A Day in the Park

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Text by Alex Marashian     Photos by Rainer Hosch

A DAY IN THE PARK

New York. Where does one even start in a city so vast, so storied, so diverse? At the center, of course — Central Park. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, America’s great 19th Century landscape architect, and first opened to the public in 1859, Central Park is more than 4 kilometers long (from 59th to 110th Streets) and almost one kilometer wide (from Fifth Avenue to Central Park West). It covers some 843 acres of land at the very heart of Manhattan and some of the most valuable real estate (about a half a trillion dollars’ worth, by one estimate) in the world.

Despite its quintessentially urban location, however, Central Park contains natural woods, a 106-acre reservoir, a zoo and a wildlife sanctuary. It attracts more than 200 kinds of birds. But the most fascinating species by far that you’ll find here is the human. The park plays host to New Yorkers, tourists and New Yorkers who cater to tourists, whether by selling them hot dogs, taking them for horse-drawn carriage rides or impersonating Michael Jackson. In all, some 25 million people visit Central Park each year, so the possibility of unexpected encounters runs high — especially if you’re with Richard Frinier.

Widely referred to in the industry as the “King of Outdoor Furniture”, Richard has excelled in a wide range of styles, from classic to contemporary. He was DEDON’s first big league designer (he started working with us in the late 1990s), and his out-of-this-world ORBIT lounger (2004) — a favorite with celebrities from Brad Pitt to star footballer Michael Ballack — is the jewel in his crown. More than just a pretty piece of furniture, the ORBIT is a platform for bringing people together. So when we found out Richard was going to be in New York at the same time we were, we decided to drag him — and an ORBIT — along to Central Park.

Just as we expected, the reaction to the ORBIT was swift and strong. If Richard had any    hesitations about appearing alongside his most famous creation, he quickly overcame them. Indeed, as the day proceeded, it was all we could do keep up with the two of them. Things started out calmly enough, with Richard and the ORBIT posing on the rocks near the 57th Street entrance, but quickly picked up speed as we set up in the tunnel under a bridge by Calvert Vaux, blocking the way of joggers and generally making a merry nuisance of ourselves.

Next stop was the Central Park baseball diamond. But Richard and the ORBIT weren’t content merely to sit in the bleachers, oh no. Before you knew it, the two of them had installed themselves behind home plate, with Richard calling strikes and the ORBIT catching stray curve balls and sliders. From here, it was only a short walk to the park’s famous tree-lined promenade. A contemplative Richard at first seemed unsure about whom to accost, but before long, this resident of Southern California was reeling in New Yorkers left and right.

Richard’s next act was sitting in with a jazz trio — playing drums, of course — while the ORBIT sat in for the drummer’s stool. But after collecting $2.73 from sympathetic passersby, we were off again, this time for an old bandshell, where local skateboarders had some fun with the ORBIT, and Richard performed some fine kickflips (not pictured here). Clearly, man and lounger were unstoppable. So it’s really not our fault that, a few minutes later, the two were breakdancing with the B-Boys on a broad overpass near the 72nd street entrance.

As the crowds gathered and the grooves turned funkier, we knew this wasn’t going to end nicely. It’s probably a good thing that the police stepped in when they did. Richard, for his part, didn’t seem the least bit remorseful as the NYPD, New York City’s finest, slipped on the handcuffs. After all, is it really such a crime to have a good time? The DEDON ORBIT meanwhile, had reaffirmed what we always knew to be true: it’s a definite crowd-pleaser, always up for some fun, always ready to be taken for a spin.

Thanks, New York, for making us feel right at home on our first day. And thanks, NYPD, for letting Richard go free.