"I have lived in New York City all my life, and I am convinced that it is the most vibrant, fascinating, creative, diverse, and, sometimes, frustrating place on earth."
-- Peaceful Places, New York City: 129 Tranquil Sites in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island by Evelyn Kanter.
I laughed when I read the acknowledgment section at the beginning of this book because the author thanked GM and Ford for loaning her cars to use to get to the places she wrote about. Having no car is such a quintessential New York thing -- I feel like I will be in good hands with this woman.
Although I have been to Manhattan several times, I have never explored the other boroughs. We are planning a trip to New York this fall -- maybe this will be my chance to venture farther afield. And maybe this will be the book that inspires me to do so.
I lived in Queens for 4.5 years. There are some great places to visit in the Outer Boroughs. If you're at all into pop culture, the Museum of the Moving Image is very interesting in Queens. And of course you ought to go to Coney Island in Brooklyn. Yankee stadium and the Zoo in the Bronx. Not sure what there is to see IN Staten Island, but the ferry is a lovely ride, and it is free. I also really loved The Cloisters which are technically in Manhattan but so far north, it's a part of Manhattan tourists never go to. And the Church of St. John the Divine is in that far norhtern tip, too. It's so big, you could put a 747 in it!
ReplyDeleteCarin -- Thanks for all the ideas! I am going to print your comment and put it in my trip-planning file!
ReplyDeleteThe Cloisters is my favorite NYC thing to do. I've gone twice and always tell people about it. But I have only been to the outside of the Church of St. John the Divine. I would like to go inside.
Carin has made wonderful recommendations - I second them all!
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Queens and now live in Manhattan but am a borough girl at heart! Hope you get a chance to venture out there!
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/books/2010/08/hideaways-in-the-hubbub.html
ReplyDeleteThis review over at The Book Bench reminded me of you Peaceful Places posts. Enjoy!