Springtime has been more than a bit of a tease. A lukewarm day here, a shock of tiny purple crocus there, but still we awake to the clang of the radiator on a cold morning, the sound of cars on a wet street, sunrise hidden behind an overcast sky. Exhausted with waiting for spring, I picked up my camera and went in search of her at five cultural hot spots in NYC.
I found her over an early morning café au lait on the terrace facing the Palisades at Wave Hill, and later sat with her by a wall of bamboo in the garden of The Noguchi Museum. At Socrates Sculpture Park, her trademark daffodils were scattered under an odd little grove of trees. She peeked at me from behind a flowering magnolia at the New York Botanical Garden and sent up a strong missive of cherry blossoms on the esplanade at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, just enough to hint at the riot of blooms and Sakura Matsuri festival to come.
Tonight, I sit in my apartment and again listen to cars on wet streets. I am reminded of the old adage about March coming in like a lion and going out like a lamb. I am impatient, but I know she is out there, working her magic. In the meantime, I’ll have another café au lait.
How to get there: Click on each destination’s link for specific directions via alternative modes of transportation.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram