Brooklyn

Red Hook is a quiet and affordable community that was once very isolated. It is still pretty isolated, but the past few years have brought changes that have upset some longtime residents and inspired new residents to move here. For starters, this was a very small town with small, family businesses and where everyone knew each other. This became a place for artists, where there were unique shops and restaurants. Now, there's an IKEA and a Fairway. This beautiful neighborhood was a popular choice for retailers, developers, and newcomers, because it had beautiful views of the city skyline, and cheap property prices. Yet, it has still largely remained isolated, probably because it's hard to get to. The G train is a nightmare and the F train, which is often described as "within walking distance" is actually a rather scary trek around highways and under bridges away. There is bus service, but it's rarely on time and it takes forever. While it is pleasant and definitely has its perks, Red Hook isn't for everyone. A lot of people think that they will like the solitude, but they end up missing the bustling atmosphere of other parts of the city and leave.

Boerum Hill is one of those Brooklyn neighborhoods that manages to attract quite a variety of outsiders with its endless shops, cafes, and restaurants (admittedly, I mostly head to Boerum for the shopping experience) despite being small in stature.

The past forty years or so have seen this near-Downtown Brooklyn area transformed from a not-so-safe place to one whose tree lined streets practically wink and glitter at you. Brownstones here look much like the ones in Park Slope - that is to say, lovely - but I think the shopping experience may be better than what you find in surrounding neighborhoods. For example, those ladies with designers in mind will find boutiques that cater to exactly their purpose, and those with a more mainstream aesthetic in mind can head to Urban or American Apparel.

It may be important to note that the neighborhood doesn't conform to brownstones like Park Slope seems to - the occasional brick home makes itself known in Boerum Hill. Park life is a little lacking, but it's not far too Fort Greene Park and there are quite a few trees on the neighborhood's residential streets.

It's obvious that the locals love their Boerum Hill neighborhood as the streets are among the city's cleanest, even if people are always on the area's sidewalks in droves. Yards, stoops and private buildings are well-maintained - it's almost like being in one of those gated communities in which people are required to meet certain standards that appeal to the eye. This neighborhood attracts families (though nowadays a family dwelling in this area is likely to cost millions), as it is safe and tends to quiet down pretty early in the evening. Nightlife is limited to restaurant-going - there are a few corner bars, but no clubs that I've really seen.

Atlantic Ave is the neighborhood's most happening street - it's lined with places to eat and shop and the traffic is jammed up regularly until after nightfall - but side streets like Court and Smith can be just as interesting to the casual shopper/restaurant goer and are often more populated with sidewalk traffic.

Just like any outer borough - or even like Manhattan itself - Brooklyn has its bright spots (Park Slope, Cobble Hill, Williamsburg), and it also is home to neighborhoods that no one should have to reside in (Brownsville, East New York). But it was once its own city, and walking around Brooklyn today that much is still apparent; Brooklyn remains very much a unique flavor, and each neighborhood is a variation on that flavor.

Sure, there are more middle class, non-trendy neighborhoods than anything else - but those have a vibe that can't be matched by Manhattan neighborhoods, and you can usually bet that there is a family-owned pizzeria nearby that serves up a mean slice. There are some unexpected niches in some of these middle class neighborhoods as well, like the virtual Chinatown in Sunset Park, where you can get fabulous dim sum at places like Pacificana.

Nicer, more expensive places to live - like Boreum Hill/Cobble Hill and Park Slope - are truly beautiful with their brownstones, numerous cafes and shops, and their leafy green streets. There is a certain moneyed air about neighborhoods like these - it's almost like being in a shorter version of the Upper East Side in Manhattan, but with much younger neighborhoods.

Then of course there are the neighborhoods into which the trendster set has spilled - the hipster neighborhood of Williamsburg. The rents have shot up in Williamsburg in the past few years, so poorer twenty-somethings who want to be close to the action have had to move into Greenpoint and Bushwick, the latter of which is certainly the more affordable - if not the safest - choice. Williamsburg does have some cool bars and some really awesome shopping holes, but overall it's not a beautiful as Park Slope - and McCarren Park is no match for Prospect Park, by far Brooklyn's most awesome park.

A few streets are Nostrand, Utica, and Franklin ave can be particularly dangerous, due to rivaling gangs and robberies. On Nostrand ave (which goes from Crown Heights into Bed-stuy) can be rather dangerous to unfamilars because rastafari can have hot tempers. Drugs was (and still is) a issue, but not as much as before. Franklin is known for Blood gangs, and Utica for robberies.

The neighborhood of Brooklyn heights is often likened to Manhattan’s Upper East Side peppered as it with Greek revival and Italianate style red brick and brownstone row houses many of which cost millions. In fact the neighborhood rivals Upper Manhattan not only in prices but also in the beauty and grandeur of the edifices. Brooklyn Heights was in fact one of the fist districts in New York City to be declared as a historical district by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Some of the area’s most prominent public buildings include the Queen Ann style, Brooklyn Historical society which is located on Pierre Point and Clinton streets and Borough Hall which is an exponent of the Romanesque style as is the US post office building and Court house.

The boundaries of the Brooklyn Heights area extend from Fulton Street near Brooklyn Bridge to Atlantic Avenue in the South and from the East River to Cadman Plaza Park. Some of the area’s most prestigious addresses are located along its most prominent streets like Montague Street, Columbia Heights and Pierre Point Street. Brooklyn Heights also has within its folds the grand Hotel St George which is located on Hicks Street and which once was a 1000 room hotel with a ball room and a salt water swimming pool but which has now been converted into a complex of co-op buildings.

The star attraction in Brooklyn Heights is of course its water-front promenade which has featured in countless Hollywood movies as it affords breath taking vistas of lower Manhattan. In fact some of the most expensive properties in Brooklyn Heights command the price that they do because of the spectacular views that they offer.

Yet another reason which contributes to the Height’s popularity is the excellent schooling facilities that it offers. PS 29(pre-k -5) which is located on Henry Street is a much sought after public school while St Ann’s has its various campuses at Willow, Henry and Pierre Point streets is regarded to be one of the best private schools in the city. Aside from these top ranking schools the area also has other good schools like the Brooklyn Heights Montessori school , the Brooklyn Friends School and the Packer Collegiate as well as the St Francis College which is located on Remsen Street.