A Brooklyn Waterfront Walk

It was a cold, clear and crisp day so Ann and I went for brunch at the very wonderful Park Luncheonette. This place is one of the relatively few neighbourhood originals to have successfully adapted to the increasing hipsterisation of Williamsburg. It's been run by the same family for years and used to be a very traditional diner serving burgers, fries, shakes and - as a nod to the strong Polish contingent in the area - pierogi, knishes and so on. A couple of years ago they saw the writing on the wall and decided to evolve and recognise the changing face of Williamsburg. They tidied the place up a bit, kept the old-style look and feel but started serving what you might call American modern cuisine: classic but classy takes on American favourites. The food there now is wonderful without being in any way pretentious or over-fancy. So sure, you can get poached eggs on toast. But it comes with wild mushrooms, pesto and salad, and it tastes out of this world. We love it.

Suitably refreshed, Ann decided to head into Manhattan to do some shopping. I went for a walk along Williamsburg's grungy, run-down industrial waterfront to take some shots of the view towards Manhattan and to enjoy the cold sunlight. The East River is just a few yards from Kent Avenue and from there we have a great view of the old skyline. Sadly, recent excessive development of expensive condos and apartment blocks means that the long-time residents of the older buildings on Kent no longer do. Gentrification brings bad things as well as good.

Further south is our link to Manhattan, the ugly/beautiful Williamsburg Bridge. Back in 1998 one of my very first impressions of New York was just that: that its harsh yet imposing structures manage to be both brutally ugly and yet strangely beautiful. To this day Williamsburg still clearly shows the signs of its poor industrial past, especially here on the waterfront. Bleak and often disused buildings squat darkly beside the East River; the roads are full of suspension-breaking potholes; graffiti is everywhere. The area was - and is - home to large Polish, hispanic and Hasidic communities. In the mid nineties young and poor artists started to move in as word of the cheap and easily-had rentals went around. Hip cafes and bars started to dot the grubby streets. I first arrived to stay with Ann in 1998, at about the time this change was just starting to take off. By the time I came to live in the city in 2002 the word was well and truly out, and the culture clash of the old and new inhabitants was reaching something of a compromise. More cafes, restaurants bars and clubs were opening. Art galleries and shows sprang up next to local convenience stores and eastern orthodox churches. Soon we saw the monied professionals arriving with their young children. Williamsburg, it seems, had been softened up enough for them to feel safe. I suppose, on balance, this is a good thing, but I can't help feeling something vital and exciting has been lost.

The stark iron bones of the bridge remind me both of what Williamsburg was - grimily industrial - and what it has become: connected to the wider city, to the buzz of big brother Manhattan. It's as if some of the vibe and the wealth of the island slowly leaked out across that bridge and settled amongst these rotten old streets. The hipsters and artists have been  saying that Williamsburg is "over" for a few years now, and I know what they mean. But it isn't "over", it's just growing up. We still have the Polish butchers; we still have the Hasidic Jews with their ringlets and wacky garb; we still have the rowdy Dominicans and Puerto Ricans with their illegal street barbecues and horrible music... but now we also have yuppies, and rap stars like Busta Rhymes buying penthouses on top of the old Gretsch building while rich movie stars buy the super-expensive lofts below for their spoilt kids. Whatever grudges we might occasionally feel are softened by the realisation that all this means that Williamsburg is alive, not dead. It could easily have been a true wasteland by now.

And besides, the artists, bohemians and boho-wannabes haven't gone away. Not all of them. That's why you can still see things like this here!

Comments

[Manggy]

Wow, Jack, you have a very poetic and precise way of describing your surroundings. Excellent. That poached egg on toast was brunch? It looks perfect.

I was going to say something about people using the grungy beauty of the suburbs as an excuse to remain absolute pigs with the dumping of garbage and the random spitting, but I realised I was projecting my own feelings about crazy Manila. These photos don't look disgusting (wow, if you hadn't read that in context, it sounds terrible!). Of course, there probably were really scary alleys but I guess you didn't want pictures of that!

[Jack]

Thanks, Manggy. We don't have alleys in New York. Streets, subways, tunnels and bridges, but no alleys. Plenty of rats, though!

[ZenChef]

Hey Jack, great post!
I want to dig into that salad right now, it sounds like the perfect brunch! It's a shame that these little neighborhood restaurants are rapidly disappearing.
Thank you for the walk through Brooklyn, it was a very interesting read!

[Jack]

Glad you enjoyed it ZenChef. Yes, that poached egg over pesto and mushroom dish is every bit as delicious as it looks. I'm glad the Park Luncheonette's makeover seems to have been a success.

[african vanielje]

I love bridges, for their beautiful symmetry, their gravity defying aerobatics and their symbolism. Growing up is not such a bad thing. Maybe it's time for Williamsburg to let somewhere else be the new hot young thing. Life's a cycle. Very emotive post. thank you

[myfrenchkitchen]

Now that is just about my favorite kind of salad...fresh, a perfectly softly poached egg and a slice of wholesome bread! Beautuful pictures - I think I must be the only person whos hasn't been to NY yet! A beautiful view on the city and I'm also a bridge person, which makes me love your bridge...thanks for delightful post!
Ronell

[Jack]

Vanielje - absolutely. Williamsburg had to grow up or remain run-down, and I'm glad it's the former.

Ronell - I have a fondness for the Williamsburg bridge not only because it's our bridge but also because it's not as famous and good-looking as the Brooklyn Bridge. I like underdogs :-)