Just five years ago, Franklin Avenue was an overlooked thoroughfare in an overlooked neighborhood. That changed as the racial tensions that scarred the area in the early 1990s receded into history, giving way to a growing cadre of destination-worthy restaurants and pioneering shops. They complement the area's fantastic historical architecture and proximity to Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Museum. It's been an extraordinary transformation, with Franklin Avenue as a focal point--there's even a Starbucks now, although you'll have to look that one up on your own (I recommend Breukelen Coffee House and Little Zelda).