Bay Ridge in the Wee Morning Hours

2:22 a.m., 60th Street, Brooklyn: Flooding the streets on a humid day

It's 2:20 a.m. early Saturday morning and Paul and I are at the 59th Street subway station in Brooklyn, two stops from home.

The platform was nearly empty before our N train arrived. That's a bad sign. It means that more than likely an R train recently passed through. It could be 10, 20, 30 minutes before the next one train arrives.

Instead of waiting, we head for the stairs. Our apartment is 21 blocks -- a little more than a mile -- from the last station. If it's not rush hour, it's often quicker to walk this leg than wait for the local train.

In Defiance I certainly wouldn't take a mile stroll at 2 in the morning-- there's nowhere to go. And in Galloway, I not only probably would have been robbed, but I doubt the sidewalks even go that far.

In Bay Ridge, no problem. I counted 71 people on the sidewalks and crosswalks on our way home. Most were congregating outside a handful of bars (open until 4 a.m. in New York) or the hookah bar about eight blocks away. I never once felt unsafe.

Even so, this is still New York City. I walk with a purpose, always alert. But all in all, it's a pleasant walk whether it's 2 a.m. or 2 p.m.