July Fourth

Yesterday was Independence Day in America! I spent Fourth of July in New York last summer, caught in a sea of people to watch the annual fireworks. This was my second Fourth of July in New York, but this time I did things a little differently.

I headed to Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens to meet some friends from Times Square Church for a picnic. It was a perfect day for a picnic in the park, as thousands of other New Yorkers and tourists set up their spots on the grass and proceeded to grill meat on their portable stoves, blast cheery music from their radios and watch their children chase each other around the trees.

 The Wikipedia Globe 

It felt great to enveloped in nature again, to sit beneath shady trees and indulge in the various delicacies prepared by some talented church members while basking in summer's glory. I had a mix of pasta, fried rice, potato and egg salad, and baked mac&cheese. Needless to say, everything was spectacular!

Jon & I 

We ended our picnic with a round of praise and worship. The surrounding people looked at us in amusement, wondering why 30+ young adults were singing praises in the middle of the park. 

The evening ended beautifully and I left to attend a rooftop party in Manhattan to catch the fireworks. Unfortunately, my phone died just before the fireworks erupted, so I wasn't able to get any shots of the show. The fireworks were gorgeous, though. I wish I could have recorded the whole thing.