Today's Local News - Appreciation

Since I was grumpy with a capital G on Thanksgiving and wrote an appropriately (to my mood anyway) ornery post, it's time to write about what we love about Bed-Stuy. Or rather Bed-Stuy North as is evident on Bed-Stuy Blog's map there is a notable difference in living on our seemingly desolate side of the hood as opposed to the South side which has roughly 35 businesses of note ie. greenmarkets/organic food stores, galleries, cafes, restaurants that are not fast food chains, boutiques that don't sell botanica, African hair products or anything for 99cents. And even more particularly the joys of living right here, in our house on our block.

Thanksgiving has after all, evolved into a day of giving thanks not moaning about the ills and crimes of the past. So, onward.

1. More people, men and women of all ages and races, help me carry my stroller with heavy child up and down the stairs of our subway station than any other subway station in New York.

2. We talk to our neighbours and they talk to us. And we actually know each other's names.

3. We started and belong to the Neighbourhood Block Association.

4. Our well insulated beautiful house with 3 floors, a basement and a garden in Brooklyn as opposed to a 3 room basement apartment in the outskirts of Manhattan.

5. It only takes us 20 minutes by train or bike to get to the Lower East Side.

6. Our new bike lane.

7. Our eclectic, creative, loving, laid-back yet reliable housemates.

8. One of our favourite restaurants/bars, Moto, is only a five minute bike ride away.

9. The elevated train, which allows us amazing views of Brooklyn, the East River, and Manhattan and simply changes an otherwise oppressive subway ride into a visual delight.

10. Food Dimensions' amazing refrigerated produce department. For the exotic produce and the cold air during the humid summer months. Note: FD is now carrying organic Goya brand beans and organic basmati brown rice.

11. The selection of current bootleg dvds at the 24 laundromat.

12. Our community garden in progress, open to suggestion and new members.

13. Perversely Bed-Stuy's bad rep. In fact that's partly what attracted to me to New York when I first tried to move here from Vancouver, Canada in '88. Friends and strangers warned me about the evils and dangers of living in New York, and shook their heads with dark foreboding, knowing that if I left I may never return. Now that Manhattan has turned into a Disneyland it seems that our neighbourhood is one of the few things that has remained from New York's history.

14. The dusty mystical botanicals and dusty mystical 99 cent stores. You never know what you'll discover.

15. Our organic vegetable garden, compost bin and tiny lawn.

16. Celia and Reggie's colourful garden next door with astroturf, mega speakers, garden gnomes and more.

17. The view of the church across the street complete with wild overgrown garden with feral cats and boarded up windows.

18. Being the outsiders in a community that's racially and culturally so different from what we're used to. It's like living in another country. Of course for me, it really is.

19. The light. No high-rises blocking the sky.

20. This past summer's local fashion trend - I (heart) NY t-shirts in every color except white. At one point there were so many teenagers wearing this shirt that I thought they were a part of some sort of performing troupe.

Well that's all for now, I know there's more. I'll probably think of them as soon as I post this.

Brooklyn Weather: Cold, according to unreliable weather.com. Don't know for sure, haven't ventured outside today. Yard is carpeted with yellow leaves.