Thursday, July 23, 2009

Summer in the City: Coney Island

The other day I posted about the fact that I'm counting down my days in New York City and am trying to pack as many quintessential New York experiences as possible into my last months here. I thought Coney Island might be a good place to start.

I know the very name conjures visions of crowded beaches, amusement park rides alive with lights and music, and all manner of odd characters prowling the boardwalk. Coney Island is a undoubtedly a colorful mixture of images. Some of them are iconic, like the famous Wonder Wheel and the Coney Island Cyclone--rides that have been around since the 1920s.

Others are more...shall we say...tawdry, but nonetheless part of Coney Island's unique blend of entertainment and oddity.

I confess, I don't go in for the crowded beach/amusement park scene, so I made my Coney Island visit early in the season when the shores were still empty, waiting for the throngs of summer tourists and city day-trippers. Even though it was not high season, I feel like I got a taste of the Coney Island magic. Do you feel a bit of it too?

14 comments:

Ashkon said...

Statue of Liberty
Governor's Island
The Empire State Building
Museum of Natural History
Metropolitan Museum
Museum of Modern Art
Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge
Picnic in Central Park
A Broadway show or two
Fine dining

montague said...

aaaw coney island - i love her so!

Unknown said...

sounds like so much fun! I need to get there this summer at least once...

so many fabulous places to visit in NYC...I like Ashkon's list. We just walked the Bridge the other night actually...it was so great. We hadn't done that in ages. I took a bunch of photos and posted them if you want to see.

I would add The Cloisters, the Chelsea Art Galleries, the Whitney and 30 Rock to the list...but I have to brainstorm more:)

and btw..aren't those earrings amazing?!

Bonbon Oiseau said...

total magic...wow! i'm waiting for your book to come out...but wait...where are you going elizabeth?

limonana said...

great shots Elizabeth! really captures the coney island spirit!

Elizabeth said...

Ashkon - Great list! Already checked off a few of them...

Montague - I know, me too!

Chessa - The Cloisters is on the list! And thanks for the other recommendations!

Bonbon - Thanks my dear. I'm heading to Chicago!

Limonana - Thanks sweetie! Glad you got a bit of the feeling!

dee said...

I went to Coney Island last year for the first time and fell in love with it, too. There is just so much to see, I could spend days there snapping away. These are beautiful.

LenoreNeverM♡re said...

Visual delight & magical place...have a great time in Chicago dear!

f2images said...

I especially love that bottom beach shot...it's so desolate...very striking!

Elizabeth said...

Lil Bee - Let me know if you go back this summer--I'd be up for some more snapping!

Lenore - Thank you for your sweet comment and good wishes!

f2images - Thank you! I can just imagine the amazing shots you would capture if you were wandering Coney Island with your camera!

Hey Harriet said...

Oh yes I felt the magic! Especially looking at that last photo! Totally smitten with that image! Wow!

Angry Asian said...

oh how i adore ferris wheel pix. it just reminds me of summer: begining, middle and end.

Ashkon said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Elizabeth said...

Harriet - Thanks! Glad you got a bit of the feeling!

Angry Asian - Me too! Ferris wheels make me feel so nostalgic for something. Maybe it's for childhood summers.