She Says: Highlights from Brooklyn
After a hectic couple of weeks moving out of our condo and a few too many leaving drinkies… I was really looking forward to starting our vacation. New York City is a great place to go for rest and relaxation, right?!
The drive from Ottawa-NYC can take 8-9 hours depending on traffic, so we split it up with a night in Saratoga Springs. This meant that Andy and his golf buddies could get in two rounds of golf on the way, and I could relaaaax. The drive through upstate New York is truly spectacular, surrounded by beautiful mountain ranges and lakes. As you approach the city along the Hudson River, you start to get glimpses of the skyscrapers in the distance.
Driving in NYC wasn’t quite as bad as I’d expected. It was slow, but steady and you had to keep your wits about you as people can swerve in and out of your lane pretty quickly. I hadn’t noticed this last time I visited NYC, but quite a few folks have bumper guards to help protect against minor fender benders. Luckily, our Mazz escaped unharmed!
Anyway, we finally arrived in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Definitely an up-and-coming area, but the Airbnb was cheap, came with a garage, and was one block from the subway station. The boys were in town for the PGA event on Long Island (spectating, unfortunately), which meant I had a bit of time to explore Brooklyn on my own. I hadn’t planned much, but I knew I didn’t want to spend too much time in Manhattan.
[With one exception - heading to Broadway to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. It’s a two-part show, which you can see over two evenings or both in one day. I went all in and saw Part One at 2pm, with Part Two at 7.30pm. I’m not usually one for stage shows, but this was insanely awesome! I’ll say no more because JK Rowling says we have to #keepthesecrets]
A day in Manhattan: on Broadway; Times Square; view from the Empire State Building
In short - when you’re next in NYC, you should spend some time hanging out in Brooklyn.
The Brooklyn Museum
Probably the best contemporary art gallery I’ve ever seen. I learnt a lot, and had a few (but not too many!) wtf moments. The Center for Feminist Art was amazing - featuring stories from the feminist and LGBT+ movements, as well as Judy Chicago’s Dinner Party installation. This, a giant dining table set for 39 historical figures, featured butterfly (or vulva)-like place settings; a fun and memorable homage to history’s most prominent women.
Prospect Park & Surrounds
Kinda like Central Park, but less crowded. And cooler. I spent many hours cruising around on foot and on Citi Bikes, lazing around and reading my book. One night we had a picnic in the park, picked up a couple NYC-style pizzas (which they call pies, for some reason) and played frisbee. A nice escape from the craziness of New York!
Next time, I would stay in the nearby Park Slope neighbourhood. 5th Ave features the independent coffee shops, restaurants and stores that I love exploring. The perfect spot to park oneself on a patio and watch the world go by. As my good friend Jensen told me “Brooklyn is perfect for people watching”, and Park Slope is a great place for that! I recommend Flora for brunch, and Kiwiana for dinner (of course).
Brooklyn Botanic Gardens
Such a pleasant surprise to stumble across the Botanic Gardens! Me and a few hundred school children enjoyed the gardens in full bloom - it was a perfect spring day to be out and about. My favourite was the Bluebell Wood, but also the bonsai collection. I even saw a few New Zealand ferns in the hot house.
A few days in Brooklyn: the Brooklyn Museum; Bosai @ the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens
After all that, I did manage to have a pretty relaxing few days in NYC. I got to hang out with my friends Lucy & Declan who recently moved to Brooklyn themselves (their previous place literally on Wall Street was something else!!) - it’s always fun to catch up with friends from home, so far from home.
Onwards to New England!
