Today was hot…muggy hot. Mushi atsui (one of my favorite Japanese phrases meaning hot and humid). Jen and I walked about a mile to go see the Barcalona v. Manchester United game at a local bar and by the time I arrived I was a soggy mess. Ugh – I hate humidity. But this evening there was a nice cool breeze and the temperature had dropped to a pleasant 70 degrees. Perfect for an evening stroll. My friends were meeting at a bar about a 20 minute walk away. It didn’t really make sense to take the subway or a car service, but the 0.9 mile distance was perfect for a walk. The only problem was is it safe to walk Brooklyn – a city I do not know too well – at night by myself. I was told that yes, I would probably be safe, but still might want to take a car just to be careful. I thought about it and the chance to stretch my legs in a new city was just too tempting. I am happy to report I made it home safely and truly enjoyed the walk. But I know my choice may not have been smart. I know that my mother would never have approved of me walking alone by myself in the day time, let alone after midnight. If I had heard about a woman being attacked after walking at night by herself, I would have shaken my head and said “WHY was she by herself so late at night”??!! But still I couldn’t help myself. I slide on my Haviannas, locked Jen’s apartment door behind me and walked down State St., turned right onto Flatbush Ave. and then left onto Bergen street until I reached Vanderbilt where I was meeting my friends. The walk was so nice now that things had cooled down. I passed by little city public gardens, darkened shop windows, a large police station and some pretty town homes. I also got a chance to catch up on some podcasts along the way (the Moth on the way there and part of This American Life on the return walk).
I met my friends at Weather Up – a great little speakeasy in Prospect Heights. There’s no sign on the door, they serve classic, drinks served by true mixologists and the service is laid back, but friendly. I told the bartender I wanted a vodka based drink with a citrus flavor perfect for the hot weather and he made something delicious with crushed strawberries and mint leaves. Sean ordered a whisky sour which is, unbeknownst to me, truly made with egg whites.
The walk home was equally pleasant, though I was feeling even a bit more cautious because of the late hour. But I am glad I took the walk over a ride with a car service. I saw 4 guys playing a pick up game of basketball that got started around 1:00 am for some reason, and an odd nerdy kid who looked like he was on the way to the library, but was instead jogging on a random route that only he knew. I only saw one prostitue ( or someone who I assumed was a “working girl” based on her choice of outfits) which is way fewer that I expected to see. All in all it was a great stroll through Brooklyn which gave me a chance to see the quieter, slower and cooler side of this city.
