My Neighbourhood: Brooklyn

Williamsburg has, for years, been popular with the cultural creatives of New York. Some people say it’s a wannabe Lower East Side. Yes, it’s popping with urban development, restaurants, coffee shops and bars, but it’s less dense and noisy than the Lower East Side, and has a style and charm altogether its own. It’s unrelentingly ‘neighbourhoody’ in a way that’s becoming increasingly hard to find in downtown Manhattan.

6.30am: There’s nothing like waking up early on a Saturday morning in New York when this part of the city is still sleeping. It gives me peace of mind and a sense of winning.

7am: An Italian wearing a red beanie welcomes me at Lella Alimentari, a grocery store and coffee shop combined that serves an authentic Italian vibe and delicious piadine (thin flatbreads with savoury fillings and toppings). It has an official opening time of 8am, but if you’re nice, the owners might let you in for an early espresso.
Lella Alimentari, 325 Manhattan Ave, 11211, +1 718 599 1986 (no.7 on map)

7.30am: I go home to dress up as if I’m going to hit the red carpet. Street fashion in Williamsburg and Greenpoint is no joke.

8am: I jump on my bike and ride down to Domino Park to watch the morning sun reflecting on Manhattan’s skyscrapers. It makes the city look like it’s on fire.

9am: I’ve been going to Butler since I moved here; it’s my oldest relationship in the city. It serves delicious pastries made by Michelin-starred chef Ryan Butler.
Butler, 95 South 5th St, 11249. butler-nyc.com (no.3 on map)

11am: I head to the Williamsburg Hotel’s rooftop to lounge by the pool and soak up some vitamin D for a few lazy hours. The Williamsburg Hotel, 96 Wythe Ave, 11249. thewilliamsburghotel.com (no.14 on map)

1pm: You can enjoy a lovely brunch at several high-profile restaurants in the neighbourhood (The Butcher’s Daughter, Five Leaves, Sunday in Brooklyn) but I prefer something low-key – and I love dumplings. Vanessa’s Dumpling House isn’t a fancy place, but I will argue it makes the best dumplings in Williamsburg.
Vanessa’s Dumpling House, 310 Bedford Ave, 11211. vanessas.com (no.13 on map)
The Butcher’s Daughter, 271 Metropolitan Ave, 11211. thebutchersdaughter.com (no.2 on map), Five Leaves, 18 Bedford Ave, 11222. fiveleavesny.com (no.6 on map), Sunday in Brooklyn, 348 Wythe Ave, 11249. sundayinbrooklyn.com (no.11 on map)

2pm: Strolling and people-watching is one of my all-time favourite activities. You can either be bold and walk north along Bedford Avenue with the hipsters, or you can head down to one of the quieter parallel streets. Your goal should, nevertheless, be to reach Franklin Avenue in Greenpoint. I put on my headphones, listen to some clichéd playlist entitled ‘Confidence Boost’ or something similar, and walk down Franklin, exploring the streets, stores and people along the way.

4pm: Day drinking, stage one. The Brooklyn Barge is my first stop. It’s on the water and the perfect place to get your first drink and a little snack if you feel like one.
The Brooklyn Barge, 79 West St, 11222. thebrooklynbarge.com (no.1 on map)

5.30pm: Enjoying a hint of tipsiness, I take the ferry to South Williamsburg from India Street in Greenpoint.

6pm: I head over to craft cocktail bar Donna, which is just a short walk from the South Williamsburg ferry stop. There’s no outdoor seating here but it’s a wonderful place to cool down with a delicious drink mixed by brilliant bartenders in an exquisite, tropical-ish environment.
Donna, 27 Broadway, 11249. donnabklyn.com (no.5 on map

7pm: I’m still thirsty, and I love a good happy hour, so I walk up to Trophy Bar, order a glass of rosé, and enjoy their its back garden before dinner.
Trophy Bar, 351 Broadway, 11211. trophybar.com (no.12 on map)

8.30pm: Dinner time! There’s a ton of different dinner options in this neighbourhood of course, but since it’s my dream day, I go to St. Mazie. The food here is pretty good, but what I really love about this place is the atmosphere – it has live jazz and a great speakeasy bar in the basement. It delivers the cosiness I need after a long and manic day of whirling around Brooklyn.
St. Mazie, 345 Grand St, 11211. stmazie.com

11pm: There’s nothing quite like ending the night with a flamboyant drag show, so I head over to Metropolitan Bar for shows, dancing and cheap shots. From here on in, there’s no going back. It’s a divey queer club – fun, intimate, and it has a huge back yard that they say is the best in Brooklyn.
Metropolitan Bar, 559 Lorimer St, 11211. metropolitanbarny.com (no.9 on map)

3am: I walk down to the conveniently located Kellogg’s Diner and get myself some disco fries before collapsing in to bed. Thank you, and good night.
Kellogg’s Diner, 518 Metropolitan Ave, 11211. +1 718 782 4502 (no.8 on map)