Day 8 - The Wild Wild West Village

I have to confess the title of this post may be a little misleading as I actually started out in the East - with a little excursion across the Brookyln Bridge, an acclaimed rite of passage for every New Yorker wannabe. So braving my hangover by downing some water and some OJ I trekked across the Brooklyn Bridge on a beautiful Friday morning as many Manhattanites and Brooklyners have done before me. There's not much to say about walking down Brooklyn Bridge, except for that it's breathtakingly beautiful. You'll see the most beautiful view of Manhattan and Brooklyn, not to mention it seems to be a walk popular amongst the New Yorker love birds. Now I keep hearing from New Yorkers that you either love Manhattan or you love Brooklyn. Whether this is true, I have no idea but having already given my heart to Manhattan I felt a little naughty sitting in a park at Brookyln Heights having a sandwich *wink*.







Brooklyn and I enjoyed about a good half an hour together before I had to rush back to Manhattan for a lunch date with an old school friend. After convincing me that American beer can be good (courtesy of Brooklyn Lager) she strung me along to the best pizza in New York, Artichokes on 14th Street and after having had a staple diet of pizza, beer and other unhealthy goodies for the past week I think I acquired enough of a palette to distinguish between amazing and crap pizza. On that note, Artichokes was delicious! Especially their artichoke pizza. I recommend it to anyone who wants to try some proper New Yorker pizza plus it'll probably fill you up for the rest of the day, if not the entire weekend.

'Why is it that in New York, guys actually want to date?' I asked my friend, taking a swig of Brooklyn Lager.
'Well it's all about dating in Manhattan, but it kind of puts more pressure on having good dates. You have fewer chances to redeem yourself.'
'Interesting.'


So having figured out that dating in New York won't exceed the blessed 'third date' most of the time, I grudgingly finished off my lager and pizza before heading to the West Village for a coffee date with a New Yorker beau. We went to this coffee house near Bleecker Street called West 11th Café. It's a cute little café near to a variety of trendy looking bars and restaurants, and I think it may be around the corner of where Julianne Moore. No I didn't stalk her whereabouts but my date and I did happen to bump into her on our way to the café where she met my clumsy-looking gaze with a friendly and approving smile. It was a few seconds before I could shake off the effects of starstruckness and turn to my unimpressed companion who informed me that she did happen to live somewhere around the corner. I guess it takes more than Julianne Moore to impress someone who models part-time for Marc Jacobs.

After a few cups of coffee, smoothies and splitting a sandwich we went for a walk along the Hudson river. When in New York one MUST watch the sunset by the Hudson river. It has the most spectacular view of the New Jersey skyline. There was no better way to spend my last evening in Manhattan.

The sun set and reality set back in. It was back to John and Broadway equipped with a box of Magnolia Bakery muffins as a 'see you later' treat for my New York ladies. A few glasses of wine, pastry, and a 'Sleepless in Seattle' session later, I had to pack my bags and hop aboard the train back to good ol' Jersey City. Goodbye Manhattan, I had a blast.