Every so often I spend time in Brooklyn because Sumi, Toshi, and Sophie are there, and Emi comes whenever she can. Park Slope is a haven for raising children in a fairly stressless environment. Big chain stores haven’t found Park Slope. Thank God! Small restaurants, friendly charming cafes, small specialty clothing shops, alongside the existing excellent restaurants and shops, are opening. I’m beginning to realize that there are a lot of creative people living in Brooklyn.
When I think of Park Slope, Brooklyn I think of “It takes a village. . .” because the support is there for families – there are many child-friendly restaurants and cafes (and they really are that), entertainment for children, bookshops, small toy stores having toys mom and dad played with, friendly, helpful neighbors, and lots of character. And it has lovely Prospect Park.
Sometimes I feel a pang of sorts for the long-time residents who are seeing an influx of Manhattanites, and people from other areas, enter their what was once a rather quiet and private Park Slope. But then the pang disappears because that’s life, and the same thing is happening in Manhattan. Only in Manhattan it takes place just about every decade.
When the subway stops at the Park Slope station, and passengers climb the steps leading to the outside world, there’s a feeling of relief to see Park Slope. The stress of Manhattan can now be shed, a deep breath can be taken, no one scrambles to rush ahead of another, or to cut in front within inches of another. Definitely it’s a life lived with thoughtfulness, and this thoughtfulness tends to trickle into many other areas.
This is not to say that people in Manhattan are not thoughtful. No. It’s just that the extremely high energy can push anyone off center if they’re not mindful of the ease at which this can happen. I will always keep my love affair with Manhattan intact. It’s similar to any love affair though – there are always changes one would like to make, if one only could.