When I first decided on living in my current neighborhood, one of my brother's friends from college was so excited to tell me "Oh you're living right by Dumbo, that's a really trendy, young, popular spot. You will love it!" Naturally, that was one of the first places I explored when I moved to the city at the end of May. I ventured down to the Brooklyn Bridge Park, caught some sun at Pebble Beach, and witnessed an engagement happen right in front of Jane's Carousel at sunset. I started to understand what my brother's friend was talking about. For class last week, we took a trip to my neck of the woods to find inspiration and suddenly, after two and a half weeks of living here, I felt like a tour guide for my group.
I really do feel lucky that I live within walking distance to this area. It feels very laid back and relaxed, while full of similar age groups as myself, and has a nice mix of things to do. When you're sitting in the park, admiring the view the lower Manhattan skyline, it makes you feel like you are slightly on the outside of the die-hard hustle and bustle of the city. I like to think that in a way, Dumbo is like Brooklyn's mini version of Midtown. Dumbo really offers something for everyone. You can hit the Brooklyn Flea on the weekends and admire vintage clothing, art, records, and handmade jewelry then stop and grab some cheap, yet delicious tacos from Los Tacos on your way out. You can stroll through the paths of the park and take in the nice breeze with views of the city or you can grab a blanket and lay on the lawn with some friends to watch the sun go down on summer nights. Time Out Market is right there so you can head up to the rooftop for drinks and snacks or you can walk around the market downstairs and wander to wherever your nose takes you. If you want to do more touristy things, you can snag a picture of the iconic shot of the Manhattan bridge that you commonly see in movies or television shows based out of NYC. You can even visit the infamous Humphrey loft from the CW hit-series Gossip Girl.
Dumbo is an acronym for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass or District Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. The neighborhood held many different names before it was Dumbo and served as an industrial spot for the boroughs. In the early 1980s, a company by the name of Two Trees Management Company came in and really started to revolutionize the neighborhood. More people wanted to live in the residential spaces and more creative spaces like galleries, retail stores, and restaurants were built. Fast forward to more present years, tech agencies and artists were flocking to Dumbo. The neighborhood demographic has seen a change and businesses have adapted to welcome young, creative professionals from the art and tech industries.
Dumbo is a great hub for both creativity and fashion because it's filled with people who fuel it. You can find different pop-up shops in Time Out Market, like the Adinas Jewels one we came across that was offering free ear piercing that day, or walk along the cobblestone streets and window shop at local boutiques. There's quirky little vintage shops and art galleries galore. Hipsters have been accredited to really making this area popular and that's proven in some of the cafes and small shops you see as you're walking down the street. This area is also super family friendly as well.
My class group and I found a lot of interesting and pop-culture referenced art hung up in the market and really enjoyed looking at previous Time Out Magazine covers they have displayed as you're getting off the elevator to the rooftop. As we were walking back to meet up with our class, we walked past the window for a John Fluevog shoe store and we all were very intrigued and walked in. Inside, there were lots of quirky shoes displayed in an interactive way on wonky tables and the store features walls of gold painted shoes. A skeleton mannequin greeted you at the cashier. Dumbo is a place that really fosters creativity and you can feel it in the neighborhood's identity as you walk around. Overall, I think the group found that Dumbo has a certain charm of its own and appreciated it like I do. I cannot wait to show my friends and family that visit me this summer some of my favorite places in Dumbo.
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