BROOKLYN. Ok, here's the deal. From Boerum Hill, where I lived, it wouldn't be that much longer to Stamford than it would be from most places downtown in Manhattan. And if you were slightly more north and west than I was, it might even be easier than most places in Soho and the W. Village. The Borough Hall stop on the 4/5 trains (1st stop in Brooklyn) is at Joralemon and Court St. A lot of the awesomeness of Boerum Hill/Cobble Hill is along Court and Smith just south of Atlantic, so you could live at the northern end of one of those neighborhoods (Joralemon is technically in the Heights, which is as spendy as Manhattan) and have just a 5 minute walk to the train.
One advantage to the area is how many other trains there are, too. Depending on where you're staffed in the city you're close to the 2/3, F and A/C, and the W isn't far either. I lived a block from the F at Bergen, and my commute to Rockefeller Center including walking on either end was 25 minutes door to door.
There are a few reasons I think Brooklyn will be better. With a kid, it's a much more friendly and walkable place. There are lots of families as well as lots of hip young people, so you won't be the only ones with the strollers but you won't be the only cool people in a Suburb of Lame. Greta won't feel isolated when she's home with the baby because there are tons of places to go right nearby without having to load into a car. The food and bar scene is AWESOME and much cheaper than Manhattan. The brunch options alone are endless! There are more trees, especially on the side streets, than most areas in Manhattan, so it always felt cooler and cleaner to me. And it feels like a neighborhood. The guys at the bodega on the corner would take packages for us, that sort of thing. And there are lots of cool preschools and stuff in the area, plus some great public elementary schools (there's a magnet arts school on Pacific between Hoyt and Smith) so you wouldn't need to move in two years unless you wanted to.
I did not want to move to Brooklyn; I ended up there by a fluke. But I loved my three years there and am glad that we moved to Cambridge, which is more like it than Boston would be!
Eleni
· 2 years ago
Chris and Greta, I think you should live in a place that makes you both happy. I think you both really want to be in New York City because you lived there before and you reaally loved it. The only drawback to New York City that I see to is that it is so expensive that the baby might not be able to have it's own room. I also love Manhattan and I would come to visit you. If Manhattan doesn't work out, I think you should look for a community where you can walk or have access to public transportation within a short distance if this is important to you. Look at all your options. When you see the perfect place that has everything that you and Greta want you will know it. Good luck. Love, Eleni
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One advantage to the area is how many other trains there are, too. Depending on where you're staffed in the city you're close to the 2/3, F and A/C, and the W isn't far either. I lived a block from the F at Bergen, and my commute to Rockefeller Center including walking on either end was 25 minutes door to door.
There are a few reasons I think Brooklyn will be better. With a kid, it's a much more friendly and walkable place. There are lots of families as well as lots of hip young people, so you won't be the only ones with the strollers but you won't be the only cool people in a Suburb of Lame. Greta won't feel isolated when she's home with the baby because there are tons of places to go right nearby without having to load into a car. The food and bar scene is AWESOME and much cheaper than Manhattan. The brunch options alone are endless! There are more trees, especially on the side streets, than most areas in Manhattan, so it always felt cooler and cleaner to me. And it feels like a neighborhood. The guys at the bodega on the corner would take packages for us, that sort of thing. And there are lots of cool preschools and stuff in the area, plus some great public elementary schools (there's a magnet arts school on Pacific between Hoyt and Smith) so you wouldn't need to move in two years unless you wanted to.
I did not want to move to Brooklyn; I ended up there by a fluke. But I loved my three years there and am glad that we moved to Cambridge, which is more like it than Boston would be!
I think you should live in a place that makes you both happy. I think you both really want to be in New York City because you lived there before and you reaally loved it. The only drawback to New York City that I see to is that it is so expensive that the baby might not be able to have it's own room. I also love Manhattan and I would come to visit you.
If Manhattan doesn't work out, I think you should look for a community where you can walk or have access to public transportation within a short distance if this is important to you.
Look at all your options. When you see the perfect place that has everything that you and Greta want you will know it. Good luck.
Love,
Eleni