Spotted at Alma on Columbia Street Waterfront
5 Places to Dine Outside This Memorial Day Weekend
23 MayI find it thrilling to dine al fresco. There’s nothing better than sitting outside in the sun while snacking on fish tacos and margaritas or a hearty cheese plate and a glass of rose. Of course, I have some go-to spots to hit up when the weather is nice enough. Check out my fave five this weekend.
The backyard at The Good Fork almost feels a little zen-like. It’s very green and relaxing, but even more relaxing when you’re drinking their spicy bloody mary. The Korean Steak and Eggs is a fan fave too.
Gran Electrica’s backyard
This Mexican spot in Dumbo might have one of the best backyard spaces in the city. It’s so comfortable, you could sit back there for hours. And when you taste the margaritas, you’ll certainly want to. I recommend ordering the ceviche, fish tacos, and definitely the guac.
Frankie’s is always a spectacular experience, but when you can sit outside, it’s even better. They have a beautiful backyard space with little wooden tables that will make you sigh. I suggest getting a pasta dish– preferably the cavatelli or gnocchi. AND don’t skip the cocktails.
Another spot I regularly hit up for brunch. They’ve got an “endless” brunch deal you won’t be able to resist: unlimited bloody Marys, mimosas, or beer plus a brunch entree for $25. I always get the garlic tomato rice bowl (and lots of bloody Marys). The backyard space opened last summer and there are a few tables on the sidewalk for people watching.
Maison Premiere’s backyard
Cocktails + Oysters + Outdoor Space = Dinner Win. I was at Maison Premiere last night, and found they just opened their backyard space, and it’s gorgeous with lots of hanging greenery and little white tables. They’ve got a long list of potent absinthe cocktails and a menu of super fresh oysters too.
The Total Red Hook Immersion is Back.
22 May
If you need a reason to hang out in Red Hook for a day, this is it. Brooklyn Based‘s fourth annual immersion series with Brooklyn Brewery begins this year on June 8 in Red Hook.
So here’s how it works: go to the Brooklyn Ice House or Rocky Sullivan’s at noon on June 8th, so you can score one of 500 FREE immersion cards. This is your pass to redeem complimentary brews at Brooklyn Ice House, Rocky Sullivan’s, Fort Defiance and Jalopy Tavern; complimentary Local 1 and Local 2 over brunches at The Good Fork, Kevin’s and Home/Made, plus discounts at local shops like Foxy & Winston and Metal and Thread and delicious treats from Red Hook Lobster Pound and more.
It’s going to be ah-mazing. So RSVP here on Facebook.
One Dessert, Two Ways: Olive Oil Cake
20 MayI’m a sucker for Olive Oil Cake. And when I see it on any menu (no matter how full I am) I have to order it for dessert. If you’ve never had Olive Oil Cake before, it’s usually dense and moist, with notes of lemon, honey and of course, olive oil. It’s usually served with some sort of citrusy sauce or cream for dipping. Check out two of my favorite Olive Oil Cakes in Brooklyn– one from Speedy Romeo and one from Terroir Park Slope. Speedy Romeo serves their slice with orange curd, honey, and citrus, and Terrior Park Slope’s is more loaf-y, with seasonal fruit and powdered sugar. Both are fantastic.
Olive Oil Cake from Speedy Romeo
Olive Oil Cake from Terroir Park Slope
Phin & Phebes NEW Flavor Launch Party
17 May
Have you tried my favorite ice cream Phin & Phebes? Ok, Have you tried their new flavors? Here’s your chance: Head over to their New Flavor Launch Party on May 23rd at 6:30pm to get a taste and meet the lovely ladies behind the local ice cream brand. It’s all happening at 61Local (what do you know, one of my fave bars too!) until 9:30pm that evening. Admission is free and they’ll be giving away some prizes, offering samples of the new ice cream flavors AND serving up some ice cream floats crafted by 61Local and P&P at the bar. What more could you want?
So get this: The new flavors are Peanutty Pretzel and Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel. To. Die. For.
3 Seafood Eats to Try Right Now
16 MayI’m a big seafood eater; I’ll take scallops over pork belly or a lobster roll over a Cuban sandwich any day. And when the weather heats up, I start craving it even more. Here are three seafood dishes I ate recently that you should check out too.
1. Crispy Mahi Mahi Coconut Curry at Selamat Pagi
2. Oyster Po’Boy Sandwich from Brooklyn Southern
3. Octopus at Red Gravy
Next Bower Hill Society Event: May 23!
15 MayIf you saw how awesome my experience at the last Bower Hill Society event was, you know you’re going to want to go to the next one. It’s going down on Thursday, May 23 at their Dumbo loft for original cocktails, local bites from the neighborhood + boozy cupcakes from Prohibition Bakery, and of course, GORGEOUS sunset views of the skyline. Get your tickets here.
Where to Relax Right Now: N4 Med Spa
10 May
The Williamsburg waterfront is blowing up with restaurants, shops, luxury condos, and a fantastic med spa that I have to tell you about. I recently visited N4 Med Spa just to check out the brand new space. The friendly staff took me for a walk, showing me the salon portion of the biz, with hairstylists, colorists and comfy-looking mani-pedi stations (with vegan nail polish I might add). Then brought me to the back, med spa area that smelled like vanilla and lavender, with rooms for deep tissue massage, tanning, facials, and body wraps.
I wasn’t planning on getting any treatments that day. Until they told me about the Hydrafacial– one of their most popular services at the moment. It’s kind of like the wet version of microdermabrasion– and much less abrasive on the skin. So I went for it. I got to to sit back in a warm bed while the facialist used a little tool to softly vacuum out the stuff my skin doesn’t need (like environmental free radicals) and moisturize, adding vitamins and antioxidants. It was super relaxing and only took 30 minutes. The best part about it is it instantly makes your skin glow. I didn’t even need makeup for my dinner after. Not. Kidding.
Check ut N4′s site here and definitely hit it up next time you need some spa-soothing.
Drool of the Day: Simi’s Sundae
7 May
Spotted at Brooklyn Farmacy– with pistachio cardamom ice cream & Farmacy’s warm carmel sauce. topped with farmacy’s own pistachio crumbles and fresh whipped cream.
Mixing up Cocktails with The Jakewalk
6 May
My #1 favorite cocktail bar in Brooklyn, The Jakewalk, recently started offering up cocktail classes to teach its patrons the art of creating the perfect drink. Bartenders Tim and Bryan taught the 3-hour long class, showing us the basics of stirring and shaking– it’s harder than you think– and giving us two recipes (and one bonus!) to get our skills down pat. But before we were even allowed to touch the alcohol, we had to learn all about the barware and try out the technique using water. Once that was mastered, we tried the two recipes individually, and got one-on-one instruction from the masters. Of course, we sipped on the finished products.
If you see another cocktail class from The Jakewalk,be sure to sign up! They’ll announce classes on their Twitter feed.
Bryan teaching his tricks
My daiquiri
