Similarities Between My Brooklyn Then And Now

After reading "My Brooklyn, Then and Now" by Wendell Jamieson, I couldn't help but to think of the one line that caught my attention " Plenty of old places are gone, but many thrive. And the new places - the restaurants and bars, of course...have made Brooklyn a destination." Growing up in Ridgewood, Queens I saw many places disappear overtime. I also saw many new places blossom and make this neighborhood quite an attraction. From Norma's bakery that is located just a few blocks away from my house to cool pubs, cafes, bars, modern apartment buildings and restaurants, I am slowly starting to find the Ridgewood that I once thought was boring and dull, quite interesting. I can see Ridgewood becoming the "next big thing". Just like Jamieson said,
all these new bars, restaurants, modern apartment buildings and cafes now exist in "some sort of weird urban balance". These new places are really making Ridgewood a destination. This weeks reading made me really think about the changes that are taking place around me. New York City as a whole is constantly changing yet sometimes we don't stop and really think about all the growth and and change that is happening. Jamieson talks about the changes that took place in Brooklyn throughout his 44 years of living there, things aren't the same, the Brooklyn then is different from the Brooklyn that exists now. I feel the same way about Ridgewood. Even though some places that have been around are still around, the neighborhood has a way different vibe now than it did before.