March in Cobble Hill

Brooklyn seemed to have burst into bloom overnight! Congress and Bergen were both lined in pink and white blooms this morning. It's hard to beat springtime in New York.

New York in Fog

New York was crazy this morning! Upon seeing the thick fog outside my apartment door before my morning run, I begrudgingly hauled myself back up the steep three stories of steps to grab my camera and then snapped these unedited photos of a completely blocked Manhattan skyline from Brooklyn Bridge Park. (Note: THIS is what the park usually looks like.) Spooky!

View of the Brooklyn Bridge

What you see in the distance should be lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty.

See!? Spooky graveyard.

This spot is normally one of the best views of Lower Manhattan, with the Brooklyn Bridge just to the right.

The Brooklyn Bridge finally emerging around 8am.

Brooklyn Bridge from South Ferry Park. (South Ferry Park?)

Manhattan Bridge

And THEN, after I was all excited about my spooky run, I ran into something REALLY spooky......

A zombie on a movie set. For real.
The end.

Black Mountain Wine House

I know. I know, I know, I know. I've been away from this space for a million years (since Halloween? Eeks.) But life has been a little nutty recently and I didn't feel like writing. That's just the truth. That's real life. Life got weird and then it got bad and then better, and now it's just plain BETTER and I'm back and I'm fine and let's talk about wine!

This Christmas, instead exchanging gifts, two of my girlfriends and I treated ourselves to dinner and told each other how appreciative we are of each other. It started out as a joke, (it sounds so lame and corny, doesn't it?) but in the end it was really lovely. How often do you do that with your girlfriends? Just look them straight in the eye and say 'I really like this about you'? Not enough! Maybe never! It's a little awkward! But-- as a wise woman once said--- I like corny. I've been looking for corny. My friends said that they appreciate me for the good advice that I give. Isn't that the nicest!? Thanks, girls. I love my gift.

This little verbal gift exchange took place at one of my favorite spots in New York the world-- Black Mountain Wine House in Carroll Gardens. I wasn't initially going to share the name of this little gem in fear of it becoming garishly crowded and famous, but another bloggie already gave it up today, and, well, sharing is the right thing to do. We sat in the back corner, right next to the most perfect little fireplace, sipped champagne, and then Pinot Noir, munched on cheese and meatballs, and just plain enjoyed ourselves.

In addition to our appreciation conversation we talked about 2011 in it's entirety. We went month-by-month and rehashed the craziness of being women in our 20s figuring it all out. Katie lived in Germany for the first six months of 2011. Alison got to spend an entire week in Miami with her sweet mother. I traveled to Florida three times this year (what?!)--- the first time alone, the second time with a boy, and the third time in panic. Life is weird!

And now it's suddenly Christmastime and I've never been more ready to celebrate. Cheers, my lovelies. Here's to us.

Red Hook

The dogs are named Betty and Meatloaf, the last photo is my favorite, and yes, I made that pie.

Hello, summer.

Solvitur ambulando

Well, it's my second sleepless night in a row. There is no reason for the not sleeping. I do all of the right things-- plenty of exercise, limited caffeine, a book before bedtime. Yet some nights my mind just will not turn off. You know what it's like. I look at my phone more than is healthy, and watch form emails roll in from depressing places like Snapfish, Daily Candy, and Banana Republic (unsubscribe, unsubscribe, unsubscribe.) It's deceptively lonely at 4am.

So I find myself here, at four-in-the-freaking-morning, cutting my losses by making coffee and watching old episodes of The West Wing until the sun rises and cools my nervous, whirling, working mind.

Springtime is slowly shifting away and this city is announcing its big, shiny summer plans. I've lived in my own little rented studio for an entire year now and have finally managed to get the people at the fancy wine store down the street to remember my name.

Two of my best friends will be back in the city come Monday, and another is leaving me for the left coast. Annie moved into a place with a garden, and Kate and Helen scored a Williamsburg balcony. Holly and I were discussing our summer goals a few months ago, and the only one I could really think of was that I wanted to make margaritas-- good margaritas, with real limes and agave nectar-- for friends at my apartment. I also want to go to the beach, and I want to read more Hemingway and I want to dance on a rooftop at some point. That Sleigh Bells album from last summer entered my playlist again-- makes a girl want to dance!

I've also started avoiding the subway and walking to work-- which is much easier than one would think-- and the city is shrinking before me. Cobble Hill to Brooklyn Heights to Downtown Brooklyn, across the Brooklyn Bridge, into Wall Street, Chinatown, and SoHo. It's become a sort of mantra in my mornings and brings me more joy than is probably normal. I know I should get a bike, and probably will soon, but for now the walking works. Solvitur ambulando, as the Romans used to say: the solution comes through walking.

Pier 6, Brooklyn Bridge Park

Good news, just steps from my front door:

The eating options in Brooklyn Bridge Park will spread south to Pier 6 on May 28 when Bark, the haute dog spot in Park Slope, Brooklyn, opens a stand there serving franks and burgers, along with ice cream from Blue Marble and Uncle Louie G’s, and sandwiches from Milk Truck Grilled Cheese. Later next month it will move to a terrace cafe on the pier with 200 seats and will start serving beers from Sixpoint Craft Ales and wine. The stand will be open Saturdays and Sundays, then the terrace will be open Friday nights, Saturdays and Sundays through Labor Day.

Who wants to join me for a grilled cheese and a Sixpoint on the terrace at Pier 6? Done.

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I'm So Tall

I am!

(Bowery at Prince)

Hanson Dry

Since my departure last April, Clinton Hill appears to have gotten noticeably cooler. First Fulton Grand, then Brooklyn Victory Garden, then Beny's, and now THIS!? When I lived in Clinton Hill, the best thing on Fulton was Clean Rite University. And Putnam Candy Store.

Al, Beth, and I tried Hanson Dry for the first time last week, pleased as punch to be drinking fancy cocktails so close to home. (Well, Al's home. I had to take the G.) The dark and manly interior fits nicely with the current 60's Mad Men trend sweeping the borough and I hope it sticks around. It was kind of empty that Friday.

We tried to order drinks based on our personalities, but failed miserably. I ordered the 'classic' (ha!), Alison opted for the 'even' (sorry, but no.) and Beth tried the 'stealthy' (fail.) Tasty, though, every one of them.

Next time I'll bring my camera (there isn't a single current photo out there!) and I think I'll try the Kaboom. Sounds about right.

Boys Drule.

Sidewalk art by a young neighbor of mine. I kind of want to start a club with the little sass-- we could build a fort, create a handshake, rule the world, and work on our spelling, among other things.

Clinton Hill, Brooklyn

Clinton Hill is one of my favorite neighborhoods in the world. Mostly because I live there. The photo to your left is actually my home on Downing street where I live with my friend Katie and my cat, Nancy Drew (who isn't really my cat as much as she is the feral cat who lives at the bottom of my steps in a cardboard box. To be honest, someone threw away that box a few months go. So I haven't seen her around much lately. Bummer.)

I moved to Clinton Hill because I have friends in the neighborhood but love it because of c'ette brownstone and its proximity to Fort Greene. The neighborhood is strongly West African with a few of us young, struggling art-types straggling in.

The white girls like myself do worry me, ironically, because like so many neighborhoods in New York, CH is in danger of massive amounts of gentrification. And I'm part of that gentrification and that's scary. As it stands, Clinton Hill is incredibly local in its establishments-- there isn't a Starbucks to be found. In it's place are grass roots coffee shops and hole-in-the-wall African eateries. It is one of the cheaper neighborhoods that still retains a sense of pride and history.

However-- with gentrification ultimately comes a lower crime rate and that of course is a good thing. (Yes, there is crime in my neighborhood. It's still Brooklyn, after all.) This brings up a huge social argument centered around Alphabet City in the 70s. If you ever want to discuss it with me, I'm extremely interested in this sociological look at nostalgia and its price.

I love the bodegas (that's for you, Dad) and the dogs and the hardware store and the Pratt mansions. I love the front stoops and the friendly hello's and the frequent whistles (ha.) There are also many-a abandoned bulletproof store fronts and garbage piles. It is, after all, bordering Bed-Stuy and also retains a large sense of the ghetto in addition to its history and charm. Okay, its super ghetto. But we love it.

Sister's Hardware: This is my local hardware store where I buy things like bathroom sponges, paint, and bike locks. Alison once needed a ladder to paint her room and the owners suggested that she simply borrow their ladder instead of purchasing one of her own. Seriously!? Are there really people that wonderful out there still!? Warms my heart.

Met Foods: If you've been to Met Foods, you're probably laughing at this post because Met Foods kind of sucks. HOWEVER. They have a rockin' play list of early 90's pop music (Ace of Base, Celine Dion, Amy Grant, Lisa Loeb) and they sell illegal bootlegged DVDs for $5 at checkout. Funny. Worth a trip just to bee-bop to 'Heart in Motion' while buying whatever random yogurt they are selling on that particular day and having to go to three different aisles to find the cinnamon. It's great.

Olivino: My ADORABLE wine store. If you ever visit me, please get a bottle of wine from here because I really want to keep them in business. The people are so friendly and a pug is usually running around as I shop for the bottles with the best labels. My goal in buying wine is usually to find a label with a dog on it... and Olivino usually pulls through.

Olivino Wine Bar: Recently opened adjacent to Olivino wine store! I have to admit that I have a hard time going here only because the prices are double what it would cost to buy the same bottle next door but the cheeses are extraordinary and, again, the people are so nice. The last time I was in the owner told me that they are going to add more tapas to the menu soon, but for now the fresh bread (from Choice, I assume) and cheese selection are all you need. The decor is surprisingly chic for being located on a block housing mostly abandoned nail salons... I was shocked the first time I walked in. Light wood, soft lighting and clean lines. Its really quite gorgeous.

Locanda Vini E Olii: Oh my lordy, I love this restaurant. It's about a block from my apartment which is an extremely random location for a restaurant of this caliber (and these prices). It's an old pharmacy gorgeously transformed into an Italian restaurant while retaining its charm and apothecaric details. Like so many uber-cool Brooklyn spots, there isn't a sign other than 'Drug Store' to note its presence. You just have to know.

Choice Market: A lovely little French bakery just blocks up from Gates. They serve the freshest of baked goods along with whole Rotisserie chickens and the best breakfast sandwiches on this side of the East River. You can usually find dogs hanging out as well, which makes it perfect. NY Mag loves it too.

Outpost: My local coffee shop/hangout. My CH friends and I come here for lattes and the Sunday Times. We drink coffee and pass around the good sections (arts & leisure, style, metro, travel) until we lazily decide to do something like go to the beach or move to a wine bar for the rest of the day. Brooklyn living at it's finest.