Early this morning I got the call from a producer at News 12 Brooklyn. "Have you heard the news?" she said. "Park Slope has been picked as one of the top ten dreamy places to live in the US by HGTV."

Funny. I WAS dreaming. In fact I was sleeping when she called. But I was supposed to be working and I'd dozed off. So it was a good thing. And a good thing to hear about. She wanted to know when a reporter could come by to interview me.

Just as soon as I'm up and showered I said to myself.

Then she wanted ideas about places to shoot. Visions of Park Slope's dreamy vistas danced in my head.The Montauk Club. Third Street between 8th Avenue and the Park. Carroll Street and PPW. Prospect Park.

But I also thought about Park Slope's more down to earth side. How about Union Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, what I call the Park Slope Triangle: The Food Coop, Squad One and the Tea Lounge

That seems to say all you need to know about Park Slope then and now.

I told her to meet me in front of my building. "Third Street's nice." I said thinking that we don't need to whitewash Park Slope for the story or just show its pretty side.

So Stacey Delikat, a reporter from News 12 interviewed me in front of my building's recycling bins (what's dreamier than those blue recycling bins?).

She asked if I was surprised about Park Slope's inclusion on the list. Not really. "This is a gorgeous neighborhood with historic buildings, a very human scale, a fabulous park, lots of trees, a world class museum and great community spirit."

Doesn't surprise me at all.

"There are plenty of historical places in the US but it's the community spirit that puts us over the top," I said sounding like a real Park Slope booster.

She asked me what I thought the economic downturn would do to the nabe. I told her I am bracing for the troubles to come. But maybe in the future, this neighborhood will be less about affluence and more about some of the core values that made it such a great place to begin with.

Now don't ask me to elaborate. I'm going back to bed.