I had a great weekend...
The skies were clear, the BBQ eats were delicious, and the laughs were steady and much needed.
Living the NYC hustle is a balance I'm still trying to achieve...
Most of my days are focused on working the day gig, flexing the creative muscle on the side and keeping play on the agenda...
Sometimes I wonder what the hell I'm still doing living here, trying to hear my vision call my name rather than my monthly nut.
There's no doubt that if you can make it here, you probably can make it anywhere.
That ain't a cliche people...
New York makes you face your worst fears, tests your truest grit, and offers you the most opportunities for anything and everything...
It's truly high pressured, ridiculously competitive, amazingly expensive and it offers you the ability to fulfill almost every desire one can imagine...
From the Garden to the Met to the newest bars to the outer borough old fashioned neighborhoods that offer a respite from the daily grind, New York is an incredible place to experience...
There's really nothing like it on earth...
I was born in the city, grew up in Tarrytown, went to high school in Jersey and have lived in Brooklyn for awhile now...
I remember 9 years ago when I decided to get my own apartment for the first time in a long time.
The upper West Side was where I was born and thought I'd check it out and see if there was a deal to be had in some studio or sublet gift.
I decided to go to Fairway and walk around its perimeter deciding that since I had the food source I now needed to find the cave...
I buzzed supers in buildings and stopped old ladies on the street asking each of them if they knew of any apartments for around $1000/month, my highest budget.
After they caught their breath from doubling over and laughing hysterically, they each said I was insane for thinking I could touch my own place for under $1500.
At the time, I was a voiceover actor who did much more cater waitering than getting into the recording booth.
I knew what I could afford...
After a few hours I finally gave up on finding a place uptown, and I suddenly recalled a conversation I had with a catering colleague.
She told me about a great little neighborhood in Brooklyn called Cobble Hill...
"Brooklyn?" I exclaimed..."Why would anyone live in Brooklyn?"
She told me it was actually a great borough with good eats, affordable apartments and offered a rare find for NYC residents...peace and quiet.
She said, "Just take the F downtown, and when you get into the borough, just get off at any stop and walk around. You may love it."
Then she added one more suggestion, "Don't tell anyone about it...it's a total secret!"
I thought she was crazy at the time, but now that a reasonable place in Manhattan looked like a complete delusion, I said WTF and hopped on the F train...
As I got to Bergen Street, I thought it was a good name for a stop and got off...
I walked around the neighborhood for hours, asking every real estate broker for a $1000 place, and
I got the same ridiculous look from each of them.
But I kept walking and asking, walking and asking, walking and asking...
The neighborhood started to get my attention more and more, and I could see what my friend was talking about...
The place was so different from the city but still had that New York flavor...
It was old fashioned yet had a young vibe...
Surprisingly enough, I actually liked it...
After walking around for awhile, I came to this cool little second hand store with tons of tchotchkes and assorted knick knacks.
I dig old stuff, and the place had character to spare, so I went inside...
There was a woman behind the counter, and her and her husband owned the store.
Risking another rejection, I asked her the same housing conundrum I was putting to everyone in the neighborhood, "Any cheap apartments around?"
She got right on the phone and started calling friends to see if they knew of a cheap sublet or studio.
I thought to myself, "If I could just get a room with a bathroom and kitchen appliances, I would be so freakin' grateful..."
While she was doing her good deed, I thought I had to buy something from her as a thank you.
There were these cool 60s kitchen wall clocks right by her counter, and I picked a yellow one.
"No luck," she said as she hung up the phone, "But I'll keep you in mind if I hear of anything..."
"Thanks anyway," I said, "Let me get the yellow clock..."
I said my goodbyes, and me and my new purchase left the place...
When I got outside I thought, "Great...I got a clock and no wall to hang it on..."
At this point, I was beat from my walking my ass off and headed for the F train back to the main island.
As I approached the train stop, I hit a couple of more real estate places with no luck for leads...
There was one more realty door right by the subway steps, and I headed inside.
There was this big dude sitting behind a desk in an small, aged office.
"You got any apartments or sublets for around $1000?"
"Not even close..." he responded
"I thought so...thanks..."
As I turned around and put my hand on the door knob to leave, I had this feeling to turn around and ask him again...
"You sure you don't know of anyone who's offering a studio or a sublet for around a grand?"
He put his thinking cap on a bit tighter, took a deep breath and then uttered some very welcome words
"Wait a second, there's a girl right above us who's moving out at the end of the month...
The place is a one bedroom and it'll probably go for around $1000..."
Now whether he was holding back or just happened to recall the upstairs tenant, it didn't matter me...game on
I saw the place a few days later and stuck my flag right in the hard wood floors...
And the rent turned out to be $995...
Talk about a fucking miracle.
Since then I've moved to a different part of the 'hood, and I just realized today that Brooklyn has been the longest home of my whole life...
It's changed over the years with American Apparel nudging their way in, but it still has that old fashioned vibe.
I understand how the life long Brooklynites felt when people like me were moving in years ago.
It's different now since New York Magazine has told everyone in the world about this little village.
In the last year alone, we've had a huge influx of people, babies, bikes and dogs...
Lately, it's felt much more like SOHO than Carroll Gardens...
Crowds lining up at 10am on Sunday mornings for brunch with packs of guys in blazers and girls who look like extras from Sex and the City...
People race around the streets now instead of strolling...
The hustle and bustle has made its way here and imaginary express lanes are being grooved into the concrete day by day.
The thing I've been asking myself is, "When did it become the norm to ignore each other?"
I know, I know...the cool city thing is to pass each other on the street, keep to yourself and act like you don't give a shit.
God forbid you're friendly or actually smile at someone...
I was just talking with a friend the other day of how the city is inhabited with so many people yet many of them will admit to it sometimes being a lonely place to live...
But that's where Brooklyn has always been different...
People actually acknowledge each other here...
We say hi...
We introduce ourselves...
We shake hands...
I know, crazy right?
I was hanging out on the sidewalk the other day, and this dude with his girlfriend passed us and was staring at me like I just stole his Starbucks gift card.
I piped up, "Hey man, what's up!"
He was completely startled by my interrupting his Metropolis snarl and he goes, "Uh, hey..."
I was thinking, "Don't bring that shit here bro...we say hi here...we don't stare, walk past each other, and ignore one another..."
I understand the defense mechanisms and necessary walls folks build in order to survive this unbelievably taxing city, but listen up y'all: LEAVE THE RAT RACE SOULLESSNESS IN MANHATTAN
We don't need you to bring the fear...
We need you to acclimate to a refreshing place that has somehow retained its old fashioned roots of common courtesy and local charm...
It's thankfully still a neighborhood where people greet each other as they walk down the street.
