Just moved to the city

...and don't really know anyone here. Anybody have advice on how to meet people? When is the box social?

Tussle your hair, put on a pair of Buddy Holly eyeglasses, buy some black Converse All-Stars and a size M t-shirt from Brooklyn Industries that says 'Brooklyn' on it, then go to the nearest bar with an 'ironic' name, sip on some red wine, and pretend you're reading a novel by Vonnegut or some other type that will catch a pseudo-intellectual's eye. You will be rolling in friends and chicks before you know it.

Welcome. If you've read these boards at all, you may have an understanding that there are some people who are not fans of change such as newcomers moving into the neighborhood (and they have various reasons for their feelings and I support their right to those opinions 100% whether I agree or not). So if you can filter through the somewhat-snide comments that might appear, you'll probably get a lot of good advice from genuinely nice people who want to help newcomers.

A good place to start is your building...introduce yourself to your neighbors, ask them for tips on who to call/where to go for things you might need when setting up a new home. It is also not a bad idea to know your neighbors..you never know when you might have to call them in a pinch, or vice versa.

If you like sports, you can find all sorts of teams and leagues on places like meetup.com and even under the activities section on Craigslist. Or if you have a particular interest, check out a local store that might serve that need. For example, if you visit Jack Rabbit Sports on 7th Avenue (I have no relationship with them other than infrequent shopper) you can not only buy running shoes, gear, supplies, etc., but they can also give you information on training groups in Brooklyn.

There are tons of cultural events in the area (BAM, Brooklyn Museum, Celebrate Brooklyn, etc). You can often find them posted here, but also in magazines like Time Out NY or New York Magazine. Also, volunteering helps you meet people so you could become a Prospect Park volunteer or join the food co-op (when you have a few hours, do a search for the food co-op on the threads on this board).

I met a lot of friends through my local college alumni assocation. They have cocktail parties every month and now that football season is starting, we have watching parties on Saturday afternoons at a bar in the city.

This is all just sort of basic stuff, but all you really have to do is put yourself out there. You're guaranteed not to meet anyone if you sit in your apartment or house, so just get out and experience Brooklyn.

One good piece of advice for NYC in general, it can help to have a thick skin. It's a great place to live, but depending on where you're from, you could find it a little bit tough.

bring a pie with you when socializing

who doesn't like pie?

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll try doing all of them at the same time and hopefully something will happen.

though you should probably only follow obamanut's advice if you are a white male between the ages of say, 21 and 35. otherwise it would just be weird.

cultural events, bars, etc. but especially meetup.com. join a bookclub or an ironic bar naming club, or something like that.

oh, and congratulations on emigrating to nyc. we will try to be nice. after all, the immigrant experience is pretty foreign (pardon the pun) to new york city. rarely, rarely, rarely, do various people move here from disparate backgrounds contributing to the ebb and flow of city life.

Come to the bar crawl on Friday!

Karl the Druid wrote: bring a pie with you when socializing

who doesn't like pie?

You know what else everybody likes? Parfaits. Have you ever met a person, you say, "Let's get some parfait," they say, "Hell no, I don't like no parfait"? Parfaits are delicious.

As a pseudo intellectual myself, Obamanut, I'm sad to say that Vonnegut just doesn't cut it anymore in the "attracting attention" department. Why not try some Gaddis? Perhaps The Recognitions? The girth alone should turn an eye or two.

daver wrote: [quote=Karl the Druid]bring a pie with you when socializing

who doesn't like pie?

You know what else everybody likes? Parfaits. Have you ever met a person, you say, "Let's get some parfait," they say, "Hell no, I don't like no parfait"? Parfaits are delicious.

but don't bring both

less you be mistaken for an over-achieving dessert cart

Karl the Druid wrote: [quote=daver][quote=Karl the Druid]bring a pie with you when socializing

who doesn't like pie?

You know what else everybody likes? Parfaits. Have you ever met a person, you say, "Let's get some parfait," they say, "Hell no, I don't like no parfait"? Parfaits are delicious.

but don't bring both

less you be mistaken for an over-achieving dessert cart

unless you're coming to see me, in which case I encourage you to bring both. Actually, just bring a real desert cart. That'll pretty much guarantee you my friendship.

Welcome to the nabe! Hit some bars, go to the park, have a good time, you'll meet people!

Also, while there are a lot of snide comments on almost any thread on this board and plenty of people who don't like change or new residents, you'll probably never get any of that from actual people you meet in real life in this nabe. We're all friendly. The mean people stay indoors and just rant here. :-P

kosherdave wrote: Also, while there are a lot of snide comments on almost any thread on this board and plenty of people who don't like change or new residents, you'll probably never get any of that from actual people you meet in real life in this nabe. We're all friendly. The mean people stay indoors and just rant here. :-P

A/S/L please ??????
just kidding.

Welcome to the neighb. Where do you hail from? I applaud you for being proactive about your outreach!

I grew up here and after 30+ years, I STILL have a hard time meeting people. It's tiring, awkward, and strange for me to go out of my way. But unfortunately my lucky days of meeting great friends at work are over.

Robocop, I believe that the fact that you appear to NOT be a jaded, lazy, suspicious, new yorker like moi will make it easier for you to make new friends! Perhaps you will inspire me!

Yes, serve as an inspiration to us all.

Or, as a warning.

There is a fine line.

kosherdave wrote: Welcome to the nabe! Hit some bars, go to the park, have a good time, you'll meet people!

Also, while there are a lot of snide comments on almost any thread on this board and plenty of people who don't like change or new residents, you'll probably never get any of that from actual people you meet in real life in this nabe. We're all friendly. The mean people stay indoors and just rant here. :-P

Another good point, don't forget to use the term "nabe" gratuitously - it will transmit loud and clear to others that you are newcomer in search of like-minded folks. 8)

Do you have a bike? Join us here:
http://www.brooklynian.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=45004

Oh oh, I have a great advice!!! Join the FOOD COOP!

(you can throw your parfaits and cakes at me )

I think I've walked by that a few times and just read it phonetically as a cutesy name for a grocery store. I'm guessing it's actually food co-op though. How does it work?

http://foodcoop.com/

Obamanut wrote: Tussle your hair, put on a pair of Buddy Holly eyeglasses, buy some black Converse All-Stars and a size M t-shirt from Brooklyn Industries that says 'Brooklyn' on it, then go to the nearest bar with an 'ironic' name, sip on some red wine, and pretend you're reading a novel by Vonnegut or some other type that will catch a pseudo-intellectual's eye. You will be rolling in friends and chicks before you know it.

or be bald and carry a coffee cup in one hand and a blackberry in the other.

Obamanut wrote:

or be bald and carry a coffee cup in one hand and a blackberry in the other.

Yea, how will i push my double stroller down the street

Subject: This might help...

Interesting article about newcomers to NYC. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/27/nyregion/27arrival.html?ref=nyregion

get an adorable fluffy dog. walk around with it. everyone will stop to pet your dog, and when they reach down to do it, that's when you grab them by the wrist and say "listen, pal, i don't want to be pushy, but fido here don't like anyone i don't call a friend. so are we friends? because if we aren't, fido's gonna bite your f-ing hand off and i won't be able to do nothing about it."

or you can just get an adorable fluffy dog and walk around with it and things will progress from there. especially if you go to the dog park before 9 AM, which is off-leash time. lots of mingling, people of all ages, many of them not-yet-caffeinated and with bedhead, but still good minglers.

I'm allergic to dogs. Maybe I can keep one in a hyperbaric chamber and only release it for an hour each morning.

Set a stroller on fire and push it into a brunch crowd.

babel wrote: Set a stroller on fire and push it into a brunch crowd.

Who would that endear you to? I can definitely see setting strollers on fire being a sort of echo of the woman's lib movement - all non-parent Slopesters coming together as one and torching McLarens and Bugaboos to symbolize their commitment to parent/non-parent equity and a Park Slope where anyone can walk into any bar at any time and not be confronted by babies. But why attack brunchers?

If you can't get a dog, pretend like you love dogs. I will tell my life story and become best friends with people who stop and tell me they love my dog. Seriously, I'm only a little bit joking.

Also, give yourself a "local" coffee shop. Maybe it's the Seattle in me, but I have a few friends that I met because I'm a Red Horse Cafe Nut.

Also, I kind of don't want to ever meet anyone from this board in person... you all seem great but I have these images that I just don't want to loose. Like kosherdave, you have to always have a hat and glasses, Carnivore you have to look like a white sheep, Karl the Druid has to be a frog, Carman must be bald and always have a look of shame/disappointment, etc. etc.

Best of luck and welcome. Make it through the 1st year.

babel wrote: Set a stroller on fire and push it into a brunch crowd.

then quickly put it out with a delicious peanut butter pie

or a frosty parfait

then scream "my baby my baby"

people will love you

Subject: Re: Just moved to the city

Robocop wrote: ...and don't really know anyone here. Anybody have advice on how to meet people? When is the box social?

It's only a matter of time before you start wondering what you can do to get some privacy. To meet people in park slope just go outside and do stuff.