The Adventure Begins!

Hello my dear friends and family! Welcome to my first foray into the world of blogging. This past week, I was lucky enough to spend my time before heading over to Germany visit David in New York. As I write this, I am sitting in a bustling Manhattan coffee shop, watching busy New Yorkers fly by. David has been a wonderful tour guide and I've gotten to see and experience new aspects and areas of New York. This truly is an amazing city in which one could live a lifetime and still experience daily astonishment at discovering something new.

On Saturday we we walked to Brooklyn over the Brooklyn Bridge and went to the Brooklyn Flea Market. Named one of the best flea markets in the world in the company of Paris and Istanbul, Brooklyn did not disappoint. We spent hours wandering among the various stalls, selling everything from vintage t-shirts to antique maps to groovy 70s furniture. One of the favorite things we found was a pop-up photo booth which for a small price you could get picture taken dressed up from their huge costume box. 

After the market we walked to Brooklyn's Prospect Park and spent a wonderful afternoon pedal boating on the lake. Prospect Park rivals Central Park in it's size and beauty but just happens to be less notorious than it's Manhattan neighbor. Below is the beautiful lake boat house.

I had some fun playing around with my new camera on the lake...

...and then got the camera turned on myself.

After a wonderful brunch on Sunday we took to the water again. The ferry runs for free from Lower Manhattan to Governor's Island and David took me out there for a wonderfully leisurely afternoon. Governor's Island was used as a Coast Guard base into the 1990s and was just recently turned into a public park. The views of Manhattan from island are stunning and it was a unique and cheap way to see a different side of the city. Below is a picture of David and I on the island with downtown Manhattan behind us.

On our way home from Governor's Island we stopped at the Magnolia Bakery in the West Village for a couple of their famous and heavenly cupcakes. It was so popular that there was a bouncer at the bakery door, keeping the peace. I think that's the first and last time I will ever see a cupcake bouncer! David and I devoured our amazing red velvet cupcakes at Highline Park which was definitely a highlight of the trip. First of all, the cupcakes were to die for (!) and secondly, the park was unique and unexpected. It is built on a now defunct section of high rise railroad tracks and runs along the west side of the city. It is a wild and wonderful addition to city and definitely worth a visit and a walk!

Highline Park

One of my favorite parts of the trip is getting to see where David works and lives. I got to walk with him to work on several occasions from his financial district apartment to his over office near the World Trade Center and let me tell you, nothing immerses you in New York culture like walking through the financial district at 8am on a weekday. It is a fast paced, fend for yourself experience where you will get run over if you are deemed to be walking too slow. Crossing the street can at times mean that you are taking your life in your hands. Right of way between taxis and pedestrians is definitely in the eye of the beholder and I was witness to many close calls and even open confrontations between walkers and drivers who didn't quite see eye to eye. I found my sea legs after white-knuckling it through a couple of walks and now can proudly hold my own.


Today is my last day in the city as I take off for my new adventure in Germany tonight. I had a wonderful week here and am sad that it is coming to a close. I got to see some wonderful new sights, meet up with my good friends Mike and Kate on a couple of days and share some lovely dinners and evenings with David. I'm already making a list of all the things that I want to see on my next visit but now it is time for me to leave. My own new city is awaiting me in Berlin. I promise to keep you all updated as I find my new apartment and begin teaching. Love to you all and goodbye for now!