Governors Island

Although a few locations in Brooklyn and around New York Harbor have amazing unobstructed views of Lady Liberty, without exception, my favorite viewing spot is Governors Island. Accessible only by ferry from June through the end of September, this little 172-acre arts-and-recreation island [103 acres were added in 1912 with landfill excavated from the Lexington Avenue subway line] has a delightful park and 2.2 mile paved pathway, which pedestrians and cyclists circumnavigate for awesome views of three Manhattan boroughs. 

 

Governors Island has been officially recognized as the birthplace of the state of New York in 1624.  Prior to that, of course, a few other sovereigns had dibs on this prime piece of real estate, which also addresses the curiosity of where the name originated.  Due to the plentiful trees like hickory, oak, and chestnut, the natives called the island Pagganck, or "Nut Island."  It was 'purchased' for private use in June 1637 [for two ax heads, a string of beads, and a handful of nails], and called  Nutten Island [translated from Dutch] until 1784, when it was officially named Governors Island by the British who gained control for 'His Majesty's Governors.' 

Fast forward to the War of Independence and the realization that a coastal defense would be helpful in this geographic area.  By 1800 when New York transferred Governors Island to the United States for military use, construction had already begun on forts and defenses.  The island's military importance continued until about 1966, when it became the largest Coast Guard base.  Remnants of this installation, which had about 3,500 residents, remain visible in deserted buildings, placed like tombstones throughout the interior of the island. These creepy deteriorating buildings are an anachronism that detract from the beautiful open space and views along the perimeter.

When the Coast Guard left in 1996, "President Clinton designated 22 acres of the island, including the two great forts, as the Governors Island National Monument." [See nps.gov]  The federal government sold the remaining 150 acres of Governors Island to the people of New York for about a dollar [not much appreciation from the ax-and-beads price....] with the condition that it be used only for public benefit. This condition has created some economic and political debate.  

Without the ability to create casinos, high-priced condominiums, or resorts, the suitable alternative resulted in a great picnic, art, and outdoor space. Dave Matthews has a place to perform and former officers' quarters now house art exhibits along a tree-lined path. Gourmands can come across the harbor to pay $75 for an all-you-can-eat barbecue, or they can bring a picnic and enjoy a good book, like I did.  You can rent bikes or bring your own; you can buy a picnic or bring your own. You can relax in a hammock or an Adirondack chair, or actively explore the old fort and read the occasional placard detailing the island's history.

Red Hook, Brooklyn

Old Rail line 

When I lived in Austin, Texas, two fun bumper stickers were commonly displayed: "Keep Austin Weird" and "78704."  For locals, these slogans represent support for local small businesses and artisans, as well as affirm a type of eclectic bourgeois bohemian lifestyle.  On a recent sightseeing walk through the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn, I am pleasantly reminded of this Austin eccentricity.  

According to Dom, the Made-in-Brooklyn walking tour guide, Red Hook's name derives from the red color of the clay, and the Dutch word for point, which sounds like hook. Accurately named, this neighborhood sits on a point in the New York Harbor, between downtown Brooklyn and Bay Ridge, with views of Governor's Island, Lady Liberty, Manhattan, a smidge of Staten Island, and New Jersey.

Art Gallery

Red Hook could not hide its industrial sea port past even if it wanted to.  Along the wharf artists studios, art galleries, restaurants, and residential lofts have replaced the former warehouses that stored various imports like cotton and coffee. These artisan restaurants and studios also dot the main street.  Down some of the cobbled side streets a visitor can see a community farm, a local brewery [Six Points], a maraschino cherry factory [which pinked up some local bee honey a while back when the bees were partaking a bit too much], a winery [Red Hook Winery], a chocolatier [Cacao Prieto], and a key lime pie shop [Steve's Authentic].

Six Points Brewery

All this local business needs a bit of an economic boost, though, especially for a neighborhood with very limited public transportation. This is where IKEA comes in. Located on the water, IKEA supports its business, and the local community's, by funding the water taxis from Manhattan and shuttle buses from downtown Brooklyn. Of course, you could take the fifteen-minute scenic walking route from the nearest subway stop [I did] and experience the true meaning of industrial neighborhoods en route. 

Back of Fairway & Lofts

Near IKEA is the Long Island answer to Texas's Central Market, a European styled food market: Fairway. In addition to reasonable prices on every type of conceivable cooking ingredient, above the Red Hook Fairway are lofts with the best views of the harbor and the docks.  This former warehouse boasts some spectacular picture windows and has kept some of the structure's original warehouse beams with the warehouse numbers still imprinted upon them.  

View from Lofts

Old beam

Several years ago Red Hook had notoriety for how unsafe it was.  Now, with development and creative businesses sprouting up around the community, this neighborhood provides a peaceful retreat from other overly congested areas of Brooklyn.  You can actually park [for free!] in the IKEA parking lot, and IKEA has added some beautiful green space along the water where you could sit, picnic, and enjoy the waterfront views.  As an added bonus, you can watch Manhattanites racing from IKEA to reach the departing water taxi with their giant rugs, pillows, and kitchen supplies in tow.  Or, just watch the ships in the harbor.

Running Across the Brooklyn Bridge & Manhattan Bridge

From Cadman Plaza /Borough Hall in downtown Brooklyn, a runner can make a beautiful scenic loop over two stunning bridges that span the East River. Despite their close proximity, the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges share little in common except their termini and life purpose. 

When crossing her on foot, the Brooklyn Bridge  resembles a sophisticated, elegant lady in contrast to the tough "guy" Manhattan Bridge.  Her neutral-toned stone, metal, and rope-like guide wires gracefully connect the span carrying cars and the wooden pedestrian platforms with tons of visitors jockeying for a picture of her. Nearby, the gray-blue steel and concrete, adorned with graffiti tattoos that would make a sailor blush, span the river carrying cars, a few pedestrians, and screeching subway cars.  


The Brooklyn Bridge  has been operating almost twenty-seven years longer than the Manhattan Bridge, and she has a charm and beauty all her own.  Despite the hordes of inconsiderate and clueless people who interrupt the traffic flow on a too-narrow foot path, there is something peaceful about watching the last rays of the setting sun reflect off the New York Harbor and Lady Liberty. How many people have enjoyed such a view for over 100 years?  The Manhattan Bridge has his own appeal. You can run across the bridge on either the north or south side.  The south side pedestrian path has a spectacular view of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Harbor; the north side has a rougher view--certainly not one he wishes to show the lady to the south! Whichever side you choose, it can feel like you have the pedestrian portion of the bridge all to yourself compared to the path across the Brooklyn Bridge.  If you can drown out the subway screech and traffic horns, you practically do.

Coney Island

In 1645 the Dutch who had settled New Amsterdam [Manhattan] allowed a group of religious dissenters [led by a woman] to settle an area--Gravesend-- known today as Coney Island.  A few theories circulate regarding how the name Coney became ascribed to this particular island with a famous boardwalk along the stunning beaches caressed by the Atlantic Ocean. My personal favorites are that it is either a bastardized version of the Dutch word for rabbit, konjin, because so many wild rabbits inhabited the area, or an Irish sailor, Mr. O'Connor, named the island after one of similar size near his home port. 

From the 1860s until the mid 1900s, large hotels, bathhouses, horse racing, amusement rides, circus shows, and hot dogs drew hundreds of thousands of tourists on the trains and ferry services built to bring them to play, in all senses of the word, by the sea. Neither disasters--fires, storms, amusement ride accidents--nor anti-morality statutes--prohibiting gambling, ballyhoo, and exotic dancing--deterred the economic growth here. You gotta love the irony of religious dissenters settling an area that became the hotbed of frivolity, seediness, and political corruption [Tammany Hall].

I visited Coney Island by bicycle a week after Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene's visit. Cycling through the beach town felt a little like visiting a old show girl long past her prime. Although weathered with faded tattoos, sagging wrinkled skin, and smeared lipstick, a twinkle in her eyes promised a few good stories of some luscious years back in the day.  I cycled up to the infamous wooden Boardwalk, which was first constructed in 1923 [and cost $3 million], by the stadium where the Brooklyn Cyclones currently play minor league baseball. Behind the stadium towers the remnants of the abandoned Parachute Jump. The Parachute Jump came to Coney Island in 1941 after its debut as an amusement ride at the New York World's Fair.  James Strong originally designed the ride as a military training device, but it quickly gained popularity as an exciting amusement ride.  The Parachute Jump operated on Coney Island until the mid-1960s. Over the years since then, plans have vacillated between historic preservation and demolition. Due to its size, either option is expensive.  So, it now stands rusting as a monument to the grandeur of another era.  

While I took these pictures, an older gentleman next to me sighed in disbelief at what had become of the ride. He was recalling a time when people came to the boardwalk dressed in a tuxedo or ball gown; then, as if on cue, a kid in a ripped tank top and flip-flops sauntered by, surrounded by a stinky cloud of illegal smoke. Times have changed. . .a little.

Coney Island could be called Carni-Island for all its visual stimulation. On one side of the Boardwalk, it is a cross between the state fair and Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes; on the other side, the beautiful wide beaches appear to be populated with casting extras from a few current reality TV shows.  

The Boardwalk retains her charm, though, with some established places. In 1916, Nathan Handwerker, a Polish immigrant, took his wife's frankfurter recipe and opened a hot dog stand here.  The rest, they say, is history. Many famous New Yorkers have had their picture taken with this famous hot dog.  The Boardwalk still has stalls with games and food. The food offered at the "Grille" is actually all fried, including Oreos.  And of course, a few thrill rides and seedy characters also maintain the carnival feel.

The rest of Coney Island reminded me of the old Gulf coast Florida beach towns I grew up near, complete with tacky tourist souvenir stores.  The westernmost end of Coney Island is a gated residential area called Sea Gate; just around the corner, though, a gem of a spot has the best views of the Verrazano Bridge.  Unlike the Florida beach towns, though, I did not feel these were great neighborhoods to visit at night.  

Traveling east along Neptune Road, the Brighton Beach area brings a sensory overstimulation.  Amidst the screeching elevated trains, honking horns, and thumping car stereo bass, people scream expletives at anyone and everyone; cars and bicycles dart to and fro, disregarding stop signs and bike lanes as merely suggestions; and the smell of the sea is overpowered by the smell of vomit, stale beer, and grilled onions from the neighborhood restaurants and markets.  Near the retro-designed McDonald's, one food store advertised that it specializes in Asian, Mexican, and Russian foods.  Indeed, Coney Island is a melting pot of culture,entertainment, and history.

August Cycling: Massachusetts and New York

The Farm Ride

After the not-so-rolling hills and humidity of the Hudson River Valley in July, an early August, two-day bicycle trip through western Massachusetts farmland was the perfect change of pace.

The area around the University of Massachusetts, Amherst--pronounced without the "h" if you want to sound more like a New Englander and less like a New Yawker--has endless miles of bicycle friendly roads. A converted railway trail and the Franklin County Bikeway wind through bucolic and breathtaking scenery: waterfalls; barns; cornfields; farmhouses; cornfields; a cow; vegetable plots; and, endless rows of corn.  This organized ride, appropriately named 'The Farm Ride,' meandered through several historically significant and just simply old towns.

 

Amherst Courthouse

Four colleges and one university populate the Amherst geographic area: U. Mass; Amherst; Smith; Hampshire; and Mt. Holyoke. The actual town of Amherst, in addition to housing the actual college and the University of Massachusetts, has the standard requisite college town requirements: tattoo parlors; coffee shops; ice cream shoppes; pizza parlors; and, not shockingly, bars and pubs. Coffee and "green" businesses abound. Besides Starbucks and a friendly roaster called Rao's, a cute little breakfast place replete with wide-planked wooden floors and cozy booths, the Black Sheep, enticed me with some earthy aromatic single-origin brew and peppy tunes on a rainy Sunday morning.  Also, if you ever visit Amherst, you must not miss the apple strudel coffee cake baked fresh daily at Henion bakery downtown.  The bike ride started with this scrumptious nosh, and my tastebuds have not forgotten it. 

This college town also has ample museums, especially for the literati. For example, the Emily Dickinson museum and the Dickinson homestead are located here; for those with a more highbrow preference, as I whisked by Hampshire College I noticed the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. (Remember the caterpillar picture book we read as kids? Imagine a whole museum of that fun stuff!) 

Near Amherst, the town of Hadley offers retail favorites like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, and a farm road straight to the Sugar Shack, where we had the Farm Ride's finale barbecue. In the first whispers of spring, when the maple sap starts "running," this cute little place cooks the sap on premises to make maple syrup and hosts a giant pancake breakfast, too.  

One town in the area, Deerfield, has a cute colonial village and quaint old hotel. The colonial settlement has a rich history of French, Native American, and English influence. No matter how quaint the restoration presents these recreated settlements, though, my first thought is always how miserable and cold those settlers must have been in the winter. 

Moving along the Franklin County bicycle trail into Hampshire County, another town of interest, Hatfield, had many examples of grand colonial architecture.  Mostly agricultural in its origins, this town, founded in 1660, is also known for supplying resources and men for the rebels during the American Revolution. 

One last place of note is another "green" city, Northhampton [nothing like the "Hamptons" on Long Island], not far from Amherst.  Northhampton has a Berkeley-meets-Greenwich Village feel to it, with cute boutiques, health food, pet-centric shops, and a popular and famous ice cream store called Herrells. Like most places in this area, Native Americans were the original settlers of Northhampton [known to them as Norwottuck, or "midst of the river"].  The majestic scenery of the vast and fertile farmland in the foothills of the Berkshires displays its obvious appeal as a place to settle.  My suspicion, though, is the colonists probably did their settlement shopping in the summer, not the winter.

Summer Streets

For the first three weekends of August, the City of New York closes Lafayette street from the Brooklyn Bridge up to East 72d Street so that pedestrians and cyclists can ride "fancy-free" up the east side without fear of being hit by a cabbie or typical New York driver. Unfortunately, you will still have to deal with the more dangerous obstacles of pedestrians, inline skaters, scooters, runners, and other cyclists who have no idea which side of the road they should be on. In concept, this is a great idea, with lots of inducement to get people off the couch and exercising with free skate and bike rentals and other fitness related activities. [Note: the lines for these amenities are very long, so unless you are very patient, fuggedahboudit]  Along the route are water stations with New York's finest water, and Whole Foods sponsored a picnic area with free samples of purportedly healthy snacks. I can honestly say there is something appealing and exhilarating about riding a car-free Manhattan street.  I had my first taste of this in early May for the Five Borough Bike Ride; now that I live even closer to the City, I thought I should give it another heartfelt try. 

Every now and then I participate in some event, usually fitness related, that I am grateful to have experienced once, but do not need to repeat. Summer Streets by bicycle is one such event.  (Another is the 50-degree October day Bronx Mud Run, which included waist-high wading in the ocean and a post-race "rinse" with a cold garden hose.)  The first challenge of Summer Streets was cycling the six-plus miles from my apartment in the southern part of Brooklyn up to the Brooklyn Bridge. This included passing through some sketchy neighborhoods, dodging potholes, and holding my breath for the ride over and near the Gowanus Canal.  After passing Cadman Plaza in downtown Brooklyn, home to several gorgeous courthouses, I ascended the ramp to the Brooklyn Bridge.

Now, traversing the Brooklyn Bridge is a must and on my list of repeat activities. Traversing the bridge by bicycle, however, is not. It is a harrowing experience, and because cyclists and pedestrians share one narrow walkway, it is quite dangerous, evidenced by frequent ambulance-worthy accidents.  Despite the clearly marked bike and pedestrian paths, the inevitable human 'common sense' factor--the same one you witness watching people board an airplane--makes navigating the proper lane a challenge. Due to the intensity of the journey across by bicycle, I have included a picture from a previous visit.

Again, I do recommend viewing and crossing the Brooklyn Bridge. The magnificent structure never takes a bad picture.  On the Manhattan side, do not miss viewing and also marveling at the new Gehry structure. Originally known as Beekman Tower, at 76 stories, New York by Gehry on 8 Spruce Street is "the tallest residential tower in the Western Hemisphere, and the first ever designed by Frank Gehry."  

On the Brooklyn side, many people cross over the bridge and then look around like they are not in Kansas anymore. Head toward the water. Along the waterfront the greenway and park [www.brooklyngreenway.org] have superb people watching opportunities and picture-perfect vistas of the City and the East River.  There is no shortage of fabulous restaurants; whether it is Grimaldi's pizza or the fancy River Cafe--both are worth the wait. 

Welcome to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn

I recently moved to Brooklyn, a borough of New York City, approximately fifty miles almost directly west of Islip, where I was living on Long Island.  Although a relatively short distance, some distinct differences in the areas are immediately apparent.  I do still live near the water; however, instead of living on the South Bay between Long Island and Fire Island, I now live on the Lower Bay, the gateway from the Atlantic Ocean into the New York Harbor. Also, instead of the Long Island Railroad whistles, I now hear the cargo ships' horns blowing as they traverse under the Verrazano Bridge.  

  

The Bay Ridge neighborhood initially developed in the early 1900s when wealthy Manhattanites wanted to distance themselves a little from the hustling bustling City. They built some beautiful mansions along a street called Shore Avenue, and a few remain today.  Shore Avenue runs parallel and somewhat elevated from a beautiful greenspace of parks and recreation areas.  Along the actual shoreline another long bicycle and pedestrian path offers vehicle-free stunning views. Conveniently located a block from my apartment, the pathway either leads to Coney Island [see picture on left] or toward downtown Brooklyn, with some of the best views of the Manhattan skyline and Lady Liberty guarding the harbor [see picture below].

 

Over the years, many working class families of Irish and Italian descent further developed the neighborhood. This heritage can be seen in much of the intricate masonry in many of the buildings and homes. Little details--whether a garden, a granite or brick driveway, a fountain, or ornate wrought-iron gate--distinguish each residence.  Given the Italian heritage, the Virgin Mary has a little alcove at a few homes, too.  

One unique home, described as extreme Arts and Crafts architecture is not far from my apartment building.  This private residence, known locally as the "Gingerbread House" and formally as the Howard E. and Jessie Jones House, was built in in 1916-1917. 

Although Bay Ridge does have a few more ethnic groups represented, I did see my fair share of white tank tops on the way to the Farmer's Market this morning. Needless to say, Italian markets and restaurants abound, so eating well will not be a problem in this neighborhood.  On a final Italian-themed note: the 1977 movie, Saturday Night Fever, was filmed and based in Bay Ridge.  Who can forget John Travolta a/k/a Tony Manero strutting his stuff at the Odyssey 2001 disco. Need I say more? 

My building also has a little history. According to the superintendent, Briarleigh Hall was designed by a woman architect about 90 years ago.  In an August 1929 classified newspaper section I found, this building advertised some fancy amenities: an elevator [1929!!]; Frigidaires; a roof garden; a gymnasium; and a ballroom. No rent prices were listed for this place, but other apartments advertised at $50 a month. Much has changed since then. The elevator remains, but none of the other amenities. The rent is not $50 a month, either!

On a final note, an interesting story coincides with my living in Bay Ridge.  On May 1 of this year, on a final stretch of the Five Borough bike ride, I cycled through a cute little neighborhood shadowed by the Verrazano bridge. [See http://alchemyoftravel.blogspot.com/2011/05/take-five-boroughs-bridges.html] I asked my friend the name of the neighborhood but really did not think any more about it.  Little did I know then that exactly three months later, the twinkling blue lights of that Verrazano bridge would be the last thing I saw as I drifted off to sleep!  Life is funny that way, and for those types of synchronicity, I am most grateful!

The Hudson River Valley

About an hour north of Manhattan, and nestled just across the river from West Point, the quaint Village of Cold Spring-on-Hudson awaits hiking enthusiasts, antique lovers, and history buffs. Cold Spring [not to be confused with Cold Spring Harbor on Long Island], established in 1846, thrived economically from the West Point Foundry until about 1911 when it closed.


Rumor has it George Washington took a drink from the cold spring on a hot day and the name stuck. On the hot, humid mid-July day that I visited, the name was also appropriate. Cold Spring looks every bit as quaint and all-American as you would expect from a New York village with a small population. The stunning scenery to this gateway to the Hudson River Valley began an adventurous weekend tour of the Hudson River Valley ("HRV").


For the past three summers, I have visited the HRV: the first year to attend a wedding at West Point [Happy Anniversary to the Rogers]; last year for a forty-mile bike ride; and this year as an encore to the bike ride with an additional thirty [or so] miles.  Now, if you want to see the beautiful scenery and history of the towns along the Hudson River, you can opt to do so in the summer or fall, by car or bicycle.  If you want to be comfortable and relaxed on the tour, I do not recommend the hottest day of the summer by bicycle.  These are not fun bucolic rolling hills, and it is not a "dry" heat. [For the record, these are not mountainous hills, either; it's just that my native-Floridian-spoiled muscles prefer long, flat surfaces]. 


Despite the hills and heat, this area, full of charm and beauty, has a few noteworthy highlights: 

After Cold Spring, head north.  In 1678 a group of French speaking Huguenot refugees came to this area and settled in New Paltz. The aptly named Huguenot Street features seven authentic Dutch colonial style homes dating to the early 1700s.  Also, a former railway, now a Trailway, winds east from New Paltz, through a town called Highland, and crosses the Walkway across the Hudson to Poughkeepsie. This bridge allows only pedestrians or cyclists, and the views are fantastic.

Heading north of Poughkeepsie, you can visit some mansions of Hyde Park.  For example, Bellefield Mansion, on the site of FDR's home, dates back to the 18th century and is now the onsite headquarters of the National Park Service. Compared to some of the other mansions, it is modest, but its garden is a charmer. The garden was designed in 1912 by Beatrix Farrand, a renowned landscape architect at the height of her career. She not only created gardens for the Rockefellers, the Morgans, and Edith Wilson at the White House, but she also pioneered the concept of “garden rooms.” And, as a genealogical note, she was Edith Wharton’s niece.  You will also be happy to know that directly across from FDR's beloved home and property is a drive-in movie theater.

Moving along the mansion trail, you can see Frederick Vanderbilt's 600-acre estate that he purchased in 1895.  It is now a part of the National Park Service with stunning views of the Hudson River.

Next up is the Mills Mansion ("Staatsburgh"), owned by Ruth Livingston Mills, who initially inherited a 25-room Greek Revival home on this site. She was married to Ogden Mills, a financier, and they did a "little remodeling" in 1896 to transform it into a Beaux-Arts mansion of only 65 rooms and 14 bathrooms. http://www.staatsburgh.org/

Traveling a little farther north, you can see many towns on the cliffs, such as Rhinecliff. [See church pictured to the right]  






Nearby, Bard College, has stunning architecture, old and new, including a theatre designed by Frank Gehry: 

 


From Bard, travel north to the town of Rhinebeck and cross the Rhinebeck-Kingston bridge into--no surprises here--Kingston.  Kingston was New York's first capital in 1777, but the British burned it on October 16, 1777, after the Battles of Saratoga. From here, take a leisurely ride south along the west side of the Hudson River, and enjoy the scenery.  There are a few wineries and some cute little places to stop along this route. Unfortunately, I was not in the mood to take photographs at this stage of the bike ride. Of course, there is always next summer...