That’s today’s question on Park Slope Parents. It gave me a chuckle. Maybe someone should franchise PS and open “Park Slope style” communities all over the country.
I guess Park Slope is short-hand for a certain type of place. I bet you could have a lively conversation about what kind of place that is. Or not.
They probably want the good:
A sense of community, kid-friendly, park, nice architectural scale with brownstones and tree-lined streets, a reverence for historical preservation, progressive politics, independent bookstore, a food coop…
And not the bad:
Overpriced, bad parking, too many strollers on the sidewalks, not enough schools, lack of diversity, etc. (there’s a whole article coming out in New York Magazine about why people hate Park Slope…).
So what’s the Park Slope brand that everyone is looking for in Denver and Boston? And where in Denver can you find it?
And would you want to? I mean Denver has it’s own personality. Wouldn’t you want that, too?
Bad parking?
That’s a good sign. Cars are anti-urban anyway. People who want good parking should move to New Jersey.
People who want to sell their cars should move to a vibrant urban neighborhood like Park Slope.
There are Park Slopes all over. I’m a born and bred Sydneysider who spent 3 months in Brooklyn at the start of 2007. Park Slope reminded me a lot of a number of places right here in Sydney – Woollahra & Balmain in particular spring to mind. Bot h are within 10 minutes of the business district (so are not suburban), both consist of predominantly Victorian terrace homes, are incredibly expensive to live in, yoga lovers who park their enormous prams on the path whilst taking in chai lattes, have a penchant for organic wheat-free-meat-free-dairy-free food, and scant regard for anyone who doesn’t fit that stereotype.
I have mixed feelings about Park Slope. The food was nice, the coffee there – coincidentally my favourite was Ozzies – is the best of a bad lot (sorry but Americans CANNOT make coffee!) but it is also unutterably pretentious.
I was staying with family in Flatbush, and I had a terrible experience in the Barnes & Noble on Seventh. I was buying a book – and probably a bag of Godiva raspberry bars which are to die for and can’t be found back home – and my accent got the guy who served me talking and asking questions. When I told him I was staying in Flatbush he suggested that area of Brooklyn is akin to the Australian outback. Ignorance is a curse. That incident in particular sullied my entire perception of the neighbourhood. Interestingly a written complaint to B&N had no response.
I check your blog often because I love no words daily pics. But Park Slope is like so many other anglo places – even ones on the other side of the world. And sorry, but it does not even come close to offering what my NY neighbourhood does!
I would imagine that the person looking for PS in Denver was trying to find a community of progressive and creative thinkers – lots of artists, writers and families. Obviously, not looking for a neighborhood like Chapaqua or Scarsdale, where people are more driven by money and status – Not that people in PS aren’t driven by some of those same things, as well. But I think you get the idea.
Boulder seemes to have that vibe.
As for the Bay Area, I always thought that Park Slope reminded me of Berkley the most.
Being a native of San Francisco, moving to NYC, eventually over to Brooklyn (Windsor Terrace) and now landing in Denver – I am happy to report that there is not a Park Slope in Denver proper. If you want to consider Highlands Ranch, Denver – then there you have it…voila, Park Slope centrally located in the Rocky Mountains. But as for Denver, it’s a smaller version of SF, without the Bay. Crawling with local artists, a small downtown and a million of untouched opportunities for the creative minds. (Not at all what a “city girl” expected).
I’d love to see the article from PSP – I have since unsubscribed myself, after leaving Brooklyn – but love keeping up with OTBKB and other sites.