It’s easy to assume that Manhattan, and more specifically, Midtown, is where New York City begins and ends! But there are so many amazing areas and neighborhoods to explore throughout New York City. When we’re at our JA New York Shows at the Javits Center, shuttling back and forth from midtown hotels and restaurants to the convention center, one gets the impression that The Big Apple is nothing by glass high-rises and concrete streets but in fact, New York City has the highest density of green space of any city in the United States. Apparently, 8 in 10 New Yorkers live within walking distance of a public park.
When planning your trip to New York for the upcoming JA New York Summer Show, if time permits, we encourage you to carve out an extra day or two to visit some of New York’s best-kept secrets. Brooklyn Bridge Park can be accessed by a leisurely stroll over the Brooklyn Bridge where you can take in some seriously majestic views, or via multiple subway lines. (If you do opt to walk over the bridge, be mindful of staying in the clearly marked “walk” lane and avoid walking in the “bike” lane. Also, weekend pedestrian traffic can be heavy, so a weekday may be the best time to enjoy this walk!)
Brooklyn Bridge Park itself extends 1.3 miles along the East River. A now defunct cargo shipping and storage complex currently houses beach volleyball, kayaking, hand ball courts, exercise equipment, multiple soccer fields, art installations and a plentitude of Adirondack chairs and grassy areas perfect for an impromptu picnic. A walk along the water will provide you with cartoon views of downtown Manhattan, as well as “it’s so close I can almost touch it” views of the Statue of Liberty, and the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. You’ll feel like you’re walking through the set of a movie!
If a picnic sounds too adventurous, there are several fabulous places to eat or grab a sunset cocktail. Grimaldi’s Pizzeria debatably has the best pizza in all of New York City (New Yorkers have long argued the merits of Grimaldi’s vs. Lombardi’s vs. John’s). Expect a long line no matter what time of day you go, but in the end, you’ll be rewarded with a pizza you simply can’t get anywhere else on earth!
A number of new spots have also opened right on the water. The new Empire Stores (oh, yes, there’s also shopping!) has a couple of sweet spots for a snack, a meal or just a drink. Cecconi’s is a high end Italian restaurant with outdoor seating, or you can pop into Sugarcane for your fix of oysters and shrimp cocktail.
If you’ve had your fill of the park and want to get to some air conditioning away from the water, Long Island Bar just up the hill on Atlantic Avenue is a great option. With a small menu limited to a couple of different kinds of burgers and some small bites, this Brooklyn mainstay was opened in 1951 and ran continuously for 50 years. It was lovingly restored and re-opened in 2013. The interior still maintains the restaurant’s original charm, and the talented mixologists at the bar can make you a sidecar or martini or any other cross-continental cocktail you can imagine exactly to your liking.
After your day/evening/weekend in Brooklyn, you’ll feel like you visited a different city entirely, and you’ll feel refreshed and reenergized and ready to take on Midtown!
