Vesuvio's Cache Traditional Cache
New York Admin: No response from owner places me in a position where I must archive this cache. Geocaches archived for lack of maintenance or non-communication can not be unarchived.
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(micro)
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The cache is a micro. It is accessible even when the park is closed. Be mindful of your surroundings. I put the extra 1/2 star of difficulty only because the area is a bit muggle heavy. Bring your own pen/pencil.
Geocaches cover many NYC neighborhoods, but this area seemed to be overlooked. So I thought it would be a good place to locate my first cache….bringing you to the neighborhood of SoHo.
This cache has found a home in the popular and well-appointed Vesuvio Playground, which boasts a few notable historical points -- both in its namesake, and in its frequent use as a movie locale, e.g., the paddleball court where Tom Hanks and John Heard had it out in "Big.” It was in a recent episode of "Girls," as well as being featured in “Third Watch.” Ben from “Felicity” worked off his frustrations in its basketball court. It stands across from a pizzeria, the setting of a memorable scene from "Men in Black 2,” as well as a scene from “Sex in the City” in which Carrie blots the grease from her slice while Miranda mulls over her pregnancy. In fact, when searching for the cache, there's a small chance you may see a film crew in action in or around the playground.
The park is named in honor of a local bakery, and its former owner, Greenwich Village legend Anthony Dapolito. Dapolito was a community activist, serving on the City’s Community Board 2 for 52 years, and was Chairman of his Board’s Parks Committee. He was a champion of establishing and protecting parks, playgrounds, and those precious and few places of quiet respite in the City. He was instrumental in the 1950’s “Save the Square” campaign, which after a seven year battle squashed the City’s plan to run a freeway through Washington Square Park. Three years before Dapolito’s death, community members lobbied to name the park in honor of Dapolito, but this proved impossible because of an esoteric rule requiring City parks and playgrounds to be named only after the dead or the inanimate. In light of this, the park was named for Dapolito’s bakery.Dapolito’s parents, Neapolitan immigrants, opened the bakery in 1920, naming it after the Naples volcano (Mount Vesuvius...Vesuvio in Italian). When he was 5 years old, Dapolito started his career delivering bread at the bakery. Tip: If you wish to combine this find with a day of site-seeing in SoHo, it is much more pleasant to explore on weekdays and in the mornings. Weekends in SoHo can be crowded with shoppers and tourists, and the streets quickly become claustrophobic. You might want to celebrate your cache find with a treat from local bakeries, Pizzerias, and other various local eateries.
Happy Caching.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
uvqqra xrlf