Brooklyn Trips -A Day on the Q Train

I took Donna and her cousin on the 7 Train Visit.
Then the cousin returned to San Francisco and another cousin replaced her.

We couldn't do the same trip- so off to Brooklyn.
Unfortunately the weather was predicted to be in the 90's.

This is what we did.

A. Grand Army Plaza-

We took the Q train from Broadway and 49th to Grand Army Plaza.  Brooklyn has its own Arch D'Triumph.  Its actually the Soldier's and Sailor's Arch.  Check it out here

B.    The Brooklyn Museum I love the Brooklyn Museum.  I love the Mummies in the Egypt exhibit, I love the Judy Chicago Dinner Party, on permanent exhibit  and I love the the painting of Old Brooklyn 

Painting of Old Brooklyn by Francis Guy

And there is also a Georgia O'Keeffe of the Brooklyn Bridge too.

C- Lefferts Garderns

We walked up Washington Avenue and stopped for a much needed cup of iced coffee at Dunkin Donuts at Empire Boulevard.  From there we turned east and wandered around the blocks of Brownstones and Victorians preserved mostly because of the community's devotion to preserving the unique housing.

D- We returned to the Prospect Park Subway station.  Enough hot streets- off to the beach.

In NYC subways go underground, they go over the streets as well, and sometimes, very rarely - they are on grade - like at the Prospect Park Station.  -Its not a short quick ride to Coney Island, but the cars are air conditioned and the seats are smooth and we arrived without waffle thighs, a condition I remember from the days of hard wicker seats.

E-Coney Island-

We took the train to the end- and then made our way down the boardwalk.  The Coney Island Summer was in full swing- the rides whirring and the food frying.  Gone are the days of carnival barkers.  I read an article last summer about how at one time there were premature babies on display at the boardwalk.  Not as abusive as you might think.  Check it out here.

F- Nathan's

We didn't eat at Nathan's.  We walked down the boardwalk and dipped our toes in the ocean. We walked north on Ocean Avenue and made our way to Brighton Beach Avenue.

F.  Brighton Beach.
It's called Little Russia or Odessa by the Sea for a reason.  Brighton Beach is filled with businesses owned and catering to the recent immigrants from the old Soviet Union.  We checked out the food markets on Brighton Beach Avenue.  Though, a different neighborhood, a good introduction to the Russian Market - is at this site.

We ate traditional Russian Fare at Skovorodka- Blintzes. like my grandmother used to make them, oh wait- she made them from a box, these were much better, and also stuffed cabbage, not quite like the one's in memory- these probably broke a multitude of dietary laws my grandmother sometimes adhered to.

The train was right there- when we were ready to make the return journey.