Brooklyn Baltimore, MD

The Brooklyn neighborhood has been essential to the import and export businesses of the area for a long time. The shipping ports located in the waterfront community have been essential to its growth and diversity for decades. There are no museums in or around the neighborhood, so residents need to travel north to Baltimore. The closest gallery or performance center would be the Chesapeake Arts Center on Hammonds Lane about 8 minutes south of Brooklyn. Folks enjoy several galleries and theater spaces as well as a dance studio and music room with a ceramics lab nearby. To enjoy all the amenities at the center residents must register and pay a monthly fee. Because of the lack of cultural centers and museums there are no artistic events or cultural events held in the neighborhood on an annual basis.

Not too many independently owned restaurants exist inside the small waterfront neighborhood. Many chain restaurants and fast food places can be found in the area, but there remain only a few good local restaurants and bars left. Sweet Home Jamaica on South Hanover Street proves to be the neighborhood's best Caribbean restaurant. The restaurant also provides live reggae music on some nights, making customers feel as if they're in the islands. The menu features classic island dishes such as curried goat or oxtail and amazing seafood. Pineapple shrimp and brown stew with tilapia remain local favorites. The prices are very affordable, especially for the portion sizes served. Maynards Cafe on South Hanover Street provides a chill and relaxed atmosphere for customers while they enjoy homemade fare and drinks. The cafe acts as one of the neighborhood's best night spots, where people can eat and drink while enjoying karaoke nights several times a week and DJs on weekends. Happy hour remains a local favorite with drink and appetizer specials every night until 8 pm. The food and drink prices remain reasonable. Shark's Tooth Bar on 4th Avenue at the southwest tip of the neighborhood serves as the go-to bar for a night out. The bar features special and fun events almost every night of the week. Mondays feature beer-pong tournaments with cash prizes and free shots as well as a $5 burger-and-fries dinner. Tuesday nights are Ladies' Night and Thursdays serve as Trivia Night with prizes. Friday and Saturday residents come here to enjoy live music and DJs, with drink specials all night.

Transportation in and around the neighborhood can be quite easy. Local and commuter buses run in and out of the neighborhood with fares starting at $1.60 per person for a one-way ticket. Commuter bus fare runs higher and varies depending on the destination. A day pass for the bus costs $3.50. Driving around the neighborhood remains easy as several major roadways are located in and around the area. Interstate 895 runs east and west along the north section of the neighborhood along the waterfront. South Hanover Street and Potee Street run north and south providing a straight route into downtown Baltimore. Gotta-Go Sedan taxi service provides fast and friendly service to the residents of Brooklyn. The company's headquarters can be found right in the center of the neighborhood. Rates start at $5 for a trip anywhere inside the neighborhood. Uber car services can be used in Brooklyn with fares starting at $6 to $8 to go from one end of the neighborhood to the other. For the elite SUV service fares start at $25 for the same trip. No parking lots or public parking garages can be found in the neighborhood so residents park on the street. Some streets have meters, but most areas remain free of charge. The streets prove to be moderately safe to walk and bike with crosswalks on some corners. Designated bike lanes do not exist in the neighborhood, so bikers should be cautious when in the street.

Garrett Park located on the northwest side of the neighborhood acts as one of the main playground and recreation areas for residents here. The small park can be found between 2nd and 3rd Avenue and features a playground for children of all ages. Leashed dogs are permitted in the park. The park remains free to use. Arundel Village Park serves the south end of the neighborhood and remains shared with a few other neighborhoods. It provides a large section of greenery and wooded areas perfect for bird watching and relaxing. The park features basketball courts and several paved walking and cycling trails. There are also designated picnic areas throughout the park. The park costs nothing to use and leashed dogs are permitted. No annual events take place in either park that serve the residents of Brooklyn.

The cost of living in Brooklyn remains very low compared to surrounding neighborhoods in and around Baltimore. Brooklyn's cost of living is on average 8.7 percent lower than Baltimore's avergage cost and 13.8 percent lower than the national average. A typical one-bedroom apartment averages $725 per month. Beer at a local bar or pub can range from $2 or $3 for a domestic can during happy hour to around $6 or $7 and up for a specialty craft or imported brew. Transportation remains very affordable in Brooklyn with many residents choosing to take public transportation in the form of city or commuter bus. Fares for buses cost less than $2 for a regular one-way ticket. Gas prices in the Brooklyn neighborhood average about 3 percent lower than Maryland's average and about 4 percent higher than the national average.

The Brooklyn neighborhood of Baltimore remains in lower-class status and populated by working-class families. Specialty boutiques do not exist in or anywhere near the neighborhood. Residents looking to shop for specialty items have to travel to downtown Baltimore to the commercial shopping centers and malls. The closest boutique store to the center of the neighborhood would be Fashion Kings located on West Patapsco Avenue about 10 minutes south. Residents can find upscale and designer men's clothing at discounted prices. Jenny Fashion on South Hanover Street offers the latest trends in women's clothing and apparel. Save on Food Supermarket on East Patapsco Avenue serves the neighborhood as the main grocery store. Other smaller stores can be found throughout including Ray's Food Mart on South Hanover Street. The Brooklyn neighborhood does not host any farmer's markets, so residents would need to travel north to Baltimore.