Hicks St Between Pierrepont St and Clark St

The variety of different buildings on this street could easily be overlooked thanks to the heavy tree coverage. Despite being the middle of the morning, the block was practically black with the shade from the overgrowth. Being just two blocks from the water means you're looking at some pretty pricey real estate here – the nice cars give it away, too.

Constant construction is a way of life in New York City, and these fancy neighborhoods are no exception. Several of the brownstone buildings and apartments were in different stages of renovation. A few steps away from Pierrepont St, Love Ln looks like a classic alleyway that you'd see in the movies. Which makes it all the less surprising when you learn that several commercials and movies, including Burn After Reading, were filmed on this block.

Hicks St Between Pineapple St and Cranberry St

   

Quiet and isolated, if you walk around here early on a Sunday morning as I did, all you're likely to find is a few people walking to church and some closed storefronts. The architecture and the street are so unwaveringly authentic in their historic sensibilities, that it makes me have the adult-equivalent of this reaction (replace "fluffy" with "historic".)

Even the cars fit in with the neighborhood. At the end of the block I came across a beautiful aquamarine-painted Chrysler New Yorker, which, despite needing some fresh paint, seemed to be in pretty good condition. It was the perfect image to compliment the rest of the street.

Clark St Between Cadman Plaza and Henry St

   

The first segment of this block has a hint of Roosevelt Island-style architecture as you walk by a row of modernist apartments. They flank each side of the block, connecting on the east side with a pedestrian bridge over the street. Feeling completely out of place amongst the beautiful classic Brooklyn Heights buildings, it's a shame they had to be built here. In another context I wouldn't mind something so bizarre (I can sometimes appreciate otherwise ugly buildings for their unique style), but in this case it really detracts from the neighborhood.

The remainder of the block is thankfully true-to-form as both the small and large buildings all fit in with the accepted style of the area. The most notable one is the Hotel St.George – which now operates as a combination of student housing and a co-op. Built around the turn of the last century, the main building on the corner here is only the most visible of a handful of structures which used to fill the entire block. Once the largest hotel in New York City it boasted such features as the largest salt water pool in the country and the largest banquet room in the world. Sitting directly atop the 2/3 Subway station, it's incredibly easy to get back to Manhattan from here.

The stores in the area are all rather quaint and appear locally-owned. One of the businesses is a video rental store which is a category that, to me, has officially transitioned over to the likes of shoe shiners, umbrella salesmen and cafeterias as a humble relic of a bygone era. So, it fits in perfectly here.

Montague St Between Henry St and Hicks St

   

Billed as Brooklyn Heights' Main Street by its Business Improvement website, Montague Street does not disappoint in that respect. Feeling like a small town, there aren't any hints of Manhattan, Subways or Busses as you walk down this humble block.

Being right in the middle of one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the borough, it's not at all surprising to find storefront after storefront filled with pricey businesses. The corner of Henry St is anchored by the upscale real estate firm Corcoran while Häagen-Dazs isn't far behind. An organic grocery was in the middle of the block, with a Lifewater vending machine out front…none of that Poland Spring trash for this neighborhood.

Joralemon St Between Clinton St and Henry St

    

This part of Joralemon Street was my first encounter with Brooklyn Heights and it really sets a good tone for the rest of the neighborhood. The healthy mix of small and large buildings is further enriched by the fact that many of them are beautiful examples of classic architecture. The small details in an area like this give a sense that the people who live here really care for their community. There's nothing you would consider run-down or neglected.

After I walked out of the Subway at Borough Hall, it amazed me how quickly the crowds and traffic died down once you walk just a block or two. Considering you have direct access to the 2,3,4,5,M,R,A and C trains, several busses and the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges it's not a surprise that this neighborhood is so expensive and sought-after.

Poplar St Between Hicks St and Henry St

   

Feeling a bit lonely and misplaced, Poplar St is an isolated segment which holds a myriad of buildings. Beginning with public garden and a series of new homes on the north side, the block is balanced by construction and abandoned lots on the south side.

The most interesting thing on the block is perhaps the abandoned 84th Precinct building. Boarded up and looking awfully dull, there are plans to redevelop them into market-rate apartments.

With the street ending at an impassable wall, there's an unavoidable feeling of being blocked in. This isn't a common feeling for Brooklyn Heights, which typically feels quaint and airy.