Williamsburg

Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Hipster central.

I resided for one week in this influential hub, a mere 3 subway stops away from Manhattan’s Union Square.

Vintage shops, indie theatres, phenomenal restaurants – you name it, it’s there. The area’s many industrial buildings have always been a magnet for artists, who’ve transformed them into studios or galleries. Characterized by diversity, it boasts a happening arts and music scene and various ethnic enclaves formed by long-established immigrants. Creativity of all sorts permeates the neighbourhood and its main thoroughfare, Bedford Avenue, buzzes day-in day-out with activity and twenty- and thirty-somethings.

But, like the usual story goes, the booming real estate market is transforming the mixed-use character of the neighbourhood. High-rise buildings are ‘mushrooming’ and long-abandoned factories are being converted to expensive condos and apartments. The locals that I talked to were not too thrilled about the rapid development, about the gentrification that has prompted an increase in rent prices, driving people out.

On a positive front, the city’s re-zoning has also called for revitalization of the waterfront, which had fallen into neglect. The East River State Park looks back upon the Manhattan skyline. On clear evenings, residents gather here by the water’s edge to watch the sunset. That’s a sweet view you can’t put a price on.

My neighbourhood: The Fenway

I’ve started carrying a camera with me everywhere I go lately.  I’ve resided in the Fenway area for 9 of the 11 years that I’ve lived and worked in Boston.  In short, it’s youthful, has provided me with all the amenities that I’ve needed and it’s just a hop, skip and a jump away from downtown.  Many good memories are tied to here and I’ve liked the human scale, the neighbourhood feel, and the sense of community.  I always tell people that I live between two very different worlds, two worlds that are poles apart:  the Museum of Fine Arts and the Fenway Park baseball stadium, and although I’m physically equidistant between the two, I strongly emphasize that I associate myself exclusively with the MFA.:)  Quite frankly, baseball never stood a chance with me.  Being half Spanish (my father’s side), soccer has been #1 since I was a kid.

In truth, what I’ve personally enjoyed the most about living in the Fenway is its density of artistic gems, including the Museum of Fine Arts (with a major addition by British architect Sir Norman Foster close to completion), the MFA’s Museum School, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the Berklee College of Music, and the adjacency to the ‘Emerald necklace’, a 7-mile network of parks conceived by landscape architect and co-designer of NYC’s Central Park, Frederick Law Olmstead.  Although not quite on par with the aforementioned museums, resident old-timer Jerry, seen in the photo to the left, sets up a regular weekend flea market of curious (and oftentimes questionable) ‘treasures’ on Queensberry Street’s sidewalk.  Sometimes the display looks like a public living room.  If you’ve got an eye for the creative, you’ll appreciate the unusual finds he’s got in circulation.

As part of the ‘Fenway beautification project’, an artist in my building was commissioned to paint murals over the temporary façades of a string of small restaurants that were wiped out in an electrical fire this past winter. The night after the inferno, I had stood and watched a disheartening scene:  the area was taped off, police and fire marshals inspected the premises and worked out logistics, and cranes removed rooftop mechanical units.  It was a real loss for the neighbourhood because those 6 eateries (& a Cleaners sandwiched in-between), affordable and spirited, catered to all tastes and had created an animated street environment in a predominantly residential zone.   You had your Italian, your Mexican, your Greek, and your Thai, among others.  They were very popular with the area’s university students (Northeastern, Wentworth, etc.) as well as young professionals, many of whom work in the nearby Longwood medical district.  With help from a handful of high school students across the street, cultural scenes were depicted, and until something is rebuilt in their place, there remains a colourful memory of what was once ‘Restaurant Row.’

The Fenway neighbourhood, particularly on the bordering Boylston Street, is getting even denser as crummy old structures are being demolished to make way for new developments, with numerous housing units and 1^st floor commercial space.  Even the local McDonald’s was shut down.  I must admit, it was quite a satisfying sight:  the infamous Golden Arches belly up in a dumpster.  Most offensively to me, a swinging salsa club that I used to frequent was replaced with yet another baseball beer tavern – shameful.  I don’t mean to harp but the proximity to the baseball stadium (and everything associated with it) has been my main beef about the area, the very bane of my existence it seems.  I vowed years ago that I would never darken the doors of that establishment and I’ve stood my ground.:)

Another perk of living ‘round here is that I love hearing the practice sessions of music students emanating from their apartments.  After all, just blocks away is the Berklee College of Music, a famous learning lab for contemporary music and known for prominent alumni who started their musical careers on this stage.  Last weekend, I got a chance to see world-renowned flamenco guitarist and composer Paco Peña at the Berklee Performance Center.  The Andalucian virtuoso brought together artists of different disciplines:  musicians, dancers and singers in a spontaneous and unrepeatable collaboration.  For a few solo moments each, they dazzled the audience, accompanied by the passionate, sensual and textural sound of the acoustic guitar.  I don’t claim to be a music critic by any measure, however I’ve seen traditional Flamenco before and was struck by this very performance-based show.  When the spotlight didn’t illuminate them, the artists’ pure silhouettes were revealed against a simple backdrop of colour.  Elegant, staccato notes, oppositions:  strong yet feminine.  Attached is a video clip of the ‘A compás!’ presentation for your viewing pleasure, although it’s from a past performance.  Listen for the ‘seguiriya’, a tragic cry in the lone voice of the flamenco singer. It’s my least favourite part of Flamenco, and in my humble opinion, painfully dreadful to the ear.  An acquired taste, I suppose.

There’s been lots of activity in the hood lately, as a few movies are being filmed.  Notices were put up telling residents not to be alarmed, but more importantly, not to call the police when they hear gunshots and helicopters, for there will be lots of stunt and special effects work, including simulated gunfire related to filming.  I’ve been hearing ‘big’ names tossed around:  Tom Cruise, Ben Affleck, etc.  Supposedly there was a car chase scene on Boylston street last week and there will be something similar going down in a back alley tonight – definitely calls for a little discreet hovercraft action on my part.  After all, I heard that casting directors are looking for extras, adults of all types…. but it seems they are specifically scouting out locals with Boston accents.  Oh well, I guess my Canadian accent disqualifies me right off the bat.  Pun intended.