Our First Day!!!!!

                                                  Taking our first steps

For fear NY would never again see a sunny day, we decided to brave the cold and let the journey begin-- rain or shine! At the corner of White hall and State street, just outside the entrance to the Staten Island Ferry in downtown Manhattan, we took our first official steps on our Big Apple Journey.

The Stem: After schlepping it down to the starting point, we quickly realized the downtown streets are not only "off the grid", they're darn right elusive! Alleyways and city blocks proved indecipherable south of Houston. We did our best though, and managed to cover every inch of sidewalk from Battery Park to Broad St. in a mere 8 hours. I forgot the pedometer, so our first records might be slightly skewed. Best guess? We took 100 gajillion steps. Through the winding streets, we caught glimpses of Lady Liberty and Ellis Island, as we reflected upon those who walked the ground before us. Feeling proud of our American roots, we found unfortunate contradictions in the preservation of history. Original brownstones, like Fraunces Tavern-- Manhattan’s oldest building-- were shrouded by square, tasteless towers. We searched for bits and pieces of beauty among the pillars of steel, but the only take-away is a planned warm-weather return to the bars and crowds of Stone St. (perhaps more appropriately named: “Stone Alley”).

The Seed: Battery Park, constructed on years of landfill, housed so many museums, memorials, and iconic works of art, that we expected the inspiration to be overflowing! Unfortunately, the overall attitude of the Financial District left us cold, quiet, and anxious to return north. We appreciated all the sights, however, and found hope in the volunteer farmland of The Battery and the bagpipers of Stone St.

The Juice: We wanted to chat with "locals" about their fave spots for cocktailing and conversing. Except from a brief visit with our farmer friends, we were unable to grab the attention of anyone willing to give us the time of day, let alone invite us to happy hour! Apparently the financial district only takes notice of briefcase-clad women in pencil skirts, pumps and a button down. Left to our own devices, we found a cute-ish new restaurant on the corner of Pearl St. where we feasted on fine wine and lobster mac ‘n cheese. It ranked “OK,” but among the oldest brownstones in the city, we had hoped to stumble upon the oldest little bar that had been serving the same thing for the last 300 years. To further prove our discontent, the pub around the corner was established in 2010. 2010! Our post-walk fare was much more enjoyable. We returned to Fraunces Tavern for a beer (or two) and up-scale bar food. The historic building ranked “AWESOME,” with a museum upstairs and 3 bars all with a their own distinct ambiance. Unfortunately, the investment bankers lining the bar still took no notice to us “commoners”.

Sauced!: Overall, the walk was a success. We found our bearings, appreciated the history, and enjoyed each-others’ company-- which was a good thing, since no one else would talk to us! Next on the map: Wall St. and the Twin Towers!

XOXO, Morgan

                                       Camilla and Mia working on the farm




Sauced:I didn't know exactly what to expect in our first walk. I was, to say the least, ecstatic to begin the adventure I've been thinking about and planning for 6 months. Morgan and I knew the first few walks would be the most challenging just from looking at the map. The southern-most part of the island lies off the grid and zig-zags all over the place. Besides being puzzling geographically we were also baffled by the things and people we saw. We absolutely found the stereotypes to be true. The lack of emotions in the suit clad residents matched the lack of clouds and blankness in the air. The financial district wouldn't be my ideal neighborhood to work or live, but the history drew me in. There is without a doubt a unique feeling in this area. 

Stem: Although the streets were insanely confusing, we managed to get around with just a map in hand. Using a map and not a phone like I usually do was refreshing. It was almost as empowering as walking around the city without a purse. If you live in NYC, try it. I swear you'll feel like a new person. The weather was also a factor on our first course. We weren't expecting the temperature to drop 20 degrees near the water. It wasn't the most pleasant day to begin, but we were chomping at the bits to get started. Battery Park and the Promenade were gorgeous due to the landscape design and the amount of artwork. There was a lot of historical artwork (Korean War Memorial) mixed in with more recent (9/11) and abstract pieces of art (Keith Haring).The historical and modern mix was also reflected in the architecture. Water Street is compiled of mostly steel skyscrapers and then you walk around the corner into Coenties Alley and you're surrounded by history. 

Seed: Castle Clinton located in Battery Park holds a lot of history. Not only was it used in the British Invasion and for entertainment, it was eventually the first immigrant landing depot in the U.S. before Ellis Island. It was inspiring to stand in a structure where over 8 million immigrants once stood to claim their freedom. Beaming with emotion we continued our walk to the non-touristy streets to find NOTHING.The streets lined with the newer buildings and clean concrete housed those who were also concrete in their ways. Usually you can see all different cultures in one area, not here. There was nothing, not even any homeless. The only energy on those streets were us. Don't get me wrong, some streets had personality, like Stone Street and Battery Place. The mood changed on every street, like any other part of the city, but this different. There was always an unsettling feeling. Although there were people on every street, you somehow felt alone. Then you would turn a corner and there would be a Scottish group playing bagpipes. The lack of emotion and then sudden burst of entertainment was almost as muddled as the streets. Before we knew it we walked onto a TV set.

Juice: With summer approaching, TV/Film sets are sprouting up everywhere. We walked onto a set with.... drum roll.... please.... Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Cruise. It was awesome. Actually it was only awesome for about 5 seconds. That's how long it took us to realize the security guard was a liar. It turned out they were shooting an NBC pilot called Prime Suspect. Although there weren't any A-listers, it was still fun. You don't see that everyday in the Midwest. While I enjoyed discovering the Financial District, I won't be changing my jeans for a women's suit anytime soon.

LOVE ALWAYS, Jenna

We made a lot of progress :)