Anyone here ever been to Brighton Beach?

[GregfromGa]

We're all going to NYC in early August. Is it a good place for my wife and m-i-l to spend the day without me?

[Zmejka]

Truly i wouldn't advice to go there - at least not for the full day. Only if she cherish the idea to get back to ussr times Nothing dangerous there, but trains go each 2 minutes above your head, i saw rats on streets (but it was at night). Better to see real New York, in my opinion, Manhattan for example.

[Maxx2]

I was at Brighton Beach in February (cold!). There is this one main street where all the Russian shops are. It has a train track over the street about 30 feet up that covers the width of street for many blocks. It makes the street dark and shaded. Very strange. Anyway a Russian can get about anything they want there even an American man or woman to marry them so they can get their greencard.... I never spent anytime at the beach of course but that with the restaurants and Russian stores could be an interesting place to entertain one's self and a good place to get some Russian food stocks. I remember carrying allot of bags of sunflower seeds and dried fruit for the Russian friends I have. There are Russian book stores there as well.


Maxx

[Turboguy]

Of course some of the designer clothing and shoe places could be a good place for them to spend the day as well.  I am sure the day is not all they would be spending. 

There are lots of things the two could do and stay out of trouble.   Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island can pretty much take up a day as well.  If they want the feeling of being carried back to the FSU Brighton Beach would be good.

[groovlstk]

We're all going to NYC in early August. Is it a good place for my wife and m-i-l to spend the day without me?

My wife's mom arrived for a visit last week and they spent yesterday at Brighton. My wife was disappointed as she said it was much cleaner last time we visited (in January), but beach season attracts a lot of people and the potential for more litter.

Most of the shop signs are in Russian and everyone on the streets speaks Russian. There are some nice restaurants along the boardwalk on the beach.

I'd definitely recommend visiting, your m-i-l will feel at home there and likely enjoy a break from having everyone speak English around her.

The only problem as I see it is that it's not somewhere you want to take a taxi to, I'm sure it would be quite expensive. The B and Q trains go to Brighton (both trains are accessible from midtown so they're not hard to find). If they're comfortable taking the subway it should be no problem, during the day it's quite safe. On weekends I think the B doesn't run to Brighton and service is much slower, she's better off visiting there on a weekday. Travel time from midtown on the B is about 50 minutes.

[Simoni]

Marina did not like Brighton Beach at all, and was sad she had even seen it.   Stay away.   Visit other sites in Manhattan, instead.  That's my two cents worth...

[PrincetonLion]

Anyway a Russian can get about anything they want there even an American man or woman to marry them so they can get their greencard....

Hehe, I live in America (in Princeton, NJ, - this is approximately 1 hour 15 minutes to go to Penn Station in NY by train) already for 9 years now - and I never ever been to Brighton Beach... Moreover, I do not have any wish to do that!
All my Russian books and food I get in Northern Fhiladelphia (the Книжник store and Bell's Market are located at the same plaza), which is a lot more convenient... And to get an American woman and/or Green Card, you do not need to go to Brighton as well! 

[jen]

Hi,

I thought I would throw in my 2 cents here as well, since I used to live in NYC.

I would agree with what others have said to the effect that she might love being in Brighton Beach, or she might not. There are plenty of little cafes and shops; it is a great place to pick up Russian chocolates (some of them straight from Moscow), pastries, videos, books, etc. Everyone speaks Russian and, of course, there is a beach there which is pretty pleasant. But I had some Russian acquaintances in NYC who didn't like it because they felt it was the place where Russian-speakers who didn't really want to integrate into American life went to live. Also, it's far (at least 45 minute train ride) from downtown.

Of course the museums, such as the Metropolitan and MOMA are time-consuming and great for those who like art. For just walking around, I think that Greenwich Village and Soho are great for getting a feeling of NYC.

good luck, J.

[Serebro]

I have been there and I didn't like it.

[BC]

Jen,

Don't know about others, or why, but my wife shunned any contact with other FSU folk for the first two years she was here.

Only when she was fully settled in herself did she seek/allow contact.

[Kuna]

BC,

My Girl is of the same opinion.  Whenever I bump into a Russian here I mention it to her thinking it'll make her feel more comfortable if she can have the occassional conversation in Russian.  She says she doesn't want to speak Russian when she gets here because she MUST speak perfect English...

I hope she's not disappointed when she finds out many people here don't speak "perfect English".   

Kuna

[Ste]

I've been to Brighton Beach, in Sussex UK. After the game it was, we lost 3-1, we were looking for the Nudist beach.

[Bruce]

Definitely have them go.  My MIL and FIL really do not want to go to any other place in the USA.