11/12/04 Security Deposit for 59 St. Marks; Surreal Cafe; Guerrilla Coffee:

This afternoon, we showed up at Rapid Realty's cute little Brooklyn office to bring our financial documents, ready them for a later meeting with the management of the apartment building we're hoping to rent from, and to bring in our security deposit and first month's rent. I also had to bring paperwork and money on behalf of Peter, who was hearing about all this and participating via VoIP phone from England (He brought a local 516 area code phone with him... it works via the internet. Amazing!). Peter had sent me the information for an apartment from which I met Rapid Realty, which, in turn, introduced us to the apartment we wish to rent, to Peter is part of this process as well.

That's Cliff on the left, there. He's a little bit slick, but no more than one would expect from someone working at a company called "RAPID realty." The important thing is that he knew his stuff well, and was honest with me, from what I could tell, all of the time.

I took this picture just as my way of saying goodbye. Well, I'll see some of this money again when I leave this apartment, as some of it is the security deposit. But I think I've never made such a large cash transaction in my life. It was the easiest way to go about it under the rapid circumstances, and because part of it, Peter wired over from England. The above photo is worth about $4000.

After doing some serious business, Rich and I were once again... hungry. We headed over to 5th avenue, a block from the new apartment, and found a really cute cafe that had an organic menu. It had beautiful floor to ceiling windows looking straight down a street.

Then we went over to one of the only places we think we've heard of in the neighborhood already. A staple of "Park Slope," this is Guerrilla Cafe.

Rich was VERY impressed by the coffee, and I'll have to take his word for it. I don't touch the stuff.

I really liked the multi-map hanging from one of the walls. It's identical to the maps that each social studies room was equipped with in my middle and high schools. Rich and I started to REALLY get excited about the neighborhood aspect of this new place. This cafe is less than 5 minutes' walk away!