Day 23 | Brooklyn Bridge and Rockefeller Centre
McKay wanted some quiet time this morning so headed downstairs to the lobby and into the apartment complex communal lounge. He really enjoyed the serenity, only broken by a runaway doggie that had escaped his apartment and caught the lift down by himself. He was so scared he pooped in the corner and it took all the concierge staff to catch him. He returned happy to his apartment.
This morning’s first destination is the Brooklyn Bridge. We are in New Jersey which means getting across Manhattan in the PATH and then the Metro. Of course, with this type of trip you emerge up from the station and try to work out where to walk to. Even with the 135 year old, 84 m high bridge it took a few moments before Angus asked a guy if this was the way just as a massive sign across the sidewalk appeared. It is a beautifully sunny day and thankfully the wind in low even though it is only 1 degC.
Awesome tower structure with that massive lattice of cables gracefully suspending the traffic decks and the central timber walkway over 480 m of the East River, joining Manhattan to Brooklyn. We had ambitions to get some pizza at the Grimaldi’s beneath it but when we had walked down the queue was out the door and round the corner and we only had half an hour to get across to the Rockefeller Centre. O’Regan deftly navigated us to a quicker subway station and line to get uptown. On the way McKay gave some intricate directions to an English couple, so quickly the student becomes the master.
After a quick pizza-substitute snack we got our time for the ride to the Top of the Rock – the 66th and top floor of the Rockefeller Centre. Built to resemble an ocean liner there are a number of decks and quite a large area. Despite the height it isn’t too breezy and there is opportunity to wander looking uptown over Central Park and Manhattan from the Hudson to the East River. We stay for sunset which is nice watching the light turn golden then retreat as the sun drops behind New Jersey. One thing to remember in winter is the sunset is early, about 4:30 pm so we still have time to do a couple of things.
The Lego Store was the next stop. This store is in the Rockefeller Centre where the major NY Christmas tree has been lit and there are periodic light shows and lots of visitors. Lots of frenetic kids, including us, here. While we were about to enter the store O’Regan stalled as he had a shake cup. From the teeming square he wandered into an ornate brass rotating door, entering a quiet stately reception area for an exclusive private residence.
“Got a bin for this?” he asked the uniformed concierge. The concierge came out from behind the desk and opened a bronze-doored cupboard and pointed to a basket.
“Thanks mate” as he left back into the throng outside.
For dinner we trekked over to Chinatown’s Mott St for dinner at the Shanghai Heping Restaurant. All good noms. Lots of highlight dishes like the General Tso’s chicken and the Dong Po pork. Then O’Regan again successfully navigated us to a different Subway station to connect with the PATH back to our stop at Journal Square.
Highlights:
Angus | The Rockefeller Centre – so much art
Rosie | Waitress at the Chinese Restaurant taking our photo and sunset from the Top of the Rock
O’Regan | The Rockefeller bin story above
Jemmz | The Lego Store
McKay | The melt in your mouth pork belly at the Shanghai Heping
