Is Manhatten the hippest place in New York?

Fuhgeddaboudit. It's Brooklyn, says Lonely Planet's guide on the must-see places of 2007.

For residents of Brooklyn, that is preaching to the converted. For several years now, much of the buzz from the Big Apple has been generated from east of the East River, in Brooklyn.

Like Manhattan, Brooklyn is one of New York City's five boroughs. Just a couple of stops on the subway from Manhattan, Brooklyn offers plenty of living space at lower rents, whether a studio loft on the waterfront or a brownstone apartment in a tree-lined avenue.

Its neighbourhoods are multi-ethnic and culturally vibrant, where Mum-and-Pop stores sit side-by-side with the latest watering hole.

Brooklyn has become so hip even celebrities like Jennifer Connelly and Adrian Grenier, as well as 'It' couple Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams, have moved here.

The borough of 2.5 million has a chilled-out vibe where inspiration can blossom and difference is celebrated.

The place is fast becoming New York City's new downtown. Galleries in the hip Dumbo (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) neighbourhood sprout overnight and are heralding the next big happening on the arts scene, and bands from another neighbourhood, Williamsburg, are already bursting into the mainstream.

As a new resident of Brooklyn, I can't help being caught up in the excitement, and here's my own must-see list.

Crossing by Bridge

The best way to get into Brooklyn for the very first time is on foot. The Brooklyn Bridge has a main span just short of 500m and takes about 30 minutes to cross.

Give yourself some time to take in the views of Brooklyn, the Manhattan Bridge, the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline, not to mention the classic beauty of the stone towers and the visual drama of the bridge's steel suspension cables.

The bridge will lead you right into the middle of Dumbo.

On subsequent visits to the borough, opt for the subway ride over the Manhattan Bridge for a mood shot of the Brooklyn Bridge, a la NYPD Blue.

Williamsburg

This north Brooklyn multi-ethnic community has, in the last decade, overtaken Manhattan's Lower East Side as the stomping ground for New York's up-and-coming artists.

Williamsburg's music scene is particularly vibrant and has spawned the likes of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Interpol and the indie band TV On The Radio.

To accommodate its burgeoning artistic community, galleries, clubs, quirky boutiques, Thai restaurants and thrift stores dot the area's main artery, Bedford Avenue. It's a great place to observe the acrylic-speckled, fashionably unwashed and boost your hipster quotient.

Keep an eye out for flyers and programmes, placed in most stores, to find out the latest in the revolving door of artistic happenings. There's a good chance of coming away with a "I saw them before they made it big" story.

Coney Island

Fronting the Atlantic, Coney Island is one of the most iconic boardwalk amusement parks in the world. But don't expect state-of-the-art rides - the thrills are strictly old school.

Some rides like the Cyclone - a wooden coaster that was the world's fastest from 1927 to 1972 - and the Wonder Wheel were constructed in the 1920s.

But therein lies the charm. Where else in the world does a place offer its own circus sideshow of sword swallowers, fire-eaters and human pin-cushions?

Coney Island is also the birthplace of the hotdog and home to the famous Nathan's Hotdog Eating Contest and the Mermaid Parade, Brooklyn's own aqua-themed Mardi Gras.

In the summer, as generations of Brooklynites already know, there's no better place to kick back and shoot the breeze.

Russian town: Brighton Beach venue is a bustling street crammed with vendors and stalls selling everything from exotic fruits to cheap electronic goods and caviar.

Russian enclave of Brighton Beach

Originally developed as a resort town like its English namesake, Brighton Beach today is home to reputedly the largest Russian community outside the motherland.

A walk down its main thoroughfare, Brighton Beach Avenue, will make it clear why the community is often described as being like Chinatown but for the Russians.

It offers visitors the same heady rush of pushy vendors, cheap gadgets, indecipherable signages, exotic fare and strange fruits. Here, you get a rare old-world experience rapidly vanishing from the city of New York.

Step into any of the numerous supermarkets, like M&I International Food, for authentic Russian goodies like borscht soup (beetroot soup) and potato blintz (a thin pancake).

Prospect Park

It says a lot when Prospect Park's designers Freddie Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, who also list Central Park on their resume, consider this to be their masterpiece.

Some of the highlights of this tour de force of engineering and landscaping include the wholly man-made Prospect Park Watercourse and Brooklyn's only tract of forest, the Ravine District. The park also houses a zoo and plays host to innumerable recreational activities from boating to baseball to ice-skating.

Keep an eye out for the regular concerts and performances at the park's Bandshell. Its line-up has included the likes of Queen Latifah and Yo La Tengo.

Brooklyn Museum

Housed in a beautiful Beaux-Arts building, a literal stone's throw from the edenic Brooklyn Botanic Garden and the sprawling Prospect Park, the museum is the second largest one in New York City. An art museum, its substantial collection ranges from ancient Egyptian to contemporary. It also has a knack for crowd-pulling special exhibitions, from retrospectives of Brooklyn-born artist Basquiat to popular contemporary photographer Annie Leibovitz.

Check out its Target First Saturdays, which offer special art and entertainment programmes every first Saturday of each month for free, from 5 to 11pm.

Dumbo

Dumbo is an acronym for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. Historically a waterfront industrial site, Dumbo has seen its warehouses and factory floors transformed over the years into work spaces and lofts catering to artists seeking refuge from the high rents of Manhattan.

With an unimpeded view of the Manhattan skyline framed by the awesome towers of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge, the area is also a popular backdrop for countless fashion shoots, TV shows and movies.

On top of an eclectic mix of art galleries and upscale shops and the divine Jacques Torres Chocolate store, Dumbo also plays host to the annual and always popular Tiger Beer Singapore Chilli Crab Festival.

Home sweet home: Brownstone homes like these are a common sight.

5 things to do

1 Do take the Q train to Coney Island. A large portion of the journey is above ground, giving you a glimpse into how Brooklynites live.

2 Do pack your swim wear. Whether it's swimming with the Coney Island polar bears in winter or sunbathing with the multitudes in summer, Coney Island and Brighton Beach both offer a glorious chance for a dip in the mighty Atlantic Ocean.

3 No matter what time of the year it is, Brooklyn is a hive of activity, from Brooklyn Museum's impressive programme of exhibitions to the annual Caribbean parade in summer. Check out these websites - gothamist.com, hellobrooklyn.com and brooklynnow.com - before your trip.

4 Do set aside an entire day for Park Slope. With its innumerable shops, eateries and watering holes, it'll easily play host to your three meals with loads of shopping in between.

5 Do wear a big smile and interact with the locals. Brooklynites are generally more laid-back than their counterparts across the East River. There's no better way to get the scoop on the best places to eat or the hippest new spot in town.

2 don'ts

1 Don't venture aimlessly. While Brooklyn is relatively safe, it is big and large portions of it are housing projects and industrial areas that don't offer much by way of sights.

2 Don't just stick to Asian food. Given the gamut of ethnic cuisines available in Brooklyn - be it Jewish, Pakistani, Ukrainian or Russian - try something other than fried rice or Singapore noodles.

where to shop

Bierkraft, Park Slope

A gourmet grocery and beer emporium that offers an assortment of more than 250 artisanal cheeses, five collections of boutique chocolates, over 100 gourmet chocolate bars and more than 900 beers as well as nine fresh beers on tap. Imported brews include the good stuff from Brazil (Xingu), Harlem (Sugar Hill) and Japan (Hitachino).

Those in the know come in for Bierkraft's samples and frequent tasting events, with beers and cheese and even guest speakers.

Buffalo Exchange, Williamsburg

Calling itself a resale or exchange outlet, Buffalo Exchange buys, sells and trades directly with customers.

The shopping experience here is a couple of rungs above the neighbourhood Salvation Army Store but you still need the eyes of an eagle and a reasonable constitution. This Williamsburg branch has everything from granny's prom dress to Elvis bios to abandoned high-school art projects. It also boasts a pretty decent collection of old records and pop-culture knick-knacks.

Flirt, Park Slope

Flirt, Park Slope

If you are a girly girl, Flirt's the shop for you. With its mix of vintage and new clothes sold on consignment by emerging American designers, this pink-hued boutique is set up like a clothing gallery with cute party frocks, tiny tank-tops and swirly skirts.

Accessories like whimsical wallets, coin purses, handbags and one-of-a-kind jewellery are reasonably priced. For example, you can get a designer leather bag from US$50 (S$76). Staff members are friendly.

Where to party

Union Hall, Park Slope

You can have a drink, listen to music or have a meal.

Or you can play bocce, an Italian version of lawn bowling, on one of two gravel courts housed inside this bar.

The wacky incongruity of the place is heightened by its seating area with its wall-to-ceiling bookshelves crammed with leather-bound tomes and furniture straight out of a Sherlock Holmes movie.

Indie-pop tunes and a superb bar menu with beer-cheese and Ritz crackers, sirloin mini burgers and wild-boar sausage draw Brooklyn's hippest.

Apartment 138, Boerum Hill

A former apartment and office space converted into a lounge - hence the name - this new bar has quickly become a neighbourhood gathering place. Friends hang out and enjoy reasonably priced beers, speciality cocktails and all-American fare.

Downstairs, the rowdier patrons play pool or table soccer. The menu of salad, pasta, sandwiches, side dishes and other bistro fare is available until 3am.

Pete's Candy Store, Williamsburg

This Williamsburg joint is a friendly neighbourhood hipster hang-out, offering generous drinks, like US$6 (S$9) mojitos and Absolut Citron cosmopolitans, as well as a laid-back atmosphere.

Live and free music every night in the bar's curtained-off backroom is another huge draw. But the performance space is small, so do get there early.

Strangely, Pete's also hosts the Williamsburg Spelling Bee, where winners receive a US$25 bar tab. Can you spell F-U-N?