New York, B-Side

Update | 18.mar.2014

Exploring Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Williamsburg is known as an influential area for indie rock, hipster culture, and the local art community. 

The diversity of the area fascinated me: as the cab drove from the Brooklyn bridge along Bedford Ave, which is the main artery of the neighborhood, I felt like I was traveling through time and space. At the very beginning of the avenue there's a huge Jewish community which touched me so powerfully in the sense that I could see myself somewhere in Israel; for a few blocks the dress code was black and people looked very introspective and serious about life. Then we crossed a bridge and it was like we were back in crazy modern NYC; the street art started to pop up, cool little shops and restaurants on both sides of the street; tons of people, bikes and vibrant colors...

Yeah, where else could this be? I'm learning there's more than Manhattan to be loved in New York. 
Street art at Williamsburg circa Bedford Ave.

How to get there: from Manhattan, take the L gray line and get of at Bedford Ave. stop. Stroll around Bedford Ave. for little boutiques, designer shops, busy thrift stores and restaurants. 

We had brunch at Allswell, 124 Bedford Ave, good laid back spot. Nothing to write home about, but fair prices and fluffy pancakes.
CB I hate perfume @96 Wythe St
CB I Hate Perfume: very cool perfume shop that sells final products as well as raw material and fragrances to make your own perfume. The place is owned by a former cab driver who decided to open a perfume house as he simply hated how every passenger used to impregnate his cab with awful perfumes!
Wythe Hotel Brooklyn @ 80 Wythe St
My next stop was Queens to check MoMA PS1, but they were in between installation so i could see was the building and learn about the history of the museum, which before being associated with MoMA was a non-profit organization to support art in the 70's. 
[Next time: go to MoMA in Manhattan first and PS1 later to pay one single ticket which is valid for both]

Street art by MoMA PS1 @Queen Court Square subway

                          

For more information about street art in New York and Williamsburg: