weekending // adventures in ... RED HOOK

Some days you just gotta get outta town.

I was feeling the itch to visit girlfriends in New York City last weekend, so I took the train up from Philadelphia just for the day.  We decided to explore the Brooklyn neighborhood of Red Hook, known as the home of IKEA and Fairway, as well as being nestled in its own little pocket away from the ease of public transit.  But because of this, it has still holds the quiet charm of Brooklyn that the neighborhoods of Williamsburg, Greenpoint, and Bushwick lost years ago (or currently losing, depending on who you ask!).

Here's how our sweet Saturday played out . . .

1/  Since Red Hook is a little challenging to get to via Subway, one of my girlfriends had the brilliant idea to take the free ferry.  I was skeptical, fearful of long lines, but despite the picture perfect day, we got on one with great ease and were in Red Hook within 15 minutes of leaving the Wall St. dock.  And the cheerful ferry workers were delighted to take pictures of riders.
2/  By the time we got to Red Hook, it was definitely time for brunch.  We opted to check out Fort Defiance, based on some good reviews among friends.  I loved their outdoor bar, where couples were dining right on the sidewalk. 
3/  We were seated right away in the back - perfect for a group of girlfriends that needed to catch up and laugh loudly.  All the tables were covered in gorgeous, patterned oil cloth, which I loved.  We feasted on their $20 pre-fixe, which ended up being a fantastic deal among NYC standards.  Basically, if it includes a Tom Collins, sign me up.

The rest of the day, we strolled down Van Brunt Street enjoying boutiques, particularly Foxy & Winston and Erie Basin.  Slowly, we made our way up Smith St. in Cobble Hill.  And then back to the subway, for me to head back home.  It was a perfect day of exploring.

~ Bonnie