DUMBO

Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass...(Oh New York and your acronyms!)

We ventured into Brooklyn...again! Cold, overcast weather and an area that we had been recommended by many, 'have you been to Dumbo!?'.

Overall a very strange place but with some hidden gems! Up and coming for its Art galleries and over priced Lofts with stunning views of Manhattan, we were a little confused where to go at first, everything seemed very spaced out, empty and derelict (the renovated warehouse look!). We went a little too far north of DUMBO at first with expensive boutiques, flower shops etc, and 'Doggy Day Care' aptly named 'Cheeky Dog'...well the dogs as we looked in the window were being more than cheeky!

We then followed Water street in the direction of the Brooklyn Bridge, and found the more exciting part.

Jacques Torres chocolate shop is one of the biggest reasons people trek to Dumbo....amazing. Chocolate heaven, expensive Thornton's seemed like Primark! We had a hot chocolate to warm up, practically just chocolate , (however not quite as good as Le Pain Quiotidens Hot chocolate, where they give you a cup of frothy milk and then a jug of melted belgian chocolate but thats a different story!!) and a couple of taster chocolate...champagne fizz...phenomenal...chai latte chocolate...wow. We had to leave quite fast before we devoured the whole shop! Also loved the fact you could see into the factory, and the workers were packing FedEx after FedEx for valentines day orders!

Walking a little further towards the Brooklyn Bridge away from Manhattan Bridge (they are pretty close together) we found the end of Brooklyn Bridge Park which has Janes Carousel.

Jane's Carousel was created in 1922, the heyday of the American Carousel, by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company (P.T.C.). 

In 1983, as the designated developer of Empire Fulton Ferry State Park, David Walentas had commissioned a Master Plan for the park that called for an historic carousel to be installed. Jane and David Walentas purchased the Carousel at auction on October 21, 1984. Their bid for the entire Carousel prevented it from being sold off piecemeal. 

When purchased, the Carousel was in poor condition. Jane Walentas began its restoration at her studio here in Dumbo in 1984. Her initial tasks included making necessary carpentry repairs and hand-scraping away 62 years of "Park Paint" with an X-acto knife to reveal the original 1922 carvings, color palette, and designs

. Dozens of old beveled mirrors were reglazed. Mechanical systems were updated with new gears, motor and an electronic controller. Totally rewired, the Carousel now dazzles with 1200 brilliant lights.

Rosina got some slightly strange looks, however 360 panoramic views of the Bridges and Manhattans Skyline...all for '2 bucks' .

We then headed back to the subway, and rode the train home, Rosina also found her special book from a book seller 'The Curious New Yorker, 329 fascinating questions and surprising answers about NYC'....a true Curious New Yorker!