I was randomly talking to a girl on the subway yesterday and she said something to me that took me by surprise.

She said, "Brooklyn is the new Manhattan!"

Really? I thought. Now I don't have excessive experience in Brooklyn, but in the time I have spent there (a week when I first got to New York and few nights here and there hanging out with friends) I have never got that impression. Don't get me wrong. I like Brooklyn. I think it has a character and a laissez-faire attitude not found in Manhattan. People in Brooklyn give off this "I just don't give a shit" aura that people in Manhattan normally just can't pull off. They're wearing too many labels. It's a fun, bohemian experience that is a refreshing respite from the Manhattan bustle and intense energy. That's why I was so taken aback by what I heard in the subway. Why would anyone want Brooklyn to turn into Manhattan? It's great the way it is. I guess the point of this post--don't mess with a good thing. Brooklyn in Brooklyn. Manhattan is Manhattan. And I like it that way.