- Date: June 2, 2012
- Time: 9:30, with pushback at 10:00.
- Theme: Returning to our roots with a 25-passenger van.
- Dedication: BRT 12 is dedicated to “newself” (Dave) who passed away last year. He rode on BRT 1.
- Theme: We’re going to ante up some money to the Captain Jason Dahl Foundation. Details to follow.
The first 11 Brooklyn Tours were sell-outs. BRT 4 – 7, I rented an airport type shuttle van. Last year we had a 50-passenger coach bus. We split the cost. This year, the cost will be about $60 per person.
Pick up 10 a.m. Saturday in the Grand Central Terminal neighborhood. Drop-off at 10 p.m. We have a tradition of departing on time.
Besides touring Brooklyn (my home town), we eat, and eat, and eat. Can you say “real” Brooklyn pizza? Can you say “delicious” bakery goodies? Just ask any of the folks who have been on this tour. We drive. We tour. We eat.
If you’re new to Flyertalk or Milepoint, the tour is a great way to make new friends.
At the end of the BRT tours 2 – 11, we went for dinner to an authentic Italian place in an authentic Italian neighborhood. Lots of jewelry showing.
Figure about $25- $30 a person if we do a sit down lunch or dinner. This is less than what you would pay in Manhattan, and twice the portion. The show is better than the food. Pizza is at L&B Spumoni Gardens.
Start planning now. Springtime in New York is beautiful. Consider yourself invited!
Past tour highlights include:
- 2001…poor AnnaS having a cold.
- 2002…Lisamcgu making us stop for White Castle hamburgers.
- 2003…mjm insisting on a Starbucks break. After I stopped laughing at him for thinking that Brooklyn would even have a Starbucks, we found one.
- 2004…gorging on food at marysunshine’s house…and this was a snack!
- 2005…cawhite knocking on the door of my childhood home while I ducked for cover. It was a priceless moment. Details towards the last page of the 2005 thread. Also, a Tony Soprano-type sitting at the bar added some extra flavor to our experience.
- 2006…Our van squeezing past a double parked car on a side street. You can just imagine the typical Brooklyn swearing. Also, the tour getting its 15 minutes of fame on Cable television News 12 Brooklyn.
- 2007… When cawhites “friend” Larry (the guy who always sits at the bar) checked us out!
- 2008… I had no intention of stopping at my childhood home. As we approached, I told the driver to slow down, then stop. Seems the front door was wide open. I took this as a sign from above. I stopped the bus.
A couple of years back, cawhite knocked on the door. I ducked for cover. This year I was apprehensive as I approached. When I told the woman that she bought the house from my Mom, she said in typical Brooklyn fashion, “What’s her name?” When I responded, she had a big smile for me.
This may have been the moment on BRT 8. Every year, there’s always one moment that’s noteworthy.
- 2009… We were filmed throughout the day for a documentary. Maybe it’ll even come out one of these days.
- 2011… The bus went MX (mechanical). 90-minute delay.
Note: We rotate seats on the bus. Seat 1A is reserved for a couple of long-time attendees.
We make plenty of stops.
No talking miles and points when I’m (ahem) lecturing on Brooklyn.
It takes a certain type of person to put up with other Flyertalkers/Milepointers for an entire day. If you’re looking for an excuse to visit NY (Brooklyn) in June, the dhammer53 Brooklyn Reality Tour is it.
Note to new riders: I would suggest reading the 2011 thread to get a peek at what you can expect. 11th Annual Brooklyn Reality Tour: Saturday, June 4, 2012.
Have a question? Email dhammer53@aol.com
