Bruised Feet

Well I didn’t think I walked that much, but apparently I am wrong.  In fact I walk enough to permanently bruise a person’s feet according to my mom.  I guess I am the exploring version of my dad on steroids.  To be honest, I decided to do a mapmyrun.com for our Saturday route, and shockingly realized we had logged 14.74 miles.  However, the best way to see a city and truly understand it is to walk the streets.  You come across so many hidden gems that you would have missed if you had simply taken the subway from point A to B.  Most Saturdays I don’t really have a destination or plan when I start off, just a direction.

Well we ended here...now see what we went through to get to this location.

However, since my mom was here, I had to have a bit more direction.  I figured we better start off with a nice relaxing brunch before heading off on our day’s adventure.  We ate at Rue 57, one of my favorite places for brunch on the corner of 6^th and 57^th.  She had French toast with berries and I had an omelet.  We had a great seat in the open air restaurant which happened to be right next to the person who sits next to me at work.  What a coincidence!

To be honest I am not a huge fan of this pic because pictures of you sitting at a table just look awkward, but I decided my expanation of the restaurant/table wasn't the best so this would help.

Next we headed off to Brooklyn to the Brooklyn Flea Market that my Markets of New York book from Anthropologie praised.  We were not disappointed.  The market was filled with all sorts of antiques, vintage clothes, and delicious food.  Brooklyn with its trees, smaller buildings, and quirky charm is a nice escape from the busy city.

Brooklyn

The Brooklyn Flea Market on Lafayette St.

Can you spot my mom and I?

This merchant turned old ceiling tiles into artwork.  I am obsessed!

Pure fruit popsicles...blueberry + apricot = delicious

After that we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge, making our way back to Manhattan.  As we meandered through Sea Port (a Fisherman’s Wharf type area) I took my 10^th sample of lotion for the day.  My mom pointed out that every time I see a tester bottle, I obviously feel the need to try it.

Obviously windy, bridge pictures aren't our specialty.

We passed through Battery Park and the World Trade Center site as I led my mom to our New York office so she could see that and have a view of our Jersey City one.  It just so happened that there was an Arts Festival going on at the World Financial Center.  Take a look at what we saw.

Next up was Otto, Mario Batali’s pizza restaurant at 1 5^th Ave.  My mom was neighbors with Mario during 9^th and 10^th grade when their families lived in Madrid.  She remembers him as this awkward teenager with a huge, curly, red haired afro and even brought along a picture of all of them just in case we saw him at the restaurant.  Unfortunately he was on vacation but the restaurant was still neat, designed to look like a train station, and the food was pretty good too.

A new spin on capresi salad...add pesto and pine nuts.

After dinner we walked along the Highline, old elevated train tracks that run along the water from 14^th to 34^th.  Someone had the brilliant idea of turning them into an elevated park and the walkway was alive with people going for their nightly stroll.

We probably held traffic up for 30 people taking this picture

since the man who was taking it couldn't figure out my camera.

We finished the night up with a stop in Times Square.  My mom was not a big fan of the crowds and neither am I, but it is still amazing to see so many people from all over the globe in just a few short blocks!

Now that is what I call an impressive flip!