Drawing class at Brooklyn museum

Once a month, the Brooklyn museum offers a drop-in drawing class. I attended one recently and got some good tips on drawing horses. They also have a lot of other fun events on Thursday evenings http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/calendar/index.php?event_type=Thursday%20Evenings

Links

Learn about drawing class: See schedule on museum site. $8 all materials/instruction/equipment provided. museum admission is separate but it's suggested donation. 

Crossing Brooklyn Exhibition: http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/crossing_brooklyn/

Also link to the horse which was in my previous entry

Broolyn Museum First Saturday

On Oct 4, I attended my first Brooklyn Museum First Saturday. For those of you unfamiliar with First Saturday, it's when the Brooklyn Museum opens its galleries for free from 5pm-11pm and throws a grand party with music, dance, and more events. Even special exhibits like "Killer Heels" and "Crossing Brooklyn" are part of this special deal. 

Music

I first heard Arturo O'Farrill's Afro-Cuban orchestra at Prospect Park as part of outdoor summer concert series and loved them. The youth orchestra Fat Afro Latin Jazz Cats were also insanely talented. They played right near the entrance way (the best concert venue I've seen around town yet)! The photo above was taken from the walkway above the entrance. The acoustics were better inside though. I'm so glad I took a jazz class one summer so that I can appreciate excellent improv a lot more. Check them out at their next concert! Practice your dance moves in the meantime.

Selections from Crossing Brooklyn Exhibit (until Jan 4, 2015)

Drew Hamilton Artist site: http://drewhamilton.net/home.html

This miniature street corner was made with incredible attention to detail. There was also a monitor nearby showing how the crowd reacted to this miniature corner when the artist left it on the same corner (check out more pics of the sculpture / video on artist site). I have not been to that street corner but now I'm curious about the grittiness (and that food truck, not pictured above). 

Paul Ramírez Jonas. artist site http://www.paulramirezjonas.com/selected/new_index.php

At first, it just looks like another statue. Look closer, you will notice it is made of entirely cork material and invites museum goers to participate by pinning something. I have to admit that I enjoyed reading these notes more than many museum exhibition notes. The experience is similar to reading people's messages in a guestbook at a coffee shop (I remember a really good one in Seattle) or graffiti on a random restaurant/cafe bathroom. and no, people did not censor themselves. 

Some people had more interesting items from their pockets/bags. I only had a receipt from the cafe (pulled pork, rice, and plantains). Would love to see this sculpture toward the end of the exhibit cycle. 

Cynthia Daignault artist site: http://cynthiadaignault.com/

According to exhibition notes, this is not just a beautiful collection of clouds and skies. Beautifully done. 

Permanent Collection

Fred Wilson artist wiki page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Wilson_(artist)

Sanford Biggers artist site: http://www.sanfordbiggers.com/index.html

I thought it was strange to see this piano/tree sculpture so went to have look at the exhibition notes. You have to read it and visit it yourself to feel the power and horror. 

Ai WeiWei Arist site: http://aiweiwei.com/

I missed his show at Brooklyn Museum earlier this year but will have to be on the lookout for future shows.

Tips

• Enjoy the music and don't be so set on those ticketed events. I enjoyed roaming about the gallery and lobby / concert area more than doing anything else.
• Take in the view from the walkway above the lobby. Gorgeous!
• First Saturday is totally free (not a "suggested donation" thing) and no lines (except for certain craft events / lectures with seating limitations). Check out the event line up and bring your friends!
• Cafe is quite good and reasonably prized. Hey, if you're saving on admission might as well support the cafe!
• Museum is right outside 2/3 subway station for Eastern Parkway/Museum. it's next to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden and fairly close to Prospect Park Zoo so you can plan for a full Saturday afternoon/evening out of it!
• Bike lovers will love the museum shop

Plan

Find out more about the next First Saturday event here: http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/visit/first_saturdays.php

Artist or perfomer should check out their proposal application and sign up!

https://brooklynmuseum.wufoo.com/forms/adult-program-artist-and-performer-submissions/

Collage art and inspirations

Last Sunday I took a collage class at Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. I can't remember the last time I made a collage although I vaguely remember using magazine cutouts and funny letters. The collage I made at BBG was different because the instructor prepared a lot of materials, including flowers and leaves picked from the garden. I also learned some cool tips that will come handy in future collage projects and perhaps even artist trading cards (ATC). 

To me, collage art is the ultimate "process-oriented" work. The end product looks cool but the process was the most interesting. I enjoy the creative process and journey that come with arranging of different items / colors / styles. It's both organized chaos and not. Although I did a bit of "planning" and "brainstorm" for my project, it came out a lot different than I had imagined. I also loved figuring out what to do with scraps that I took home with me. They ended up looking great as decor and gifts for friends. 

The collage

close up of the colorful rays radiating from the sun

close-up of a flower which had felt middle with cross-stitch of leaves/stems. Then then the flower petals were from paper with torn edges. the paper actually came from some old BBG calendars featuring autumn. 

Flower arrangement

A bunch of hydrangea arranged with some ivy, bamboo leaves, and maple leaf on top of some tree bark. I had one piece of bark that had a small opening so I was able to just stick the stems of leaves/flowers in there. Silver card stock is just from my stash of card stock around the apt.

Fun Decor

Scraps of felt, magazine clippings, card stock, tree bark, and hydrangea petals made for nice gifts for friends. The petals don't last long but still very pretty for the next few days.

Materials

• watercolor paper - since it's stronger and able to hold all the various mixed media objects. for stronger hold/backing, cardboard is also recommended.
• heavy gel (semi-gloss) GOLDEN gel medium - used for gluing different objects to the paper. for things like flowers, make sure to apply this to the bottom, then also apply a top coat.
• wax paper - used as a mixing surface for acrylic paint (genius!)
• natural objectives - flowers, leaves, stems, grass, bark
• more traditional collage materials - magazines, calendars, card stock paper, felt
• colors - acrylic paint, acrylic crayons, colored pencils, etc

Tips

• background - color in with acrylic (spread with paper towel if you don't have a big paint brush), use a background image, layer different pics, etc
• cutting out objects - straight scissor cuts, torn edges, patterned edges, using a stencil to cut out something, repeated shapes with different patterns/materials
• drawing objects - regular drawing, stencils, carbon copy paper for repeated patterns (I loved this!), acrylic crayons 

Additional Resources: 

BBG Classes

https://classes.bbg.org/ShowSchedule.awp?&Mode=GROUP&Group=:FULL&Title=Classes+and+Workshops&Order=begins

Two gardens two weekends

Brooklyn Botanical Garden

Magnolia

Cherry blossom http://www.bbg.org/discover/cherries

Duke Farm http://www.dukefarms.org/

Orchids

A museum underground

This is not your average subway station... it's actually the entrance to the New York Transit Museum! After visiting the MTA Annex Gallery/Store in Grand Central Terminal (GCT link) for years, I finally made it to the actual transit museum in Brooklyn. 

Don't miss the parade of vintage trains in the lower level of the museum! Get a kick out of browsing old transit maps (when it wasn't all consolidated into the MTA), history about the world fair train (orange and blue are world fairs colors), and old advertisements inside the trains (various products, shows, and even WNYC).

perhaps my favorite part of the artifacts: slugs! I don't remember whether I ever used the subway tokens before. I'm sure when I first visited NYC, my parents or relatives shuffled me through subway turnstiles while they placed tokens into the machines. When I was finally old enough to walk around NYC (and old enough to get horribly confused by the local vs express trains), I only remember the metro cards.

Other educational sections of the museum talked about the beginning of the tunnels and history of the different modes of transportation in New York. Horse drawn carriages, buses, cable cars, underground, elevated trains, and trains all helped people get from place to place. 

The store has about the same amount of merchandise as the Grand Central annex. I like to suggest the transit store (Brooklyn or the GCT one) for visitors because the items are iconic NYC without being too touristy. My personal favorites are: transit umbrella, transit round boxes with the number or letter of a particular line, transit posters (same ones you see in the subway trains), and the GCT anniversary commemorative items (stationery, magnets, etc). Have a favorite station? You may be able to find a tile or a magnet of it!

I ride the subway frequently and take it for granted most part. Reading through the history, engineering, and advancements in transit at the transit museum gave me a new appreciation for what the earlier New Yorkers started and built for us, generations later. I hope other subway riders get a chance to visit this whimsical museum and learn a bit about their trusty subway ride. 

Of Montreal at Music Hall of Williamsburg

Music Hall of Williamsburg is located close to the L stop Bedford Ave. I don't usually go out on Monday nights but a last minute concert idea was suggested by Vin and I decided to try it out. (who really does anything fun on Mondays!?)

We have the tradition of meeting up for food before a concert. This time I met up with Vin and Laura at Baoburg, a block away from the concert venue. There were half a dozen restaurants/bars in the area so I'm sure everyone can find their choice of food and beverage. My favorite dish from Baoburg was the duck noodles. Please beware the place is cash only (for now, maybe they can look into Square payment in the future), which I learned the hard way. 

The band we saw was Of Montreal. I know I've heard of band but post concert still have no recognition of their songs. Clearly I need to refresh my music library. 

The venue is cozy and the best feature is a bar on each floor (three floors total) and plenty of couches and seating. During the opening act Luz, we lounged around the couches on the top floor balcony near the bar. According to the bartender we had a happy hour deal for drinks. Maybe because it was Monday. Most of the crowd was on the lower floor. 

During the main act, we ended up on some bleachers on the top floor. Relatively good view and a back to lean against. 

New band, new venue, and new restaurant, all on a Mon night. Hard to top that for the rest of the week but anything is possible in New York. 

The Killers - Brooklyn and Newark

Pics from Brooklyn's Barclays Center and Newark's Prudential Center. I suppose Barclays can be included in my 2013 resolution to explore new venues. Prudential was a return trip but since it's also for the Killers, wanted to include them here.

First time in Barclays. Great energy with the crowd. J. and I had a good seat without people in front of us (just the sudden drop in steep level...)

Went to Prudential Center with Origami friends Wes, Trish, and Uyen. Loved the laser show. Thought the Newark crowd was somewhat tamer but it was also a week day.

Jack in Brooklyn

After my friend L. (animemiz) and I finished MoCCa Fest on Saturday, she suggested that we check out a show in Brooklyn, at a venue called Jack. I’ve never been to the venue before and thought it would be a fun adventure, plus we are there to support friends.
The show was called Doctor & Mister’s Loaded Capsule [site link]. Jack is a few blocks from the C/G train stop for Clinton-Washington. I only went to see the show so didn’t get a chance to check out the neighborhood. Maybe next time.

Stuff I liked:

The program

The program is made out of origami by Sok Song! He organizes the origami meetup group and it’s such an awesome group, see my write up of origami group at Howl festival last year. The attention to detail on this fortune teller program is amazing, because each part of the show has relevant detail behind each section header.

Intermission

I wish I had taken pics of the hats, they were all paper creations with beads / feather-like flourishes. Needless to say, many fans inquired about those hats during intermission. and rejoice for bbq pork steamed buns (chashao bao) and beer.

Story Telling

I love podcasts and shows like Moth and Radio Lab are some of my favorites.
Sabi Part 1 and 2 (James Harrison Monaco and Jerome Ellis): Story about how the reporter found a human interest story in a Long Island antique shop. I liked the bit about the chandelier and the color changing head of Sabi. Or maybe the long walk from LIRR to the destinations.
A Play (called Not a 10-minute play)
The way the characters played with time / internet /youtube was quite clever, and with minimum props. Nudity worked well for shock value but I think keeping his pants on would have been just fine too.

Music

I don’t understand the speaking flutes or the magical sound-making teacups, but the song at the end of the show by Rick (pictured above) was very nice. Of course I can’t seem to find it on his website. Something about she has eyes instead of diamonds.

Jazz and Pizza while crossing the bridge

Progress has been made for my new year resolution to check out new venues and bands, and even J. has come long for a ride (although he wonders if I found the 'Terminal 5 of Brooklyn'.

Brooklyn Bowl
http://www.brooklynbowl.com/
Btw 11th and 12th on Wythe, in Williamsburg.

• The band: Preservation Hall Jazz Band http://www.preservationhall.com/band/
• drink: I ordered a gin and tonic. They also had beer on tab for cheaper.
• Vibe: Psychedelic bowling alley, funky abstract art playing on large screens, GIANT disco ball (pictured), and giant fans on very high ceilings. Standing room only but look at how close we were to the band (pic).
• Adventures: well, I had some issues with the map directions so we ended up going the wrong way(one benefit was we managed to pass the Manhattan skyline so that was a nice surprise. The view was so amazed I forgot to take a photo. Actually, probably because I was freezing from walking and wind near the water).
• Lessons learned: Show up on time, check website for directions. this isn't some other music venue where they have two opening bands and the main act doesn't show until 10pm.

Unrelated but I'm not doing a separate post is an Italian place J. found in yelp while looking up 'gnocchi'.
Tres Sorelle
http://tresorellenyc.com/
Near City Hall
J had gnocchi with tomato sauce. I had capricciosa pizza (personal size was still big, if you order two, you can easily feed three people). Next time with more people I may try ordering the bigger size pizza. I was sold on the artichoke although the other toppings were fine too. And crust was superb. We had attentive service and would definitely come back.

This entry and previous were written on the Ipad blogger app. I like how easy it is to draft and publish, but I miss the formatting tools (bullets, font colors and header style, tagging labels library, pic size adjustment). Mostly the turn text into url function. The app comes handy for traveling though. And good for sharing photos. Update: I redid the entries on laptop because urls were dead, photos had wrong dimensions, and all the photos were automatically put in the end of the entry. I guess mobile apps are still limited. Need to keep those things in mind next time I use the ipad.

Self-Portraits: An All-Star Gathering at Figureworks

My friend Stephanie had always wanted to explore Brooklyn, and what better way to do so than a gallery tour? Armed with smartphone apps NY ArtBeat ($1.99, absolute essential app for art lovers, including galleries and openings around the NY area) and Art & Absinthe Guide to Brooklyn (free, with whimsical artwork and cocktail recipes), we roamed around Williamsburg on one cold January Sunday. Out of the 5 or so galleries we visited, I enjoyed The Self-Portraits exhibit at FigureWorks the most. The friendly owner Randall was kind to share stories of the artists and works with us.

Figureworks Gallery

168 North 6th Street
Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Sat / Sun 1-6pm (also check schedule for 2nd Fridays in Brooklyn)
http://www.figureworks.com/
Self Portraits Exhibit runs through March 3, 2013
All Images courtesy of Figureworks [harris@figureworks.com], taken with my iphone 4S.

Elim Mak – heart illumination

This one immediately caught my eye because it reminded me of traditional Chinese watercolors. The silver lines of the fierce tiger profile and the soft brushstrokes create a fine contrast. The heart illustration (veins and all) is straight out of a science class but doesn’t seem out of place in this composition. Fun fact: she also does comic books! [artist link]

Howard Eisman – Portrait of a Renaissance Man

Steph and I were fascinated with this piece and Randall was able to help us piece the whole thing together. The artist uses this medium for his normal works. So it makes sense for his self-portrait to reflect his medium. While it looks like it could be translucent, the entire work is actually quite heavy. You have to look closer at the real thing (this photo doesn’t do justice) to see different aspects of life that he included inside the colorful collage. Some of his other works do not have the wooden backboard, so you can imagine an abstract form floating on the wall.
[artist link]

Fred Hatt – Self Portrait

Randall said that Fred (the artist) looks exactly like this self-portrait. At a meet-and-greet event, most gallery visitors were able to recognize him. I haven’t attended an event yet but you can view a photo of the artist on his website. In the gallery, there is a video of the creative process on display next to this portrait. Steph and I were both surprised to see how the artist worked his way through the picture, without actually outlining the face first. He went straight to the eyes with blue outlines, before the beard and mouths were even formed. [artist link]

Other Notes

There were many other self-portraits of different mediums and stories. I wonder if Randall will publish a catalogue of the different pieces along with their stories. The reason why I called the title of the show “all-stars” is because most of the artists had already had their own shows at FigureWorks. If you think about it, a gallery usually features one or two artists at a time. This show is actually a great way to meet 50 artists all at once and learn about their styles and stories.

This exhibit also made me ponder what my self-portrait would look like. Probably a mix of maps/city photos/music, a multimedia experience. When I wrote about my “welcome corner” [blog entry], Steph did say it was a way to reflect my personality. Maybe subconsciously I was already starting to make my own self-portrait.

What medium and materials would you use to make your self-portrait? If you need inspiration, check out the show at Figureworks.

New York kind of weekend

Friday Evening
Smorgas for dinner with J. to celebrate my move. Traditional smorgasbord with Mikkeller beer, and lingonberry crepe for dessert. All recommended for future visits. My favorite part of the bord was probably the gravlaks and potatoes. Herring is still an acquired taste for me, I really had to get used to the texture. Random thought while eating crepe: if lingonberry were more popular in the U.S., would we still obsess over it as much?

Saturday Afternoon
New Museum Block Party with S. Creative crafts to start out the afternoon (orange colored sunglasses rocked my world. I need to find a pic of the magnetic poetry that S. made), followed by a view of the new Ghosts in the Machine exhibit which emphasized machinery/optical art/geometric shapes. I didn’t take a photo of this one particular object so I will try to describe it. Basically the artist started out with a square/rectangle piece of gossamer fabric, then tied four small weights to its four corners. A fan is set below the center of fabric and blows in different directions. The result is the fabric moving in a wave-like manner, while being suspended in mid-air. It’s simple yet so creative at the same time. I found it quite relaxing to watch, compared to some of the other objectives they had on display. A photo of some crazy looking animal sculptures from the Parade exhibit below, in the neighboring studio.

Saturday Evening
Prospect Park Jazz Concert. Part of Celebrate Brooklyn concert series (suggested $3 donation). Featuring Arturo Sandoval / Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. Gotta love summer concert season, especially in New York.

Sunday Afternoon
Destination was set to be High Line park but the way there was anything but direct. Since the subway is hot in the summer, walking and bus all seem better modes of transportation. I wandered through Chinatown and SoHo before getting on a bus to the street near the park. On the way, I admired the sunroof of the Apple Store in SoHo and some new games and apps on the new ipads. Just in case you don’t need more apple devices and don’t find yourself visiting frequently, the store also features performance/talks series. This upcoming week they have Kenny Garrett and Martha Stewart. Look forward to exploring some of these in the future (note to self, add calendar to already long calendar of book events at B&N and Strand…)

Sunday Afternoon/Early Evening

High Line. This deserves its own entry. Link here: TBD

Brooklyn Shuffle

A week or two ago, S. and W. and I went to Brooklyn together on our group outing. There was some kind of event going on that opened up free admission for all museums/parks/gardens/zoos etc in Brooklyn. We ended up only going to two places: Brooklyn Museum and Botanical Garden but I definitely got my weekend’s worth of walking.

For lunch we were going to check out this cute bistro but after what seems to be ten blocks + of beautiful brownstones, we pass by a nice Cuban restaurant which was not our destination. I mentioned that if we don’t like the menu/place for our first choice, we can always come back. (foreshadowing here?)

The bistro we wanted to visit was closed for lunch! We double back and had one of the best lunches ever. I think all summer days and weekends should start with a leisure lunch at a café followed by museums and parks/gardens. Enough food to sustain all the walking. and don’t forget sunscreen and sunglasses.

W. is heading to Chicago for the next few years so this get together was sort of a last hurrah. I’m sure we’ll keep in touch and schedule other outings in NY and Chicago.

Cubana Café (Smith St. Brooklyn)
http://www.menupages.com/restaurants/cubana-cafe/
//décor: feels like outdoor patio/resort. I recently saw a Anthony Bourdain special on Cuba. This restaurant's vibe (colors, music, and brochures) replicates the place perfectly.
//drinks: nobody was drinking alcohol for lunch so I decided to go for a shockingly lime green soda (made in Mexico with real sugar!) 
//food: S. got Ropa Vieja, best beef ever. I ordered the pulled pork with whipped plains (can you really go wrong with any pork at a Cuban restaurant)? W. had a chicken quesadilla which was actually quite different from quesadillas I’ve had in the past (at mostly mex or tex-mex places). filling food, delicious, and would definitely recommend and return.

Brooklyn Museum
//exhibit: Vishnu. http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/vishnu/ 
I have to profess I know near 0 stories in Hinduism. I was surprised to find some of the names/avatars of Vishnu from a Persona game I played. I suppose Japanese game creators at least knew enough about the stories to use the names. The exhibit was well put together (paintings, statues, and stories) and inspired me to look up more stories about Vishnu.
//reorder: http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/reorder/
I didn’t know what to make these mushroom structures but the room was quite cool and relaxing. Just to provide some context, it was an extremely hot and humid day to be out walking when we were in Brooklyn. Luckily no rain as forecasted.

Botanical Garden
//highlights: herb garden, giant sunflowers, and Japanese garden. I still have to make an effort to go to the cherry blossom in the spring.

Williamsburg Rainy Day Adventures Part 2

You may recall from a previous entry, I visited V. in Brooklyn during a downpour in March and I had wanted to plan for another trip when it’s warmer and sunnier out. Well, the weather was not cooperative when I made my second trip last weekend, but at least we had a good time nonetheless.

Soundtrack
this entry was written with Beirut playing in the background. feel free to check him out! Go Brooklyn.
http://www.myspace.com/beruit

Park
With recent spring weather I thought it would be nice to volunteer with my company to beautify local parks. The weather turned out to be freezing and rather windy but luckily I had good company. I found out that I really enjoy using rollers for painting (I really should take advantage of this and paint my walls or something). 

Coffee
My park event was supposed to end in the afternoon but due to weather and our efficient use of time, the leader dismissed us early. Instead of waiting in the cold for lunch, I opted to head out and meet up with V. earlier. A cup of whole foods breakfast blend coffee with soy later, I finally recovered from hanging out in the cold all morning. Reading up on colorful CB2 catalogues made me wish I had an empty apt to decorate. Sigh.

Brunch
Creative food place with fantastic decor, a very Brooklyn soundtrack and ridiculously well-dressed and fine-looking crowd. Another reason to come back to Williamsburg even if it’s pouring. 
http://www.traifny.com/

This place had good coffee in cute cup/saucer sets and we ended up drinking way too many cups (my entire week’s quota was filled up).

course 1: Starting off, V. had a greens dish with figs and I got a pineapple section with pomegranate molasses and grated lime (superb, and we were literately licking the plates for the last drop of pomegranate molasses). Just looked up a recipe, it actually doesn’t look that difficult. Since I already make pomegranate juice from scratch, this is nothing. alternatively we should just get a bottle from Trader Joes or Whole Foods.

course 2: Egg-in-a-nest with portabella and truffle cream. If you order this, take a whiff and prepare to die from happiness. Mushroom lovers, this is a must! Egg-in-a-nest means they cut a round hole in your toast and put in a fried egg. It looks much prettier than it sounds.  

course 3: bacon donuts with coffee ice cream. I think Williamsburg must love donuts because last time we had some nice cinnamon sugar donuts at the other brunch place. Anyway, bacon bits on donuts was interesting but I loved the combo of bacon and coffee ice cream. does anyone really get anything done after a 3 course brunch?

Chill out
The weather turned out even worse after brunch, and while we walked through the rain on my last visit, we weren’t as motivated to check out anything this time. Super Mario for the Wii actually looked quite difficult. I’m glad I don’t have time to play games anymore (except for the occasional phone games).  I ended up finishing my latest book on my phone (yea nook mobile app) while waiting for the rain to die down. This made me realize just how important a comfortable couch with good natural lighting is. I never seem to have both at my disposal. Something to consider when I look at available housing in the future.

Next time
-waterfront (even if it rains, this is getting ridiculous, truly)
-concert! (already on the calendar for June)
-dinner (instead of brunch, although I expect huge crowds)

Rain, Cat, and Brooklyn

My friend V. had moved out to Williamsburg last summer and somehow or another, I’ve managed to delay my visit until today. What better day than a rainy day in early spring to venture into the unknown?

Awful commute aside (made worse by rain and the fact that I was going to a new and strange neighborhood), I had a great time. V. is the best host ever, this was apparent even when we were students, living in cramped dormitories. I still need to get him inspired by Mad Men to throw a theme party or something.

Coffee
First time I had soy with coffee (I’m still skeptical about the lattes people rave about, but maybe I’ll try it next time). It was quite good and helped me recover from the rain. V always had quite an influence on my drink habits. First it was adding milk to Lipton (which I never do, until I met the guy), now soy to coffee? Maybe the see-through mugs helped. Any beverage is made infinitely better by see-through containers. Quick apt tour later, I realized that V’s paint job and décor skills puts the rest of us to shame. I never thought too much about interior décor but now I’m itching to get my own place and do it up with tasteful color schemes and containers. The rooftop was impressive too, with a view of the bridge, empire state building, and more!

Brunch
http://www.jimmysdinerhome.com/Jimmys/Breakfast.html
having had amazing corn bread in DC and Chicago, I was not ready to believe there’s good stuff to be had in Brooklyn. Glad I was wrong. Jimmy’s corn bread is amazing! 

They started us out with some cinnamon sugar covered donut holes on the house. Sweet deliciousness. Then I had to order their fried okra because I haven’t had that since my DC days (and that restaurant had gotten rid of that item on the menu, sad but true). Crispy on the outside, slimy on the inside. Also came with chipotle mayo, which was a nice touch. To tell you the truth though, mayo was not even necessary. I think I polished off 70% of the okras. For the main event, V had the Big Boy (with fluffy pancakes!) and I tried the Cornbread Bowl.

Cat
While we were walking back from brunch, V. pointed out a pretty orange cat near the window on the second floor. Being a cat lover, I naturally asked to be introduced to the cat (and its owner, who is a friend of V’s). We met D. and his cat Conan shortly after we stepped inside the building. D. is also in the middle of working on painting his apt. The orange boxes he started were lovely. I hope to see how it turns out next time I visit (maybe tiered like staircase? maybe regularly spaced? maybe some kind of gradual orange to yellow to another color, who knows?) You know how lions and other big cats like to strut their stuff, especially with those muscular shoulders? well, Conan was exactly the same. Inside that orange cat is a fierce and proud lion (and his majesty doesn’t drink out of a bowl, but out of a glass cup just like the rest of us). In short, after I got to know him, I was in love. Both D. and V. showed me how to entertain the cat. Besides a little feather attached to the end of a string and stick, Conan’s favorite toy is a paper covered straw (but not just the straw sitting still, you have to poke it out of doors, boxes, and other devices). In short, you have to work it to get him interested. If you can imagine us three adults in that apt, entertaining a cat, it’ll probably make you howl with laughter. I should have tried to take a video of us chasing and teasing Conan. Totally hilarious. I can just see the ironic title/caption now. “Just another typical Sunday afternoon in Brooklyn”.

Tea
V. brewed some Roobois Cream Caramel Tea after we returned from D’s apt. It went well with the vanilla sweets I bought from an Asian bakery (kind of like macaron, but not as sweet or creamy). Perfect for a rainy day.

Walk
It started to pour outside, but I didn’t come all the way to Brooklyn to stay inside. We stepped out and walked around the neighborhood with our umbrellas to find a number of cute shops (orange décor! fun posters! arts&crafts llamas!).  I was told the “BEST” bagels were found just around the corner (gives me an excuse to drag J. out to Williamsburg next time). I was also introduced to a new breed of Duane Reade with a full super market section and beer on tap. You can buy a growler and fill up on brews such as Brooklyn Lager and Six Point and Kelso. For those of you unfamiliar with Duane Reade, it’s a chain of pharmacies in New York (I’m pretty sure the other branches don’t have growlers). V also lives within walking distance from Brooklyn Brewery (somehow I was never told this, and now I really have no excuse for delaying my Brewery tour). Some of the buildings and architecture on the walk were quite nice. Will have to take some photos next time I visit.

Stuff for next time
Scrabble game
Korean tacos (?)
Bagels
Brewery Tour / Duane Reade Growler
Concert in McCarren (summer?)
Photography

A Coney Island Winter

This winter has been unbearable in NYC. While I’m happy to be able to work from home on blizzard days, cabin fever has never been more severe. Whenever work gets too stressful and the winter blues get just a bit too much, it’s time to take a trip to the beach. While I love Jones Beach and the Jersey Shore as much as the next person, I’ve always been curious about Coney Island. True, the “real” Coney Island before all the things got torn down to make room for condos will never be the same. Today’s Coney Island is rather worn down, which is probably why the Jersey Shore TV show takes place in Seaside Heights, NJ.

Many people who have been to Coney Island during the summer told me that it was a long trip with not much to see besides crazy crowds. I finally figured out it was futile to drag people with me (I’ve been trying since 2007 without any real results), so might as well just suck it up and go myself…in the middle of winter, after snow can melt away.

For my Coney Island trip, I decided to take the morning commute rush trains on a Friday since I didn’t want to deal with subway services changes. If you go, I suggest taking the D, it zips through Manhattan very quickly. Also grab a cup of coffee before getting on the train because the ride through Brooklyn part takes quite a while (I stopped counting after ten stops).

If you have no sense of direction, don’t worry, Coney Island beach and fair grounds are easily spotted from the subway station. I literately just followed the nearest road to Wonder Wheel and figured out my way to the boardwalk and beach. While the carnival is clearly closed during the winter and the town is quiet, I really enjoyed the contrast between the snow, boardwalk, and beach. There is also a pier going into the ocean that offers scenic views.

The NY Aquarium is an indoor attraction good for a break from the cold winds. Just walk northeast on the boardwalk and you’ll find a nice mural depicting marine life. Follow a small entrance with the aquarium sign and check out the exhibits! Usually aquariums and zoos are crowded out by school trips and strollers, but on the day I went, I was lucky enough to have most of the exhibits to myself. It’s rather relaxing watching sharks and stingrays and seals swim through the water.

Before my readers lose interest in this entry, yes, Nathan’s is open during the winter and of course I had to pay a visit. The store is hard to miss with its giant billboards and elaborate décor. Inside the store is nothing fancy though. You get a few tables and chairs. I think the summer menu has more extensive seafood options whereas the winter menu is more standard hotdog and fries fare. I decided to stick with the original hotdog and an order of chili-cheese fries. I could have ordered some beer too but in the middle of winter, beer just didn’t seem to fit right. I know most of you from the tri-state area have already had Nathan’s hotdog from one of their many chain stores. The original one still has the best hotdog, hands down.