On Finding Our Way Down To the Sea (First Leg of East River Trek - Fourth Chapter)

A missive from Nature Girl imploring me to mention the father and daughter walking their Guinea Pig in the park.  Anything for Sacajawea, our trusty guide.  It was an "only in New York" scene (as NG said) that I'd complete forgotten about, probably because I was still reeling from the incongruities of finding a sea lion water park on the East River!  Unfortunately, I didn't get a better shot of the Pig itself. 

I want to take this opportunity to give a "shout out" of thanks to NG for yeoman's work this past Sunday as our guide through the DUMBO Arts Festival.  There are a plethora of artists working in that enclave we visited when we walked the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges.  Last Sunday (September 26), most of them opened their studios to the public, for free!   I was worried that it would be too much like all the other generic "street fairs" around town (in fact, the Atlantic Avenue Street Fair was going on the same day).  But, it wasn't.   They had very good and varied styles of live music playing on street corners and in some of the performances spaces down there...and only one food area, where they were serving sweet and savory pies (from quiches and tarts, to amazing fruit and custard pies) all homemade with proceeds benefitting the NY Public School System.  It wasn't a "mob scene" and though I was a bit "under the weather," I still enjoyed checking out all the talent that lies beyond our vaunted museums and galleries.  And, we had in tow with us some of my Brazilian cousins (Lucia and Luis, who were only in town for a few days) and their grown daughter Carolina (who has been traipsing around the area -- and tearing through the nightlife as only a young, unattached Brazilian woman can -- for the past two weeks).  The old guy and I had to "bail" before seeing all the studios, so NG (with her map of the area and the open studios) took the Brazilians in hand and showed them a great time!  Both Lucia and Carol are artists, so you know they appreciated the Festival.  Next year, the Arts Festival is a must for a "ladies day" trek. 

After bidding a fond adeiu to the Pig and family, we passed through some more forestted areas...

and right under the roads leading up to the Williamsburg Bridge, but we were still prevented from walking along the water's edge by fences.  

Not to say that this wasn't a prett stretch of path, but not being able to walk along the water was getting very frustrating.  Hopeflly, all the path construction will be done by this time next year.  So, we continued to amble north, alongside the FDR.

We came upon this 60's style embankment for the FDR ramp at Delancy Street...

We crossed Delancy and were honing in on our finishing point of Houston Street, when I looked to my right across a huge baseball/soccer field.   

At first, it was hard to make out, but then I realized that there were people walking on the other side of the field...dare I say it...along the waterside!

We followed the field as it gracefully curved to the right...

 ...and right out to the East River, on a newly-rennovated wooden walkway.

Finally, since the first hundres steps or so when we started this East River sorjourne, we were able to get "up close and personal" with this "river that's not a river."    And, this was the first time that I felt like I was walking along a really 'cared-for" strip.   All new benches lined the waterside, with some of the cool metal tables and chairs we encountered in quite a few spots along the Hudson. 

Finally, since the first hundres steps or so when we started this East River sorjourne, we were able to get "up close and personal" with this "river that's not a river."    And, this was the first time that I felt like I was walking along a really 'cared-for" strip.   All new benches lined the waterside, with some of the cool metal tables and chairs we encountered in quite a few spots along the Hudson. 

We decided to backtrack and see how far South the path led -- maybe down as far as the Williamsburg Bridge?

While NG took a much-needed seat at one of the tables, and a quick cell-phone chat with her teenage daughter (who had joined us on one of the Hudson River treks the year before)...

...I took some unobstructed photos of the brigde and the Williamsburg/Greenpoint waterfront.  

The Brooklyn waterfront, particularly along the stretch between the Williamnsburg and 59th Street Bridges, used to be fairly ugly, with breweries, factories, like the Domino Sugar plant, and warehouses clogging up the shore line.   Then, approximately ten years ago, most of them were knocked down and blandly-modern high-rises started springing up like steel trees.   Some of the warehouses have been renovated...and now WIlliamsburg and Greenpoint are "hipster" paradises (lower rents, more apartment stock, hot and happening restaurants and boutiques, clubs and bars, even some beer gardens that harken back to the area's German heritage).   The young and cool are flocking there...a good thing to see.

We also saw some folks with their fishing lines trolling the water's depths.  

Given the below sign, I'm really hoping they were practicing "catch and release."

Our brief respite ended, as did this lovely part of the path, still a distance away from the bridge itself.   So, we turned around and continued up the wooden path towards the end of our day's adventures.

I'll wrap up in one more installment before we take off on the next leg.   In case any of you loyal readers are interested in joining us, we'll be gathering near the Houston Street entrance (which you'll see in the next installment as we finish this day's stroll) on Sunday morning, October 10.

(Sea) Lions, and Tigers, and Bears...On The Lower East SIde - First Leg, Third Chapter (from Manhattan Bridge to Houston Street, along the Mis-Named East River)

First of all, I have to tell you all that I've been plagiarized.   Well, maybe not plagiarized, but my idea has been "ripped off" by none other than the esteemed New York Times.   On Sunday, September 19 in the Metropolitan section was an article about "Circling Manhattan."   David G. Allen walked the entire circumference of Manhattan Island in one day, staring at 6:57 a.m. from Battery Park City, walking north along the Hudson to Inwood Park (he got there around 12:44 p.m.) and then walked (as much as he could) along the East River.  He finished nearly 12 hours later, at 6:39 p.m.  I guess "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" -- and he even has photos and a map of his travels (I really liked the map).   He said he couldn't walk quite the whole way up along the Hudson (had to bail at Dykman Street).  Of course, he did not have Nature Girl at his side, unafraid to blaze trails where little exists.  I just want the record to show that NG (and her hat), Old Guy and other assorted friends who have joined me on this pilgrimage, did it first!  And, with much more aplomb (and better restaurant recommendations)! 

So, we trudge on...

We're still on the first leg of our trek up along the East River, and as I mentioned last time, it's like a "time warp" back to the 1960s of my youth.   We're still not able to walk right along the water's edge, but we're less than a block away, still on the Lower East Side and below the Williamsburg Bridge (becoming more of a looming presence as Nature Girl and I walk North).  We had just left the remnants of John V. Lindsay's New York...and stepped right into the California Coast!  After all, outside of various zoos around the country, where else can you see Sea Lions lounging on rocks and frolicking in the surf.   Lest you think I completely lost it, look below...

So, how cool is that?  And, how unexpected!  Like a small salt-water lagoon that is nearly dry, there were turtles and crabs too...but the sea lions predominated.

Then, it got a little creepy, I think...all those tails, with no heads!

Actually, it was a very lovely water park...there was a toddler fascinated with the water spouting up here and there as NG and I walked through it.   It didn't look all that new...I'll bet it was among the first of those "water spouting" areas triggered by people walking in New York City.

Continuing up along the East River, we were still unable to walk right along the rivers edge, but found some forest-like areas with flowering gardens...and some interesting ground cover.  Again, somewhat "shabby" and in need of a little TLC, but pretty nonetheless.

Again, somewhat "shabby" and in need of a little TLC, but pretty nonetheless.

                                                                                                     

Finally, we were "close up and personal" with the Williamsburg Bridge...

...albeit through a chain link fence because this was another area still "under construction" and not open to the public (who may be out for a stroll).   

Looks like it will be quite a pleasant walk under the bridge, if it's ever completed.

There's not a lot I can say about the Williamsburg Bridge...I don't know it's history or timeline in the building sequence of Manhattan bridges.   It's always seemed to be under repairs...like it's northern cousin the Queensboro Bridge (or 59th Street Bridge of "Feeling Groovy").  Also, both bridges share the neat feature of an "outer" roadway, where you can cross in your car on the outside of the main road, with little barrier on the side away from the inner road.   It's a bit of a "dare devil" way to cross, both for the largely unobstructed views of Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan, but also because you're in "deep yogurt" if a car breaks down in front of you...there's no way around the one lane road!  Repairs had kept me from making a crossing on the outer roadway for quite some time, but just recently I was traveling from Manhattan to Queens (having inadvertently crossed the bridge while showing one of my Brazilian cousins around Greenpoint and Williamsburg -- which she wanted to see because "hip" young people all over the world know about this former German enclave that used to only be famous for the Williamsburg Savings Bank and that venerable temple of steak, Peter Lugar's).  Now, it's the hot, "chic" and oh so "of the moment" place that young people willing to venture afield of LES are flocking.   What I like about it is that it's chock-a-block full of good restaurants, interesting shops and still has many of the low-slung tenements and attached row-type houses that where there when Schlitz and Pabst Blue Ribbon beers were the major employers to the area.

Anyhow, on our return to the "borough of Kings," I opted for the opened outer roadway.  Still love driving "on the edge." 

And, I'm outta here (too late and too tired to continue).   Will finish our walk to Houston Street in the next installment.