Crown Heights has evolved into one of the most integrated, vibrant, and culturally diverse neighborhoods in Brooklyn. Its vitality is reflected in its residents, who stem from all nationalities. Large Caribbean, African American, and Jewish communities call Crown Heights home, as well as many Asians, Hispanics, and Africans. Depending on where you choose to live, you can achieve either a suburban or a high-energy city feeling—one where you learn to sleep through the sound of fire engines or that guy blasting Beres Hammond and Crossfire from his small $5 CD shop across the street. Not to mention the intense smells of curry, jerk chicken, smoked barbecue, and other highly seasoned dishes from the many West Indian restaurants below your apartment. An array of storefronts, from bargain centers to record stores, line Nostrand and Utica avenues, where fast-food chains seem to collide with each other, and the Asian markets have imported that well-missed Jamaican or Bajan cheese just so you can feel at home. And don't forget the sweet Dominican and Haitian mangoes that make your summer worthwhile. In a community where businesses thrive and competition seems to be one of the driving forces, everything here is at... More >>>