A Perfect Day in Brooklyn

Step onto Prospect Park West and you will feel like you've stepped back in time. Your eyes take in the 1890s architecture of the big, beautiful brownstones and then gaze across to Prospect Park, with all of its splendid greenery. Then, your sense of smell kicks in as aromas from nearby bakeries and delis float past you. You realize that this is the perfect day to spend in the New York City of yesteryear. This is the New York City before all of the worries, madness and mayhem. This is the New York of where the good times were plentiful and Brooklyn is right in the heart of it all.

You decide at that moment that this is where your perfect day will happen. The perfect day that will take place in present-day Brooklyn, but with remnants of years gone by. In the heart of Park Slope, as this area is known, there are Brooklyn's quaint bed & breakfasts, Prospect Park and so much more.

History abounds in this area of New York City, where Frederick Olmstead, the same person who designed Central Park, poured his creative soul into Prospect Park. This 526-acre dream park comes replete with a ninety-acre meadow, which is thought to be the longest in any park in the country, called Long Meadow. What a perfect morning picnic snack you could have in the beautiful, long meadow with clear blue skies and the sound of birds singing sweet songs in the trees around you.

Maintain your historical presence of mind and continue your perfect day as you visit the Old Stone House. Brooklyn lore has it that during the Revolutionary War, if it were not for the few hundred soldiers that fought at the Old Stone House, the Americans would not have won the war.

Surely, by now, your perfect day is to include a bit to eat. After soaking in a chunk of Brooklyn's history during the morning, you are simply famished. Well this is the perfect time in your perfect day for lunch. Wander over to 5th Avenue and check out any one of the local delis for the biggest, juiciest pastrami sandwich on rye. It's a New York City favorite and while you eat it, be sure to savor the huge, juicy, sour pickle often served with it.

After you are good and full, its time to walk that sandwich off. For an eye full of floral beauty, stop by the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. In addition, for art lovers, the Brooklyn Museum of Art is home to stunning paintings, sculptures, interactive exhibits and more.

Then, to while away the rest of your afternoon, meander over to Greenwood Cemetery. The burial site of many famous people, you can take a guided tour around the cemetery, which looks more like a lovely park site. It is also the highest point in Brooklyn, so the views around the cemetery are spectacular.

As the sun begins to set on what was a tiring, but impressive perfect day, have a seat in the low-key, but delectable Applewood Restaurant and dine on a New York steak and sip a glass of merlot. As the wine relaxes you and warms your body, you realize how grateful you are for your day transplanted back in time. It has now given you a new appreciation for the present and a new anticipation for what the future holds.

You wander to your chose spot for the night, Bed & Breakfast on the Park. This quaint, Victorian home boasts more than five luxury suites along with a gorgeous dining room and stunning front parlor. It is perfectly located in the Park Slop district and features an abundance of amenities to match your perfect day in Brooklyn.

As you settle in your bed, you realize that this is what the magic of New York City is all about.