The William Vale hotel is one of the most obvious additions to Williamsburg’s skyline and James Beard-winning chef Andrew Carmellini’s first Brooklyn restaurant, Westlight, sits at its very top. He’s 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 →
The festival not only tastes great, it supports a great cause. TASTE Williamsburg Greenpoint is produced by The Firehouse North Brooklyn Community Center (formerly known as Northside Town Hall), an organization “working to renovate and operate the former Engine Co. 212 Firehouse for Community activity. The Firehouse will provide a permanent home to neighborhood social justice organizations for continued advocacy and direct services to Williamsburg and Greenpoint. The Firehouse fosters civic and cultural engagement with original arts programming and community gatherings.” Other community organizations, like North Brooklyn Angles, a coalition of neighbors helping neighbors fight food and housing insecurity, and Billion Oyster Project, a harbor restoration and citizen science organization, also made it to the fest.
Photo by Julia Moak
As the festival got underway amid sunny skies, live music and games, booze was flowing and bites were flying off the shelf. Some restaurants even ran out of food before the festival was over. Scroll down for a look at some of the fabulous food, drink, and local purveyors in attendance!
Quinoa and Lentil Balls from Abracadabra Brooklyn. Photo by Julia MoakDu’s Donuts. Photo by Julia MoakSweet Crepes from Le Gamin. Photo by Julia MoakA local pour from Widow Jane. Photo by Julia MoakThe crew from Lighthouse. Photo by Julia Moak
If you have not heard of rapper, former chef and Viceland hostAction Bronson’s low culture cult following, you may soon be aware of his larger-than-life presence. Born in Queens and reportedly living in North Brooklyn, he has become an icon somewhat for his brazen rap stylings, but is probably more acclaimed for his self-proclaimed lyrical adoration of the pre-packaged foods most of us grew up with—chicken tenders, Starburst, Steak-umms; and his more complex and grown-up gourmet tastes—steak that’s aged for over 20 days, lamb that’s been roasted over 7 hours, stuffing filled with truffles and pears. As a chubby, foul-mouthed yet lovable character, he appeals to many: the shameless (those who would happily chow down on dirty water hotdogs), the detail-oriented (people who would source the best ingredients to create a very simple meal) and the fun-food-havers (regular people at a backyard BBQ where the smoker’s been going for hours, where homemade food and booze is abundant and anything goes). Continue reading →
Next Thursday evening (9/28) at 7:30pm, National Sawdust (80 N 6th St) is presenting a night of inspired food, mixology and music as they pair up small bites and cocktails with custom-composed music to simultaneously tickle your ears and your tastebuds.
James Beard Award-winning chef Patrick Connolly of Rider (National Sawdust’s sister restaurant) and “cocktail world enigma” Allen Katz, mixologist and local distiller at New York Distilling Company (79 Richardson St), will create the tantalizing culinary experience, which will offer four canapés (three h’ors doeuvres + dessert) and five cocktails on tap.
Multi-instrumentalist Yuka Honda, who will premiere Chopping Music. Photo by Nathan West.
Musicians include jazz singer Magos Herrera, multi-instrumentalist Yuka C. Honda (of Cibo Matto), and pianist Oded Lev-Ari, who will lead the ensemble in a program ranging from tango to electronic music to Mexican folk song, including the world premiere of Chopping Music and a piece inspired by the humble juniper berry.
And, audience members get 20% off their bill at Rider after the event. Advance tickets are $70 and available here. Continue reading →
Sofar Sounds concert at the Brooklyn Home of Music in Greenpoint on July 8, 2017. (Photo courtesy of Sofar Sounds NYC)
When I think of music concerts, I think of long lines, sticky floors, overpriced alcohol, and the buzzing sound that permeates my ears long after the music ends. Sofar Sounds is an organization that presents only the elemental parts of a concert without all that extra noise—at a Sofar Sounds concert, it is simply the artist and the audience.
Last Wednesday, Sofar Sounds presented an evening of music at WMA Studios (66 Green Street) in Greenpoint. The venue was kept secret until the day before, and the invited patrons who applied for tickets filed into the space from the rain outside. Attendees sat on colorful tapestries strewn across the floor, and I sat down on a throw pillow I brought from home. Sofar Sounds events are BYOB, and attendees popped bottles of wine, sipped cans of beer, and clinked copper mule mugs throughout the concert.Continue reading →
It’s no secret that NYC burgers have become a bit of a luxury item. Foodie culture and “chef-driven” menus have made $20+ burgers the rule rather than the exception. But there’s no need to despair; the budget-conscious among us can still find some awesome burger-related deals if we know where to look. Fortunately for us North Brooklynites, our neighborhood’s got plenty of specials that include both the burger and its natural partner: a cold, crisp beer. Behold, the Top Burger And Beer Deals of Greenpoint (and sure, North Williamsburg too):
Although we still miss Franklin Street’s dearly-departed Cassette, we have to say: Threes Brewing is killing it at the pop-up game. Their open-ended residency in the space, Threes at Franklin + Kent, is the ideal spot to meet up with friends and grab a bite and a high-quality brew, and while they started their run with a snack-only food menu, they’ve since expanded into sandwich and burger territory. Their partnership with Purslane Catering lets them serve up substantial dishes that pair beautifully with their draft offerings, and they’ve built some very appealing deals into the menu. Our personal favorite has to be the Burgers + Beer Special ($12), available Monday-Friday from 5-7pm. You’ll get a grilled beef burger with Fontina cheese and caramelized onions on a Sullivan Street Bakery brioche bun, plus a side of smashed potatoes and an 11 oz pour of a Threes draft beer. Because it’s a pop-up, we know that Threes At Franklin + Kent may one day vanish as magically and suddenly as it appeared…but with a happy hour situation like that, we’re keeping our fingers and toes crossed for a long stay.Continue reading →
This weekend kicks off our local autumn art season. In addition to the Brooklyn Clay Tour providing an array of ceramics-related events (check their calendar for a full listing), art opening receptions of all mediums abound—stay in the ‘hood for sculpture, embroidery, immersive installations, surreal sculptures, and paintings that suspend disbelief.
As part of the Brooklyn Clay Tour, Calico presents a pop-up exhibit of commemorative plates, in conjunction with art collective FPOAFM Studios. “PLATE PARTY will feature over 20 artists whom have chosen their favorite artist or inspirational figure to commemorate on a porcelain plate. Images have been drawn, collaged, painted, illustrated, or etched, then permanently transferred onto a plate through a ceramic decal process or laser etching process.”Continue reading →
North Brooklyn Farms (320 Kent Ave) is having their fifth and final Every Body party of the season! Join them on the farm for a day-into-night party with food, drink, music & art.
2-10pm, $10 tickets hereContinue reading →
WEDNESDAY 8/30 ♫ Action Bronson Live + Signing @ Rough Trade NYC (64 N 9th St), 6:30pm, Album Pre-order, Action Bronson plays a Rough Trade in-store with signing after in support of his new album Blue Chips 7000, More info ♫ Lime Rickey International / Sana Nagano @ TROOST (1011 Manhattan Ave), 8pm, FREE, More info
THURSDAY 8/31 # Exclusive Beer Launch: Rye Score! @ Barcade (388 Union Ave), 4pm, FREE, Celebrate the release of our Victory Brewing collaboration, Rye Score!, a German style Hefeweizen brewed with rye malt, More info ♫ Cory Wade, Sateen @ Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Ave), 7pm, $15, Cory Wade from America’s Next Top Model releases the first single off of his debut pop driven with a soul influence album, Buy tix # A Persian-Inspired Evening with Soli Zardosht @ Brooklyn Kitchen (100 Frost St), 7pm, $125, Soli’s Persian-inspired menu will showcase modern flavors from the Middle East and beyond, Buy tix Continue reading →
Williamsburg is full of a lot of fabulous things like delicious food, beautiful art and exciting entertainment, but our neighborhood can’t boast a lot of park space. In fact, when it comes to parkland Williamsburg is ranked 46th out of 51 districts in New York City. And even within the neighborhood, the North Side has 15 times more park space per person than the South Side. The Friends of BQGreen hope to change that.
BQGreen will create a “park out of thin air” by extending a concrete platform over the BQE between South 3rd and South 5th Streets. The Green will incorporate Marcy Green and Rodney Park and include “3.5-acres of open space with a flower garden, a playground, a baseball diamond, barbecues, grassy and wooded areas, an indoor pool and a water play zone.”
Renderings of the proposed park are dynamic and inspiring, and Friends of BQGreen, including Deputy Borough President Diana Reyna, Los Sures, El Puente, and Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn, see their project as akin to the High Line in terms of innovation, but the initiative could have an even more profound affect on the neighborhood when it comes to fighting air pollution and delivering “environmental justice” to residents who live in the shadow of the BQE.Continue reading →
