Last Saturday Al and I (and Austen) drove up to New York to see Christo's Gates. We'd planned to go on the 19th, but none of us got enough sleep the night before to make the trip worthwhile. (We learned our lesson about traveling too far afield when we're exhausted back in January, when we journeyed down to Maryland so I could get my hair cut.)

As it turned out, the week's delay allowed a fresh coat of snow to fall, providing a beautiful blank backdrop for the orange art. (OK, OK—saffron.) Christo and Jean-Claude knew what they were about when they picked the month of February for the installation.

I should back up a bit and mention that it was Al's idea to go; although I love sculpture and photography and have been known to visit museums with friends, I'm not particularly knowledgeable about (or, I suspect, adequately appreciative of) art in general. Like most people, however, I know what I like; whether anyone else would call it art kind of doesn't matter to me.

I probably would have walked over to Central Park to see the gates if I lived in New York, but it hadn't occurred to me to travel up there from Philadelphia until Al suggested it. It seemed like a fun adventure, and more manageable than driving to Maryland (Philadelphia is only 80 miles from New York City), so I agreed. I suggested we drive, since it would be less expensive and we'd have more control over the timing of our trip (and our pit stops).

As it turned out, we only had to pay $2 for parking because we found a spot on the street. (The two-hour time limit was perfect for us.) With gas and tolls the whole trip probably cost about $25—and it was so worth it. The gates were more impressive in person than I'd imagined they would be, and getting to experience them as a family was so much fun.

Launch The Gates