Several people told me that Brooklyn is the new Village, i.e. rents are so high in Manhattan that people have moved out. Several things led me out there last night: I’d heard that the Spoonbill & Sugartown bookstore was selling a ton of our books, Bedford Avenue sounded hip, and I wanted to hear The Baby Soda Jazz Band, playing that night at a brewpub in the hood.
For many years in my visits here I’d avoid subways, walking many miles and taking cabs. Intimidated by being underground, never sure which train to take. Several years ago I realized this was stupid, and got back into subway travel by going out to Coney Island (in the winter). That got me back into it.
The subway trip out to the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn is short and simple. I came up and walked to Bedford Ave. and felt immediately at home. It’s quiet. That is, compared to the laser intensity of Manhattan. Relaxed. A skateboarder whipped down the street. I saw a bunch of great stuff in what you might call an antique store, called Ugly Luggage. There was an old Underwood typewriter and boy was it fun to hit mechanical keys for a change. (I bet my writing would be better if I used a mechanical type writer — yeah, duh!) I liked just about everything in the store and ended up buying this little 1934 Boy Scout Diary, partly filled out way back when. (I was born in 1935.) It belonged to Victor Teinour of Slatedale, Pennsylvania There are pages of drawings of storm cloud formations, trees, plants, fish, music for bugle calls, etc. It’s about 2″ X 6.” Good vibes.
Hey Lloyd,
I have been a long-time reader of yours and love the things you post about. Like you I am a kinda half-eccentric, half-hippy who prefers to tour off the beaten path both physically and socio-economically. (no offense intended) But after reading you for several months now I thought I would pop in and say how much resonance I am finding off the beaten path here. Thanks for contributing to the cyber-environment.
-rob