One thing I’ve never understood about New York City is that whole borough thing. New York comes to mind, and thoughts of the Big Apple are accompanied by thoughts of bright and bustling Times Square, the sprawling green of Central Park, and the impossibly imposing Empire State Building. But hold up. The city that never sleeps allocates its square footage across five separate boroughs, each one equally a part of New York City. So why is it only Manhattan that anyone ever dreams of when making plans to see the metropolitan for the first time? Why is it that a Queens address is Queens, New York, a Staten Island address is Staten Island, New York, while the eminent and ostentatious Manhattan gets to be New York, New York? Seriously, someone riddle me that.
The non-Manhattan boroughs of New York all contribute to the city’s rich history and colorful culture, and they are all tactlessly underrepresented as important parts of New York itself. Though nothing is quite as busy or touristy, as flashy and loud as Manhattan, the other boroughs are gems in and of themselves. In April I decided to work out of a tiny Airbnb apartment in the middle of Brooklyn, easily New York’s trendiest borough at the moment, to explore and see what it had to offer to someone who really had just about had her fill of Manhattan.
I hopped into my Toyota Corolla, still boasting a gaping hole from a long and arduous road trip down South earlier in the year, a drive during which my apparently precariously attached grill went mysteriously missing, and drove it up the coast from Baltimore to New York. I was excited to work out of a tiny studio apartment in Brooklyn for a long weekend, exploring some of New York City’s lesser known, and frankly, less well-celebrated, parts of town. The drive was tiring, my chihuahua was panting anxiously from the back seat (buckled in, of course, because I am all about chihuahua safety), and the last 10 miles into New York’s trendy borough was taking me a goddamn hour. I was fatigued, I was hungry, and I wanted to stand the fuck up.
I pull up to the apartment I found through Airbnb, squinting in the dark and the rain to see the address as clearly as possible. I look to my right, and right there, right in front of my face, is a street parking spot. At 9pm on a Thursday night, on a residential street, in the middle of goddamn Brooklyn, there was parking right across the street from my apartment. Take that, Manhattan. Finding street parking in Manhattan is less likely than finding a 25 carat diamond wedged inside the sidewalk crack. Brooklyn 1, Manhattan 0, and I wasn’t even out of the car yet.
Brooklyn is New York’s largest, and most populous, borough, with an estimated 2.5 million residents. If New York were to dissolve and each borough became its own separate city, Brooklyn would be the third most populous city in the entire country, right behind Los Angeles and Chicago, boasting 71 square miles of land area. This place is huge, and each little corner has something diverse and interesting to offer. Welcome to my Brooklyn itinerary.
Day 1
Breakfast: Lula Bagels
This place is how I started my morning every morning. If there’s one thing you absolutely cannot miss in New York it is a real New York bagel. Lula’s got ’em, along with some really funky, very metropolitan sandwiches, my favorite being the avocado egg sandwich because, obviously, avocado and egg. New York has a reputation for being unfriendly, everyone so focused on themselves, their careers, and what they’re wearing that they don’t have the time to give anyone else the time of day, but this little bagel shop was full of employees with Brooklyn accents and Brooklyn charm.
Brooklyn Bridge Park
I will admit that this was one of the more unpleasant moments of my stay, but only because, for some reason, in late April, New York was confused as to which goddamn season it was supposed to be adopting. There was something hauntingly beautiful about Brooklyn Bridge Park under a sheet of mist in the blistering cold and overcast skies. Brooklyn Bridge is iconic, and this waterfront park is a perfect way to experience it.
New York Transit Museum
The New York subway system is one of the largest and most used in the world, the system with the greatest number of stations, offering 24 hour service every single day. You could spend the entire day riding the cars back and forth, up and down the city, and probably see some of the most interesting characters you could hope to see, overhear some of the most interesting stories you could hope to overhear. The New York subway system is also one of the oldest public transit systems in the world, meaning it has a lot of years of history of characters and crazy conversations, of organization changes and reconstruction, and the New York Transit Museum offers a look into it. The museum contains remnants of stations, cars, and tunnels, vintage advertisements, and models of equipment, as well as the opportunity to learn about how the system’s timeline and history, AND is located in what was once an old underground station, originally called Court Street, which is unique as hell. Leave it to Brooklyn.
THE BROWNSTONES
Everyone knows about the Brooklyn brownstones. The words Brooklyn and brownstones go hand-in-hand, which is convenient because it makes for some catchy alliteration. This is what gives New York its gorgeous, earthy, dignified look, and though they are townhomes and go for a couple million dollars and 99% of the world will never be able to afford one, meandering through Brooklyn Heights or Park Slope turned out to be one of my favorite ways to spend an afternoon.
Other Half Brewing Company
Whether you’re a craft beer snob or just someone who enjoys cool vibes, Other Half Brewing Company is absolutely worth a visit. Keep in mind that there are usually long, long lines to get into this extremely popular hole-in-the-wall, but if you’re laid back and a patient person (an adjective that doesn’t quite describe myself), then go for it.
Day 2
Prospect Park
Prospect Park is the second largest public park in Brooklyn, measuring a WHOPPING 526 acres. It is the perfect place to spend a sunny morning with your chihuahua, holding her trembling body as large dogs run past while their owners chase them screaming their names.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Prospect Park is especially notable because it is home to the Prospect Park Zoo (because apparently New York needs a zoo per every borough) and the Prospect Park Botanic Gardens. As someone who can not keep a house plant alive to save her life (RIP little buddies), I have a special appreciation for the idyllic and serene atmosphere of these botanical gardens. The smell in the spring alone is enough of a reason to stop by (but again, expect lines out the wazoo), but the beauty of the Japanese garden, the cherry trees, and the rose garden against the juxtaposition of urban Brooklyn makes for a peaceful afternoon (no chihuahuas allowed here, though. Stella was displeased).
Lunch: Artichoke Basille’s Pizza
Admittedly the first time I had a slice of Artichoke pizza was after a long night of drinking, rebuffing the advances of formulaic frat boys, and shattering the screen of my phone on the grimy streets of New York, and let me tell you, I could not stop talking about it for weeks afterwards (even my friends who had excitedly taken me there were ready to never hear the word “artichoke” again). Naturally, I was leery of my next visit in Brooklyn, because I wasn’t sure if anything could top my first blissful, albeit drunken, experience.
In short: it’s still my favorite slice in the entire universe, and it offers a delicious twist on the classic, world-famous New York slice. It’s rich, it’s creamy, it is the size of a large head, and it is a must for anyone who cannot resist a good spinach artichoke dip around Thanksgiving time.
Brooklyn Museum
Only a short walk from Prospect Park is the Brooklyn Museum, New York’s third largest museum and home to 1.5 million works of art. It is innovative, calls attention to some of the issues plaguing our country, and offers a diversity that is lacking in other segments of the art world, currently running an exhibit featuring works by black women artists.
Green-Wood Cemetery
This cemetery is considered one of the most beautiful in the world, with its rolling hills and winding paths, its striking architecture, its fascinating tombstones and mausoleums. Not to mention the fact that it is overflowing with graves from the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, making it a must-see for history buffs.
Day 3
Breakfast: Tina’s Place
One of my issues with cities like New York (and DC as well, a city I lived in for a year and a half) is that there is just an overabundance of fancy-pants dining options. Don’t get me wrong, I am a fan of funky, different foods, and adventurous eating is one of my fortes (meaning I have come a loooong way since crying about being forced to eat sloppy joes at my psychotically uptight preschool). But there are times when I tire of the incessant need to be hipster and edgy and gimmicky and just crave a really good omelette.
Enter Tina’s Place. It is affordable, it is casual, it is friendly, and it is low-key. Hangovers are no match for this classic diner, and it is a great option to start your morning.
The Bushwick Collective
Ah, yes. My very favorite place in Brooklyn, and I am not even inherently artsy. I find artsy and creative people to be so impressive, the endless depths of human creativity astounding. The Bushwick Collection, located conveniently in Bushwick, is an industrial neighborhood turned art exhibition, featuring some of the best street art in the world, some impressive stretches of graffiti and some murals by internationally recognized artists. Do not miss.
House of Yes
The House of Yes is one of the most unique clubs in the city, located in what was once an old ice warehouse and what is now an eclectic venue for cabaret and circus performances. You have to dress according to theme, so be prepared to truly participate in the party.
Dinner: Ichiran Ramen
You may have seen mention of this weird little restaurant floating around on social media as the “perfect dining experience for introverts,” so naturally I was interested (I am not even introverted, but I certainly do enjoy a nice bit of alone time). The premise is this: you walk in, choose whether to sit at a little cubby or in the main dining area. I chose to sit at a cubby, which has walls on either side to allow for maximum solo dining. You fill out a little sheet with your ramen preferences, and the guys behind the wall in front of you bring it out to you, without you ever having to see their faces. And the ramen was GOOD. These people are proud as heck of their ramen, their entire, lengthy, detailed process posted right in your little cubby to skim over during your meal.
After returning home on this day, I went to meet up with my old friend whom I worked with for a short time during my stint in Arizona (don’t try to put an east coast girl in the middle of the desert for an indeterminate amount of time, trust me. Nothing but limp hair and sweaty pits and missing my mom, day in and day out). Like a lot of New Yorkers, he originally lived in Manhattan, right near where his office was to save on commute time and to get the *true* New York experience (pffft), but ended up leaving the hustle and bustle for slightly quieter, slightly more affordable Brooklyn.
Brooklyn is in right now; it is just brimming with young talent fresh out of school looking to make their way in America’s most renowned city while still maintaining a little bit of edge. Lots of singles settle in Brooklyn for its low-key vibes. In fact, Brooklyn is the fastest growing of any borough, especially in the tech sector, where it serves as the perfect place for start-up opportunities that would have a hard time setting up shop in Manhattan. There’s a fun little fact for ya.
My friend happened to be living only about a mile from where I was staying, so our plans fell into place and we enjoyed several beers together right outside of Prospect Heights, catching up and bonding over our mutual hatred of living in Arizona. I commended him for making it in New York, a place I feel like I am way too uncool for, but he assured me that it is not really a home for cool people as much as it’s a home for people willing to spend way too much money for way too small a living space.
I drank so many beers that I had to pee twice before even leaving the bar, and after a quick and mildly uncomfortable good-bye, I took off and sprinted the entire mile home, already half-way out of my romper as I was fumbling for the keys and launching myself into the bathroom. I have never been so close to peeing myself. New York is the city that never sleeps, but there were definitely a lot of people sleeping that night in Brooklyn, and the streets were relatively quiet and deserted, making this spectacle a lot less dramatic than it could have been.
Day 4
Coney Island
When I say Brooklyn has it all, I am not fucking around. Coney Island is like an all-American playground, an amusement park located right on the beach with a lively boardwalk. Is it pricey? Yes. This is New York City, people. But it is also an opportunity to experience the good ole USA in all its glory.
Lunch: Nathan’s (the motha fuggin orig)
If you live in or have visited the United States, chances are you know all about Nathan’s, the Brooklyn-founded fast food chain specializing in signature hot dogs and fries. I’m not sure if it’s possible to visit Coney Island and not grab a dog from Nathan’s, and I’m pretty sure you should refrain from doing so you’ll miss out on an icon of this New York borough.
If you are a non-frequent visitor of the incredible, dynamic, and world famous city of New York, consider ditching Manhattan next time and showing Brooklyn some love (but okay. If you want to go to Manhattan to take a few selfies in Times Square and explore the exhibits of the MET, I won’t blame you, because believe me, I have done it countless times. Just be sure to hop on the subway and spend some time in Brooklyn, too).
