... Recommend this page to a friend.

We start here at the beginning of the 3.5 mile boardwalk which begins where Brighton 14th Street curves around to become Brighton 15th Street. You'll see this curve in the third picture. The snow is what puzzles me; what is it doing there?

One man is walking carrying his jacket like it's the middle of the summer, and another is in his shorts adjusting his beach chair. I know the man is not Gary, our resident swimmer, so what's going on? We'll forget that now and continue with our boardwalk. This boardwalk (the joggers refer to it as "the boards") would take us along Brighton Beach and Coney Island, all the way to the beginning of a private community called Seagate. One learns to read shadows when living near a beach and shadow time indicates that this is late morning.

A little up the boardwalk and looking back we see some private homes which are part of Manhattan Beach. You should note that the name, "Manhattan" here has nothing to do with the borough of Manhattan.

Here is an interesting picture; this is an aerial view of the co-op Seacoast Towers, and the streets around it. Picture was taken from a satellite, and shadow time would indicate late afternoon.

The street (private parking) on the left is Seacoast Terrace, and the street (private parking) below, going left to right, is Brightwater Avenue. The buildings on the extreme left are part of Oceana Condominiums, and those white areas on the right are tops of other buildings. The circular street is Brighton 14th going south becoming Brighton 15th going north. Below is the entrance to the beginning of the boardwalk.

I bet you didn't know there are such magnificent buildings like this 35 Seacoast Terrace, one of the many co-ops in Brighton Beach.

A view looking west on the boardwalk. On the left is one of lifeguard stations. Forward center is the James Scheuer House (for senior citizens). Scheuer was one of our congressmen in the House of Representatives.

Now you are asking the question, "Why doesn't this bench have a back?" As a matter of fact, every other bench (alternating) on the south side of the boardwalk (that's the side next to the beach) is backless. And you're asking why. And the answer is ... so that people have a choice of facing the beach or facing the people on the boardwalk. We have a lot of that in Brighton Beach, people looking at people. People do that all over the world.

Another view of the Oceana condominiums as seen from the boardwalk.

Besides warming his back in the early afternoon sun, he's wondering why anyone would pay 2.5 million to live here. This is "Little Odessa" and to the Russian community, the garden spot of the United States. They will move to other communities as family needs might change, but for entertainment, and when children leave home for whatever reason, back to Brighton Beach they come. This keeps real estate prices pretty stable here and nobody complains about that. So Mr. BaskingInTheSun, put your shirt on and get on with your business.

Well, we are moving along and leaving the Oceana complex; again looking east to the beginning of the boardwalk. Gave you a chance to turn around and see that old building with its back painted white.

The building is still a rental and the residents facing west have that interesting view of the entire beach and the sunset. Regarding the "rental" remark, there's nothing wrong with renting, the owners have definite obligations to the renter. However, in general, when you can, if you are getting married, save the major money gifts to buy your own and get out from under the thumbs of a landlord (just an opinion).

One of the smaller restaurants on the boardwalk nestled between Tatiana on the left and Winter Garden on the right. Reading the shadows (and knowing the terrain), one would say it is late morning.

Tatiana restaurant with its colorful display of outdoor tables. Remember what I said, people like to watch people and I suppose they enjoy being seen by people. It's fun eating there and the food is pretty good.

But be careful with the bill; seems the European tradition is to add a service charge (here it is 10%) so figure any gratuities you give accordingly. Shadows would indicate that it's late morning and they are getting ready for the lunch crowd.

Another of Tatiana's restaurants with a smaller eatery on the left (it looks small but they do have catered affairs inside). Not to generalize but in general, Russians love to eat in restaurants, enjoy nightclubs, and spend hours at a table talking and joking. A few bottles of rum on the side rounds out the event. Note the gentleman about to enter; he might do better with less of Tatiana and more of Bally's Gym. Or he might make good use of the facilities right under his feet like hundreds of others do all year round; jog or power-walk the boardwalk and it won't cost him a penny. Now for shadows, oh yeah, it's early afternoon.

Looking back at Oceana and part of restaurant row, we see a few hungry seagulls on the railing. Did you know that by nature, seagulls are thieves? Besides stealing food from people, they think nothing of stealing from each other, even while in flight.

Look up "kleptoparasitism" and you'll see what I mean. Empty windows would indicate that this picture was taken not too long after a fire was started occurred in Tatiana. It's all repaired now and the restaurant looks better than before. Shadow time ? early afternoon. The shadows on the sand puzzled me until I saw the next picture --- from the pavilion.

Another look back at the entire restaurant row including Volna, the two Tatianas, Moscow, and Winter Garden. It's a cloudy day so don't ask me what time it is.

Now looking forward towards Coney Island, what we don't see is a playground and basketball court on the extreme right. That basketball area is where they made a documentary called, The Boys of 2nd Street Park.

It's about a group of boys and girls who grew up in Brighton Beach in the 1950s spending many free hours in this park, and shows the grownups they became; they re-visited this park. Life has its rewards and it also takes its toll so we see the realities of living during this period with the "counterculture" and drugs and Vietnam War. Google that documentary for more. In the above picture we see on the right the Brightwater Towers co-op (on Brighton 1st Road with the Brighton Beach Library on the same street) and in the background, in Coney Island, we see the Parachute Jump, the Wonder Wheel, and an observation tower. On the extreme left we faintly see the Steeplechase Pier.

Passing the basketball courts we turn around and notice a special feature (or habit) of Brighton Beach residents. They know the true value of radiant heat, how brick can gather and hold heat, and how heat is reflected. This goes far back to the time the Jewish population first came to Brighton Beach. On a cold winter's day, sitting next to a brick wall with the sun baking on it, one benefits from both the direct rays of the sun and even more from the heat accumulating in the bricks of the wall. Whether sitting here next to this apartment building (a very old one, btw) or on a milk box next to one's apartment house (something to be seen all over Brighton Beach).

Not on the boardwalk but facing west and the beginning of Ocean Parkway and next to "the boards" is this handsome building, built around 1970. It has a semi-circle driveway in the front giving the building that extra special "touch".

I forget if it is a co-op or condominium but I know it is in the same location that the old "Club 28" was a zillion years ago. Boys in their early 20s were always trying to enter that club (really a dance hall where in pre-computer days, guys and girls would meet. Twenty eight was considered old to those young boys.

Technically we are leaving Brighton Beach and entering Coney Island. Brighton Beach is ZIP: 11235 and Coney is ZIP: 11224. However, the term "West Brighton Beach" is often used here (maybe for purposes of real estate value like we have at the border of Brighton Beach and Manhattan Beach). In the center we see those curved structures; those are part of the New York Aquarium which in earlier days used to be in lower Manhattan (Battery Park). Robert Moses (another New York City legend) had it moved to Coney Island. In the background we again see the Parachute Jump and the side view of the Wonder Wheel.

Same location as above with an interesting view of the new "old" lamps. They are not as close to each other as they appear in this picture.

Here we are just a little closer and I'd say we are now off the Brighton Beach part of the boardwalk and on the Coney Island part. A final tidbit of information ... The boardwalk was named for Edward J. Riegelmann who was the Brooklyn Borough President from 1918 to 1924. He was very instrumental in building and extending this boardwalk and his name appears at many locations.

Any corrections? ... ... you be my guest.