Happiness is not a matter of intensity
but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.
-- Thomas Merton

Friday, February 8, 2019

A Charming Walk Through Greenwich Village

Kara and I arrived in New York City last night around 10:30 p.m. We are staying at the Crowne Plaza Times Square on the 20th floor. We were hungry after our flight so after checking in and dropping our bags we headed across the street to an Irish Pub that closes at 4 a.m.  

We have lots of plans for our time in New York but nothing that begins early. We slept in this morning. This is our "get acclimated" day. We headed out around 11 a.m, got our unlimited 7 day Metro card and boarded the train going the wrong direction. I did say we were getting acclimated. Once we were on the right train we headed to Greenwich Village in search of breakfast at Banter restaurant. By that time we were getting the hangries. We went that far because Kara had read an article that talked about how good the eggs were there. It was worth the wait.

Re-fueled we walked up the street past Justin Memorial Church

and into Washington Square. I love Washington Square. For me it has the vibrancy and diversity that makes me love New York.

From there we started our charming walk through Greenwich Village. We walked past the red buildings of Washington Square North to the dead end street of McDougal Alley to the Jefferson Market Library (formally used as a courthouse).

We strolled down Gay Street and then passed the trapezoid shaped Northern Dispensary building where the once down-and-out Edgar Allan Poe sought medical care.

It wasn't far from there to Sheridan Park across from Stonewall Inn.

We peeked through the locked gate at Grove Court, built as workingmen's cottages and are now sought after residences.

Around the corner are two buildings called the twins. They are two identical homes built for sisters who didn't get along with each other.

We ended our building tour with this odd little white house where the woman lived who wrote "Goodnight Moon."

I enjoyed strolling through a New York neighborhood. These were some of my favorite sights. Here are some of my favorite things along the way. The locksmith shop with the outside decorated with keys;

the door that had the person's opinions on tablet paper taped to it;
The and the church with the awesome signs.




After indulging in a most delicious peanut butter cookie We headed back to our room to rest and regroup. Then we headed for a fair trade chocolatier on Madison Ave. I was hoping to have chocolate mailed to my children for Valentine's Day but was informed I had to do that online. 

We got a small box for later consumption and walked down towards the Empire State Building. We noticed we weren't far from Bryant Park and so we headed there. What a winter wonderland.

By now it was time to head for Tavern on the Green in Central Park. We ordered the prix fixe meal. It was heavenly! The perfect meal to cap a most excellent day.