RED HOOK, BROOKLYN

Red Hook feels a world away from Manhattan, but it’s reachable by water taxi.

Last spring, I spent a day wandering the neighborhood… first treating myself to brunch (at Fort Defiance), then to key lime pie (from Steve’s) and a walk along the many piers that dot the western side of the neighborhood.

The streets were quiet, even on the weekend day that I was there. I’m not usually a fan of deserted streets, but in this case, it just made me feel like I had the place to myself. The gloomy skies lent a mysterious quality to the cobblestone streets and old brick warehouses.

A day in Red Hook meant removing myself from the “hustle and bustle” of Manhattan… a kind of escape without having to leave the city.

This is why I need to go back.

It had been a long time since I sat at the waterside, by myself, hearing nothing but the waves. It definitely doesn’t happen in Manhattan. But somehow, two miles away in Brooklyn, there is no sound but the water. Sometimes, I forget how nice it can be. Of course, the amazing views of the Statue of Liberty don’t hurt either.