East River Tattoo (1047 Manhattan Ave.) opened in 2000 out of a storefront on Franklin Street, making them Greenpoint’s first tattoo shop. They have since moved a few blocks to their current Manhattan Ave location, where a glance in the window reveals a taxidermy fox next to a spotted and stuffed fawn. Continue reading →
Greenpoint currently has four tattoo shops, each with their own vibe, style, and specialties. Whether you’re a tattoo collector, planning a custom piece, or just seeking a small meaningful mark on your skin, finding the right match is never as easy at it seems.
The best way to check places out is to go by and look through the artists’ books found on the front counter of most shops. After you’ve looked at designs, notice the quality of lines in various artist’s work and the way tattoos are placed on people’s bodies. Greenpoint’s tattoo shops are so close you can check them all out in one afternoon.
Dreamcatchers in progress at Line & Label. Photo by Michelle Christina Larsen
Manhattan Avenue’s hip boutique Line & Label held a successful first Dreamcatchers Workshop at the end of last month, and we stalked around the work table to snap pics of our local DIY lovers making their own beautiful creations.
For $50, attendees were given instructions and a wide array of materials to experiment with including leather, feathers, beads and fringe. The resulting dreamcatchers varied in color, size and decoration. “We were truly impressed with everyone’s finished piece, and so happy everyone finished in time too,” says founder Kate O’Riley on the boutique’s website.
The latest un-popular fashion trend is Tropical Goth—and it’s exactly what you think it is. Picture Charles Manson wearing a Hawaiian shirt stumbling into a backyard BBQ grill. Flaming flamingos and casual-day-for-cutters aside, you may not know that Tropical Goth is also a Brooklyn-based record label and dance party (of course it is). The Tropical Goth crew emerged a couple years ago from the minds of a couple of Bushwick’s Bossa Nova Civic Club DJs. The maestro of Tropical Goth is Shredder aka Chris Video, with Publicist, Food Stamps, Marcus Webb, Deadontheinternet and other tortured tiki souls dropping beats at select parties. Somehow they manage to blend beachy island vibes with dark industrial techno better than the best pina colada you’ve ever had on a drug-fueled bachelorette party in Puerto Rico. Continue reading →
I’ve lived in Greenpoint for eight years and have always felt a void in wellness offerings. Thankfully, that’s begun to change as juice bars, gyms, and yoga studios started blooming on almost every corner. The emergence of establishments like Lucent Yoga, Botica Apothecary, and Help Your Self is exciting. Until recently, the one thing still lacking was somewhere to buy workout gear. Not just sneakers or a jump rope, but truly functional, cutting-edge activewear. As a former apparel buyer turned full-time yoga teacher, I appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into a well-made pair of leggings or running shorts. What you wear when you workout can totally change your experience, as anyone who’s suffered from inner thigh chafing or bleeding nipples can attest!
On a recent morning jog, I was intrigued by a sleek silver sign that read: “Solfire.” The storefront was a beacon of light on the once desolate stretch of Driggs Avenue from the south tip of McCarren Park to the Bedford L Train. I peeked in and saw a plethora of colorful capri pants and made a mental note to pop by during store hours. When I revisited the shop later that week, I was surprised to discover that Solfire (483 Driggs Ave.) was so much more than a clothing shop. Continue reading →
Made Real Vodka proclaims that it’s for the “the makers, the moonlighters, and the hustlers.” If their events are any barometer, Made Real gets that life — the life of the freelancer, the wanderluster, the foodie, the free-spirited fashionista.
The vodka company’s recent events include a superfun cheesemaking class with the chef of Humboldt & Jackson, a cocktail-making class with talented mixologist Rachel Kim of the NoMad, and an upcoming Thursday, March 24th Made Real Connections open bar, shopping event and fashion panel with Hannah Dilworth, the owner of Williamsburg store Concrete + Water.
We got to attend a Made Real event and taste-test the vodka, which is warm, spicy and a touch sweet from its honey distillation, rather than cool and aloof like some vodkas (we’re not naming any names here). It was smooth and didn’t bite when consumed neat, and fun and easy to mix with. After the event, we got to chat with Nicole Williams, Made Real’s Head of Brand (and formerly a marketing girlboss at big names like Nastygal and NYLON), to get the scoop on what’s behind this beautiful bottle.
One of the reasons I moved to this neighborhood is that so many women have the most intriguing sense of style. Wray is a cool and subtle line that has spark and mystery for any Greenpoint woman. I sat down with the designer, Wray Serna, to discuss her amazing collection and why she loves creating and living in Greenpoint. Continue reading →
In celebration of International Women’s Day, Little Poland Gallery is hosting, Women for Women Designers Sale Event. The gallery will be presenting an incredible collection of women’s clothing made by a carefully curated selection of European designers, and featuring natural fabrics including beautiful linens and cottons. All of the items are being offered at extremely affordable prices, making this the perfect chance to get started on your spring wardrobe. Plus every woman will leave with a FREE gift with their purchase.
Having ginger hair, I’ve always felt a connection to other redheads. It’s like the bond you feel when you discover someone else shares the same slightly obscure hobby to you, except that with hair color you don’t even have to engage in conversation to know that you have something rare in common. This is why beaming at each other in the street is frequent practice among gingers.
During a recent event at the Franklin Street Community Garden I met a fellow ginger who also happened to be a Greenpointer and a world-class hairdresser, so naturally I was somewhat excited. Continue reading →
Summer is officially here and after that hella winter, we best greet this long-awaited season in style. Welcome back, sun, sweat, and subway tunnels that smell and feel like the depths of Hell!
Kidding! More like, welcome back bike rides and outdoor brunch and tan lines!
With the abundance of shopping Greenpoint provides, it won’t be hard to coordinate the perfect outfit for that afternoon spent in Transmitter Park, your friend’s rooftop BBQ next weekend, or for your morning commute walking across the Pulaski while cursing the G train in a few weeks. Here are a few outfit options and some summer essentials courtesy of our awesome neighborhood to make the warm months even sweeter:
