There is always talk of where to get the best pizza in NYC. I personally don’t think there is a best. It’s all relative. Sometimes, the Papa Johns in Bedford Stuyvesant is the best place for me. Other times, it may be Ray’s Pizza in the village. I’m sure there are better pizza spots in NYC I’ve never even heard of. That’s why I try them all. In addition to being a growing boy, I’m also just curious. Hence why you may see me in Union Square one weekend with a group of strangers. Well I’m actually always in Union Square with a group of strangers. But now I have a reason. The Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour has begun! What is that you ask?! Well it’s a 4 hour tour of Brooklyn on which you will be stuffed with knowledge on Brooklyn monuments and celebrities. But you’ll also be stuffed with pizza from two of the best pizza shops known to man. Yea I said it. The tour starts in Union Square and proceeds to head over the Brooklyn Bridge to Grimaldi’s brick oven thin crust pizza shop. This place ALWAYS has a line a block long but the pizza makes it all worth it. I haven’t been there in a while but I will be going very soon. From there, the tour goes deep into Bensonhurst to  L&B Spumoni Gardens pizzeria where the specialty is the Sicilian slice. Check out the Slice of Brooklyn Pizza tour on Friday through Monday, starting today through the Spring. Dress comfortably because the tour begins at 11am and doesn’t end for at least 4 hrs. Click here for more info.

What we have here is a photo of one of my favorite people in the whole wide world of Brooklyn. Ms. Mercedes is what I like to call a guru of life. I met this young lady at Howard University and we connected through our love of music. Since then, it’s been all uphill. Matt and I recently interviewed Mercedes so stay tuned for that footage coming soon!

It’s always a beautiful thing when moguls unite, whether it’s social or for a greater cause. To see great minds mesh together is such an inspiration for me. The Jay-Z and Oprah collaboration has got to be one of the most powerful unions I’ve ever witnessed, especially for a young Black man like myself. Recently, Jay-Z invited Ms. Winfrey to “the hood” in which he was raised; Bedford Stuyvesant in Brooklyn. Oprah has also featured an interview with Jigga in her latest magazine. What I’m waiting for is the video interview to air! It’s no secret that Oprah pretty much shuns rappers from her show because of her views on the genre. But Hov is breaking down barriers!!! Check out a sneak peek of the interview and be on the lookout for Jay-Z on Oprah very soon!!!

Click here to view the embedded video.

]]> http://www.mn-eminent.com/2009/09/21/oprah-x-jay-z/feed/ 0 http://www.mn-eminent.com/2009/08/26/cheryls-global-soul/ http://www.mn-eminent.com/2009/08/26/cheryls-global-soul/#comments Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:06:24 +0000 Matt http://www.mn-eminent.com/?p=2040

This past sunday, the fam took me to brunch for my birthday. My mother decided to take a chance at a place we’d never been called Cheryl’s Global Soul and we were throughly satisfied. The crowd alone was a testament to how popular this place is and it was no surprise why. The food tastes great and everything is fresh made from scratch.The prix fixe brunch menu had a variety of breakfast items that you’d expect but all with a twist. I had the poached eggs over salmon hash, which was amazing. Other table favorites were a Lox and scallion scrambled served with home fries and a fresh spinach and mushroom omelet. I devoured the food so fast I didn’t even have a chance to photograph any of it, lol. Plus, of course mimosa’s and bloody mary’s were on deck. We sat in the backyard seating area which was great since it was such a nice day. I think the part I liked the most is that you get seated by Cheryl herself, which keeps it personal and neighborhood eatery like. Kudos to this spot, another great reason to not have to travel into manhattan. It’s located at 236 Underhill right off eastern parkway, a 2 sec walk from The Brooklyn Museum.

 

View from inside

 

My little brothers with the mascot

Hello Brooklyn!! Greetings to the rest of the world as well but specifically Brooklyn. In case you were not informed, there has been a tribute to Spike Lee going on since June 25th and will go through June 30th which has been named Spike Lee Day! From art galleries to poetry slams, everyone is paying homage to one of the greatest filmmakers to ever do it. You may have missed a few days of the festival already but it’s not over!! Click here for a list of events and be sure to “Do The Right Thing” and attend whatever you can!!

If you don’t have any solidified warm weather hang out spots, consider this a favor. Habana Outpost, located in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn, is one of the best places to be  when the sun is shining and the temperature is above 70 degrees. Between the networking opportunities with the people that frequent it, the food, and the refreshing frozen drinks, this is the best place to start your day in my humble opinion. They host tons of events during the Spring and Summer months and they had KRS One perforat their block party recently! And if that wasn’t enough, they also open up their establishment as a market place on Saturdays for vendors to come and sell their goods. You can find anything from artwork to clothing. Not to mention you can find me in there talking to as many beautiful ladies as my mind can manage! Come through to mix and mingle and buy me a mojito. Check out the pics from my recent Habana Outpost visits. You’re welcome!!!

“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!!

2: Okay okay. So the second order of business is also somewhat of a daily double as well. The Brooklyn Circus has become…Well…A Brooklyn staple. It’s become much more than just a shop. It is a brand that the fashion forward Brooklynite can embrace and incorporate easily into their wardrobe. There is a particular piece i’ve got my eye on and that’s the new shawl collar sweater. The detail on it is amazing so go pick this piece up asap in hopes that I havent already freaked it and made it impossible for you to get like me. Just kidding. Sorta.

3: The Sartorialist. The blog of an always traveling, highly fashionable family man with an eye for detail and incredible photography. Need I say more? Sounds like the story of my life within the next two years.

4: If you love high quality footwear that will have you “outchea” as my homies from Chi-Town would say, then you’ve got to appreciate Common Projects. This brand has proven to be nothing short of spectacular and their Spring/Summer 2009 continues their streak. Check it out here.

5: I love Brooklyn. As does Mos Def. Whenever I miss home a little to much, THIS is what I tune into on my ipod.