Gruff, grimey Brookyln is a New York must

They were just two in a long line of people espousing the grimey toughness of New York's most heavily populated borough: from On the Waterfront to Goodfellas, Brooklyn has always been painted as the true heart of working class New York.

In the last decade or so gentrification has come along and diluted some of that rawness, but it still has much of its original edge, and vibrant art and music scenes. The Brooklyn Academy of Music is one of the top avant-garde venues in the whole of the States, and it attracts big names; Radiohead have played there as accompanists for the debut of dancer Merce Cunningham's work Split Sides. There is also the Dumbo Arts Centre on Washington Street, which feature the very latest in modern art. You probably won't find the Jiggaman there, mind you.

For music, go where all the monied hip cats hang out. Zebulon in Williamburg has free live music every single night of the week, with a minimum of shuffling indie dribblers. If you can stand the company of smug upper-middle class Brooklynites then you're sure to have a cracking time. Make sure you go to a cash point before hand though, as they don't take cards. You never know, you might see the next Jay-Z there (although probably not.)