You Must Remember This

A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous.  ~Ingrid Bergman

There may be no better setting to share one kiss, or many, than New York City.  Don't worry about public displays of affection. For the most part, New Yorkers are a hurried bunch who expect nothing and see plenty on any given day. They remain unfazed, even by the most blatant displays. And it would be a shame not to create a little drama of your own by stealing a kiss from a loved one in such a fabled landscape, a place that's appeared so often in films and on television that it has become an icon of requited love for so many. With that in mind, here are some suggestions for the best places to show your affection.

Feeling romantic? Who needs April in Paris when you can spend springtime in New York City? If you're lucky enough to find yourself in the city in May, head to Central Park, awash in blooms from swaths of daffodils to gloriously pale lilac clusters of wisteria in the Conservatory Garden. Hold hands with your beloved as you pass through the Vanderbilt Gate just off Fifth Avenue at 105th  St. Whether you stand directly beneath the flowering arch of thick, twisting branches or stroll beneath the alleés of crabapple trees showering blush colored petals, you'll feel as if you've stepped back into the Age of Innocence and the old New York of Edith Wharton and Henry James.

A walk down through the park to the Metropolitan Museum of Artoffers more possibilities for lovers in artful surroundings inspired by the glories of nature. The delicate colors and brushstrokes found in the Impressionist galleries may turn thoughts to things romantic, as might the artfully carved, marble perfection of the sculptures in the new Roman galleries. And the Temple of Dendur, with its carefully reconstructed stone chamber, offers a quiet nook in which to catch a quick kiss before moving on to explore more.

If you are still nostalgic for the romance of times past, head down Fifth Avenue to 44th Street and step into the Algonquin, the oldest operating hotel in the city. The Oak Room, with its low lights, dark paneled walls and shiny grand piano, is the epitome of the classic supper club; home to stellar cabaret talents and their equally stellar fans. Garbo and Hepburn won't have anything on you as you cozy up at a table laid with snowy linens and glittering silver. Clink your crystal and gaze into each other's eyes as the music from acclaimed bands and vocalists encourages you to get even closer.
 
Speaking of sitting in a cozy tête-à-tête, the French are as well-known for their cuisine as for the art of love, and a quintessential romantic dinner can be had at La Grenouille. Early each morning, flowers arrive by the truckload, ensuring that the entire room is bedecked in blooms, enhancing the decadence of red velvet seating, silk-lined walls and glossy maple ceilings. This is traditional French cuisine at its haute best, so wear your finest threads (or make some time to go shopping!) so you can be sure to look appropriately marvelous when you lean over and plant a sweet one on the lips of your companion.