Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Only in Brooklyn


Four of the many, many reasons I (heart) Brooklyn.

It's no secret that my husband and I want to get to New York City. We uprooted our life in California and are currently 2,300 miles closer to our goal. While we're in a holding pattern here in Cleveland (finding work as a journalist in NY is no small feat), we still dream of Gotham.

Last summer, we went on a preliminary neighborhood hunt in Brooklyn. The last time I lived in the city was more than a decade ago, and Brooklyn has changed dramatically. It's less rundown and more Hipster Central (this is both encouraging and annoying). My husband and I fell in love with the many neighborhoods we walked through. From Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill to Park Slope and Fort Greene, we couldn't help but imagine raising our family amidst the kombucha bars, artisanal cheese boutiques and over-priced frozen yogurt shops.      

I don't know if we would consider ourselves hipsters, but if it's defined by progressive thinking over conservative ideals, a particular fashion sensibility and an appreciation for art and design, then I suppose we've signed up.

I came across this amazing compilation of "The 39 Most Brooklyn Things Ever" on BuzzFeed. All together wonderful, witty, quirky and annoying. Just like Brooklyn and hipsters.



Portrait of a Brooklyn hipster.
(Illustration: Rebeccah Mary Hartz @ waffledays.blogspot.com)