Brooklyn, one of New York?s five boroughs, is connected to Manhattan by the mighty Brooklyn Bridge, spanning 1.3 miles across the East River.  On its opening day in 1883, amid much fanfare and celebrations, more that 150,000 people walked across it. Local residents later suspected that the structure was unsound and rumours continued to spread until the flamboyant Phineas Taylor Barnum; founder of the Barnum and Bailey Circus; guided 21 elephants over it.  Recognised as a National Historic Landmark in 1964, the Brooklyn Bridge continues to be a major tourism attraction.
Today, Brooklyn is in fashion, it?s a ?go to? destination for tourism, a focal point for up and coming entrepreneurs, digital start-up companies, and a ?cool? spot for modern designers and artists. Keen to experience life in the local community, I moved into a two bedroom apartment in a classic Victorian brownstone property located in the leafy Bedford-Stuyvesant neighbourhood. Only 2.5 blocks from the subway, this is the perfect spot in the heart of the action giving guests the opportunity to take part in local life, if only for a short time. The apartment, listed on the HomeAway website, is comfortable and spacious and features an enormous kitchen with every appliance including a washing machine and dryer. There is also a garden with a barbeque and a selection of garden furniture, which is ideal when the night temperature is favourable. I strolled along to Bedford Avenue and popped into Fancy Nanc...