Ironwork

There are intricate ironwork and clever details everywhere in this city. During our walks here and there, we've seen some beautiful hand railings, gates, and fences. History is everywhere. We love that it's something we get to enjoy daily. Here are some photos from around Manhattan.

 

To prevent pigeons from landing here. 

Around the City

When traveling around the city, we're quick to take photos of the amazing cityscapes that are seemingly perched on every block. New York really is filled with beautiful architecture and dramatic backdrops. It's fascinating to see the collection of buildings that each neighborhood can accumulate over hundreds of years.

Bryant Park in Midtown

East Village

East Village

Upper West Side

If you look, you can see the water reservoir on top of that building. Before modern plumbing, they needed to keep water on the roof so the higher floors would have sufficient water pressure. Water would flow from the top instead from underground.

Downtown

South Street Seaport

South Street Seaport

Near the southern tip of Manhattan, they renovated seldom used piers into a shopping and dining district containing museums, restaurants, and quaint shops. It's a perfect stroll to take on a picturesque night.

South Street Seaport

 Looking at the beautiful Brooklyn Bridge that connects Brooklyn to Manhattan.

South Street Seaport

South Street Seaport

Transportation Museum

Since the subway is such an integral part of our lives (taking to and from work, around town, etc.), it was interesting and fun to visit the New York Transportation Museum one rainy Sunday afternoon. Along with learning how the subway system was planned and constructed, we also had the chance to walk through and sit in the old subway cars from the past century. Old tickets, tokens, and turnstiles were all part of this fun day in Brooklyn.

Old subway map

Central Park in Bloom

When we arrived to New York City in December, everyone talked about spring and how fantastic it would be. We were delighted with every new discovery around us, and didn't think much about it until, suddenly, it was spring. In March. We decided to walk through Central Park and flowers were everywhere - blossoming trees, bushes, plants - and the fragrances were unbelievable. Since March, the flowers just keep growing. Everything is coming alive in the simplest ways and its hard to keep us away from it all. It's such a peaceful space stretching itself in the middle of the busy, bustling city.

Our Neighborhood

Spring is in full force on the Upper East Side. Blooming trees are starting to shade the fire escapes and detailed brickwork of nearby apartment buildings. One row of buildings stretches into the next and plays the backdrop for our daily lives. Our street is fairly quiet, by New York standards, but the busy avenues lay just around the corner. Lots of people walk under the arching trees as they make their way here to there - walking their dog, pushing a stroller, carrying their dry cleaning or groceries, or just heading out for the day.

Here is a glimpse of our neighborhood in the springtime.

Our apartment building is in the foreground. Our apartment overlooks the street.

Filled with pretty details like these frosted globe lanterns.

One of the avenues.

Our Upper East Side Apartment

After living in Brooklyn for a few months, we found an apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Hunting for apartments in New York City is incredibly fast-paced and you have to be ready to pounce when you find something you like. Thankfully, we did our homework and walked around exploring several neighborhoods in Manhattan. Although it may seem like a vast, endless stretch of buildings and high rises, New York City can actually be broken down into small neighborhoods, each with their own personality, rhythm, and characteristics. Within two weeks of looking at postings and viewing apartments, we chose our own little piece of New York City on the Upper East Side.