Neighborhood: July 2008 Archives

OK. I am opening up the forum on the horrible little beasts that have been eating me non-stop for weeks now. I get bit on the sidewalk in front of my house, I get bit while walking down streets with no trees, and--of course--I get bit in our backyard unless I cover myself in toxic mosquito repellent.

I've heard it's bad this year because the city stopped spraying. Does anyone know why?

Also, any remedies besides the obvious? Am I the only one being sucked dry?

I've kept silent thus far on the "Is 'The Real World' coming to Carroll Gardens or not issue?" simply because it's been so back-and-forth. Today (again), Curbed supposedly has the word, which is that the show will be located in Red Hook and not Carroll Gardens or downtown Brooklyn. Red Hook certainly makes more logistical sense for the show, and it's also certain to make many in this neighborhood very, very happy.

On a related note, what's with all the filming in the neighborhood? In the past week, there's been a film shooting in front of the movie theater, a commercial on Smith Street and then today a whole crew was set up in front of the old Little Red Deli by the Cobble Hill Park.

Seems like every time I walk down Smith Street something changes. Flirt is no more on Smith Street, which is sad because it was one of my favorite neighborhood boutiques. The location in Park Slope is still active, however, so now I'll just have to schlep myself over to 5th Avenue. In better news, Refinery (a long-time neighborhood stalwart for great purses) is looking quite spiffy in its new space just a few doors down.

I have a little confession: I've never been inside Carroll Garden's Marco Polo. It seems a bit impenetrable with its valet parking and old-schoolers congregating for cocktails and dinner. But this I know: The Italians of Carroll Gardens wouldn't have kept it in business for 25 years unless it served up some tasty Italian food. And now I have an excuse to go--the restaurant is serving a three-course $19.83 lunch, in honor of the year it opened, and a three-course $25 dinner, in honor of its anniversary. The special lasts throughout the summer and includes dishes such as house-made pasta with spicy cured anduja sausage and guanciale, grilled octopus, a prosciutto and mozzarella stuffed pork chop. Anybody want a lunch date with ABL?

And if you're not in the mood for fancy Italian, I can heartily recommend Marco Polo's pizza annex. The sausage, onion and broccoli rabe pizza is just about the perfect combo.