As New York City defrosts, it’s not just the tulips blooming — the city’s bursting back to life with something for everyone.
From poetic open mics to high-flying bird walks in Central Park, the five boroughs are buzzing with fresh, only-in-NYC ways to shake off the seasonal slumber.
Whether you’re sipping a “Melondrama” mocktail inspired by the Broadway hit “The Picture of Dorian Gray” at Lillie’s Victorian or spotting warblers with a naturalist on a sunset stroll in Central Park, these are some of the most unique options to help you hatch a plan this spring season.
Get back to nature
Flower power
From seed to table, let your sproutlings dig in and explore the great outdoors at the Queens Botanical Garden (43-50 Main St., Flushing) Spring Kids Programs.
Each weekend this spring, the outdoor festivities let little ones plant veggies, make art, cook up recipes and more — rain or shine — as they play, learn and make new friends.
Sessions run May 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25, 31 and June 1, 7 and 8. Tickets available via Eventbrite.
Have a wild time
Talk about tweet-worthy.
Bird lovers can flock to Central Park for a series of Spring Migration Walks led by noted urban naturalist Gabriel Willow.
On Wednesday evenings — May 14, 21 and 28 — Willow will guide groups through the park’s leafy, lush paths, pointing out everything from chirping warblers to blooming wildflowers. Expect bird calls, binoculars and plenty of fun facts about our feathered friends.
Meet at Central Park West; the exact location will be sent to ticket-holders. Tickets available via Eventbrite.
Feeling vine
Spring is Blooming at Rockefeller Center indeed.
A large-scale open-air art installation to welcome warm weather has opened at the iconic Midtown rink with floral illustrations from French artist Alexandre Benjamin Navet. But it’s not all sunshine and roses.
There will be poetry readings, children’s storybook readings, live painting and dance performances presented by Van Cleef & Arpels.
Now through May 18 with daily programming at Rockefeller Center.
Florals for spring — groundbreaking
Macy’s Flower Show is back for its 50th year, ready to help New Yorkers kick off Spring and transport them into a surrealist garden, all within the department store.
Thousands of plants and flowers from all over the world garnish the store floors, creating a “whimsical spring oasis.”
All told, there are 8,000 plants and 50,000 stems representing about 50 flower varieties in the Flower Show for the milestone year. It took more than 40 professionals — including landscape designers, florists, artists, horticulturists and event planners — and more than 1,300 hours to install this year’s show.
Macy’s executive producer Will Coss told The Post that the immersive experience “reflects the freedom and transformation found in nature, and the inherent beauty in living freely.”
This year, in honor of the 50th anniversary, the show has been extended to a three-week run through Sunday, May 18.
Top of the world
Take a sky-high dip (and a sip)
Marvel at the Empire State Building at The Pool Club at Virgin Hotel NYC (1227 Broadway), where loungers and cabanas can be booked daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. starting May 22.
Beat the heat with a dip in the pool, cool cocktails and light bites floating above the pedestrians in the middle of Midtown Manhattan.
Reservations available via Resort Pass.
Hold your head very high
Who knew a sip could help the planet?
At Monarch Rooftop (71 W. 35th St.), $1 of every $14 spent on a Green Monarch cocktail will be donated to The Nature Conservancy, supporting reforestation and environmental restoration efforts.
The spring- and summer-ready drink — made with vodka, kiwi, cucumber, arugula, lime, sparkling soda and a splash of elderflower — is served on the half-glass-encased, half-open rooftop in Midtown through May.
Kick-start your spring with art
A golden ticket
The Frick Collection (1 E. 70th St., Upper East Side) reopened its doors on April 17 after a five-year renovation and expansion, offering a fresh take on the Gilded Age mansion.
The stunning overhaul by Selldorf Architects has transformed the second floor into new gallery spaces, adding 25% more room for displays, while the newly created Stephen A. Schwarzman Auditorium below the garden boasts upgraded acoustics.
Special exhibition areas on the first floor, along with the restored Boucher Room — a private sitting space showcasing French Rococo art — enhance the Frick’s experience.
Hint of Klint
Swing by the Museum of Modern Art’s (11 W. 53rd St., Midtown West) latest exhibit, “Hilma af Klint: What Stands Behind Flowers,” for some truly groundbreaking florals. A newly unearthed trove of botanical drawings by the visionary Swedish artist is set to bloom at the MoMA’s Paul J. Sachs Galleries this spring.
The art exhibit, which will be on view from Sunday, May 11, through Sept. 27, features her never-before-seen Nature Studies portfolio, sketched in 1919 and 1920. The works spotlight her mystical take on Sweden’s flora, blending spirituality with science in a way only af Klint could.
You better Gogh, Gogh, Gogh!
Stroll through the New York Botanical Garden’s (2900 Southern Blvd., The Bronx) and immerse yourself in the new, massive show, “Van Gogh’s Flowers.”
Explore Post-Impressionist Vincent’s world through stunning floral displays and art inspired by his iconic paintings, with monumental sunflowers and living flower recreations. Come evening, don’t miss “Starry Nights” — a dazzling drone show, live music and cocktails under the stars. You’ll see the Dutch painter’s vision like never before when the show blooms from May 24 to Oct. 26.
Eat, drink and be cheery
The Mark Clam Bar at The Mark Hotel (25 E. 77th St.) is the latest collaboration to grow from Jean-Georges and Caviar Kaspia.
The glamorous spots have partnered to create a quintessential seafood shack right on the Upper East Side, serving oceanside favorites like fresh lobster rolls, oysters and clams with ritzy twists — namely, lots of caviar. Having debuted in late April, it’s now open for lunch and dinner daily from noon to 10 p.m. through the season.
This breakfast is a late-night banger
Enjoy the warm nights with breakfast favorites all night long at A Pop-Up Called Pancakes at S&P Lunch (174 5th Ave., Flatiron District).
The late-night event transforms a classic NYC lunch counter into a cozy hangout serving craft cocktails — including the Ants on a Log (with Jack Daniels, peanut butter, celery and raisin) — plus wine and beer. Also on the menu: playful bites — with pancakes, naturally, taking center stage.
Cocktail veterans Izzy Tulloch and Danielle De Block are bringing a delicious, new pop-up to life every weekend from May 2 to June 1 from 7 p.m. until midnight.
No phone signal here
Leave your phone at home if you plan to check out Brooklyn’s newest nightclub.
Signal, set to open in East Williamsburg on May 10, has a strict no-phone policy a la European nightclubs, so you’ll finally get that break from TikTok you keep promising yourself.
It’s a welcome addition given most NYC after-dark venues have shuttered — just don’t expect the exterior, which looks like a dilapidated shack, to appear so welcoming.
In addition to underground dance music — Signal will also have an outdoor garden and Spanish tapas for hungry clubgoers.
Tickets, available at Resident Advisor, start at $11. 175 Morgan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11237
You’ll get the ‘Picture’
Escape the Midtown mayhem this spring and step into the lush, bygone world of Lillie’s Victorian Establishment (249 W. 49th St.). The ornate restaurant has teamed up with “The Picture of Dorian Gray” on Broadway — now starring Sarah Snook — for a limited-edition “Dorian Collection” of drinks and decor.
On the menu: Dorian Gray’s Tonic, Sinful Sangria, the Eternal Sip and a mocktail called Melondrama, all served in surroundings so decadent, Oscar Wilde would certainly raise a glass.
