So, yeah, it all happened so fast. Our lease isn't up until the end of next month, but I had been looking at the Voice each week to assess my chances of finding a place of my own. I was certain I was being ridiculous, I mean, economy aside, this is still New York City and I no longer make a phat new media salary. I make practically nothing at all. So even though I was concentrating my search on Brooklyn, I feared I would never be able to find a studio I could afford.
My first choice was initially Red Hook, but nearly everyone I talked to told me it was a bad idea, too industrial, no transportation, etc. So I started looking in Greenpoint which is basically the "new Williamsburg" in that those who can no longer afford Williamsburg have moved there. About two weeks ago, jonners drive me around there to get a feel for the place and I decided it'd be fine. I was not too crazy about having the G be my closest train (for those unfamiliar with the NYC subway, the G is like the short bus of the system. The G is Geri, Blair's cousin). The G travels between Brooklyn and Queens only. But it does connect with the L for convenient access to Williamsburg and 14th Street in Manhattan so it's fine, whatev.
So I concentrate my Voice searches each week on Greenpoint, Williamsburg and Red Hook. I haven't let go of the Red Hook thing because Red Hook has something that means so much to me. Waterfront. Granted it's not a place to hang out at alone or at night, but there is a lot of development buzz about the community and in general I think it's next on the list of up and coming hipster hoods. That's just my opinion, based on pretty much nothing but my gut feeling and some articles I've read.
So last Friday (3/15), some weekend plans with Ankabuki fell through and I decided at lunch to see if I could round up some apartments to look at instead. I didn't expect to be successful because the new Voice classifieds come out on Tuesdays and three days later usually all the good ones are taken (that is, if they ever existed in the first place). To my surprise, one of the places I called said the advertised apartment was still available. It was a studio in Williamsburg and I made plans to see it the next day.
That is how I found myself leaving the Montrose stop on the L and walking over to Graham Avenue between Montrose and Meserole at high noon last Saturday (3/16). The general consensus amongst my peers is that anything further out into W'burg than the 3rd L stop is not as cool, if not downright shady. Montrose is the 5th stop. I knew this before I went out there but I wanted to see for myself. And really, it wasn't bad. It wasn't cute or full of nice bars and stores like near Bedford, but it wasn't scary or dangerous. And there was a laundromat, a Chinese food place, and a pizza place all on the block and also it was only a 2 block walk from the L. The trip from St. Mark's to there was maybe 10 minutes.
So what of the studio, you say? Well it was small. Definitely small. But I've seen smaller and the building was really cute. The apt was on the 2nd floor, with the door tucked behind the stairs to the 3rd floor. It had cute Taj Mahal shaped archways separating the "2" "rooms" and an ironing board built into the wall (how I Love Lucy!). It was divided into kitchen and bedroom by an archway, with the tiled kitchen being 2/3 of the space. The wood floored bedroom was 8' x 11'. I repeat, it was small. But, and here's where you need to be familiar with NYC rents to sympathize, it was $750/mo. For $750 I could have my own apt. My Own. I told her I'd take it.
We made plans to meet back there at 5pom to sign things. She had a car so she drive me back to Bedford, very nice of her, where I stopped in at jonners and D's to feed their pets. While I was there I made several frantic phone calls ("why is everyone AWAY this weekend?!"), looking for advice, wanting, NEEDING someone to come with me and validate my decision. Sad, isn't it? I'm 30 years old, people. I felt completely incapable of doing this on my own. I just now realized why. Duh, I've never done this on my won. I've had countless apts here and elsewhere but I've always had a roommate. Duh. Anyway, after mom and Ankabuki talked me down, I gathered up my stuff to go home and get ready for the meeting at 5 and then my cellphone rang.
To be continued....