We visited Brooklyn in 2024 from September 20 until September 22 to celebrate the first birthday of our grandson Morgan (and to spend time with CJ). Driving up from Maryland, we were able to bring things that would not travel easily in the train. One of those things was a little Radio Flyer Scooter present for his birthday. He loves to push things and CJ told us that he had been stealing other children’s scooters at the playgrounds.

After moving into our accommodations, we went to CJ’s. Morgan immediately claimed his new scooter and we went to a playground for him to try it out. Later we had dinner delivered from the Asia Harbor Restaurant.

Morgan claiming ownership of his new scooter	A determined boy at the playground with both scooter and stroller
Look at him go!	He knows how it should work but can’t quite make it go
Click on the photo to see a video of Morgan’s walking.

Our Accommodations

Gail and I stayed in an apartment on East 2nd Street belonging to a friend of CJ’s friend, Liz. It was a nice place and it appears that the owner is a fan of dogs. One oddity was that we did not find any wastebaskets in the apartment. The bedroom and bathroom doors stuck, hard to close and harder to open.

Saturday morning we stopped for coffee at the Steplechaise Coffee Shop, which was just around the corner on Fort Hamilton Parkway from the apartment. We arrived at 7 AM. The shop did not open until 7:30, but the woman inside kindly sold us coffee and even a breakfast cake. We ate sitting on a sidewalk bench in front of the shop. While we ate, pigeons gobbled up acorns on the sidewalk near us and lined up in the sunlight at the top of the buildings.

We stopped at the same coffee shop Sunday morning, but after we’d packed and left the apartment and after the shop was officially open.

“Our” Apartment’s Living Room	“Our” Apartment’s Bed Room
The Steplechaise Coffee Shop, with pigeons	Pigeons sunning themselves atop the buildings

The Party

CJ held the birthday party on Saturday morning at the Greenwood Playground, which is located between East 5th Street and the Prospect Expressway. The first event was a breakfast of bagels, tangerines, and cut melon. The food attracted some yellowjackets, but no one was stung.

The children, who were able, played on the equipment. The adults visited. Pictures were taken. Everyone had a good itme.

Later, we sang the birthday song and ate cake. We did not open the gifts.

Bagel Time	Amanda with Morgan and CJ
Some birthday party attendees	CJ and Morgan
CJ and Morgan at the top of the slide	Some Party Goers

Happy Birthday to you!	Serving the Cake
Click on this photo to see some of the birthday song.
Morgan enjoying his cake, or at least the fork it comes on	The children at the party (with some parents)

Other Activities

After the party, we had bagels, bread, and cheese for lunch at CJ’s. Next came a little nap and then we returned to the playground. We had a scoop of ice cream before returning home.

Gail was wearing a T-shirt she got at the Pasty Corner. The T-shirt's back features a UP map with Iron River marked by the image of a pasty.. After playtime, as we were waiting for a light to change at Church Avenue, a woman spoke to us. It turns out her family - the Petersons - was originally from Stambaugh. A small world!

For dinner, we had slices of pizza delivered from Beverley Pizza. The delivery took a long time, and the pizza was lukewarm when it arrived.

On Sunday, Gail and I packed our bags and stored them in our car’s trunk. I went the wrong way when looking for the car and Gail had to steer me in the right direction. Then we stopped at the Steeplechase Coffee Shop for coffee and pastries again, but this time after it officially opened. At CJ’s, we opened Morgan’s birthday presents. Afterwards we walked to return a cooler that CJ had borrowed for the party and we visited a small playground on the other side of Cortelyou.

After lunch, Gail and I drove home.

Morgan’s bird counting book gift	The Xylophone
	Click on this photo to see Morgan play with his Xylophone gift.
The toy locomotive was also a hit	Morgan Alexander Holm