This week I decided to take advantage of Saturday's perfect weather and dedicate all the posts to a few choice Manhattan parks. Enjoy!

While stunning in its own right, it seems that Madison Square Park isn't so much defined by what's in it than by what's around it. Though certainly not as densely-packed with skyscrapers as the financial district or midtown, the number of iconic buildings which surround this humble 7-acre patch of grass is rather startling.

While the Flatiron building on the southwest corner may the best most famous amongst visitors, many locals more closely associate the park with the Met Life Tower & its massive (26.5 ft. in diameter) clock faces.  After being renovated in 1964, much of the original ornate renaissance-inspired detailing was removed or covered up by a new limestone facade. If you look at old photos of the tower you can see there seems to be a bit more going on than what we see today. In recent years it's been particularly well-known for being illuminated at night in a manner similar to the Empire State Building.

Also visible from the park are the New York Life Building – something that's hard to miss thanks to its gilded top – as well as the brand new One Madison Park, a sleek and slender condo development which rivals the Met Life Tower in height, but not elegance. Regardless what one may think of the new building, it undoubtedly continues the trend of bringing unique architecture to Madison Square.

The Park itself is usually rather serene with the exception of Shake Shack, which would have a line running down 23rd Street at 4 in the morning on a Tuesday in December if only it were open that late...or in the winter for that matter. However, the day I picked to visit also happened to be the Sikh Cultural Street Festival - so the park was overflowing with energy and colorful garments. Unfortunately for the hundreds (or thousands) who had gathered, the park had yet to open its large center lawn which forced everyone to the crowded pathways.

The park is well-known for hosting different art projects each year wich range from simple and sculptural to more conceptual; such as this year's Event Horizon installation. Event Horizon consists of 31 life-sized figures designed by Antony Gormley which sit around the neighborhood and on top of many buildings near the park. If you look closely you can see the figures staring down at you from above. It's like a big neighborhood-wide easter egg hunt.

While beautifully landscaped (originally by William Grant and Ignatz Pilat- who has ties to Olmstead who was responsible for Central Park), the park still feels rather bland in comparison to other green space around the city. Overall it simply feels flat and predictable. Whereas other parks – such as Carl Schurz Park, which I talked about yesterday – lend themselves to a sense of discovery and unrestrained nature, Madison Square Park feels like an afterthought with a few pathways brought in for good measure.

As you head west from Gramercy Park, this stretch of 20th Street begins to change from over from the close-knit feeling of the previous neighborhood to the shopping-crazed feeling of the next. With a myriad of shopping opportunities and restaurant options, this block fits right in with it's neighbors to the north and south. A bike lane runs across the entire length, essentially limiting the street to one narrow lane and two lanes for parking. Like 18th Street, covered on Tuesday, the tall buildings here create for a canyon effect - something I don't normally feel anywhere except the Financial District

One of the more notable buildings on this street, the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site sits nestled in the center of the block. While the 26th President was indeed born on this site in 1858, this is not the original house – it was demolished in 1916. The structure that stands here today was built three years after the fact as a faithful recreation. It's apparently furnished with many of the original pieces from the actual house. Now, I'm a big history fan however I'd have to pass on this one. Sorry National Park Service...but recreations just don't cut it...even 90-year-old recreations.

While I can't find any information as to whether or not the Flatiron District is protected from any new development (One Madison Park would seem to suggest otherwise), I'm always delighted to see blocks such as this one retain much of their original charm. Like many streets in the area, there's an overload of commercial space, including shops and restaurants. 

The street is narrow, there aren't many trees, and the buildings are tall – so there's a canyon-like quality here. In the middle of the block is FDNY Engine 14, which sits directly across from Rosa Mexicano (originally the America restaurant- from which the outside decor still has many of the original neon stars and other touches).

There's a very strange Barnes & Noble location on the 5th Avenue side of the block, which if I understand correctly is actually a subsidiary of the regular company. Operating as Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, the store shares little in common with it's more popular brethren. I've had some difficulty pinning down much more information other than it seems to be associated with The New School (which has several buildings in the area). I've been in the store in the past, and it seems to be more like Strand Bookstore (which is far more fun anyway) than B&N.