Author Archives: Sabiha Begum

36 hours on the Brooklyn Waterfront

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Brooklyn with its unique style and diverse culture is one of the most artistically exalted boroughs in New York. With stunning scenic views of the city skylines along the Brooklyn Bridge park, exploring the trendiest neighborhood, Williamsburg, the streets are lined up with inventive restaurants, rooftop bars, boutique shops for the locals and tourists. Brooklyn has something for everyone. Being a melting pot of diversity, with the past and present meshed together, Brooklyn has a distinct culture to be explored.

(Photo credit: OhRanger.com http://www.ohranger.com/ny/east-river/photos/east-river-state-park)

Friday

  • 3:30 pm | Learn the local
    Williamsburg, known for its abundance of artistic expressions established many local shops that exhibit the neighborhoods distinct art culture. While exploring around, you may come across random street art, local antique stores and art museums. The City Reliquary is a non-profit community museum. The museum traces the history of New York city’s 5 boroughs with its exhibitions of cultural items and antiques. The museum is a great spot that presents insight to the borough’s culture, just at the cost of $5, with also the occasional movie night.
  • 5:30 pm | Walk at the park
    Head on down to the East River state park for a relaxing Saturday afternoon with great waterfront views. The park has been nicknamed the Williamsburg Waterfront. The park is built on the former site of the Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal, the first offline railroad terminal to be located in Brooklyn.  Historic remnants like cobblestones streets, bits of the old rail yard, and a discarded dock remain after the park development. While walking and watching the geese and people unwinding, you can get some food from Smorgasburg fair, which is a seasonal outdoor food market on Saturdays (11am-6pm). It’s an opportunity to explore endless options of different types of food offered by 75+ vendors. Grab something to eat and enjoy the incredible views of the Manhattan skyline as the sun sets.
  • 7:30 pm | Movie night
    Dinner? Movie? Both possible at one place as the Nitehawk Cinema is a dine-in theater. It is New York’s first cinema eatery screening independent movies. The theater features a full-service restaurant on the first floor serving entrees burgers, fish taco & pork buns, also serving specialty meal and drink items inspired by its films. Get the tickets to movies and order off the menu, whether you want a full meal or light snack during the movie, they’ve got it. The theater is just like any theater with rows of red foldable seats and small tables fixed between every 2 seats where the servers can place your food. Located in Williamsburg, the cinema expresses another form of culture that fits in the artistic district. The Nitehawk Cinema offers a unique experience of combining the culinary and cinematic culture.
  • 9:30 pm | Indie night
    Live music is one of the cultural hallmark of brooklyn’s nightlife. From underground and off-the-books communal gatherings, the borough of homes and warehouses began to DIY these spaces into music venues just to display the musical talents from around the borough. Music Hall of Williamsburg presents the concert culture of indie rock. Although concerts can vary from indie rock to electronic, folk and country. The basement level, including the balcony seating with each level of its own bar and large mounted screens broadcasting the show, gives it a laid back feel in a concert hall.

Saturday

  • 12:00 pm | Historical background
    BLDG 92 is an exhibition center of the Brooklyn navy yard.  BLDG 92 offers a variety of public tours, exhibitions, and programs. The BLDG 92 exhibits are open on Saturday, 12–6pm and admission are free. Known for its “The Brooklyn Navy Yard: Past, Present, and Future”, which is a three-floor interactive exhibition about the rich shipbuilding history and the contributions made at the Yard to American industry. The excellent collection of pictures and documents showcases natural, cultural and social impacts relating to the legacy of the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Take a coffee break at the new location of the Brooklyn Roasting Company, which offers coffee, sandwiches, salads, beer, and wine.
  • 2:00 pm| Culture appreciation
    The Brooklyn Historical Society is a museum, library, and educational center preserving and encouraging the study of Brooklyn’s 400-year history. Founded in 1863, the museum is located in a landmark Queen Anne–style building. The museum exhibits the impact on the culture of Brooklyn, introspective display of the black community, the transition of the industrial waterfront to creative community with new waves of immigrants. The museum comprises of numerous permanent and ongoing exhibits. A major art gallery and library offers an extensive amount of background of Brooklyn
  • 4:00 pm | Music on a boat
    Located along the Brooklyn waterfront, Bargemusic is a classical music venue and cultural icon. Bargemusic has been offering the local audience and tourist the experience of chamber music in a fittingly intimate setting. The intimate and unique music hall is a 100-foot steel barge, built in 1899 coffee barge. On Saturdays, free admission for an hour of music concerts is offered at 4 p.m, otherwise, the tickets cost around $5 dollars. Enjoy the showcase of classical chamber music on a floating barge, with a great view of the Manhattan skyline, as it slightly sways on the water currents.

 

  •  6:00 pm | Down the Dumbo
    Being on the Brooklyn waterfront there no way to escape the crowds of tourists on the DUMBO neighborhood. Like many Brooklyn neighborhoods, DUMBO is known for its incredible art scene as well. The artists, culture and history and local art make it a vibrant art scene. DUMBO is a great spot to view the Brooklyn bridge and views of the lower Manhattan. The old manufacturing warehouses are well preserved, now mostly used for housing, office space, and local stores. Exploring Dumbo, you’ll come across its original cobblestone streets, remnants of the freight train tracks. While exploring, grab a slice of pizza at Grimaldi’s pizzeria which is a must-try or get to One Girl Cookies, which is a traditional bakery specializing in handmade baked goods, offering coffee and wine as well. Make sure to put on your most comfortable shoes and get ready to experience the true Brooklyn experience in the waterfront neighborhood of DUMBO.

 

  • 8:00 pm | Theatre night
    St. Ann’s Warehouse is an off-broadway venue that produces and presents a diverse range of theater performance. St. Ann’s Warehouse located at Brooklyn Bridge Park in DUMBO was a former 1860 tobacco warehouse, redeveloped into a theater by 2015. St. Ann’s Warehouse at the DUMBO location is a vital addition to the cultural development of the neighborhood, as the live performances present the theatrical roots oBrooklynyn. The tickets, ranging from $35-$45, can be bought online in advance with the perk of choosing a seat of your preference. It has easily become one of New York City’s most important and compelling live performance destinations.

Sunday

  •  12:00 pm | Seafood shack
    With the abundance of fresh seafood restaurants & markets, it is a Brooklyn must to eat at one of the culturally appropriated seafood shacks. Head out to Red Hook for authentic, crab-shack style seafood fare and mini golf course. Brooklyn crab is a tri-level seafood shack, great for its indoor/outdoor seating, bar, and a mini golf course. The atmosphere has a beach theme making it look like it belongs on a boardwalk, overlooking the Brooklyn waterfront.
  •  2:00 pm | Art stop
    With all the local art stores and venues sprawling Williamsburgs, the artistic expression has swept its way into many other neighborhoods of Brooklyn. The Brooklyn waterfront artists coalition (BWAC) located in Red Hook is a nonprofit organization, presenting art from emerging artists to be accessed easily. Housed in an old 19th-century warehouse on the Red Hook waterfront, the BWAC gallery admission is a suggested donation fee of $4.  The space is huge with, thick stone walls of 2 floors showcasing artworks ranging from art in every medium from the traditional to creative & innovative. Also on Sunday’s, there is a live band performance.

Lodging:

  • Henry Norman Hotel (239 N Henry St) is a  former warehouse from the 19th century,  that has been converted into a 50-room boutique hotel. The Henry Norman has retained its industrial roots in the décor creating an unforgettable experience for each and every one of their guests. The loft-style rooms are modern and airy, with hardwood floors. The hotel offers great accommodation with service setting a warm and welcoming atmosphere for the guest stay. With all the room/hotel amenities offered, the hotel includes a sauna and a fitness center as recreational amenities.

36 hours on the Brooklyn waterfront map: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1wlYEOt0qCLhatBq0b7H5e5K2GHI

References:

 

Sabiha Begum

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Hello, my name is Sabiha Begum. I am a first year student at the New York City college of technology. Majoring in hospitality management. I am interested in this industry as I aspire to be able to provide service for the people. I hope to learn about the many aspects within the hospitality field. I have prior experience as an office clerk at the NYC insurance brokerage Inc in queens. With the help of these skills and further knowledge, my goal is to achieve a career in the management sector in the hospitality industry, preferably the front of the house. As an office clerk I acquired skills such as time management and organisational skill that can contribute to enhance my professional attributes.