Jets-Less Super Bowl: Now I Can Rest Easy, and Bar Spotlight: MikNic Lounge

I really dislike the Steelers. But for those who know me, I dislike the Jets even more. Sitting at the Berman Bothers household watching this unfold with a tallboy of Joose, basically a knock off Four Loko, I at least was content with the 24-19 result, even if I wasn't thrilled with the Green Apple artificial flavors...

Cold weather aside, our fair borough was particularly pleasant with some Apt. 138'ing on the holiday this week and Hana Cafe'ing for weekly sushi (apparently the Tuna Lover special wasn't all it was cracked up to be but man that spicy sauce on regular rolls is intensely good).

Brooklyn Fare's expansion is starting to show a little more; they are starting to stock the additional space with goods and the lines are getting longer and longer; they should figure out a way to create real lines so people don't end up fighting over who was first to purchase the 6.99 organic lentil chips (you'd think yuppies wouldn't yell at each other as much but it certainly happens there, it's almost more fun than going to Pathmark). Flank steak was on sale again which was great.

Getting rid of potato "eyes" while prepping meals is kinda gross for some reason; it's like a mini-cactus bug that grows out of the potato. It makes my hands stiffen up.

I need to eat in Fort Greene more often; somehow Flatbush acts as a larger divide than it really is and there's plenty of great food across the way, the most I've gotten out of it was Black Iris but definitely want to partake of the small soul food joint about a block or two east of Flatbush.

MikNic Lounge (misspelled MikNik by Gothamist) is opening up next week on Columbia to give some additional watering hole options slightly closer to Atlantic without having to usher all the way down to Moonshine. Singer/songwriters rejoice: live music and a backyard could make for a relaxing summer spot. The west side is certainly an area that could use some additional burst as people look for the next bustling area in Brooklyn to latch onto. It looks cute and true to that part of the neighborhood and we'll see what kind of vibe will inherit the space. Here's a sneak peek from their Facebook page below. I really dig Columbia and hope that more traffic will come around, there's a few staples like Alma but this might seem more like a Last Exit.

The MTA this week just didn't have it's shit together at all. I say that with utmost prejudice due to the fact that all of the things that required speed and or convenience of the subway this week were not supported by timely and consistent service. There's nothing more defeating about New York public transportation than seeing three B trains come through one station before you finally see a Q train, which is what you want. The look on people's faces are so volatile, the head shakes so terse and violent that you're afraid that they might have not gotten enough neck stretches earlier in the morning to warrant such movement. Couple that with the MTA dude on the front end at Dekalb who just belts out incoming trains as if he's on a radio show and proceeding to yell out the synopsis of The Kids Are Alright, and you have a recipe for putting on the iPodz.

Digital Dumbo is coming up, can't wait! 2nd anniversary of canoodling and rubbing elbows with all kinds of agency types. I might want to try to meet more than 2 people this time...

Or I could just creep:

Keep it on the down low.

2011's All About Being 2011 - Weekend Recappin'

Walking to Atomic Wings on Smith was a bitter cold experience today but drenched in hot sauce not 25 minutes later I could call it a success. I know I haven't been writing so frequently as of late, but I have brand spankin' new employment and I'm putting as much effort as I can into setting up this year for even more greatness.

My better half did a run to Ikea with cohorts from the neighborhood and we built a cabinet together to house equal parts beach towels, extra sheets, and assorted papers (I can never bring myself to throw away my favorite college papers or studies). I realized that we live close enough to Ikea that it's not as much a chore to go there, although it's puzzling how tired I get after walking through the assortment of questionable wood and showrooms (the best has to be the 275 foot studio space, it's so awesome and incorporates the loft bed I bought used to provide my college roommate somewhere to sleep while we were living in Manhattan).

Jimmy Jazz is having a huge clearance sale and I may need to do a quick run; it looks so tempting.

Over the weekend a nightcap in Williamsburg at Hotel Dumond(?) was par for the course as was a donation run to the Salvation Army, where a group of young ladies who looked like the two older daughters in Dan in Real Life were giggling and doing a more serious shop there. Lots of good stuff and a long line for sure.

Brooklyn Fare's expansion is starting to show and it's really going to be sizable and comparable to the larger markets in the area; definitely a big deal as the one thing they could use is a little more variety of both produce and brands. Very exciting stuff though.

I also noticed that Dismemberment Plan is playing on January 30th at Webster Hall, and opening is Jukebox the Ghost. To round out the musical experience this weekend was some Lil Wayne on the radio.

Happy End of the Year from The KCB

As we enter yet another episode of Celebrity Rehab, from one downtown Brooklyn dude to the rest of the county.

Tonight we had a couple rounds of Scrabble at Zombie Hut where you had plenty of people wishing they were funny but instead spouting off ridiculously offensive stereotype jokes. There was also a who's balls were bigger discussion about American whiskey; they were making ignorant fun of the wonderfully awesome Tuthilltown distillery and questioning its brilliance while acting as if they knew everything about liquor without the earnest inquisitiveness that real connoisseurs would exude.

I managed "apex" and aimed for "moxie" on the board gameness but was overturned on the latter due to a bad fit. All this greatness on Bookworm leaves me a terrible Scrabble player still.

Anywho, there was a man who was both Italian and Asian. His obnoxious friends tried to determine whether he was "hairy" which in a public venue, one person should probably never ask another person. Couple that with some INTENSE cologne/perfume coming from another group coming in and you know I had to switch to PBR to keep it real. At least Scrooged was playing on the projector screen. Bill Murray is always a good distraction right?

Anywho, as we walked through the neighborhood on such a brisk night, we passed two men by Bar Great Henry where one said to the other, "Dude I don't know if I want to go over to that girl's place". So many contexts to this one but I guess he's shy.

Over and out.

Metrotech BID: Getting Trendy With The Facebookz and Handy Shopping Guide

Shopping in Downtown Brooklyn is down and dirty (at least for now). One would never think that there would be enough to warrant a nice sheen when it comes to a little press and marketing; the charm is that it's a microcosm that isn't neatly packaged.

However, surprisingly the Metrotech BID, who is trying to champion the neighborhood that alternately is the hottest neighborhood in Brooklyn and one of those areas where nobody knows really where/what it is, has fashioned a sort of organized flow chart for the holiday season. So if you know you can get your family something at Macy's or Jimmy Jazz, or any sneakers to speak of, maybe you'll take a look and enter the Holidays in the Heart of Brooklyn sweepstakes. This includes 2 nights in the Sheraton awkwardly situated among scaffolding currently; dinner at Morton's (which is the kicker for me), and a nice discount at the TKTS.

So the microsite is nice and the Facebook page is really well done considering it just started and they invested into a little creative work and some decent messaging/copy even with only 92 likes. You enter the sweepstakes on Facebook (although Wildfire's application can be used on the microsite as well but they chose to funnel traffic I'm guessing) and take a look at their shopping guide.


Two things about this guide: one, it's nice that all the local businesses I see are getting holiday cheery with small discounts across the board, whether dining, apparel, etc.

The other thing is though; how do we ask for the discount? Do we just print out the section where they are listed? Do half of these businesses know they are doing discounts? It's not like Tanger outlets or Woodbury Commons where everything is name brand and part of a larger real estate structure. I know that's what this shopping guide is supposed to do, organize into a bigger marketing picture, but I'm just a little skeptical that I'm actually going to get "10%" at Jack's Barber Shop down the street. 10% of what? 10% of a haircut? 10% of the barber's mind?

Exciting stuff but not quite there yet. Although I did 'like' the Facebook page and would love to see it develop from a good digital strategy. Until then, there's always the scrappy Downtown Brooklyn Facebook page...



and Solange's pretty awesome cover:

Taino Soleil Replaced by Downtown Ale House: Iiiiinteresting

Downtown Ale House has taken over the former spot of Taino Soleil and this is good news for DoBrah folks who still feel like they need just a little extra something to get their options flowing. I see a new nabe spot although Taino Soleil had a spirit all its own.

So here we go, there's a slightly full range of scrumptious food including 3o cent Sunday wings and reasonably priced apps and burgers. An ale house should mean some selection which it does have currently listed on the site. There is plenty of space and some TVs leftover from the previous incarnation so I see a bright future ahead with sports involved maybe. Anywho, the space is needed to help build some sort of nightlife surrounding the Fulton Mall. This plus the Shake Shack, although miles away in terms of hype, constitutes some place for people to go and eat or drink after hours and should draw some attention due to the proximity to an important piece of real estate in the area. The actual block this is on isn't the best but it's a good space and from the photos it seems like they were able to put a lot of materials from Taino to use.

I will definitely stop by at some point! Oh did I mention Tuesday Karaoke? Tuesdays are always the new Thursdays...

Bar Spotlight - The Sackett

I always wondered which bar has the tiniest bathroom in New York. Vittorio's in the West Village has a bathroom the size of a pea and it's kinda hilarious.

The Sackett I don't think is the smallest, but I was pleasantly surprised at the proximity of everything within a forearm's distance. There are two different kinds of pros with large and small bathrooms. Large bathrooms make you feel like it's a sanctuary, where you get away from the hubbub of socializing or looking at anyone but yourself (if they have a mirror).

The small bathrooms are just kind of funny to me, it's like they shoved a bathroom into a space where it wasn't really meant to be. You could probably wash your hands while doing whatever. Turn one way, your nose is to the wall. Turn the other way, you're kissing the mirror. Turn a third way, you notice the small details and nicks and chips of the door.

I know this is quite a bit just discussing bar bathrooms, but hey it's early Saturday afternoon.

Anywho, I've been wanting to hit up the Sackett for a hot second and finally got the chance to grab a drink there with the better half while walking down 4th Ave. toward the Union R stop. It's very unassuming with little fan fare and the space feels immediately intimate. We were both into it for sure, although there was a lot of "totally"s taking up the adverbage between these two women at the bar and I couldn't figure out what exactly they was referring to. It's neatly laid out, small, cozy, wonderful jukebox, and ripe for casual conversations (but not encounters I don't think). It's a great place for pairs, triples and quads, as you sit and talk about your favorite movies and stuff.

The best word to describe The Sackett would be compact; there are no frills and everyone kind of keeps to themselves. The prices are reasonable, and like Abilene, Genny Cream Ale exists in the gullet of their selection.

I have a hankering to compare it to bars such as Buttermilk or 4th Ave. Pub or Black Sheep Pub but it's got it's own thing going for sure. Perfect for a nightcap from Union Hall (depending on how you're feeling).

Favorite bathroom songs has to include this right?

Jail Moolah

I was walking with my girlfriend this evening down Jay/Smith Street north of Atlantic and we passed by the jail vehicle entrance.

Now whoever lives at 75 Smith or the Nu Hotel sitting there (they managed to put out a chalkboard stand harping on 5 dollar martinis even though nobody is ever in the first floor bar) must either feel uneasy watching buses of handcuffed persons come in across the street or totally fascinated that in the middle of a yuppified neighborhood there's still a reminder of the county courts a couple blocks north, holding all the anger, frustration, and fateful legal discourse of one of the most dynamic areas in the country. Was that a run-on sentence?

Anywho, a man quietly approached us and said, "Excuse me buddy, but could you spare a quarter, I just got out of jail." I unfortunately did not even have any change on me as we were just escorting a friend a few blocks to Atlantic. He was wearing a classically ugly holiday sweater, which reminded me of a wonderfully hideous sweater I have in my closet that I cannot wait to wear. I wondered how long he had been lingering around the jail; I'm assuming a few hours if he was processed during normal work hours but I could be completely wrong.

I wondered what his next step was along with what he could have possibly done to land in jail. Hopefully he gets where he's going. It isn't superbly cold tonight, but to exit an unfamiliar (or maybe familiar) environment with nothing on you, I can't imagine the numerous things that go through your mind. Since I'm assuming nobody was there to greet him upon his exit, the feeling of being alone and out there in the night has to be a little crushing. His explanation that he was in jail probably would turn people off but it was meant to grab a little sympathy I think.

Then again, he could have been dangerous. I apologized anyway and passed him on the corner as he slowly walked without a sense of direction, searching for another sympathetic ear.

Metrotech Chillaxes on the Security, Now Allowing City Busing Plus Other Newsies

Conan is better than ever by the way, or if you want SEO-optimized I guess I should say Conan is the funniest late night show on TV.

Nope that dog run for Downtown Brooklyn might not get going until there's a little more oomph in the petitions, however, ever since the Metrotech here in Downtown Brooklyn decided to open up to vehicles (if there was a hospital in there and your wife was going into labor they STILL probably wouldn't let you in) I'm curious to see how traffic patterns will change.

The B54 bus that bobs and shakes to Ridgewood in Queens but also travels down Myrtle will be cutting across the Metrotech Center, part of a diversion and also part of a future revamped Jay Street-Borough Hall subway station. You know, because the areas a changin'.

What's awesome is that there is so much good stuff happening on Dekalb and Myrtle in general. I could cross over Flatbush in about 3 minutes but it's pretty awesome to add yet another transportation arm; it's what makes this area really fantastic, given we have all the subway lines except 3 (not including shuttles) and a gazillion buses at Fulton.

In more news, Filene's Basement is coming to the Fulton Mall, as well as a long-awaited Shake Shack. All that hubbub over the changes is definitely starting to come to pass. CityPoint is setting up shop online with a new One Dekalb retail center (in the old Albee Square about two blocks away), which actually will be close enough to the point where the quiet blocks of the Metrotech are probably going away over the next couple of years.

That was the most interesting thing about the B54, starting to see more traffic through the Metrotech, I gotta make sure I look both ways again. It was nice to have a super quiet block, serene next to the mall. It's still quiet for sure, but I definitely want to not only see the changes, but feel them as well.