The Brooklyn Rail

VIII. The Brooklyn Riviera

Growing up near Coney Island, a good tan was a key ingredient of popularity among white kids. Because I didn’t have one, people called me a vampire from Transylvania—an insult back then. Yet one needs to be extraordinarily devoted to tanning in order to achieve a year-round glow in New York City. Those who are able to often stick together and cultivate a vitality that seems even tougher than their skin. While the rest of us go into hibernation as winter approaches, the hearty few who sport bathing suits year-round gloat over their ownership of the sun.