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Here's a link that I relied on heavily when I lived in Carroll Gardens and Park Slope. It gives a walking map, shows you shops, and services and street-by-street information.
I was born in Brooklyn a million years ago, left for years, and came back to NYC in the late 90s. It was not easy to readjust to either the City (Manhattan) or Brooklyn, but if I had to put out rent, I'd say these few neighbourhoods are among the most "hip" and I ain't hip I am a former 60s gener. Too old to be hip anymore but I sure appreciate the cafe next door, fresh baked bread, the quick and easy Mom and Pop grocery stores, the variety of food shops--etc. Park Slope, 7th Avenue had lots to look at and some great shopping. Carroll Gardens (same F train) has many shops, perhaps not as many, but a real neighbourhood feel to it. Still many lifers who are friendly, warm and speak Italian. If you keep going, following the F train you find other good neighbourhoods. The oldest and most expensive may be Brooklyn Heights, but with luck, you may even find a 1-bedroom for what you might pay elsewhere.
Good luck!
And about the car, keep it for a month or two and see how you feel. I loved having a car and hated it, too, for all the reasons given above.
I find it very funny that you would put Dyker hights and Britton Beach as good areas. I quess if its a white area than its good. Its people like you that perpetuate this vicious cycle of racism in this country. Dyker Hights is one of the most racist and vicious areas in all of Brooklyn. A gay man was recently beat down, robed and left to die on a freeway there. Britton Beach is a hotbed for Drugs and Prostitution. There are alot of illegal eastern europeans there. The sex trade is one of the biggest industry there. It is also run by the mafia. I would be very carefull renting there. Most of the buildings are run down (no heat etc) and if you complain, you will be dealing with landlords who are being controlled by criminal elements in the area. Bay Ridge is very bla and blend. Nothing there at all. It is also about 2 hours away from manhattan, depending on where you live. Its not safe at all. Its a very erky feeling to it. They are not very welcoming to outsiders. The crime rate in Bay Ridge is actually higher than in Flatbush. I quess we autimatically assume a white area will automatically have a lower crime rate than a black area. If I were to move it will have to be Flatbush. First its smack dead in the middle of Brooklyn, near all subway lines and half hour away from Manhattan as well as coney island. The culture is about as diverse as you can get. In just 5 minutes, you can turn the corner and you are in a jewish area, Carribean or mixed area with arabs and hispanics. But the greatest story in Brooklyn is the carribean population. It is full of culture, food and restaurents. They've singlehandily revitalized Flatbush and Crown Hights. Its like night and day. Every corner there is a Carribean restaurent. If you ever go there try curry goat, Haitian Skinless fried Chicken, Bakes and Cod fish, Cook up and a variety of jaimacan patties as well as hatian codfish patties, (heaven). Take a stroll on saturday or sunday afternoon (its save) down in flatbush ave between Parkside avenue and Berveley road, It's like being in a cultural epicenter of every carribean country in the world. The colors, Music, food etc and that little perceived element of danger Its litterally the cultural center of brooklyn. Sadly most whites and tourist will never see it because of the perception of fear, which is not all reality.
Whow! All you did was get me hungry and missing it. I worked in the Crown Heights area and there was one little one-man shop on a side street--to die for!
Don't tout Crown Heights too much, it will only get gentrified to death and get expensive!
Oh, I wish I could go out this minute and have a goat curry! All I get is tamales!
Happy new year!
Quote:
Originally Posted by theanswer
I find it very funny that you would put Dyker hights and Britton Beach as good areas. I quess if its a white area than its good. Its people like you that perpetuate this vicious cycle of racism in this country. Dyker Hights is one of the most racist and vicious areas in all of Brooklyn. A gay man was recently beat down, robed and left to die on a freeway there. Britton Beach is a hotbed for Drugs and Prostitution. There are alot of illegal eastern europeans there. The sex trade is one of the biggest industry there. It is also run by the mafia. I would be very carefull renting there. Most of the buildings are run down (no heat etc) and if you complain, you will be dealing with landlords who are being controlled by criminal elements in the area. Bay Ridge is very bla and blend. Nothing there at all. It is also about 2 hours away from manhattan, depending on where you live. Its not safe at all. Its a very erky feeling to it. They are not very welcoming to outsiders. The crime rate in Bay Ridge is actually higher than in Flatbush. I quess we autimatically assume a white area will automatically have a lower crime rate than a black area. If I were to move it will have to be Flatbush. First its smack dead in the middle of Brooklyn, near all subway lines and half hour away from Manhattan as well as coney island. The culture is about as diverse as you can get. In just 5 minutes, you can turn the corner and you are in a jewish area, Carribean or mixed area with arabs and hispanics. But the greatest story in Brooklyn is the carribean population. It is full of culture, food and restaurents. They've singlehandily revitalized Flatbush and Crown Hights. Its like night and day. Every corner there is a Carribean restaurent. If you ever go there try curry goat, Haitian Skinless fried Chicken, Bakes and Cod fish, Cook up and a variety of jaimacan patties as well as hatian codfish patties, (heaven). Take a stroll on saturday or sunday afternoon (its save) down in flatbush ave between Parkside avenue and Berveley road, It's like being in a cultural epicenter of every carribean country in the world. The colors, Music, food etc and that little perceived element of danger Its litterally the cultural center of brooklyn. Sadly most whites and tourist will never see it because of the perception of fear, which is not all reality.
The crime rate in Bay Ridge is actually higher than in Flatbush. I quess we autimatically assume a white area will automatically have a lower crime rate than a black area. Sadly most whites and tourist will never see [Flatbush] because of the perception of fear, which is not all reality.
Actually, according to the current NYPD crime statistics, that's not really correct.
Not to mention that Flatbush has the third-highest murder rate among precincts in Brooklyn, the fourth-highest robbery rate, and the second-highest burglary rate...to put things in perspective.
Furthermore, by population figures...if you live in the 68th, you stand a 0.11% chance of being robbed and a 0.29% chance of being burglarized. If you live in the 67th (Flatbush), you stand a 0.29% chance of being robbed and a 0.32% chance of being burglarized. The murder rate chances are too small to be included.
This is not a statement of racism or prejudice. I don't know the cultural makeup of each Brooklyn neighborhood. I just moved here. I do know, however, that your assertion was incorrect, and that makes your argument a fallacy as well.
Not to mention that Flatbush has the third-highest murder rate among precincts in Brooklyn, the fourth-highest robbery rate, and the second-highest burglary rate...to put things in perspective.
Furthermore, by population figures...if you live in the 68th, you stand a 0.11% chance of being robbed and a 0.29% chance of being burglarized. If you live in the 67th (Flatbush), you stand a 0.29% chance of being robbed and a 0.32% chance of being burglarized. The murder rate chances are too small to be included.
This is not a statement of racism or prejudice. I don't know the cultural makeup of each Brooklyn neighborhood. I just moved here. I do know, however, that your assertion was incorrect, and that makes your argument a fallacy as well.
I am sorry to burst your bubble, but flatbush is covered by more than one precint.
The population is alot more than dense than bay ridge. The murder rate is mostly wanna be gansters and never involve by-standers. I've lived in flatbush all my life. I've never been robed, no one in my family has ever been raped, murdered or burglarized. I feel save walking out the store at anytime. Thats good enough statistics for me. I have a question for you, a 0.29% chance of getting robbed Vs 0.11% whooo, .18% difference hmm you'll have a better chance at winning the lottery. But a 0.32% chance of being burglarized, oh noooo lets call in the 87th Airborn and clean this up, and we might as well put some diapers on horses and do away with the up coming war on Easter.I stand corrected.
Last edited by theanswer; 01-07-2007 at 07:04 PM..
It's people like me who perpetuate this cycle of racism?
Theanswer - I resent your characterization of me. You don't know me, you don't know how I feel or how I think, or on what basis I wrote what I did.
You don't know what activities I engage in or what people I associate with.
In fact, you don't know anything about me beyond what I choose to write on this forum.
It does not lie in your mouth, pen, keyboard or whatever to post such a statement about the motivations or inner feelings of someone you do not know.
Your statment was rude, inapproprate and gratuitious.
You may be right, that the person who replied to your post, nor any of us, know anything about you, but you must admit (if you an NYC native you would know firsthand), that the racism problem is very black and white. You can't believe everything you read in the paper, honey, I'm sure there are plenty of crimes happening in the white areas that the rest of the world doesn't hear about because the crimes aren't reported or better yet, because the mainstream media doesn't want to report about them.
I can give you a run-down on places I've lived (below) but I think your best bet is to come and drive through most of these neighborhoods so you can see for yourself what you're comfortable with.
Bay Ridge may once have been mostly white but there has been a large influx of Middle Eastern/Arabic/South Asian people. (This is not a judgment just stating the cultural mix) Lots of good restaurants and access to shops. Bay Ridge is a reasonably safe area to live or work in. As far as price, it is somewhat cheaper than Park Slope (say $1200 to $1300s for a one bedroom) but it is also on a local subway line (the R train) and parking is difficult. I personally like it here, my only complaint is that I'm too close to where I work and so I'm always running into my students. I wouldn't mind a little more distance from them.
Dyker Heights is cheaper still and reasonably safe as well. I do not know about this particular incident that a person posted about earlier involving a gay man being beaten but that is not the norm. It too is a little more remote in terms of access to train lines so if subway access is important then you need to stay close to the D or N line.
Sunset Park is between Bay Ridge and Park Slope. It has better subway access and is cheaper than both however it is a neighborhood that is just beginning a transition. There are some poorer parts and some nicer parts. A lot of two and three family houses in this neighborhood have been selling for $600 to $700K so it seems like it may be beginning a revival. There are some beautiful row houses and brownstones so it would be nice to see this neighborhood get back on its feet.
Park Slope is a fun neighborhood with more diversity and a large gay community. It has great restaurants, cute shops and organic markets. BUT...it is pricey. Rents are high and purchase prices are even higher. That said, it has great access to subways and is close to Manhattan.
Prospect Heights, which is close to PS is a wee bit less expensive.
Williamsburg and Greenpoint have nice areas and sketchy areas but are also close to NYC and have good bars and restaurants. Rents are going up, but then where aren't they?
Bensonhurst is rather remote if you need to commute into the city but the rents are a lot cheaper because of that. This is also a neighborhood in transition and there are some parts that are nice and some that are also sketchy.
Just to clarify what I meant by sketchy as far as Bensonhurst is concerned...
In Bensonhurst I had a huge apt for 1200/month (two bedrooms plus large living room and dining room) but the building was older and less cared for and there was an unfortunate roach problem that never got resolved in spite of monthly exterminator visits.
Definitely Park Slope. Close to subways (dump the car, it will make your life hell), good night life, easy commute into the city, lots of shops and delis. Prospect Park is adjacent to Park Slope and it's incredible. It even has it's own web site, prospectpark.org.
Bay Ridge may be cheaper, but the vibe is totally different. Sorry Bay Ridge lovers, but Bay Ridge is boring. There is always something to do in Park Slope, plus Manhattan is a quick subway ride away.
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arel your wrong
Its litterally the cultural center of brooklyn. Sadly most whites and tourist will never see it because of the perception of fear, which is not all reality.
