Williamsburg

See also Wikipedia's article about "Williamsburg".

Williamsburg is a neighborhood in Brooklyn filled to the brim with hipsters...except the southern part, which contains a plentitude of Orthodox Jews. It was originally an independent city called Williamsburgh until its absorption into Brooklyn in the mid-19th century; this fact accounts for both a lot of "Williamsburgh" related kitsch merchandise and a lot of annoying misspellings.

To experience Williamsburg, take the L train to Bedford Ave., particularly on a summer night, and try not to trip over some fixed-gear bike or impromptu art installation. Keep in mind that many of its newly-minted hipsters are actually liberal arts college graduates newly transplanted to the city and confused that it is not an open-air laboratory for their self-expression like the arty campuses they've just departed.

Don't worry if you don't get off at Bedford Ave.; the same hipsters have colonized L train stops well into Bushwick, much like settlers following railheads in the Old West, and just as sensitive to the native inhabitants.