September 4, 2006
The Lake, Central Park
This is such a gorgeous spot in the park. Taken on Labor Day after a nice picnic, the Lake looks lovely and nicely populated. The Lake was originally created from a large swamp and, aside from the Reservoir to the north, it is the largest body of water on the island of Manhattan. For many years before Wollman Rink was created in 1951, the Lake served as a popular spot to ice skate in the winter. The Beresford apartments (211 Central Park West), seen in the background, features prominently on the cover of Claire Messud's new novel The Emperor's Children. This tri-turreted building was constructed in 1928 and designed by Beaux-Arts / Art Deco architect Emery Roth, who also designed the San Remo, another distinctive Central Park West building. Roth apprenticed at the Chicago offices of Burnham & Root where he worked as a draftsman for the World's Columbia Exposition of 1893.
