Park Slope

Ah, I have been reminded of how wretched a correspondent (read: friend) I have been lately, in that barely two people even know where I am and what I'm doing. And they both work for the Secret Services.

Skip the rest if my life bores you to tears.

Let's start with where I am, the most commonly asked question by those who are still on sporadic e-mailing terms with me. I am on my sofa. Now, this has been the case for many a year, so let me lapse into detail. I am on my sofa in my studio in the most delicious neighborhood I've ever actually lived in. (Pardon the stray preposition.)

That neighborhood is Park Slope, Brooklyn. (These pics are NOT mine.) Park Slope is so named as it slopes down from Prospect Park, designed by the same guy who did Central Park, its ugly cousin. *wink*

Note, I've actually updated with descriptions. Enjoy...

Tye and I used to live on Prospect Park West, the street lining the park on... surprisingly enough - the western side. This was opposite the apartment. Tye's view was spectacular - of NYC. I took maybe 1 million photos of this lion.

These are 18th century brownstones (or so the photographer claims) that line Union Street. My fave cafe is near here...

This is a gorgeous place on Garfield Street, which is one of my favourite streets. There's a pretty shul (synagogue) on the corner, too, but I couldn't find a pic. I've been almost run over countless times, trying to get a shot which doesn't include the traffic lights. *smirk*

Ah, there's an old joke about a Jewish guy who gets tossed overboard and is stranded on an uninhabited island. A decade later he's rescued. He's been industrious in the meantime, and his rescuers marvel at all he's built for himself. They're perplexed, though, upon finding he's constructed two synagogues. "Oh," he says, perceiving their confusion, and nods his head disparagingly at the one, "that's the one I don't go to." All that just to say that that particular photo, mefriends, is of the bakery I don't go to. *wink*
This is remarkably labeled "a sidestreet." I would concur. And it does look like our sidestreets. *wide smile*

Ah, now this building is on my favourite street, Carroll Street. Not only that, but this is one of my favourite buildings on it. When Tye and I parted ways, I searched for studios and one-bedrooms in the area, and went to a place here although it was out of my price range. *guffaw* It was a one-bedroom for $1,500 per month... and it was cheap. The bedroom was such that a queen bed fit... but there wasn't even space for its FRAME to fit. But, it had a terrace out back with a view of ... another wall. Ah well. Wouldha loved to see more places in it.. The stained glass on that building is BeeYaYoooTeeFuulll.

This is 7th Avenue. And from the cars, it's a photo from the 17th century. The church is much more beautiful than it appears here. There are approximately 7 million churches in Park Slope, according to the guidebooks. Well, okay, almost. But they're all beautiful churches, not that simple white brick house-like structure. Nope, gorgeous. And the red awning - that's the cheaper of the two grocery stores near me. Except for the other one. *pause* Which I don't go to. *wink*
Ah, these are the doors of the Brooklyn Public Library. Fay -this is where Flat Stanley met his golden snake friend. And the library guard friend... The library has no books on the Algonquin Circle, nor the Bloomsbury Group. *ahem* Not that I'm a freak who only reads that kind of stuff. Oh - and the park is opposite the library... and Grand Army Plaza is opposite the library, too.

And this graffittied (sp??) building is on Union street too, near a delectable cafe, my liquor store, and my cheaper grocery place. So - Ha! And near a co-op I keep telling myself I should use. But honestly, how much free time do I have every week??? (None, she provided those who were struggling for an answer...)

Another shot of 7th avenue, the main drag. Notice the gay-friendliness. Park Slope has a lot of young adults, young families, and gays. And some folks of wealth. Oooh! And authors... Mmmmmmmm.

Ah, and the bookstore I don't prefer, and the liquor store I do...

The backyard of the Society for Ethical Culture or somesuch. I keep rereading their sign as advocating a time of hardship, but in fact they are an island in such times, or somesuch. On special evenings, they have parties out here, and they put up Greek statues. When first snow hits, it's absolutely spectacular in there. On other evenings, the windows show meetings inside, and I feel weird looking in. Um. Not that I frequently peek in windows or anything... *wink*

Brownstones again ...

This is a photo of the park. It's huge and lovely. Prospect Park. I've gotten lost in it. Which might sound romantic, but isn't. *wink* They have free concerts here in the summer.. (well, I think you're invited to donate $3 or something...) Los Lobos, and all that stuff.

Ah, and this is Grand Army Plaza. Or if it isn't, I've misinformed a lot of people. This view is from Prospect Park. To the right would be Brooklyn Public Library, and to the left, Prospect Park West ... and Union Street.

Ahhh... Is it not loverly?

I've been living in Park Slope since August last year, more or less. I'd been in New Jersey before that, in the most hideous place ever found on the underbelly of any nation's armpit. Not to name names, or anything, but don't move to Elizabeth, NJ.

I would add more detail, something charming or exciting, but, quite frankly, it took me so long to figure out "images," if you will, that I won't. *wink*

But thar you go - those of you who thought I was still in DC, or Florida, or Serbia or whatnot - the news has broken. And pics for those who haven't seen the area before.

Now come visit! :)

ps - kindly get the notion out of your head that simply because I've found such a gem of a neighborhood, my wanderlust is gone. it's in therapy.