Where We’ve Lived: The Flock Neighborhood Guide

Moving to a new city can be daunting, especially if you’re making those arrangements from the other side of the country. So, we’ve tapped our network and put together a neighborhood guide based on where the Flock has lived. You’ll notice not every neighborhood is covered, but there are tons of hidden gems all over the city from Queens to the Financial District—if you’ve lived somewhere we didn’t cover, comment below and let’s get it added! In the meantime, here are the SparkNotes on the neighborhoods we’ve lived in.

MANHATTAN

Lower East Side (LES) / Chinatown:

Pro:

• Tons of new bars and restaurants
• More “affordable” than some areas in the city (although still expensive)
• All the cool kids hang out here now (skaters, models, creative types, etc.)

Con:

• Small spaces (opening your door to a bed and not much else kinda small)
• VERY loud if you live near any type of major street
• Not a ton of grocery stores (but word on the street is that a new TJs is opening near the Williamsburg bridge)

Bonus: Although the gentrification process is definitely underway, it still feels like authentic NYC. Also, there’s a farmers market on the weekends at Steward Park .

East Village/Alphabet City

Pro:

• Destination neighborhood where people come to hang out on the evenings and weekends
• Endless options for restaurants, bars, grocery stores, cute shops — all walkable
• Union Square, Washington Square Park, Tompkins Park are all walkable or easy to get to by bus

Con:

• Pricier (building quality is comparable to Brooklyn/Queens–you’re paying for the great location)
• Aren’t many close trains (but there are a ton of buses and trains are still within walking distance)
• VERY loud if you live on a main street or in the front of a building

Bonus: Le French Diner (Houston & Orchard) is one of the most incredible, unique restaurants in the city. Also Mud Park (right above the F train in the park on 1st and 1st) has incredible coffee, and the crew is just awesome.

Harlem

Pro:

• The home of the Harlem Renaissance — museums, jazz clubs, and historic art landmarks abound from Apollo theater to famous soul food at Sylvia’s.
• Get a TON of space for your money
• Close to Central Park

Con:

• You’re super high up so you’ll want to give yourself extra time to get around
• Not a lot of places to just pop into or grab food
• Gentrification. Support local businesses and be respectful of the neighborhood’s history and families who’ve lived there for years.

Bonus: St. John The Divine on 110th near Columbia is one of the most beautiful cathedrals in NYC (plus there are three peacocks that live there). And don’t miss out on the jazz clubs.

BROOKLYN

Bushwick

Pro:

• Nice apartments for the price—a lot of converted warehouses and loft spaces, usually full of young people
• Quiet, friendly neighbors
• Easy connections to other trains and lots of buses. The J, L, A, C, G and F are easy to get to

Con:

• Takes a while to get into the city and to other parts of Brooklyn
• J train sucks and will get worse when the L shuts down
• Quiet is a pro and a con. It’s sprawling, so there are stretches with very little going on

Bonus: Fathers Knows Best is a great bar and has trivia every Wednesday. Also check out The Wilky, Cup of Brooklyn, and BKLN Pizza. Head over to bushwickdaily.com for more fun stuff.

Clinton Hill

Pro:

• New restaurants and bars popping up everywhere
• More affordable than some parts of Brooklyn
• Great community, friendly people

Con:

• One of the more recent BK neighborhoods to undergo serious gentrification, so be respectful to families who’ve lived there for years and support local businesses and bodegas
• Buildings can be older and rundown (but sometimes that’s charming)

Bonus: Choice Market on Lafayette is adorable and a great spot for a cup of coffee.

Crown Heights

Pro:

• More affordable than some other Brooklyn neighborhoods
• Lots of fun bars and restaurants
• The Brooklyn Museum, Prospect Park, and the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens nearby

Con:

• Hard to get to other Brooklyn neighborhoods
• Can be loud if you live near Eastern Parkway
• There aren’t many grocery stores, so you may need to factor a pitstop into your commute home

Bonus: Friends and Lovers is a fun spot for late night drinks and dancing, Guero’s serves fried avocado tacos and 20 oz frozen margaritas.

Fort Greene

Pro:

• Cute, trendy neighborhood with great restaurants
• Really friendly neighborhood feel, very chill
• Close to most major subway lines

Con:

• Rent prices are on the rise because it’s cute and trendy
• Further away from bigger grocery stores
• Quiet is a pro and con–this isn’t exactly the place to go out

Bonus: Colonia Verde is a great date spot. Highly recommend. Oh, and Peter Dinklage lives here. NBD.

Greenpoint

Pro:

• Lots of trendy restaurants and bars, and more opening all the time
• Lots of space for your money
• More quiet than Williamsburg, but has a similar vibe

Con:

• Far away from other parts of Brooklyn
• Industrial and spread out (part of the chill vibe but can feel isolating)
• Not many subway lines nearby

Bonus: Northern Territory is always crowded, but drinking rosé out of a can on the rooftop is superb . Also Transmitter Park is lush and beautiful with an amazing view of the city.

East Williamsburg

Pro:

• Easy/quick commute into Manhattan (at least, until the L train stops running)
• A good way to live in Williamsburg without the high price tag
• Close to fun bars and coffee shops

Con:

• Half of it is industrial and therefore dusty; right next to a concrete plant and lots of factories
• Far from other parts of Brooklyn
• Really have to rely on the L, which will be a big bummer when it shuts down.

Bonus: Roberta’s Pizza is incredible. And Variety Coffee is the bessst.

Park Slope

Pro:

• Quiet and full of families; feels very adult
• Close to Prospect Park (i.e. nature)
• Calm — feels like you’re not in NYC

Con:

• LOTS of strollers
• Can be spendy (but there are a lot of hidden gems)
• Not a ton of places to go out (but there are still lots of fun things to do)

Williamsburg

Pro:

• Endless options for bars, restaurants, music venues, and shopping
• You’re surrounded by young people
• Home of the cool kids

Con:

• Can be expensive, especially in new buildings
• Touristy and scene-y
• Living here will suck when the L train stops running

Bonus: Overthrow’s Brooklyn location is no joke. You’ve never seen sweat until you’ve boxed here.

Have you lived somewhere we didn’t cover?

Queens? The Upper West Side? FiDi? Comment below and tell us what it was like! Otherwise, check out Ground Floor, Compass, even AirBnb’s neighborhood guide—to get the scoop on anywhere in the city.

Editor’s Note on Safety

Feeling safe is a crucial part of feeling at home. A bit of research will tell you that New York is one of the safest large cities in the country. But as women, safety is always top of mind, especially when you’re choosing an apartment.

Here are a few tips for making sure you feel safe in your new home.

1. If you’re looking at apartments in person, walk to the train that you’d take to work. How does that walk feel?
2. If you can, try visiting a neighborhood during the day and at night and see what the vibe is. Is it lively and fun, quiet and peaceful, or somewhere in between?
3. Reach out to friends (and Flock members) who’ve lived in the neighborhoods you’re looking at—this is especially helpful if you’re making arrangements from outside the city. Spend some time (but not too much) looking at crime maps and ask how those things compare to the lived experience.
4. Once you’re here, a big part of feeling safe is developing a small sense of community. Introduce yourself to your neighbors and ask how long they’ve lived in the building—be the friendly neighbor you want to have! Learn the names of your regular barista, bodega, and laundromat folks. Generally: make yourself known.
5. Do what will make you feel better. If it makes you feel better to carry pepper spray, carry pepper spray. If it’s late and you feel nervous to walk home or take the train by yourself, call a lyft and forgive yourself for the expense.
6. Lastly, it bears repeating that New York is a safe place to live. But adjusting to living in a new city can be overwhelming. There’s a learning curve to everything! Lean on your friends and peers and cut yourself some slack while you get the hang of it.

xoxo, love Flock