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What makes Bushwick so weird?

It’s the brightly painted warehouses that you can’t tell are functional or abandoned.

It’s galleries that double as yoga studios as well as coffeeshops that double as life drawing classes.

It’s strange parties in abandoned furniture stores where people wear crazy costumes.

It’s being hit on by guys who always end their catcalls with “God bless you.”

A Brooklyn Unlike Brooklyn

Of all the neighborhoods I’ve visited in Brooklyn (not all of them, not by a long shot, however a excellent many), Bushwick stands out as being the least like the others. rather than brownstones or high-rises, this is an industrial-looking community of warehouses, many of them covered with bright paint. whatever is spread out.

Bushwick is one of the largest Latino neighborhoods in Brooklyn with large populations from Puerto Rico as well as the Dominican Republic. Bushwick was a rough community for a long time — a blackout in 1977 led to mass riots as well as you can still see some damage to this day. The community began to turn a corner in the mid-2000s, when the city began pouring much-needed monetary resources into the neighborhood.

Then came the Williamsburg factor.

In the early 2000s, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, went from being a no-go zone to the hipster artist enclave of new York City. Over the past decade, however, Williamsburg has gone from hip to yuppie as well as has ended up being one of the most desirable (and therefore expensive) neighborhoods in new York City.

Read More: the very best Time to see new York

Many low-income Williamsburg residents, including artists, were pushed out as a result, as well as many of them moved promptly southeast — to Bushwick. now Bushwick’s longtime residents are dealing with an influx of gentrification. I don’t think Bushwick will ever be on the exact same level as Williamsburg, however you see a troubling number of luxury buildings popping up.

How is gentrification impact longtime residents? Both positively as well as negatively, as it always does. Bushwick’s criminal offense rate is lower than it’s been in decades, yes, as well as those who own residential property are seeing their values go up. however most people are trapped in a community progressively growing more costly by the day.

I strongly thought about living in Bushwick at one point; after costs a few days there, I declared it a little as well “out there” for me as well as decided to online somewhere else as well as see often. (For the record, I believe you get much more value for money in Hamilton Heights, where I online now, plus the rents are cheaper.)

Touring Bushwick

Bushwick is the only location in new York that I suggest visiting with a guide or somebody who understands the community well. Not since it’s dangerous — far from it — however since so much of it is hidden in plain sight.

Take this, for example:

That’s my preferred coffeeshop in the neighborhood, little Skips. aside from a few bright bursts of paint, you’d have no concept there was anything there, let alone a great coffeeshop. as well as that’s one of the more obvious ones!

Lots of locations in Bushwick are like that — you pass right by without knowing what’s inside, as well as they don’t advertise it. in that way, the community reminds me of Melbourne, Australia.

For that reason, it’s excellent to go with a guide. as well as I received a possibility to do so on a Bushwick Beer, Bites & Art #Instawalk, a tour created by my great good friend Jessie.

Now, Jessie is not just a woman who does tours — she is a licensed new York City tour guide. With Jessie, you get a expert tour as well as a real insider’s look to Bushwick, as she’s lived right here for years.

Jessie invited me, together with two of our blogger friends, on a free tour with the neighborhood.

Cappuccino Demonstration

Our very first stop was at a cafe called Italo, where we had a cappuccino- as well as mocha-making demonstration. It’s a warm as well as homey cafe as well as I suggest stopping in! (2018 update: sadly, Italo has closed. I hope you enjoy the pictures anyway.)

(I like these photos so much! say thanks to you, Brooklyn hipsters, for dressing vintage-y as well as making it look like these are photos from decades ago!)

Street Art Galore

The street art is everywhere in Bushwick. right here are a few ofnullnull