First Post!

Though I was born in the woods in Virginia, I consider myself a native Philadelphian. I love Philadelphia. I lived within 30 minutes of our 5th largest city since I was 6, and moved right into the heart of it the year I turned 18. I've never lived higher than the 4th floor, and I've always known the local shopkeepers, waitstaff, most of the general pedestrian population.

I recently transplanted to New York through work in the last year. I went from living in a "Greene Country Towne" as William Penn called it, to living in the most important city in the world, as far as most people are concerned. My first 2 months were spent in a corporate sponsored 60 story high-rise near Times Square shortly before the holidays, and I've never felt so far from home.

When I wasn't working or heading back to my beloved city to spend time with loved ones and organize my affairs there, I was learning how truly awful New York's broker system of renting can be. I'd seen "one bedroom" apartments the size of my old living room with mold on the walls up to my knees being shown by a straight-faced young woman explaining why $2,000 was a great deal. I was feeling the desperation that I'm sure a lot of first time renters in New York feel. It was November. It was getting cold and I needed to get out of that glass tower that was paid for until December.

I finally found a little apartment in Park Slope purely by chance while walking around after an extremely bad showing several blocks away. I had forgotten where the subway station was that I had taken to get out here, and figured I'd spend the afternoon meandering until I found one, and maybe finding a nice bar or coffee shop along the way. There was a sign on the outside of the building, which I called, and was let in by the super 10 minutes later. The girls moving out had made the place look super cozy, and weren't fleeing a creepy landlord or a crumbling ceiling or anything. They even had nice things to say about the neighborhood. At that point, that was enough for me.

Winter was a blur of freezing wind and crowded subways to Manhattan. I barely got out of my apartment except to do laundry and buy groceries. But then spring came, and I realized that I'd struck neighborhood gold. Without any Brooklyn natives to give me advice, I had no clue what parts of town were good or bad when I found this place. I had no idea how lush it is here, or how much there is to do! I feel like every day I see a new restaurant I want to try, have coffee at yet another delicious and adorable cafe, or see a new bar opening up that merits a visit. Having had to leave Philadelphia for another place, I can't imagine anywhere I'd be happier to call home than Park Slope.

My idea for this blog was initially a food and drink blog, but I'll probably add a few things outside of that box as they come up. I hope you natives can welcome a newcomer to your fair hood, and I hope other transplants can be encouraged to try some of the things I'm discovering here each day.

-SdJ