Everyone knows-- or very well should learn-- that Brooklyn is the best place to chill. I don’t live in Brooklyn, but I have a minor obsession/city crush.
(Honestly, I harbor fantasies of moving to Brooklyn to raise my children, and bringing them to some of the resplendent playgrounds in Park Slope.)
Why am I so obsessed with Brooklyn? Well it isn’t because of the Brooklyn Bridge, or the Brooklyn Academy of Music, even though both of those things completely rock.
See, the reason why I’m obsessed with Brooklyn isn’t its parts-- it’s its sum.
Here are 7 reasons (and yes, there are plenty more than just these seven) why Brooklyn's atmosphere, soul, and heart make it the MVP borough of New York City.
1. The Brooklyn Book Festival
Every fall there is a magical gathering amongst writers and poets called the Brooklyn Book Festival. It is, in fact, the largest free literary event in NYC.
The Brooklyn Book Festival houses thousands of book lovers as they peruse the literary market place, attend glimmering, category-breaking author talks and readings, and spend oodles of money on books. They might even fall in love, like I did last year.
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I also got to see lots of famous authors read from their books, even as I spent most of the day hungover behind the desk at my volunteer booth.
It’s awesome, and if you haven’t yet been, you need to go. This year the Festival will be held on Sunday, September 20th 2015.
And this year is particularly special-- it’s the the Festival’s 10th anniversary.
2. Ganso Ramen (25 Bond Street)
Maybe this spot is completely random, but I think Ganso Ramen speaks to both Brooklyn’s desirability and its delectability.
This might be because I’ve been sort of obsessing over the ramen I had at Ganso recently, but I’m not alone in my obsession. My friend named her adorable little kitten Ganso because of how much she loved the noodles here.
It’s delicious, reasonably priced, and nestled comfortably in historic Downtown Brooklyn. In other words, it’s the kind of restaurant you might just stumble upon, but you'll never be the same again afterwards.
3. Community Bookstore (143 7th Avenue)
Whenever I think about being obsessed with Brooklyn, I can’t push Community Bookstore away from the forefront of my mind.
With its inviting atmosphere, packed walls of books, roaming cat, and gorgeous outdoor garden, Community Bookstore exemplifies the very essence of Brooklyn charm.
It’s surrounded by some seriously excellent independent coffee shops, and two pizza places.
I ate a really excellent slice of buffalo chicken pizza at the pizza parlor across the street, and even though the guy was mean to me for not having cash, the pizza was still delicious.
And then I went to see Téa Obreht read, and she blew my mind. Obviously.
4. Brooklyn Museum (200 Eastern Parkway)
Among the impressive exhibits in the Brooklyn Museum is “The Dinner Party,” by Judy Chicago, which is housed in the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art.
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Think it sounds awesome already?
This exhibit has been a part of the museum’s permanent collection since 2007, and no, you’re not crazy. It’s not a mistake that each plate bears an unmistakable resemblance to a woman's private parts.
Only in Brooklyn, am I right?
,5. Music Hall of Williamsburg (66 North 6th Street)
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again– I love it here.
I think it’s perfect, and I’d go back every night if I could. I’m in the midst of a minor Amber Tamblyn obsession, so I went to the Music Hall of Williamsburg on a random Tuesday to see her read from her new collection Dark Sparkler.
Andrea Gibson was also performing their shimmering, perfect and open hearted spoken word poetry.
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It was a perfect night. Maybe because there were lots of lesbians kissing, maybe because Amber Tamblyn gave me a hug, or maybe it was because the atmosphere in here is killer.
Really, it’s big enough to feel majestic, yet small enough to feel intimate-- small enough that you can seek out the performer of your choice (if you’re obsessed enough).
They also have really excellent couches in their bar area, and consistently stocked water coolers.
6. New York Transit Museum (Boerum Place)
Every day you ride a subway, that’s normal for 2015. Well, unless you have a trust fund, then maybe you always take Uber. But most likely, you take the subway every day.
And it costs $2.75 per ride.
Maybe some day, like maybe in 2070, the New York Transit Museum will exhibit your subway car, and show people what it was like to ride subways in 2015.
In the same vein, ever wonder what it’d be like to travel back through time, back when the subway only cost $0.05 per ride? Here, you can enter a subway car that people used to ride in the 1940s. You can marvel at the ceiling fans, woven wicker seat cushions, and weird advertisements.
Really, there isn’t anywhere else you can travel back in time with such accuracy.
7. Brooklyn Botanical Garden (990 Washington Avenue)
Do you love cherry blossom trees? I do, I think they’re my spirit trees.
The Brooklyn Botanical Garden has a world famous cherry tree collection. They also host some killer events, like guided tours, mixed media art presentations, Bonsai seminars, and family nature adventure walks.
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This gorgeous garden really can’t be topped in either prestige or beauty.
You see, it’s jut one of the seven reasons why you'll fall in love with Brooklyn, my favorite of all NYC boroughs.
Love the outer boroughs? Check out Here's Why Growing Up in the Bronx Was the Best.