the first 7 days
looking forward to the rooftops in Brooklyn
SUNDAY :: I awoke to new sounds in a new bedroom in a new apartment with an entire day to spend and try and wrap my head around the concept of relocation and the feeling of displacement. Today was the first day that I've been in New York without ever setting a foot on the island (of Manhattan).
MONDAY :: I purchased my first 30-day unlimited Metrocard since the summer of 2002. The thrill of ultimate (transit) freedom captured in a credit card-sized piece of plastic.
TUESDAY :: I was meeting friends for breakfast at 8 at a cafe, one block from the Bedford stop in Williamsburg. I had met these friends for breakfast at the same cafe many times before. But unlike every other time, today it was directly on the way to work.
WEDNESDAY :: I commuted across the Williamsburg Bridge for the first time. Today I chose to use the B39, that whip-snap of a bus that picks you up on one side of the bridge and unceremoniously dumps you on the other side. No frills, except for one: riding the outside lane of the bridge and watching the city, bathed in sun, slowly magnify as the bus creeps towards the Lower East Side. Also striking up a conversation (on an MTA bus!) with an elderly Hasidic definitely brightened my day.
THURSDAY :: I shared an incredible meal with two incredible women at an incredible railway car-turned-restaurant. After being charmed up-and-down by our earnest waitperson, I made a mental note to return often (such an uncommon server deserves regular patronage). We finished our evening on the roof of my apartment building, stretching our eyes up to midtown Manhattan and then deep into Brooklyn, our minds drooling over all the rooftop possibilities that lie ahead in the summer months.
FRIDAY :: I spent the evening in a filled East Williamsburg kitchen sharing laughs and stories and home-cooked thai food over wine. I could have easily walked over from my place, but because of the rain, I took the B24 instead. Sadly, the cheap wine I bought from the corner store was only worthy of the drain. I guess wine bought in Brooklyn tastes as it costs.
SATURDAY :: I started my long and healthy relationship with the Greenpoint farmers market this morning, stopping by to say hello to my friends that work the dairy and bakery stands. On the way home, with cider and yogurt safely stashed in my tote and an almond danish in my stomach, I passed by a community garden and noted the volunteer hours. Then I bought a screen-printed tee from a local designer literally 100 steps from my house. After spending nearly 4 years trying to escape and distance myself from my old neighbourhood, it's feels so strange (and so good) to suddenly be looking for reasons to stay and invest myself in my new one.