Sunday, April 28, 2013

No Sleep Til Brooklyn

For as many times as I have been to the NYC area, it has been only to Manhattan and one great trip to (and an ill-fated return home from) Long Island. So when recently trying to find a halfway point to meet up for a getaway weekend with two of my very best friends - one who lives in Providence, RI, and one who lives near me in Washington, DC, we decided to explore hip-and-trendy Brooklyn.

(Because we're fancy, we took the bus. Because I'm me, I was immediately shat upon while disembarking said bus:)
Yes. That's bird poop on my leg. 
We had fun staying in Park Slope and exploring the different neighborhoods of Brooklyn and checking out local gems like Beacon's Closet and Bierkraft, running through Prospect Park, and strolling through the Brooklyn Flea Market (where we had a Jemima Kirke sighting.) The weather was perfect, the company was great and the conversation was stimulating. Particularly the impassioned discourse we had during dinner one evening about which of the Sweathogs were still with us and which had gone to the great discotheque in the sky. (It is here I'd like to note that my friend, Kath, not only scored 100% in the "guess the fate of the Sweathog" game, but the very next day ran into a friend of hers on the street --  a Pulitzer-prize winning playwright and genius grant recipient. (This is why we've been friends for so many years. Oh, and also because of this.)

Brooklyn Flea Market chalkboard vendor. With a sense of humor.
If there is one bone I have to pick with Brooklyn, it only about the numerous bagel places throughout the city. Not that they aren't delicious -- it's just that there are so many that when it comes to naming these establishments, the owners seem to be struggling to come up with new and creative names. Which is why places named La Bagel Delight and Bageltique exist. And do not get me started on this bastardization:

No. Just no.
Can't believe that's the best name they could fineygl,
Brutalism

5 comments:

Chantel said...

Lol! How many words can I slaughter today with that spelling....

Christian at Point Counter-Point Point Point said...

Shat upon on by a native Brooklyn bird? You're like the next Rick Steves.

dilettante07 said...

Clever what you did there with fineygl.

To quote Kath: Would you, as an owner, really feel proud standing next to that sign?

Coal Facts said...

Even worse than the "Bay-Gull Store" in Queens. They are famous for their "cheese baygulls" and for their intermittent use of hyphens.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/10/nyregion/at-the-bay-gull-store-serving-solace-one-bagel-at-a-time.html

Brutalism said...

Chantel - Did you spend the day leybling things?

Christian - OMG OMG -- I was hoping someone would finally compare me to my idol, Rick Steves! (Full disclosure: I've watched his travel videos and don't hate them. I do, however, hate his name. It's just wrong. Two first names plus an "s"? No.)

Tante - No owner would be proud next to the Beygl sign. Or La Bageltique sign. Now I'm sad.

Coal Facts - Dear god...it gets worse? The intermittent use of hyphens is fantastic, but really, what would one expect from "Bay-Gull Store". Wow. I mean, W-ow.