brooklyn gal for a while

In The Autograph Man, Zadie Smith's character, Alex, is drawn from England to "Roebling" a part of Brooklyn on the edge of gentrification.

"He finds a seat and watches a mixture of Hipsters and Poles mark out a beat in a perfect circle. The Hipsters run in towelling sportswear, in seventies brand-names and sweat-bands. The Poles do too, though in a different spirit. These two groups do not meet on the race-track or chat by the fountain, they keep to themselves. It was the same deal, Alex noticed, in the shop where he bought this muffin. Herring, latkes, kilbasa and perogi on one side, lattes, falafels and cheescake on the other. And in the bookshop a shelf of the popular writer Charles Bukowski stood across from a table piled high with Polish-language bibles.

On the street the Poles seem to understand the snow and dress for it. The Hipsters think they can accessorize the cold away, or simply ignore it. The Polish girls are waxy skinned, cat-eyed. The dont know Alex is alive. The Hipsters girls are apple-cheeked wih erratic hair and may be interested, depending on how much interest you show in the art that they are making. Though he has only been in the area twenty minutes, Alex feels qualified to further probe this weird cohabitation of Hipster and Pole, to puzzle the relations between them the laws. . .

1. Poles need Hipsters because Hipsters bring new money to the area.

2. Hipsters need Poles because Poles are proof that Hipsters - despite their increasing financial stability - are still bohemian; living near Poles is a Hipster's sole remaining mark of authenticity.

3. Hipsters are Poles. Poles are Hipsters. Poles sell 1950s retro gas-station t-shirsts. Hipsters eat pickled herring."