Red Hook is the oasis outside the City that's SO close to the City. An old fishing and shipping neighborhood, Red Hook houses some of the friendliest businesses - and people, in all of the five boroughs, due largely in part to its NYC meets New England vibes. You won't find high-end boutiques or five-star restaurants, but everything combined will make up an all-around five-star experience unlike any other in NYC (and, trust - you'll discover a handful of other gems not on this list, too).
I can't say I know much about the origins of this stretch of Van Brunt. All I know is recently the vacant ad spaces on VB near Seabring St. have been overtaken by beautiful photography (I haven't seen photography being used as a medium in graffiti often) and other art pieces, which serve as a nice cultural break on the earlie (and less entertaining) part of the walk into Red Hook.
