The best way to explore NYC is, of course, on foot.

When that becomes too much, you can explore alternatives. I’d avoid cars,

but there is always bikes,

cabs, if they are not about to kill pedestrians,

the subway,

and the bus if you don’t mind riding evil.

And then there are the ferries. For a perfectly pleasurable outing you can take the G train to Greenpoint, Brooklyn, which is sort of Williamsburg 2.0 when it comes to the influx of hipsters, artists, yuppies and tourists, occupying gleaming new high-rises, old brownstones, and Boutique shopping central. You might have gotten glimpses of it if you watched The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt or Master of None, both set for multiple episodes in the bars, streets and playgrounds of the neighborhood. Such is the price for gentrification….

The old Polish neighborhood still offers some eastern European cuisine. From pierogies to kielbasa, traditional Polish dishes can be found along Manhattan Avenue. But the rest is fusion, hi-price vegan, nouvelle-foodie heaven. (DO NOT count me among those.) At least some of it goes to good use: this weekend, for example, they had a fundraiser for the local fire station….

Foodies gear up for 2019 Taste Williamsburg Greenpoint

Just heed the warnings:

Back to the ferry: you can catch it at Greenpoint Landing at India street and take a ride for $2.75 back over to Manhattan, getting off at Wall Street. The views are worth it!

The Manhattan skyline unfolds,

the converted warehouses of Brooklyn beckon,

you ride under two bridges,

and contemplate the changing meanings of the Statue of Liberty in the distance.

thoughts that cannot be separated from those about Wall Street.

Key facts about U.S. immigration policies and proposed changes

Then it’s back on foot. As I said before: pack your sneakers.

For music on your walks you might upload the playlist of this Polish summer medley in honor of the Polish heritage of Green Point. Some unusual stuff in there.