Park Slope, Brooklyn
Re-Boyfriend and I have decided to move to Park Slope, Brooklyn. The apartments are bigger and that was about the extent of our decision-making.
This may sound poorly thought out but I have spent almost every night for the past six months sitting next to my boyfriend on the only available surface in my apartment—the couch. This means I eat on the couch, drink on the couch, check my e-mail on the couch, read on the couch—all with my butt touching the side of my boyfriend’s butt.
We've both begun to hate the couch, and by extension, the apartment and all apartments its size. So Re-Boyfriend and I are moving to Park Slope with its bigger apartments.
I am fairly secure in this decision but there is still the bit of anxiety that comes with leaving Manhattan, even if it is only for another section of New York City.
Saturday night at dinner with S., I found out just how deep this anxiety ran when she oh-so-casually slipped “suburban” into her description of Park Slope.
“I’m so jealous! I love Park Slope, it’s so pretty and suburban. You’re going to love it. I remember when I lived there for a year, it was seriously my favorite neighborhood that I’ve lived in.”
What I Hear:
Suburban. Park Slope is suburban. Park Slope is a suburb where people go to have babies and die.
Then, just to further fuck with my head, S. said something about domestic bliss, or being domesticated, or Re-Boyfriend being domesticated—who the hell knows? I was still hung-up on the word “suburban” when I heard “domestic” and began to fantasize about springing across the table and killing her.
Sunday morning I woke up at 5am with an anxiety attack, and searched the internet for articles about the fun, young side of Park Slope to make myself feel better. Obviously I did not find too many.
27 comments:
Good God! What will you do when you want a drink? They only sell lattes and cappuccinos in the suburbs.
Clarification for those not from New York: Park Slope is in BROOKLYN and is most definitely not a suburb.
Start chanting to yourself "Cleaner air...cleaner air...cleaner air..."
It's only suburban when you're living in a house. That's my line of thinking at least.
its like Baby Stroller Mania there on weekends. Like double and triple wides, and bitch moms running people down with them
I am begining to wonder why you fear domesticity so much, especially when you're already shacked up. Isn't it a little bit late to go back on it?
There is a huge difference between shacking up and living in domestic bliss. I think it all depends on how much you drink.
As long as you're with re-boyfriend who cares where you live....your friend is just jealous
i lived in Park Slope for a while
it's a lot better than you give it credit for!
Suburbia--please. That was probably said by someone who refuses to leave 'the island.' It has great restaurants, cool bars, and okay, too many strollers, but you'll learn to dodge those! I have friends who live in PS and they LOVE it (and they have no children and no aspirations for suburbia). Good luck!
This blog is good stuff.
Kudos
Just make sure your street is numbered 9 or higher. That's a little off the beaten stroller path and less Mommy-feeling. I somewhat reluctantly moved back to PS and love it all over again. You'll be fine.
east harlem, man. huge apartments and you're not in brooklyn, an hour away from everything on the damn R train.
I survived suburbia without losing my street cred, and I was in West Coast suburbia - where people bring in feng shui masters to set up their kids changing tables...
I'm sure you'll be fine. Make it a point to throw a party now and again to remind your neighbors what they are missing.
7th Avenue Park Slope = Suburbia
5th Avenue Park Slope = not suburbia
It's amazing what a few blocks can do.
From what I gather about Park Slope (from TV and movies, mostly) it seems like a fun place to live. It really depends on what you mean by suburban... its definitely not the midwest 1950's suburbia. Park Slope looks like a place for ethnic families. Check out the pics on Wikipedia.
Sounds like Suburbia Disturbia to me....
Do you know what it costs to park a minivan in Park Slope?!?!?!
I love your blog. There - I said it. I think it was set to private for a while because I tried to access it a few times and couldn't.
Glad it's open access again. You are a great writer.
I agree with cheese... It all depends on where you move to.
i live in a huge apt in park slope with my girlfriend and i feel domesticated like a f-ing bearskin rug...
After you move out here, hit me up sometime, we'll grab a drink.
I consider that being domesticated is when you happily shop at Bed Bath & Beyond and Williams Sonoma for no apparent reason.
Park Slope is NOT suburbia...Forest Hills, Queens (where I'm currently marooned) is DEFINITELY suburbia.
you can get to park slope by ONE train (and I dont mean the LIRR or Metro North) from manhattan...you're not in suburbia. I live in St Island, where i have to take a FERRY....now that is suburbia!!!!
Um, you can actually get to Park Slope by like ten different subway lines. (Okay maybe 5, but still).
I agree that ferry=kiss of death though :)
There are no suburbs in Brooklyn. Not even Bensonhurst ;) Seriously, I wish your friend was around in 79' and decided to pay a visit to Park Slope or any other section of B'klyn.. Keep the tourist out..
duuuude i live in park slope and its AWESOME. and i'm not even 28 yet! stop worrying, start packing (unless ofc u moved already which i hope u did!). you'll love it.
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