New York Magazine recently published a ranked list of the 50 most liveable neighborhoods in the city, and Brooklyn fared very well — not that we’re surprised. Of the top five neighborhoods, three were in Brooklyn: Park Slope (first place!), Cobble Hill & Boerum Hill, and Greenpoint (#5).

What makes a city liveable? NYMag relied on a complicated formula involving everything from cost of housing to the quality of public schools. Fortunately, they also created a Livability Calculator, allowing you to find the perfect neighborhood based on your own specific priorities — as well as certain handy presets for empty-nesters, childless couples, etc.

Photo via ms.flux on Flickr.

Elle oh elle! Curbed NY posted this hilarious and/or terrifying sign found on Kent & N. 1st Aves. in Williamsburg. We knew there were hipsters over there… but servants? Jeez.

Check out Curbed NY for another funny sign from Greenpoint.

Imagine if Goldilocks went apartment-hunting in Brooklyn.

She would shun Crown Heights — although super-convenient for Manhattan commuters, this efficient region is crowded to the point of bustling to the point of claustrophobic. “Too metropolitan,” she would say.

But what about Williamsburg? Metropolitan in a very different way — the jeans are claustrophobic, not the streets — Williamsburg would probably be a little posh for our yellow-haired youth, who still prefers porridge to crêpes. “Too trendy” would be the complaint.

For something, ahem, just right, Ms. Locks would likely travel to Greenpoint. One of our favorite neighborhoods, Greenpoint is a comparatively quieter neighborhood featuring a longstanding Polish community and recent smattering of hipsters overflowing from Williamsburg.

Goldilocks would love the neighborhood’s proximity to the L (…and the G), and even its nearness to Williamsburg, which is good every once in a while.

Now, to shop for chairs…

Image via flickr

It should be a very busy weekend for high school fans in the borough this weekend as two championships will be decided on Sunday, while two other teams will compete for the two berths at next weekend’s PSAL Championship game.

FOOTBALL CUP CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW

In the Football Cup Championship, Automotive High School of Greenpoint will face South Bronx at the Midwood Athletic Complex at 10:00 a.m. Sunday morning.  Both teams are 11-0 heading into the title tilt, however, the Pistons earned the number 1 seed by virtue of a stronger strength of schedule.

The Pistons are led by senior quarterback Maurice Edwards, who completed 63 percent of his passes this season for 1,328 yards and 15 touchdown passes against only three interceptions.  In the Pistons’ semi-final 20-0 win over Information Technology High School of Long Island City, Queens, Edwards threw for two touchdowns, while Dwon Williams returned a punt for a touchdown.

The Piston defense sacked IT’s quarterback 10 times, intercepted him once, and recovered a lost fumble.  IT’s offense was held to 195 yards of total offense, numbers which were aided by 10 tackles for loss by the Piston defense.  The Pistons, who are seeking their first championship in their four year history, earned their first winning season last year, however they missed the playoffs.

South Bronx defeated Petrides of Staten Island 44-12 last week to reach the Football Cup championship…

FOOTBALL BOWL CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW

In the Football Bowl Championship, Thomas Jefferson of East New York (9-1) takes on August Martin (7-3) of Queens on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. at Midwood Athletic Complex.    The title tilt is a re-match of a September 18 regular season game in which the Jefferson Orange Wave defeated Martin 18-12.

Ricky Joseph led the Orange Wave with 179 yards passing, a touchdown pass, and a touchdown run, however, he did give up two interceptions.  Kadeem Bailey ran for 166 yards and scored one touchdown of his own.  The Orange Wave defense sacked Martin quarterbacks four times, forced three interceptions, and picked up 10 tackles for loss…

IF YOU GO: Midwood Athletic Complex, located on East 17th Street between Avenue K and Avenue L, Midwood, is two blocks east of the Brighton Line.  Take the (Q) train to either the Avenue J or Avenue M stations and walk two blocks west.  TA bus routes that run near Midwood Athletic Complex include the B-6 along Avenue J, the B-9 along Avenue M and at Ocean Avenue and Avenue L (three blocks east), the B-49 along Ocean Avenue, and the B-68 along Coney Island Avenue (six blocks west)…

CITY CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINALS PREVIEW

Both semi-finals of the PSAL City Championship will take place in Brooklyn tomorrow; both games are rematches from earlier reguar season contests against teams from Staten Island.

In one semi-final, Fort Hamilton will host Curtis of Staten Island.  Fort Hamilton defeated Curtis 38-24 on September 12 on Staten Island; the Tigers jumped out to a 31-0 halftime lead and never looked back.  Senior running back Alton Richardson led the Tigers with 97 yards rushing and three touchdowns, senior quarterback Frank Laino threw for 158 yards and a touchdown, while Brandon Reddish caught four of Laino’s passes for 109 yards and a touchdown.

In the other semi-final, 2nd seeded Erasmus Hall (10-1) hosts 3rd seed Tottenville of Staten Island (9-2) in East Flatbush.  The Dutchmen are seeking to avenge a 21-8 loss to the visiting Pirates on October 30.

The Dutchmen will have to contain Tottenville’s senior running back Marvin Staten, who ran for 236 yards and accounted for the Pirates’ three touchdowns in the regular season match-up three weeks ago.  The Dutchmen as a team were able to rack up 200 yards as a team, however, they proved to be no match for Staten’s individual performance.

Kickoff for both games will be 12:oo p.m.  The winners will face off in the City Championship game next Saturday at a site to be determined.

IF YOU GO: The Fort Hamilton-Curtis game will be played at Fort Hamilton High School’s stadium, located on 85th Street between Narrows Avenue and Colonial Road.  The B-16 bus stops along 86th Street and is accessible from the (R) shuttle bus operating this weekend at 86th Street and 4th Avenue.  The B-37 bus along 3rd Avenue is three blocks east of the stadium.

The Erasmus Hall-Tottenville game will be played at Erasmus Field at Avenue M and McDonald Avenue, Midwood.  The stadium is accessible via the (F) train, between Bay Parkway and Avenue N stations.  The B-6 bus stops at Bay Parkway and McDonald Avenue; the B-9 bus stops at Avenue N and McDonald.

The NYPD is searching for two men wanted for separate sexual assault incidents in Brooklyn.  One of the two men is accused of two separate rapes in the borough – one in May, the other last month.

The first attack occured in the 67th Precinct at Church Avenue and East 37th Street, East Flatbush, on May 21, when he allegedly raped a 20 year old woman.  The most recent assault occured on October 20 in the 69th Precinct, when the perp allegedly raped a 14 year old girl in the area of East 105th Street and Avenue N, Canarsie.

The suspect in the East Flatbush and Canarsie rapes is described as a dark complected black male between 25 and 35 years of age, standing approximately 5 foot, 8 inches to 5 foot, 11 inches tall, and weighs approximately 220 to 250 pounds.

In a separate incident, detectives in the 94th Precinct are searching for a second perp wanted for a separate incident that also occured on October 20.

94th Precinct officers responded to the area of Diamond Street and Nassau Avenue, Greenpoint, at around 4:30 a.m. for a report of a rape.  The 25 year old woman was allegedly pushed into a vestibule and assaulted.

She described her attacker as a hispanic male in his 20′s, standing approximately 5 foot, 8 inches to 5 foot, 9 inches tall, weighing around 185 pounds.  The perp was wearing blue jeans and a dark colored t-shirt at the time of the attack.

Anyone with information regarding these two subjects is asked to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS; tipsters can also text “577TIP” and their respective information to CRIMES, or log onto the NYPD Crime Stoppers web site.  All information will be kept confidential.