dhammer53

1 seat available.

Revised pushback > now 11:00. Waitlist for the last BRT.

19th Annual BRT takes place on Saturday June 2, 2018. Cost not confirmed yet, but should be the same (or close to it) as last year. $60.00. The van has 24 seats. For double the price, I can block an extra seat for you.

Pick up > 234 East 46 street. It's the same location as previous tours. This is between Second and Third Avenue on the east side. It's just down the block from Sparks Steakhouse.

Arrive 10:30 - 10:45. Doors close at 11:00. Departure immediately following.

I'll be PM'ing you my cell phone number prior to the tour. Rest assured that I will not be calling you if you're late. If you are running late, I'll give you directions to our first stop. Its happened before, and it will happen again. I did leave Catman, one of my oldest dearest FT friends behind.

You'll need cash for pizza at L&B + bakery goodies + lunch at http://www.smorgasburg.com/ < extended lunch here, overlooking the eastside of midtown Manhattan. Tremendous views.

Mid-afternoon break at http://www.butterandscotch.com/menu/
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Theme: 1968 meets 2018.

The first 17 Brooklyn Tours were sellouts. BRT 4 - 7 I rented an airport type shuttle van. Several years ago, we had a 50 passenger coach bus. We split the cost.

Paypal, or you can mail me a check to reserve your seat today. I will not chase anyone down this year. Please PM me for my e mail address.
FYI, Catman will once again host the SoupDo on Friday night. Soup Do: Friday June 1, 2018.

We'll have WineDo 11 on Sunday evening. I'll post a new thread when I have time.

Pick up 10:00 Saturday morning in the Grand Central Terminal neighborhood. Drop-off at 10:00pm. We have a tradition of departing ontime.

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, the tour is a great way to make new friends.
At the end of the BRT tours 2 - 15, we went for dinner at an authentic Italian place in an authentic Italian neighborhood. Lots of jewelry showing. < part of this information is dated, but you get the idea.

Our pizza stop will set up back about $6.00 or 4.99 euros, or 4.42 GBP, or $7.63 AUD, or $7.44 CAD.

The lunch/dinner will be open to everyone. If you're not on the Tour, you'll have to take the subway to the restaurant. It's about 40 minutes and $2.75 one way. Several years ago, we had a few hitch-hikers on the van back to Manhattan. Dinner will be at L&B Spumoni Gardens. Our Story - L&B Spumoni Gardens I strongly suggest ordering the square (Sicilian) slice.

Start planning now. Springtime in New York is beautiful. Consider yourself invited.

If you've been on the tour before and want to go again, please sign up. Repeat riders welcomed and encouraged. There is no waitlist. Several riders are regulars. Thinking about bringing a friend or relative? No problem. Bring them. Many have been most entertaining and interesting.

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 doubleparked 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. Check it out http://news12.com/BK/topstories/article?id=175940# use name: dhammer53ft, password: flyertalk (may not work).

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 whats 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.

2012... Teena, from Teenas Bakery isn't exactly know for being customer friendly.

BRT 12 brought 24 customers to the store. Many of them bought black and white cookies (famous in New York City), rugelah, and lots of other assorted delicious bakery goodies. I think all she had available for sale was 6 black and whites. That wasn't enough for this crowd. After we were finished, we were hanging around outside enjoying our purchase. Teena comes running out yelling, DAN. I turn around and she tells me that next year I should call in advance and warn her that we're coming, so she can have enough black and whites ready. (Note) - Teena's closed on January 1, 2013.

BRT 13 cawhite had her picture taken with Larry at Fiorentinos.

Last year: Democracy in Action.

So what's the moment in 2014? It's got to be the democratic vote we took on the bus after dinner. I told everyone we had a couple of choices, but limited time. Juniors took 2 1/2 hours vs the planned 2 hours I budgeted. That screwed up the schedule.

Note:

We rotate seats on the bus. Seat 1A is reserved for a couple of long time attendees (yes, that means you).

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 for an entire day. If you're looking for an excuse to visit NY (Brooklyn) in June, the dhammer53 Brooklyn Reality Tour is it.

Please post below if you're interested.

If you're interested in coming along, I need you to pm me your:

-Handle and real name.

-Hotel you're staying at, when available.

-Cell #

The 2014 thread here... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/commu...14-2014-a.html

Note to new riders... I would suggest reading the 2014 thread to get a peak at what you can expect. 19th Annual Brooklyn Reality Tour - June 2018. Saturday.

What's not included: Lunch, dinner, bakery goodies.

Other than that, your share is all-in.

No refunds, since we share the cost of the bus. If you can't make it, I'll try to find a replacement.

Backstory... the Brooklyn Reality Tour was named by our dear friend magic111 after he rode on BRT 1. Jim watches over us every year from 1A in the sky.

Over the years, BRT has had 3 sponsors that picked up our pizza cost at L&B Spumoni Gardens. They were:

- Randy from Flyertalk
- Ingy (Rick), who at one time wrote The Frugal Travel Guy
- George who writes Travel Blogger Buzz

Cost will set you back about $100 + I mention it to death in my signature.

If you know anyone interested, you know where to find me.

So. Will you be joinging us on BRT? Here's the 2017 thread. Lots of interesting reading, especially at the end. 18th Annual BRT - June 10, 2017 Saturday in Brooklyn NY

dhammer53

1 seat available.

I have a 14 passenger van this year.

So far:

dhammer53
CMK10
CDKing
Middle_Seat +1
miffSC
KathyWdrf
FortFun
pfbloom
Plainsman
AngelinaTravels https://angelinatravels.boardingarea.com/
donotblink
Cheryl

Waitlist

Bold = paid.

CMK10

Well you know I'm in. Interesting to see us to return to our roots of that first June weekend. This will be my fifth straight year and seventh overall. I'll bring Hope too, you guys will love her.

CDKing

I'm in. New airport and new route for me. Flying Jetblue Worcester (ORH)-JFK. Same day turn for $72, so sadly will miss Catman DO. Hopefully the flight will be on time at 7AM or will have to catch up at the first stop. Though Ill have to run off early since the flight back from JFK is 10:45 pm

We will try not to scare her off.

dhammer53

Sadly, BRT seems to be an issue in this regards.

dh

Middle_Seat

It'll be me and a +1, bringing some Texas culture to Brooklyn.

dinoscool3

miffSC

Add me please with a possibility of dragging along a Plus 1.

dhammer53

Gee, you must have enjoyed yourself last year.

Since BRT appears to be filling up slowly, we can always go back to our roots with a 7 passenger (or larger) van. That would bring the cost down.


dh

FriendlySkies

We just bid our schedule for Mid April-October and even if I am not scheduled off those days, I’ll take it off. Go ahead and add me to the confirmed list.

My third straight BRT; loved the last two.

Canarsie

Despite what some people might say, this proves that there is actually Hope for CMK10 after all...

dhammer53

You sound like the guy who writes the Flyertalk Talk Mail.

FriendlySkies, I've added you to the list. Maybe we can pass my old police station. The 6 - 3 (63rd pct).

Middle_Seat

Uh, Dan, would you mind explaining your relationship with this police station? Is this a location you visit(ed) often? Does your ankle monitor set off the metal detector at airports?

KathyWdrf

Normally, I make my hotel reservation and buy a plane ticket BEFORE confirming on this thread.

dhammer53

Not to worry KathyWdrf. There's hope. I'm confirming your seat. Looks like I'll have to get a 13 passenger van like I did in the early days of BRT.