Now that I finally have internet (&*(^! you Time Warner) I’m gonna tell you a few things about a place I never thought I’d end up: Brooklyn.
Now let me be fair to the fine borough of Brooklyn: there’s nothing wrong at all with the place itself, it’s more just the haste in which I was forced to move here (due to my recent break up.) So let me clarify: it’s a place I never thought I would be living alone, with a busted, leaky ceiling that rains plaster every time that stupid man above me bathes, powdering my nose in a lumpy closet that what one could only refer to as a “student hostel in Amsterdam bathroom,” and listening to my Italian neighbors shout at 2 a.m. about, honestly, things that should only exist safely on a Soprano’s script, and not in my real life. And if I see a rat move through my “kitchenette,” I’m suing the whole city.
I do love the East Coast though, it just came back into my life way earlier than I’d planned. That said, Brooklyn is turning out to be a very welcoming, endlessly amusing, colorful place to live.
Lucky Dog Bar
So here’s what I’ve been up to: when my dog whines too much (due to her re-discovered anxiety) I take her to Lucky Dog Bar , where I can have a drink, and in theory, Gracie can meet other pooches. I went with my father once in the early fall, and she met lots of other doggies on the patio out back. But last week, I went on a colder night to meet some friends, and I was the only girl with a dog, and while there were tons of people there, I was still the only one holding a leash. Then one other guy came in with his dog, and suddenly, it’s like your dogs have set you up on a blind date, and you’re forced to talk. If you’re at the dog park, you can just hit the bricks. But I was sitting with friends and sipping red wine, and that would have been really rude. Gracie sure loved the guy though, because he fed her cheese all night. Normally, that would work for me too. Gracie also wore her new tweed coat, which looks fabulous on her, I bought it at NYCPET– which has the nicest people who give her treats and love, too.
Camera Shy Gracie in her coat at the Bar
There’s a store devoted entirely to cheese, called Bedford Cheese Shop , and when I’m in there I act like gluttonous little Veruca Salt, if she loved dairy instead of candy. There are just piles, piles, and piles of soft golden cheese in that warmly-lit little shop.
And then there’s a wine store called “Uva” which seems to only have rustic-ly cute men working the register.They all wear soft corduroy shirts with the sleeves rolled up, and look like they should be nailing together coffee tables in a wood shop, not handling bottles of wine. But either profession would be a good look on them.
There’s a store called Pema where I got my slouchy (slightly studded) black messenger bag. Because they have so much amazing stuff at Pema, you could spend your whole salary in there- so my advice is have a set, defined goal, and get in and then get out.
Who I'm also going to be for Halloween '10
My grocery store is a health food store called SUNAC, right off my subway stop, and I’m eating way better than I did in LA, which is so strange. I can really find way more vegetarian options than I ever did in LA, which doesnt really fit the stereotype, but it’s true.
There’s a store called JUNK, that holds gorgeous antiques. I’ve got my eye on a white pantry from the fifties, with chipped paint and glass windows. It’s a nice option for anyone who’s starting over but doesn’t want it to be glaringly obvious. Even if it all feels brand new, at least it looks lived-in.
First disastrous experience? The one that was supposed to be the easiest: Target. Shopping at Target in LA? A very breezy retail errand. Here? Black Friday every day. Absolute Armageddon chaos. Twenty minutes into that “experience,” I had tears in my eyes and was lamaze- breathing. THEN because I’m trying to learn how to be cheap, me, myself and my stupid pride refused all cabs, and lugged home the three heaviest, biggest Target body bags ever. Even stupider? A nice, big baseball player offered to walk me as far as I needed with them ( I swear, ppl are just nicer in Brooklyn) but I said “no” because currently, men freak me out. And I didnt just say “no,” I wheezed, “that’s ok I cant feel any of my limbs anymore anyway.” So not only did I say no, I also scared him off. And I’m still sore. At one point I almost turned around and stole a cart like a homeless person and pushed it all the way home, but I didn’t. Because if I’ve still got anything from my old life, it’s my pride ladies.
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you make me want to move there and walk the streets eating cheese and chatting with baseball players. !!
i think gracie is being coy, not shy. she knows she look good in that fancy coat.
Let the baseball player be a lesson to take the offer next time! I would have done the same thing though. Sounds like you (and Gracie in her darling tweed coat) are well suited for your new hood!
Love this! Don’t let that pride stop you from army crawling straight out of an insane Target or sprinting screaming out of a rat infested kitchenette to tackle a baseball player or 502 to come and assist you. Just saying, you gotta look out for #1. Gracie looks stunning in tweed. You can tell her I said that.
Oh Gracie knows. You are all very very sweet. I’m just a big whiner!
I should’ve told you to avoid the world’s most jive Target. A friend of mine from the OC used to always say how her Target was the worst; then she experienced Atlantic Terminal and said “you win.”
One thing I absolutely love about new york is all the individual shops — it’s how the world was before strip malls and mega-grocery stores. It’s less convenient, but better because the retailer specializes in something. And you get to know where to go for each. In the 60s, my mother used to live in the west village and she’d venture up to hell’s kitchen because it was the best butcher. I love that.
Keep us updated on BK!
Has Gracie been into Bedford Cheese Shop? I havent bumped into her and often go to breathe the stinky chese air. In part two I hope to hear about your OTHER neighbors (wink wink) and hipster chinese.
I’ve heard such good things about Junk! I’m dying to check it out. Also, I’m intrigued by this pantry.