The Kensington Word: Kathryn Maier Of Ocean Parkway

From new transplants hailing from places across the city, country and globe to residents whose families have lived in Kensington for generations, our neighborhood is home to an amazingly diverse collection of people. This interview is the first in our “The Kensington Word” series, in which we’ll get to know some of our wonderful neighbors who make Kensington what it is today. For this week, we interviewed Kathryn Maier, who lives on Ocean Parkway between Cortelyou Road and Avenue C.

How long have you lived in the neighborhood? Three months.

What prompted the move to our neighborhood? A friend of mine lived here and kept telling me how much she liked it, so when I needed to make a move I looked for apartments here.

What do you like about the neighborhood? It feels like a community here. Everyone is so nice, from the man at the Superior Deli who makes small talk to the guy at the pizzeria on Coney Island Avenue & Cortelyou Road. Everyone is so pleasant and welcoming, particularly the local business owners.

[pullquote]It feels like a community here… Everyone is so pleasant and welcoming, particularly the local business owners.[/pullquote]

What is missing in our neighborhood? A high-end grocery store, like Fairway. In addition, this neighborhood really needs a small park. I’ve seen a few children’s play areas, and that’s wonderful, but a space with some greenery and benches for adults to enjoy — without breathing in exhaust fumes on Ocean Parkway or having to head all the way up to Prospect Park. [Editor’s note: neighbors are invited to attend a meeting on creating a new pedestrian plaza on Avenue C this Wednesday, April 29. For more information, go here.]

Finish this sentence: Kensington is… quiet in a good way.

Are you settled in Kensington or just passing through? Depends on how much they raise my rent.

Do you have a favorite store in the neighborhood? The Mexican bakery on Cortelyou Road, La Nueva Union Bakery. They have the most amazing pastries that are very reasonably priced.

Do you have a favorite restaurant in the neighborhood? The Castello Plan — it is very cozy, the drinks are great and they serve “advanced comfort food.”

What is the neighborhood’s best kept secret? – At La Nueva Union Bakery on Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday they sell $1.50 tamales that are delicious. They usually sell out by noontime.

How would you sum up your daily commuting experience? I take the F and it is no joy, but I always get a seat and a lot of reading done.

We live in a very diverse neighborhood — how meaningful is that to you? It is fun to go to the various bodegas and find different ingredients, i.e. fresh okra and two different kinds of fish that I never heard of at the Pakistani market.

[pullquote] I take the F and it is no joy, but I always get a seat and a lot of reading done.[/pullquote]

What do you think of Brooklyn’s newfound popularity? I liked Brooklyn very much when I first moved here 11 years ago and lived in The Slope. Now I find you have to go deeper into the borough to find the same authenticity.

What is your profession? Currently I’m an editor at a luxury magazine in Manhattan. I used to write for a luxury travel magazine.

What is your dream job? Continuing to be a magazine writer.

Do you have a favorite quote? “We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once,” by Friedrich Nietzsche.

What is the best piece of advice you ever heard? 1) My mother insisted that I take a typing class in high school. 2) A friend that I was taking a nature walk with noticed that I was looking down at the ground because I was afraid of falling. He told me to look up and not at what is immediately in front of me so as not to miss the beauty that exists in the beyond.

Where do you hope your next vacation will be? On safari in Botswana.

[pullquote]I liked Brooklyn very much when I first moved here 11 years ago, and lived in The Slope. Now I find you have to go deeper into the borough to find the same authenticity.[/pullquote]

What was the last book you read? “One Hundred Years of Solitude,” and it was magical.

What was the last movie that you saw? I enjoyed the indie film “Copenhagen.” It was very charming, and it brought back nice memories of a great vacation I spent in that city.

What do you like to do in your free time? I belong to an amateur dance troupe that performs in local cultural events, i.e. The Mermaid Parade.

If you know someone you’d love to see featured in this series, let us know! You can email us at editor@kensingtonbk.com.