This is what I'm talking about.

Posted by diehipster at 2/14/2008 8:56 PM and is filed under uncategorized
                                     

I got this off of a Greenpoint blog. It's just so typical. Makes you want to throw up.

It's just another "transplant", studying "art", living in either "Greenpoint, Williamsburg, or LES", taking up "space", living off of "Daddys Michigan Money" until it's time to leave in a couple of years and look back at the dent you placed in our city just to be replaced by another "different and unique person". I guess the only people I wouldn't put down [when you read below] are the ones that help the hungry people, however I bet you wouldn't be able to tell them apart from the other hipsters. All the suggestions to the girl's email are very typical hipster activities like kickball, crafts, yoga. C'mon! Kickball? Crafts? In your 20's and 30's? Get the hell out of here with that shit. I especially can't stand the Anonymous persons reply, it really shows how these hipsters want to alienate themselves from real New Yorkers and stick together in their hipster communities because they are just so effin "cool and different". You see , they want to make friends but only with people that do art, do soy, and do quirkiness. That might be a reason so many people can't stand them. So anyway, thanks Greenpoint Blog Person, for helping fuel the fire! Thank you so much.

Read on...


Ask a Greenpointer: Newbies

I received the following Ask a Greenpointer email from a reader yesterday and thought I'd post some of my suggestions and welcome all of you to help pinpoint some good ways and/or places to make friendships in the 'hood.

So I am new to greenpoint, moved here a few months ago from Michigan, and I happily stumbled upon your blog today. I am looking for some places in the area, particularly a good place to go and meet people... I am familiar with Matchless, Greenpoint Coffee House, and various other cafe/restaurant/bars... but in my experience going to these places isn't always successful in sparking conversations for longer term friendships. I am looking for something a little more social-club like.... I was thinking of joining a yoga studio but am unsure of which is a good one to take classes at. I am a 22 year old grad student studying art.... so if you have any suggestions as where to find friends with similar interests, it would be much appreciated. Thanks! -amanda

I definitely see your point regarding making actual friendships as opposed to just meeting people randomly at a bar or cafe. I think this is a great question and I hope I can help you out a little.

First off, since you're into yoga there's Kusala Yoga on Franklin and India where I'm sure you could meet some like-minded friends.

Also, I think hanging out at Word for some of their cool events is a great way to meet new people. Just a couple of weeks ago they had their first game night. My sister and I went, it was a lot of fun and we met a couple of cool peeps ourselves! This Friday they're having their first Book-to-Movie Night featuring a screening of Liev Schreiber’s Everything is Illuminated, based on the novel by Jonathan Safran Foer. And there's always their Book Clubs to join.

You could also check out Brooklyn Kickball and sign up for a team. Not sure if they play in the winter, but send an email off to brooklynkickball@gmail.com and see what the deal is.

If you're looking to meet a significant other, you could try local matchmaking service Brooklyn is for Lovers. Seems a bit safer than craigslist, no?

That's all I got that doesn't involve alcohol since I'm a drunk myself. But hopefully some younger and less apt to spending their nights stumbling from bar to bar folks will be able to weigh in on additional things to do in the area. Thanks for the email Amanda!

Posted by Justine at 2:23 PM

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4 comments:

Ann said...

Another way to get to know folks is to volunteer at the soup kitchen. We've got a great group of fun people helping out every Wednesday. Most show up after work, but you can arrive any time between 4pm and 7pm.

We serve a hot meal to approximately 60 people every Wednesday at the Greenpoint Reformed Church, located at 136 Milton St (between Franklin and Manhattan). If you have questions, feel free to call 718-383-5941 or email pastor [at] greenpointchurch [dot] org. The website is www.greenpointchurch.org.

January 24, 2008 12:54 PM  
Anonymous said...

all the suggestions here are good.

but gently, and I mean this as kindly as possible:

this isn't michigan.

what i mean by that is you will need to rearrange your thinking about meeting folks that you are going to form friendships with. it's so incredibly different. i mean, i will talk to people that i meet in bars, but my big major radar would go off in terms of being VERY careful about anyone i met out drinking. male or female. it's a big bad city in that way.

it is very hard to meet people here (as you already know) and even if you do, to keep friendships in this city. people are insanely busy. new yorkers tend to go out, or stay home.

the cold weather doesn't help.

the Y is inexpensive, and while the yoga classes are perhaps not the same experience as going to a yoga studio (personally i hate taking yoga classes at a gym myself), you would get out and also have opportunities to see/meet other people in the neighorhood, if that's important to you, which it seems like it is.

but i would think larger than your zip code. meetup.com has some crazy groups but they also have some awesome ones. it works in nyc almost more than anywhere else.

you are lucky in that you are in school, so you are around people sharing similar interests every day, and who also know other people. there are also special interest clubs and the like.

it's a crazy isolating city, isn't it? it's a tough thing to do. hang in there. the cold weather isn't helping lately.

January 25, 2008 4:22 PM  
Justine said...

Both fantastic suggestions! Thanks and keep 'em coming peeps.

January 25, 2008 4:30 PM  
M. Anyweather said...

I've had really great experiences at Greenhouse Holistic for Yoga classes. I'm not a regular, but I drop in on classes occasionally and really enjoy the laid-back vibes there.

http://greenhouseholistic.com/yoga.php

There are also a plethora of places to find one-off classes or workshops that may spark your interest AND a friendship. Be Crafty (http://becrafty.blogspot.com/) comes to mind...

January 25, 2008 5:00 PM  


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  • 2/15/2008 6:32 AM Hipsterminator wrote:
    Why don't you just meet people the old-fashioned way?

    By getting shitfaced in the bar and taking home the easiest guy/girl/tranny for some sweet, sweet lovin'.

    Who knows? Once you get pregnant you can invest in a $500 SUV stroller, achieve Super-Hipster status and get into all the bars.
    Reply to this
  • 2/19/2008 11:03 AM Joe Mac wrote:
    Anyone notice the puddle of puke is shaped like a guitar? Now that's irony!!!!
    Reply to this
  • 2/22/2008 5:29 PM NewYorkDave wrote:
    I've been reading and enjoying this blog for a while, but I gotta ask: what is it with you and soy? I eat soy and I assure you, I'm just about the furthest thing from a hipster douche. I'm a middle-aged, gainfully employed, 4th-generation Brooklyn native. Yes, there are NORMAL people out there who happen to be vegetarians. But that kickball shit... yeah, that's ridiculous. That's a game for elementary school kids. If the hipsters wanna play a game, let 'em hit the basketball courts and make friends with the locals
    Reply to this
    1. 2/22/2008 8:43 PM diehipster wrote:
      Sorry Dave, I just know Soy is huge part of the hipster life. I believe you are not a douche. You are excused from the soy bashing.
      Reply to this
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