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around 40th st questions — Brooklynian

around 40th st questions

rrvst
rrvst
edited November -1 in Greenwood Heights and Sunset Park
I've been looking at apts around the 9th ave D/M stop and am wanting some perspectives on what it's like living there. I've visited day and night and it seems safe, but I'm trying to figure out if it's a long term type place or not. Would you say that area generally is lesbian/gay friendly? What sucks most about the area? I know it's heavily chinese, and I can pass for asian (am part) so that probably wouldnt be a problem. Before this i lived in park slope. Does it get unsafe at any time of day? (Assuming common sense)

Any friendly people whove been here for a while and want to tell me the best places to buy food, and what to avoid/what's fun (am in my 20s) would be much appreciated too, but I'm mainly looking for just honest opinions about whether it's a good, safe place to live. Haven't seen any posts about this area specifically, seen other posts about closer to the actual Park. Thanks in advance, look forward to chatting.

Comments

  • pm
    pm
    From experience, I'd say it's really safe, but there's literally next to nothing to do locally in the way of coffee shops/bars - you'll likely spend a lot of money on cabs and car service up to South Slope at the least. If you're coming from all the amenities available in Park Slope then you'll be very disappointed.

    Walking around, you'll also have to endure the charming and very frequent sight and sound of people hacking up and then spitting out big globules of phlegm on the street. And the area seems to have a high incidence of people smoking - so it might not be for you if you want to be able to walk a block without inhaling other peoples' smoke. Or, you know, going to a laundrette where the people who work there smoke while doing laundry.

    The Vietnamese sandwich shop over on 8th Ave is really good though.

    I'd say moving over to the 4th/5th Avenue side makes a lot more sense, if you have a choice.
  • rrvst
    rrvst
    Thanks PM. Why specifically 4th/5th side, though, just out of curiosity? Just for more stuff to do? Looks like the D gets you in the nyu area in no time, so that shouldnt be too much of a problem. Also it seems like 4th/5th is more hispanic and 9th/10th is more asian, I'm not sure how that affects anything, but yeah. Do you know of any good car service/cabs that operate in the area and are really good/fast? Thanks.
  • pm
    pm
    More stuff to do, more variety (even if it's only the option of going to Maria's for brunch or to a diner), and much closer to the South Slope coffee shops/restaurants/bars - there's a big difference between walking 15/20 blocks up 5th Ave or hopping on the B63 or R as opposed to walking the very long four or five avenues over first (or waiting for a bus to take you there and then waiting/changing). On 4th/5th you've also then got the option of walking over to Chinatown, or easily going down to Bay Ridge. I imagine if we'd moved to 4th/5th Ave we'd still be in Sunset Park, as opposed to moving out after four months.

    We used to use Mexicana until one bad experience with a driver. After that we'd use Eastern.

    But if you're going to spend all of your time around NYU and just watch TV/sleep at home then it doesn't really matter where you live, I guess.
  • rrvst
    rrvst
    Again, thanks for the info. I wasn't implying I'd just hang out in Manhattan all the time, but it was an example. Slope wouldn't be too hard to get to I dont think, just take the D to 36th then the R up. Kind of annoying but not too bad. What are your favorite places in the nabe, other than buttermilk? One thing that I think might annoy me is the seeming lack of good grocery and general food stores around the area.
  • timmythetiger
    timmythetiger
    I live on 41st near 5th Avenue and I agree that there's more in the way of amenities on this side of SP. For groceries, Key Food is on 5th and 44th and for really great fresh produce there's Rossman's on 3rd Ave and 25th Street. The bowling alley is also on 37th near 5th. Laundries abound and they're really cheap. The entire area suffers from lack of coffee shops and good bars, though, but that's what Park Slope is for.
  • ben
    ben
    grocery and food stores shouldn't be a problem along 8th. Steve's C-town is on 8th around 45th or so and there are the typical chinatown fish and vegetable markets along 8th ave. If you're closer to 5th there's a supermarket across from the park. Also, costco is on 39th st and 2nd ave so it's just a short car service ride away.

    I think the best balance is the area between 5th ave and 8th ave, close to shopping on both strips plus close to the park. Those blocks are also mostly residential so they have a nice feel too them.
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