Many Manhattanites are adamant about never venturing to other boroughs, especially Brooklyn. I've been trying to keep an open mind about the whole thing since most of friends live there and love it. While I do not completely understand the appeal, I have to agree that it is a nice change of pace from tall skyscrapers, and the hustle and bussle of a bazillion people (including tourists). So what's the Bay Area equivalent of BK? I've gotten varied responses ranging from 4th Street in Berkeley, to the nicer parts of Oakland and "kind of like Emeryville." Basically there are lot of people riding bikes, while wearing large dark-rimmed glasses and other hipster accessories that are meant to look ironic. The streets make no sense and if you wanted to go from one area in BK to another via public transportation it often involves going back into Manhattan and hopping onto another train to take you back into BK. "But if you had a bike it would be so easy!" say my friends with bikes. "Or you could just live in Manhattan" is what I secretly think to myself.
Summertime means BBQ season. Despite lack of open natural spaces, the folks of NYC will not be deterred. A BBQ on the rooftops of a newly built Brooklyn condo is standard practice. "Look at my awesome view!" says a Brooklyn resident. "It's of the Manhattan skyline, why do you care to look at it if you have no desire to live there" is what I secretly think to myself. So with an open mind I embraced Brooklyn this weekend and attended 2 rooftop BBQs in Billyburg. Food was tasty, views were amazing and the Brooklyn breeze is pungent-free. I did however contract several mosquito bites that have been DRIVING ME CRAZY. In a fit of itchiness I contemplated soaking in a bath of benadryl or just chopping off the one leg that apparently is particulary tasty for the bugs.
It's been a day and the fits of rage have subsided. I keep telling myself it's just part of East Coast Summer fun. But then today I read an article about the West Nile Virus problem that plagued New York City in 2010. 128-ish people contracted WNV and 5 people actually died from it. The article did mention that efforts are already being made to kill the little buggers. I'm optimistic that I'm WNV free, but in an effort to be proactive I'm going to try and find the bug repellent pants I wore when I was in Cambodia. I'll rock them when I'm BK again, but it won't be out of irony, it will be out fear.
2 comments:
lol maybe you'll start a new trend with the travel pants
Did I never tell you about my mosquito bite cocktail? Works wonders. Supposedly garlic pills help repel mosquitoes - but then you deal with garlic burps and garlic sweat. Pick your poison!
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