The urban hipsters are moving in, as they in the rest of Brooklyn, but Carroll Gardens still is full of memories of New York at a different time before this borough became an extension of Manhattan. Here in NYC for a few days to visit my new nephew (my brother's family moved here from DUMBO), I've enjoyed wandering around the brownstones and checking out the shops and cafes along Smith and Court Streets. For the most part the mess from Hurricane Sandy has been taken care of, though sadly, in Carroll Park, uprooted trees display the massive force to which of New York City and Long Island was subjected. Fewer Italian Americans live in the neighborhood now, but they still, thankfully, have a massive presence and give this part of town striking character. Carroll Gardens, with its architecture, little parks, Transit Garden and great nooks to snag a coffee, is definitely work a stop if you travel to New York and while here pass through the F line. Grab a coffee and snack at Court Street Grocers.

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Carroll Gardens, Carroll Park, Brooklyn, New York, Court Street Grocers, Transit Garden, architecture, Italian Americans, Hurricane Sandy,

Transit Garden, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn

Carroll Gardens, Carroll Park, Brooklyn, New York, Court Street Grocers, Transit Garden, architecture, Italian Americans, Hurricane Sandy,

Evidence of Hurricane Sandy, Carroll Park

Carroll Gardens, Carroll Park, Brooklyn, New York, Court Street Grocers, Transit Garden, architecture, Italian Americans, Hurricane Sandy,

Court and President Streets, Brooklyn

Carroll Gardens, Carroll Park, Brooklyn, New York, Court Street Grocers, Transit Garden, architecture, Italian Americans, Hurricane Sandy,

Court Street Grocers, the place to grab a coffee and pastry

About The Author

Leon Kaye

Leon Kaye is the founder and editor of GreenGoPost.com and its advisory division, GGP Media. Contact him to discuss how he can work with your organization or event. His focus is making the business case for sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR). He writes for San Francisco-based Triple Pundit, Inhabitat and now The Guardian, for which he writes about corporate responsibility, water, and green building. He has also written for AIA's Architect Magazine. Leon works out of Fresno and Silicon Valley, California, and when he has free time, he enjoys hiking, gardening, cooking, weightlifting, and planning his next trip to one of the 60 countries he has visited. He has an MBA from USC's Marshall School of Business and is also a proud graduate of the University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC) and Cal State-Fresno.