On Saturday morning, we rose relatively early for a run in the glorious sunshine. We headed over the Manhattan Bridge to Brooklyn and then came back via Brooklyn Bridge, and back up to Houston Street via the park and running path that hugs the Hudson River. By this point, we had worked up enough appetite for brunch and we made a beeline for Lafayette, a French bakery and all-day dining establishment on Lafayette Street in NoHo. My lemon pancakes with berries were delicious, though my kale-heavy juice was rather more worthy than tasty. But it was great to be sitting outside in the sunshine, watching New York go by.
We started walking downtown, via a series of art sculptures called Lightness of Being in City Hall Park. I couldn't resist leaping, of course, but I also liked the colourful pagoda that added some pretty tints to the Lower Manhattan skyline.
In the afternoon, we caught the ferry over to Governors Island, which was open for one last hurrah before the end of the season. There was a 1920s French fairground, art for sale in the former colonels' houses, which were great fun to explore, and great views of the Statue of Liberty. It was so hot that it was great to be out of the city for the afternoon.
Because we had been eating far too healthily thus far, for dinner, we went to Georgia's East Side BBQ, a tiny, 16-sweater restaurant in the Lower East Side. I had fried chicken with baked beans and fries and it all tasted amazing. The chicken was so juicy and the fries far too more-ish. It was pretty reasonably priced too and more fun than many of the more formal BBQ restaurants I've been to in the city.
In need of burning off our dinner, yesterday morning we took the subway to Central Park and made a brisk circuit of the 10k loop. The leaves are just starting to turn and the park was beautiful — the peaks of the gorgeous skyline definitely keep you motivated as you tread the hillier parts of the route. Ten, of course, it was brunch o'clock. We decided to go Mexican and I inhaled a plate of huevos rancheros Benedict at a place on the Bowery called Hecho en Dumbo.
Then it was time for another New York first for me: we caught the D train all the way to Coney Island and spent the afternoon strolling along the boardwalk, sauntering along the sand to Brighton Beach, people-watching and taking in the faded charms of the amusement park.
Disneyland it ain't, but that's a good thing, even if we couldn't find any freshly spun candyfloss.
Disneyland it ain't, but that's a good thing, even if we couldn't find any freshly spun candyfloss.
When we got back to Manhattan, we headed up to the East Village for some excellent Neapolitan pizza at Motorino. It was a cool place and the huge pizzas were really tasty. The only surprise is that I've been here over two days and haven't had a burger yet. This can't last.