City of dreams

Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
My second look at New York kicks off in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn.

Smorgasburg Flea Market, Wlliamsburg, Brooklyn, New York

We'd spent a frantic five days on Manhattan and were ready for a shift down in pace and Williamsburg duly obliged. We arrived just in time for the Sunday morning Smorgasburg Flea Market at on the 8th floor at 25 Kent Avenue. The usual outdoor market moves indoors for Winter. It's a popular, busy gathering and a step up from usual flea markets. There were some great vintage toys to take a look at. Loads of clothes, records, artists showing their wares and a well organised gallery of culinary options. It had a lovely atmosphere which we found continued through the heart of Williamsburg as we explored Bedford Avenue from 12th down to 6th avenue.

Bedford Avenue, Williamsburg

On and around Bedford there are plenty of busy cafes and restaurants to choose from. No doubt you'll find yourself squeezed into one of them to enjoy an excellent Sunday salad in the company of some seriously stereotyped New Yorkers. It's a great place to people watch.

Rooftop ice skating, Williamsburg, New York

Grab a pint or two at the lovely Brooklyn Brewery open bar which seemed quite the place to be on a Sunday afternoon, whether you were there for the board games or the beer. And if you get the time pop into the quaint independent Stuart Cinema & Cafe which is great value for money. We watched The Lighthouse with William Defoe on a late afternoon showing. What else?

Williamsburg, New York

Coney island was a place we both desperately wanted to visit if only for the references from some of our favourite artists, including Franz Ferdinand, The Ramones and of course David Bowie. From Brooklyn it's an hour on the subway train to Coney island, and this journey through several different neighborhoods is a great window on real New York life.
As an aside the seven day unlimited metro card (for travel on the subway and buses) was proving great value for money and I would highly recommend grabbing one.

Coney Island, New York

Do be prepared to be the only people on the train at the end of the line when you arrive at Coney Island in the middle of Winter. Thankfully the resort itself didn't disappoint with it's kitsch shops (closed) and throwbacks to a bygone era and glories from yesteryear.

Coney Island, New York

We got to check out Luna Park which is the fairground featuring the famous Cyclone roller coaster and fabulously named Wonder Wheel. All obviously closed and undergoing out of season repairs.
We walked along the famous, atmospheric boardwalk on the seafront in the freezing January winds attempting (unsuccessfully) to recreate iconic David Bowie photographs.

David Bowie, Coney Island, 2002

David Bowie loved New York and New York loved him. And more more importantly it left him alone to do what he wanted to do. It's hard to comprehend any other cultural icon being able to move under the radar to create and release an album such as the Next Day, with no warning or rumour, to a shocked audience across the world. Unless that is, they could move unseen and unhindered through the back streets of NoLIta (North of Little Italy) to the Magic Shop recording studio as just another New Yorker.
He is part of the city's DNA and during our time in the city we wondered through Bowie's neighborhood around his apartment condo on 285 Lafayette street. It was a lot busier than I envisaged but is a fascinating area and perfectly placed for being in walking distance of many great places such as his beloved Washington Square in Greenwich Village. This is a great article from the New York Times describing David Bowie's New York and whilst a few of the places are no longer open it's a great starting point for any Bowie aficionado in NYC. And this is the great man himself talking about his love for the city.

David Bowie, 270 Lafayette Street, New York, 2013

Anyway, I digress. Back to Coney Island. Frozen to the bone we grabbed a coffee for the train and traveled back to Brooklyn Heights for the Union City Blue views of Manhattan from Brooklyn Bridge Park then then walked over the iconic Brooklyn Bridge itself. An absolute must to do on a visit to New York.

Union City Blue views, Manhattan

The trip to Coney Island and the Brooklyn Bridge made for a very busy morning but luckily there are no shortages of diners either side of the Hudson to provide you with the much needed carbohydrate fix to set you up for the afternoon's adventures.

Brooklyn Bridge, New York

There is so much to vie for your time on a visit to the Big Apple including ones we passed on this trip such as Central Park, Museums and boat trips. The list is endless and there is no right or wrong.
To end with here's a last few suggestions that may be on your wavelength.

The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in Hell's Kitchen is an aircraft carrier which is not only home to Blackbird, the stealth spy plane that any child of the 1970s will be in awe of, it has a Concorde! And if that wasn't enough to send you into geek heaven there is the newly re-opened Space Shuttle Pavilion housing the Enterprise Space Shuttle. The display isn't as flashy as the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida but here in NYC you can get up close and literally kick the tyres of this bad boy!
Fabulous for the enthusiast.

Space Shuttle Enterprise, The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, NYC

From Hell's Kitchen it's easy to drop in by Hudsons Yard, a new mega-development housing the visitor attraction of the Vessel. An Instagram-perfect piece of art in a pretty soulless setting.
For a little more substance jump on the nearby High Line, a disused former raised railway track brought back to life by local residents and the city council to incorporate gardens and art. It integrates perfectly with it's city surroundings and is an absolute joy to walk along. It will take you through Chelsea neighbourhood where you can drop down and explore the famous markets or check out the infamous hotel of the same name.

Chelsea, NYC. Reminds me of my home town of Manchester

Greenwich Village is another wonderful area of the city, the centre piece being the ever enthralling and intriguing Washington Square, if only for the variety of patrons it attracts. Nearby is the diner from Friends (used for the external shots) that we stumbled upon by accident, wondering what all the folk were gathered round to photograph. It's called the Little Owl diner if you are interested.

Birdman of Washington Square Park, Greenwich Village, NYC

And go to see a show on Broadway!
The main reason for our trip to New York this time was to see one of my heroes David Byrne perform in his wonderful America Utopia show at the intimate Hudson Theater.
The show returns later in 2020 for another run, I can't recommend it enough. It delivers a life-affirming dose of human kindness and optimism that is a rarity in these troubled times.

Tip, if you like Guinness, pre-load before the show at at the long room Bar in Hotel Mela just up the road from the Hudson theater.

David Byrne, Hudson Theatre, NYC

So now it's goodbye from the bright lights of Times Square and NYC.
Next stop on our New York State excursion, Long Island via Rockaway Beach!

Times Square, NYC