Amanda ventures into her own backyard

Today I set out on a daring quest to brave the hordes of tourists and walk my street all the way to the other side of Manhattan, and look what I found at the other end! A MAGICAL BRIDGE INTO WONDERLAND!!! I guess all those tourists in midtown are really just because they ran out of trolls.

I live pretty much on the Hudson river, and have never been further east than 5th ave on my street, which is exactly where the East/West divide is. In journeying to the other side {which feels like the other city}, I discovered that I live on the very same street as Rockefeller Plaza + Skating Rink, the Waldorf-Astoria, Saks 5th Ave, and the UN headquarters! Who knew? Well, I kind of knew, but I didn't realize, you know? Ha. The journey river to river takes about 45 minutes, or a bit longer if you stop randomly to take pictures of pretty things... 

...like this mini-plaza. I tend to not find much in the heart of midtown photogenic, but I am fascinated with the occasional spaces between skyscrapers. The light and space can be so interesting in these little nooks and crannies. 

This building is striking, isn't it? Not pretty—kind of sinister looking, in fact—but striking.

Now here's some pretty. I've walked by this door almost every day for three years, and I finally took its picture {the gate is never open when the light is right!}.

There was something about this scene I found exceedingly charming. The late afternoon light was particularly lovely here, and you can't go wrong with ball-plants. 

Super cute, although the light was doing something weird here that I can't get my head around.

But what was on the other side of the magical bridge, you ask? 

Well, not wonderland, as it turns out.

Sandwiched between FDR drive and the East river is a teeny little stretch of pavement with a couple of benches, for the poor East siders to stretch out and enjoy the view whilst they bask in the bucolic sound of 7 lanes of traffic.

But I did see a tugboat! I heart tugboats.

Also, these awesome rusty steps. So prettyyyyy.

And this funny building. 

"You get an apartment with a river view, you get an apartment with a river view, you get an apartment with a river view, YOU ALL GET AN APARTMENT WITH A RIVER VIEW!!!"