Coney Island had its best summer in 46 years, so they say. The rezoning of the beachfront has spurred plans for greater future amusement, and the opening of Luna Park was a success. And although Lynn Kelly, vice prez of the Economic Development Corp. has left one island for another (Staten), there shouldn’t be too many wet cheeks over it. The rivalry between private and public development has reached mediation, and next summer should be even better than this one. But still, why is Coney Island so sad?

Part of it has to do with the off-season and the high rents. If the rides were open during the winter, the way they used to be, maybe all the crowds wouldn’t stay away, and we’d still be able to retain a sense of nostalgia while looking at empty wind-swept boardwalks. Although now many of the famed establishments – Shoot the Freak, Ruby’s, Gregory & Paul’s – are gone after leaving yesterday, in their place will be a couple of new restaurants and a sports bar. While the L Magazine laments this situation, is it really that bad? I mean sure Coney Island is about nostalgia and all – right now – but just down the boardwalk, Brighton Beach bustles with excitement, and people, largely due to the ethnic nature of the surrounding community.

Maybe a little bit of newness is exactly what Coney Island needs to bring the crowds back, not just to the boardwalk, but to the neighborhood. Let’s call it re-gentrification.

Today is the second day of daylight savings time, and the first day it applies to the work week. Not only that, but today was gray and windy and ugly and cold. My toes have little sensation in them although the office is at a standard 70 degrees. It was hailing when I went out for lunch. And I have to ride my bike home.

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How apropos! Last night I added an I <3 NY button to my Chrome backpack to ward off the fixed-gear riding hipsters that think they’re cooler than me and today the Voice goes ahead and confirms my choice to proudly display my love for the greatest city on earth as the right one!

Maybe you don’t have the time to read through all 50, so I’ll compile my favorite 5, and maybe a personal reason for why I love living here.

5. Manhattan-Brooklyn/Brooklyn-Manhattan wars never cease to entertain. Nor do hipster-Hasid wars. Or hipsters in general.

4. The Voice broke down the majesty of the subway into catching that train right before the doors close, the incredible expanse of the MTA, and my favorite, “prewalking,” finding the right spot so that when the subway stops the doors open directly in front of you.

3. Smart people are the norm, not the exception. (Which doesn’t mean they’re sane, but at least no one’s boring.)

2. Food kept cropping up on the list, so I’ll summarize: we can get any kind of food, at any time of night, and it’s better than anywhere else in the world (even when it’s ethnic food).

1. There’s no shame in sticking your fingers in your ears like an anal weirdo when an ambulance goes by screeching. Because let’s face it, walking down the street is sometimes like attending a rock concert.

And my personal reason: Because we know that everyone else in the country wishes they had the chutzpah to live here (Brooklyn, that is; anyone can live in Manhattan).

The Archive, rest in peace, has finally been replaced. Swallow, don’t get any dirty thoughts, is a bit better suited to Morgantown 2011. Industrial lightbulbs provide arch light, the saggy cushions have been replaced by movie theatre style seating in the back and cutesy European style granite tabletopped tables, and the baristas actually know how to make a macchiato. The gorgeous red Marzocco esperesso machine glowed and bubbled, the music was recognizable without pretension, and in general, it is friendlier and less of a hey-please-watch-out-for-my-mac-book-pro-charger-cord kind of place.

For the scenesters in Bushwick, Cafe Orwell still gets it done, but for the main strip, Morgantown needed a more hostpitable cafe, one where you can actually meet someone for a date, or even better, talk about life and literature, without getting the hairy eyeball from the people sitting next to you.

Don’t get me wrong, I loved Archive. And the way I’m describing it makes it out to be the kind of cafe where everyone regards you with a sneer. In fact, people were generally friendly there, but it was the vibe that made the difference. The Archive had been in place for years, and so had the people working there. That said, I’m thankful that there’s a clean coffee slate in my new neighborhood.