Move it!

I live just in front of that black building. So this is my backyard, sort of.

Today and yesterday behind us, we're going to start rewinding a little faster to...a month ago.

A month ago I was in Los Angeles visiting the Silverstein-Hurleys and they're newest member, the very Lovely and Amazing Yarden Fenway. Both first and middle name for this little wisp of a thing have great meaning -- but I'll let her dazzled parents tell you all about the little miss, her name, as well as the ins and outs of her feeding schedule:

http://aliyahandseamus.blogspot.com/

As I was saying, I was in LA to meet Yarden and hang with her happily exhausted parents and generally enjoy the life and times of a newborn, which in fact, despite the fatigue, are pretty idyllic.
Until the call came.
On our way to the valley, I got a call from my landlord, and instead of the usual question of 'can I come in to do some work on the kitchen sink' kind of call, it was a call to tell me the city had notified her that it had been notified that she was renting an illegal apartment. That's my apartment, the illegal one. So very long story, alot of anxiety and worry drawn short, I returned from LA on a redeye on a Wednesday morning, and by Wednesday afternoon, I had a new apartment. In Red Hook. There's alot of reasons why, and how, and really I'm just tired of repeating them all. The essence is that I've always loved Red Hook as my own personal piece of Richmond VA in Brooklyn -- watery, cobbled, nautical, colonial, sagging, and EMPTY. Given the current rentalscape of the 5 boroughs, and how much you would not believe it costs to live most anywhere desirable in the city, it was eiteher Bed Sty, Crown Heights (love you Anna Deavere Smith, but I can't go there alone), Sunset Park, or East Bushwick (Bushwick IS east -- that's just a coverup name -- and I'm just not a Williamsburg girl, never will be). But there were 5 apartments available in Red Hook, and at only double my current rent, they were all a bargain. So I took the one with two real bedrooms and no creepy rotting edges, and here I am: 234 Van Brunt. Emergency Move 2008 was completed in 1 week. I think it's the best way to move. And I can say this after moving 5 other times this past year.

I love it here. Please visit. You're welcome any time.