Tourist In My Own Town - DUMBO & Brooklyn Bridge Park

Even though I've lived in New York City for about 20 non-consecutive years of my life, there are still places that I have never been or there are new places within the city that I am discovering or even rediscovering. With my Tourist in my Own Town posts, I'll take you to those places both old and new.

This past weekend, my brother-in-law (we'll call him BLT) and his wife, SLJ, came for a very short visit. I was just impressed that they made it because SLJ is going to be a Mommy sometime within the next month! I'm going to be an aunty!

Anyway, Husband J and I took them to one of my favorite areas in Brooklyn, the DUMBO/Fulton Ferry Landing area.

Fulton Ferry Landing is called so because for many years, until the Brooklyn Bridge was built in 1877, Brooklyn residents had to take the Fulton Ferry across the East River to Manhattan.

I love this view of the Brooklyn Bridge from Fulton Ferry Landing. It's kinda like iconic New York City for me.

You can also catch the NYC Water Taxi from here, a hop-on/hop-off ferry service.

The newest addition to this area is Brooklyn Bridge Park, a beautiful new city park that took years of governmental wrangling to finally get built. It's part of a large plan to revitalize Brooklyn's waterfront, and this park will be a major part of that development. The first portion of the park to be finished, Pier 1, opened earlier this year in late March. I have a spot in my heart for Pier 1 because the temporary park (built a year or two before this one) was where Husband J proposed to me. :)

I love that there are so many benches. You will not lack for a place to sit.

Slowly but surely, food and drink vendors are being added to the park. Right now, a wine bar is open. I also saw a cart from Calexico, a local Mexican restaurant/roaming food cart, in the park when we were there. Calexico was recently voted Best New Mexican Restaurant by Time Out NY.

We also ventured to the other side of the park. Just so you know, there is currently a lot of construction going on. Water Street, the street closest to the river, is a bit of a mess.

BLT and SLJ take a look at a sign explaining the significance of this area as part of the Battle of Long Island. Technically, Brooklyn is on the land mass that is Long Island, but we're still a part of NYC (For your safety, please don't tell anyone from Brooklyn that they are from Long Island...just sayin'.)

I joked with SLJ that this our northern Brooklyn version of a beach. There are beaches in Brooklyn in the south at Brighton Beach and Coney Island.

The most pleasant surprise of our little outing: THE FOOD! Of course...... ;)

In addition to restaurants in the DUMBO area, Fulton Ferry Landing has its own dining spots that are new for this summer or have been around a long time. We went to both.

New for this summer, the Red Hook Lobster Pound, has set up a nice area right on the dock to buy what they are calling the "Best Lobster Roll in New York City." The Red Hook Lobster Pound specializes in supplying New York City with the freshest Maine lobsters possible. They also have their own store in Red Hook, Brooklyn where they sell their lobster as well as have seating space during the warm weather for eating their lobster rolls and other food and drink. Apparently, they've got a Washington, DC outpost as well.

Husband J grew up in New England, spent his summers boating and that means a whole lotta time in Maine. He LOVES lobster rolls. It was HIS idea to try them.

The Red Hook Lobster Pound's tent area

Not a bad place to dine

Just in case you're wondering, the lobster rolls were close to perfect for me. Husband J was pretty impressed too. Large, succulent chunks of a lobster (not shredded lobster), just a hint of mayonaisse, well-seasoned on a buttered toasted bun. Sigh.....

We then went over to the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, a ice cream shop that's been around for awhile. Their claim to fame is using fresh ingredients and making ice cream the old-fashioned way.

Yes, it does look like a lighthouse. Michelle Obama got ice cream there earlier this year. If it's good enough for her...

I got peach ice cream. Less artifical flavors meant less powerful peach taste. Still good though. Odd looking pic, I know.

Who's that? ;)

BLT and SLJ got a coffee milkshakes. I promised I wouldn't put their faces on the blog. :) It's too late for Husband J. BLT said the milkshake was perfectly thick, and the coffee ice cream tasted like grounds. Perfect for a coffee drinker like him.

So that is our little outing to one of my favorite spots in Brooklyn.

Do you have a favorite spot in your city or town that you like to visit and/or show off to out-of-towners? Where?