36 Hours in Brooklyn

Gentrified. Diverse. Tourist Destination.Williamsburg is Mini Manhattan in Brooklyn.

   View from the Williamsburg Bridge facing Long Island City (left side) and Williamsburg (right side).

    By Nayalynn Martinez

    December 11,2018

Out of  66 neighborhoods in this marvelous city of Brooklyn, a fashionable neighborhood stands out. Williamsburg represents massive change from its industrial power to postindustrial neglect to its current gentrified state. Throughout the years, what makes this special neighborhood catch tourist’s attention, is walking the piers, seeing beautiful scenery, enjoying a night out on its  fast pace sidewalks, many stores next to both local and international stores even stopping by to get a perfect slice of cake at the whole foods market, well known international market with great customer service.

Friday

1)2:30 p.m. Knowledge on food and drinks!

Enjoy your time at a museum, although some museums don’t sound to interesting, this specific museum will leave you with curiosity and full. Museum of food and drink, is located on bayard st not far from the L train at Bedford ave. Mofad provides education on food and drink and how food can bring stranger’s closer and not feel uncomfortable making conversation. There is food samples that get handed out as you go through the museum. It’s a cool way to interact with others that are interested in the same exhibits.

The museum is not an ordinary huge entrance and tall ceilings, this museum is in the middle of a block, very interesting unique layout. Photo credit: Nayalynn Martinez

 

2) 7 p.m. Pies & Thighs

    Classic American dishes such as Chicken and Biscuits, mash potatoes, waffles, pies and plenty more. The owners of the place stated on their webpage, “We took over a beer storage closet and transformed it into a tiny kitchen with six stools,”This restaurant has presented how the lifestyle of eras in the past were living, but in a trendy look to present to customers. You can take the B60, M or J train to Marcy Ave and then walk 8 minutes.

 

3) 10:30 p.m. Late Night View

    A 6-acre public park in which is right by the water has a beautiful view of Manhattan. You can see the williamsburg bridge, where people are walking across into manhattan, which is a great experience but i wouldn’t really recommend it in cold weather. This park was built with old resources that came from the Domino company factory in which some pieces of the factory is still up and holding. There is a mini bridge throughout the park in which was created with old pieces from the factory.  It is open for everyone and even has a children park if you want your kids to enjoy the environment and view of water. You can take the L train to Bedford Ave and get off on Bedford ave and N7th st, SE corner and walk 16 minutes to the park or take the B60 depending where your staying at in the east williamsburg area. Get off on Broadway and Marcy ave and walk 3 minutes to transfer to the B59 on Broadway and Roebling St and then walk less than a minute.

   

    A piece of the Domino Sugar factory, the two cranes help support the bridge which you can walk and end up on one side of the park. Photo Credit: Nayalynn Martinez

 

Saturday

4) 10 a.m. Not your typical bagel  

    What is your ordinary breakfast meal like? How about switch it up a bit and have something that looks very satisfying to look at and capture in a photo. “The bagel that had broke the internet,” a rainbow bagel,  not your typical breakfast but is worth the try to switch up your appetite. These bagels are handmade and freshly done every morning it is very trendy and interesting how cream cheese can be replaced with sprinkled cream cheese. It’s unique and would be great bucket list idea to get done, trying new things can open up many door for those who are willing to take a step into getting out your comfort zone. You can take the L train to Graham ave and get off on the NE corner side and walk less than a minute. Explore after you get the bagels and look at modern and current apartments that are being constructed to transform the community.

Different flavors of cream cheese to pick from (left side) and a rainbow bagel with funfetti cream cheese (right side). Photo Credit: Nayalynn Martinez

 

5) 12 p.m. Bowl & Drink

A 20,000 square foot bowling alley with high tech lanes, loud music and food that’s from Blue ribbon. Throughout the day the alley is opened to everyone any age. At 6:00 pm is when everyone that is younger than 21 has to leave the premises. Brooklyn bowl gets prepared for glow in the dark alleys and a huge event space for dancing, drinking and enjoying a night out with your loved ones. You can take the L train to bedford ave or even take the G train to Nassau ave and walk about 10 minutes.

Entrance to Brooklyn Bowl, in the night there are security guards standing outside making sure people under 21 do not enter the premises.Photo Credit: Nayalynn Martinez

 

6) 2 p.m. Best Doughnuts Ever!

    Delicious doughnuts made from scratch, made with love and care. This famous doughnut shop, Peter Pan is located on Manhattan Ave Brooklyn,NY it brings out the vintage in an old school bakery.  It opens at 4:30 am Monday- Sunday, except saturday which opens at 5:00 am. In the morning Peter Pan usually gets busy because people get there early morning breakfast to start the day off. Homemade/ Handmade pastries are always a good start to a good day and it is only getting more known as to why it is so popular. There are not many old bakeries that still bring back the old school atmosphere, this is a good place to stop by and enjoy a quick doughnut. You can walk to greenpoint avenue from north 7th st, it is a soothing walk. You can also take the B62 5 stops towards LI City Queens Plaza and exit the bus on Manhattan ave and Norman ave and walk less than 1 minute.

7) 4 p.m. Beer Break

      End your night out by stopping at the famous brewery location in Williamsburg, Brooklyn Brewery. They are known for the good beer they provide and their service. This environment is more to socialize with one another if not with friends or loved ones. A unique feature is their taste testing room in which people are allowed to stop by and taste some to see what you like. This is very interesting, it allows for intimate conversation about beer and this is why it feels very welcoming to those who stop by daily to grab a couple drinks. You can take the L train to Bedford Ave and exit on Bedford Ave and n 7TH ST, NE corner and  walk about 9 minutes.

8) 8 p.m. Unordinary Soaps

    A  family owned business came up with the idea of having unique soaps that you may find very amazed of how its a soap that you can use when in the shower.The shop is called Soap Cherie, the family came up with making handmade products naturally and containing multiple scents for each soap.  Their main focus is helping take care of the body, selling oils to soaps to bath bombs. You would not regret going to because the sculptured soaps looks so realistic and catches your attention. It’s a trendy fun way to connect with the workers to understand how the soap was made. Take a peek inside and see what you find interesting. This shop is about a 3 minute walk from the bedford train station.

 

Sunday

9) 10 a.m. Sweet Mornings

    Walk into the smell of delicious bakery called Martha’s bakery in which contains desserts, tasty drinks, grab a coffee and a piece of cake to start up your day. There are so many different flavors of cakes, cupcakes, muffins, pastries. You name it, they’ll probably have it. Enjoy the fresh smell of hot coffee being roasted and enjoy your surroundings. It’s a beautiful scenery for people watching.  You can take the L train to Bedford ave and walk towards North 1st st and it is right on the corner.

   

Far view of how Martha’s Bakery appears at the corner of  Bedford ave and N 1st st. Photo Credit: Nayalynn Martinez

 

10) 12:00 p.m. Vintage Clothes

Look around in a very fashionable store called Crossroad Trading which sells clothes that were originally owned by someone else instead of throwing out the used clothes they donate them. The store brings comfort, they have very vintage and trendy pieces of clothes. Some are old school items which makes it more expensive to buy because of its worth. After shopping, your style will blend in with new yorkers and their style.

11) 4:00 p.m Manhattan only 1.38 miles away

    In NYC transportation is accessible in brooklyn. You can walk the Williamsburg Bridge and have a very nice view from left and right of the East river that is also seen in Domino Park. The bridge has train tracks to get to Manhattan and the walking path is connected with the bike path and can also see car passing and driving into manhattan. It is very accessible for those who do not mind the long walk or bike ride, it is a great thing to experience and it can expand your knowledge of what you know about NYC and its bridge by reading nearby engraved facts of the bridge. Definitely recommend to take the stroll on a nice warm spring day than in the fall because it can get pretty cold since its surrounded by water.

Williamsburg Bridge from Manhattan highway entrance, on the left side the red strip is where you can walk back into Brooklyn.Photo Credit: Nayalynn Martinez

 

Lodging

    For lodging near the Williamsburg area, the amount per night is ranging from $65 to $200. On the other side near the Metropolitan avenue area in which is not too far from the Williamsburg ranges from $47 to $95.

    Airbnb are the new trend of accomodations, there are alot of homes to check out that are associated with the Airbnb company. It is a good way to actually live like a new yorker instead of being in a hotel and seeing the luxury of the hotel then what is outside on the streets in the real world of Brooklyn from experiencing in someone else’s home that is verified to rent out for guests like you.

 

For more

 

Parrella, C., & Contray, D. (2018, September 28). NYC Neighborhoods: What to Do in Williamsburg. Retrieved from https://www.nycgo.com/articles/what-to-do-williamsburg-brooklyn

 

Boyer-dry, M., & Rao, T. (2018, May 24). Fun Things to Do in Ridgewood and Williamsburg. Retrieved from

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/24/arts/things-to-do-in-nyc.html