peach rhubarb pie

Rhubarb has finally come to my farmer's market! I couldn't resist buying several healthy stalks last week, knowing it would force my hand to make pie this week. And what a glorious pie it was. I still haven't figured out the secret of how to prevent any of my rhubarb pies from bubbling over ... but maybe that IS the secret considering how Dory loved the gooey mess it left behind. Rhubarb will be purchased again this week, because only God knows how much longer I'll have access to a farmer's market this year.

CONSUMED: Greenpoint greenmarket; McCarren Park, Greenpoint (Brooklyn)

Prospect Park picnic

How does one return from a 3+ month hiatus? By helping you catch up on lost time!

Such as telling you about our quasi-impromptu Prospect Park picnic on one of those rare, gorgeous April weekends. It was the leisurely ride through Fort Greene, the (hidden) beer poured out into stubby mason jars, the bright Mexican blanket spread on the ground, the pyramid of food that grew as people arrived (I made a wonderful bean salad that I'm sure I will never duplicate) that signalled the change in seasons. Little did we know that there were weeks and weeks of rain to follow; we revelled in our naiveté, eager to shed our hibernation coats and our winter discontents.

CONSUMED: southern end of Prospect Park, Brooklyn

shuffleboard at The Diamond

My work's bowling night migrated-slash-degenerated to another bar where a game of a similar-but-different sort happened. The teams were Brooklyn vs. Not Brooklyn. And sadly, Not Brooklyn won (I would like to blame our loss on the fact that Brooklyn just drank more than Not Brooklyn).

CONSUMED: The Diamond; 43 Franklin St, Greenpoint (Brooklyn)

B39

The B39 is a gift sent from the MTA (and the MTA sends very few gifts indeed). If the traffic conditions are right, it can shuttle you across the Williamsburg Bridge in one-quarter of the time it would take the subway. And if traffic conditions are bad (say in the morning), by riding the outside lane of the bridge, it bestows you an unparalleled view of the city that can make you fall back in love with New York.

CONSUMED: the Williamsburg Bridge; Manhattan/Brooklyn

The Stolen Minks (at Don Pedro)

The Stolen Minks are a kick-ass punk-rockabilly foursome (touring as a three-piece) from Halifax that finally made it across the border to do a Stateside tour. They are also friends of mine. So I was doubly stoked to discover that they were making a stop in New York (and Brooklyn specifically), so that I could see them play live. Apparently, the saturated music scene here made New York difficult to book, but they were able to score a gig at Don Pedro, a music bar located in that purgatorial limbo known as East Williamsburg/Bushwick.

I was a bit worried, as none of the kids I invited were able to make it to the show. And the act before them didn't really draw a crowd. I thought that maybe I would get a private show. But once they let loose their no nonsense rock, they pulled everyone from the front of the bar to the stage. They played all the faves including my request, "Boys on the Floor," to which I was the lone clapper during the bridge. I didn't care. I was just so proud to see my friends playing in the city that never sleeps.

CONSUMED: Don Pedro; 90 Manhattan Ave, Bushwick (Brooklyn)

screenprinting class

Last Sunday, I learned how to screenprint. My first stencil was a moose. Here is my new hipster-plaid fall jacket that I printed with my moose, in hunter orange of course.

Plans are in the works to print cards for the holidays.

CONSUMED: Etsy Labs; 325 Gold St, Downtown Brooklyn

americano walk-up window

"You guys really need coffee at the farmers market." I was talking to my friend over bread loaves stacked high at his bakery stand at the Greenpoint greenmarket.

"Well at least there's Five Leaves now."

"What?"

"It's that new place on the corner. They have a walk-up window that only does americanos."

"Really?"

I was aghast. I mean, it wasn't farmers market coffee (under the rules of being local, coffee doesn't qualify), but it was the next best thing (choose the closest storefront to the park and sell coffee there). And so we went for americanos, served to us from a window on to the street. And all of a sudden, the market became THAT much more amazing.

CONSUMED: Five Leaves; 18 Bedford Ave, Greenpoint (Brooklyn)

SAVE DOMINO >> VOTE OBAMA

When traversing the Williamsburg Bridge at night, especially using the foot bridge, it's impossible to miss the red tube lights glaring through the darkness. Lining the side of a building north of the bridge, they typically read "SAVE DOMINO" supposedly voicing the building residents' fear of the razing of the Domino sugar plant in favour of waterfront high rise condo developments.

But recently, the sign changed to read something very different.

It continues to amaze me that the building residents hold such solidarity that either of these messages were even possible.

CONSUMED: Brooklyn/Queens-bound J Train; Williamsburg Bridge, Brooklyn

++++++++
SIDEBAR: Get out and vote today!

bike lanes! in SoHo!

I attended a Transportation Alternatives ("Brooklyn Chapter") meeting in Prospect Heights last week during which bike lanes along Grand St in Manhattan were mentioned a few times. But I didn't really believe in their application. I thought that, considering the high traffic of SoHo, maybe they were paltry attempts not unlike those found on Franklin Ave in Greenpoint. Until I saw them in person. Beautiful columns of green with posts to separate bikes from cars. Now if only the Department of Transportation would be so forward thinking on 1st Avenue...

CONSUMED: Grand St near Broadway; SoHo (Manhattan)

New York City Marathon

New York: today I watched thousands of people, natives and foreigners alike, run through your streets. Last year, I anxiously waited for friends at Mile 19 somewhere between 110th and 120th on 1st Avenue, jumping up and down and forgetting any sense of modesty when they arrived. I was so proud of their achievement.

This year, it was in Mile 10 in Brooklyn that I stood, and clapped, and cried encouragements to strangers, and marvelled at this wonder that is a marathon. And again, I was so proud. Proud of these thousands of strangers and their race. Proud of the spectators and their anonymous and unlimited support for the runners. Proud of you, New York, for letting people take over your streets, for opening your 5 boroughs, for providing an opportunity for people to celebrate people — all in this single feat of inhuman endurance.

CONSUMED: S 5th and Bedford; Williamsburg (Brooklyn)

shadow tracings

One recent evening, likely around 6pm (the time when the long shadows emerge during these ever-shortening autumn days), someone got down on their hands and knees, a stick of chalk in hand, and proceeded to outline the shadows cast by a bike and street sign on the corner of Bedford and N 5th.

Yes, I know this is old stuff. I mean, the NY Times ran a piece in 2005! I doubt it's even Ellis G anymore. But it doesn't make it any less cool when you stumble upon it.

CONSUMED: NW corner of Bedford and N 5th St; Williamsburg (Brooklyn)

Cafe Lafayette

Nestled between the more-favoured Williamsburg and Park Slope neighbourhoods, stranded with only the G (for ghost) train to provide sparse service, Fort Greene is a beautiful, brownstoned part of Brooklyn that rarely sees my love. The last time I was there, years ago, I frequented a lovely taqueria on South Portland. This time, I met a friend for brunch at the Cafe Lafayette right across the street.

Cafe Lafayette is a small under-the-stairs type of joint (literally). Somehow the street-level window lighting does the cafe good. Its owners obviously adore the French bistro, right down to having current issues of Voici to be perused in the magazine rack. To be honest, the brunch wasn't anything special. My blueberry pancakes and her eggs benedict were standard fare. But I could tell that there was something more to the place that brought people there.

One of such examples was recounted to me this week. After dinner in the cafe, a woman divulged her accordion (she had just performed nearby) and started to sing Mexican folk songs to the restaurant. Soon, chairs were whisked out of the way and a small dance floor was created in the tiny establishment. Just a glimpse of bucolic charm in the city.

CONSUMED: Cafe Lafayette; 99 South Portland, Fort Greene (Brooklyn)

Brooklyn/Not Brooklyn

There's a dividing line running beneath the East River, one that separates Brooklyn from Manhattan. Here, on the pedestrian path of the Williamsburg Bridge, one proud Brooklyner (it's obviously someone from Brooklyn) has decided to unearth that invisible line, letting fellow Brooklyners know when they have ventured off their turf, and welcoming them home upon their inevitable return.

Oddly enough, it appears to correlate exactly with the apex of the bridge. Thus I look forward to it on every ride over the bridge; once I pass this point on my bike, it's all downhill from there.

CONSUMED: Williamsburg Bridge, over the East River

Ra Ra Riot (at the Music Hall of Williamsburg)

Back in Ra Ra Riot's early touring days, their original drummer John Pike drowned mysteriously, tragically after one of their shows. I can only imagine how they all must have come together to weather the tragedy; indeed their recently released debut album The Rhumb Line was dedicated to John. Whether this was the cause or not, you could see the connection between band members on stage, with the guitarist flashing smiles at the violinist; with the frontman climbing on top of the drum kit to tousled the hair of the drummer; with the bassist screaming lyrics into the ear of the cellist.

And their music! You couldn't stop moving if you wanted to, even to their slow jams. The lead singer Wes Miles comes up with melodies that linger, that stay with you even after you turn off the stereo. You could tell they enjoyed playing as much the audience loved dancing. And dance we did, until the lights came on after the second encore, a Kate Bush cover with the final proclamation "I need your love love love love love!"

CONSUMED: Music Hall of Williamsburg; Williamsburg (Brooklyn)

ginormous French press

Friday started out perfect. Cloudless azure sky, piercing sun, and a brisk wind that called for jackets (scarves optional). It sounded like fall, leaves crunching beneath feet and the echo of schoolyard chatter.

And breakfast. Oh the breakfast. We had to add a table to the end of ours because so many people turned out. But that's the way it's should be: continually adding people to the table. I ordered the Eggs Rothko (brioche toast with a hole cut out for an egg, topped with white cheddar) with the seasonal greens (kale!). Coffees all round!

The coffee came before the food, naturally. But it came in the largest French press I've ever seen. There must have been a pound of coffee in there (hyperbole)! I've been nursing a new addiction ever since my new roommate moved in. And seeing that huge vat of coffee just sealed the deal: there's nowhere else I'd rather be at this moment.

CONSUMED: Egg; 135 N 5th St, Williamsburg (Brooklyn)

Brooklyn neighbourhood poster

There's something kitschy and yet great about the self-referential act of hanging a poster of your city (or borough as the case may be) on your wall. Maybe it wouldn't happen so much in Baltimore or in St. Louis where surely most people are not moving to the city and therefore still going through a rose-tinted glasses honeymoon phase. But here in New York, where everyone is a transplant, it's just as natural as water is wet.

When I first saw the poster (designed by Jenny Beorkrem) in my friends' apartment, I thought to myself: "I could do that!" right down to the choice of DIN Engshrift as the font (it is in my top 5 sans serifs). But the execution is so simple and elegant, that in truth, we should all be happy that I never tried.

CONSUMED: Humboldt Ave; Williamsburg (Brooklyn)