We were sorry to leave our fabulous Brooklyn host, apartment and neighbourhood. Frances not only met us on arrival but also kept in regular contact with us during our two-week stay in New York to make sure we had everything we needed. We really appreciated her organising a pick-up from the airport to her apartment. After nearly 24 hours of flying, we didn't want the hassle of having to work out how to get to her from JFK.
Frances had some great recommendations for where to eat, shop and visit in the local area and had a great array of New York and Brooklyn guide books and maps to help us during our stay. Shes is well-travelled herself and was a delight to talk with.
The apartment is the basement of a four apartment building in which Frances herself also lives, so she was on hand should be need anything. It was exactly as advertised and just what we wanted – spacious, clean, well-appointed, quiet, and comfortable, with a very comfy bed, and we appreciated having a washing machine and dryer.
Frances' apartment is in the culturally diverse and up-and coming area of Bed-Stuy, close to two subways connecting to Manhattan, and with plenty of close-by amenities, including a supermarket, cafes and bottle stores, and just a short walk (about 30 minutes) to downtown Brooklyn.
In our immediate neighbourhood (essentially a two-block area) we loved our meal at the Cuban restaurant Pilar, went back for more of the divine donuts at Dough, enjoyed a couple of drinks at Bedford Hill Cafe, and had a lot of fun with Benjamin at Nice Pizza. We bought some great bottles of wine at the two wine stores just around the corner from the apartment, although our favourite was the French one on Franklin Ave.
We spent time walking around different parts of Brooklyn, including the beautiful Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn Heights and Promenade, and Park Slope. We always felt safe, no matter what time of day or night we were out.
Of course many of the things we wanted to see and do were on Manhattan but it was an easy walk to the two subway stations (Classon for the G line and Franklin Ave for the C line), with plenty of trains to get us into and back from Manhattan, at whatever time of day we were travelling. We recommend getting a seven-day Metro pass, which allows holders onto metro trains and buses.
However, we decided to stay in Brooklyn rather than Manhattan so we could experience a real neighbourhood with real people. We were also keen to be able to come ‘home’ each night, rather than returning to an anonymous hotel without home comforts.
This is exactly what we got and we can heartily recommend Frances as a wonderful host and her fabulous apartment to anyone wanting the same kind of ‘real’ New York experience.
Thanks Frances – you helped make our long-awaited New York holiday truly a trip to remember.