Why Manhattan is overrated, and you should live in Brooklyn

Busy side walks and streets filled with yellow cabs, the usual scene of a walk down 8^th Ave in Midtown. Crossing the street you see the local pizza spot with lines coming out of the door, a coffee shop packed with students in study groups to the left, and I love NY t-shirt wearing tourists to the right trying to figure out why the price for a macchiato is three times the price it is anywhere else. The normality of street performers at any time of the day or night giving you their all every day of the week, holidays, weekends, they literally never stop. All of this was so mind blowing for me being a new resident of the city, but quickly it became the places I heavily avoided.

You see, the city, it is a different kind of beast. Don’t let the bright lights fool you, without fat pockets Manhattan will swallow you alive. The constant hustle of the city for me, made it hard for me to see myself living there. There are always events being held, from marathons, to parades, the famous NYE ball drop and the weekly summer concerts with the Today show. Still its not all its cracked up to be. But let me get to the point, here are the reasons Brooklyn is a so much better place to live than Manhattan.

Balance- You get the best of both worlds.

The busy AF train stations, downtown shopping and city life, the feeling of non-stop go getter vibes from the people your passing on the street. However, you’re also getting clearer highways, drops of suburban mini cities, and the chicest little chill lounges, and restaurants. Unfortunately, the traffic doesn’t cease to exist (as much as I want to say that’s its different) its still very active, and aggressive! Manhattan is still home to the skyscrapers, the landmark buildings and attractions, and the big city lights. But Brooklyn baby, is also a huge part of the famous landscapes that make up New York City. Places like Luna Park in Coney Island, Fort Greene, DUMBO, and Brooklyn Bridge Park all pull in their fair share of tourists and locals on the daily. If attractions, and busy streets are your thing, you wont miss a beat living here. 

Culture & Foodie Vibes- 

Brooklyn is home to a tremendous amount of culturally diverse communities, (as in Manhattan as well) you can literally get Jamaican, Haitian, and Trinidadian food all on the same block. Head towards downtown and get the world famous Juniors cheesecake. Then walk a mile up towards Park Slope and enjoy Turkish and Georgian bakeries, and another block down, you’ll probably find one or three Halal carts. If all the choices of food weren't enough for you, lets talk about how lit the summer is. Starting with the rooftop day/night parties, the Afro punk festival, Labor day weekend with the huge West Indian day Parade and the many hundreds of street fairs all over Brooklyn. 

You will come across vendors and local small businesses that have been created purely for one community, and have now flourished into full-fledged nationwide franchises, all built in these small communities in Brooklyn. I’m forever grateful to have been able to spend most of my time in this borough, out of them all, I’ve learned so much about different cultures that I thought I already known, got introduced to different walks of life, ways of dining, festivals and parades that have become famous and are rivalling other countries, and not to mention the arts. With artist havens like B.A.M. (Brooklyn Academy of Music) and the Brooklyn Museum, Williamsburg’s hipster lounges and thrift stores, and more recently Barclays Center, it literally has it all, without the crazy price tag.

 

Cost of Living & Close suburban community vibes

If it was not obvious enough, DUH. The cost of living in Brooklyn is almost 50% less than you would spend on the same size space in Manhattan.

With the average rent (approx. $2500) still higher than the national average, you will be lucky if you find a studio, or co-op apt under $2500 in the city. I know I know, shit is still expensive, and most of the time the amenities are shit. But let us face it, getting a renovated one bedroom walk up on a calm street, for $1600-$1900 is worth it, in New York City standards, right? Let’s see, in places near Bedford Stuyvesant (or Bed-Stuy), Bushwick, or even Crown Heights, you will be able to find tons of beauty vendors, fresh produce stands and grocery stores, and of course a local eatery with a culturally diverse menu. The communities of Brooklyn are home to small business owners, artists, students, white/blue collar workers, and immigrant families from all walks of life. When making my decision to move to New York, without a question I knew I wanted to live in Brooklyn, it was just, not even a debate. Those non-negotiables were a huge part of my checklist and ultimately, I did not have to compromise my needs and wants to be comfortable in my new home.

If you’re thinking of moving to New York city and are considering life as a Brooklynite, this is what I would say to you… Yes, Yes, and fuck yes! You wont regret it, and if you’re a mover and shaker and can’t sit still, you’re only a few stops away from the city of dreams, but at least you’ll be waking up in the new Manhattan every day.