Always looking for an excuse to go to Brooklyn, I jumped at the chance to see Olafur Eliasson's Waterfalls. I'm not quite sure why we never go since it is so close but we haven't been back since last year's ill-fated adventure.
My favorite way to get there is to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, for it is possibly the best way to experience New York, tourist or native alike. This time we scooted across. Izzy and his Papa ended up on my scooter and I had to push or awkwardly scoot on Izzy's. Definitely a strange way to go but it worked.
The walk allowed us to preview Olafur Eliasson's Waterfalls but the close-up is better once you are actually in Brooklyn. They have a temporary cafe set up on the pier which I wish I'd have known about beforehand. It would have saved me from packing a picnic. I couldn't resist the bar where we had watermelon juice and ginger lemonade all the while gazing at the spectacular backdrop.
After the beverages and the view, we continued our exploration of the
surrounding neighborhood, looking to picnic by the water. What we encountered, aside from the picnic area, was a small rocky "beach" with diving cormorants and a great playground with water features, just north of the The River Cafe. I also discovered a Sunday Greenmarket with produce, nuts, pickles and meats.
The neighborhood boasts plenty of child-friendly eating, including Almondine Patisserie and the original Jacques Torres Chocolate Factory. We skipped those spots this time around because I was saving my appetite for my raison d'etre: The Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, home of one of New York's best ice creams. Look at the dreamy look on Izzy's face as he savors his strawberry cone.
The walk and the ice cream are reason enough to start planning your trip. The art, playground and other food options only add to the appeal, making for an ideal outing.
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