Brooklyn Cultural Adventure

: New York's Alternative Heartbeat from Graffiti to Vinyl

Why Brooklyn?

When Manhattan's glass curtain walls make people aesthetically tired, Brooklyn across the East River is interpreting the true New York spirit with street art, immigrant cuisine and independent music. The cultural density per square mile here exceeds that of the Left Bank of Paris. This article will take you to measure this fertile land of creativity with your five senses.

First stop: Williamsburg's visual revolution

Bushwick Collective

Take the L line to Morgan Avenue Station, and the entire industrial area's exterior walls are covered with graffiti. Focus on finding:

Italian artist Jorit's UV mural "Aboriginal Girl" (the hidden pattern will only appear when illuminated by the flashlight of your phone)

Japanese group Hitotzuki's giant ukiyo-e-style octopus

Local group "Save Art Space" graffiti on abandoned trucks with edible paint (it smells like blueberries on rainy days)

Explore the artist's studio

Make an appointment at the Pencil Factory near Domino Park (open every Saturday). In this 19th-century pencil factory-turned-studio, you can see potters firing glazes using copper pots left over from the sugar factory.

Second stop: Taste experiment of global stomachs

Smorgasburg Market (Saturday)

At the open-air food festival held in East River State Park, we recommend trying:

"Bangladeshi Taco": spicy lamb rolls with Mexican guacamole

Brooklyn craft beer smoothies (alcoholic version requires a passport)

Poppy seed rolls made by Ukrainian grandmothers (legal edible variety)

Underground restaurant guide

Look for the **"Jianbing Company** with no sign on the door. The Beijing owner uses a modified version of pancakes to wrap American bacon. The 1980s Chinese food stamps on the wall are the treasure of the town.

Stop 3: Sound Archaeology

Rough Trade, the Holy Land of Vinyl Records

The New York branch of this legendary London record store hides surprises:

The "Sound of New York" section in the listening room plays Lou Reed's unreleased demo

"Blind Listening Party" on the last Thursday of each month (bring your own tapes to exchange and play)

Dumbo's Acoustic Wonders

In the abandoned tunnel of York Street subway station, the curvature of the walls creates natural surround sound, and local string quartets often perform secretly here (follow the @BrooklynUndercover account to get the schedule).

Ultimate Easter egg: 108 ways to take photos of the Brooklyn Bridge

Photography spots to avoid crowds:

Shoot from the wooden suspension bridge of Squibb Park Bridge

Long exposure when escort Lulu and Jane's Carousel is running

Learn from local photographers: Use the bottom of a Corona beer bottle as a filter

Practical information

Transportation: Choose the "Brooklyn Cultural Pass" (including ferry + 7-day subway) when purchasing MetroCard

Safety tips: Avoid exploring the abandoned warehouses in Red Hook alone

Hidden benefit: Free admission to the Brooklyn Museum's "Hip-Hop Night" every Friday night