East Village Dérive Reflection

By: Astha Vidulkar

Walk Duration: ~45 minutes

Location: East Village, NYC

Walked Alone

Rules Followed:

• Turn right whenever I saw a fire escape.
• Cross the street whenever I passed a deli or bodega.
• Follow people wearing red for 30 seconds, then break off.
• Change direction immediately whenever I heard a siren.
• Cross the street whenever I saw a dog.

Experience and Observations:

I began my dérive near the 1 Av Subway station with no set destination. Almost immediately, the fire escape rule caused frequent right turns, especially along older side streets. Deli crossings broke my momentum often, pulling me across avenues unpredictably.

Following people wearing red introduced strange moments of intimacy and discomfort. Sometimes I felt like part of their journey, other times aware of how separate we all remain in a big city. Sirens, frequent in this area, abruptly shifted my direction multiple times, increasing the feeling of disorientation.

Dogs were everywhere—near parks, in front of cafes, even sticking their heads out of apartment windows—causing even more crossings. The landscape shifted from crowded noisy corners to quieter, tree-lined residential streets near Tompkins Square Park. Different spaces deeply affected my emotional state: alleys and tight streets created a sense of being boxed in, while wide open intersections and parks felt expansive and free.

Reflection:

This dérive highlighted how little attention I normally pay when walking with purpose. Without goals, every block, sound, and smell stood out sharply. The East Village revealed itself not as a grid of destinations, but as an emotional topography—chaotic, playful, and deeply textured. Letting go of direction made me feel more connected to the environment, like I was part of the city’s rhythms rather than a traveler moving through them.