Writer Porochista Khakpour's Victorian Flatbush, Brooklyn neighborhood starts to feel strangely suburban when you turn onto Beverly and walk towards the apartment in the white house where she lives. As you get closer, the houses become grander, often outfitted with front yards and screened-in porches. For the Iranian-born author, the “hidden gem” that is Victorian Flatbush (the neighborhood’s official name) reminds her of her childhood in Pasadena, California.

Khakpour published her debut novel Sons and Other Flammable Objects last year; soon after, it was chosen by The New York Times as an "Editors’ Choice," while The Chicago Tribune boasted it as a "Fall’s Best." This past December, when the buzz surrounding her book was at an all-time high, Khakpour and her boyfriend, designer Brian Frank, moved into the ground floor of their current building. “All the places in Kensington [the couple’s particular pocket of Victorian Flatbush] that we looked at had chandeliers and moldings from the turn-of-the-century,” says Khakpour upon inviting us in for a tour. “Every space was Victorian and eccentric.” It was not only magical, but also affordable. “I was sick of all my money going to rent,” says Khakpour, pouring herself a mimosa. She shows us around the sparsely furnished apartment, with a chandelier in the living room and butter colored walls that turn pale green when the lights dim. The living-room mantle overflows with cards and pictures of Frank as a Hare Krishna (a decade ago he was also known as “Bhagavan Dasa,” while living in Krishna temples as a monk).

“The interesting thing about Kensington is that it’s extremely diverse with tons of families, but not downtrodden. Nobody really seems to be struggling. It’s very upbeat and safe,” says Khakpour. “We’re definitely dreamers, and our current life supplies us with endless materials,” she adds. “We’ve both grown into day people with slightly hermit-ish tendencies—and we require Manhattan less and less. So, central Brooklyn is perfect for us.” But where does the couple go in Victorian Flatbush? Khakpour’s favorite neighborhood haunts, in her own words:

Vox Pop: It’s a really good coffee house-slash-bookstore-slash-publishing house. The guy that runs it, Sander Hicks, used to be one of the heads of Soft Skull Press. He's notorious for his extreme left-wing tendencies. The whole place has a slightly anarchist vibe. You get those old men who are obsessed with conspiracy theories, mixed with cool punk rock lesbians. It totally feels like Berkeley. And the coffee’s not just any coffee. It's the strongest, most delicious... this coffee makes me think properly. It’s the best thing for a writing day. We're just chained to the place. And they have a great selection of independent books out, lots of events. I love that place. That's a daily staple.

The Farm on Adderley: I read an interview with the band, The National, and they're obsessed with this place. It's got the most dreamy menu—new American cuisine. It's a seasonal menu. They get their stuff from regional farms. It's beautiful… even the name The Farm on Adderley has that Victorian-thing that a lot of places in Brooklyn try, but it works here.

Picket Fence: That's less of a special occasion spot, more of a day brunch place. It's bright yellow, very cheerful with a really eclectic menu, lots of vegetarian options for us. Instead of bread they bring you a bowl of popcorn. Everything ends up being kind of cute in this way around here.

Prospect Park: We have a really great part of Prospect Park. We're really close to Wollman Rink… I love this Wollman Rink as opposed to the Trump one. The Zoo Park is near here too. And Kensington Stables is the best, most awesome thing here. It's amazing and affordable. I think it's the only remaining stable in the park. It's beautiful. Again, it works with the image of this neighborhood being charming and quaint.

The Knickerbocker Tennis Club: It’s a 130-year-old club. There’s a whole old tennis society that's out here too.

Vintage stores on Coney Island Avenue: On Coney Island Avenue there are amazing vintage stores that are totally not picked-over.

Trailer Park: Brian and I love Amish furniture. We don’t know why this place is called Trailer Park; it’s right on Cortelyou, which is the main street here.

Pakistani Corner Stores: There is a Pakistani/Bangladeshi place called Madina. We go there a lot. It’s open late. It's really clean. This place is beautiful. The guy is so nice. Because Brian is a former Hare Krishna monk, he loves to get food from the sub-continent. And he will go to every bodega. He's become best friends with them. They look at this white guy with tattoos and are like what?

~Sara Costello

Go There:
Knickerbocker Field Club, 114 E 18th St, (718) 856-5098