June 17, 2016 The Brooklyn Bridge, WTC, Tribeca, Washington Square Park & The New York Philharmonic in Prospect Park

So we started our day in Brooklyn at Le Petit Cafe for breakfast. Then we walked to Manhattan on the Brooklyn Bridge. I was the slowest one because there was so much to photograph.

The Manhattan Bridge with the Empire State Building in the background.

Downtown Manhattan

I am posting both pictures so Tom & Laurie can tell me if they like either one.

Looking up the East River 

A tribute to an art teacher on the Brooklyn Bridge

Someone started this thing with the locks now everyone does it.

Yes it is!!!

I finally caught up with my group...

...but quickly fell behind because I stopped to photograph stupid shit like this...just to amuse myself.

There is quite a mix of new and old in these shots of downtown Manhattan.

The ear buds tied to the bridge are something new to me. They weren't here the last time I walked across this bridge.

My two favorite cities in America...NYC & New Orleans.

Downtown is growing taller.

The Manhattan Municipal Building

City Hall showing solidarity with Orlando shooting victims.

The City Hall Park fountain. 

New York City has so many little parks that offer relief from the hectic streets surrounding them.

We walked from the bridge to the World Trade Center. Then we walked uptown through Tribeca on Greenwich Street because I love the old buildings and cobblestone streets in this area.

Interesting and out of place residential building in the background. 

My friends hoping to spot Robert De Niro in Tribeca.

Some Coney Island love at this bar.

We had pizza for lunch at Famous Ben's on Spring Street. Then walked up Sullivan Street to Washington Square Park.

We listened to several bands, we people watched, we enjoyed the beautiful day, we changed plans and spent the entire afternoon relaxing in different areas of my favorite park.

I half jokingly said as we walked through the park, "How crazy is my day to day life that I have to come to NYC to relax?"

There really is a lot of great music in this park. My friend Fran called this park "Free Entertainment". After an amazing afternoon in the park, we headed back to Brooklyn and met up with Fran. 

Tom, Christy & Laurie on the stoop of The Inn on Second.

Tom, Christy, Fran & Laurie on Fran's stoop. She and her husband Joe run the Inn on Second. If you are traveling to NYC, I highly recommend staying here. We walked over to Park Slope and had dinner at the Malaysian restaurant Al Seabu. It was very good. Then we walked down to Prospect Park to see the New York Philharmonic perform a free concert in the park. Once again we stopped at a bar for a drink or two on our way back to Carroll Gardens. A nice relaxing day in NYC...it's good to be home. 

June 16, 2016 Wandering Aimlessly In NYC With Friends

We spent our afternoon walking through Greenwich Village, Chelsea and the Meatpacking District with our friends, Tom & Laurie. If I remember correctly, these houses from the 1800's were on Grove Street.

Christy on Bleecker Street

I definitely did more talking today than take pictures. It's been a few years since we've seen Tom & Laurie so we had a lot of catching up to do as we walked through the city. I expressed my dismay several times about tearing down grand old buildings and replacing them with soulless metal and glass condos. This building has incredible craftsmanship with beautiful details that are ornamental instead of functional. Because the old world builders took pride in how the building looked to those that passed by. Very few new buildings impress me in that way.

I blamed my mother for all the stoops we saw chained off in this area. Whenever she walks through these neighborhoods with us, she always wants her picture taken on the stoops. The owners probably got tired of strangers on their stoop and now no moms are allowed. 

More artwork on a building.

We walked along the High Line which is an abandoned raised freight rail line that has been converted into park land on the west side of Manhattan. These pictures were taken along the High Line.

The High Line is partially responsible for rejuvenating interest in the area...as seen by the many new residential buildings in the Meatpacking District and Chelsea. 

Words of wisdom...on a building.

We ended up downtown and walked down Broadway to Battery Park. We stopped at Trinity Church to pay our respect at this grave site. My grandfather first brought me here about 40 years ago. Back then tourists hardly ever stopped here. But now thanks to Lin-Manual Miranda...

...everyone stops here.

I have always loved being in old cemeteries... 

...and this one is still open to the public.

One World Trade Center from Battery Park

After relaxing on benches overlooking the harbor and the Statue of Liberty, we had dinner at the Long Bar on Pier A Harbor House.

Then we headed to Brooklyn to enjoy some live music and drinks at Freddy's in Park Slope. There was a ragtime piano player who was really good. I saw this sign on the way out and since I am such a history dork...I had to take a picture. We walked up Fourth Avenue and found a place for a night cap. Then walked back to Carroll Gardens, where we are staying for the rest of this trip.

We passed this restaurant on Union St...guess what their specialty is...goodnight Brooklyn.