It’s been said that Brooklyn is the new Manhattan, but there are still plenty of long-running jokes about the differences between the two boroughs as well as their distinctive inhabitants. Even those who don’t consider themselves Brooklynites or Manhattanites—or even New Yorkers, for the matter—are well versed in the rivalry, which is always done in good fun. Take Jon Hamm, for example, who last night hosted the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy’s annual Brooklyn Black Tie Ball at Pier 2 in Brooklyn Bridge Park. “It’s a fundraiser for Brooklyn, so let’s get that guy famously from St. Louis,” he joked onstage before rattling off a few Brooklyn neighborhoods that are never confused with certain corners of Manhattan. “Is there an Upper East Side?” Hamm playfully continued. “I honestly don’t know that much about it, but I know one thing—that I’ve been coming here for over 20 years, some very good friends live in the neighborhood, and to see the transformation of what’s happened over the last few decades is truly astonishing, and that speaks to the work of the conservancy.”
That sentiment could be felt as early as cocktail hour as guests enjoyed Brooklyners—a drink mixed from vodka, habanero, pink-peppercorn grenadine, and lime—during a scenic waterfront reception. While taking in the expansive views of the city skyline (one area where Brooklyn no doubt has Manhattan beat), it was easy to spot the locals from the non-locals. At one point, a guest could be overheard explaining the differences between the L train and the J and Z trains, lines which Brooklynites know all too well. Two of the most famous faces that call Brooklyn home—Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys—were also in attendance. The stars of The Americans can often be seen riding their bikes around Boerum Hill, a stone’s throw away from the park, which hosts everything from outdoor movie screenings to musical and literary events in addition to what is perhaps the main attraction—the ever-popular athletic courts. “From my perspective, one of the cooler, less-known things that the conservancy does is give free access to the green and environmental education to kids from public schools every day,” said Hamm. Guests would hear from several of those kids before the evening’s program, which was followed by a moving performance from jazz artist (and Cobble Hill resident) Norah Jones. So take that, Manhattan.
