A Visit to Coney Island

View of Coney Island from the Pier

The subway car was nearly empty as it stopped at W 8th Street NY Aquarium. Alisha and I got off and walked through the station, down the stairs and onto the street. The sun was shinning, the sky was clear and blue, the air was cool, but not cold and there was no snow on the ground.  ’This is January, in Brooklyn, right?!’, I thought. I was amazed. When I thought of traveling to New York in January, I thought of snow and cold and ice and many layers of clothing. I didn’t think of spring weather. Yet, here I was, in New York (Brooklyn to be specific), and it felt like spring.

Rides at Coney Island

Alisha and I walked from the subway and towards the boardwalk, passing the Coney Island fairgrounds. The rides were motionless. Quiet. Their playtime over, and hibernation in full swing. On a day like this, I fully expected the rides to spring to life, as if they were dying to be naughty, just a little bit. Sadly, they didn’t. They remained motionless and quiet.

I asked to take this photo, and they barely understood me!

As we stepped onto the boardwalk I felt as though I was in a different place. In front of me was a beautiful sandy beach and the ocean. The board was alive with people speaking in Eastern European languages and if I closed my eyes, I could imagine I was standing somewhere along the Black Sea. But, I’m not somewhere along the Black Sea, I’m in Coney Island, looking at Lower Bay in the Atlantic.

Closed shops & food stalls

Most of the shops and food stalls along the boardwalk have been closed. Some are closed for the season, hibernating with the rides. Many have been closed permanently. Alisha explained that New York is trying to renew Coney Island and that in the process, the old favorites have been closed down. It’s saddening. To me, Coney Island is quirky and charming, or so that is how I have imagined it. This is my first visit, and I’m cursing myself for not visiting in 1998 or 2008, back when Coney Island was old, funky, quirky and full of character and charm.

Childs Restaurant Building

Walking along the boardwalk, I couldn’t help but notice the former Childs Restaurant Building in the distance. I’ve seen this  building in movies and it’s crumbling facade was beckoning to me. A Spanish Colonial Revival style building, sitting alongside the boardwalk, shelter Easter European immigrants who set up old metal and plastic lawn chairs, and soak in the sun. I took so many photos of this building. I loved the mixture of beige stucco, red brick, white tile and decorative blue tile. It was truly beautiful.

Nathan's Hotdogs!

I’m told that a trip to Coney Island is not complete unless you inhale a hotdog from Nathan’s. As a hotdog fan, I was not going to argue with Alisha when she suggested we go there. Sad as we were about the boardwalk location being closed for the season, our spirits quickly rose when we visited the orginial location which is kiddy-corner to the Coney Island/Stillwell subway station.

I order a hotdog with sauteed onions and added ketchup and spicy mustard. Alisha ordered a chili cheese dog. We found a round stone table outside and sat down to eat, the wind blowing enough that we had to use our cell phones to keep the napkins from blowing away.

Sign for the Coney Island Museum

After practically swallowing my hotdog whole, we continue our walk and came across the Coney Island Museum. As I opened the door and stepped over the threshold, I was greeted by a 50s style bar at the far end, small square tables with rounded chairs, old signs, an old jukebox and Coca-Cola Cooler. The place was quirky and odd and I was loving it. Only a few people were around, mostly locals. The museum was open, but we chose to not go upstairs. Instead, I walked around taking photos and contemplating about buying a painted domino necklace.

Coney Island in winter is a deserted wonderland. Most of the people walking around are locals, and many of the shops and food stands are closed. But that shouldn’t stop you from going, especially if you enjoy people watching. Have you visited Coney Island? What is your favorite part?

To view the rest of my Coney Island photos visit my flickr set.

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