Return to Governors Island

While I missed the first weekend of the season I went this Saturday and Sunday to the best reason to be in Gotham over the Summer.


Governors Island


Saturday I arrived late but I had provided myself with a picnic from my favorite place, Chez l'Chef on Lex at 29th St. I asked Chef Fredric to put together a $20 basket for me and he excelled himself. I had an assortment of cakes and pastries, a great herb crusted ham and cheese wrap, eggs with sausage and more herbs and veggies and water. BTW, the sweater is by Calvin Klein.


Then I watched a cruise liner go through the Buttermilk Channel,

and head for the Verazzano Narrows.

Sunday the line to get to the Island stretched North from the old Municipal Ferry Building along the FDR Drive almost to the Brooklyn Bridge. It took almost an hour and frankly I felt the police did a poor job. Fortunately the decidedly middle class crowd was easy going but line jumping was rife and people were running in the street. There was a charity run of families with children with Autism who were also forced to use the street. It was lucky that no one was hurt.

I decided to find someone with horse sense.

In the shadows of the canyons of Manhattan.

The Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic.

At first I was sitting at the South end and had a poor view. A young woman nearby thought she was being cute when she opined "This doesn't seem very athletic. I'd rather see them play basketball." I informed her that not only was it one of the most athletically demanding sports but also one of the most dangerous. People die playing polo. Then I moved to the North end and got a better view. The action got rough and close.

The event was well managed, the play was exciting and well commented on by the announcers, the crowd were there to look good and feel good.

A visit by one Rider to the well dressed crowd was an unexpected high point.

Last year the big news was that Prince Harry played, which was not a repeatable event. This year was just fun.