The New York Times (Earley Edition) Part III

Ok I admit it. We actually slept in on a trip to New York City. During my first two times to the Big Apple, this would have been an atrocity! We had things to do and people to see! But I guess the combination of Tyler and I was too weak to resist the human need to sleep. We had planned to pass by Central Park that morning, but decided to forgo it, deciding that it was, after all, mostly grass. And it was too cold to roll around in it. So we got up, greeted the slew of Indian people working at the small motel, checked out, and headed to the Brooklyn Bridge. It was a GORGEOUS day out – cold, but beautiful. As we walked across the bridge, we could see the Statue of Liberty out in the harbor, and we got a magnificent view of the lower Manhattan skyline. 

We took our sweet time walking the bridge, and finally arrived to the borough of Brooklyn. Believe it or not, this was my first time actually in Brooklyn, and I was ecstatic. Immediately upon entering the Borough, I felt like I could breathe a little bit easier, not having an armpit right in front of my nostrils. 

We walked around downtown a little bit, Tyler drew on a piece of living art, and we began the search for Grimaldi’s Pizza, rumored to be the best around, and located almost under the bridge. Well, naturally we got lost, but with help my trusty GPS Judy, we made it, tired and extra hungry.

The place was packed, as is every popular New York eatery, so we had to wait in a line outdoors, but the place was a movin’ and shakin’ and it really didn’t take us that long to be seated. Granted, we had to share a four person table with two young Asian girls, but that’s part of the experience, right? Elbow to elbow, baby. The pizza was huge (and fantastic) and we devoured the whole thing, along with Olde Brooklyn root beer in glass bottles (love). Pictures of famous people graced the walls of the establishment, and one could tell the locals from the tourists in the way they ate their pizza. Tyler, being Italian and all, knew the correct way, bless his heart. I hate looking like a tourist.

After lunch we had some time to spare so we walked just down the street to the Brooklyn Bridge Park where the Manhattan skyline was spread out before us across the water. The park was quiet, the sun was brightly shining, the water was blue, and I thought, “Finally. This is the New York I could live in.” I can see now why Francie, in a Tree Grows in Brooklyn, talked so highly of the place where she grew up. It really is magical.

Snapping back to reality, we had to make our way back to the subway,

 and rode it up to Harlem, where we caught the bus back to the cardboard box. On the subway, Tyler mentioned that this could be the last time we ride it. I couldn’t decide how I felt about that comment. I thought maybe I needed to get out of the situation and then do some reflection on our visit. After making it to La Guardia Airport, our flight was delayed, so I had plenty of time to think. We both liked it. Looking at it through non-tourist eyes, it appealed to me a little less than times past, though. I would definitely want to live farther from the Manhattan crowds. New York, however, would be a grand adventure.

After a long trek back to Salt Lake City (more delays and a missed connection flight in Denver) we arrived to our humble abode at about 1:30am, exhausted. The trip, at that point, seemed like a blur. Luckily we have pictures to remind us of that one time we ate Al Sharpton and Barack Obama, or of our near death experience. And thankfully we have this (very) lengthy blog so we never forget the joys of the Big Apple.

Stay tuned for updates regarding Touro NY!