It's spring, and all the flowering trees are in bloom, which makes this the perfect opportunity to go to the Brooklyn botanical gardens (FREE on Tuesday) to see the biggest collection of cherry blossom plants outside of Japan. They were a gift from the Japanese government and are in bloom for a few short weeks a year.

It's well out into Brooklyn - prospect park to be exact, I thought I might visit the museum too but it's closed on a Tuesday.... I've got a visit scheduled for the first Saturday next month when it is FREE! So today it is all about the cherry blossoms - and they are beautiful. I'm not alone in my appreciation, there are multiple school groups visiting and taking class photos under the trees, and so many Asian visitors posing with the trees! They come in white and pink, and the most special variety of all is a willow version that drops cascading strings of flowers that blow in the wind. Mesmerizing. Then there are fields of daffodils and tulip patches.

The newly built visitors centre is a glass structure with a living roof. Inside is relatively empty at this point, like they are still figuring out what to do with the space.

Lunch is at Cheryl's global soul cafe - but it's more in brunch mode than soul mode, which was disappointing. I have never tried soul food before. The closest I could get was black bean and vegetable soup with half a sandwich, which was fine. All was forgiven as Cheryl the larger than life owner was onsite and kept everyone engaged in conversation, giving her two cents worth on every conversation. Lots of fun really! A guy who was moaning about his partner being hormonal got thoroughly dressed down!

I got off the subway in Times Square - you could not go to a more further extreme. Here everything is loud and fast and bright and manufactured. I came, I saw and I got out! The walk via the backstreets to grand central station took me past a glassed in vertical garden with wifi so I stopped and got caught up on emails etc. then did a spot of shopping on the way towards Murray hill - success - two coats! It can now rain and I am better prepared!