AZING SKYWARDS IS MY DEFAULT
setting in New York City.
No surprises there really; everything
seems to shoot out of the ground
to dizzying heights here. And even
though my face is upturned right now
to wallow in the novelty of snowflakes
settling on my eyelashes (embracing the magic of winter
however I get it) Iâve always been the gawking tourist
craning my neck this way and that taking in the bright
lights and steely splendour. The sheer wealth of things
to see and do here is overwhelming â so much so in fact
that Iâve never managed to make much of a dent in my New
York bucket list in the few short days that a visit invariably
lasts. Isnât helped by the fact that Iâm loath to move beyond
the things that I already know I love doing here...
So my mission which I have chosen to accept is to hit
pause on said bucket list and venture forth beyond the
obvious charms of Manhattan. Itâs a difficult decision
to make â who doesnât want to picnic in Central Park again?
- but Iâm willing to take one for the cause. After all
as a visitor to New York itâs very easy to forget that the city
extends far beyond Manhattan or even that thereâs
so much more to do here than pretending to be Godzilla
at the top of the Empire State Building or taking a ferry
out to see the Statue of Liberty. Iâll leave those galleries at
the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Natural History
Museum unexplored for now (sigh) and ignore the tacky
pull of the bright lights at Times Square though maybe
Iâll squeeze in a show on Broadway â thereâs only so much
you can give up! Instead of that picnic Iâm going to eat
my way through the smaller neighbourhoods â the villages
that make up this island. Iâm looking forward to losing
my heart to yet another museum or two ones that havenât
been around all that long. And I know Iâll find some
secrets that have been hiding right in front of me too.
And you know what? Iâm going to need to invest
in a bigger bucket.
THE NEIGHBOURHOODS
The Brooklyn Museum is a revelation.
Iâm all set to be confronted by that Brooklyn stereotype
the Hipster when I venture into the borough but my first
stop confounds me in a completely different way.
Why have I never come here before?
I havenât even indulged my love for ancient Egyptian art
skipping those floors for an intriguing exhibit on Coney
Island thatâs taken over the top floor of the museum when
I visit. This corner of Brooklyn is in my mind the definition
of Americana. Before World War II this is where the average
New Yorker went for the weekend â to lie on the beach walk
along the kitcshy boardwalks with a corndog in hand take
in the fantastical at the carnivals or go on crazy rides at one
of the amusement parks. The exhibit showcases all of this
beautifully and itâs only the equally intriguing exhibits
on the other floors that tempt me away.
Of the permanent exhibits one that deserves mention
is The Dinner Party â a room that celebrates womanhood
in an uncomplicated though provocative manner. What
is essentially just a dinner table complete with plates
cutlery and runner manages to tell quite a story.
Unni and I quickly realise that weâre going to have to tear
ourselves away and head back outdoors if weâre going to do
any more exploring; besides hunger strikes. We do as
Brooklyn does on Sundays and wait in line for brunch at
the colourful neighbourhood Mexican restaurant Chavelaâs.
Iâll tell you one thing â we brunch here in Mumbai because
itâs the âthing to doâ but these guys theyâve got the right
idea â delicious pretty yet filling eats that straddle that
middle-ground between breakfast and lunch so perfectly.
My huevos ahogados is a hearty plateful of poached eggs
topped with a jalapeño hollandaise accompanied by
chorizo guacamole potatoes and mixed veggies mopped
up with a sweet Mexican bread and a strong coffee.
A step back now to quickly look at Brooklyn. In recent
years this part of New York has experienced a bit ofG
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