Tuesday, July 22, 2014

governor's island biking date

This past Saturday, Ben and I went on a biking date in Governor's Island. Reason being: I am the proud owner of a beautiful new bike!!! Meet the Windsor Essex: a new-but-vintage-looking, ocean blue bike from wholesale site Bikes Direct (such a deal!). Ben's a biking aficionado who a) knows my taste and b) knows how to find great bikes, so it took me about 3 seconds after he sent me the link before I ordered it. Below is the capture of a sentimental moment: a woman and her first NYC bike... it was instant chemistry. (Thank you B for assembling!)


To get to Governor's Island, we biked along the East Side river down to the ferry, which then took only about 10 minutes to get to the island. Usually, I would wear my new Bern helmet while riding in the city, but it was nice to take it off on the island since there are no cars and lots of space for bikers. 


One of the first places we ended up was Hammock Grove, a brand new area that just opened this summer. It's a great break spot to hydrate, eat snacks, and relax on one of the 50 hammocks available. We brought fruit and snuck in Crabbies in a water bottle -- if you're not yet hooked, Crabbies is the most delicious ginger beer I've ever tasted. I can't get enough of it - it's all I want to drink this summer!


There are so many new features in Governor's Island. First off, SO many more food options. Last summer, I think there was only one food stand, but now, between the outdoor food court and a whole line of food trucks, I'd say there are about 15 food vendors in total. We shared a mango and strawberry smoothie and had Sweet Chili for lunch....because who can say no to Thai and Vietnamese fusion street food? Ben was happy that we were able to use his amazing flannel picnic blanket, which folds into a backpack. That thing is the best. 


What really struck me is how enchanting Governor's Island must be for children. I've never seen more kids in one place, playing soccer and just running around while their parents picnicked or napped. Such a different setting-- so much freedom and room to roam compared to Manhattan! There are so many things for kids to explore and play with: quirky sculptures (like the one below made out of 30,000 cups), artsy mini-playgrounds and even a mini-library.


Have you visited the newly renovated Governor's island yet? It's open until September 28 and the ferry is only $2 (or free on the 10 AM, 11 AM and 11:30 AM ferries from Manhattan). We had such a great time, and I would love to go again before summer ends!

2 comments:

  1. where did he get that backpack?? What's the company called?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your post is really good providing good information.. I liked it and enjoyed reading it. Keep sharing such important posts.
    how much for a small skip

    ReplyDelete

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