Ward’s Island Bridge open

Visited on March 27, 2011 by Emily

Boyfriend and I were driving home to the Bronx from Brooklyn via the Williamsburg bridge and FDR Drive. Other than the traffic I like this drive lots – beautiful views of the bridges and buildings that skirt the east side of the island. One of my favorites is the Ward’s Island Bridge, which I usually call “turquoise pedestrian bridge”. Continue reading →

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Mini-scursion: The New York Transit Museum

Visited on March 18, 2011 by Emily

It was the warmest, nicest day we’d had yet this spring and I set out for the New York Transit Museum. I’d shuffled some things around in my schedule in order to go on a weekday – less crowded, I figured, though I worried there might be big groups of school children. I had been once before and definitely wanted to experience at least the old trains in the lower level in relative solitude. My plans beyond that were relatively open-ended. Continue reading →

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The Strange and Stubborn Beauty of Jacob Riis Park

Visited on March 12, 2011 by anthony

November 2005.

I waited for the others beneath the sodium lights in the parking lot; my breath trailing pink from my lips and dissipating into the pre-dawn gloom. I tried not to think about how cold it was going to be on the beach. Continue reading →

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Jacob Riis Park

Visited on March 12, 2011 by Emily

Jacob Riis Park in Rockaway, Queens was on my mind. I’d been there a handful of times before, on a photography project with one of my best friends, and recently other excursions reminded me of it (namely Orchard Beach and Tibbetts Brook Park). It seemed appropriate to invite this friend and take a trip down there. I was wondering what being there would be like. Of course, some of my excursions are to places that are familiar; excursion revisits or places I’ve seen in passing before. However, I’ve never chosen one where I’d spent quite so much time quite so recently, and on top of it, for artistic pursuits. Continue reading →

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Newtown Creek

Visited on February 19, 2011 by Emily

Prior to this week’s excursion I again solicited location suggestions from friends and coworkers, with the condition that I wanted to go somewhere in Brooklyn or Queens (boroughs often neglected on this blog due to non-proximity) and near water. Easy enough! People wrote with various suggestions, internet research conducted, and a location was chosen: Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant and the surrounding area.  Continue reading →

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What is that thing? and Orchard Beach

Visited on January 30, 2011 by Emily

I spent a considerable amount of time deciding where to go on this most recent excursion. It came to me less easily – I reviewed my whole future excursions list and discussed the choice with some friends before settling on a couple of locations in the east Bronx and southeast Westchester county. Continue reading →

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Many Trains and Yonkers Waterfront

Visited on January 8, 2011 by Emily

The process of choosing an excursion destination is sort of mysterious even to me, though it certainly relies on some concrete factors like weather and availability of special events. This one feels like it had much more that went in to it, and the turns it took were much more unexpected. Continue reading →

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Elephant Stairs, More Trains, Wind Turbine

Visited on December 27, 2010 by Emily

I knew I wanted to go on an excursion while visiting my parents in hometown Cleveland for Christmas. They had been looking out for infrastructural opportunities for me in the approaching weeks and I settled on a few in the University Circle area, not far from their house.

Continue reading →

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Vintage Train and Willis Avenue Bridges revisited

Visited on December 19, 2010 by Emily

This was the last week I’d be able to ride MTA’s Vintage trains for a whole year (I’d be out of town for the final Sunday) and I found myself drawn back there. From the highway on the way to Queens Plaza to catch the train, the Willis Avenue Bridges again caught my eye, so I tacked on a visit there as well. Continue reading →

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Trains and Trams

Visited on December 5, 2010 by Emily

Two exciting infrastructural things happened this past week. First, my trusty explorer-friend sent me a link about the MTA running vintage trains this month. Second, the Roosevelt Island tram reopened after 9 months of renovations. I ambitiously set out to visit both before my rehearsal Sunday. Continue reading →

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