Summer’s here! Summer’s here! It’s picnics in the park, (possible) ferry rides to the beach, and group yoga classes outside time! Unlike the massive outdoor free classes that happen in other parks around the city—I call b.s. when someone says they enjoy doing yoga with about 100 other people—the outdoor classes that happen in North Brooklyn tend to not get too crowded, and you might know an instructor or two. Some of these offerings are free and some aren’t, but it’s really a treat to get your om on outside. Continue reading →
The classic negroni, served up. Image via Negroni Week.
The classic negroni is a classic for a reason. With equal parts gin, campari and sweet vermouth on ice with an orange peel, sipping it makes me feel like I’m zooming around the Italian coast on a Vespa in perfect 72-degree weather while shouting “ciao!” at passerbys (even if I happen to be in a dark Brooklyn bar on a cold night). The bitterness hits you first, and then you start to experience the sensual bed of sweetness, which is what fully transports you to a specific time and place. This week, June 5-11, more than a dozen local watering holes are participating in Negroni Week, in which specialty negronis are sold to benefit charities of the bar’s choosing. Here’s who’s participating in the ‘hood, and the negronis and specials they’ve got going.
The sun’s been peeking out just enough to give us a taste of summer while whetting our palettes for delectable mint juleps, the staple drink of the Kentucky Derby. For almost a hundred years the fresh-tasting cocktail has been served up at Churchill Downs to thirsty horserace fans. And the two-minute run for the roses isn’t just a vehicle for cocktails, it’s also a runway for southern-style fashions. When the race began TV broadcasts in the 60s, women got the chance to stand out for their moment of fame by donning ever-spectacular millinery. And it seems that the hats just keep getting bigger and bolder—the royal wedding 2011 renewed an interest in the grand hats. If you plan on watching, dressing in your finest and hitting the town, here’s our picks for where to celebrate Derby Day in North Brooklyn this Saturday May 6th!
Mable’s Smokehouse | 44 Berry Street
3pm onward, free
Mable’s is hosting their 7th Annual Kentucky Derby Party! They’ll be showing the races all day, while guests can participate in some friendly wagering while Mable serves up Kentucky staples like Derby Pie and $7 Wild Turkey Mint Juleps! Derby hats and attire encouraged. BBQ menu available all day. Continue reading →
Get ready to whoop it up Australian style. Tomorrow, (Tues. 4/25) our local Australian-owned bar Northern Territory (12 Franklin St.) will be hosting Anzac Day celebrations. As Australia and New Zealand’s equivalent to our 4th of July, it’s a day of remembrance for those who have served since WWI.
According to Wikipedia, one of the main Anzac Day traditions is the Gunfire Greakfast—rum n’ coffee—generally imbibed just after dawn, and refers to the ‘breakfast’ taken by many soldiers before facing battle. Northern Territory will kick things off at 4pm, and the party goes all night long. They’ll have games of Two-Up (a traditional Aussie coin toss game), with all proceeds going to Mates4Mates, an organization that supports injured, wounded and/or ill ex-serving Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel and their families. Coopers beer and shot specials will be running all night long while they serve up $5 sausage rolls and spinach rolls from Dub Pies. Their awesome rooftop will be open, weather permitting.
I don’t know about you, but my favorite part of spring is being able to finally emerge from the dark and the cold to sit outside in the sun, preferably sipping on a nice saison and surrounded by greenery. I don’t ask for much. Luckily, Greenpoint is chock-full of great places to eat and drink outdoors, either in magical green gardens or on rooftops with stellar views. Here are a few places worth the trip.
Northern Territory
12 Franklin Street
Good for: Gorgeous semi-panoramic rooftop views and large groups.
This Australian-themed bar features an expansive rooftop with its own bar and wooden bench tables that channel something of a summer beach vibe. Gaze across the East River to watch the sunset over the city or to ponder the Empire State Building’s color of the day. Add a Beer & Shot into the mix for $10 during happy hour, grab an Aussie burger, and you’re set. Continue reading →
Fact: the 45th President of the United States will be sworn in tomorrow, January 20th. Here are some events happening locally to dull the pain and help you cope.
Trump, Keep Out: A Planned Parenthood Benefit | Thurs. Jan. 19 | 7pm Broken Land | 105 Franklin St
Celebrate the last day of Obama’s presidency with an Inauguration Eve party! All proceeds from the bar and raffle sales during the event will be donated to Planned Parenthood. FREE. RSVP Continue reading →
* Starting Your Intimacy Revolution with Christine Long @ New Women Space (188 Woodpoint Rd) 7pm, $20, Find intimacy in new ways by cultivating closeness and connection through your work, community and self, Buy tix ♦ Olio at Idio: On Civil Disobedience, Resisting the Machine @ IDIO Gallery (976 Gran St) 7pm, $12, When a government becomes a machine that churns out injustice, it is the right and the duty of the citizen to resist the actions of that machine, to throw a spanner in its works. Talk led by Professors Michael Haltenberger and Michael Prettyman, RSVP
THURSDAY 1/19
* Fundraiser for Oakland Ghost Ship Fire Victims @ Bar Matchless (557 Manhattan Ave) 6pm, $10-25, Film screenings of MLK JR. WAY and Remember You’re Special. All proceeds go to benefit victims of the Oakland Ghost Ship Fire, More info * Trump, Keep Out: A Planned Parenthood Benefit @ Broken Land (105 Franklin St) 7pm, FREE, Celebrate the last day of Obama’s presidency with an Inauguration Eve party. ALL PROCEEDS from bar and raffle sales during the event will be donated to Planned Parenthood, RSVP * Celebrate the End of the World @ Northern Territory (12 Franklin St) 7pm, FREE, Drink, dance & celebrate the last night of the Obama administration #comewhatmay. Here’s to 8 years of progress and growth- you’re gonna feel like shit on Friday anyways. #thankyouobama, More info Continue reading →
It seems that Greenpoint is in the midst of an oyster invasion. The Bounty (131 Greenpoint Ave.) and other places now offer dollar oysters during happy hours. Northern Territory (12 Franklin St.) hosted an Oysterfest about a week ago. And The Brooklyn Barge (3 Milton St.) and Transmitter Pier is home to the Billion Oyster Project in the East River. But actually oysters are nothing new to New York or Greeenpoint. If you want the best history of this tasty mollusk read Mark Kurlansky’s book The Big Oyster. It seems before we polluted our New York waterways there were massive oyster beds. In 1860, 12 million oysters were sold in New York markets; by 1880, our oyster beds were producing a mind boggling 700 million mollusks a year!
Dizzee Rascal already sold out. Below are shows you should jump on now.
Anyone who hung out around the waterfront near Pop’s Popular Clothing last summer knows that that area is suddenly humming.
The rooftop bar at Northern Territory is popular with out-of-towners, and The Diamond‘s lovely backyard is a block away.
But that doesn’t explain the pumping outdoor sound stages around there, and grown-ups buzzing around on tiny trick bikes.
Film still from American Psycho
That’s all House of Vans. They host outdoor events in the summer, and Red Bull is a sponsor.
As everyone knows, R.B. & vodka is the go-to drink of the American Psycho andWall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps crowd, so it’s quirky but good that the company’s always liked skaters too.
Here’s a preview of local shows that are part of the Red Bull-branded festival. Continue reading →
It only took a year, but the reports from the CitiStorage fire investigation have been wrested into public view by The Brooklyn Paper. The fire was allegedly sparked by a light fixture, subdued, and then reignited. Kind of weird that department reps maintained their line that the investigation was ongoing, even though investigators signed off on the report on Jan. 8. Continue reading →
Summer’s here! Summer’s here! It’s picnics in the park, (possible) ferry rides to the beach, and group yoga classes outside time! Unlike the massive outdoor free classes that happen in other parks around the city—I call b.s. when someone says they enjoy doing yoga with about 100 other people—the outdoor classes that happen in North Brooklyn tend to not get too crowded, and you might know an instructor or two. Some of these offerings are free and some aren’t, but it’s really a treat to get your om on outside. Continue reading 
