adventures in Brooklyn, vol. 4

It’s hard to believe it’s been almost three months.

In some ways, it feels like I just got here yesterday.  There are still so many things that feel new and foreign – and no, in case you were wondering, my sense of direction really hasn’t improved, so yes, I do still get lost.  A little more often than I want to admit.  (But I am getting better at realizing when that’s happened, and fixing it quicker!)

In other ways, Brooklyn (or at least my small corner of it) is starting to feel a little more like home.  I finally have places in my neighborhood where, while people might not know my name, they know I’m a “regular” – so at least there’s a smile of recognition now and again.  (You wouldn’t believe how much that can matter after awhile, when you only know about 15 people in a city that 2.6+ million people call home.)

I’ve done a lot of exploring over the past few weeks.  Some of the places I’ve been I really wouldn’t recommend.  (We’re not even going to talk about the “coffee shop” (which, granted, did seem to sell some sort of coffee) that I thought was going to be a good spot to write last weekend – tho I will happily mention that the 333 Lounge (which I found accidentally because of the coffee shop mishap) was an unexpectedly awesome find, and I suspect it’s going to be a new favorite writing spot. 

A few highlights of my other adventures (not in Brooklyn) over the past few weeks:

• seeing Anastasia on Broadway with my friend Kelly; that was pretty much amazing, in every sense of the word
• exploring Central Park; apparently, I have only seen 1/3 of it so far, but it is my mission to explore the whole park at some point this summer/fall
• wandering through Washington Square Park (it’s a smaller park in the heart of Greenwich Village, but there are tons of benches with both sun and shade, and there’s almost always something interesting going on)
• walking the High Line (an abandoned railway turned into a beautiful walking trail with amazing views of the city)
• visiting the Cathedral of St. John the Divine (which was just lovely in so many, many ways)

It’s fun to have “favorite” places to go, as well as good memories and a few adventures, and I’m looking forward to continuing to explore the city.  But there are definitely things about living here I hope I never get used to:

• there are beggars almost everywhere (This is SO hard for me.  I’m not one to turn my back on anyone in need, if I can do something to help them, but it’s evident that most of the stories I’m being pitched aren’t true, and there’s no way to tell in the moment which of the few might actually be true.  On the one hand, I can’t imagine what some of these people have been through, and how hard it must be to have no other option than to beg, but on the flip side, there are also so many places to go for help – so is it really the only option?  I’m not sure.  But it breaks my heart, either way.)
• the stench of the sewers in summer (tho in truth, I’m glad we have them.  imagine if we didn’t!! ugh)
• people glaring and/or staring at you awkwardly, especially on the subway.  It’s always so refreshing when someone you don’t know is actually nice, chatty, and friendly.  It does not happen often.  I try to be that person when it feels safe to do so, but it doesn’t always.  So there’s that.

There are also a lot of idiosyncratic things about life in New York that I’m not sure I will ever get used to, either – like coffee shops that don’t allow laptops on weekends (which is pretty much how I ended up writing in a bar last weekend) – but in the grand scheme of things, it’s probably a good thing: I respect that local businesses are trying to foster a sense of community and help people live healthier lives, and that is what’s at the heart of the policy.  It just makes things tricky for those of us who find outdoor patios more conducive to writing.  Ah, well.  On the upside, it all makes for a Grand Adventure.

Speaking of which, there’s a movie about A.A. Milne coming out this fall.  (I can’t wait!!)

Grace and peace, friends.

Always,
Happy