Sometimes all it takes is few morning hours to restore the creative life spark. Welcome to Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I have been long saying that this neighborhood of Brooklyn has the same eclectic mix as the Shoreditch, London, or my own Cambridge, Massachusetts. I am also happily adding Grünerløkka, Oslo to this category as of October this year. See two posts earlier why!

It is still mind boggling to me, how few stops on the L train and you end up in a neighborhood that is such a far cry from Manhattan. I made my base at the Wythe Hotel, just to check out the decor, but also for its iconic restaurant Reynard. I am very much of a morning person, so the charms of the 6th floor hotel bar, however lovely, due to the sweeping views of Manhattan on the other side of the river, were lost to me. But 7am at Reynard, that’s another story…Come along.

Bedford Ave. is the main thoroughfare of the neighborhood that hides gems like Catbird, my go to jewellery store,  or Sweet Chick, for some solid food. Then, there are countless bakeries, coffee shops, vintage shops, for every taste. Toby’s Estate and Blue Bottle are just some of them. Views from the waterfront are a bonus, well worth spending time and soaking it all in, even on the rather chilly December morning.