Happy Monday! Although some might consider this to be an oxymoron:) - I do not, especially when you had the type of weekend that seeps into your thoughts on Monday morning! Such is the case for me this weekend, I spent an unbelievably amazing day at one of Brooklyn's treasures - Coney Island. My memories of Coney Island run deep. especially when I think of the great effort my mother made to take all 4 of her children there. She was there for my first ride on the Cyclone and was also there to clean me up when I threw up my corn on the cob after getting off the Cyclone - yuck yes? Coney Island has been a fun destination for families and New Yorkers for years. Native Americans were of course there first and years later it was the Coney Island Elephant that was the site that greeted immigrants when they came to NY - not the Statue of Liberty.
Then you have the musicians and the DJ's who set up right on the boardwalk welcoming people to dance and sing - and they do! You'll have to go and see for yourself the great energy and spirited dancing that people bring to the boardwalk - it is nothing that I can describe! Then there are the musicians that touched my heart - Santos and the Romantics. Seriously, some of the best Latin music that you will ever hear - all free! Santos and his musicians were the epitome of grace, class, style and love.
My journey continued down the boardwalk where I encountered the most refreshingly courageous and enthusiastic kids in NY! Even though there were signs that clearly said, no diving off the pier, these kids seemed to not notice - or not want to, and I can't blame them! I got to hang out with them and there was so much joy expressed in their youthful abandonment of the rules that I simply had to fall in love with each one of them! I was reminded of the days when my childhood friends and I would leap out of the window of an abandoned building into tires - crazy and not too smart - but outrageous fun! We lose this fearless spirit as we become adults - well, some do:)! 
The boardwalk still had remnants of the past that left you wondering what those days must have been like. This rink for instance, is one of the most beautiful structures remaining - we simply must restore it and consider it a landmark before it's too late! 
The beach is surprisingly clean and well populated. People were swimming in the Atlantic Ocean and fishing off of the piers - actually catching edible fish and crabs - who knew? 
Let's not forget on of the most exciting reasons people come to Coney Island - the games and rides! All you need to do is look at the faces of the children and brave souls who get on some of these rides to understand where the fun is!
It's hard to imagine that investors once could even consider tearing this place down to construct luxury high rises! If anything, a wise investor would see the tremendous potential here to invest in its restoration and continued development. It's also an investment in the people of New York. At a time when we are all plagued by financial worries, Coney Island is reflective of our great collective spirit to enjoy life in spite of it all - it truly is the simple things in life isn't it? Besides, if you want to really see the beautiful "mosaic" as former Mayor David Dinkins once said of our rich diverse population - this is the place! Let's be ever so mindful of how blessed we truly are to have it! Immigration reform what? Wouldn't that mean that we'd all be going back to where we are originally from - except for Native Americans? 
