Coney Island

On our second day in NYC, my friend Polly took me to another place

I have been dying to to visit, Coney Island.

It was everything I had imagined. A very quirky, off beat part of Brooklyn. 

I even got to ride the Cyclone and Wonder Wheel!

Didn't make it to the freak show but I liked the signs.

It would be fun to come back at Halloween.

Below is the former Childs Restaurant building.

You can read about the history here.

You see this Coney Island "Tillie" face everywhere.

The old parachute jump ride. Looks scary!

As we were walking out to the end of a pier, a guy waved us over and said he would 'make our day'.

I had no idea whatsoever he would point down into the water at two sting rays swimming by. Another fisherman said he had never seen that before, so we did get a treat!

 They were holding fins.

Amazing view of Manhattan from the Wonder Wheel, built in 1920.

After Coney, we went to Di Fara Pizza on J Street in Brooklyn.

Below is owner and pizza master Domenico DeMarco. He opened his pizza shop in the mid 60's after coming here from Italy. He hand cuts fresh basil over top of every pizza. It was the best pizza I have ever eaten (reportedly the best in all of NYC and possibly the world).

Here is a great article about Di Fara's, you can even see how he makes each pie. I was very grateful he let me take his photograph.

"I use only the freshest ingredients, the bufala mozzarella from the town I grew up in, the oregano and basil from Israel, tomatoes from Salerno, flour from Italy. That's the secret recipe."

~Domenico DeMarco (Epicurious interview)

 "What I love about Brooklyn is there are more wonderful little joints than anywhere."~Arthur Schwartz