季節限定
IT’S SEASONAL
「紐約不是世界的中心。世界的中心就在你可以做你想做的事的任何地方。」
-Henry, 2016 年 4 月
“The center of the world is not New York. The center of the world is wherever you are able to do what you want.”
-Henry, April 2016
四季分明的紐約終於沒有再下雪，一覺醒來發現三月披着春天的氣息，陽光灑滿房間，窗外葱郁的繁枝茂葉有着蔚藍的天空作背景。走在路上發現街上的梨樹都開滿了小白花，我總是不自覺地掛上笑容，有著一種被大自然眷顧的欣喜。是春天，不是潮濕鬱悶的春天，而是陽光明媚的春天，帶來生氣與希望的春天。除了街上種遍了梨樹白花，公園都滿是海棠、紫荊、山楂樹、櫻花、木蘭花、杏花等，花卉的色調一致，整個城市像少女臉上的妝容，一片淡紅又一片粉白。舊式公寓牆身被藤蔓眷戀，庭園種滿鬱金香、百合，以及繡球花。有次經過 Bryant Park，望着圍繞四周的高大法國梧桐以及如織網般的翠綠樹梢，就這樣佇立著欣賞眼前景致好一個鐘，心房也得以綻放。
The winter snow has gone. New York, as a place that enjoys the well-marked seasons, has arrived with its spring look. I acknowledge this when I wake up one morning in March. The sunlight shines in through the window. I see green leaves with the blue sky as a backdrop. I walk down the street and find Callery Pear standing side by side, full blossoms of little white flowers. A smile spreads across my face spontaneously. I feel blessed by nature.
It is spring, not a gloomy and foggy spring; instead, a warm and bright spring. A spring that brings hope and life. Besides the blossoming little white flowers of Callery Pear, there are Crabapples, Eastern Redbuds, Hawthorns, Cherry Trees, Magnolias, and Almond trees also blooming. All flowers are in a similar tone of white and pink, like the colour of the cheeks of a young girl. Vines climb along the walls of houses, and front yards are planted with tulips, lilies and hydrangea. One time, I passed by Bryant Park looking up at the green net woven by the leaves from the surrounding tall London Planetrees. I just stood there and looked up for an hour, and my heart blossomed.
古人云，花開堪折直須折，看着路邊的花總有摘下的衝動，既然不該摘下路邊的花，就只好找個地方好好欣賞。一個星期六，我和同學相約到 Central Park 野餐。先在72街與Broadway交接的Trader Joe's採購食物。來自加洲的 Trader Joe’s 是我最喜愛的超級市場，大概也是紐約最受歡迎的超市。其價格親民，且自家品牌包裝復古精美。買了山核桃藍芝士沾醬、蔬菜條、餅乾、風乾火腿、火煎菜、水果，還帶了兩支玫瑰酒。從 Trader Joe’s 出來便向東走十分鐘到 Central Park，本想到 Sheep Meadow 的大草地，後知後覺，草坪每年四月至十月才開放，冬天月份則關閉作保養。所以我們隨意找了個草地，將羅野餐。
There is a saying in Chinese, “gather the blooming flowers while you may”. How could I not want to collect the beautiful flowers along the street? But instead of damaging the beautiful flower set up, I visit Central Park and enjoy its nature. I head off for a picnic with my classmates.
We first stop by Trader Joe’s at 72nd Street and Broadway. I guess the California supermarket chain Trader Joe’s is the most popular supermarket in New York, at least it is my favorite. Self-branded products are wrapped with a nice vintage style packaging, and at a friendly price. We pick up the pecan blue cheese dip, vegetable sticks, crackers, prosciutto, arugula, fruit, and two bottles of rosé.
From Trader Joe’s we take a 10-minute walk east and arrive at Central Park. I am sad to find out that Sheep Meadow is still closed for winter break and will only be open from April to October. So we randomly pick a green field nearby, and set up for the picnic. Since it’s prohibited to drink outdoors in New York, we hide our rosé in a paper bag and drink sneakily. Lying on the grass, we enjoy the afternoon with the sun shining on our skin until the sun sets and it gets cold.
來到四月，學期末的總評在整個星期陰雨連綿之中結束。似乎，我不該以為紐約的天氣總是如此放晴，況且，好與壞只不過是一種相對。Brooklyn Botanic Garden 大片櫻花盛開中，這場雨似乎還要下一個星期，不知道等晴天再次出現之時，櫻花盛放的季節會不會已經告一段落？
With April comes showers. The final week of school is sheltered with rain. Perhaps I shouldn’t presume there is always a blue sky in New York. Relatively good competes with relatively bad. It seems the rain is going to continue for one more week. When the sun comes back, will the sea of cherry blossoms in the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens still be in bloom? Or will the season be finished?
*Macau Closer 2016 May Issue Column 澳門特寫 2016年5月號專欄*
