In "Big Yellow Taxi," folksinger Joni Mitchell lamented, "They paved paradise and put up a parking lot." Upon visiting the newly christened Schenley Plaza in Oakland, one cannot help but think that for once, paradise fought back, in the form of a perfect little slice of urban greenspace built over a former parking lot between the Hillman and Carnegie Libraries in Oakland. The $10 million transformation from parking lot to park-like plaza was designed by Sasaki Associates and modeled on New York's Bryant Park.

This may be a sweet reward for various atrocities inflicted upon Oakland over decades: the tearing down of Forbes Field, construction of the Towers dorms, Johnny Majors' second stint at Pitt.

Even a Nittany Lion could appreciate the amenities: movable tables and chairs and a 1-acre lawn to put them on, small gardens for quiet conversations, wireless Internet access, a big tent for shelter and shade, restrooms, 24-hour security and even a carousel.

The carousel was inspired both by Schenley Park's long-vanished one at the corner of Panther Hollow and Greenfield roads and the one in Bryant Park. It holds 20 people, on 15 1950s-style animals or in a handicapped-accessible chariot and a spinning tub suitable for small children and their parents. Carousel rides are $1.25 per ride, and it will be open seven days a week from May through October.

Munch was able to catch a performance of another local asset, the Zany Umbrella Circus, a truly cool and cosmic play on the greatest show on earth. The circus will perform as part of the ongoing summer programming in the plaza, which also includes performances, live jazz, docent-led tours of Schenley Park and a National Geographic film series.

Four food kiosks in the park offer a range of stuff to nosh on, perfect for those looking to lounge in the park, or just to get a quick bite between classes or business meetings.

The Bagel Factory offers a truncated version of the menus available at their Shadyside and Squirrel Hill outlets, including breakfast sandwiches, bagels, coffee and soups. Full-sized and personal pan pizzas are available at the Schenley Pizza Co. ($6-13) as well hoagies and thick milkshakes.

The Dog House specializes in -- what else? -- hot dogs and kielbasa and Italian sausages and all the fixin's from Chicago-style to a Jalepeno Dog and a BBQ Dog ($1.75 to $4). Best Bud of Munch (BBOM) tore his teeth into a juicy BBQ Dog. Tasty, but BBOM said that the proprietors of a certain well-known hot dog shop down the street shouldn't be worried.

But Munch was intrigued mostly by the menu at the Asia Tea House. If there is another place in the known universe that offers both Maki Rolls and Funnel Cake, Munch has yet to hear of it.

Smoked Salmon and Cucumber, Char-Broiled Eel & Egg, and Shrimp and Cucumber, and California Rolls are all available, a dozen for $6. The Asia Tea House also specializes in Chinese staples such as beef, chicken or shrimp Lo Mein and Fried Rice and General Tso's Chicken, Bourbon Chicken, Pepper Steak (all $5) and appetizers of Vegetable, Chicken or Shrimp Egg Rolls (75 cents to $1.45). These entrees can be washed down with sweet bubble tea in eight flavors ranging from Honeydew to Pink Rose ($2.50).

Munch could not pass up the allure of a stand where the Far East meets West Mifflin (as in Kennywood) and had a dozen of the smoked salmon rolls and some funnel cake for dessert. The rolls were a little dry, but for fast food, Munch wasn't complaining. Munch had not had funnel cake in years and wasn't quite ready for a shockwave of sugar and fried fat that assaulted the system like a big dose of morphine -- that is to say it makes you high, then you pass out. Munch got the nods like Chris-tah-fah Moltisanti in that fairgrounds relapse scene a few weeks ago on "The Sopranos" after downing the treat, which probably had calories in the range of the national debt.

The food stands are open daily and seem to close between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. Munch couldn't get a definitive answer on this, and thinks that it may be based on foot traffic. A full-service Atria's restaurant is expected to open in a new building on the grounds in 2007.

The park scene offered what one might expect given the close proximity to a college campus: Some nubile young ladies lay sunbathing while a trio of shirtless guys, probably named Chad, Tyler, and Brody, conveniently tossed a Frisbee in close proximity to said chiquitas. A group of twentysomethings played pickup soccer while others read, pecked on laptops or zoned out with their iPods.

Munch has seen the Cathedral of Learning countless times and has attended numerous weddings in Heinz Chapel. But just relaxing and admiring the architecture from the vantage of a perfectly manicured lawn with a deep blue sky background gave this native a fresh perspective of these stately structures. Likewise the students and office workers moving past like ants marching gave new appreciation of the city's thriving university district.

In a town where we're conditioned to believe that the grass is always greener somewhere else, perhaps the grass has literally never been so green in Oakland.