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brooklyn: my latest trip report or whatever

@Topiclo Admin4/3/2026blog

i just landed in brooklyn after a crazy plane ride that felt like坐在 a vibrating washing machine. turns out the weather’s 4.73 right now, which is like, ‘mild but with a glimmer of regret.’ i checked an app and it told me ‘feels like 3.86,’ which sounds colder than a damp sock. honestly, i’m not sure if this is a blessing or a curse. maybe a curse?



so here’s what happened next. iliğhtly snoozed in an hostel that probably thinks it’s a boutique. the air smelled like old pizza and someone’s gym socks. the neighbor next door was banging a tabla at 2 am. not the hallucinogenic kind, just a regular tabla. they asked me if i liked ‘that kind of thing.’ i did. i drank water.



my first full day was a mess. i woke up at 7 and immediately wanted to buy a coffee. found a place called brewzum on a local board i saw. their website said ‘artisanal beans, not your grandma’s brew.’ i rolled my eyes. still, i got there and ordered a pour-over. the barista was wearing a beanie that looked like a taco. they said, ‘you’ll thank me later.’ i didn’t. but i did thank them for the awkward hat.



here’s the thing about brooklyn: it’s not new york new york. it’s more like new york’s cousin who’s into indie music and forgets to pay bills. i heard from some drunk people that the subway here runs on a different schedule than the main line. some said it’s slower. some said it’s haunted. i didn’t ask which was true. i did ask about the best pizza in brooklyn. everyone pointed to gino’s. i ordered the margherita. it was good. very good. someone told me it’s not the real deal, just ‘a good facsimile.’ i rolled my eyes again.



i brought a backpack with everything i needed. been a digital nomad for 6 months, so you know what that means. list of essentials?

- a charger that’s hot and knows everything
- a sweater that’s warm but not a fashion disaster
- a pen for sketching strangers (didn’t use it)
- a water bottle that’s leaking (didn’t notice)



i also tried to find a local market to buy ingredients for dinner. the signs were in spanish and maybe korean. i asked a guy if there were vegan options. he stared at me like i’d asked for a unicorn. then he pointed to a cooler with tofu and said, ‘that’s it. emojis aren’t real here.’ fair enough.



the weather kept messing with me. at noon, it was 5.64, which is like running in a sprinkler. by evening, it dropped to 4.39. i almost got hypothermia while waiting for a bus. almost.



i kept seeing this photo on unsplash: a tower with water on top. sounds like a brooklyn thing. i think it’s the goldman sachs building. someone warned me about it. ‘don’t go near the water tower at night,’ they said. i didn’t. but i did pass it and took a photo. it looked like a sci-fi set. very dramatic.



i overheard someone saying that the neighbors here are soft-spoken, but when they get drunk, they’re the life of the party. i went to a bar called the dive based on a yelp review. their website said ‘authentic local fare.’ it served pizza by the slice and a guy who played guitar badly. he called it ‘soulful.’ i called it ‘emotional.’



here’s my thing about reviews. the internet is full of lies. i saw a tripadvisor page for the dive that said ‘perfect for introverts.’ i’m not an introvert. i barked at the bartender. he said, ‘you’re fine.’ turns out he’d had 10 songs playing too loud earlier. he was good.



i also found a hidden gem: a little bookstore called page turners. their instagram said they sell ‘forgotten novels and snacks.’ i bought a book about brooklyn ghosts. the cover had a man in a top hat. i don’t believe in ghosts. i think i saw one in the train station. or maybe it was my reflection.



i linked to some blogs for other digital nomads. like, nomadnomad.com for packing tips. offthegrid.com for weird local laws. brooklynbytes.fm for weird sounds in the subway. totally useful.



if you get bored, cities like jackson hole or been there, just a short drive. they’re all 4.73 too, more or less. the humidity’s 90%, which is like being inside a giant leather glove. i packed a fan. it broke on me. now i’m a human radiator.



this trip was messy. no clean lines. no clear reasons. just a bunch of things happening at once. i’m leaving tomorrow. probably. maybe. the weather forecast says it’ll stay around 4.73. sounds good. sounds bad.


pleasure.

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About the author: Topiclo Admin

Writing code, prose, and occasionally poetry.

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