Ok- so this is my 1st 30 days here in Brooklyn:
(places I can actually remember and recall) hah
BROOKLYN, NY
Prospect Heights bordering Park slope. Pretty awesome neighborhood in Brooklyn.
I'm lucky to be near all the main trains, ghetto Target (only one in Brooklyn as far as I know), Brooklyn flea, rad bars and awesome eats, Ft Greene, Brooklyn Heights, Red Hook and some other neighborhoods i'm getting to know.
30 days of PLACES:
Bergen bagels- right by my apt. ive been trying to get a new spread every time I go in there to see if I can try all of their bijiliion spreads by the end of the year and I always get in an out in less than 5 mins. muffins always look crusty, 3 tiny sitting tables stand in the way everyone in line. best to order and go.
Slope food market- where I get my bag of cookies that get me through the week. Also, every time I buy cookies I get..(don't you want milk with that? you crazy.) from the counter guy who works there EVERYDAY. the bodega where I get pick me ups when i'm too lazy to walk far or it's snowy
Brooklyn flea- a fleamarket of sorts in brooklyn. held indoors during winter. really awesome handmade stuff from the super crafty and creative. sometimes over priced. basement has food vendors and a table where this cute guy sells his homemade pickles. some friends and i are trying to get a table one weekend to set up shop and sell all our vintage junk and tasty treats
Park Slope food co-op- a place where the concept and quality of food is good and affordable. you have to devote working there 2 hrs a month in order be apart of the co-op. even some "famous" people are known to be members. everything is brought in from a 300 mile radius. idea is local and fresh groceries. meats/cheeses/veggies/nuts. most everything. pretty neat to join and not a lot of $.
Brooklyn boulders- climbing gym in NY (only one). hot work out and just more bang for the buck. in my neighborhood /walking distance
Union hall- a place I like to call "booner hall" because their always an abundance of dudes lurking around.
looks like a library inside, sometimes host shows and karaoke in the basement, bad beer selection, you can actually use your debit card there and it's a short late night drunk walk home for me. Indoor Bocce ball lanes (two). oh, and you can ALWAYS find the Jacksonville crew there most nights
Freddy's backroom- a little hole in the wall bar literally 20 ft from my apt door, with a little backroom sometimes used by film students to show films, groups meeting for whatever reason or just a late night overflow room to hang out in on weekends. My fav bartender there is "Marty", he's an old school guy that always chews on a toothpick when he talks to you and the drinks are stiff!Free wifi when i'm feeling cooped up in my "office/ room" and the people there vary from creepy to pretty cool.
Slope laundry- first time someone has washed my laundry for me as an adult, they offer drop and pick up for about the same as if you do it yourself. they do a pretty good job and fold your undies nice and neat :)
Beacon's closet- cute retail store where 50% is vintage and the other half is designer clothes, all traded into the store from the outside. it's kinda a revolving chain of cute/unusual and vintage stuff. GOOD prices and walking distance from my house.
Sun in bloom- awesome organic raw cafe. pale color decor, skinny, smiley, spacey staff. vegan baked goods. loose teas that rock. kale chips!!
Koto- little sushi place next to my apt. good lunch specials and overly attentive staff. thats about it
bergen pizza- open super late. white slice of pizza and garlic rolls 2 freaking dollars! munchies when everything is closed. on my block.
heights coffee- free wifi (another place i run to when feeling stir crazy working from home). awesome veggie chili and coconut cake. really crowded with wifi users all day. 2 couches in the back room filled with 20 something’s making out or grass roots meetings.
Healthy Nibbles- cool little corner place that has an awesome veggie curry patty (kinda like hot pockets), non dairy pistachio ice-cream (my fav), homemade hot sauce and sweet potatoes fries. Mary that runs the place is always getting bombarded with people waiting in line because it's tiny and always busy. more on the Caribbean/ vegan tip.
Alchemy- on 5th ave. amazing. Zucchini capriccio salad awesome. Sunday brunch/bloody mary's.rustic decor.
Coco Roco- Peruvian. good seafood selection
great lakes- hmmm. little bar with lots of graffiti on the walls. icky bathrooms. cute bartenders girls. good jukebox. standard drinks/beer selection. little candle lit tables for that romantic hipster in you. Lol
The Vanderbilt- cool little bar on the out skirts of park slope/prospect heights. Tall tables. Quiet. One of my favs. Super close to my apt.
ft green grape provisions- little market that specializes in cut meats/ bad ass cheeses and gourmet groceries. and it doesn't hurt that Mike gives me a discount :)
melt- good wines. Try the rack of lamb with sweet potato puree and sautéed spinach or beer braised pork short rib. Small dinner for two tables. Also has brunch
Bark- YAY! Awesome hotdogs, Birch beer (soda) and cheap bfast until 3pm on the weekends. Oh and like 5 six point beer choices (the only beer they carry too)
Balaka Indian Restaurant- clean and they have the basic indian staples. Good prices too
Atlantic mall-ghetto fab, but has Target, Marshalls, Burlington coat factory, a grocery store and is the train terminal to infinity!
Sharlene's- little cocktail bar on Flatbush
IKEA- actually pretty close to me. Is my main staple for odds/ends and my furniture here. Cinnamon bun a must every time I go there. :P Only seen one fight here in Brooklyn and it was there in line. Hah.
the royale- only been there once. last Friday of the month they have a daft punk night. nice staff. dance floor in the back room.
park slope ale house- mac n cheese. normal beer selection. nothing special
4th ave pub- been there once. small. cute. good beers!
the chocolate room- oh hell. a little café with tons of yummy chocolate treats and coffees
park slope clothing stores- interesting. Trendy. Only been to Brooklyn industries and beacons closet and a few over priced “vintage” stores
BAM- awesome theatre/music hall in Park slope
Williamsburg:
Alligator lounge- little dive bar with free pizza for every beer you buy. Rick from FL hosts a bingo night on weds and a karaoke night on Thursday in the back room. A place to find Emily Joyce and the ladies often
Turkey’s nest- absinthe margaritas!
Legion bar- entered a super bowl dip contest there. Cheap beers. Warm seats.
Savalas-whiskey and hot cider. Nice staff. Karaoke
Wild Ginger- yummy Asian restaurant. Mainly on veggie and healthy tip.
Brooklyn brewery- where BB beer is made. Tours. happy hr.
Buffalo exchange and beacons- cute used clothing stores. Vintage and name brand stuff.
The G train- slow and messed up on the weekend nights. Hate.
The levee- small. stinky.free blow pops.
Brooklyn Bowl- Bowling Alley with food by Blue Ribbon. LOVE!
K & M- dance'n til your toes hurt
Metropolitan Bar- gay bar i go to with amos and sam :) fireplace that you can sit infront of
[Other bars/eateries I have been to in WBurgh, I forget the names of.. hah. Sorry.]
BayRidge- a little neighborhood with a decent German restuarant and the home of Ralph Junior
Maria's- a new orleans inspired restuarant in the villge. yummy artichoke/oyster soup and crawfish. hot whisey cider in jars and they HAVE BLACKBERRY COBBLER, although they where out when i had ate there. :(
MY roommates- girl- pro make up artist. Always traveling with her job.
girl- video game designer. Never home. Cute shoes
dude- from Gainesville. Cute. Nice smile. Never home. Always leaves door open :P
LES (lower eastside)- I love the narrow rds in this area. I love this little Spanish restaurant over there too, reminds me of Tampa Cuban diners. Been to Darkroom (i like to call the fartroom) once and Pianos (rick also host there too!)once. Pianos is cool. Fartroom blows, too crowded with college kids that don't understand wall stands. yummy creperia on Ludlow. Awesome shoe store on the corner of Ludlow.
Went to st Jerome’s (bar), motor city (bar), home sweet home (bar) and iggy’s (bar) once, kind of dive and tourist. they have a few little walk-in and order places that are pretty good pre and post drinking. Oh and once went to a really cool church in the LES that was converted into a venue of sorts. BEAUTIFUL! Almost busted my ass walking down the tiny tiny 4 flights of stairs inside where the monks used to walk through. The venue was being used as a tradeshow for designers when I visited.
I want to explore this area more!!!
Yaffa's- actually in the east village I think (the west village scares me). One of my fav places to eat. I want my room to look like the interior of this place. BEST soups ever and cute wait staff. Awesome Ginger root tea too.
****Alli's awesome cooking at her cute little park slope apt. yummy goodness :)
Museums-Brooklyn museum (who shot rock n roll exhibit was cool). MoMa- I need to visit! and a bunch other museums too. i need to get on it.
Cliff dog- cheese hotdogs and birch beer. Hidden bar. also in the village
SOHO/Midtowntown/Union sq- they all seem somewhat the same. I have eaten in these areas and been to some bars, but i can't think of the names of them. hah. i have done more shopping in Soho than drinking. oh and Union sq has a cute dog park there i like to visit
cooper 35.- pint glass size cocktails for $3!! cheap food. makes you sick.
Mcsorley's - only 2 kinds of beer, dark/light. really old and charming. table sharing with strangers. good burgers and mushroom soup. musky/loud..but i LOVE it.
Toy Tokyo- I love all the toys in this store! They carry re-ment animal figures.
Housing works- Amos’s thrift store and the proceeds go to help people with AIDS. Chelsea area
the snow- it’s fun to go sledding in,. busted ass only once.. didn’t really remember it until the next day when I felt like I was hit by a car
the trains - see my facebook for my creep story. Learning to control my motion sickness. i think i now have the jist of navigating the NYC trains. li ve right by the 2,3. C and G and atlantic terminal
Music shows in NY- awesome and too many! I feel so lucky to be here music wise. Can’t wait for summer festivals and shows!
Philly- 1.5 hr away! Lisa lives there
Dc/VA- about 3-4 hrs away. FL friend Tim now lives there and Erin’s sister Emily live there
Jersey- went once. cleaner than NY. quiet.. actually liked Hoboken. friendly people. takes awhile to get there on the train.
***There's much more to explore and experience. I'm also thankful for my freinds who live here who have helped me with moving. And, i'm lucky to have met the new people that i have!
OK my head hurts and fingers from typing.
I have also decided that I need to explore my neighborhood more and take more trips out of NY on the weekends.
I do miss my car and driving where I wanted and when ever I wanted. Miss the FL trees and long drives with cow and horse pastures and the smell of boiled peanuts boiling on the side of the rd. i miss the water and clean air. i miss Swift :( cheesy I know!
Can't wait to visit out West this year. Hopefully, Montreal this summer and some other little trips. Visiting FL in May. NY is cool and i like it here. Adjusting slowly. I only want to stay a year maybe two here and see what else is out there in the meantime.
stay tuned.
***all the scandalous stories have been left out to proctect those involved and my dignity. heh.
***all the scandalous stories have been left out to proctect those involved and my dignity. heh.
