Tag Archives: Brooklyn

Sip on This: Three of My Favorite Brooklyn Cocktails

13 May

One of the best parts of summer is alfresco dining– and alfresco drinking. Here are three of my favorite refreshing cocktails to drink in Brooklyn this summer.

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

This is Why All Brooklyn Apartments Need Gardens.

12 May

Yellow roses in Cobble Hill.

Immerse Yourself in Red Hook.

4 May

Red Hook is so underrated. It’s one of my favorite parts of Brooklyn, and I found the perfect event to celebrate the neighb. On May 12, check out The Total Red Hook Immersion from Brooklyn Based. Starting at noon, pick up a special, free Immersion postcard at Brooklyn Ice House and Rocky Sullivan’s that will entitle you to these awesome deals:

-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.

Need a Brooklyn Broker?

27 Apr

Becoming Brooklyn is moving. Still staying in Brooklyn, of course, but to a different neighborhood (which will be announced in a future post, so keep an eye out). So for the past couple months, I’ve spent every spare moment I have sifting through real estate listings, picking through Craigslist, and wishing I could add $1000 per month (or maybe like $5,000 per month) to my budget. What I’ve learned? Moving is kind of a pain. Every other person in Brooklyn seemed to be looking for the same exact things I was. Sigh.

BUT… there was one person that made it less painful… my broker. Ok, I know. You’re sick of brokers. But put the bad rap aside for a second because this broker changed my mind about brokers.

I met Shay Mitchell-Peter on Twitter surprisingly, or not surprisingly if you know me, and she’s been a HUGE help in finding a place to live. She’s always working, always available, and always responsive to any listing I sent her way. Shay never pressured me through the process. She was always patient, even when I decided to change my mind 457 times.

And even when my head was spinning with neighborhoods, and buildings, and closet space, Shay was a calming presence, laying out all my options in an organized, sensible way.

Next time you move, make sure to contact Shay at smitchell@peterestates.com or tweet her at @ShayRealEstate.

Where to Eat Right Now: Zenkichi

22 Apr

Japanese Eggplant

I visited Zenkichi, the inconspicuous Williamsburg spot with no signage, and was impressed immediately. I waited for my friends in the gorgeous bamboo-covered waiting room that smelled like flowers… or fruit… or both. I can’t really put my finger on it, but I was into it. My group was seated upstairs in a candlelit wooden booth enclosed with a little curtain. I didn’t go there on a date, but next time I will because it was just that romantic.

So when you go after you read this, drink. sake. The extensive sake menu is a little overwhelming, but it’s categorized by the flavor that you’re looking for, which makes the choice a little easier. I wanted to order one of everything, but held back choosing a few items off the ala carte menu, including the Zenkichi Salad, the grilled Japanese eggplant, and the Grilled Fish of the Day, which was a salmon. I also tasted some of my friends’ picks, and highly recommend the Grilled Miso Oysters and the Potato Mochi. We finished with a walnut chocolate pudding, which was a little bit like the consistency of ice cream, except not as cold. (Does that make sense?)

Ok, so go make your reservation already. You’ll love it.

Grilled Salmon

Chocolate Walnut Pudding

The Becoming Brooklyn Approved Sports Bar

31 Mar

Honestly, I’m not a sports bar kinda gal. The massive TVs, neon beer signs, and tubs filled with bud light cans just aren’t my thing. BUT, there is one sports bar that’s not only a great place to watch a game, but also a quality Becoming Brooklyn-approved drinking establishment. It’s Red Star in Greenpoint.

I stopped by the bar last week to watch the Syracuse basketball game (I don’t want to talk about it), and discovered that Red Star’s beer list goes much further than the standard Bud-Coors-Gross Watery Beers that I hate. They also had Brooklyn Brewery, Sixpoint, and their own home brews. We went all out (it was March Madness after all) and ordered a beer tower of Red Star’s Amber Lager. The casual menu is also high quality– like their award winning wings, hummus platter, sweet potato fries, and sliders.

My group had a corner spot at the bar, with a perfect view of the TV, and easy access to the friendly staff. If you have a game to watch with a crew of friends and don’t want to deal with the frustrating sports bar crowds, this is the place to go. Visit Red Star at 37 Greenpoint Ave.

Your Next Subway Commute Read

27 Mar

Looking for something page-turning to read while you ride the G train? Pick up a copy of Brooklyn boy Paul Larosa’s memoir, Leaving Story Avenue, with an April 2012 publishing date. 

Emmy-Award winning CBS News producer Paul LaRosa’s evocative memoir of his days growing up in a Bronx housing project and working as a reporter at The New York Daily News in the late 1970s.

Paul was a clueless kid growing up in a Bronx housing project when he discovered there might be more to life. As the projects went from idyllic to dangerous, Paul made his way to The New York Daily News where he became a copyboy and later a reporter.

The memoir follows Paul through the most distressing periods of NYC’s history– a brush with bankruptcy, the terror reign of Son of Sam, the blackout riots, and the murder of John Lennon.

Aside from being a memoirist and journalist, Paul is also passionate about Brooklyn. Follow Paul on Twitter for even more updates.

Where Will Becoming Brooklyn Eat Next?

23 Mar

My never ending list of must-try restaurants is growing by the minute. Today I asked my Twitter followers for their opinions… where shall I go next? Here’s the list of their answers. Which one do you like best?

1. Talde 

2. The Vanderbilt 

3.  Betto 

4. Zenkichi

5. Cafe Ghia

6. Frej

7. Chavelas

8. Paulie Gees

9. BK Fish Camp

10. Roll N Roaster 

11. No. 7 Sub

12. Korzo

Also selected but I’ve already been: Farm on Adderley, Buttermilk Channel, Traif, Lucali, Rosewater, and Isa.

Sip on this: The Nose Dive

21 Mar

Next time you're at Clover Club, order the Nose Dive, a mix of Gin, lemon, maple syrup, orange, amaro Abano, and Champagne.

Stock up on dinnerware at Fishs Eddy.

15 Mar

Ok, I admit, it’s not actually in Brooklyn, BUT Fishs Eddy offers up some cute Brooklyn inspired dinnerware and glassware. If you’ve never been before, you should go at least once just to stock up on affordable kitchen accessories. I was shocked at the cheap prices. and I decided it would be a fabulous place to bring visitors looking for a souvenir.

I liked these “Brooklynese” pieces, like the “buttah dish” and “cawfee mug.” Fine– it’s cheesy… still fun though. Even if you aren’t in NYC, you can still buy from their website. 

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