Mission Creation: 'Til we meet again in Brooklyn Heights!

I just love New York City. It is my birthplace. It is familiar. It is home. Of course I didn't always think so. For when one lives in a place for a long period of time it sort of loses its flavor. Moving to the Jersey suburbs was probably the best thing I did for my relationship with this lively city. It has given me the gift of perspective and more appreciation for what New York truly is. Nowadays, even though I live only a half hour away, I will turn some of my visits to the Big Apple into fun excursions. There are will always be a limitless amount of nooks and crannies waiting to be discovered, and an abundance of things to do. And so on Sunday April 21, I decided to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, which happened to be completely uncharted territory for me. The idea was not to do it alone, but I have no idea what happened to my Meetup group. We were all supposed to meet outside the High Street subway station in Brooklyn Heights at 11am sharp. I got there 10 minutes early and waited 10 minutes after and not one person showed. I never did RSVP for the Meetup. I decided to go at the last minute and just show up, so I wonder if perhaps they had changed the meeting spot and perhaps I didn't get the memo? Dunno? I simply took it as a cue that I was meant to spend this Sunday alone, and looked forward to my day with myself. Besides by 11:10am I had to pee so badly there was no way I could stand there waiting any longer. So I made a mad dash for any public domain willing to extend their restrooms and most probably their menu to me as well.

I found the Heights Cafe on Montague Street, a quiet little corner spot it seemed, in the midst of the neighborhood's shopping district. There I ordered a veggie burger with home fries on the side for brunch. Not the most raw vegan meal, but what to do when the restroom is for patrons only and the brunch menu consists of no other vegan choice but a plain salad which would have cost me over $10? I chose to see the veggie burger as an opportunity to enjoy something I may not have for a long time to come. So I enjoyed it thoroughly with my fries, and took in as much peace and solitude as I could get from a Sunday morning. I watched as the place filled up little by little. By 12:30, it had become extremely packed and noisy, so I took it as my cue to move on with my day. Must be a popular spot for the locals.

Afterwards what I really felt like doing was walking around the neighborhood and just exploring. It was a sunny but cold and slightly breezy April day of which I did not dress for properly. I wasn't sure just how much walking around I would be able to withstand. So I decided to just play it by ear and see how long I would last. In a cold huddle, I started down Montague towards the river and promenade...

I have to say that Brooklyn Heights is a truly gorgeous part of downtown Brooklyn with tree lined streets, old world brownstones, row houses, shops, cafes, and the works. In the warm spring and summer months it becomes a magical place of flower baskets, brick charm, window boxes, birds singing, blossoms, bicycles, and shade. It also happens to be one of the wealthiest sections in Brooklyn, so for the most part I am a spectator simply looking in from the outside.

After I'd had my fill of the couples, tourists, strollers, joggers, dog walkers, and photographers on the promenade, I realized that the midday sun was not going to make things any warmer. So I decided it was time to start heading for the bridge as I had planned. I was anxious and excited to see what it was all about, and perhaps the long steady walk might warm me up. For some of you from the area, I know walking the Brooklyn Bridge is of no big deal. Bikers and pedestrians walk and ride across this bridge all day, every day. So why should I become so excited? Well, not looking to turn this experience into some grand accomplishment, I simply wanted to satisfy my curiosity of what the view looked like from up there. And magnificent it was to see the view of lower Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty, other bridges, and the entire glistening length of the East River. It was one of those moments where one becomes at one with the city, and is so happy to be alive and experiencing what is before them. A moment to pause and take it all in. Due to the cold weather, I don't feel I got a chance to experience the full magnitude of such an outing in the comfort and splendor of warm summer sunshine. So I've made plans to come back this summer when the weather is nicer and the foliage are in full bloom for an even more amazing experience. As beautiful as it was today, I know it will be ten times more beautiful in the height of the summer season (and I promise to share it with you again). So Brooklyn Heights, you ain't seen the last of me!

Below are some of the pics I took while on the bridge and promenade.