Van Brunt St, Red Hook

Friends of mine that have lived in Red Hook swear it's necessary to have a car if you live on this street or elsewhere in this neighborhood, but car drivers beware: while Van Brunt Street is paved, many of the surrounding streets are made of shoddy bricks. Van Brunt is one of the neighborhoods busier streets - but there still isn't much traffic around here.

Much of the draw has to do with Fairway Market at the end of the street (if you haven't been, I recommend you check it out - it's right on the water and there's a little cafe in the bakery area where you can take a break from shopping and take in the view). There's also a little wine shop a few blocks from Fairway - Dry Dock - and while it's not exactly a huge draw for people who live outside the neighborhood, I find myself stopping there just about every time I do any shopping at Fairway, which doesn't sell any wine. The people there are knowledgeable and friendly, and all of their recommendations have worked wonders for my pasta dishes.

Van Brunt is a kind of quaint street that offers both a residential feel and a commercial one, as it is lined with the occasional antique shop or barbecue pub. Perhaps the one down side of living on this street is that if you have no choice but to take public transportation, the only train available to you is the G train, which is not exactly MTA's most reputable transit option.

Red Hook is the next hot area in Brooklyn. Get in now before prices go sky high!

Not all of New York has been taken over by the major brands and there are signs of the underground fighting their corner. Van Brunt Street is a classic example of the New York with some tremendous graffiti mixing with karaoke bars and cobbled streets creating a mish mash of many different scenes and cultures.

Located at 499 Van Brunt St is the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, an organization of some of the most talented artists in Brooklyn, and throughout the state of New York. If you are lucky to be a Brooklyn resident or visiting between May through October, I recommend checking in to see when one of their three exhibits is occurring. If not, the Artists Coalition also holds concerts and free events during the weekends.