Why growing up around Brighton Beach made me who I am today

Brooklyn, NY: Arguably the best borough of New York City frequently celebrated for its diversity of culture, endless things to do and places to visit, and its immense contribution to rap culture. And in all of Brooklyn, Brighton Beach has got to be the best area.

Its easy accessibility to Manhattan makes it an attractive place to live, while the significantly lower prices in housing and other amenities make living there extremely feasible.

The hometown of Woody Allen, Larry David, and Adam Sandler, and with iconic neighborhoods like Coney Island, Brighton Beach, and Williamsburg, Brooklyn is a melting pot of various ethnicities and identities, making it one of the most exciting places to visit and reside in.

Having lived in Brooklyn my entire life in a neighborhood called Sheepshead Bay (right next to Brighton Beach), I was exposed to both the cultural diversity as well as the huge concentration of Russian-speaking people who emigrated from the former Soviet Union. It was completely normal to walk down the streets and hear exclusively Russian speech, and it fostered a sense of community.

So besides the things Brooklyn is extremely well known for, what else makes it especially unique?

The Sheepshead Bay Canal

Anyone who lives in or near Sheepshead Bay knows about the canal on Emmons Avenue, a popular location for restaurants, shopping, and fishing/sailing on the canal. During the summer it’s a wonderful place to take a walk with the calm breeze blowing from the water. People frequently embrace their inner Holden Caulfield from Catcher in the Rye by feeding the ducks, swans, and geese. During summer nights there’s a sort of a Miami beach feeling with the countless outdoor dinner parties going on. During the winter, it’s a lot colder, but that doesn’t stop people (and the birds) from visiting the canal for a chance to relax.

Always having the beach near you

Whether you’re a frequent visitor of Brighton Beach or the “cleverly” named Manhattan Beach not too far away, the beach is always super accessible, whether by foot or by public transportation. During the summer, the beaches are always packed with people trying to soak in the sun, playing beach volleyball, having outdoor barbecues, or visiting the adjacent amusement parks. People from all five boroughs take the train or bus to visit the beaches in Brooklyn, and every Friday night during the summer there are fireworks!

Barclay’s Center is the place to go see the best games and shows in Brooklyn

Whether you’re a fan of the Brooklyn Nets or Rihanna or Cirque du Soleil, all of them can be found in Barclays Center. It’s a multi-purpose indoor arena located near the Atlantic Ave stop in downtown Brooklyn, meaning that it can be used as a basketball or hockey arena as well as a stage for famous artists to perform on. It’s the Madison Square Garden of Brooklyn in a very vibrant neighborhood. And the best part? Like many things in Brooklyn, it is easily accessible by public transportation with countless trains and busses arriving right at the entrance of Barclays Center.

Speaking of public transportation…

Taking the subway is a right of passage for all New Yorkers, and with that comes the most intense coming-of-age story on the virtues of patience. Sure, the MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority) is usually great at doing its job and getting tens of thousands of New Yorkers to their destinations for work and school, but sometimes it totally does not, and thus makes the ideal mechanism for learning patience as well as photo shoots for your best friend’s photography class.

The street art in Brighton Beach is unforgettable

Regardless of the neighborhood you’re in, you’ll always see amazing artistic expression. This picture, which I took a few months ago in Williamsburg, is only the tiniest fraction of some of the amazing street art that you can stumble upon while walking the streets of Brooklyn.

And it’s all just an hour and a half away from Princeton! Just hop on the Dinky and make your way to NYC to enjoy the various tastes and sights of BK.

Even though I went to high school in Manhattan for four years and high key fell in love with it, and even though Princeton is now my new home, my heart will always be in Brooklyn.