On a cool late summer night, two friends (ES and es) and I decided to meet at the intersection of Greenpoint and Manhattan Aves for a little neighborhood exploring. At a later date ES and I would travel to the exotic locales of Red Hook and Gowanus, which I will blog about soon, and tonight we're exploring my neighborhood: the East Village. In preparation for this third adventure, I think it's very important to record the earlier two.
E had made a list of a restaurant, two bars, a lounge, and a club. After some google maps searching, I've managed to regain a list of those establishments. The three of us were utterly unfamiliar with that area of Greenpoint, and we arrived just as the sun was setting. While I waited for them, before I knew where we were going, I walked west on Greenpoint Ave almost to the river. Historic Greenpoint is really lovely. There was a dying small town feel to it, except it's not dying at all. Not any more than anywhere else in New York City, I imagine. There are abandoned storefronts and buildings in between uses, lots of red brick, and tons of neighborhoody restaurants and cafés and bars and coffee shops and retailers. Lots of signs in Polish. It was adorable.
First on the list was Paulie Gee's - "A Greenpoint Pizza Joint." Super cute. They just opened in march, and they weren't serving booze yet (they are now), but we didn't mind (remember, we had four drinking establishments to visit after this). And if I remember correctly, we got the Gates of Eden Salad (gorgonzola, walnuts, dried cherries, pear and red wine vinaigrette - yum) and maybe another salad that was on the specials. Then we ordered two pizzas: the Greenpointer and something from the specials that I wish I remembered the name of because they name their pizzas beautiful names like Anise and Anephew, or Brian DeParma.
The Greenpointer was loaded with baby arugula, and the lemon was such a pleasant experience with the fior di latte and parmigiano reggiano. The other pizza we ordered was incredible: figs, honey, gorgonzola, proscuitto (on half). It was divine. The dessert menu on their website is remarkably different from the options we had at the time, thankfully, because we were unimpressed, but that's because the option we chose was sorbet made by another company in champagne, rosé, and sangria. Ho-hum. It was fine. Overall, we had a great time and I would love to go back. It's a beautiful all-wood space with interesting and eccentric touches. We got to compliment the chef himself, and he seemed impressed that we had made the journey all the way to Greenpoint from three very different neighborhoods (East Village, Upper West Side, Prospect Heights) all for his pizza. I would do it again.
Bar #1: Black Rabbit. Again, super cute. It was an off night (probably a Monday), so there were only a few patrons, and they were playing Jenga with the bartender. We ordered a Sixpoint brew (I don't remember which) and I think I had a Franzikaner Hefeweis, which is kind of silly because I always forget how readily available they are. Anyhoo. It was nice. Really nice bartender, great space, nicknacks and interesting touches.
Bar #2: Habitat. Kind of a trek, and I forget if now was the moment or if we started noticing how odd some of the houses were later. Either way, the architecture in this neighborhood can be really funny. There are these mid-century, vinyl siding, lace curtains houses right next to super modern, super slick minimalist condos, and then the next house will have ivy climbing all over it, and then one with thin dark wood shingling. It was exactly like being in Vienna except nothing like that at all.
Habitat was the kind of place that when you walk in everyone turns to look. It's a neighborhoody bar. Which is great if it's your neighborhoody bar, but a little unnerving if it's not. It's a feeling easily gotten over. Again, super cute. Everything about Greenpoint is adorable to me, apparently. There was art on the walls for sale. The menu looked good, and the food looked good, but we were full of pizza, so all I can tell you was the beer was tasty. We got a flight. I have no idea what the beers were. I think one was a hefeweis, one was super hoppy (probs an IPA), and one was maybe a stout. It was a nice quick drink.
Lounge: Next was t.b.d., a spacious lounge with an even more spacious beer garden. I think it was closed or we had forgotten about it because we just chilled on one of their comfy couches. Sixpoint beers again if I'm not mistaken. (What a great brewery they are. I am in love with the Apollo, and I'm not just saying that because we have it at work.) Like I said, it was probably a Monday, so t.b.d. was kind of a big empty space when we were there, but that was fine.
Club: Last on our list was the Diamond. I'm calling it a club, but it's sort of just a bar. Not just a bar, but you know. They have shuffleboard and I think there was a dj, although it might have just been loud and dark. It was fun. We got to try three different beers (and maybe a cocktail?), which meant that over the course of the evening we tried a bunch of different beers, which is always fun and informative.
And what I failed to mention thus far was that everything was remarkably inexpensive. (I will say the same thing about cocktails in Red Hook.) A pint at each of these places was five or six dollars. Our dinner for three at Paulie Gee's was probably under 50 bucks. (I will probably not say the same thing about our nibbles tonight in the East Village, but that's also because I know we're doing a little tapeando.)
And the best part about Greenpoint is that it's not Williamsburg, but it's close enough to walk to Williamsburg. Which is exactly what we did.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Friday, September 11, 2009
visual stimulants
I'm watching Globetrekker and having uncontrollable wanderlust, so I thought I'd make a list of some shows and movies and literature that provide travel inspiration or just make one want to run out and explore the big beautiful world because the landscape imposes itself in such a way that it is inescapable.
In no particular order:
Globetrekker
No Reservations
Amelie
Buena Vista Social Club
Under the Tuscan Sun
Baraka
Koyaanisqatsi
On the Road - Jack Kerouac
Made of Honor
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Stealing Beauty
Spain - On the Road Again
Canterbury Tales
Literary St Petersburg
How We Survived Communism and Even Laughed
The Magic Lantern: The Revolution of '89 as Witnessed in Warsaw, Budapest, Berlin, and Prague
A Tale of Two Cities
Lost
Names on a Map
Amnesia Moon
When Harry Met Sally
I'm a Stranger Here Myself
Bel Canto
Here Kitty Kitty
Orlando
Wuthering Heights
Cat's Cradle
In no particular order:
Globetrekker
No Reservations
Amelie
Buena Vista Social Club
Under the Tuscan Sun
Baraka
Koyaanisqatsi
On the Road - Jack Kerouac
Made of Honor
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Stealing Beauty
Spain - On the Road Again
Canterbury Tales
Literary St Petersburg
How We Survived Communism and Even Laughed
The Magic Lantern: The Revolution of '89 as Witnessed in Warsaw, Budapest, Berlin, and Prague
A Tale of Two Cities
Lost
Names on a Map
Amnesia Moon
When Harry Met Sally
I'm a Stranger Here Myself
Bel Canto
Here Kitty Kitty
Orlando
Wuthering Heights
Cat's Cradle
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Never too ___ to travel
A lady who lives in the neighborhood of the restaurant I work in just came back from the Netherlands, and I had a chance to chat with her yesterday over a glass (hers, not mine) of Seis de Azul y Garanza, a Cabernet/Merlot blend from Navarra. She raved about the train ride from Amsterdam to Leiden, about watching the tulip fields drift by her window. Same for the art: Vermeer, Rembrandt, van Gogh. Seeing Girl with the Pearl Earring, she said, made her to wonder if the unnerving looks from portraits such as that and the Mona Lisa and several by van Gogh were caused by one of the eyes being painted slightly off-center. It made me wish I had studied visual art.
She told me she hadn't started traveling until after she retired, and she seemed exhilarated by this as much as she was about the actual trip, that she was able to begin something "at my age," she said, laughing a little wildly, clearly delighted.
I told her about riding the train from Cologne to Koblenz, the sun setting along the Rhine, down past the Mosel and the Main. We talked about bicycling, how many bicycles line the canal bridges in Amsterdam, and she told me that in Leiden, cyclists have right of way even over pedestrians. She said one can bicycle along northern Europe from France to Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark, and I told her about the horseback riding tour of Ireland my sister had gone on and on about as a teenager. I barely mentioned St Petersburg and Buenos Aires, though I did mention them, because this was her story. She was the one who had just come back from an adventure that leaves one feeling as though they must convey the experience but aren't sure how to because who could understand except someone who's been there, someone who travels too.
And getting to talk about those trips, even though I can't go on any right now, can't even let myself think about it more than a million times a day, I still felt the thrill of it. I have a giant fortune cookie fortune on one of the maps on my wall that says, "If you do not know where you are going, any road will do." A quick Google search suggests this is either a Chinese proverb, a variation on something by Socrates, or a Lewis Carroll quote. Either way, it's a great saying for travel. However, the converse is nonsensical: If you know where you are going, only one road will do. There are an infinite number of ways to get to where you are going. Sometimes they take you away from your original destination, sometimes back, sometimes they lead you to decide on a new endpoint. That's why we go on the journey.
Anyhow, living in New York City, every day feels like travel, even when it's work - not so much when it's work, but all the same. But these are musings for another post. Right now it's time to go. Buen viaje.
She told me she hadn't started traveling until after she retired, and she seemed exhilarated by this as much as she was about the actual trip, that she was able to begin something "at my age," she said, laughing a little wildly, clearly delighted.
I told her about riding the train from Cologne to Koblenz, the sun setting along the Rhine, down past the Mosel and the Main. We talked about bicycling, how many bicycles line the canal bridges in Amsterdam, and she told me that in Leiden, cyclists have right of way even over pedestrians. She said one can bicycle along northern Europe from France to Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark, and I told her about the horseback riding tour of Ireland my sister had gone on and on about as a teenager. I barely mentioned St Petersburg and Buenos Aires, though I did mention them, because this was her story. She was the one who had just come back from an adventure that leaves one feeling as though they must convey the experience but aren't sure how to because who could understand except someone who's been there, someone who travels too.
And getting to talk about those trips, even though I can't go on any right now, can't even let myself think about it more than a million times a day, I still felt the thrill of it. I have a giant fortune cookie fortune on one of the maps on my wall that says, "If you do not know where you are going, any road will do." A quick Google search suggests this is either a Chinese proverb, a variation on something by Socrates, or a Lewis Carroll quote. Either way, it's a great saying for travel. However, the converse is nonsensical: If you know where you are going, only one road will do. There are an infinite number of ways to get to where you are going. Sometimes they take you away from your original destination, sometimes back, sometimes they lead you to decide on a new endpoint. That's why we go on the journey.
Anyhow, living in New York City, every day feels like travel, even when it's work - not so much when it's work, but all the same. But these are musings for another post. Right now it's time to go. Buen viaje.
Monday, April 6, 2009
advice to a first time backpacker I don't know headed to Europe for the summer before college
First, I would highly recommend buying Lonely Planet's Europe on a Shoestring. It has sections on every country in Europe and it's geared toward backpackers, with great maps. And it's big and heavy, but I always tear out whatever map or section I need when I need it and leave the rest back at the hostel. If you want to spend more time in a certain city/country/area, you should probably also get the guide book specific to that city/country/area because it will be far more detailed, in which case Lonely Planet's website offers pretty good deals.
Just about everywhere, a lot of people speak English, but it's never a good idea to assume, and it can never be repeated too much, learning how to say please, thank you, excuse me, hello, goodbye, etc. in every language makes things a lot easier, and Lonely Planet has language sections that are totally user-friendly.
One website I've returned to a million times is http://www.backpackeurope.com/. Indispensable resource. She has everything from packing checklists (it's summer: pack light and remember you can get anything and everything on the road if you need to; don't take anything just in case because it will only make your bag heavier) to links to hostel booking websites, and a lot of really great advice. One thing she suggests about booking hostels, and I agree, is that booking as far in advance as possible is the way to go, especially in summer when places book faster. But don't think that means you have to have the whole summer booked and planned out in advance, even more than a few days in advance. Flexibility is also really important. Say you meet some people and want to change plans or a certain city isn't working out for you, or you want to stay a few more weeks, or whatever, it's all part of the adventure.
Also, speaking of hostels - Nathan's in Warsaw was fantastic and they are in other cities too; super modern and there's a music school across the courtyard, so my friend and I woke to the muffled far off sounds of children singing and playing piano (very well). Three Ducks in Paris was pretty cool; great bar downstairs and close to everything. London, Smart Hyde Park Inn was really nice and located a block from the tube and next to Hyde Park. Salzburg, Haus Christine is kind of a trek, but you can't beat the view. Interlaken, Balmer's (slept outside in the tent village, which is a million times nicer than it sounds and cooler in summer than staying inside). You get the idea. I stayed at a pretty frightening place in Prague, but I can't remember the name, just that it was pretty far from city center and my friend and I were the only guests, and it was winter, and we arrived late at night. Prague is awesome. Oh, and in Berlin, Schlafmeile was fantastic; it's nice and modern, it's a great location, I met some really great people there in the communal kitchen, and the owner is a guy from New Zealand with a cool restaurant/pub down the street.
Also, if you're going to be traveling around a lot, get a railpass. It's totally worth it and way flexible. The last time I backpacked, I spent whole days on the train because each time you use it, it's good for the whole day of travel. For example, when I went from Brussels to Amsterdam, I stopped in Ghent, Bruges, and Antwerp for a few hours before hopping back on the train, and when I was in Cologne (Koln) I spent the day I arrived just riding the train up to Essen and down the Mosel Valley (toward Frankfurt) because it's just beautiful, and I stopped in Muenster (cute little college town) on the way to Berlin.
And now I'm wishing I was planning a trip of my own, and for a second I thought I was jealous of your forthcoming adventure, and then I realized: I've done it. And I will probably do it again, but if I don't that's okay. I'm not missing out on anything because I've done the backpacking, the four surprise train transfers in minuscule Czech towns in the middle of the night, I've gotten up at 6 a.m. and spent the day sightseeing only to get invited to dinner by random German girls who want to practice their English and then go out dancing until 5 a.m. at a Cuban club in Brussels, I've slept in a room with 17 other girls, I've done my laundry in a sink. And it was brilliant. But so was renting an apartment in Buenos Aires for two weeks, and staying with a native in St Petersburg for three. All are adventures. And so is this.
Just about everywhere, a lot of people speak English, but it's never a good idea to assume, and it can never be repeated too much, learning how to say please, thank you, excuse me, hello, goodbye, etc. in every language makes things a lot easier, and Lonely Planet has language sections that are totally user-friendly.
One website I've returned to a million times is http://www.backpackeurope.com/. Indispensable resource. She has everything from packing checklists (it's summer: pack light and remember you can get anything and everything on the road if you need to; don't take anything just in case because it will only make your bag heavier) to links to hostel booking websites, and a lot of really great advice. One thing she suggests about booking hostels, and I agree, is that booking as far in advance as possible is the way to go, especially in summer when places book faster. But don't think that means you have to have the whole summer booked and planned out in advance, even more than a few days in advance. Flexibility is also really important. Say you meet some people and want to change plans or a certain city isn't working out for you, or you want to stay a few more weeks, or whatever, it's all part of the adventure.
Also, speaking of hostels - Nathan's in Warsaw was fantastic and they are in other cities too; super modern and there's a music school across the courtyard, so my friend and I woke to the muffled far off sounds of children singing and playing piano (very well). Three Ducks in Paris was pretty cool; great bar downstairs and close to everything. London, Smart Hyde Park Inn was really nice and located a block from the tube and next to Hyde Park. Salzburg, Haus Christine is kind of a trek, but you can't beat the view. Interlaken, Balmer's (slept outside in the tent village, which is a million times nicer than it sounds and cooler in summer than staying inside). You get the idea. I stayed at a pretty frightening place in Prague, but I can't remember the name, just that it was pretty far from city center and my friend and I were the only guests, and it was winter, and we arrived late at night. Prague is awesome. Oh, and in Berlin, Schlafmeile was fantastic; it's nice and modern, it's a great location, I met some really great people there in the communal kitchen, and the owner is a guy from New Zealand with a cool restaurant/pub down the street.
Also, if you're going to be traveling around a lot, get a railpass. It's totally worth it and way flexible. The last time I backpacked, I spent whole days on the train because each time you use it, it's good for the whole day of travel. For example, when I went from Brussels to Amsterdam, I stopped in Ghent, Bruges, and Antwerp for a few hours before hopping back on the train, and when I was in Cologne (Koln) I spent the day I arrived just riding the train up to Essen and down the Mosel Valley (toward Frankfurt) because it's just beautiful, and I stopped in Muenster (cute little college town) on the way to Berlin.
And now I'm wishing I was planning a trip of my own, and for a second I thought I was jealous of your forthcoming adventure, and then I realized: I've done it. And I will probably do it again, but if I don't that's okay. I'm not missing out on anything because I've done the backpacking, the four surprise train transfers in minuscule Czech towns in the middle of the night, I've gotten up at 6 a.m. and spent the day sightseeing only to get invited to dinner by random German girls who want to practice their English and then go out dancing until 5 a.m. at a Cuban club in Brussels, I've slept in a room with 17 other girls, I've done my laundry in a sink. And it was brilliant. But so was renting an apartment in Buenos Aires for two weeks, and staying with a native in St Petersburg for three. All are adventures. And so is this.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Wham Bam England
*requires rental car, good road map, patient traveling companion, good coffee, and the insane desire to see everything as quickly as possible. Approximately 1000 driving miles and unknown walking miles.
Day 1
Lancaster
Liverpool (all things Beatles)
Coventry
Warwick (Warwick Castle)
Stratford-upon-Avon (Shakespeare's birthplace)
Bedford
Cambridge
Oxford
Bath
Glastonbury (Glastonbury Tor)
Street (Outlets)
Salisbury
Day 2
Amesbury (Stonehenge)
Luton
London
Day 3 (London - in no particular order)
Buckingham Palace (changing of the guard, 11am)
St Paul's Cathedral
British Museum (Reading Room)
Oxford Circus
Trafalgar Square
High Street
Piccadilly Circus
Big Ben
London Eye
Tower of London
Westminster Abbey
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre
National Gallery
St. James's Park
London Underground (mind the gap)
Day 1
Lancaster
Liverpool (all things Beatles)
Coventry
Warwick (Warwick Castle)
Stratford-upon-Avon (Shakespeare's birthplace)
Bedford
Cambridge
Oxford
Bath
Glastonbury (Glastonbury Tor)
Street (Outlets)
Salisbury
Day 2
Amesbury (Stonehenge)
Luton
London
Day 3 (London - in no particular order)
Buckingham Palace (changing of the guard, 11am)
St Paul's Cathedral
British Museum (Reading Room)
Oxford Circus
Trafalgar Square
High Street
Piccadilly Circus
Big Ben
London Eye
Tower of London
Westminster Abbey
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre
National Gallery
St. James's Park
London Underground (mind the gap)
Monday, February 16, 2009
St Petersburg, Russia
6.13.08 - 7.5.08
Neighborhoods:
Nevsky Prospekt
Vyborg side
Vasilevsky Island
Eats:
Zoom Cafe
Lenin
Planeta Sushi
Samovar
Kilikia
Idiot Cafe-Bar
Salinka
Blow Up Sushi
Drinks:
Dacha
Achtung baby
The Office
Beer Gardens (multiple)
Points of Interest:
Neva
Nabokov House
Herzen University
Kazan Cathedral
Gostiny Dvor
Mikhailovsky Gardens
Liteyny Most
Summer Gardens
Winter Palace
Universitet Botanical Gardens
Angliyskaya nab (English Embankment)
Admiralty Gardens
Hermitage
Dostoyevsky Museum
Smolny Cathedral
Chesme Cathedral
St Isaac's Cathedral
Zoologishe Museum
Baltika Brewery
Neighborhoods:
Nevsky Prospekt
Vyborg side
Vasilevsky Island
Eats:
Zoom Cafe
Lenin
Planeta Sushi
Samovar
Kilikia
Idiot Cafe-Bar
Salinka
Blow Up Sushi
Drinks:
Dacha
Achtung baby
The Office
Beer Gardens (multiple)
Points of Interest:
Neva
Nabokov House
Herzen University
Kazan Cathedral
Gostiny Dvor
Mikhailovsky Gardens
Liteyny Most
Summer Gardens
Winter Palace
Universitet Botanical Gardens
Angliyskaya nab (English Embankment)
Admiralty Gardens
Hermitage
Dostoyevsky Museum
Smolny Cathedral
Chesme Cathedral
St Isaac's Cathedral
Zoologishe Museum
Baltika Brewery
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Argentina
Buenos Aires (1.13 - 1.23, 1.26 - 1.27)
Neighborhoods:
Recoleta
San Telmo
Barrio Norte
Retiro
Palermo
La Boca
Eats:
Sud Estada
Thymus
La Cabrera
El Establo
La Brigada
Friends of the Museo de Bellas Artes
Cumana
Un Altra Volta
Te Matare Ramirez
El Federal
Oasis
Filo
Havanna
Casa Saltshaker (Dan Perlman's secret restaurant)
Drinks:
Milion
Mundo Bizarro
Sugar (expat bar)
Gran Bar Danzon
Ocho7Ocho
Carnal (Green Samurai)
Points of Interest:
MALBA (Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires)
Recoleta Cemetery
Evita's grave
Obelisk
Casa Rosada
Museo de Bellas Artes
Buenos Aires Design
El Ateneo
Plaza de Mayo
Catedral Metropolitano
Manzana de las Luces
A-line trains
Paseo a la Plaza
Axel Hotel
Parque Norte (la pileta)
Tren de la Costa
Feria Antiguedades en San Telmo
designers in San Telmo
Autoria Bs.As.
Feria Artisanal en Recoleta
Music:
Orquesta Tipica El Afronte
El Calafate (1.23-1.26)
Eats and Drinks:
La Tablita
Alvarez y Borges Libro Bar
La Lechuza Pizzas
Excursions:
Todos los glaciares
Perito Moreno
Wine:
Torrontes
Bonarda
Tempranillo
Malbec
Neighborhoods:
Recoleta
San Telmo
Barrio Norte
Retiro
Palermo
La Boca
Eats:
Sud Estada
Thymus
La Cabrera
El Establo
La Brigada
Friends of the Museo de Bellas Artes
Cumana
Un Altra Volta
Te Matare Ramirez
El Federal
Oasis
Filo
Havanna
Casa Saltshaker (Dan Perlman's secret restaurant)
Drinks:
Milion
Mundo Bizarro
Sugar (expat bar)
Gran Bar Danzon
Ocho7Ocho
Carnal (Green Samurai)
Points of Interest:
MALBA (Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires)
Recoleta Cemetery
Evita's grave
Obelisk
Casa Rosada
Museo de Bellas Artes
Buenos Aires Design
El Ateneo
Plaza de Mayo
Catedral Metropolitano
Manzana de las Luces
A-line trains
Paseo a la Plaza
Axel Hotel
Parque Norte (la pileta)
Tren de la Costa
Feria Antiguedades en San Telmo
designers in San Telmo
Autoria Bs.As.
Feria Artisanal en Recoleta
Music:
Orquesta Tipica El Afronte
El Calafate (1.23-1.26)
Eats and Drinks:
La Tablita
Alvarez y Borges Libro Bar
La Lechuza Pizzas
Excursions:
Todos los glaciares
Perito Moreno
Wine:
Torrontes
Bonarda
Tempranillo
Malbec
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)