The NYC Nomad

Aramazt and I, with Nugget the cat There are some neighborhoods that I feel give me credibility as the NYC Nomad.  Neighborhoods like Tompkinsville and Midland Beach in Staten Island, Washington Heights and Hamilton Heights in Manhattan, Bensonhurst in Brooklyn, and kind of the South Bronx are often the most interesting because a lot of people [...]

9th Street Community Garden, Alphabet City I know, I know – I spend a week in each neighborhood that I live in.  But since I’ve spent so much time in Alphabet City I thought rather than a simple recap post, I’d do an NY Times style 36 hours piece – only in this case its [...]

I’m interested in staying in unique neighborhoods, with unique people, and in unique environments.  My week of camping in Carroll Gardens satisfied all three of these criteria.  Though I had been to Carroll Gardens once before, it was only for four days and I was left wanting to return.  It’s an historically Italian neighborhood (though [...]

Stayed In an apartment just above Rosa-Luxemborg Platz for my community fellowship with SoundCloud.  I had roommates, but they weren’t really hosts.  I actually had my own room and bed for the week!  And though it was 7 floor walkup, it has some nice views from the top, including one of the Fuck Parade the [...]

Stayed In Stuytown with Soren and Kara.  Soren got the award for the worst host ever.  The accommodations were solid, however.  I actually had the largest room in the apartment with a bed and even a couch.  Their old roommate moved out the day before I left! I’m not sure I had ever set foot [...]

Stayed On 3rd, between B & C.  This address gets the award for the best backyard.  A huge space shared by the entire building but from what my hosts described to me, only really used by them.  There are flowers, patio furniture, and three or four grills.  You could daily have 100 people in the [...]

Stayed On the edge of Clinton Hill, in Bed-Stuy with Josh and his wife Suzanne.  Josh is a former co-worker and software developer.  Suzanne first moved to New York for opera and teaches early childhood education.  They have a lovely apartment that feels like a home.  There is even a piano and popcorn maker. Ate [...]

Stayed With John Britton, who originally hosted me my third week into this idea at his old apartment on 35th and 9th in Manhattan.  I often say that experience is one that made me realize this project was something I wanted to pursue.  We’ve become good friends, and he told me I should check out [...]

This was my second trip to the Bronx, but according to Lauren and Ilya, my first trip to the “real” Bronx.  My “fake” trip to the Bronx was to Riverdale, a far wealthier community much further north in the Bronx.  Getting off the subway, I felt a surge of adrenaline from the unfamiliarity of place. [...]

Salil taught a magic class at Tufts University.  I took his magic class.  7 years later we reunited for this ruse in Union Square.  (video is coming soon and i promise it is worth its own post). Salil is not only a magician, although he is pretty talented at that.  He is also an ER [...]