Desirée Flores is a L.A. native with almost a decade spent in NYC. She spends her days working on beauty product launches and her evenings exploring Brooklyn. She lives in Greenpoint and can never sit still. Instagram: @desireenyc
Chicano Batman packed Warsaw (261 Driggs Ave) for their second night in New York City. The fall tour supports their album Freedom Is Free, released in March. The album is among Billboard’s Best Albums of 2017 So Far and was recorded at Diamond Mine Recordings in nearby Long Island City. The tour kicked off in their hometown of Los Angeles late September, with three sold-out shows at The Fonda Theatre.
Openers Khruangbin & The Shacks started off the evening with mellow vibes and some instrumental tracks that felt almost improvised. The tempo eventually revved up a bit to pump-up the audience in preparation for the energetic headliners. Chicano Batman blends the sounds of soul, Brazilian Tropicalía and a bit of old school R&B.Like the well-dressed performers of their 1970’s predecessors, these are show men. You can see a display of that showmanship in their debut Conan performance filmed earlier this year.Continue reading →
The French dance-pop group Yelle played sold-out shows this past weekend, packing the house at Rough Trade (64 N 9th St) on the Brooklyn stop of their Yelle Dance Party Tour. They filled the space with electric synth sounds topped with sweet-sounding vocals and over-the-top energy. The band was supported by the alt-pop Brooklyn-based duo Glassio for all three nights.
The très chic vocalist Julie Budet had the audience bouncing around, dancing and singing along in an obscure mix of French and something resembling French. One of their newly released singles ‘Interpassion‘, touches on their international appeal with lyrics, “Hey, I speak a little bit, you don’t understand, but I speak a little bit, and I’m sure you are my friend.” Crowd favorites, “Que veux-tu” and album namesakes “Safari Disco Club” and “Complètement fou”along with spurts of choreography got everyone pumped up. Continue reading →
The William Vale hotel is one of the most obvious additions to Williamsburg’s skyline and the beautiful Westlight sits at its very top. Luckily for us, they scored James Beard-winning chef Andrew Carmellini to create outstanding menus throughout The William Vale, not just at the street-level Leuca, his first Brooklyn restaurant. Chef Carmellini is no stranger to the transformation Williamsburg has undergone and is proud of his contribution. “When I used to come down here in the 90’s with my guitar, I’d get off the train and there was nothing here. There was the Turkey’s Nest and that was it and there was never anyone here,” says Carmellini. Westlight has helped draw a crowd to the area and is now entering its second year. Continue reading →
Monger’s Palate Picnic Basket Photo by Desirée Flores
North Brooklyn may not have the vast green destination of Prospect Park, but there are several scattered parks that are perfect for picnics. We’ve put together a list of places that offer take away options to full-service picnic gear that can make a day laying in the grass so much more enjoyable. Whether you plan to lay out a blanket or just sit on your jacket, these bites are quick and easy for a meal in the park. Continue reading →
Franz Ferdinand played to a sold-out house last night at Warsaw (261 Driggs Ave) on their first tour since 2014 supporting Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action. The band’s new lineup is comprised of Alex Kapranos (lead vocals and guitar), Bob Hardy (bass guitar), Paul Thomson (drums, percussion and backing vocals) and Dino Bardot (guitar) and Julian Corrie (synth, guitar) replaced founding member Nick McCarthy, who left the band last summer.
After playing Governor’s Ball over the weekend, the band extended their stay in New York City playing the show as part of Governor’s Ball After Dark.The crowd was as electrified as the band, especially when they played dance-beat heavy songs such as “No You Girls”, “The Dark of the Matinee” and “Take Me Out”, dancing, jumping and waving their arms to the music. Franz Ferdinand returned to the stage for an encore performance and ended their show with energy surging, “This Fire” and hand-in-hand the band took a bow.Continue reading →
A couple of weekends ago, Diamond Lil quietly opened its doors at 179 Nassau Avenue. The bar takes its name from a risqué Broadway play by former Greenpoint resident, playwright, Hollywood star and sex symbol, Mae West. This is just one of the ways the space pays homage to strong women. The bar is co-owned by John Wright and Tim Murray, who is the same owner of Broken Land (105 Franklin Ave.) which hosted several fundraisers for Planned Parenthood leading up to the Women’s March earlier this year. There will likely be fundraisers in the future focusing on local organizations. Continue reading →
Norman (29 Norman Ave) is now officially open as an all-day café, restaurant, and bar serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Though there were a few months of delay, it seems that spring is the perfect time to welcome this sustainable restaurant to the neighborhood. Norman shares a beautiful sun-drenched location with creative space A/D/O, and the cuisine benefits from the bounty of the season. This large and airy cafe is a great casual dining destination in this warehouse sprawled area of Greenpoint.Continue reading →
The Brooklyn Barge (3 West Street, at Milton) finally opened yesterday for its third season. This is Greenpoint’s only waterfront bar with unbeatable views of Manhattan. It’s the kind of place you can round up a dozen friends last minute or bring a date to watch the sunset and twinkling skyline after dark. You can enjoy ten beers on tap (half of which are local to NY), sample the shared bites menu or go with their signature Barge Tacos or Burger. There’s something for everyone including veggie and gluten-free options.
The launch of the NYC Ferry service (which had prices drop down to $2.75 one-way) will surely increase traffic from Manhattan to Greenpoint foreshadowing the imminent boom of housing along West Street. As a result, we should probably expect bigger crowds at the Barge this season. Continue reading →
Old Tom Gin, American Dry Gin, Beach Plum Gin Photo by Marissa Fortuno
Greenhook Ginsmiths (208 Dupont St.) was founded in 2012 in Greenpoint by brothers Steven and Philip DeAngelo. Steven has an infectious passion for gin and is involved in every step of production. His wealth of knowledge of the history and science of gin making is as impressive as their flavorful products—three distinctly different gins. The distillery is available for tours on Saturdays and can be booked on their website.
Beets, Muna, Goat Cheese, Gooseberry, Cancha Photo by Desirée Flores
The triangular East Williamsburg restaurant sits along the BQE (not so picturesque) but once through the wide wood doors of Llama Inn (50 Withers St), the wrap around windows, hanging garden and welcoming bar will make the location escape you. Just named one of the Top New York restaurants of 2016 by The New York Times and honored with Michelin Bib Gourmand status, this just year-old restaurant is making its mark beyond Brooklyn and putting this overlooked corner on the map. Continue reading →
