American cities, especially on the East Coast, have whole sections that go under the radar of guide books and to-do lists. There the parts I often find myself drifting into — the unglamorous working-class areas. Thriving little communities for locals that went through a period of being ghosted by society before their resurgence as new waves of bargain hunters and pioneers moved in. Their architecture is kind of ugly/beautiful and attracts people with a knack for polishing the right rough diamonds and letting the worst bits rust into oblivion. America, that gets so many things so wrong, still knows how to deliver a really good dive bar. Not too sour, not too sweet it hits just right, even if you're alone and a little down on humanity in general. It lets you keep a toe in the water of society without fully plunging in. Your visual field is crammed with signs and labels and bottles and kitsch and a good bartender who will know hot to provide a low hum of ambi...
