One More Day Off...

Another day, another day of not running. But it's not because I don't want to -- it's just that I'm still pretty wiped out from the move (we spent yesterday back at the old apartment, which still had plenty of smaller things to pack up and take to the new place), and there are still some unfinished chores to attend to. In more positive news, I did manage to wedge the air conditioner into the window of the new apartment, and after running all night it did indeed drop the temperature down to the upper 70s.

Although I've only spent two nights in Greenpoint now, I've had a bit of time to ponder the differences between my new neighborhood and Park Slope, where I spent the last five weeks.

Park Slope, of course, is shady, pleasant, has block after block of handsome buildings and houses, and the Co-op was only a couple of blocks away. (For a couple of vegetarians on a tight budget, this was a significant advantage, and essentially negated the weirdly fascist vibe.) We were only a block from Prospect Park, which many people seem to also consider a real plus, though after reading this post in the always-excellent Gowanus Lounge, I'm not so sure. On the downside, the rent for a studio the size of a suitcase was absurdly high, and the sidewalks were constantly blocked by strollers and dogs.

Here in Greenpoint, the apartment is crummier but there's a lot more room (and the rent is substantially less). The subway's only a block away (alas, it's the G, but still), and McCarren Park is just down the road, with its free "pool parties" this summer featuring bands like Of Montreal, Deerhoof, and the Walkmen. And then there's the view from our new building (for those readers unfamiliar with the Manhattan skyline, that's the Empire State Building on the left and the Chrysler Building on the right). Not a bad perk, I guess -- and since we've only subletting for a year we don't have to worry about the view being hidden behind the wall of 30-story luxury condo buildings that will be going up along the waterfront over the next decade. You can also see the Williamsburg Bridge in all its brutish steel glory, as well as the Con Ed plant. And a little craning of the neck will reveal a narrow slice of the East River -- our own little water view.

I'll be back on the streets tomorrow, and I'll probably keep it local, checking out Greenpoint, Williamsburg, or Bushwick (despite the forecast for a high of 101 tomorrow and Wednesday!). Stay tuned for further developments. Despite the aches and soreness, I'm really itchy to hit the road again.