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Tuesdee Boozedee: Delicious Drink Idea!

Today was the hottest day of the year in NYC thus far! On this 80 degree day, all I could think about was a refreshing drink I had at a small okomiyaki restaurant called Gaja last week: grapefruit infused beer!  Of course, my laziness + schedule kept me from actually fulfilling my wish, but I will definitely be adding grapefruit and Sapporo to my next grocery list. The recipe is simple. Just cut up two grapefruits into a pitcher, then fill it with Sapporo beer! The combination is unexpected, but delish! This drink will be a perfect addition to a BBQ on a hot summer day!

Gaja 

2383 Lomita Blvd
Ste 102
Lomita, CA 90717

(310) 534-0153

www.gajamoc.com

Cali Sweets!

Being back in sunny California has been amazing! One of my favorite things I did this trip was of course, EAT. Although NYC is the mecca of delicious food, LA can definitely hold its own. I went on my trip with a few places i knew I HAD to go to. For dessert, Patisserie Chantilly was at the top of my list. It is tucked away in a modest shopping plaza in Lomita. Its no-frills atmosphere makes this small Japanese patisserrie stand out, making it a popular destination for local dessert lovers. (Tip: Make sure you get there early on in the day, because the vanilla cream puffs go fast!) It has been written up in several food magazines and is recognized for its beautiful French desserts with a Japanese touch. One of their signature pastries is the Sesame Cream Puff, which I definitely had to try. Ok... don't judge me. I  tried most of their menu, which included the Choux a la Creme, Choux a la Sesames (vanilla and sesame cream puffs), the Chantilly Fromage- a fancy term for cheesecake, the Creamy Pudding- a Japanese custard pudding that resembles flan, and the Parfait aux Fraises- also known as strawberry shortcake. (I promise you, I did this in two trips and also had help from friends and family with the consumption of them.) Although they were all incredibly delicious, the classic vanilla creme puff took the cake. The best part is, every other dessert will probably look unappetizing to me from now on, so I may be able to excercise a tiny bit of self control! But...probably not. 

2383 Lomita Blvd. #104,

 Lomita, CA 90717

http://www.patisseriechantilly.com/

Northeast Kingdom

Oops... No Tuesdee Boozedee yesterday. Carina's been out of town and I've been dogsitting the cute little dude pictured above, so I haven't had much time for drinking.
That's a lie. I've been in all the dive bars close to my heart, but nothing quite Boozedee worthy. Instead, I'll be reviewing a restaurant in my hood - Northeast Kingdom.

In addition to an impressive beer menu (including Six Point, Hitachino, Allagash White, just to name a few of my favorites...), Northeast Kingdom also has a small cocktail menu. I would suggest "The Old Bushwick" (bourbon, ginger ale, lime, bitters) or the "Spicy Ginger" (ginger cognac, mint, lemon, cayenne pepper, soda).

Although it's definitely refreshing to see a restaurant serving adventurous dishes like pig's head terrine in Bushwick, I would suggest sticking to more classic dishes here. The black bean burger with avocado and arugula was absolutely delicious and anyone who knows my hardcore carnivore ways would be surprised to hear this... though I did order a side of duck fat tater tots. The only downside of the "burger" is the consistency... it fell apart much too easily. The tater tots were good, but didn't feature the richness I expect from duck fat.

We also ordered duck breast with a fried egg and asparagus, not necessarily an adventurous dish, but it still fell a little flat. The egg was overcooked and gummy, the duck dry and chewy.

Overall, both a hit and a miss...
hit: daily specials, veggie burger, service, atmosphere, drink menu, being non-bushwick
miss: noticeable lack of duck fat in dishes where i expected duck fat

Though I wasn't completely impressed, I will definitely be returning to Northeast Kingdom to try the following dishes:

Chopped chicken liver, caramelized onion, bacon, sesame toast
Seafood Chowder, potato, leek, bacon, house made oyster crackers
Pineland Farm short rib borscht, beet, carrot, cabbage, horseradish cream

northeast kingdom interior, courtesy of yelp

Northeast Kingdom

18 Wyckoff Ave
(between Jefferson St & Starr St)
Brooklyn, NY 11237
Neighborhood: Bushwick

(718) 386-3864

www.north-eastkingdom.com

Tuesdee Boozedee: KGB

asian glow. 

Okay, so it's technically Wednesdee... but we're fresh off the TB boat so it's excusable, right? For tonight's adventure, we went to an old favorite of ours, KGB. Like most good bars, it can get annoyingly packed on the weekends, but on weeknights, this place is a gem. It sounds trite, but there's really no telling what kind of crazy characters you can meet here... including but not limited to the awesome Tuesday night bartender, Seiji. 

The music here tends to be shoegaze or classic rock (depending on the bartender) and always solid. The decor is Russian kitsch meets your grandma's den. Drinks are straightforward and decently priced. If you're feeling a little spendy, ask to try the bison grass vodka, an off-the-menu specialty-- sweet and earthy, like a spring day that gets you buzzed.

This place is easy to miss, as there is only a small sign and it's on the second floor above a theatre... one word of warning though, if you're not into literary readings, avoid KGB before 9pm, or just check their website!

http://www.kgbbar.com/
85 East 4th Street (2nd floor)
New York, NY 10003-8904
(212) 505-3360

rainy tuesday mix

I don't have much music on my work computer but I needed a mix to get me through this dreary tuesday... listen above or download here... (download version has tracks not available on grooveshark: al green - i want to hold your hand, smashing pumpkins - mayonaise, john lennon - grow old with me)

full track list:

1. mighty - lord huron
2. ungirthed - purity ring
3. sabali (miike snow remix) - amadou & miriam
4. lovers' carvings - bibio
5. i want to hold your hand - al green
6. moi je joue - brigitte bardot
7. put your hands where my eyes can see - busta rhymes
8. no one's gonna love you (cover) - cee lo green
9. super duper rescue heads - deerhoof
10. i only said - my bloody valentine
11. mayonaise - smashing pumpkins
12. fancy - bobby gentry
13. twisted - keith sweat
14. grow old with me - john lennon
15. i lost and died - palpitation
16. right here (human nature mix) - swv
17. too high - stevie wonder
18. breakfast in america - supertramp
19. dancing in slow motion - teengirl fantasy
20. eleven (feat. tune-yards) - thao & mirah
21. dragonaut - sleep

Vintage Gold Mine

I stumbled upon The Family Jewels in Chelsea one day on my way to dinner. I had heard about it before, so I was pleasantly surprised to have crossed its path. The window display was so vivid and inviting, I just had to check it out! The shop is very strict about photos,  (since I'm sure it would serve as every teenager's Facebook profile pic dreamland) but the owner was nice enough to let me take a few. There were counters and displays full of costume jewelry that your grandmother would do cartwheels over. I spent about ten minutes just looking at the broaches! The clothing was split up by decade, so depending on your style, you know right where to go. The 1920's and 30's section was gorgeous! It is almost overwhelming to see so many great vintage pieces in one shop, but if you are into vintage clothing, this is your mecca. (Also, the reason why many a stylist frequents this joint.) I was attracted to an 80's body con dress with Picasso-esque eyeballs and lips on it. Sequined, of course! This is definitely a great place to go if you want a piece that is one of a kind. Although you will spend about $150-$250 on a cocktail dress, you will leave with an absolute gem!





The Family Jewels Vintage Clothing
130 W 23rd St., New York, N.Y. 10011
212.633.6020

http://www.familyjewelsnyc.com/

Tuesdee Boozedee: Night of Joy

This Tuesdee Boozedee, I've decided to take a break from our secret bar tour and write up a great neighborhood spot. I've been going to Night of Joy since it opened (ok, it only opened last summer), at first because it's named after the bar in one of my all-time favorite novels (above). I kept coming back because of the awesome 2nd floor patio and laid-back attitude.

If you've read A Confederacy of Dunces, you may walk in expecting a pitch black, seedy, smoky New Orleans bar with strippers and Jones shuffling around going, "hey!" (as I did...) but it's actually a classy place with just a touch of homey southern decor.

If you're feeling adventurous, try one of the cocktails with ingredients like goji berries, basil, jalapeno... and then, there's the vodka infused with beet and dill. Personally, I don't like it-- the beet and dill come on way too strong for a cocktail, but it's a good thing to try just so you can say you did. Despite the impressive cocktail menu at Night of Joy, this is a place where I tend to stick to whiskey, beer and atmosphere.

Night of Joy

667 Lorimer St
(between Meeker Ave & I-278)
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Neighborhood: Williamsburg - North Side

(718) 388-8693

Brooklyn Flea is back!

courtesy of brooklynflea.com

Spring is upon us! How do I know this, you ask? The return of Brooklyn Flea, doy. Even better, Brooklyn Flea has expanded to Williamsburg this year!! I braved the crowds on the new Williamsburg location's opening day.

In addition to the handmade jewelry and bizarre vintage finds (prosthetic foot candle holder... what?) there's also of course FOOD. Some of my favorite local vendors were there (people's pops, porchetta, liddabit sweets) but also some i had never seen before... I sampled grilled cheeses from the Milk Truck and ate some delicious pupusas. Pizza Moto brought their own goddang brick oven to the flea market and I was dying for one of their amazing looking pizzas but will have to get one next time!

Brooklyn Flea
Saturday / Sunday 10am - 5 pm
For locations, click here