Thank you to everyone who reads my posts, tweets me, likes Becoming Brooklyn on Facebook, comes to my meetups– it means a lot to have you here with me through all of my Brooklyn experiences and discoveries. Keep coming back, because if you likes the last two years, I think you’ll like the next two even more.

So let’s have a Baked cupcake and a pint of Brooklyn Brewery beer to celebrate. Cheers!

Live music acts include Apollo Heights, Lachi, Ze Luis Quartet, Comandante Zero, and others, with DJs like hipster fave Punches, Jeannie Hopper of Liquid Sound Lounge, Bruce Tantum from Time Out NY, and Kervyn Mark from Melting Pot. Caridad Sola will curate provocative performance art throughout the space. Cool, right?

And Brooklyn Moms and Dads, they will also host an all-ages day on Sunday so families can enjoy the festivities together–  like organic cupcakes sponsored by Francescacake and kid-centric music.

So hang out in the outdoor art garden while  checking out video & art installations. Food will be available for sale, with $3 PBRs all weekend. Visit their website for full schedule and details. 

1. Cafe Cubana’s Mojito – a simple summer drink at one of my favorite go-to Cuban spots.

Mojito at Cubana Cafe

2. Gran Electrica’s Spicy Margarita – made with habanero-infused tequila… amazing.

Spicy Margarita at Gran Electrica

3. Clover Club’s Nose Dive – a mix of gin, lemon, maple syrup, orange, amaro Abano, and Champagne.

The Nose Dive at The Clover Club

Yellow roses in Cobble Hill.

I admit. We were a little star-struck by Dale Talde. “Should we say hi?” we whispered, but rather than being like “Oh hey D! (we’re that close) What’s goin’ on?”, We decided to order cocktails and pour over the menu.

Perilla Leaf Mojito

I loved the Perilla Leaf Mojito, a mix of denizen white rum, perilla leaf, fresh lime, lemon-lime bitters, and white sugar. Then we went all out with the small plates, opting for an octopus salad, Hawaiian Bread Buns, the whole fish (it’s very whole) and a side of pea pods. You know those meals that you think about for days later? This was one of them. Especially the whole fish. I don’t really know what kind of fish it was, but it was banana leaf roasted with turmeric and tomato.

We couldn’t resist the dessert, just because it was the oddest combination ever: shaved ice, banana, pineapple, bubble tea, vanilla, and Captain Crunch cereal. The dish was served in a giant bowl with two spoons, and oddly, it was kind of addicting.

Here’s my advice: When you go, get the fish. Try the dessert, whatever it may be. And tell D I say hey.

The Brainery tells us seasoned karaoke veteran and believer that people of all singing abilities can serve up a stellar performance, Laura Sjogren, will show you how to maximize your innate talents, how to get over your stage fright, and get you thinking about the hard questions, like what song is appropriate after 6 beers, what do I do if there is a surprise birthday party at the bar, and is it ever appropriate to direct a song at your ex?

And score, the class is just $7 for a skill that will last a lifetime. PS, I hear there will be wine. Sign up here. 

-Complimentary Brooklyn Brewery beers and beer specials at Brooklyn Ice House, Rocky Sullivan’s, Botanica, Fort Defiance, and the Jalopy Tavern

-Complimentary glasses of Local One when you brunch at The Good Fork and Home/Made

-$12(+tax) lobster rolls from the Red Hook Lobster Pound (normally $16!)

-$3 Swingles (normally $5) and $2 Key Lime tarts (normally $4) from Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pies!

-Special deals when you shop at Tiburon, Foxy & Winston, Metal and Thread and more

-Fab prizes when you snap all our clues on our Instagram photo safari

RSVP here and I’ll see you there.

The restaurant is encouraging guests to come dressed in their Derby finest and $250 Seersucker gift certificates await the best-dressed man and woman at the party. (SCORE). Also, the race will be broadcast on a vintage radio like the old-fashioned days. I’ll be there; hope to see you there too.

Keith Haring’s signature images—the barking dog, radiant baby, and running figure—though now synonymous with street art, strike a deeper, nostalgic connection with New York City art-goers. His works evoke the gritty New York City of the 1980s and 90s, when subways cars were outfitted in outrageous graffiti and the East Village was still an authentic bohemian scene.  Granted I hadn’t been born yet and so I missed these raw years in the city’s history, but  I can still appreciate the culture that Haring was working in and the urban influences that shaped his art.

A current exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum (on view through July 8) pays homage to Haring’s early career in the city, beginning with his enrollment in the School of Visual Arts in 1978. Walking in, visitors are greeted by a massive black and white untitled work set against a deep red wall, three colors characteristic of Haring’s art. The exhibit incorporates a variety of media, including some experimental videos, posters, and private journal sketches. My favorite part of the exhibit is a small dark hallway that contains a collection of the chalk subway drawings that cemented Haring’s status as a pop artist (unfortunately no photos allowed!).

A central theme of the exhibit is Haring’s belief that art is for everyone, and I think the curator was successful in conveying his message. Collectively, the exhibit has a somewhat personal feel, like not only getting a glimpse into the artist’s mind but also a piece of his life in New York City. For example, one poster beckons an unknown audience to continue to Mercer Street for what I imagine would be a really cool time.

I always love a visit to the Brooklyn Museum, and this exhibit made me feel all warm and New Yorker-y. So, go!

And just for fun, children of the 90s: anyone else remember this funky “Exit” video Keith Haring did for Sesame Street?