DUMBO. A Brooklyn Neighborhood Walk.

DUMBO. A Brooklyn Neighborhood Walk.

A photo tour.

Today feels like the perfect day to think about taking a neighborhood “walk”.... soon, especially following yesterday's Nor’easter, and with all the signs of spring popping out everywhere.  One of the things I enjoy most about being in the City and in Brooklyn is walking.  It's my main mode of transportation, and the way that I like to explore neighborhoods.  Hummingbird gave me a good reason to take my camera along.  I know that one finds a great “story” when least expected.  What I also found is that when I take along my camera, and stop to frame a shot, it gives me a whole new focus.  And, what I became acutely aware of on my DUMBO walk, is how true to its name, everything is in the shadows of the Brooklyn to NYC bridges.  I found that aspect of this DUMBO walk most enjoyable.  So, here it is, through this lens.  I invite you to take a walk through DUMBO with me!

Starting out from Brooklyn Heights to DUMBO, at the Brooklyn Bridge Park footbridge.  The view is downhill on Columbia Heights.  Note the bridges in the background, a constant theme and anchor for our walk.  The buildings you see in the foreground are Jehovah's Witness properties you might have read about.

HELLO!  The entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge Park footbridge is located on Columbia Heights between Cranberry and Middagh Streets.  The footbridge takes us over the renown BQE and into the Park.  Let's go.

Squibb Park is the first "landing" of the footbridge which zig zags its way across.  The Edward Robinson Squibb dedication plaque tells his story.  As a note, there are rest rooms located here as well.

Another "leg" of the zig zag across and as you can see downhill.  The Pier House is the building you can see, which is located on the other side of the BQE on the waterfront, overlooking Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Walking between the Pier House buildings, with an open view of NYC.  We are passing my friends' apartment which is right there on the right!

Reaching the end of the footbridge and stepping out onto the path, here is the view.  Note the Staten Island Ferry making its way into the Harbor and the Statue of Liberty.  It is always breath taking, no matter how many times you approach this "vista."  

The bucolic, natural walking path through Brooklyn Bridge Park.  Your energy drops and relaxes amidst these surroundings, and it's like, "Am I really in...Brooklyn?"

Stepping out of the Park at Old Fulton and Furman Streets, at Pier One.  It's the ferry to NYC, a fabulous and easy way to access the City on a beautiful day.  Note the Brooklyn Bridge behind the NYC Ferry.

Also at this same location, Pier 1, is the famed Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory.  Yes, it is really, really good.  The reason you don't see a line outside the building is it's early morning!!

And of course, always a good time for a lobster roll.  Note how Luke's feels like it is tucked under the Brooklyn Bridge.

The River Cafe from the water side.  It's just a fabulous dining experience--the view, the bar, the food, the VIEW!!

The River Cafe from the street side.  Talk about being in another world, and valet parking! (In Brooklyn!!!!!)  The entrance is simply beautiful.  My good friend got engaged here--but that's another story.

Stepping back into Brooklyn Bridge Park, Jane's Carousel, with the Manhattan Bridge in the background.

The Carousel, not yet open for the day.  The place where children dream and their imaginations run freely.  Hummingbird has a great story set at Jane's Carousel, Magic.

Stepping out of the Park onto Water Street, here is St. Ann's Warehouse, a converted performance space.  Note the Brooklyn Bridge just behind it.

A close-up at St. Ann's Warehouse.

Looking north on Water Street.  Past Main Street you can see the Manhattan Bridge stanchion. Note the cobble stone street, which is the case throughout DUMBO.  Bicyclists, buses, cars, and pedestrians happily go about their business on the narrow DUMBO streets.

Just north of St. Ann's Warehouse on Water Street, extending to Main Street, is another converted space.  The Empire Stores houses shops, galleries, restaurants.  Shinola, West Elm, Cecconi's and the Brooklyn Historical Society outpost, to name a few.  Note the Clock of the renown Clock Tower building in the background at Main Street.  Its address is One Main.

One can walk through the "plaza" between St. Ann's Warehouse and the Empire Stores or through the Empire Stores building to continue walking along the East River through Brooklyn Bridge Park.  The east side of these buildings are river front.  See the patio of Cecconi's on the right. The well-known landmark, the Clock Tower building is just beyond the Empire Stores on the other Side of Main Street, and the Manhattan Bridge is beyond that.

The view from the cobblestone cul-de-sac at Main Street.  It's a beautiful, serene spot, where you can continue through Brooklyn Bridge Park.  This view is looking south.  Note the Brooklyn Bridge and downtown NYC in all its glory.  We're going to step out of the Park onto Main Street here to finish up our morning walk.

Walking east on Main Street, at the first corner of Main and Water is One Girl Cookies.  In our piece Favorite Brooklyn Restaurants we say that One Girl isn't just another coffee shop!  It's a DUMBO landmark, and for good reason.  It's always the perfect time for a stop at One Girl, year-round.

Through the window at One Girl Cookies, Water Street side.

Typical every-day DUMBO pandemonium.  This scene is very common on Washington Street at the corner of Water and Washington.  It is a fashion photo shoot.  Photographers are facing west towards an iconic DUMBO view.  See the next photo for what will be in the backdrop.  I will point out that the models are in winter outdoor gear and you can see the photographers and crew in tee shirts and shorts.  This was shot on a hot, weekday morning at the end of the summer.  Photo shoots here and throughout Brooklyn Bridge Park, from wedding parties to commercial shoots such as this one, occur several times every day.  Also note the building behind on the north side of Washington Street, is a small building of lofts--apartments and artists.  You can see the great light afforded through the tall window height in these old buildings.  Loft buildings line the streets of DUMBO.

And here it is, the iconic backdrop afforded by shooting from the middle of Washington Street.  I would say risking my life, but seriously, the commercial shoot was blocking up everything anyway, and I had a clear shot!  Admittedly I cropped my photo to eliminate the cars that lined Washington Street, but the day and light were perfect.  Note the Freedom Tower framed by the cut out beneath the Manhattan Bridge.