Manhattan: The Island

Hi Friends,  I’ve missed you.  A lot.  Have I mentioned that you are pretty?  Like really really pretty?  Its true.  Ask anyone.  (PS sorry I’ve been missing in action)

A little known fact – Manhattan is an island.  Not just an island in the sense that New Yorkers are unlike any other group of people in the world, but also in the sense that it is almost impossible to get any of my friends to cross the east river to come to Brooklyn.  That being said, I think that the East River is one of the most underutilized date destinations in New York City, and its pretty inexpensive! 

This would be more of a weekend date and the length of it really depends up on how you feel about your date.  If you are really into them then this could be an amazing day long adventure – if you are still getting to know the other person take the bits that you think would be the most fun for you two!

Start your date by getting on the East River Ferry, http://www.nywaterway.com/ERF-Home.aspx it departs from Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn – find the terminal that works best for you and your date to depart from and hop on!  Take the ferry for the low price of 4 bucks to Governors Island.  Where depending up on how much time you have you can rent bikes http://govisland.com/html/visit/biking.shtml

Or play miniature golf http://newyork.figmentproject.org/long-term-exhibitions/2011figment-minigolf/

Or just relax with a drink and take in the amazing view http://www.watertaxibeach.com/governors_island

When you are finished taking in all of the sites that Governors Island has to offer (the grounds honestly looks like an East Coast liberal arts college!)  You can hop back onto the East River Ferry and either go back to where you began your date, enjoying the beautiful views of Manhattan Island on your way there, or you could extend your date by stopping at the Fulton Ferry Pier and have dinner there. 

Grimaldi’s is the classic choice, for incredible New York pizza that “made the Brooklyn Bridge famous.”  The pizza is fantastic, but the lines are usually really long.  If you are like me and become hangry after waiting for more than 15 minutes to be seated, let me recommend another option Ignazio’s Pizza http://ignaziospizza.com/.  The pizza is wonderful, and the service is great and the restaurant is right on the water.

After a day of island adventure, delish dinner and summer awesomeness – go share a milk shake from the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory http://www.brooklynicecreamfactory.com/home.html  (with two straws, obvi) and while looking out at the Brooklyn Bridge, know that you have just let your date know how wonderful it is to be an islander.