BROOKLYN - CHINATOWN - EAST VILLAGE

A Day For Noshing

Wow what a day!! We clocked more than 13 miles. We had to make some adjustments to our schedule because of some maintenance shutdowns on the subway. We started out going over to Brooklyn to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens (we got in free because we were there before noon) and then to the Brooklyn Art Museum. Both were very impressive. At the botanical gardens we mostly checked out the orchids, bonsais and the Japanese Gardens. Because it was 10/10 we also saw weddings everywhere. Judy Chicago's "The Dinner Party" was so much more amazing in "real life" than in pictures. Our first nosh was at the museum. Subway to Brooklyn Heights where we walked around and got the feel of that area. We called ahead to Grimaldi's Pizza for take-out. It is a good thing because there was an hour wait for everyone else. We got our pizza and wine and then walked down to the riverfront park to eat, relax and to enjoy the view of the Brooklyn & Manhattan bridges and another great view of the Manhattan skyline. Wandered through DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) for our Jacques Torres chocolate and ice cream. I guess the Wicked ice cream (with ancho and chipotle chili) was a hit. Fortified with pizza, wine and ice cream we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge taking pictures all along the way. Once over the bridge we wandered through Chinatown to the restaurant we had picked .... closed for a private wedding party!! So time to regroup. We found a place that did not have a line and served wine. Light, very rushed, meal there was followed by ice cream at the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory. Jeanne and I had mango, Kris and Sharon had ginger. The bus we planned to take was down so it was taxi time to our spa appointment in East Village. That was a hit. Relaxed in massage chairs and soaked our feet then had a reflexology foot massage. That gave us the needed break to continue our tour. This time in East Village. It was a hopping place even at 10pm. There was a huge party spilling out of a Synagogue which some passer-by said was a wedding. Our final nosh of the day was at the Katz's Deli, where Harry met Sally. We would go back there in a second. Subway home. Left the house at 8:45am and got home at 11:45pm. 13.62 miles.