Neighborhood Saga, INDEED!

I have lived in New York City for almost nine years.  Nine years and three Boroughs.  Nine years and seven neighborhoods and seven apartments.  And in July I will be moving to my 8th Apartment in the 8th Neighborhood!  In celebration of all my many, many moves I’d like to take a moment to remember all of the domiciles along the way.

For those of you who are not privy, NYC is divided into 5 Boroughs (Manhattan, The Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island) and each Borough is divided into neighborhoods.  The neighborhoods are constantly in flux.  CONSTANTLY.  One day you live in Astoria and the next day someone decides that you live in Long Island City.  I have never been able to find out who this person is.  Maybe it’s someone in the different Mafias – and yes, there is more than one.  (But that is another blog post in itself.)

QUEENS

We will start with the Borough that I have spent the most time in. Four out of the seven neighborhoods have been in Queens.  I ❤ Queens!

1. Woodside (approx. 1 year)
   Woodside is an interesting neighborhood.  It was my first in this saga, so I have a certain affinity for it.  My favorite spot was a local Irish Pub (there are many) called Saints and Sinners.  It was a favorite, because my roommate at the time and I frequented it so often that they knew our drink order (usually something with Baileys in it).  What intrigued me about this neighborhood were the neighbors – so many different people from all over the world.  I loved riding the train with my neighbors (predominately Dominican and Asian), because I was TALLER than most of them!  That rarely happens considering that I am only 5’2.
2. Bayside (1 year)
   Bayside was the second place that I moved.  My roommate and I found a place that seemed to be “perfect” for us.  It was a great set up, but the only problem was that we had to take the train to a bus just to get anywhere.  You MUST have a car if you live in Bayside as it was a challenge to do anything or go anywhere without it.  A simple trip to the laundromat consisted of walking across a major thoroughfare and down three very bumpy blocks.  Don’t get me started on grocery shopping.
3. Astoria/Long Island City (2 years)
   I’d have to say that Astoria was my favorite of all the places that I’ve lived so far.  The reason that it was my favorite is very simple: convenience.  I was able to get anything and everything that I needed (and somethings that I didn’t) within a two-three block radius of my apartment.  And when I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING!  From the amazing Greek fare to fresh fruits and vegetables to my local gym.
4. Sunnyside (2 years)
   Sunnyside is a little east of Woodside (a 10-20 block difference), so some consider them the same neighborhood.  I do have to say that I still take a monthly pilgrimage to my old ‘hood in order to get my hair did.  No one cuts my hair quite like Alexa at Demi Salon.  I love that place!  I will always remember my local gym, as well.  It is where I started this whole journey with the help of the staff and trainers.

MANHATTAN

Manhattan is the place that most people want to live, but it is the most expensive of the Boroughs.  This is why a lot of people opt to live in the outer Boroughs.

East Harlem (1 year)
East Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem, is a great neighborhood.  It is my current neighborhood, and to be honest I will miss certain aspects of it when I am gone.  I will miss being able to walk to Target and Costco!  It is dangerous to live that close, really!  You can also get the best South American Fare in the city.

BROOKLYN

I have not had much luck with Brooklyn, however many people LOVE it!  It goes to show that living in the right neighborhood matters, people!

1. Bay Ridge (7 mos.)
   I actually liked this neighborhood for the most part.  The only problem that I had with it was how far it is from the City.  It took me a little over an hour to go to work and church.  My apartment was beautiful, but my roommate was Cuh-razy!  This woman was OCD and going through Menopause all at the same time.  CUH-RAZY!!!
2. East Flatbush (2 years)
   This neighborhood was probably the scariest of all the places I lived.  A friend and I decided to move in together.  She had one stipulation: we must live in Brooklyn.  So, I went searching for an apartment.  This was immediately after the Bay Ridge debacle, so I was particularly vulnerable when I saw the apartment.  It was a gorgeous two bedroom!  A rare find in NYC with huge shared common areas and HUGE bedrooms.  The neighbors were a different thing, though.  To make a long story short: they were CUH-RAZY!  One was schizophrenic and the other was selling something (green, leafy, and you smoke it) from the hallways.  Don’t even get me started on what I saw on my daily walks to the train…  CUH-RAZY!
3. Park Slope (to come)
   As I have yet to live in this neighborhood, I only have a few things to say about it.  There is a lot of food choices and it is probably going to break my bank — LITERALLY.  But, I’m excited about starting this new adventure.  It might actually change my opinion of Brooklyn.  I may turn into a Hipster, though, and that is scary — scary, indeed!