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Entries tagged with 'Williamsburg'
Posted Sep. 19, 2008,
Bar of the Week: The Richardson
By Elizabeth Thompson
Heads up, Williamsburg cocktail parlor Hotel Delmano, you've got company! The Richardson, a new spot on the corner of Graham and Richardson, is now the second speakeasy-cocktail lounge in the neighborhood, and yet another addition to the Manhattan-imported cocktail boom that keeps on booming over in Brooklyn. Inside, décor has been kept to a minimal: wallpaper with a gold damask print, one chandelier, zero sepia toned photos. The drink list is divided into a few classic cocktails and house specialties (all $9), the latter including usual suspects from your nana's heyday like Old Fashioneds and French 75s. House cocktails, however, had some enjoyable standouts including the citrusy, tart Vegas Saddle, with orange juice, lemon juice, Curacao and apple brandy, and the Higgin's Sarsparilla, a ginger beer, club soda, amaro, and red wine concoction that was slightly sweet and surprisingly palatable. Really. Seats at the long L-shaped bar, were quickly snatched up on a recent weekend night visit, most of the crowd drinking $5 drafts (the beer list includes Guinness, Bitburger and Sixpoint Sweet Action), and although table service is available, it still was difficult to hear much over the crowd and music (man, speaking of nanas). But the place is, after all, steps away from Daddy's, home to $2 drafts and hot dogs when they have them. Unlike the Hotel Delmano, The Richardson trades pricier drinks and fussy décor for a looser atmosphere -- a wise move given its location, but one that puts it too close to merely being a Williamsburg bar with $9 cocktails.
The Richardson
451 Graham Ave., Williamsburg, Brooklyn
(718) 389-0839
Photo from http://sieve-gcs.blogspot.com/
Posted Apr. 21, 2008,
Shop of the Week: Boiy Krazi’s Groovi Gardens
By Rebecca Prusinowski
There are more photos in this gallery. View them all.
If you’re totally depressed by Manhattan’s mallification and monotonous clothing styles, bust a move to Boiy Krazi’s Groovi Gardens, a little Williamsburg clothing shop big on color, originality and in-your-face sex appeal. After two decades of designing womenswear and working for the likes of Randolph Duke and Patricia Field, owner JoAnn Berman opened her own store last year on E. 112th Street in Spanish Harlem. It burned down after only two months in business. Undeterred, she re-emerged nine months later with a new store in a new borough.
Nestled on a bustling strip of Metropolitan Avenue, Groovi Gardens is a 500 square foot mash-up of ‘60s psychedelia, gypsy vagabond and Berman’s punk rocker past. Even with bright yellow walls, bejeweled chandeliers, a mounted deer head and Latin American art scattered throughout the store, it is still the clothing that stands out. All pieces from the store’s two labels, Boiy Krazi and JoAnn Berman New York, are one-of-a-kind. Cotton tanks, tees and dresses are silk-screened with vintage tattoo prints or patterns and then finished off with some shredding or beaded embellishments. (The tees emblazoned with Mick Jagger’s mug are especially popular). Tie-dye pants hang alongside peasant-style blouses stitched from vibrant floral fabrics, and snug striped dresses are inspired by the country colors of Jamaica, Trinidad and Argentina, among others. The store’s hand-painted swimsuits are not for the faint of heart -- check out the leopard number above. Beyond their wild clothing assortment and hodgepodge of accessories, Groovi Gardens will also custom-design and silkscreen just about anything from prom dresses to jeans.
Store prices fall between $25 and $200, although custom pieces will depend on the work involved. Influenced by music, art, Vivienne Westwood, and her own eclectic neighborhood customers, Berman creates clothes for every size and style. Boiy Krazi’s Groovi Gardens is ready to bring back the funk… and have some fun while doing it. 622 Metropolitan Ave., Williamsburg, (718) 387-6560
Posted Jan. 4, 2008,
A.P.C. To Open "Surplus Store" in Williamsburg
By Alexis Swerdloff
We kinda slacked over break when it came to checking our go-to blogs, so we missed this nugget from Racked: One of our favorite brands that we can almost afford but not quite (which makes it extra-frustrating) A.P.C. is opening up an outlet called A.P.C. Surplus on Grand Street near Kent Avenue sometime in mid-January, most likely on the 11th. We had heard rumors of said shop, and are glad to see them confirmed! According to men.style.com, the shop will "will carry customized vintage military pieces, discounted items from past seasons, and, of course, the line's signature denim products..."
Photo of store (the black building on the right) via Racked.com
Posted Jan. 4, 2008,
Bar of the Week: Gutter
By Tess Dawn Chan
In theory, Gutter has a lot going for it. Just a several-minute walk from both the Bedford L stop and the Nassau G stop, the bar’s got faux-Tiffany lamps and wood paneling, a spunky pedigree (the owners also dreamed up Barcade) and eight vintage bowling lanes furnished with clanky chrome parts imported from an old bowling alley in the Midwest. The former factory’s oddly spacious open area and high ceilings complete Gutter’s rec-room feel, and the large window between the alley and the bar let spectators look on with envy while bowlers self-consciously have fun. At $7 per person per game, with $4 rental shoes, the rates are reasonable enough to consider blowing extra cash on one of the retro bowling bags for sale. But with several-hour waits that evoke delayed flights and reunion concerts, those who want to bowl will find themselves squeezed around tables, while those who want to squeeze around tables will find themselves standing. Fortunately, all that downtime is somewhat alleviated by draft beers (from Southampton I.P.A. to Victory Prima Pils) that are as equally well-selected as the albums of up-and-coming bands playing over the din. Still, if bowling is your main objective, your best bet is to show up right before happy hour -- or to go somewhere that actually accepts reservations. 200 N. 14th St., Brooklyn, (718) 387-3585.
Photo from Eater.com
Posted Nov. 27, 2007,
Is That Blood on Your Skinny Jeans? Hipsters Kill And Are Killed in New Novel.
By Alexis Swerdloff
I just got a copy of Rayo Casablanca's new novel 6 Sick Hipsters, out in April, that follows a group of hipsters dubbed "Williamsburg's reigning elite." According the press release, "Collectively, they're the arbiters of taste for every vinyl-loving Gap-spurning, thrift store regular in town, but lately someone has been laying waste to Brooklyn's uber-hipsters, dispatching them in gruesome fashion." It continues... "Before the week is over, they'll be up to their skinny-jean waists in mayhem, manipulataion, contract killers, raw sewage, and murderous monkeys. Something is rotten in the state of Billyburg, and the last hipsters standing will discover just how rotten it really is." We did a quick skim-through, and spotted references to Barcade, a WWJJD (What Would Joan Jett Do?) T-shirt and a hat with the words "sick hipster" embroidered on it. I say, kill 'em all! Though not that cute monkey on the cover! Don't kill him!
Also, the Six Six Sick girls TOTALLY need to DJ the book party. Just a suggestion!
Posted Nov. 14, 2007,
John Atzberger on Winning the Williamsburg Songwriting Contest: "I Remember Being Uncharacteristically Excited and Touching My Head a Lot."
By Alexis Swerdloff
Meet John Atzberger, the winner of the Williamsburg Live Songwriting Contest 2007, a weeklong battle of the crooners that came to a finish last Saturday. Atzberger, the Ohio transplant whose Colin-Meloy-tinged old-timey folk songs won over the judges, chatted with us briefly about his recent win.
Alexis Swerdloff: What was the whole Williamburg Songwriting Contest process like for you?
John Atzberger: The competition reminded me most closely of a community festival. Like going to church festivals back home or something. I can't remember the last time I went to a show in New York where someone was playing some pretty quiet stuff and the whole room was silent. The whole event had that kind of respectful air to it.
AS: What did you do later that night after you found out you won?
JA: I can't remember a lot of it, but I remember being uncharacteristically excited and touching my head a lot. I drank far too much at the hands of my extremely happy friends all insisting on buying me a drink, I stuck around and listened to Nick Ogawa's band and then stumbled into a cab with my girlfriend and roommate back to Bed-Stuy.
Posted Jul. 6, 2007,
PAPER TV: McCarren Pool Is The Summer's Hottest Spot
By PAPERMAG Editors
PAPER's Natalia Leite and Shanon Kelley head to McCarren Park Pool in Williamsburg to check out the parties and the bands, and to discover what exactly it is that's bringing out the crowds.
Posted Jun. 26, 2007,
McCarren Park Pool: JellyNYC Summer Series
By Shanon Kelley
Posted Jun. 25, 2007,
Shop of the Week: Ylli
By Whitney Spaner
Life has really come full circle for Brooklyn native Fetije Madzuric, who grew up a few blocks away from her new Driggs Avenue–store Ylli. The fashionable and friendly Madzuric has the makings of an It Girl with a résumé to boot, having worked as a fashion coordinator at Bergdorf's and Bloomingdales. At Ylli (Albanian for "star"), she stocks women's and men's clothing, handbags and accessories. She keeps a healthy balance between eye-catching labels, such as Trovata, Converse by John Varvatos and Everlast by Norma Kamali, and lesser-known indies, like Jesse Kamm, Rodebjer and Mischen. Madzuric's tastes include simple designs with small details, resulting in a look that's trendy but not overbearing: slim side pockets and pirate sleeves on a short black satin Rodebjer dress or a braided neckline on a Margarita Sapala tee. The store also provides a venue for fellow Brooklyn designers, such as Megyn Florence (who made several pieces for the store's opening, including a sexy black-and-beige corset and a futuristic gray-and-black zippered tunic) and H. Fredriksson (whose flowing beige gown with a spindly black print is a personal favorite). With its large windows and immaculately kept racks, Ylli may look like it belongs on Fifth Avenue, but like its owner, this store is firmly planted in Brooklyn. 482 Driggs Ave., Brooklyn, (718) 302-3555. Whitney Spaner
Posted Jun. 13, 2007,
Restaurant of the Week: Silent H
By Alex Zafiris
Vinh Nguyen, the owner and chef of Williamsburg's new Vietnamese restaurant Silent H, is an unassuming type, who as well as expertly wielding a kitchen knife, can play a flawless game of poker, have you laughing like a fool and listening to Radiohead all day -- all day. One of my earliest encounters with him was during a group weekend getaway. He spent evenings preparing unfussy but delicious meals and making sure we were all satisfied. The same atmosphere prevails at his first solo endeavor, Silent H, named appropriately after the silent h in his name. Nguyen gutted the smallish spot (formerly the cavernous eatery Oznot's Dish) and effectively opened it: While the wood of the bar and chairs is a deep color and the walls dark blue and scarlet, the place feels spacious and is flooded with light during the day. Nguyen is always there, deftly making the very fresh Silent summer rolls ($6) and green papaya salad (seared slices of pork belly and sliced shrimp over greens and papaya, ($10) or serving up beef carpaccio with flaming hot sauce ($9). Mains include caramelized black-peppercorn pork loin chop ($15.50) and pan-fried sole ($15.50), a huge serving of the fish over rice, topped with okra, spinach, herbs and a hinger-scallion soy sauce. Brunches center around banh mi, classic Vietnamese street sandwiches made with pate (for vegetarians, a tofu spread) and a choice of pan-seared chicken, white pork salami, glazed grilled pork, kielbasa and fresh vegetables on a toasted baguette. (For those who don't brunch, Nguyen is introducing a miniature version for the dinner menu.) Garden summer rolls (a vegetarian version of Silent summer rolls, with asparagus replacing the peppered shrimp) are two for $5. For now, Silent H is BYOB, but what we all can't wait for is the back garden, where sipping the naturally potent and sweet iced Vietnamese coffee and swooning to Radiohead is going to be our regular summer pleasure. 79 Berry St., (718) 218-7063. Alex Zafiris