Dumbo and Vinegar Hill Walking Tour - Big Onion Tours

Our FAVORITE walking tour company.... Big Onion..... whenever we really don't know much about an area we always check to see if they have a tour there.... We had heard of Dumbo and knew where it was.... but we got so much more information by taking the tour..... the guides are always knowledgable and friendly..... Tina was no exception.... interesting little details along the way as we walked..... With beautiful weather and a Sunday it was crowded in the area.... We took the East River Ferry again as our mode of transportation.... so convenient and enjoyable.....

Looking through from Dumbo to the Manhattan Bridge 

Home of the Developer of Vinegar Hill 

Original Location for Jacques Torres Chocolates.....Mmmmmmm!

The tour ends right at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge.....the guide always leaves after providing transportation information and tips about the area..... Beautiful adventure.....
We finished off the afternoon by walking toward the Piers.... so many changes each time we see them... now there is volleyball, handball, basketball and and expanded park... and we only made it to Pier 2!!

Central Park and the Upper West Side.......

When we were last in NYC we stayed on the Upper West Side..... both John and I are missing that wonderful location so today I took a walk through Central Park to get there...... (John and Barb took a visit to the High Line)

The Park is ALWAYS such a wonderful spot ..... but it was extremely HOT today..... Luckily there is always lots of shade........... also got to visit with childhood friend, Celeste.... love it that we can pick up right where we left off 2 years ago when I last saw her....

Such a huge crowd today!

The Wedding - Chris and Christine.....

This was the REAL reason we planned our trip to NYC at this particular time.... My cousin Patty on the right... her husband Rich on the left and their son Chris, the groom..... It was a wonderful celebration in an amazing location (Rooftop in Tribeca)  The bride and groom met in Spain while studying and they make a handsome couple!!

Wedding Photos of the Parents of the Bride and Groom

Groom's sister Tara 

Such a Dramatic Arrival! 

Many thanks to BOTH families for the magnificent celebration.... Here's to many years of happiness for Christine and Christopher.....

Early Morning in Greenpoint - Car Moving, Beautiful Buildings, Bagels

As in most cities, having a car is not easy..... last time we parked in a garage and never moved it the whole time.... this time, there is on-street parking, you just have to be aware of the parking regulations.... So, this morning was car moving time!
We get up early so it was really not an issue.... found a spot a little further from the apartment than my original one and got to see some interesting scenery along the way....

There is great variety to the fronts of the homes.... There are Victorian ones like the one above... but just across the street you can see one of these...

All of these were on the walk back from the parking of the car.... Java Street between West Avenue and Manhattan....this area is known to contain a large number of "wooden buildings".... so notable that there are walking tours of the wooden homes.....

The ethnic make up of Greenpoint is mixed, but the Polish roots are strong... many folks are speaking Polish in the neighborhood stores and shops..... I'll try to gather some more photos to illustrate later in the visit....

U.S. Open Tennis Tournament.....

The tournament is almost over and I wasn't really sure I could even attend this year.... when the Open seemed to be just a subway ride away, I couldn't resist tonight!  John walked with me to the subway station for a #7... a bit further than we anticipated (over the Pulaski Bridge)... then we went our separate ways...... there were no "grounds passes" available this late in the tournament, but I found a sympathetic admissions guard who allowed me to enter anyway...... a big smile and "I had a really long ride to get here" went a long way!   The grounds were very exciting tonight.... lots of activity for the evening match....

Without a ticket for the Arthur Ashe Court this evening, my choices were to watch the big screen or to find a match that went late on an outer court.... luckily there was one of those.... It was senior men's doubles.... more my speed, more my age..... and I knew their names!

Brooklyn Museum - Art......

At the same subway exit (Eastern Parkway) for the #2 and the #3 as the Botanical Garden, this terrific art museum is located......

It has a great variety to its exhibits..... we enjoyed our visit.... Just like the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, this one has a "pay what you like" fee structure.....