Christmas Cookies & Ugly Christmas Sweaters

Pin It now! This holiday season, I think we did well trying to stretch it out as long as could.  We started by making Christmas cookies - my Mom and I have been trying to make this an annual tradition.  We used the same gingerbread cookie recipe from a couple of years ago, and after a disastrous first attempt at sugar cookies (which turned into giant cookie the size of a sheet pan), we went back to basics and used Alton Brown's recipe.  My favorite was the gingerbread, but it seemed like the linzer-like sandwich cookies were the hit this year.

Michael and I also hosted an ugly Christmas sweater party this year at a bar down the street.  It was hilarious and some people were really creative (uh, pinning Santas where you don't usually pin Santas), while others borrowed sweaters from their mother-in-laws.  We held a contest where the bar staff chose their favorite - Justin's grossly oversized snowman sweater won, with Greg's original 1980's Pierre Cardin sweater coming in second.  Everyone was a little surprised Trish's homemade, Christmas-lit, music-playing, ornament-adorned sweater didn't win, but there's always next year.  There were a lot more funny and funky sweaters, but I don't think I got all of them.  Again, next year.

Brooklyn Bridge Park

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Back in July (yes, I'm still catching up on July!), on what seemed like the hottest day of the season, Michael and I spent the day at Brooklyn Bridge Park.  So fun!  We boarded the ferry, which took us on a wonderful trip down the East River with gorgeous views of all three bridges, and we hopped off in Dumbo.  We started the trek with ice cream from Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory and water from a city fire hydrant water fountain courtesy of the City of New York.

The park is a windy mess of small paths and large lawns and after some back and forth walking, we found the Tobacco Factory and Jane's Carousel.  Then lunch at Bubby's and much need air conditioning since we were melting.  It makes such a difference when you're off from work on a random weekday and take a small adventure.  No crowds and it's so quiet.

Last Weekend of August

Pin It now! As we wait for Isaac to become a full blown hurricane in a day or two, all everyone talked about this weekend was about Hurricane Irene and how fast the last year passed by.  I still can't believe it's a full year ago that we filled our bathtubs, refused to evacuate Zone A, and watched how the storm hit our area during a homemade brunch at our friend's apartment the next morning.  Ok, fast forward to a year later... our last weekend of August.  One of Michael's friends came to visit.  His girlfriend, who is the perfect Southern gal, didn't make it with him this weekend, but he's trying to convince her to move up to NYC.  She should have been up this weekend and would have had a much better experience than her last time in NYC during New Year's.  No drunk people puking in the streets, just lots of good food, drinking, friendly neighbors, a baseball game and great bbq. 



Our first stop was happy hour at Mole and then the Wythe Hotel rooftop where we listened to a (free!) Cypress Hill and Sublime concert (and watched all the other suckers who paid $75 to get into the concert venue).  The view and music didn't disappoint.  You could see all of Brooklyn and the Manhattan skyline (with a gorgeous sunset) and since the hotel roof looks over the Williamsburg Waterfront venue, we heard the concert perfectly.  The guys couldn't get the lyrics "I Ain't Goin Out Like That" out of their heads and sang it all night long.  Does anyone believe that song was from 1995?!  Feeling a bit old...

On Saturday, we headed to our annual La Mela dinner to celebrate all of our friends' August birthdays.  Seven courses of Italian food and unlimited drinks and somehow we ended our dinner conversation talking about 50 Shades of Grey (no I haven't read it!).  We planned on going for karaoke after dinner but our food coma sent us straight home.

And two random notes...Michael found this bug repellent last week and it's been a lifesaveer.  The two of us are notorious for getting bit wherever we go and for some reason the mosquito bites this year have left scars on my leg which look like bruises (ok, fine I can't resist scratching, I even wake myself up at night scratching those darn bites).  The spray is odor free and deet free, both of which I love.  It's heaven.

Second random...Do you have friends that you don't see for awhile and when you finally get together, it's still comfortable  and discussion flows freely, most about nothing and everything?  I hope you do, those are the best ones.

The Last Few Weekends

Pin It now! A couple of weekends ago (yes, I'm still catching up from a few weeks ago!), we caught Grand Street Walks where they closed Grand Street off for a block party.  Allison and I really wanted to get our face painted but the line (with other children) was too long.  Next time.  We celebrated Bastille Day with bottles of champagne, macaroons, and lots of photos with berets (yeah, not sterotypical at all).

Michael and I also ventured out with Annie and Pauly B to South Williamsburg.  After a wardrobe malfunction delayed us, we began our ad-hoc crawl at Crown Victoria.  It's hilarious and amazing discovering random places - who knew there was a huge backyard lot in the middle of no where and where hipsters come early to drink and play cornhole?  We eventually made it to our original destination, Bia Bar & Grill, and pleasantly stuffed ourselves with Vietnamese food (minus the bahn mi, not on the menu, strange).  We did manage to shoot a Cowboy Mimosa though.  Because we apparently have a food addiction and find friends who suffer from the same ailment, we ended our night with late night eats at La Esquina.

Lately

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{homemade sign for a co-worker's going away party}

{Jenga drinking game}

{ducky and matches}

{Maison Premiere, Prospect Park entrance}

{Sweetwater}

{Game of Life with the fam}

The Weekend

Pin It now! On Friday, the rain spoiled our start-of-the-weekend drinks at Beekman Beer Garden and to escape another downpour of the night, we slipped into Cubana Social for dinner and drinks.  Thank goodness for having a cool spot so close to home to dodge the rain.  I have to say though, I love being inside when it pours and the thunder is booming.  Later that night, while the guys watched UFC, a few of us ladies joined them in the lounge but drank wine and played 90's edition of Trivial Pursuit.  Haha, much more civilized.  I was pretty terrible at the game - it seems I know a lot more 90's pop culture than politics. Sad.

On Saturday, I headed over to McCarren Park to donate some clothes.  Although they closed the Salvation Army down the street from us, I was lucky to find GrowNY's clothing and textile recycling stand at the park's farmer's market and made my way there for a second time to donate.  I also picked up some goodies at the farmer's market - can't go wrong with fresh cherries, blue potatoes and baby carrots - and took a stroll back home admiring the neighborhood.  That afternoon we also headed to Staten Island for Michael's niece and nephew's 5th grade graduation dinner.  Lots of stuffed clams, seafood salad and pasta macaroni.  Lots of catching up and pictures.  Lots of iced tea with frozen lemonade.  Although we weren't sure if we were going to make it in time, I was so happy we made it home to catch our neighbors' apartment crawl through our building.  We travelled to four different apartments in our building, each having a different theme of food and drinks.  This is why I love our building so much - a top night without leaving your home!  Plus I get to spy how others design and decorate their homes.  I definitely had apartment envy from some of the apartments (a piano and record player! a cb2 mini bar, a red-orange accent wall).

On Sunday was supposed to be sepnt at CitiField enjoying the subway series, but we didn't realize until we arrived at the stadium that ESPN picked up the game as game of the week and switched it from a 1pm to a 8pm game.  After taking the bus and subway to Queens, we headed back on the subway and bus again a little defeated.  We made it up by laying by the pool to soak up the sun.  Overall, a weekend of fun and unexpected adventures.

Have You Eaten At...?

Pin It now! Brokelyn has a new web series called Brokelandia and it's hilarious.  It's a spoof/spin-off on the IFC Channel show Portlandia with Fred Armisen.  I've only watched a few episodes of Portlandia, but it reminds me of a modern day hipster Seinfeld.  Really random stuff but relevant and has probably happened to you in your life.  And Brokelandia doesn't disappoint.  It shows how entitled, specialized, and productive this "special society" of foodies has been and has become.  Plus, I've definitely had this happen to me in real life.  I actually had a moment while sitting in a new restaurant/bar that took a few million dollars to make it look really old where someone else from Brooklyn asked me, "Did you eat it?", "Have you eaten at...?", "Have you had the...at...?"  It went on for a half hour. And this happens all the time, or maybe I'm just noticing it more.  Either way, it's hilarious and ridiculous at the same time. 


Speaking of the Brooklyn food scene.  Check out Brooklyn Magazine's Brooklyn Foodie quiz (I scored a 18!) and NY Magazine's write-up on the yummy artisanal food we have here in the hood.  Yeah, I've eaten (some of) it.

The Weekend

Pin It now! How was your weekend?  We watched our neighbor's dog for the weekend and this adorable cutie was the perfect house guest.  He's so easy going and it was fun to play doggie parents for a few days.  His tongue doesn't seem to ever fit in his mouth and is always stick out a bit. 

June also came to visit on Saturday and we did a food tour at the Smorgasburg.  I love my friends because they love to eat.  We made our way to the Lumpia Shack, Piggies in a Blanket, brisket at Mighty Quinn and of course donuts at Dough.  The weather held out a bit for us to lounge out by the pool and the we met up with some others for dinner at the Roebling Tea House.  It was our first time at the Tea House and it was fabulous.  I've heard about it from others and have read the reviews, but was absolutely surprised by how delicious the food was.  The menu changes all the time so we had to order most of the appetizers on the menu.  I could have had a meal with just their appetizers - don't you love to do that?  I could have also had ten of their strawberry rhubarb crumbles - delicious.  We walked home and caught the end of the first of three Williamsburg Walks.  10 blocks of Bedford Ave were closed to make the neighborhood car-free for a few hours.  It was so nice to walk through the streets at night, be able to sit on the grass they laid out, listen to a crazy hillbilly band, and we found an old-school candy store - Handsome Dan's - inside the Williamsburg Mini Mall.  Charlie and Jason went crazy with the button candy, wax bottle candies and candy cigarettes.  The store even had Razzles!