We’re not opposed to doing a straightforward comparison of Brooklyn neighborhoods, coming right out and declaring which one is the BEST. But, you know, we’ve done that before. Like, more than once. So instead of doing it again, we decided to forgo comparing a group of totally disparate things in order to (somewhat) arbitrarily claim that one is unequivocally better than the others, and instead celebrate the differences inherent within all these neighborhoods. And we decided to do it using pseudo-high school yearbook superlatives. No, we didn’t declare Red Hook to have the Best Hair or Crown Heights to be Most Likely to Succeed (although we could easily make a case for both of those classifications), but we did try and distill the qualities most unique to each neighborhood in order to explore what it is exactly that makes these places so special.
Hey geniuses… Ali’s Roti and A&A Bake and Doubles are in BED-STUY. Crown Heights does not start until Atlantic Ave.
Hey Jennifer,
Actually, there’s an Ali’s on Utica and Carroll, which is definitely Crown Heights. But you’re certainly right about A&A being right across the Bed-Stuy/Crown Heights border. Thanks so much for commenting. You seem very nice.
I found this article or whatever it is depressing and very much high school the sign of the times etc…the caviler tone and general not really caring oh and Bushwick is filled with rich kids and…. Brooklyn has received so much hype and bull it is a joke the reality is while it is beautiful there is little difference between it and another wealthy suburb keeping up with the Jones mentality. You spoke of the rich kids in Bushwick at least there is still a semblance of diversity and middle class left trying to hold on for dear life. All those people with kids go to private schools are will eventually move to the burbs aren’t we just basically slumming or the hypocritical liberal elitism.
As a long time residence of 30+ years the change and wealth is drastic and ugly. I had never witness such nonsense hype of just a brand name if one cannot afford Brooklyn you can’t possibly life in the other boroughs without being ridiculed. I have seen so many great vibrant neighborhoods destroyed threw the years loosing all character and turning into the cities and states we had escaped from. I myself prefer a Duane Reade over another trendy restraint, cupcake joint or bar I can’t afford. I remember when one could live in Queens, Hoboken, Jersey City anywhere that was just affordable and manage to survive Forest Hills has wonderful schools but oh that is so not cool….it must be Brooklyn…ha ha.
There is the whole cycle of suburbia moving back to the cities and yes cities are great or were at one time when everyone could live here. Yes, I know the whole Bloomberg, development, greedy landlords and so on yet do we really want a city or just another suburb. So many artist and true cultural enthusiast had given up on the city yet the hype will continue.. The others or old folks like myself who had lived rent stabilized for years and can’t afford Brooklyn and have moved to Queens just hope for better times ahead. We are not “losers” and much hipper then you will ever be many have made the history that NYC once stood for in the arts and could not get into the whore or hack mode of survival one needs now. The capitals would say get the fuck out not caring about the history and this is very sad as it was never an easy city to live in.
It was a much better city and a more livable one in the so-called bad days. One saw history in the making art, music and film you knew you were in a special place of true eccentricity one just learned how to handle the negatives or don’t act like a jackass.. The cliches of bombed out building and crime was much exaggerated by media and movies yet it did keep the masses out which was wonderful. We had our artistic playground and it was amazing yet there was so much sadness and deaths not so much by crime but by hard drugs and the aids epidemic.
It was a very different era of time money was not the judge it was great for the quote weirdo’s and freaks that could not live any where else. Everyone discovered its glory and freedom yet the soul and believe was lost. I just think of a stage set now filled with beautiful people and gimmicks but little happens anymore this is sad and a combination of change era etc… yet it is not cool to complain or even care hopefully that trend will come back. Sorry for the rant or thinking out loud it is just so frustrating to see what is happening to cities in general and the mind set of just wanting to belong to something.
642 words.
Why no mention of Prospect Lefferts Gardens?
This article sucks! I feel like this is written by Helen Keller about her amazing trip to Brooklyn!
regarding the superlative ‘Most Likely To Be the Subject of a New York Times Trend Piece in Two Years’, the coffee shop shown in the photo is Tugboat Tea Company, located in Prospect Lefferts Gardens – not East New York.
You’re right Winthroper; I can’t believe I missed that!