I wouldn't by any means say I am a cultured individual, but I wouldn't describe myself as un-cultured either. Having lived in 4 different parts of the country and 1 in Canada, you could say "I've been around." But living in the suburbs of San Fran and Nashville, and essentially a glorified burb in Minneapolis and Montreal is 180 degrees, 100%, not even close to the diversity and the urban life I am living in now.
Enter Williamsburg. Artists originally migrated here for the cheap [ok cheaper] rent and big lofts so that they could easily throw their paint around and not bother their neighbors. Now, hipsters flock to this Brooklyn niche for cool restaurants, a great vibe, and easy access to Manhattan. Rent has risen and condos are going up like spring flowers. What makes Williamsburg so interesting is that the hipsters are in the middle of this well founded community--Andrew calls them [i guess ourselves included] interlopers. In North Williamsburg, are the Polish. In the South, the Puerto Ricans. In the way South, the Hasidic Jews. And dabbled all in between are hipsters taking advantage of cheaper rents. I reside in the New Puerto Rico, or as I call it 'West Side Story.' I frickin love it [the musical and the place I live]. I dont' mean to swear here, but I'm serious, it's awesome. I absolutely love living in a area where I can't understand what 75% of the people are saying. [I mean, who needs to communicate?] And since I'm anti-US these days, I like to feel as if I am living in a foreign country.
I think the most educational part of living in Williamsburg is taking the JMZ subway. I despise the L [see below] so the JMZ is my subway of choice 90% of the time. The people on here are amazing. For instance: I constantly see people reading 'urban novels.' Have you ever heard of an urban novel? Maybe I'm an idiot, but I hadn't. My favorite is Eve. I haven't read it, but the amazon.com description is below:
"In this juicy, hard-hitting hip-hop romp, K'wan (Hoodlum) paints an almost too raw, black-and-white portrait of Eve Panelli, a banging little Harlem outlaw who's had to grow up fast since the murder of her parents—Joe-Joe, her Italian-Irish dad, a "soldier" in an Italian mob family, and Shanice, her black mother. At 17, Eve feels like a $5 whore when she gets out of juvenile detention after taking the heat for two fellow Harlem gangstas, Felon, whom she's secretly sweet on, and Butter, his closest road dawg. Felon loves Eve, but he's also a hustler who'd "rather be cold and rich than warm and broke" when he begins dealing with Carlo DeNardi, the degenerate son of the mobster who offed Eve's parents. Aside from her cool Uncle Bobby, a vet in a wheelchair, Eve's true "fam" becomes the Twenty-Gang sistaz. The brutal murder of Cassidy, Eve's best home girl and crime partner, leads to Eve's heart-stopping opportunity for revenge and a thrilling conclusion. "
MOBSTERS? JUVEY? HARLEM? Incredible. This is a far cry from the coming of age babysitters club books I read--the closest I ever got to diverse reading was Maya Angelou. And there are loads of these 'urban novels'. When I click on Eve, lovely Amazon.com reccommends that I buy: Payback is Mutha, Bitch, and Riding Dirty on I-95. You just don't get this kind of stuff in Nashville. *
I think the point to which I knew this urbanism was wearing off on me was when I saw a Coors light commercial during the World Cup. First of all, I am watching the World Cup. 90% of Suburban America doesn't give two shits about Soccer. Anywho, the commercial was on an urban street, similar to one on brooklyn, and people were blasting their boom boxes and having BBQs right on the sidewalk. 3 months ago, I would not have believed it. [I mean, who has boom boxes anymore, and a BBQ on the street? blasphemy]. But it happens. On My street. Almost every day. And it's awesome. I can now almost relate to that Coors commercial and welcome that Soul train coming down the street to cool me off on a hot summer day [I am sooo urban. ok almost].
So it's only been 2 months. So I don't speak spanish nor own a boom box. But I am lovin livin the urban life. Peace Out.
*Please note I am in no way making fun of these books or the people who read these books. I think this kind of stuff is great, and I love learning about new things. Also, I admire that they are reading books, for I myself, have not finished a book in ages. I dont' know if this * is necessary, but I just wanted to make sure.
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