Ridgewood borders Bushwick, so it’s Queens with some Brooklyn mixed in (parts of Bushwick actually used to be in Ridgewood). And I like that. I love to wander the streets of Ridgewood with their mix of small apartment buildings, the stately brick row homes and the orange and yellow brick row homes, some with porches, some barrel fronts, and above many of the doors, a green plastic awning. There are plenty of old houses that make you stop and stare; Ridgewood is beautiful. While it was long farmland, the area expanded as breweries popped up in Bushwick, including the famous Rheingold company, following an influx of German immigrants to New York City, most of whom left for neighboring Glendale and the suburbs. The neighborhood is known to be an old-school Italian enclave, with lots of specialty stores, pastry shops, and cafes, but also is home to people from Puerto Rico, Poland, the Balkans, South America, and more these days. There’s usually plenty to eat, see, and do, and an amble down the main drag of Myrtle Avenue will fill your day.

There are 10 designated national historic districts and 4 New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission historic districts: