So on Friday lunchtime, Ann and I are at Narrow Neck beach - just near our house - looking at the water.
On Saturday (in New York time) I'm having my lunch a few minutes away from our new 'house' for the next three months or so (a Long Island City apartment), looking at the water.
Long Island City (from now on LIC) sits across the river from Manhattan, on the edge of Queens. It used to be (at the end of the last century) mostly factories and general urban grit. Manhattan house prices and the fact that LIC is just one subway stop from Grand Central/42nd Street, means that the developers moved in and have taken it a long way through the gentrification process. The waterside is now flanked by huge apartment blocks, and the 'city' - though retaining some of its grit - has seen a rash of restaurants, cafes, galleries, bars and shops. A beautiful riverside park - as per the picture - has been built. The place is full of young professionals with their bikes, nikes and prams. The place feels very relaxed compared with its frenetic neighbour and the views of the frenetic neighbour are fabulous. At the end of our road, and across the river, is the UN and there are great views of the Chrysler and the Empire State buildings. There's also a ferry that can take you down to Brooklyn and Wall Street. In fact for the next three days I'm going to work (if sitting in a library can be called that) by two ferries - the East River and the Staten Island. If it's beginning to sound like I've moved to New York's answer to Devonport..... Well the similarity stops there as I hope this blog will show. Keep looking.
