In less than a month, I will be moving to Switzerland.
When I first came to New York, I loved it--it is the most exciting city in the world. Every day there are events to go to, and almost every major musician has a concert in New York. There are so many cafes, bars, and restaurants that it is impossible to try all of them within one lifetime. Within a year however, I started to become more critical of the city. While being a very fun city, it is also a very dirty city, and incredibly crowded. I thought for sure that I would leave it after law school, but ended up staying for a year...then a few more years...and then I reached a point where I was sure I would probably be in New York for a long time, if not most of my life.
I love New York, but I will admit that I am looking forward to living in a city that is a bit calmer, cleaner, and quieter. I moved from Manhattan to Brooklyn a few months ago, and have been enjoying it. Last week, I went to see Lady Gaga in concert, for the third time. We managed to get last minute tickets at Citi-Field, on the floor, only seven rows from the stage! Unfortunately, it rained the entire evening--and Citi-Field has no cover. It was one of the coldest summer days, and despite wearing a poncho, I was freezing. Lady Gaga played piano and sang in the rain like a real trooper, which really impressed me. However, I think I will think very carefully before buying tickets to an outdoor concert again.
There are many good bars in this area, one of which is a Tiki Bar called Super Power, which features tropical drinks, and oyster happy hours. It is also more spacious and dog friendly. I have two dogs now--a mystery mix who is pretty lazy and very food motivated, and a samoyed, who loves to run. I recently started "urban mushing", which sounds ridiculous, but has proven to be a really effective way to make sure my dog gets enough exercise; it actually is really fun too. I bought a razor scooter (which supposedly is NOT what should be used an can be quite dangerous), and a waist leash. I tie my samoyed, Max, to my waist, and then he pulls me through the city on the scooter. Before trying this, I knew he was a fast runner, but it's completely different when being pulled. I've learned how to control the speed better, but he has the capability of going very fast. There is a circular track by the Brooklyn Museum, which I take him to.
One negative thing about crown heights is that there is more crime, especially compared to Manhattan. During our first month here, my boyfriend's bike got stolen, and I was followed home by a guy on a bicycle who would not leave me alone--luckily there were police cars outside my apartment (someone escaped from a psychiatric ward and they were looking for him in the local bar), so the guy left as soon as he saw the squad cars. During the past month, there was a young man who sexually assaulted four women in the area. Luckily, he was caught.
I was hoping having a wolf like dog would help serve as a deterrent, but so far it hasn't. At the park, I met an elderly lady with a white husky named Lulu--she said she goes out at midnight, and when she seems someone, she makes the dog sit and says, "Killer, wait. WAIT. WAIT." Apparently that works for her. Max however, is too happy looking. He always has his tongue hanging out, and really looks more like a friendly bear than a guard dog.
Given the short time frame before my move to Europe, I am subletting a place in Queens, so at least I'll have a chance to explore a new neighborhood before I go.
When I first came to New York, I loved it--it is the most exciting city in the world. Every day there are events to go to, and almost every major musician has a concert in New York. There are so many cafes, bars, and restaurants that it is impossible to try all of them within one lifetime. Within a year however, I started to become more critical of the city. While being a very fun city, it is also a very dirty city, and incredibly crowded. I thought for sure that I would leave it after law school, but ended up staying for a year...then a few more years...and then I reached a point where I was sure I would probably be in New York for a long time, if not most of my life.
I love New York, but I will admit that I am looking forward to living in a city that is a bit calmer, cleaner, and quieter. I moved from Manhattan to Brooklyn a few months ago, and have been enjoying it. Last week, I went to see Lady Gaga in concert, for the third time. We managed to get last minute tickets at Citi-Field, on the floor, only seven rows from the stage! Unfortunately, it rained the entire evening--and Citi-Field has no cover. It was one of the coldest summer days, and despite wearing a poncho, I was freezing. Lady Gaga played piano and sang in the rain like a real trooper, which really impressed me. However, I think I will think very carefully before buying tickets to an outdoor concert again.
There are many good bars in this area, one of which is a Tiki Bar called Super Power, which features tropical drinks, and oyster happy hours. It is also more spacious and dog friendly. I have two dogs now--a mystery mix who is pretty lazy and very food motivated, and a samoyed, who loves to run. I recently started "urban mushing", which sounds ridiculous, but has proven to be a really effective way to make sure my dog gets enough exercise; it actually is really fun too. I bought a razor scooter (which supposedly is NOT what should be used an can be quite dangerous), and a waist leash. I tie my samoyed, Max, to my waist, and then he pulls me through the city on the scooter. Before trying this, I knew he was a fast runner, but it's completely different when being pulled. I've learned how to control the speed better, but he has the capability of going very fast. There is a circular track by the Brooklyn Museum, which I take him to.
One negative thing about crown heights is that there is more crime, especially compared to Manhattan. During our first month here, my boyfriend's bike got stolen, and I was followed home by a guy on a bicycle who would not leave me alone--luckily there were police cars outside my apartment (someone escaped from a psychiatric ward and they were looking for him in the local bar), so the guy left as soon as he saw the squad cars. During the past month, there was a young man who sexually assaulted four women in the area. Luckily, he was caught.
I was hoping having a wolf like dog would help serve as a deterrent, but so far it hasn't. At the park, I met an elderly lady with a white husky named Lulu--she said she goes out at midnight, and when she seems someone, she makes the dog sit and says, "Killer, wait. WAIT. WAIT." Apparently that works for her. Max however, is too happy looking. He always has his tongue hanging out, and really looks more like a friendly bear than a guard dog.
Given the short time frame before my move to Europe, I am subletting a place in Queens, so at least I'll have a chance to explore a new neighborhood before I go.
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