The River Wild (or Urban in this case!)

This past weekend I went kayaking on the Hudson River in Riverside Park with the events group (The Lunch Club, http://www.thelunchclub.com/, a future blog subject) I belong to. We stated off at the Boat Basin Café, where I had the pleasure of the cafe's grilled chicken sandwich as well as the company of two cute guys my friend and I met before brunch. The food is OK (the grilled chicken is a personal fave of mine tho one of the guys downed his veggie burger in record time) but I was dismayed to see that the café serves plain white bread with its omelets instead of toast. Also French fry fiends should note that the café serves chips with its sandwiches and not French fries. This is all fine though as the main attractions of the café are the views of boats on the Hudson River, and the open-air seating. Luckily the prices are budget-friendly, and most of the sandwiches etc. are around $8-$10.

After brunch we headed down to the 72nd Street Pier in Riverside Park for the kayaking. The free kayaking is sponsored by the Downtown Boathouse, an all-volunteer organization that wants to make the Hudson River accessible to everyone. The 72nd Street location is not the only kayaking venue sponsored by the group; other locations include Pier 40 at Houston Street on the Hudson River, Pier 96 and Clinton Cove at 56th Street and the Hudson River.

After signing the required waiver form, we got into line to wait for the kayaks. Ladies, have no fear, purses and bags can be kept safe in the lockers provided by the boathouse (but be warned, it will be a small purse or bag kind of day.) Some people were fortunate enough to snag life jackets before getting into line, but others (including myself) had to pounce on those just leaving their kayaks. Once on the dock, an extremely nice woman explained how to best move the kayak, and how to turn the kayak (believe me, a very key maneuver), before helping my friend and me to cast off. The Boathouse allows people to paddle in a marked-off area of the Hudson for around 20 minutes or so before calling you back in. It was an ideal way to spend one of the last days of summer, with the sun on your face and the scent of the Hudson in the air (hey, don't judge, I like it!) Your butt will get wet though, so I recommend that you wear a swimsuit to protect your bottom. We enjoyed some splashing from the cute boys, and after we finished (no one fell in as my friend had feared) we headed back to the café for drinks, and in our case some ice cream. A perfect end to a perfect day.

Cheap Chick Info: Boat Basin Cafe runs around $8-$10 for sandwiches, Kayaking is FREE! Kayaking runs through Oct. 13th.

Location Info: Riverside Park and the Hudson River, Cafe at 79th St., Kayaking at 72nd Street and the Hudson Street

Subway: 1 to 79th Street