Tania Damiano - Activity 8 - Field Trip of "Soho Fever"

The newly renamed group ¾ (clearly made up of groups 3 and 4) “Soho Fever” made a fun, exciting, and adventurous trip from Manhattan down to Brooklyn. We met at the Big Cube in Astor Place, Manhattan right off East 8th street to start the trip at 1pm on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. We had decided earlier that group 4 was going to lead us first and then we were going to lead them. We have a crazy afternoon well planned.


From Astor Place, we walked down St. Mark’s. It is going to be almost ten years in the country, yet I have yet to see so many places! There is beautiful art everywhere, even in restaurants


St Mark’s was one of those amazing spots that I ask myself why I have never been there before. A incredibly community full of life and colors attracts any person walking down the street; many restaurants and shops for every taste and like, many churches of different religious and countries. We also passed by Cooper Union. We wanted to enter at first, but it said that the area was closed to the public.


Our first actual stop was Tompkins Square Park.


It was so incredibly beautiful and I loved being elsewhere than central park or small parks in my neighborhood. The greenery was great, the playgrounds looked fun, the people seemed friendly and about their own business. What I liked the most about it, since it was the most different, was the Tompkins Square Dog Run. It was a really big area where only people with dogs were allowed to enter. Dog-owners let their dogs run free and enjoy their time there. Many owners were socializing with others but always mindful of where their dog was and what it was doing. At the entrance there was a list of 13 rules down owners must follow. It also said that they were “financially and legally” responsible for anything that might occur to the dog.




As we left, we encountered two incredible community gardens. They were taken care of very well and I thought it was one of very few places where people KNOW how to share.




We also passed by many stunning churches, most of which were closed at that time. One to note was the “R.C St. Stanislaus” Polish Church that was observing the death of the Polish president. This is why there were many flower bouquets and sorts outside, and people crowding by the entrance.


We also went by a huge Ukrainian Cathedral that has spectacular art on it walls and big metal gates that prevented entrance to it (since it was closed at that time: around 1:30pm) since it is considered holy ground.


Before moving on, Soho Fever stopped for falafels at well known falafel restaurant. Let me point out that they also have AMAZINGGG BROWNIESS!!!


We walked back to the cube in Astor Place to take the downtown 6 train to the Brooklyn Bridge.


The massive bridge, surveilled by the NYPD was even more beautiful at eye level that it is passing by it in a car. I never wanted to cross it because I was ignorant enough to think that it would take about an hour to walk from one end to the other. But as I was toured by a group member, I enjoyed every step I took. This thing is hugeee!



We stopped right in the middle to take pictures of the mouth-dropping scenery and to learn some of the history of the bridge.


We continued walking as the group member , Maya, that was touring kept telling us many amazing facts about the bridge. When we arrived at the Brooklyn end of the bridge, I looked at the time and noticed that if we hadn’t stopped to talk and take pictures, it would have taken us 20 minutes to get across. So much for that hour!
As we continued walking through Brooklyn (our destination was the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory!), we encountered a lot of graffiti. I few of us discussed if graffiti was considered vandalisim or art. We agreed that it is beautiful to see on the streets, but would hate it if it was on our house wall. Also, we came across Golconda Playground that was completely deserted and abandon with a big “work zone” neon, orange sign on the gate. Before arriving to the waterfront, we had to pass right under the Brooklyn bridge that we had just crossed, I can’t help by repeating that: IT’S HUGE!



We finally arrived to the breathtaking waterfront. We stood in line for 15 minutes to get the best tasting home-made, natural ice cream out there. Totally worth it. When we got it, we sat down in one of the benches that was located on the sides of the waterfront. Enjoying my ice cream as I observed the water and the people there, I noticed that there was a big, empty space right in the middle. Everyone else was gathered on the sides, including us. I pointed it out to a few group members, and like crazy maniacs, we all got up at the same time and comfortably sat in the middle of the big open space. Everyone looked us like we were weird. But we were setting a trend, we were starting something. Like Whyte mentioned in his book and film, people find it awkward to be in the middle and I saw that live when at the Brooklyn ice cream factory waterfront.



If nothing at all, this trip was mind-opening time in which I was set out of my comfort zone of my expanded knowledge of Maspeth, and mostly Queens in general, as I was brought to the city and Brooklyn to experience a different people, a different air. The liberating experience of breaking the habit and being in the awkward point in the middle of a “plaza” was amazing and I want to thank “Soho fever” for making all this possible.