Village adventures.

It was another amazing day in Manhattan! Lori and I decided to start our journey at Hudson and Grove in the West Village. This part of the city stands in stark contrast to the our neighborhood where every building is an average of 40 stories. The lovely four and five story brownstones are absolutely beautiful. Walking on Grove we stopped and peered into the enchanting (and private!) Grove Court. It is one of the most exclusive (oh la la) streets in the Village with only residents having a key to the irongate. This quaint courtyard was constructed between 1848 and 1852. The row of mews houses are storybook and makes one wonder about all the actual stories that have happened within that court. Ahh, to be so lucky.

We meandered down many breathtaking streets taking in the sights. Lori and I both agreed we would like to try out brownstone living in the future. (Of course with her Chicago years she has had a taste of this luxury.) Each home offers fun and unique characteristics. We envisioned hanging out on the stoops while the kids played hopscotch. One home had lion statues guarding the door although one was missing half a face and looked oddly like the mask in the horror flick Scream.

Lori and I felt heavy obligation and a sense of duty to partake in a visit to the famed Magnolia Bakery on Bleecker. While not my absolute favorite cupcake place(I honestly don't have one single favorite...I love them all) in the city they are certainly great. The smells and visions offered here are a delight! With four cupcakes each in hand it was time to venture on.

Up and down the streets we discovered fun and great conversation at every turn. We tried to persuade a "songwriter/producer" that Lori was indeed a famous rapper but he didnt' fall for it. It was completely and totally worth a try. As Lori pointed out that yes, most famous songwriters do drive Toyota Camrys. Further down Bleecker we stood amazed at the eats offered at both Faicco's Sausages and Murray's Cheese Shop. Murray's is a long time favorite of mine and Faicco's was a first but certainly not a last for both of us.

Enjoying the sights and sounds of Greenwich Village is always a treat even early in the morning. The young lad relieving himself on the steps of St. Joseph's Church most definitely enjoys the wee hours of the Village. Such is NYC! We checked out several restaurant menus and put them on our list of places to go.

We ended up at Broadway and started heading south towards our homeland. After crossing Canal we decided to venture into Ricky's. This place is the ultimate drugstore for moms and drag queens alike. By the time we loaded up and left we were both "Looking Good, Feeling Good" as the sign stated. At Broadway and Duane we parted ways with Lori heading West while I headed all the way south.

Today's adventures were rather tame and quiet. It is not everyday that one can enjoy birds singing their morning songs in Manhattan. Today we had that....and much more.