NEW YORK: FROM A NEW YORKER'S P.O.V.
By Joshua Broadway.
A friend recently asked me why I had’t written a post on what to do in New York. I replied, quite matter of fact, that I had: I wrote a piece on Four Freedoms Park (link here) located on Roosevelt Island. I proudly said this, as if one measly post on the city that I know the best was enough.
By Joshua Broadway, Four Freedoms Park.
I’m from New York, born and raised in Brooklyn. Up until recently, my neighborhood of Crown Heights was mostly of African-American and Caribbean descent. However, Gentrification, amongst other things, has completely altered the facade of my neighborhood. I know I’m not alone in my sentiments; all of New York is changing before our eyes. I would like to say its for the better, but the cynic in me is nostalgic for the past, when glass facades and skinny high-rises didn’t dominate the landscape.
To console myself, and others, I thought long and hard on how to best approach a post on my city. What would you, as the reader, find most helpful when navigating the Big Apple? Restaurants? Hidden speakeasies and bars? Shopping, parks, museums, galleries….New York is certainly unique in that there are many, many things to do. But as someone who writes a travel blog and travels frequently, there are lots of places in the world with plenty to do. So I continued to ask myself; what would make this post unique? And should it only be one post?
If you’ve made it to this far, then you’re in for a treat. I reached a decision and here it is: New York doesn’t deserve one post. My neighborhood doesn’t deserve one post. So instead, I’ll be doing a series. A New York from a New Yorker series, outlining just how important this city is to me. I’ll highlight everyting, from restaurants, bars and speakeasies, to museums and parks, but from the point of view of a native New Yorker. One who knows the subway and multiple routes to a destination. One who understands the unspoken agreement that we must walk fast in the city as a rule, and that summer, although humid and sticky, is when New York most often reminds me of the past in fleeting moments.
In this first post, I’ve complied perhaps what is most important to know when visiting New York for the first time: Where do I stay? This could be said about visiting anywhere in the world, but New York is most definitely a city of neighborhoods. Each borough has a different vibe than the next. Similiary, the neighborhoods within each differ from one another. Below, I’ve compiled a short list of my favorite neighborhoods to visit for any first timer.
Manhattan
Although I am more of a Brooklyn person, Manhattan certainly has more commercial business opportunities, museums, large parks and more. For me, my favorite neighborhoods to visit are Lower East Side, West Village and Chelsea.
Explore hidden streets, speakeasies, authentic restaurants and more in LES. Some of my favorite spots to visit are Mr. Purple for a night out, The Tenement Museum if you’re looking to explore some of the neighborhoods history, and Galerie Perrotin, a chic French art gallery which always features interesting exhibits.
The Village is perfect for an evening stroll, regardless of the season. Washington Square Park is well known, but ramen just a couple of blocks away at Ippudo is perfect to warm up with after. The Center for Architecture has revolving exhibits, events and talks, while smalls bars such as Automatic Slims are great as happy hour options.
I spend a majority of my time in Chelsea (my school is here), where there is plenty to do in just a couple of blocks. Of course there is the Highline, but stroll after you’ve filled up on wine and snacks on weekly Thursday evening gallery openings. Have dinner at Pepe Giallo for reasonable yet delicious Italian, and walk the streets afterwards to uncover hidden alleys and cute streets.
Brooklyn
I’m a Brooklyn girl, so this was hard to choose. I love practically every neighborhood in Brooklyn, and think I’ve been to them all? I would hope so, as I’ve lived here my entire life. I narrowed it down to just a few, but my posts in the future will definitely be including plenty of Brooklyn love!
Once a primarily Carribean immigrant community, the neighborhood of Crown Heights is a mix of young 20 somethings and families that have lived there for decades. Hard to choose what to do, but some of my favorites include the Weeksville Heritage Center for a history tour of the neighborhood (one of the first all-black free neighborhoods). Take in the Brownstones alone Park, Prospect and Sterling Place for picturesque Brooklyn and eat at Cafe Rue Dix for French Senegalese fair.
Weeksville Heritage Center, designed by Caples Jefferson.
Bed-Stuy
Due to gentrification, Bed-Stuy has severely changed over the years. However, I’m the first to acknowledge the positive community growth I’ve seen. Some of my favorite spots to visit include Casablanca and Lover’s Rock on Friday nights for dancing, as well as any restaurant on Utica Avenue off the A/C stop for everything from French to Vietnamese cuisine. There’s also the Bedford-Stuyvesant Museum of African Art, which is not as well known but worth a visit.
Fort Greene in the summer is refreshing. It has the feeling of old Brooklyn, found in its brownstone streets and quaint restaurants, yet is close to the city and shopping in Downtown Brooklyn. Visit Habana Outpost for Cuban and Mexican inspired eats, and enjoy their colorful outdoor lot with live music on Sundays. Walk in Fort Greene Park, where the climb to the top of the park has great summer sunset views. Also, make space for Peaches Hothouse: the most recent outpost of the popular Brooklyn chain, where weekend brunch is always packed and definitely worth it.
Habana Outpost outdoor Summer seating.
The neighborhoods captured above only show a sliver of what New York has to offer, and I’ve only covered two boroughs. This summer, I’ve made it my goal to explore more of my city: I hope you’ll enjoy my series on New York-we’ll be learning and exploring the city together. Thanks for reading as always!
By Joshua Broadway.