Everything about this apartment was great: location, transportation, brownstone building and interior layout, conveniences, garden and host. Tucked a few buildings down from a busy intersection this lovely classic brownstone sits on a quiet residential street. It's not silent, for there are the urban sounds of construction heard during workdays and occasional siren, but that's part of the rhythm of a city. In contrast, our quiet residential street at home has the annoying and frequent sound of gas powered lawnmowers and leaf blowers regularly disrupting the peace. It ain't the country.
The access to public transportation is outstanding. A five minute walk to a subway hub that easily connects you to Brooklyn, Manhattan and other boroughs. We never had to transfer going to Manhattan. We jogged to Brooklyn Bridge Park and Fort Greene Park, walked to Brooklyn Botanical Gardens and Prospect Park. There are great bakeries, coffee shops, cafes, bagels, restaurants from fine cuisine to fast food, stores (Whole Foods a 3-4 minute walk.), and others all within walking distance.
I drove to NY experienced in the challenges of parking and traffic in the city. In most cases a car is unnecessary and more hassle than convenience. When I did need the car, I sometimes found a parking space within minutes a few blocks away, but at worst prowled the streets for 40 minutes until ultimately found a space a half mile away.
The brownstone is an well maintained example of these classic historic homes. The apartment is well designed, well provisioned, very clean, secure and easy to settle into as your home during your stay. The backyard garden was a special treat for us. We ate breakfast in the shade listening to singing birds and dinners when we cooked and stayed in. It added an addition dimension of pleasure to our stay.
The host is terrific. She always responded to our inquiries expediently, was friendly and warm to talk with, provided excellent recommendations and left us to enjoy the apartment as our own.
As readers might gather, we loved our stay on State Street in Brooklyn.