Seems every day a new concession stand beckons from Brooklyn Bridge Park. Blue Marble is finally open, both at Pier 1 every day and at Pier 6 on weekends, and Uncle Louie G’s Italian Ices is also scooping cold treats. For a savory bite, Calexico Carne Asada is serving up tacos et al. at the north end of the Pier 1 Promenade and Ditch Plains is coming soon (but you can check out its full park menu now). For a full list of food and drink available, check here.
BococaLand
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Archive for July, 2010
Concession List at BBP
Celebrate Brooklyn with Swell Season
Irish duo Swell Season is bringing its particular brand of soul-tinged rock to Prospect Park tonight at 7:30. You might remember them as the charming, musically-inclined couple in the indie film Once, but either way, their second album, “Strict Joy” has gotten rave reviews. Gates open at The Bandshell (Prospect Park West and 9th Street) at 6:30 so come early and reserve your spot.
Whiskey & Rye Tasting
It may not seem like the perfect summer drink, but whiskey is not only for sipping on a cold night or after a meal. It can be a subtle mixer for refreshing cocktails as well. To help you choose the perfect spirit, Red Hook’s Dry dock wine + spirits at 424 Van Brunt street, will be holding a tasting of American and Canadian whiskeys from Hirsch Selections and Old Pogue Bourbon this Saturday, 30 July from 5:30- to 8:30. Afterward, you can head home and pour my favorite whiskey cocktail recipe, perfect for the warm weather and simple to shake up anytime:
Auld Alliance
Shake together, 25ml measure of whisky, juice of half a lemon, 15ml of Cointreau, a dash of sugar syrup and ice. Pour into a highball glass, top with lemonade.
Take the Nostalgia Train to Coney Island
Here’s a totally alternative route to Coney Island–take a Nostalgia Ride from the New York Transit Museum this Saturday, 31 July. CONEY ISLAND BOUND! is a Boardwalk-bound, Coney Island Nostalgia Train, made up of old school R1/9 cars of the Independent Subway System. The excursion begins at the Transit Museum, Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street, where you’ll have exclusive access to the exhibits and store before the Museum is open to the public. Then “all aboard” the trains on the Museum’s platform level for a two-hour ride to Coney Island on tracks above and below ground. Visit the new amusement park, take a dip in the ocean, and enjoy all the area has to offer–or stay on the train for additional rides. Baseball fans can skip the train ride back and attend a Brooklyn Cyclones vs. Staten Island Yankees game, which starts at 6 p.m. at nearby MCU Park. Cyclones game not included in tour price ($45; children 5 – 17, $20; museum members $30; children 5 – 17, $15).
Cover Your Bump for Less
I am not pregnant at the moment (thank goodness–sorry to all those sweating soon-to-be moms), but I’m always happy to spread the word about cheap(er) maternity clothes. Thanks to our friends at A Child Grows in Brooklyn, we learned Bump Brooklyn, the chic maternity shop at 464 Bergen St., will be hosting a sample sale of maternity clothing from EGG by Susan Lazar. Head over from 11am-7pm this Thursday and Friday to pick up styles marked down at least 40% off retail–meaning prices will range from $20-$60. Not bad at all. So get there early and be prepared to elbow through the crowds–this one’s going to be popular.
Terroir is Land
Yup, if you don’t know your soil, Brooklyn Wine Exchange wants to give you a full course on the terroir of wine. Here’s a little preview:
1) Unique characteristics of an area: soil, composition, geography, climate, etc. These can be be physical characteristics (such as soil and mineral content), but may also be traditions.
2) As each area has unique characteristics, the products traditionally produced in a given area are unique to that area. For example, Champagne can only be produced in the Champagne region of France (for more reasons than just the legal designation.) Sparkling wine can be made somewhere else but the wine would not be Champagne, even if the identical types of grapes and the identical method of production were used. This is because each region is unique, thereby giving unique characteristics to items produced.
3) This uniqueness is central to the quality and enjoyment of wine and regional traditions, and it should be protected and preserved.
Intrigued? Want to learn more? Come join our own friendly wine geeks on Wednesday night at 7pm for an in-depth discussion and some examples of unique and interesting terroir types. Leave it to BWE to get us interested in dirt.
Strong Place Debuts
image vie Eater.com
Big Day for Brooklyn Bridge Park-and Boozers
Last Friday was a joyous day for borough boozers. The former Brooklyn Bridge Cafe at
Pier 1 became the Brooklyn Bridge Wine Cafe–and in that moment, also began serving wine and beer. Yes, you can now legally drink outside, in public–without the brown bag! Beers are from local Brooklyn breweries but you can only tip your glass on cafe property. Food is still being served–including chicken wraps, salads, and cheese plates–though I haven’t made it over yet to find out if it’s worth eating. Did anyone check it out this weekend?
Let’s Do the Time Warp…Again
The first time, and come to think of it, the only time I saw The Rocky Horror Picture Show on a big screen was at the 8th Street Playhouse when I was 13. It was a midnight screening and I’m still not sure how we talked our parents into it, but let’s just say it was the 80s and leave it at that. And though there may be a little less leather, hair and make-up at the Brazen Head’s screening of the cult movie tomorrow evening, 27 July, I’m pretty sure you’ll still enjoy the singing, costumes, and all-around camp of Doug and Janet (a young Susan Sarandon, circa 1975), doing all kinds of wacky things with the Transylvanians. The film begins at 9pm in the bar’s backyard–and don’t forget the rice!
Down Under Atlantic Ave
Ever notice those crowds before? You know, the ones standing in a polite queue on Atlantic Ave, around the corner from Trader Joe’s on Sundays? For a while we were mystified–what could this diverse crowd be waiting for so nicely and for so long? Then we noticed the big hole in the middle of 
the street and came to realize it is actually a tour of NYC’s oldest subway tunnel. Built in 1844, The Tunnel as it is so subtly dubbed, is 1/2 mile long and lies between Hicks and Court Streets. It was re-discovered in 1980 by archeologist Bob Diamond–and The Brooklyn Historic Railway Association (BHRA) was formed in 1982 to preserve, publicize and provide public access. The next tour is scheduled for 8 August and you’ll have to bring your own flashlight (we saw a few guys in helmet-lights last Sunday–always a good look). Call 718-941-3160 to reserve a spot.
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