Touristy Thing #43: Staten Island (and the Ferry, of course!)

Part I: The Ferry

The Staten Island Ferry is free and provides a nice 25-minute panoramic view of New York and the Statue of Liberty.  Our Staten Island Ferry was 100% hassle-free.  Unlike the IKEA Water Taxi, which runs every 20-30 minutes but is always packed, so you really have to wait about 40 minutes, the Staten Island Ferry is HUUUUUGE so you almost never have to wait for more than 30 minutes.  A lot of people (if not most people) who take the SI Ferry on the weekends appear to be tourists and the majority of them take the free ride only for the view, not to actually get to Staten Island.  I'm not a huge fan of water transportation, but I was pretty impressed with the SI Ferry.  Go outside for better picture opportunity!  Don't forget the can beer they sell onboard! 

We're here! Snug Harbor CC & BG

Part II: The Island
Since it was 65 degrees and sunny this so-called winter day (suck it, Seattle!!!), we decided to take a little field trip to Staten Island.  We figure we would have to walk around once we get to Staten Island, so we wanted it to be sunny and warm.  Once on the other side, we hopped on the MTA S40 bus to the Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden (also free!).

The beer menu

Part III: Lunch at Adobe Blues!
I can imagine this place being a lot more gorgeous in the spring or summertime (uhm... I guess we should've thought about it before going to a botanical garden in the wintertime).  We were especially intent on finding Connie Gretz' Secret Garden...  but first, we stopped by to refuel at Adobe Blues.  This restaurant looks like an old saloon on the inside and features an impressive beer menu (185 beers!!  I think that's the most I've seen in any bar!).  And apparently there's live jazz on the weekends, although we weren't there to see it.   OK, OK... back to Snug Harbor.  Snug Harbor was almost too overwhelming to us with all the different gardens, cottages and buildings - we really didn't think it was gonna be as large of an area... needless to say, we ended up wandering around (i.e. getting lost).

Part IV:  Snug Harbor

We passed by this corridor that I assume would be blooming with some sort of pretty flowers or greenery (is that a word?) in spring.  Is it just me or do corridors make you pause and think about where you want to go in life?

Upon finding the Secret Garden, we were pleasantly surprised to find a mini fort next to it.  As we watched several kids squealing happily as they run around the garden, I secretly thought about how the garden would have terrified the 7-year-old me.  I hated puzzles and mazes... I even hated McDonald's Playland.  I have a faint memory of getting lost and not being able to find my way out of one of those.  Literally cried because I had to pee so bad.  Someone had to come 'rescue' me; my mom laughed so hard.  I digressed...  

I'm sure any normal kids would have an absolutely delightful time at the Garden though!   Pssst, there's a story behind it (as the dedication plaque below would tell you).  Read the story as covered by the New York Times here.  Since they did such a wonderful job describing the garden, I'll just borrow their words: 

"Mr. Gretz constructed the Connie Gretz Secret Garden, a brick-walled center with a fort, a puppet theater and a hedge maze that leads to an enclosed garden similar to the one described in the [children's book: Secret Garden].
The tower in the children's garden, made of cinder block, is modeled after one that Mr. Gretz's father, who designed toys for Fisher-Price, made for his sons. It is two stories high, with turrets, a metal spiral staircase and an open roof where parents can watch small children make their way through the maze below, with two circuitous pathways leading to the garden doors. Inside the walls are wide beds of roses and orchids."

We found the Secret Garden!