Dining
Support your ‘hood – BK Businesses at a Glance
In the past decade or so, there’s been an burst of small private owned businesses all around Brooklyn. Having been born and raised in Bed-Stuy, I’ve been able to notice this emergence first hand specifically in Bed-Stuy and Fort-Greene. There are waaaay to many of these to detail in just one post, so here are just a few.
Nu Yu Day Spa
Located at 43 Clifton Place between Classon and Grand Avenues this spa has been causing a stir since it opened. Covered everywhere from the Daily News to Wendy Williams, they offer all the services you’d expect from facials and massages, to hand and foot care. My moms, and grandma have been going there alot lately especially since the warm weather is coming. Spa’s traditionally seem to be a place just for females but I think I may go get a massage or something at the very least!
Hit up the website for more details:Â http://www.nuyudayspa.com/
Common Grounds
I love local coffee shops, no matter what neighborhood their in. There’s something about sitting down in a non-franchise coffee shop with a friend, a good book, or your laptop and spending an hour two as the smell of fresh coffee fills the air. Common Grounds located at 376 Tompkins ave at Putnam Ave. was a welcome addition to Bed-Stuy. The menu is what you’d expect with an assortment of coffees with paninis, soups, and cakes not to mention the Belgian Waffles that have caused a rave among regulars and newcomers alike.
http://www.commongroundsny.com/
Creative Blossoms
There was a serious florist drought in the area until Creative Blossoms opened in Bed-Stuy at the end of March. Now there’s finally a place to get fresh flowers locally, so dudes in the area take note! Although Valentine’s day is gone it’s always birthdays and anniversaries may be coming soon, or even as a “just because” gift. I’m hoping that everyone both in the neighborhood and show some love and support, especially since it’s brand new. It’s located on 370 Lewis Avenue at Macon Street.
http://www.nycreativeblossoms.com/
Once again these are just a SMALL bit of the many businesses. Visit ShopBedStuy.com for a list of business in bed-stuy and check out bedstuyblog.com for all types of information about Bed-Stuy.
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Spring Break In The Apple Pt.2
What’s up beautiful people!? I’ve been slacking with the posts, I know. But it was for a good cause! I’ve been out on the town searching for content to bring to you right here. And I’ve got plenty. As you should now know, it’s my Spring break and I’ve been spending it in the Big Apple, NYC. My vacation is quickly coming to a close but I don’t regret not hopping on a plane to a hotter climate because this city has been good to me all week.
1: This week, I was fortunate enough to attend the Lil Wayne and T-Pain concert at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. I’ve been to a few concerts in my day and this was a pretty good show. T-Pain is a dancing machine. But he can actually dance so his energy was not wasted. Lil Wayne was his usual energetic self. He performed everything from his mix tapes to his latest album, Carter 3. And he seems to take that “Fireman” thing pretty seriously. Dude had a flamethrower!!! Overall this was a great show. It was very personal because they talked to audience a lot and cracked jokes throughout. My only beef was that he brought out Drake to perform the chorus to Mrs. Officer…And that was it…No freestyles or anything…SMH!
2: Every time I come back to NYC, Union Square Park is one of the first stops I make. I love that place and if you’ve ever been than you probably do too. It’s one of the prime examples of a melting pot in this city and there is always something going on down there. You can usually find artists down there selling their work and I happened to meet a great photographer one afternoon. Bryan Close has brought gallery quality work to the streets. Check him out and support this man because he’s in Union Square all week working hard.
3: March Madness is heating up on a daily basis. This post is actually taking me longer than it should because the USC vs. Michigan St. game is going down to the wire. These games have taken up quite a bit of my time but have been well worth it. I hope you’ve been following some of the most exciting games in NCAA history and watching these rivalries in the making.
4: Speaking of March Madness and Union Square, I was actually watching some of the NCAA March Madness coverage at a bar down there the other night. Reservoir Bar & Grill is a cool spot located right up the block from the Rugby store. The drinks are pretty tasty and the wings were awesome. I can’t vouch for the other food because I was just craving hot wings that night but the spot is worth checking out for yourself. They play a good selection of music and have 30 cent wings on some nights so grab some friends and I’ll see you there!
5: I spend a lot more time in Union Square than I realized! On Friday night, I attended the birthday party of Kerry “OverFab” Coddett. I’m not going in depth about it just yet because she deserves her own post. But the party was in a cool club called Pressure. It’s pretty secretive because its on the 5th floor of the bowling alley Bowlmor Lanes, but a great location regardless. I’m not sure how often they have parties there but if you like to drink and/or bowl check it out sometime.
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Spring Break In The Apple Pt.1
Hello folks. If you read the “about me” section of the site, you probably already know I’m currently a student at the Real HU Howard University the Mecca all that. Our Spring break started a few days ago and while most people headed down to Miami, Atlanta, and other destinations, I decided to come back to NYC and just enjoy my week off here. It may not be 80 degrees here but this city still shows me a good time whenever I’m here. Since I didn’t head out to one the more traditional Spring break cities, I decided that I’d show myself a bunch of new things so that I’d be just as fulfilled, if not more, than my peers in New Orleans eating the best seafood in the world! Consider this somewhat of a Spring Break Random Homage.
1: The Pearl Oyster Bar was a first for me and it was well worth the experience. This fairly small restaurant was a little expensive but it was some of the best seafood I’ve had in NYC so I’ll be back soon. The house special dish is the Lobster Roll. It reminded me of something you would make at home when you’re really hungry and it tastes like the best thing ever because you put so much love in to it. The Lobster Roll is pretty much lobster salad on a toasted and buttered hot dog bun with curly fries on the side. It was a filling and tasty meal. If you make your way over there, try the fried oysters and the crab cakes as well. The service was just as good as the food so this place gets packed. Make a reservation!
2: I made my way down to the The Fat Black Pussy Cat for some drinks after stuffing my face with that Lobster Roll. This is an authentic West 4th Street bar; wet counters, loud music, punk rock looking servers, and a big black bouncer. The drinks are pretty good and relatively cheap. Try the original “Fat Black Pussy Cat” drink. Tastes like Kool-Aid!!
3: I don’t sleep very much and T.V. just doesn’t cut it all the time. So I tend to surf the net until the sun comes up sometimes. Too much surfing is NOT healthy. It led me to Craigslist which led me to a great deal on a 160 GB PS3, which then led me to Best Buy and Virgin Megastore for more games. Street Fighter IV is bananas!!!
Stay tuned for pics and more updates on my Spring Break. The fun has barely even started yet!!! If you’re in NYC and have any suggestions on activities hit me up. Peace n Love…
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Eating Out: Tacu Tacu
One night, after passing up the INSANELY large crowd at the ever-popular Thai restaurant Sea in Williamsburg, some peeps and I strolled down the block and hit up Tacu Tacu. I had never been there but was assured that the food and drinks were great, and I wasn’t at all disappointed. They feature a blend of South East Asian and Peruvian dishes, so appetizers range from spring rolls and dumplings, to chilli shrimp, and ginger chicken. There are a variety of different salads, soups, noodle dishes and rice dishes, with pork, chicken, and seafood entrees. I had the house salad as an appetizer which came with grilled chicken and a fresh house dressing. For the meal I had the ‘Sizzling Salmon’ which came with vegetables on a smoking griddle plate in a semi-sweet, almost teriyaki like sauce. It was all delicious, and I’d definitely go back. If you’re gonna be in Williamsburg but don’t wanna deal with the hassle, and basically touristy scene that Sea has become over time, try Tacu Tacu, you won’t be dissapointed.
Peep the official site here.
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Random Homage #6: After Work Spots
The only thing better than a few good drinks and appetizers with some close friends after work is doing it all for dirt cheap. Here are just a FEW places I’ve hit up and enjoyed most recently, scattered throughout the city.
Latitude – If you work in Midtown you’ve probably already been to or at least heard of Latitude. Its a nice size 3 floor spot with a lively atmosphere. Located right on 8th between 47th and 48th, you get a mix of people who work in the area as well as some spillovers that may be coming from Times Square. It was always jam packed when I hit it up. Happy hour is half-priced drinks. Mondays till 9, Tues. and Wed. till 7, Thurs. and Fri. till 8.
218 – I walked past this spot so many times and never went inside until last week. It’s right in SOHO , 218 Lafayette, down the block from Clientele, on the same side of the street as G-star. It’s never usually super crowded so if you want a nice simple spot that can easily skew toward a more intimate mid-week rendezvous with that special someone — hit this place up. The happy hour ends at 8 and includes $4 dollar Martini’s, beers and well drinks. I was done off on a Tuesday and spent less than $20. $4 dollar food items like Mozz Sticks and wings as well. Try the spring rolls. Can’t beat it.
Mullanes – This place was cool. If you’re ever in Fort Greene(Lafayette and s. Portland to be exact), or are close to it, this is worth checking out. Sort of a half pub/sports bar, half lounge hybrid, the food is filling and the drinks are good. It’s another spot that you could easily sleep on if you don’t pay attention.
When in doubt!:
BBQ’s – I mean honestly… can you really go wrong with an order of wings, and a texas side margarita with the extra shot?! Come oooooon!
HELP ME ADD TO THIS LIST! Get at me with spots that you think are worth hitting up. The more bang for the buck, the better. This is a recession, lol.
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Heads up: Brooklyn Public House
There’s a new Bar/Pub open in Fort/Greene that I think ya’ll should check out. It’s located right on Dekalb and Vanderbilt and is said to boast an array of local and international beers. The menu also sounds good with everything from the normal wings you’d expect at a bar to things like braised short ribs, battered fish, and pizza in a cast iron skillet. They’re having a bar blessing TOMORROW, this Sunday followed by an open bar from 6-8pm. I know most of ya’ll don’t have to work on Monday so go peep it if you’ve got nothing else to do.
Brooklyn Public House
247 Dekalb Ave, between Vanderbilt and Clermont
Brooklyn NY
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Guest Random Homage by Dana: How I See It
1: Brooklyn Industries: When you hear the name you probably think of a store that’s really gritty and urban but this place has a pretty nice selection of feminine clothes for all you girly girls with a lil bit of an edge… and I think they’re having a sale. Yes honeyyy!
2: MAC Matte: MAC describes it as “A matte-ifying cream that acts like a powder, M·A·C Matte adds a sheer, no-shine matte texture in one smooth layer.â€Â No lie! This stuff is (singing) FABULOUS!! You just put a tiny bit on your face after moisturizer alone or under your makeup and it prolongs the amount of time it takes for oil to reach the surface of your skin. MUST HAVE!!
3: Duck boots: In case you haven’t noticed… it’s been snowing a lot lately. And if you didn’t know… Uggs are not waterproof. Get some duck boots! Yeah I know they’re not the most feminine looking footwear but trust me they look adorable on girls. Besides, the most important thing is that they will keep your feet completely dry and very warm. I promise.
4: Chipotle: Chipotle! Get your gourmet burritos here! Ok… go to the nearest Chipotle. Order a burrito bowl; put whatever you want in there. Ask for a bag of their chips. Crumble the chips up. Sprinkle them all over your meal…. It might just change your life.
5: Gnarls Barkley: Who exactly is Gnarls Barkley? They’re a collabo between Danger Mouse (producer… he plays a million instruments) and vocalist Cee-Lo Green. They’re song “Crazy†was a hit in 2006 and their albums “St. Elsewhere†(2006) and “The Odd Couple†(2008) will definitely satisfy your appetite for “…that electric industrial Euro soul†as Cee-Lo calls it. Zany is what I’d call it… and I love it!
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Brooklyn’s In The House!!!
“So if you soft tuck your chain”!!! Just kidding. This is not that kind of party. What party you ask? It’s the one year anniversary of the Brooklyn based Minority Report blog and also the birthday of the beautiful designer for Butch Diva, Tiffany Rhodes!!! It’s going down tonight, Friday January 30th 2009, at Tamboril (527 Myrtle Ave near Grand St) in Brooklyn. Dinner is being served from 9pm-10:30pm and after that, it’s time to dance your stress away and just have a good time. All your friendly neighborhood Brooklynites are sure to be in the building so come dressed to impress. For more info on the party click here. Hope to see you all there. It’s gonna be a great night!!
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Ballin’ Out of Control!!!
The Inauguration of Barack Obama, our 44th President, is less than two days away folks! I hope you’ve made or are making your way to D.C. via carpool, Bolt Bus, Apex Bus, Amtrak, or even by airplane. But even if you haven’t made it to D.C. for whatever reason, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, “You can not escape history”. He was right. No matter where you are, this election has impacted you somehow. Everyone seems to be in the “inaugural” spirit because, as I stated before, there are parties and balls all over D.C. and even outside of the District. So my question for you is; ARE YOU READY? Seriously. Are you ready? Is your wardrobe on point and prepared to ball out of control and dance through the night? Do you have the right pair of shoes to dance all night and keep your feet warm at Sequoia for the HBCU Gala? What about the crispiest button down shirt or blouse that gives off somewhat of a glow when you’re throwin’ up your diamond at Jay-Z’s Inaugural Concert at the Warner Theatre. Ladies and gentlemen, please bring the gowns and suits out for the MTV hosted Be The Change Inaugural Ball. These are just a few events going on within the next few days. Some of the festivities are a bit pricey so do your research on different parties and balls to find one that suits you best. Check out an abridged, but still extensive, list of events here. And check out a few of my favorite pieces that all the males involved in any of the fancier events should look in to! Ladies, feel free to email or comment with a list of things that every woman should have on deck to keep her warm and stylish while being a part of history. Make sure to tune into the “WE ARE ONE” Inaugural Concert right now!! It’s being shown live from the Lincoln Memorial on HBO.
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Random Homage #2
Pomegranate 7-Up, Go-Sushi, Levi’s 505, Parlour Magazine and Theophilis London…
Read the rest after the jump…
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The Chronicles Continue!!!
WHAT A WEEKEND!!! I think I had too much fun because when it was time to head back to D.C., I may have shed a tear or two. In my last post, I let you guys know how crazy my Friday night was and I also informed you of one of the livest events of the weekend. Sew Far, Soul Good was an instant hit but I’ll get to that in a little while. Saturday just turned out to be a great day before any partying even commenced. I started my evening by hanging with two lovely ladies of the HU AKA sorority, Paige and Selena. We hung out in Selena’s basement, and I layed the SMACKDOWN on both of them in a few games of pool. Then we made our way to the city after we all got dressed for the party life. We stopped at Rays Pizza and the Continental Bar on Saint Marks and 3rd Ave. where we linked up with some more cool people, Janell and Justin. And then for the finale of the evening, we hit the Pink Room for the Sew Far Soul Good event. We arrived fashionably late and ironically missed the fashion show that took place but the event was still soooo LIVE!! The crowd was cool, the music was great, and the drinks were flowing. My boy Robby was in the building and so was Al, the face of The Minority Report blog. Al….You are one cool cat man and that jacket was ridiculous as was that sweater which appeared to be a Minority Report one of one sample…Smooth…Tiara aka Chameleon was also in the building looking very lovely as usual. She’s gotta be one of the coolest, most diverse females I’ve ever met in my life so go ask for Tiara at Rugby in NYC and say hello! Trust and believe she will be featured on the site in the very near future. We gonna make history Ti Ti!! Oh man who else was in the building…Oh yea I saw the Boss Lady of Butch Diva, Tiffany LaStar, who also happened to be the hottest person (not just female..person) at the party. I didn’t get a chance to rap with her but next time I see her I’ll surely get the inside scoop on the greatness that is Butch Diva. So until I do, just check out her blog and show her love if you see her on these Brooklyn streets. What a night!! Sunday was a bit more relaxed, probably by default seeing how I got home at 5:30am. I linked up with the oh-so-beautiful Dana aka Sassy Dee, for some grub in Chinatown while she was on her break from workin’ at Rugby. My wives, Robin, and Amirh came out to the city to see me as well and we took a few pics and had a rendezvous at Cheap Shots with Paige and Selena who had been out thrifting (thrift shopping) all day without me . It’s all good tho. Take a look at the collage of pics from the weekend and take a look at the next post for some more interesting news about my weekend in NYC. MY PRESIDENT IS BLACK!!
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Catching Up Pt. 1:The Last NYC Summer Moments
“Hello it’s Hova…That’s right youngins the waiting’s over”… What’s goin’ on y’all? It’s ya boy Nick aka Young Brooklyn comin’ at you live from from the city of go-go…The home of the Mecca. Washington D.C. It has been a little while since I’ve posted but I see Matt has got things covered. I hope all you guys take notes on the fashion must haves and trends he laid out for you. It’s ok to take tips from others as long as your style continues to reflect your personality. We are still accepting suggestions and we will post your fits that you create or actually wear so don’t be afraid to contact us. We are loving all the positive feedback as well. The comments are greatly appreciated. Keep em coming and stay involved with us!!!
Now back to the subject at hand! Last weekend (12th thru the 15th), I was back in the heart of New York City, partying and catching up with friends. I’m usually never stagnant when I’m in NYC so I get into too many activities to honestly keep track of, but I do have a few things I wanna share with you all. First of all, I wanna give a shout out to my mother. She is the most diverse and cultured woman I know (ladies step ur game up). And she gets fresher than them veggies in ya Ziploc. But anyways, I’m shouting her out because if it wasn’t for her, my restaurant knowledge would be weak as hell!! She had me on Prince St. and in midtown when i was in single digits. One spot she put me on to is EJ’s Luncheonette. There are a few of them around the city but the one I go to is located on 73rd St. and 3rd Ave. EJ’s is pretty much the epitome of a classic New York City diner; great breakfast no matter what time of day, and a very quaint environment. My lil road dogg Christina accompanied me on my journey for some awesome brunch. I highly recommend the Western Omelet which is what i get pretty much every time I’m there. Chrissy hates eggs (smh) so she went with some kind of onion soup and the chopped BBQ chicken salad which was tasty but an abnormally large portion so come hungry. We sipped on lemonade and just enjoyed life that day.
After we stuffed our faces, we roamed the city for a while and then parted ways. I had one thing on my mind; the party I was invited to as a guest/photographer. Free entrance for me and the homies!!! My good friend Shoshannah invited me to Deity Lounge on Atlantic Ave n Hoyt St. in Brooklyn. Two of her homegirls, Jacenta and Shekinah, were having a little birthday shindig (Virgo’s Stand Up) and they wanted some photo documentation of their special day so you know M&N were up in there all crazy. I brought out a few of my beautiful homegirls (Farrah, Tajre, Tora, and Eva thanx again) with us just in case the ratio wasn’t looking good but it turned out to be just fine. The music was dope, the crowd was cool, and it was in Brooklyn…Nuff said. Check out the photos.
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