9th St, Park Slope

9th Street is pretty much the main east-west drag in Park Slope. While all of the parallel streets are single lane, one way streets that are mostly residential, 9th Street is the one with four lanes of traffic and is lined with a number of places to spend your money.

I think because there is so much traffic on this street, it's not as pretty as other streets in the area, and because of all the storefronts, fast food joints, banks and the YMCA, there is a definite lack of the charming brownstones that the neighborhood has become known for (with the exception of the area closest to Prospect Park). Withstanding that, 9th Street is somewhat unavoidable - if you live in the area, this is a very practical street to visit. All of the trains that visit the neighborhood stop here - the F, G, M and R - and the street has everything that a Brooklynite would want: pizza, grocery, banks, gyms, and bars.

Highlights include the 9th Street entrance of Prospect Park (located close to the baseball diamonds as well as the concert shell where they have free shows all summer) and Barbès, a bar that features new music just about every night.

I do live in the area, but I can't say that I would want to live right on 9th Street, since it stays so busy with traffic and nightlife - it's not the quietest place to be in Park Slope, but it can be fun.

America is the undisputed home of country music and all its associated forms but you would never class New York as a spiritual home for all things Americana. However if your US trip is based in New York and you fancy a good old fashioned hoedown, get along to 9C on 9th Street which plays host to some of the greatest country and bluegrass bands around. The patrons and staff were all helpful and we had a terrific night out in a manner that was a break from the norm.