There's a commonly repeated thought about town, something to the effect that if the New York Times visits upon your neighborhood and pronounces it ready for its spotlight, you can basically kiss your neighborhood, as you know it, goodbye.

This is worrying for those of us who are living on borrowed time, in uncontrolled apartments that remain reasonably affordable.

Which is why the cover story of this Friday's Weekend section hits especially hard, "where we live," pardon the pun.

Pioneers of Brownstone Brooklyn long complained that while the architecture was certainly desirable, the neighborhoods welcoming and friendly, and the borough's character unique and low-key, the problem was that well, there was simply nothing to do.

No more.

As Manhattan looks more and more like Rodeo Drive with cleanliness issues, Brooklyn has mushroomed, almost by default -- where else were its residents to go 'out'? At some point, it became clear to someone, somewhere -- why not where we live.

Smith Street thrives, more exciting and certainly more accessible than anywhere downtown, Fifth Avenue in the Slope is dotted with popular watering holes, critically acclaimed restaurants and affordable living spaces, Fort Greene is booming with new renovations and dining options, BAM comes into its own with the smashing success of the Rose Cinemas, and the Brooklyn Museum's First Saturday draws thousands from all over town.

First it was Brooklyn Bridge magazine, which must be taken with a grain of salt, as it serves no purpose to put down its own subject. However, it's recent article regarding the en masse arrival of foreign tourism, the overall economic health of the borough as a whole, and the plans for new development was certainly intriguing, and we wanted to believe.

Time Out New York weighs in with it's Williamsburg cover story just around the same time, devoting more space to this old industrial backwater turned hip paradise than they've devoted to just about any Manhattan neighborhood, in recent memory.

And then, the big daddy of all stories, "Brooklyn Nights Turn Bright", (2/11) pronounces that "the Brooklyn-Manhattan power balance is changing." If that's not a decisive statement, I don't know what is.

Never terribly adventurous, the Times always seems to wait to weigh in on trends - which makes this even more interesting. We who live near Smith Street, on Fifth Avenue, Atlantic, Fulton Street, Bedford Avenue know that they speak nothing but the truth - the wealth of options within comfortable walks of our homes is truly something to shout about.

I personally, began to notice what was going on, when on my days off, I could go an entire day without setting foot on a train, and get much accomplished, spend my money, enjoy my peace and quiet, find more than enough to do, and be completely satisfied with the way I'd spent my time, at day's end.

Manhattanite acquaintances began to make more frequent treks across the bridge to eat, go to the movies, drink, hang out, go for coffee.

I felt truly honored that anyone would want to trek to my humble neighborhood, but then I began to realize - it wasn't just my friendly personality that drew friends down here, it was the vibe, the actual place itself, which is "everything [I] moved to New York for….Manhattan has become a playground for the rich. All the creativity and energy that we came here for, is living and breathing here [in Brooklyn]."

I didn't say that - the Times article, but it's exactly what's been on my mind. "Brooklyn's time is now," says the Bridge magazine.

I'd say so.

All's not perfect - many of the featured spaces in the article have become overrun and sometimes near intolerable - once again the Times showing it's grip on new trends decidedly slipped - but thank goodness, it's a big place we live in, and there's always something new to be explored.