This is an ode to my neighborhood. It may look gloomy, it may just be the rainy day, or the fact that it is not the typical pretty-ness that most people may try to surround themselves with. Luckily I think it's peaceful and interesting.
This is the first neighborhood I moved into when I came to New York. Since then I've moved 4 times - that's right 4 exhausting times. Some times with some generous help, sometimes with less than generous help. Anyway, I came back to this area in December, and I credit it with the peacefulness that has since come back into my life after leaving an apartment full of cigarette smoke and puppy poo.
This water tower has the words "Free Palestine" painted on it. I wonder who climbed up there to paint that. I can't imagine one of my Polish immigrant neighbors did that. Yet, it may be one of the many "progressives" filtering into this area for the past 10 years or so. Still makes me curious.
Then there are the many new cute little shops that have been popping up for the last few years. There are so many new shops, clothing shops, music shops, etc. 
I still haven't eaten here, but I have wanted to forever. Its supposedly a really good little secret restaurants that people from all over the place come to for dinner - on the random occasion that it's open. Anyone want to come into town and check it out?
Then there are these monstrosities. These new condos are actually going up all over in my neighborhood right now. Going up among the old stone and brick buildings that have been around for 50 and more years. I do feel bad that I am part of the flood of gentrification that has been going on. We are the reason that bone head developers get money signs in their eyes and make decisions that end up effecting hundreds, thousands of people and the rest of those peoples lives. Not to mention the scary design decisions they make for the rest of us.
This is my old beautiful apartment (post addition that was the demise of my time there). It's not the worst looking addition (which is actually a pretty sad statement). I do think it would be a little weird, as it was for us, to be looking out those immense floor to ceiling windows at a great view of the numerous little windows of the apartment building across the street - where there are probably about 12 windows for every one of your giant ones. People are really packed into that place.
construction
old and new
2 comments:
nooooooooooooooooooooooo! Why they got to do that? hmm. your hood is the coolest, brooklyn or die.
Wait, how much longer are you going to be out there? I would be down for food, as I always am, but probably can't get out there for a little (in August).
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