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the adventurous, you can travel between Manhattan and
Brooklyn by water taxi and ferry http://bit.ly/XNJOBn or in
general get information about traveling along the East River at
http://www.nywaterway.com/AboutERF.aspx.
Brooklyn is my home town (I was raised here and still live here!)
so I’ve seen it change a ton in the past 30 years. These changes
mean that Brooklyn is now home to some of the largest
increases in property values and changes in racial composition in
the whole country, meaning that a lot of Brooklyn has gentrified
and it is now home to some of the greatest disparities of wealth
in the USA. For a list of the top 25 gentrifying neighborhoods in
the country see http://bit.ly/KM5oCg, and for a map of changes
in property values see http://bit.ly/TIctEW. A good movie about
this is “My Brooklyn” which shows the differing ways real estate
and developers view Brooklyn (they salivate over property
values) as long-term residents are brought to tears about losing
neighbors and homes. I write all this to give some context for the
way Brooklyn looks and feels now and to give you something to
think about as you, hopefully, enjoy spending some time there,
but perhaps with a critical lens.
I recommend spending some time strolling through Prospect
Park (http://www.prospectpark.org/) also designed by Olmstead
(as Central Park was), Brooklyn—it’s like telling people that
Olmstead envisioned it as an improvement on Central Park—and
we certainly do think it is better! During the summer check out
what is happening at the Bandshell in the park for (mostly) free
music (http://bricartsmedia.org/performing-arts/celebratebrooklyn).
Or just bring a picnic and sit in the meadow or by the
lake and enjoy the world. If you come on a Saturday make sure
and check out the Greenmarket at Grand Army Plaza
(http://www.grownyc.org/grandarmygreenmarket) which is
within walking distance of both the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens
(http://www.bbg.org/) and the Brooklyn Museum
(http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/) for food nearby go to
Franklin Avenue for some of the best Caribbean food in the city
(though this is fast disappearing as the avenue gentrifies) as well
as fancy pizza and Mexican food and cute coffee shops. Or, you
can wander over to the Williamsburg section of the city and stroll
among art galleries, coffee shops, and other interesting sights
and sounds in what is (for those growing up in NYC in the 50s) a
transplanted Greenwich Village.
If you want to see great live music some of my favorite places for
small and intimate shows are Barbes in Park Slope
(http://www.barbesbrooklyn.com/) and Pete’s Candy Store in
Williamsburg (http://www.petescandystore.com/home2.html)
for bigger shows check out Music Hall of Williamsburg
(http://www.musichallofwilliamsburg.com/) and for bowling and
live music check out Brooklyn Bowl
(http://www.brooklynbowl.com/tag/williamsburg/).
There is much much much more to do in Brooklyn but since you
will be here in the summer then I say take a trip to Coney Island
and go to the beach! Coney Island has long been a working-class
haven in the city for beach-goers and cheap recreation seekers.
Go to dip your feet in the ocean, enjoy people watching while
eating fries and a hotdog at Nathan’s on the boardwalk, then
take a ride on the Cyclone (one of the oldest roller coasters in the
country!) and round out the day by strolling down the boardwalk
6
to Brighton Beach for some Russian food. (To get there take the
B/Q/F trains to the end of the line!)
There is a lot not in this short guide (Chinatown! Queens!
Uptown!), we could write a book, many have already! But
hopefully this has given you a start for thinking of some ways to
enjoy the variety of food, cultural events and the life NYC has to
offer, and most of all I hope you leave loving it just a bit, the way I
do!
Manissa McCleave Maharawal
Anthropology, CUNY Graduate Center
Hotel Services
Stay at SSSP’s conference hotel, the Westin New York at Times
Square, located at the corner of 43rd Street and 8th Avenue. The
hotel is situated in the heart of Times Square, which places it in
close proximity to over 40 Broadway theatres, world famous
shopping, famed restaurant row, the Museum of Modern Art
(MOMA), and the New York fashion, financial, and commercial
districts. The hotel features a full Westin WORKOUT® Gym ($10
per day), a theatre ticket desk, valet parking, same-day dry
cleaning and laundry service, currency exchange, gift shop,
multilingual staff, 24-hour room service, a Business Center, and a
knowledgeable concierge staff.
Rooms
The hotel features 863 non-smoking guest rooms. All guest
rooms include a Plush Heavenly Bed® and feature dual-line
phones (including one cordless phone), voicemail, 32” flat screen
HD TVs, iHome clock radio with iPod docking station, individual
climate control, a hair dryer and deluxe grooming amenities,
coffee maker, in-room refrigerated refreshment center, in-room
laptop-sized safe, and terry bathrobes. The hotel is offering
complimentary internet service for SSSP guests. *Please note
that guests will have to log-in normally and accept charges
($14.95); however, the charge will not appear on their final bill.
Business Services
The Westin New York at Times Square features a Business Center
located on the lobby level. The Business Center is open Monday
through Friday, from 7:00am-7:00pm, Saturdays from 10:00am-
5:00pm, and Sundays from 10:00am-2:00pm. After hours, the
Reception Desk in the lobby is available for assistance.
Childcare Services
The Babysitters’ Guild has provided tender, loving, and
conscientious care for babies and children in New York City for
over 70 years. Call 212-682-0227 in advance for reservations,
hours, and fee information.
Dining
The Westin New York at Times Square features Shula’s Steak
House and Bar 10.
Shula’s Steak House: The restaurant serves breakfast and lunch
Sunday-Monday from 7:00am-2:00pm and Tuesday-Saturday
from 7:00am-4:30pm. The restaurant is open for dinner Tuesday-