways highlighted are tranquil spots, used only by locals and known only to a handful of people. Most walks take no more than an hour and string a number of staircases in a neighborhood together, with informative descriptions of the history, architecture and flora and fauna of the area.

Together, families can explore the nooks and crannies of this great city. My family often decides on a route and picks a restaurant or café in the area to make our ultimate destination. Avid hikers, we love to take our boys on treks outside the city, often inspiring them with treats or the prospect of counting banana slugs. Some days however, we just can’t get out of town, but want an outdoor activity that feels like a hike. Then we reach for our stairwalk book and pack a few snacks and layers of clothing.

One time it was dumping rain and each with an umbrella in tow, we geared ourselves up for the urban adventure. With each stairwalk we discover unique and unusual surprises, including hummingbirds, caterpillars, amanita muscaria mushrooms, blackberries, glorious flowers in bloom, secret cottages with magical gardens, never-before-seen views, maniacal exercisers and even a friendly kitty who followed us for blocks.

Most of these walks can be accessed by MUNI or BART (public transportation) and all can be great activities for out of town guests and spry grandparents.  Many walks include benches or vista spots where one can catch one’s breath. These stairwalks are particularly great options when kids are portable, either in backpacks or frontal carriers. Take photos of your stairwalk and add them to a Flickr pool.

Here are a few of our recent favorites:

Telegraph Hill: The popular Filbert and Greenwich Street staircases leading up to Coit Tower.

Highlights: Gardens full of roses and irises and trees filled with the loud and colorful wild parrots and views of the Bay Bridge. At the top visit Coit Tower!

Begin the walk at: (down) Telegraph Hill Blvd and either Filbert or Greenwich streets; (up) Sansome Street at Filbert or Greenwich.

Upper Market: The Saturn and Vulcan stairways lead through the residential neighborhood above the Castro district.

Highlights: Quirky cottages where residents share a stairway with no street access and views of the city streets below. Look for a giant statue-less pedestal.

Begin walk at: Levant Street near Lower Terrace.

Mt. Davidson: Covered with eucalyptus forest, Mt. Davidson is the highest point in San Francisco at 927 feet and the site of the controversial mammoth Easter cross. In 1997, the cross was purchased for $26,000 by The Council of Armenian American Organizations of Northern California, which placed a bronze plaque at the base memorializing the victims of the 1915 Armenian genocide. Sadly, there are often beer bottles and trash around the place since certain locals take advantage of the isolated park.

Highlights: Views of the city, a real sense of wilderness, blackberry bushes, wildflowers and the cross at the top! It can be muddy in the rainy season, so wear good hiking shoes.

Begin walk at: The bus stop (at the junction of Dalewood and Lansdale) and head up the unsigned but obvious trail.

Civilized cafes have sprouted up and scary bathrooms are well lit and clean, even the carousel seems perkier. Just a few years ago I took my kids on it, and an ex-con type was running the controls. The merry-go-round went so fast I feared my toddler son would fly off.

The most amusing sights were the hordes of European travelers delighted by the squirrels. Those cute/disease-ridden vermin are everywhere and groups of Italians and French were giddy as they attempted to photograph the creatures as they scampered up the trees. The true New Yorker in me came out as I approached a German mom who was letting her 10-year-old feed one. I told her they carried diseases and not to get too close. As I walked away I chuckled at myself…you can take the girl outta New York but you can’t take New York outta the girl.

April in New York City can be dicey weather-wise. Stupidly, I packed sandals and had to borrow boots. Somehow I forgot how much walking one does in the Big Apple and how much I enjoy it. Two long treks through Central Park were magical. Struck by the abundance of flowers, my mom explained that a wealthy Dutch person had donated millions of bulbs to the city post 9/11. It is an amazing sight and has inspired many New Yorkers to plant their own bulbs.  Here is more about the project from the New Yorkers for Parks site:

For nearly a decade, the Daffodil Project, a living memorial to the events of September 11th, 2001, has been a citywide effort to beautify every neighborhood by planting daffodils. Led by New Yorkers for Parks, and in cooperation with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, this annual volunteer project serves as a living memorial to the victims of 9/11, a symbol of remembrance and an act of rebirth that engages New Yorkers in the revitalization of their communities.

The project began when Dutch bulb supplier Hans van Waardenburg of B&K Flowerbulbs pledged to donate 500,000 daffodil bulbs to New York City as a sign of support following the attacks on 9/11. B&K Flowerbulbs continued to donate hundreds of thousands of bulbs for the first 8 years of the project. New Yorkers for Parks is committed to continuing the vision of the Daffodil Project by raising funds to purchase and distribute the bulbs.

Each fall, New Yorkers for Parks distributes hundreds of thousands of daffodil bulbs to New Yorkers in all five boroughs. The bulbs are free to anyone who commits to planting them in a park or public space. The Daffodil Project is one of the largest volunteer efforts in the history of New York City. To date, over 20,000 New Yorkers have participated in this living memorial.
Since the project’s inception, 4 million daffodils have been planted throughout New York City. Due to the tremendous support and interest in this project, Mayor Bloomberg named the daffodil the official flower of New York City in 2007.

It is also cherry blossom season, here in San Francisco, in our nation’s capital and of course in Japan, a rite of spring and a life-affirming, annual natural event. As I wheeze through the days full of blooms and pollen I stop to think about the brutality and generosity of what we call Mother Nature.

Traditional custom this time of year in Japan is to picnic under the cherry blossoms with friends and family. Sake, poetry and karaoke often accompany a spread of bountiful treats. This year though, as the country mourns, many are avoiding conspicuous consumption and opting to forgo the annual ritual, or to tone it down considerably. The elderly mayor of Tokyo has erected signs to ask residents to avoid the spring fun as a show of solidarity for those suffering in the northeast of the country. Mother Nature, or the force in nature, whatever you want to call it, can be so cruel and so glorious. The cherry blossoms are beautiful, fleeting, and fragile…like life itself. There is poignancy this year, but certainly the pink blossoms offer a small glimmer of hope, that life goes on.

The High Line, an elevated garden built on an old freight railroad line, runs through Chelsea and the Meat Packing district, which, like most of Manhattan, is now upscale. When I was growing up, this area was treacherous, true meat packing was going on as well as other nefarious activities. Today, the neighborhood is bustling with fancy shops and the new High Line is a treasure to behold.

Initially built in 1934, the raised tracks fell into disrepair when the last train ran in 1980. Two locals from the neighborhood spearheaded the renovations, and with cooperation and money from the city, the newly renovated High Line opened to the public a year ago. The plantings are wild and yet beautifully landscaped, with gardeners working daily.

My visit on a muggy June day was literally a breath of fresh air. The views of the city are so different, looking down a street from upon high. There are wooden chaise longues to recline and take in some sun, a small café and a new water element under construction.  The day I was there, it was a mix of locals and tourists, lots of moms with strollers…I even caught a glimpse of a butterfly resting on the grasses. There are plans to extend the High Line to 30th Street.

If you are making a visit to NY I highly recommend a trip there and if you are hankering for some nibbles, head to the Chelsea Market nearby where you can find everything from scrumptious lobster bisque to the most outrageous baked treats.

The diehard Villagers still have a huge voice in the politics of the neighborhood. The park is a landmark, 10 acres in size and nearly 200 years old. It has seen hangings, burials, countless graduations, generations of kids, dogs, joggers, seniors, and drug dealers—you name it, it has happened in THE PARK, as I called it growing up on its West side.

I can recall tagging along with my dad as he went to hear the musicians in the Seventies on sunny weekends. All I wanted to do was get to the playground and the sprinklers but we had to listen to a few songs. We’d chat with the winos and bums; this was before homelessness, when the local wino knew me by name. I can still see the Good Humor Ice Cream Man and hear his cart bells. He wore a full uniform, a sweet old guy, who never failed to please the throngs of dirty kids on a hot summer day. With the first legitimate snow, a trip to the park was necessary on sleds or cross country skis.

Seasons were marked, big events celebrated, I can even trace the different phases of my life through the park. As a high school kid I spent hours, with my best friend, in our oversized men’s coats and scarves listening and swooning over one particular musician/ busker name “Zorki.” To this day when I hear the Traffic song Low Spark of High Heeled Boys, I get nostalgic for those days when time didn’t matter and listening to live music was my plan for the day.

So now the park is in the midst of a $16 million renovation. The plan is to create more green space and benches and update some of the features that were quite worn. The work is to be done in phases so the public can still enjoy parts of the park at any given time. The first phase is slated for completion in the spring of 2009.

The controversy comes from those who oppose moving the famous fountain, shrinking the public gathering spots and various other changes. Most of all, those who oppose the upgrades see the changes to be class oriented, a way to increase real estate values, please New York University and gentrify the quintessential concept of public space. Bloggers have taken to their laptops and sites have popped up on the internet with many New Yorkers chiming in.

At this time of year I always look forward to seeing the Christmas tree under the arch and remember caroling there so many times as a kid. I hear about the park drama often from my mom who still lives a block away. She is an active Villager, who has connections in the dog owning crowd and has been known to bang pots, with her cronies, to get the drug dealers to disperse. She appreciates how much creativity the park has inspired and worries the scene will change.

Our neighbor when I was growing up, who went on to write for SNL, Letterman, Seinfeld and the Simpsons, used to sit in the park with his partner dreaming up story lines. On any given day one can see jugglers, chess players, movie filming or people just hanging out enjoying the space.

I hope the park will retain its role as a democratic magnet, drawing people from all walks of life at all stages in life, from near or far. Change isn’t always easy, but I pray they keep the integrity and ethos of the park intact, and just spiff it up (a bit) so I can take my kids to hear music they won’t appreciate till they are older.