Yay for the Neighborhood

I feel like I have to defend my neighborhood choice to most of my Manhattan-centric friends in NYC, except for those who specifically live in Brooklyn. Yes, it's safe, beautiful, has great restaurants, shops, and Manhattan-like demographics... all without the Manhattan-like hassles and annoyances. At the same time, I can get to most points of interst in Manhattan with ease: Chinatown/Canal Street in 3 stops, Union Square in 4 stops, Times Square in 6. It's also nice living beside the 2nd largest Greenmarket in NYC (after the one in Union Square), Prospect Park (Olmstead's self-proclaimed masterpiece, even over his other creation, Central Park!), a huge public library, a museum of art (2nd only to the Met), and 2 restaurant rows?

The American Planning Association came out with a list of America's Top Neighborhoods, and Park Slope was the only NYC neighborhood to make the cut:

http://www.planning.org/greatplaces/neighborhoods/parkslope.htm

As a side note, I'm also impressed that Elmwood Village in Buffalo made the list. I actually really loved that area when I was still studying in Buffalo!