(Photo by Brian Hedden)
This past weekend was a bit of a special one for me: my dad came here to visit me.
He’s been to New York only twice before, and he didn’t even get out of the car the first time, so I don’t think that really counts. He isn’t the type to clamor to see the touristy places in Manhattan he hears about on television, so I took him to my Brooklyn.
My Brooklyn included a trip to Longbow – dinner, a couple of pints, and a growler refilled with London Pride.
My dad once wrote a book on shooting pool, so I took him to Status Q, even though I’ve only shot pool once in the past eight years. I went 0-for-3 against him, though not as horribly as you might think – I don’t play, but I still remember what my dad taught me.
I took him to Papacitos in Greenpoint, once the site of a particularly nice Cinco de Mayo celebration of Mexican food & drink excess for me, topped off with an ice cream cone and a walk to the new Transmitter Park.
I took him to the Greek Cultural Festival at Holy Cross for a gyro and a Marathon beer, and took a walk around the neighborhood afterwards. (You there, with the 1951 Triumph motorcycle – you made my dad’s day.)
And I took him to Coney Island to pick up my son, where all three of the Hedden boys could take a stroll down the Boardwalk and Steeplechase Pier.
Here he is enjoying the view of the harbor towards the end of the weekend.