You're Invited

What: P.U.L.S.E. presents Insomnia

Where: Littlefield (Brooklyn, New York)

Who: Me

Slapping the title “New York Newbie” and writing a blog has awarded my first perk (other than an open forum for my mindless thoughts and blabberings.)

Last week I was invited to the first P.U.L.S.E. (People United by Lights, Sound and Energy) event, appropriately named Insomnia, here in New York City. It was hosted in a warehouse like club, Littlefield, in Brooklyn. I was told it was and Electric Music Party that would feature 5 DJs and a good time. Since it fit my criteria for an event (fun, new, and free) I decided to go.

After taking the G train, commonly called the Ghost train for its lack of consistency, two stops in the wrong direction I got out of the subway to take a cab. It was already midnight (past my bedtime) and I thought it best to get there as quickly as possible. Consequently, I had forgotten I was in Brooklyn, the land of black cabs that make their own rates. After several of these questionable cabs offered me fares I deemed too high I managed to flag down the one yellow cab in the area.

The driver took me to Littlefield where there were a couple dozen people loitering outside the discreetly marked building. Upon entering I was met with a wide array of patrons, from the girl wearing faux animal fur leggings and gloves that glowed to the skinny hipster boy wearing a backpack in the shape of a doll.

After walking past the bar and into the large backroom where all the DJs were performing it became immediately apparent what all of these people had in common, their love for music. There were five DJs lined up: Daddy Noomz, Tom Rogers, DJ Mass EffEft, DJ Stimp.E and Dj.DROID.

All of the DJs had an interesting and unique feel, but I would say the one that got the crowd the most excited and was the most interactive was DJ Mass EffEct. During his set, Mass EffEct wrote messages directed to the crowd on the display screen behind him, released balloons filled with lights, and then later unleashed a spider web that the crowd pulled across themselves and became intertwined in (a symbol of unity…and just plain old fun.) Along with interacting with the crowd I found Mass EffEct’s set the most fun, upbeat, and creative.

The event was full of electronic dance music and occasionally a top 40 beat was thrown in the mix. Party goers were full of energy, excitement, life and liquid courage. There were several attendees gloving, spinning lights on strings and dancing up a storm. The event itself appeared to be a success for the DJs and while attendance did not reach capacity, it was definitely full. Having never fully vested myself in this type of music in the past I can say one thing for sure; these people definitely know how to party (I left at 4:30 AM...a feat in and of itself for me.)

Goals Accomplished:

1) First time to a warehouse/rave type party

2) Uncomfortable getting lost in Brooklyn...and then felt slightly out of place in the crowd

3) Learned that these people party hard

The Apartment Hunt

*photo property of brooklynnynews.com

What: Apartment Hunting
Where: Midtown East/West, Hell's Kitchen, Greenwich Village, West Village, Bushwick
Who: Carson and Me

“It will all work out.” A lovely sentiment from friends and those I encountered while apartment hunting in New York City, but since their bum was not between a rock and hard place their words were lost on me.

Growing up I had apartment/condo/house hunted on multiple occasions with my parents. The main difference between then and now was that there was no dire need to move, no end point at which we had to vacate our current premises, no landlord banging down the door, and definitely no management company threatening to withhold a security deposit.

Last month there were all of those things and more. Brokers missed appointments, other brokers showed Carson and me the same apartment, even worse brokers showed us apartments that were already rented, and the very worst brokers tried to bait and switch us.

With eight days left in our lease Carson found an apartment on his own. Feeling slightly more screwed than before I panicked and reached out to a few friends whose couches I proposed a rental fee for.

Then, with four days left, Carson found out that there was an opening in the apartment he was going to sign for. However, when I found out there were no windows in the room I had to turn down the offer. The past year without windows dubbed me Harry Potter (I should also mentioned that I literally lived under a staircase) among my friends and I feared that another year would dub me Smegal.

I now reside in Bushwick (or far East Williamsburg if you are speaking to someone trying to fool themselves) for the next two months until I sign a new lease with a friend in Manhattan. Supposedly an “up and coming” section of Brooklyn, Bushwick has piqued my interest more than I could have anticipated. There is a version of Costco with products that are unrecognizable, a JFK Fried Chicken that serves seafood 24 hours a day and gunshots are simply the crickets of the neighborhood. The commute to work is the same, eating out is cheaper, groceries are basically free, oh and my rent is less than half…why didn’t I try this sooner?

Goals Accomplished:
1) First time I have had to apartment hunt, when I moved down I was offered a spot
2) More uncomfortable with fried chicken and fish than with the crickets
3) Learned the cost saving lifestyle attainable in Brooklyn

Brooklyn: We Go Hard

*This image is courtesy of TigerPony.Org

What: Day Trip to Brooklyn
Where: Bushwick and Park Slope
Who: Justin and Me

Going to Brooklyn had never been high on my ‘to do’ list. It was teetering in between having my teeth cleaned and signing up for a colonoscopy. Once or twice I had made the mistake of taking the subway too far, seeing daylight stream in through the windows (an odd sensation when it had been dark a moment before) and immediately got off at the next stop to turn around. Beyond this my knowledge of Brooklyn could be attributed to a few Jay-Z songs and various newspaper articles that I had read in passing.

However, my good friend Justin has been recently pressuring to visit this outer borough and discover all of the greatness he sees in it. So on Saturday morning I got up bright and early to prepare for my journey. After almost an hour and one subway transfer later I arrived on Myrtle Avenue in Bushwick. After seeing Justin’s large, two floor, two bedroom, two bathroom, two balcony, washer/dryer apartment that costs less than mine, we decided to go to Park Slope (or the gem of Brooklyn).

First we went to Blue Sky Bakery, which has some of the best muffins I have ever tasted. I got a blueberry cream cheese muffin (and now currently suffer from a muffin top). Afterwards we went to an open market right outside the entrance of Prospect Park (Brooklyn’s version of Central Park). The market was great, full of various foods, drinks, and plants, all of which seemed healthier and more natural than the ones you encounter in Manhattan. I am told that Prospect Park is twice the size of Central Park and the layout is much better. The little bit that I saw of it was beautiful, and their biking route seemed pretty cool. The only difference I could identify was the number of hipsters (at least triple that of Central Park).

We rounded out our day at The Chocolate Room where I got one of my favorite treats: Frozen Hot Chocolate. It was amazing; they use dark chocolate and the best ingredients. Although to be honest, I think Justin makes a better and healthier version of this.

My conclusion: Brooklyn is great for enjoying life and terrible for watching your weight.

We did also stop by the Target store, which I know is not exciting, but when you see the prices, you can’t help but get a little giddy. Compared to the borough of Manhattan, everything there seemed free. I was introduced to the phrase “Free 99”, which felt pretty accurate there.

So while living in Brooklyn is probably not for me, it is definitely a great day trip. With tons of cool shops, restaurants, and bars, it is a must see (just watch out for the hipsters!...sorry I had too).

Goals Accomplished:
1) Never been to Brooklyn
2) Only slightly uncomfortable learning how to get there
3) Learned that other boroughs are actually cool (despite the popular Manahattan opinion)