2009 Dec 6: A Wintry Stroll Through the Lower East Side

I met up with Fallon on a Sunday afternoon with the intent of some aimless wandering with our cameras. We started at the East Broadway stop in the Lower East Side and worked our way northward, with no real destination in mind. This is one of my favorite things in the world to do because when you have no plans or expectations, you’re always amused at where you end up. In this case, our jaunt started out pretty tame as we wandered up some pretty dull streets before making it to Clinton street and the area between Delancey and Houston. I ogled the beautiful cupcakes at Babycakes and the colorful graffiti in the ‘hood, and then we found ourselves in need of coffee and warmth.

Being the coffee snob that I am, I quickly racked my brain for the nearest spot for a good cup o’ joe. Abraco was the first cafe that came to mind. It’s a newish, TINY spot on E 5th. What I like about them is that they make their coffee by pouring hot water into a funnel filter of grinds, and letting it drip through and into a cup. Not too many places do it this way because it takes awhile, but oh is it worth the wait. While enjoying our cups, we were approached by an older gentleman who noticed our big cameras and struck up a conversation with us. He referred to me as his “dream girl” upon learning that, aside from a fancy camera, I also had a bike. He also mentioned multiple times that girls with cameras were “sexy”. I would have had zero patience for this sort of banter had it not been done in good humor, but the guy was very nice and earnest and not at all creepy, so we enjoyed some good photography talk before he took off.

The remainder of our excursion included stops at the Gifted holiday market, the Strand bookstore, and the Union Square holiday market. How I managed to keep my wallet closed is beyond my comprehension. I just love being in the city around the holidays though – everything is all decorated, people are in good cheer. I don’t care if it’s cliche – there’s nothing like NYC around Christmas!