I live now in Washington Heights, near Fort Tryon in the upper Manhattan island area. It’s informally called Little Dominican Republic (the Tony-award-winning musical “In the Heights” is based on this area of the island). I feel like a white girl, but know that there are a lot of other artists who choose this area to make their home. The rent is cheap(er) than normal, there are parks, I’m right near both the A and 1 train lines, and there’s a great community/family feel. I wish I was a little closer to Midtown, but all in all it only takes me 40 minutes to an hour to walk/ride the train downtown. Not too much different from anything I was doing in Los Angeles via car. Plus, the Fort Tryon Park and Cloisters area is absolutely gorgeous, full of walking/running trails, a view of the Hudson River, the Cloisters Museum, Fort Tryon itself (full of history) and I must visit the Cafe that’s up there too (I think they have free wifi!). These pictures are taken on the walk from the A train station entrance – the entrance to my building is not so covered in greenery.
The green, rocky hill near our apartment; we emerge from the 190th street A train station through a tunnel dug into this hill.
Big rock I pass on the way to/from the train station. Kind of reminds me of the rock the castle in Edinburgh sits on…only smaller. But this area makes me relax as soon as I get out and see it. Can’t wait to see what this place looks like in the Fall…then the Winter.