Neighborhood: June 2005 Archives

I have to apologize for the lack of Brooklyn-specific posts--there are so many interesting things going on in the neighborhood, but unpacking is a bitch. Some neighborhood highlights I wish I had more time to investigate: what appears to be a new community garden being built on the expanse of concrete across from the Carroll Street entrance to the Carroll Street F and G station; new Japanese noodle shop Taku that I've heard good things about; new comfort food spot Gravy, connected to the Pacifico/La Rosa restaurants at Smith and Pacific streets. I'm not a huge fan of Pacifico (the deck is great, as are the margaritas, but the service and food are inconsistent); however I think La Rosa's pizza is fantastic. Hopefully Gravy takes the middle ground between the two.

Any experiences at either Taku or Gravy? Also, I'd love to get the scoop on the community garden ...

There's a little discussion going on at Curbed right now regarding the renovation of 505 Court Street and potential reasons these might not be your dream lofts. Having lived (until a week ago) on Clinton Street, between Huntington and Nelson, which directly faces the BQE, I sympathize with and support the "endless diesel soundtrack" description. And the higher you are, the louder it gets as there are no buildings to block the low rumbling sounds. In particular, that stretch of the BQE is rife with super-sized diesel trucks downshifting. I'd even go so far as to say these trucks perfect that glorious sound of BRERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR -  RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRERP. It happens at all hours, and I have heard this sound last for what seems like minutes. I will add, though, that the real problem with the BQE is not the sound, which, though loud, does not hold a candle to the sticky dirty scum that filters through one's window screens if you happen to want some "fresh" air. It's gross. (Oh, and our apartment also gently rocked to the rumble, kind of like a cheap massage bed.)

I thought I'd take some before and after photos of the new place in Carroll Gardens (only two blocks away from our old one) to illustrate what a little paint can do. I open with the before shot of the living room. And as an added twist, you'll have to check back for the after update. I'll give you a hint--we used yellow :)

UPDATE: I lost my flash card reader in the move, and the new one isn't working ... photos will be coming soon. Stay tuned.

So things are a little crazy here at abrooklynlife. Moving out of one place and into another. Unable to write in complete sentences. Have been painting some wild and crazy colors on the walls, which I'll show some before and after pics of later. For the moment, I'd like to ponder the strange stuff people leave behind in apartments. Several towels were left behind (one still hanging on the rack in the bathroom), a travel pack of wet wipes, two boxes of detergent, three mugs and two glasses in the dishwasher, one almost completely drunk bottle of Boland's soda and a nearly exploded ginger beer in the refrigerator, tons of ancient spices, a very nice fan. Enjoy the photos.

Minibar on Court Street celebrated its one-year anniversary last night. Hard to believe that this little spot on the quieter southern end of Carroll Gardens has been open that long. And yet, in a year, it's gone from being a quiet, sometimes empty spot to one where seats are at a premium on the weekends. Despite last night's broken AC, the place was hopping with $2 draft beer, $3 house wine and discounted thin mint martinis.

A few months ago, I wrote a sad, sappy little goodbye to Brooklyn Yoga, but I'm happy to report the center is opening up again this weekend.  The new center is at 474 Smith Street, next to F Line Bagels. If you've never tried yoga before, this is a great place to start. The teachers are super friendly and there's no pressure to wear the coolest yoga pants or anything silly like that.

Caught this bee trying to pollinate a flower pillow in a store window on Smith Street.

Given the recent interest in Coney Island--to develop or not to develop--and the 90 degree weather Sunday, I decided that the kitschy strip of Brighton Beach needed a visit. Sunday was unbelievably crowded, with all walks of life exposing themselves to the elements. A few things I learned from observance: Seagulls are just as disturbing as pigeons when being fed en masse, Shoot the Freak appeals across social and economic classes, and high-heeled shoes do *not* make for good footwear on the boardwalk. There's something uniquely Brooklyn about the place, and it seems dangerous to mess with nostalgia. Walk more than a block from the beach, though, and it's easy to see why this area needs a little economic kick-in-the-ass. It's not that I want to see the Freak Show or the wonderfully greasy food shacks be pushed out by a beachside Olive Garden, but the area is obviously suffering.

At least half the reason for our trip was Totonno Pizzeria Napolitano. The oldest continuously operating pizza parlor in New York churns out some fantastic thin-crust pies. The freshness of the dough and the cheese blows the competition out of the water. In fact, the place smelled so good that I forgot to take a photo of our pizza until we'd consumed all but the last two pieces--which we promptly ate right after taking this photo.  While waiting for a table outside, we had the chance to talk with a couple who'd been going to the restaurant for the past 20 years. They recommended a few old Brooklyn favorites you may be reading about in the coming weeks.

New York Mag drew up an especially helpful list of bars that barbecue. In Brooklyn, that includes Lillie's, East River, Hank's Saloon, Red and Black and Metropolitan. I believe Duff's in the 'Burg has also been firing up the grill. Any other places to add to the list?

The burger above is made entirely of cake. More can be found on the Cake Fairy's website.