A girl strolls in Brooklyn.

Fun fact: When I was little, I used to wish my middle name was Lynn, so I could share a name with this borough I had never even been to. 

One of my dreams is to be magically dropped into a city I have never been to before and to have a day by myself to explore it. In my mind, I imagine that a giant magically picks me up with his thumb and pointer and puts me in a new place, and the only thing on my agenda is to wander (we’ve been reading The BFG, which I suppose is where I got that image from). On this trip, my dream came true. Matt’s work conference was in Williamsburg, Brooklyn at the Brooklyn Brewery, so we took a car over from Manhattan in the morning with our luggage in tow, and I had the day to myself. I ate a delicious breakfast at Egg and read my book, wandered aimlessly, found street art, walked along the water, sauntered in and out of shops just to peruse, drank a perfect cappuccino at Devocion, and then visited Mast chocolate to pick up a present for Matt. All I really need every once in awhile is about five hours alone, and then I’m ready to be with my people again.

I met Matt back at the Brooklyn Brewery after my day of wandering, and then we headed to the airport to go home.

For someone who considers herself a traveler, it was a bit surprising to me that this was my first time on a plane in three years. At the airport on our way home I was reminded of one thing that remains the same, though. If I see a tearful airport good-bye or reunion, I will become tearful myself.

This is the Mona Lisa of Williamsburg with the Williamsburg Bridge in the background (based on a photograph by a seventeen year old):

Williamsburg Bridge:

Living walls make me happy. I wish I had one in my house, but I was glad to see this one in the coffee shop: