One of the few perks of being virtually homeless when I moved to New York was that it allowed me to get a taste for different parts of Manhattan before finally settling down in Brooklyn.

After spending time in the East Village and the Upper West Side, I got to (temporarily) live out my dream of living in New York's quaint yet lively West Village neighborhood.

I've always been a little hard on New York when it came to the city's aesthetic. I've always loved the city for its dynamism, diversity and 24-hour access to essentially everything, but I never before really fell in love with the streets, architecture and neighborhoods in the same way I did with those of Paris.

Granted, it's not really fair to compare any city in the U.S. with the beauty of Paris. The history of that city, or any city in Western Europe for that matter, can sometimes make New York seem like an angsty tween compared to a wise and sophisticated European beauty, with centuries of experience. That being said, this allows New York to give off an air of rebellion and just plain old fun that oftentimes its older European counter parts (Paris in particular) seem to lack.

People fall in love with New York for different reasons - some love the brownstones of Park Slope, the glitz and glamour of Madison Avenue or the bright lights of Time Square (although who those people are, I don't really care to know...at all.)

For me, its the quiet shaded streets, the West Side Story stairs (aka fire escapes) and the adorable dog-walking/hand-holding that happens along these beautiful streets of the West Village that make it so appealing.

It was really one of the first times I've felt a strong connection or, dare I say it, a love, for the city of New York. Slowly but surely I can feel myself growing attached to a city that I always assumed would be too harsh, dirty and cold (or in this case, too freakin hot) to truly love.

While I'm not head over heels yet, as I've finally settled into my new place in Williamsburg I have no doubt my emotions toward this city will only continue to evolve and grow in the next few months - or for at least as long as as my AC stays intact.

The other weekend I made my first-ever trip to Coney Island, which yes, is every bit as kitsch as you would think, but is still totally awesome and worth the hour-long subway ride.

Why, may you ask, of all the places in New York City to visit during one of my precious weekends did I venture to Coney Island?

For the Mermaid Parade of course!

What is the Mermaid Parade you may wonder?

To be honest, everyone I asked about the event couldn't really tell me what it was, why people gathered for it or what it was celebrating. From what I gathered, it was basically an excuse for people to drink during the day, girls to walk around in pasties and for everyone to wear ridiculous costumes, eat fried food, and just have an all-around good time.

The parade and Coney Island itself totally embodied that slightly flamboyant, cheesy and quirky sensibility that I still think of as being oh-so American. It actually reminded me a bit of the street protests I would see regularly on the Parisian streets - just with more alcohol and sans political statement. But you still had the chants, the crowds of people and the creative slogans, and plenty of cops on the streets to make it feel like I was back at Place de la Republique.

To get a better sense of what it was like, check out my brief series of photos below.

I also want to say a big thank you to Coney Island Brewing Company (aka the World's Smallest Brewery) for letting me ride on your awesome float!

Everyone should go check them out and taste their delicious brews (Mermaid Pilsener anyone?)