Brooklyn Beauties

2008-10-10T09:53:00.000-07:00

The First Earl Gray of the Season

So I'd say a fortnight ago I had the pleasure of enjoying my first Earl Gray of the Fall season. Those of you who know me well know I am like a fiend for the stuff. All summer I gulp down Iced Coffee's but when that fall weather hits, its game time. Perhaps I should say Tea time. Although the weather on this special occasion was less than chilly, it was high time I got around to my first September tea. I'm pretty picky about my tea bags, don't gimme any of that bagged junk from a box. I like mine carefully resting in a tin and cautiously transferred to a loose leaf bag, tied in a knot.
I was sent on a run to Oslo, in the burg, to pick up some crazy amount of espresso in a teeeeny cup for the boss and whilst there I noted they had a good selection of the teas I enjoy. Unfortunately the lady behind the counter decided to give me a lecture about how long to let it steep and how many cups I could get outta there, but I'm not a grandma, and I like my tea strong. So leave your tea lectures to the noobs, coffee lady. I will say, the tea was great, and not overpriced for a heafty tea. Oslo has a pretty simple menu of drinks, but a great selection of sweets, including giant muffins with delicious innards, like Mango.
The next time you and your friends decide to split a big pancake at Roebling Tea Room and you don't want any of their sweet teas, head over to Oslo for "the best espresso in the 5 buroughs!"
Oslo Coffee is located at 133 Roebling near North 3rd St.

No Mo' Drama

2008-09-02T12:40:00.002-07:00

Ok so first of all, just to address something: Brooklyn Beauties is DRAMA Free! Or at least we try to be :)
And now on to the real post.

Recently I've realized that so many ladies stay out late on weeknights and weekends and then need to find their own way home, myself included here. Maybe it's the unofficial recession, maybe it's the great late summer/early fall crisp in the air at night or whatever but I am always compelled to take a stroll home if possible instead of waiting for shitty public transportation. I do say shitty because 1. I live off the G and 2. After like 10 pm the buses come once a freaking hour, especially the B43.
So I thought I would put up some tips for the ladies out there who are partying hard and attempting to make it home in one piece! I'm not in any way suggesting I am some kind of authority on safety, but you know a little extra knowledge never hurt anyone.

1. Try not to walk alone. If you can, take a buddy home. Tee Hee, no not like that! If you, say are at your girlfriend's house and she lives, lets say off of Nassau near McGuinness and you want to head back up Manhattan Ave to your place. Try to see if anyone else is heading that way and then the two of you can head home together.

2. Have an IN CASE of EMERGENCY contact in your phone. In case anything should happen to you, even just passing out, a concerned party can take a look in your phone and call the ICE number. Make sure this is a person who will always take your calls and is a super good friend or a boyfriend or a roommate. That way when they get the call they can come help you out. You probably want to run this by the person you put as your emergency contact, just so they know.

3. Have a person you can call on your walk home. Sometimes when I get that chill in the back of my neck, I take my mobile out and make a call. Usually to the person I'm heading to meet. If you're heading home, try to call your roommate or whoever you live with. If you are heading out, try to call the people you are meeting up with. If it's a long walk, call a friend you haven't spoken to in a while, I'm sure we all have one of those. I always feel a little better knowing I have a person on the other line who can hear what I'm doing. You might want to also mention what blocks you are near, in case that person needs to make an emergency phone call, they'll know right where you are at!

4. If you are walking and a person looks a a little shady, head to the other side of the street. Take a a look ahead and behind you when you're alone to keep abreast of your surroundings. If you see a "creeper" head to the other side of the block and maybe they won't be so keen to bug you.

5. Here is a little hint I love. I'm not sure I'm ever fooling anyone, but sometimes when I'm walking alone and I don't want to call anyone but I just want to make sure nobody bothers me on the way, I take my phone out and pretend to get a call. Oh I really go the whole nine with this, I tell the "person" what I just did, what I've been doing all week, my hopes, my dreams...ok not all that lame stuff, but it helps if you think of a friend you would call, tell them what you'd tell them if you really had them on the line.

6. Keep your keys in your hand. Violence is something I've never had to resort to but this does help me in a bind to get a little extra courage. If you're walking and you get creeped out, take out your keys and hold them in your fist. If you need to get violent, you've got a fist full of sharp metal.

7. If you make a habit of walking alone late at night, you should probably invest in some keychain accessories. Not the kind they have at claire's, but a lot of places sell small keychain mace's and pepper sprays that won't hurt anyone to carry on your key ring. Some of them will be disguised as a pen or have a funky case so it doesn't appear to be a weapon. Prices range, looks like most are between $6 and $20.

8. Put the precinct in your cell phone. Not that this will get you a response faster than 911 in an emergency, but if you want to give a call to someone and it's not an urgent call, call up the local precinct. That way they can respond to your location quickly, or answer any questions you might have in a bind. Precinct 94 on Meserole is (718) 383-3879. They respond to a lot of calls in Williamsburg as well. The 90th Precinct is at Union Ave and can be reached at (718) 963-5311.

9. Try not to make a spectacle of yourself! If you know you are going to be walking alone, keep to yourself, look at your surroundings and keep quiet. If you are making a lot of noise, i.e. snazzy new high heels, you will draw attention to yourself. I know that's the reason you bought them, but you want that attention at a bar or a party, not at 2 AM on the street.

10. Make an effort to think and be safe. The mind is a powerful thing. If you think about your surroundings, think about yourself as being safe. Grab those keys and head home. Always be aware of the surrounding area but don't be afraid to walk home! Keep your head out for noise and other people and use your head. If you are heading out for the night make a good call and know the neighborhood. If you think you might feel unsafe heading home, give a call to a taxi. Ask your fellow party or bar-goers for the local taxi number and you won't regret those $10 you spent on getting yourself home safe. I've heard of this drunk driving number where you can call them and they will pick you up and it's cheaper than a cab, but here in the city cabs are probably your best bet.

Well these are just some tips to keep in mind on your way home. Don't keep your ipod loud or on even, if you're not feeling safe. Call a friend and keep your ears out.
Have fun out there ladies and keep safe!

Where are the bees?

2008-08-24T19:04:00.002-07:00

I'm not a fan of having long hair. But I don't want to be one of those ladies that ends up having short hair my whole life. So right now I'm in that awkward mid length phase, waiting patiently for the day that my hair will grow to cover my breasts - like a mermaid. I decided to try a new salon and get a clean up cut. Big risk since the last time I was in the mid length phase and got a cut, I ended up going back a month later and chopping it all off. So I was a little nervous to say the least. But when I saw Lisa at the Beehive Salon, I knew immediately I was in good hands. This punky jersey sweet heart could do me no wrong. She got my hair and knew exactly how to caress my dark locks. To add to the whole experience, the radio was grooving some 60's rock and a projector was playing The Goonies. It was a blissful hour and a week later, I'm still loving my cut. So check them out at their new location, by the way if you have curly hair, they are known to do amazing cuts for the locks.

Coney

2008-08-15T16:05:00.003-07:00

How I learned to stop worrying and love Greenpoint

2008-08-10T16:32:00.004-07:00

A year and half ago I met a young man. Smart, very cute, funny and more importantly he lived in Greenpoint. It was easy to fall in love that spring - around the corner from McGolrick Park. We would stroll to the local deli’s for cheap eats and lots of ice cream. Nassau Street would be the street I would grow very fond of, with its litter of polish drunkards and quaint apartments; it didn’t bother me when the B 48 bus never showed up and I had to take that stroll to the G-train.

But soon spring turned into summer and then to fall, and with the cold came change. Those subtle things, lovers dare not to mention started to filter into our relationship more frequently. Amarin Thai became a place where we ate when we were poor, no longer the date place that filled me with a flutter the first time we shared dinner mints. I began to loathe your noisy street near Greenpoint’s sewage balloons. The grass in McCarren Park had turned brittle through the erratic weather and our park spent Saturday’s were spent in silence - nothing to share but a small blanket on patches of grass.

This neighborhood is a land mine of painful memories. The street where we road our bikes while drinking coffees, the corner where we walked like monkeys and penguins, the building we sat in front of – attempting to stay warm as we waited for the bus. The Williamsburg Café reminds me of when we had hopes for a fresh start. Richie’s Liquor store makes me think of that unbearable night, when words could never make things better. How do I walk over the Pulaski Bridge and not think of you? And Coco 66, dancing without seeing your silly shimmy is just bland and dull. These are the things that tear through my mind in this town.

But that’s it - I give it all back. You can have those memories cause I am going to make new ones, brighter ones with more laughter and life than we could ever make. And this time I’ll see all the little details and stare a little longer at that graffiti on the wall. That side street that I’ve always wanted to stroll down is now my next adventure. I’m not going to worry anymore about how to stop loving you – I’ve got a town to share my heart with.

Sakura 6

2008-08-10T09:41:00.008-07:00

Well I have to admit, I am not a sushi person. I know, I know. It's definitely to my disadvantage, I feel like every time I go out to eat with someone it comes up within the first 3 choices, and I always seem to say to their dismay, "Sorry I don't like sushi." But now my frowny-faced friend, I can safely say I am A-O-K with our little uncooked friends from the sea.

I found out last week Sakura 6 finallllllly opened on the corner of Noble and Manhattan Ave. I've been hardcore poor for two weeks and have been living off of Ramen and such, so eating out has not been an option. But I finally got a decent paycheck and decided to chuck a portion of it to eating out. Well after a few minutes of deliberation beau and I decided Yes! Sakura is perfect. Being the non-sushi eater I am, I tend to prefer the Japanese places with hibachi and teriyaki dishes, so I was thrilled looking at their extensive yet expensive menu.

Sakura has plenty of options to choose from, including a great selection of bento boxes and a very long list of sushi rolls to choose from.

I have to say it was great that their sushi is so well done, otherwise my hatred for seaweed would have set in and my $12.95 bento would have all been for naught. But even their California rolls were a delight, creamy and crunchy with a little hint of crabby taste.

Another great thing is, at least for now, they are giving out free Saki to dinner diners. And its not just a little bit, a whole carafe of Saki. Yay! The prices are a little high for my taste, but you definitely get great quality and quantity for your money. Dinner for two came to about $30, which was a lot less than I expected it to be. The decor inside is simple, yet tasteful - they have these great lamps that look like a wooden stump with thick rope suspending them from the ceiling.
I'm delighted to have such a good place right in the heart of Greenpoint, not too far from Nassau and not too far from the upper alphabet streets.

Speak Hotel Delmano?

2008-07-28T20:39:00.002-07:00

So I found myself at a little speakeasy. Not labeled and off to the corner of berry and North 9th, it’s very 19th century but the prices are a little too much for my style. Although compliments to the people who created the Brooklyn Beauty beverage. It was a very tasty drink but sort of lacked the spunk and fullness that a 12-dollar drink with our name deserves. Felt like I was paying to sit in this overly romantic and misty-eyed place so I could feel snazzy. But I just felt silly. Maybe with the right person, peering over the pricey drinks it won’t seem like such a waste. Refreshing and stylish...meh.

Brooklyn Circa June 25th at 10 AM

2008-06-24T15:59:00.007-07:00

So:
Here's an update, personal and impersonal as of right now, Wednesday June 25th at 10 AM

1. Maybe you went to Ikea already? The Beauties are scheduled to check in later today for some Swedish Furniture Feasting. Was that you standing in line for a couch or chair for a week? How are you enjoying said couch? Did you lose any loose change in it yet! Full coverage on Racked.

2. Did you go to the new Babeland, yet? Free Vibes!! Ok it's over, the free vibes, but they still have plenty of plastic pleasures to purchase at their family friendly Park Slope location. How is a sex-shop family friendly, you ask? As far as I know it's just because they have a baby changing station in their bathroom, but those Babeland owners are great, so maybe there are other super kid-friendly things in there. I'll have to *ahem* check it out!

3.
You and your slungy boyfriend went to the Mermaid parade this weekend, didn't you? Of course only Brooklyn's finest head to the freak show that is Mermaid, right? Ok, so maybe you were working because your job is only open on the weekend and you missed all of the shenanigans, Dick Zigun, Fasting Mermaid Savitri D and all. But you can catch up on Flickr! Check out these photos from 1989 to 1991, and don't forget to look through here for flickr babes! Maybe you are living in a hole and don't know jack about Coney Island?
Read Up, Fool!
Coney Island
The "Mayor" of Coney Island, Dick Zigun
More mayor details
Queen Mermaid Savitri D

4.
The Fancy Food show is quite the bitch to work at, except for the occasional free sample someone begrudgingly gives you, but this "Unfancy Food" sounds like an absolute delight!
Local food-iters and eaters alike will join up for $3 brews and $5 suggested donation. June 29th from 12 noon till 6 pm at S.6th street's East River Bar. Extra cheers goes to Champion Coffee for hosting the eve of the unfancy food show BBQ for $3o.

5. Papacito's opened up in place of my favorite Thai joint this past week, which caused me to be melancholy. But hopefully Papacito's can pay the rent. I can't wait to try the sit-down food, but my previous experience in the "Beer Garden" was awesome!

5. Maybe your crazy old grampa died on Monday. Anyways, here's to Melvin Cletus, one of the weirdest people to be related to. Here's a little tid-bit about ole' Melvin:
When he was a younger man, Melvin Cletus was married with three children and then divorced. He then married a young woman in the air-force and moved to Texas, where he happily stole all of her money and belongings one day when she was at work. He then traveled his ass back to Maryland and moved into a trailer in the woods with his son, and didn't pay taxes for awhile.
Years later he moved to Chicago with a woman who had Parkinson's disease, and for all intensive purposes paid his taxes. Then he went ill and decided one day to get out of bed in the middle of the night and drive in his pj's to see his twin brother, Marvin Clyde, who still resided in the beautiful state of Maryland. Needless to say, he didn't really make it, but once in PA was rescued by Marvin's family. While recuperating, he would make insane requests, like I want half an Oreo, or not a whole gummy bear.
Well here's to you, Melvin Cletus, who sent me $5 in the mail, every holiday, even St. Pats.

A Dramatic Essay About New Jersey

2008-06-13T10:54:00.003-07:00

For a short time I lived in New Jersey. It's almost hard to have those words come out of my mouth, to feel them crunch against my teeth, but it's true. It wasn't some place deep, dark and far away, just Hoboken, which is about as close as you can get to Manhattan with out actually being on the island proper, but Jersey none the less. Anyway, for a summer and on and off through out a year before that I lived in Brooklyn. Ah Brooklyn, the cradle of the United States, the soil of our ancestors, the hippest of the hip. The move wasn't forced but it also wasn't very welcomed, but it was only for the summer months, so I agreed. Just three months and then back to normal, I would think in my head. But something happened when I moved there, something that still doesn't sit right in my stomach, something that leaves a metallic taste in my mouth, almost as harsh and the word New Jersey. I became the most mediocre person I have ever been, nothing out of the ordinary, nothing extremely creative, nothing to really write home about. Just me and sweet mediocrity.
I was also the probably the poorest I've ever been and since Hoboken is such a tourist town it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. I woke up every morning at 5:30 AM, took a ten minute walk to the waterway ferry and rode the earliest boat across the Hudson, which cost about $4 something each way at the time. On the other side I would sit in a trailer locked away for ten to twelve hours a day to make my $12/hr and then pay another $4 to go back across the river and take a ten minute walk back to my house, where I promptly turned on my air conditioner, shoo-ed the dog out of my bedroom and tried to find an internet signal on our laptop so I could look up something on Live Journal. And that was it. On my days off, which were sparse and badly timed for vacations and such, I woke up late, held my nose as I passed through the living room where the dog rubbed its ass all over the carpet, and showered in a tub that had garbage bags over the tile, because the tile was caving in. I would then promptly put on some clothes and jaunt down the main street there in the HOB and grab iced coffee from Dunkin' Donuts, lunch from Panera Bread or McDonalds and head home for more internet possibilities. Sometimes I would walk down to the waterfront and pretend I liked to sun bathe in the grass, or I would take the Path train somewhere, anywhere that wasn't more Ho'broken, as I called it, fondly.
Nowadays when I take a trip into New Jersey it all flashes back to me and I look around at my fellow Path train riders and wonder, are they like my former self, that one summer? Does this girl in her Target skirt and Old Navy Flip Flops scroll through her ipod listening only to the Killers and Rilo Kiley? and when she gets off of her shift as a manager at Urban Outfitters, does she go home and put on "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air" and get "a Li'l high" before washing her dishes? Does she turn to her boyfriend one night and say, "It's Free Spaghetti Night!" and rush out the door to get some? Do they scrounge their money together and go to the grocery store to get a 6 of Woodchuck hard cider, green apple, please?
I bet they wake up early at 6 am to take the Path train to their boring jobs in Manhattan and then rush home to get a table at the place with the best fish and chips in town. Sure they have $7 beer but those fish and chips are the best, only $17.59 for a basket. I bet on the weekend they wake up and take a walk down main street and get a $2 slice at Benny Tudinos as they head to the waterfront to watch the boats go by and then take the train to the mall and get some new clothes at Sears for work, because Sears has $25 Dockers, you know.
I wonder if these people look at me on the Path train and wonder, "What is she doing here?" With my a-symetrical hair cut and my Holier-than-thou attitude, I'm sure I don't fit in to their normal daily life. But then it's time for me to get off the train and walk into the depths of NJ and for three breif hours a night New Jersey owns me again and it all comes back to me. It's when those hours are up that I'm glad I get to take the hour long trip back to Brooklyn, and New Jersey has to let go of me with it's cold heavy hands as it thrusts me through the subway tunnel into the city. And when those car doors open, I jump out as if the Path train is trying to snap me up and eat me alive before I can get loose.
But I always make it. So far, at least.
The East River welcomes me with a gust of hot air and Kent Avenue seems to always throw a stone or a piece of glass in my shoe as a welcome home present. The factories on my walk home always have their doors open and loud bachata music playing, as if it's a party. And with a smirk on my stupid face I've managed to get myself back into Greenpoint and all is right in the world, at least for another 20 hours until I have to face the beast that is New Jersey again.

Injury for a Cutie at McCarren Pool

2008-06-12T19:05:00.002-07:00

Last Tuesday a few friends and I went to the Death Cab for Cutie show at McCarren Pool. I was a newborn baby to the pool concert scene and totally thrilled by its uniqueness. The night was muggy hot and the DCFC ladies were out in full-force action packed outfits. Anyone who checked his or her widget-forecaster knew that rain was a possibility that evening. So slowly clouds of electricity started to cover our waxing moon and there was a slight breeze in the air at the show. Meanwhile, we were so enthralled by Ben Gibbard’s glittery stage presence; we just assumed he beckoned this nice breeze upon his adorable audience. And then it got scary, huge gust started blowing the set all over the stage. A big cloth backdrop that hung behind the band bulged out so much from the wind that at any moment you thought it could just pull the whole stage away. In that instant Ben chucked his guitar to the ground and fled the scene. My gals and I were close to the front, so as the mob headed for the main entrance it quickly clogged up and no one could get out. Everyone was getting sand and dirt blasted by high-powered winds; we looked back and could see people were exiting out the side of the stage, so we made a mad dash to try to get out and get to cover. But were stopped by…well to put it in nice terms…a fucking moron of a security guard. He wouldn’t let us exit this way because it was considered backstage his response was “You’ll still be outside regardless of which way you exit” which I promptly responded “Yeah but the subway is right outside this gate, you fucking asshole!” Just as we walked back over to the main entrance, a huge tent with big metal rods came flying at the crowd and I. I dodged the poles but unfortunately the wind had turned the tent into a 4-speared parachute and some railing on the side of the pool cornered me. I turned to protect my head only to be impaled in my back by a metal rod. People were on the floor screaming because the tent kept catching the wind and banging into people. I managed to pick myself up and run back to that same side stage entrance I was trying to leave out of before. The asshole security guard was no longer defending it. As I got back there I had no idea where my friends were or how badly hurt I was; adrenaline does funny things. I felt sharp pains but nothing was broken. The next day I woke up to an unnecessary bruise planted on my lower back. Well…I’m just very pissed off. First of all, the venue should have been better prepared for a storm evacuation. It’s an outdoor venue, and the East Coast is known for these quick and disastrous types of storms. Second, why in the hell were those tents not either properly anchored down or taken down earlier? At no point did anyone from the venue seem concerned with the safety of its patrons.

L vs G

2008-06-09T20:38:00.007-07:00

L-Train: is always ubber packed with hipsters
L-Train: when it is on time there are always delays due to train traffic (by the way what the F*** is train traffic, how hard is it to not get traffic in two lanes, they are trains for Petunia's sake)
L-Train: when it's crowded people get violent and start shoving so that they can get the last possible non existent crevasse
L-Train: "Please stand clear of the platform edge" annoying female voice
L-Train: "Stand clear of the closing doors please" annoying robot male voice
L-Train: when it goes super fast from Bedford-1st Ave, you can't help but bang your head on a window or door from all the shaking
L-Train: will be down at least one weekend a months if not 3 or 4
L-Train: will choose a random night to be completely down and not working, which at this point you are forced to either go to the JMZ or up and over to Queens to catch the G-Train

G-Train: sometimes has a funky smell
G-Train: it doesn't really matter if you're not on time for the G-train because it's never on time for you
G-Train: as you race from your connecting E, V, F, or L train, the G seems to be pulling away just as you make it to the platform
G-Train: it only runs its full route during strange times
G-Train: stops just short of the part of BK that needs to be connected to the north
G-Train: is small, inadequate, and stubby
G-Train: the G-run is always a great source for exercise
G-Train: can get crowded with polish and grubby peeps
G-Train: ugly neon seats

Feel free to add any others that I may have missed.

Kindel Rocks the BK

2008-06-09T20:12:00.003-07:00

So today is Kindel's b-day and I just want to say that she rocks Greenpoint... to the finest. If you ever want to know the DL about the GP she's your numero uno!

You Gotta Spend Some Time, Kids. You Gotta Spend Some Time, With Me...I Will Possess Your Park

2008-05-19T17:24:00.008-07:00

So coming up on our heels is June 10th, which is the day that Death Cab for Cutie is playing McCarren Park Pool, along with Rogue Wave, but thats another blog. Anyways, I'm sure most of you are jamming to Narrow Stairs on your 8 gb iphone, or Zune, and you've been leaving lipstick marks all over that poster of Ben Gibbard next to your bed, and you paid your hard earned cash on tickets to get into the pool and throw your undies on stage just as they strike up the notes to "We Looked Like Giants." But oh no-not me.
One of my all-time favorite Greenpoint past times is grab a friend, a soccer ball sometimes, some chicken from Palace Fried Chicken on Nassau and Manhattan Avenue, and a forty or pepsi bottle half full of rum and head down to the kids park in McCarren Park and set up camp. Some of my best summer memories are from awesome concerts I saw for free and probably having a better time than some of those General Admission-ers on the inside.
Although I hope more people attempt to make memories on the outskirts of the park this summer, just make sure you don't ruin it for the rest of us! The po-po is always out looking for hooligans so keep it concealed, friends!
In case you are on the fence about Narrow Stairs, perhaps this beauty from the borough of Brooklyn can help you see the subtle nuances. Thanks Taylor!

Tai Thai, you will always be my one true Thai Love!

2008-05-09T20:31:00.002-07:00

Working in the 'Burg allows me to reminisce a bit for things I used to do in the 'Burg, like take long walks thru McCarren Park, flip through old books and pet kitties at the bookstore, grab an iced coffee at Verb and eat delicious Thai food at Tai Thai. Although I can't say that Tai Thai was my first experience eating Thai food, it certainly is the reason I eat so much of it now. One could say that Pad Thai is the gateway drug into Thai food, and that one who says that would be me! Eons ago when I was but a young lass my first year in New York, my Brooklyn roomate and my Queens roomate decided that Thai food would be the best thing to share amongst ourselves. "T-T-Thai food?," I asked apprehensively, "YES!," they confirmed. So one extremely cold, blustery, total hat wearing winter day in December, me, Midwood and Whitestone headed down to Flatbush and King's Highway to devour some Thai delights. Once the plate arrived, it looked tame enough, long noodles, chicken and some veggies, but at first taste I was wow'ed and thus began my love affair with Thai Food. Upon my arrival in Greenpoint we went looking for anything cool and that lead me, Beau and the hairy weirdo we lived with to Tai Thai on Bedford Avenue. We were greeted with Warhol-esque Bruce Lee's and friendly Thai staff and cheap, tasty thai goodness. This Thai love affair I have lead me to wander to Tai Thai all the time, whenever I was in the mood, nothing would suffice except for their spicy specials including Pad Ke Mao and the one and olny Num Prix Phao Kai which rearely graces the pages of other Thai restaurants. Sometimes you have to ask them to make it special for you, but trust me, they will! They also have great lunch specials until 4:30 pm with a specific dish each day as well as a basic but banging lunch menu all for $5.55. Previously they had a BYOB policy which was great, plum wine and plum sauce, trust me! But they expanded and have a swanky upscale bar and quaint backyard for brunch. I know there are a ton of Thai places, 'Burg alone, but most of them aren't worth the koi pond they are built on. Try Tai Thai next time you want to tantalize your tastebuds, especially after a trek through the terrain. Tai Thai on Bedford Avenue

OhBrooklyn!

2008-04-23T20:24:00.002-07:00

Summer in the city is sometimes like a Regina Spektor song, full of "cleavage cleavage cleavage".

But today I'm excited for another reason...it's freaking gorgeous outside!

I bring you a song on this lovely spring day, it goes to the tune of the musical song Oklahoma!

OhBrooklyn! How the spring time is so nice without the rain.

Ralph's italian ice can so sweetly surprise.

Wearing my big sunglasses so my eyes don't strain.

OhBrooklyn! Ev'ry night my gooby head and I

Sit alone and talk and watch a bum

Making lazy circles in the heat.

We know we like to get tanned

And the tanned read books from the strand!

And then we say

Oye Vaye!

We're only sayin'
You're doin' fine, OhBrooklyn!
OhBrooklyn! B.K.

Redd's Tavern is Shmavern

2008-04-23T19:28:00.006-07:00

Redds Tavern...ok I'm slightly bias cause one of my good friends works here on Tuesday's. It's pretty much an all around staple of a good bar and a good time. There is skeeball, a pool table, a backyard area, big TV monitors and a long bar that is sturdy so that I may drunkenly lean. I found myself at Redd's this past Tuesday with the Libster (Libby the brunching hipster). At one point we were so comfortable by it's relaxed chill atmosphere that we pulled out our day planners and begin scheduling outings...old lady style! Of course doing this in our ancient ways, sans the iPhone, I felt very enthralled by the novelty of it all. Here's a moment where I remembered the days when my day planner was decorated with Lisa Frank stickers and usually a I heart Jonathan Taylor Thomas scribbled on the back. Maybe it was the sappy Radiohead "Fake Plastic Trees" playing on the juke box that got me all sentimental. Maybe it was that I could wear jeans, a t-shirt and no make up in Redd's and not really care, it felt ok just to be comfy me. Just to drink and have a good time at a place were everyone seems to just want to chill out.

If you're there on a Tuesday give out a shout to the awesome bar staff, she'll surely make you feel loved!

The Habitat

2008-04-16T10:38:00.001-07:00

Ah, drinking around the corner from your house will NEVER get old. And it is for that precise reason that I am amped about The Habitat, which opened its doors this past week. Being the on-the-cusp Beauty I am, I hi-tailed my buns with a few Slungy fellas down to Huron and Manhattan Ave for some Habitat hospitality. I've been peeking at this place for the past few months, hedging my bets initially on what it might be (I was hoping for BBQ, judging from the log cabin facade that went up early in the building process) but I was more than excited that a funky new bar was opening up so close, in fact if this were the SAT's you could assume that: Boulevard Tavern is to My Old Place as The Habitat is to My New Place!

All that aside the Habitat is a cozy, dark, inviting bar that you can really settle into or start off your date at. Upon entrance we were handed a menu of their brews and 'tails as well as - bar snacks! They have 12 beers on tap, even more in bottles and "Good Eats" that Alton Brown himself would approve of, including salads, twice baked potatoes, empanadas, mini-burgers, and waffle fries! There isn't a whole lotta room inside, so probably not the best place to hold a birthday smash, but great atmosphere, friendly staff and flat screen Cohen Brother's Films will help you get your evening off to a great start.

I look foreword to making this a new hangout of sorts and I'm sure I'll be expanding on the awesomeness that is The Habitat. Other things I can't wait to test out are Huckleberry Bar, Redds Tavern and Action Burger!

Photos Courtesy of The Habitat

Things I Really Like

2008-04-06T12:10:00.013-07:00

Springtime, it hath arriv-ed. And with Spring comes a skip in my step, less coat on my shoulders and more time spent outdoors enjoying sweet, stinky Greenpoint.

Here are some things I am really looking forward to doing in the coming weeks:

-Basketball: ok, so I'm no Mike Jordan, but who doesn't love a good game of h.o.r.s.e. or 21, especially when you can take advantage of not just one but two basketball courts. A jaunt over the Pulaski and you'll find yourself at the Midtown Tunnel Courts, and a hop skip and a jump down Dupont St. and you'll find yourself at the "Barge Park" with two huuuge b-ball courts to "get yo game on." Sometimes this park is full of teen-age boys who will moon you and your friends, cuz that's cool if you're like 14, so avert your eyes from li'l spanish ass.

-Corner Frenzy: Laundro-mat, check. Hi Speed Internet, check. Hot Dogs, check. Soft Serve-hold up! That's right, corner frenzy recently opened back up for soft served up goodness with so many flavors and $2 cones, its so worth it! It's a very smart system, individual flavor cups! Upon mentioning my excitement for this re-opening, my beau informed me, he already went. Sheesh!

-Iced Coffee: So in case you live at the Greenpoint Hotel or something, you've probably noticed the extravagant amount of coffee places here in the 'hood. Honestly, I have love for almost all of em, for different reasons. But I'm amped to spend my summer sampling their caffeinated cups and remarking on the aura they allude to. Ok enough alliteration, really tho everyone has a different take on this iced phenomenon from Champion's espresso base to Cafecito's awesome cookies to go along and That's Amore's coffee ice cubes, my taste buds can't wait. I switched primarily to tea over the winter so I am hankering for some ice cold goodness.

-Walks: I'm a sucker for romance, especially of late, so to celebrate my sappiness, I love to take walks around my neighborhood. There's so much to see and do and laugh about and so many places to hang out at with outdoor space, I just can't wait. Maybe this year I'll go on one of those "Nature Walks" around the sewage plant, or perhaps just hang out outside at a bar I like (see Boulevard Tavern)

-Ice Cream: If you didn't notice above (Corner Frenzy) I love ice cream. Nothing is as awesome as a nice cone full of flavorful coldness and Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory is here to serve up just that. Located at Ash and Commercial Ave, this oasis is perfect for a day spent walking around the area. That's what I call killing two birds with one cone, err I mean stone. BICF has a few simple but ka-kow flavors and a sexy staff to serve it to you (ask for Libby). The perfect end to the perfect Spring day.

New York I love you, But your taxes suck!

2008-04-01T20:39:00.004-07:00

This week at Brooklyn Beauties I bring you another lovely evening from “Shark Week” (aka Girl’s Night). Recently, we ventured to the Bridge Urban Winery, a new wine tasting room just under the Williamsburg Bridge. Being tax season - the state has decided for a second year to screw me - I have decided to mesh the two and create this review in the form of a poem.

Bridge Vineyards is quaint and quiet for chats.
New York Taxes have lots of forms with crazy excel formats.
I had the NY red flight it was bold and awesome.
I had to pay $1,500 on my state taxable income.

The Long Island Grocers made good goat cheese; it was nice and mild.
We talked about orgies, sex education, and stayed there for a good while.
My New York State Taxes were filled electronically with Turbotax.
The people who make me pay this astronomical amount of cash are hunchbacks.

Inexpensive, full glasses of wine, in a place sleek and unique!
Yes, we pulled it off again you lovely ladies of shark week.
We enjoyed your variety of wines, your scrumptious crostinis and hospitality.
Bridge Vineyards Urban Winery & Tasting Room is a delightful beauty.

New York I love your wines but I hate your ridiculous taxes.
They are brutal and noneffective, my money seems to evaporate into gases.
All I want to do is go back to the vineyard with my friends.
And this is where the New York Vineyard Taxes poem ends.

Bridge Urban Winery & Tasting Room

Pio Pio Riko

2008-03-30T18:31:00.005-07:00

So it's Friday-
and you're hungry for something ever-so different than pizza-chinese-diner-mexican-thai. But pray tell, what could that thing be? You've also got a little more money in your pocket because maybe you just got your tax return back (thanks Uncle Sam!) or maybe you just worked like forty extra hours at the Javits Center to get ready for the NY Auto Show (Thanks General Motors!)
What's a person to do...
Peruvian Food, ahhh, delicious Peruvian Food.
Now I've frequented Pio Pio Riko before; it's great in a bind, you can get a whole rotisserie chicken for like under $10 and you can go home and cook some rice real quick and have a damn good dinner. But I've never had the pleasure of sitting down in there and taking in the whole experience.
Me and my beau decided on the Parrillada Para 2: Mixed Grill for 2 which included 2 different kinds of steak, sausage, beef heart, corn and potatoes, and mind you this was all doubled being that it was for 2 and it was all $24!
Needless to say this was Awesome! We also ordered Maduros and Tostones because I'm a sucker for sweet banana-like goodness and as we sat down they brought us roasted corn that was like corn nuts but even better, and if you know me, you know I really like corn nuts; don't ever go to the Gas Station without bringing back two kinds.
We stuffed ourselves on a carnivore's delight and even had plenty to take home for friends. Pio Pio Riko has a bangin' happy hour, they boast to have many different beers all for $2 between 4 and 8 pm. The atmosphere is on the simple side, but when you can watch your dinner roast before your eyes in a rotisserie, who needs atmosphere!
Pio Pio Riko is located at 996 Manhattan Avenue in the 'point.

Iona Bar

2008-03-15T10:26:00.002-07:00

Sometime last winter during my weekend bar crawls, we ended up at Iona Bar on Grand St. I dunno, someone recommended it to someone else or something, to be honest I don't remember at all why we went there in the first place, but it ended up being a blessing in disguise. It being freezing out, me and me mates donned our winter coats and hitched a ride down to Grand St. on the B61 bus. Walking up the block It didn't seem like we were going to get a lot of bang for our trip, and especially after walking inside the converted storefront to see a packed little bar. But, and here's the kicker, Iona has a great little outdoor section. I'm sure it's nice in the summer too, but in the winter they have at least two fires going and lots and lots of extra wood to keep 'em going. They also have a decent Ping Pong table and enough room for you and your friends to hang out, be warm and drink your hearts out.
Should you luck out and get a seat inside, make sure you all squish into the front windows and take their ever-plentiful stock of NY Condoms and proceed to fill them up with beer, bang on the window, so everyone having a smoke out front can see, and then chant "Drink That Dick!" as your friends pound their frothy, lubricated love-gloves.
It goes over real swell.

Iona is a Scottish bar named after the Island of Iona, a burial ground for Ancient Scottish Kings. They also have 20 different brews on tap, 40 in bottles, mulled wine, and crisps from the UK in many flavors, i'm pretty sure they include some kind of bacon-y thing and also sour cream and onion. They are huge fans of European Football as well as local DJ's and Artists and showcase all three of these things pretty evenly through out the year.
While it's still a little crisp in the air at night, go to Iona and get warmed up!

Iona Bar located at 180 Grand Street between Bedford and Driggs.
photos from Iona

The Gutter Bar

2008-03-08T17:12:00.004-08:00

A few weeks ago, I was parking outside someone's house and as I was getting my shit together the people who lived at said house were walking into it and as I caught a glimpse of them, they were holding something both strange and familiar, wait- it can't be--YES! BOWLING BAG!
Wow! I mean I know old people like to bowl, but like seriously? I guess I was raised with a taste for bowling, it will always bring a little grin to my face thinking about the awesomeness that is throwing a ten pound ball down a lane at those gleaming, glaring white pins. So it would only be fitting that the lovely ladies of Girls Night would venture out to do just that with cold brews in their hands and warm, worn, ill-fitting shoes on their feet.
The Gutter Bar of N.14th Street is a fairly new locale for the 'Burg with 8 homemade lanes of sweet, sweet bowling. Here's how it works, you round up a couple of your buds, you head up to the side of the bar and get a number, decide how many hours, not frames, but hours you want to bowl. Once that number comes up, Oh boy, get ready!
No really, get ready, get all of your junk and pitchers and head into the alley, its time to get this show on the road. Speaking of Pitchers they have 12 different brews on tap for you and your grodos to get smashed on.
Nothing says bowling more than pizza, strike that-Thai food? Yeah you can get delivery from all the local eateries, Gutter has menus!
My thirst for bowling has been satiated for now, but the next time I get glimpse of a shoe or a bowling bag or the faint smell of foot/smoke/beer, I know exactly where I'll be going.
Thanks Gutter Bar!

Photos from The Gutter Bar on Myspace.

Zach G, Moto and Me

2008-02-26T18:45:00.004-08:00

Last week when I got on the L-train I thought I saw Zach Galifianakis standing next to a mta map. It got me to thinking…if it had been him…

Karina: “Hi Zach”
Zach: “Hello Karina”
Karina: “So Zach I was um…wondering …”
Zach: “Yes Karina?”
Karina: “Would you like to go to Moto with me tonight?
Zach: “Yes, yes I would”
Karina: “I’ll meet you there at 8.”
Zach: “Exactly”

At 8, I would stroll under the JMZ Hewes stop to a triangulated restaurant named Moto. Zach would be charmingly dressed in dark comfy hues; I would wear my sexy/rugged jeans. We’d walk into Moto’s old-timey atmosphere and order their fabulous steamed artichoke to start. He’d mention how cute my nose is and I’d scratch his itchy beard. We’d talk about how disturbing it was when Michael Jordon was in Space Jam and why Crimes and Misdemeanors is way better than Match Point. He’d order the risotto special and I’d order the mac and cheese. With the jazz musicians playing Emmet Ray covers and the faint light bulbs supplying flickers of light in each other’s eyes, we’d savor every bite of our meal. Ordering a round or two of Czech beers, soon we would be too drunk to hear the rumble of the JMZ above our heads. When we said our goodbyes, Zach would take my hand, kneel and kiss it. Roused with beer and giggly, we’d part and never look back.

Moto in Williamsburg

Ton Kao II

2008-02-26T16:31:00.002-08:00

Pretty recently a new restaurant opened on Manhattan Ave between Huron and India. I never got the chance to visit the Spanish place that was there before, but there were never any people in it and that doesn't bode well for diners, such as myself. The new place is yet another Thai restaurant, which some might say is completely unnecessary, due to the fact that there are so many already. But to them, I say a mighty "Whatevs" because the Thai we have is definitely lacking. Thai Cafe has been shut down numerous times for Violations(Scores include: 47,39,36 in the past two years) along with their menu being boring and the only thing I see worth eating is Pad Thai. As for Otte, I was so excited when I went there when I first moved in, I was eager to make it my new Thai eatery and then as I sat and awaited my food I was surrounded by Bugs and I mean BUGS! So needless to say I will never eat there(Violation Scores include: 18, 27) *Erb is pretty decent, but a little on the bland side. So my palate was eager for some good, CLEAN Thai food. I was a little hesitant going there for the first time, as the location never looked particularly sanitary before, but the menu was simple, decent prices ($6.50 to $10.50) and all my favorites, Pad Ke Mao and Chile Basil Rice etc. as well as a good selection of Currys and Appetizers. The food is great! Better than any other I've had along the Manhattan Ave strip and since they've opened they have been giving away all kinds of free stuff with your orders, free beers, free dessert, free appetizers, its great. The sit down service is on par, the delivery is pretty quick and their website is a step up from the Chinese Musician site, it has a cart and an interactive menu, you can just order on there! www.tonkaoII.com I'd recommend Ton Kao over any of the other Thai places in the 'hood.

The Boulevard Tavern

2008-02-17T13:19:00.003-08:00

When I first moved to Greenpoint, I lived off of McGolric Park on N. Henry St. It's a beautiful area, especially if you can catch a glimpse of the park from your window, but there isn't much to do in a one block radius. However, in the time I was living there, someone bought the Boulevard Tavern on Meeker Avenue and turned it into a happening locale! The Bully, as I've been know to call it, isn't the most entertaining or the most eye-catching place, but it's a great neighborhood bar, with big wooden booths to hang out in, a pool table, a word game machine that has "Word Dojo", and a nice patio out back.

Its also great if you live around the corner, because you won't feel so bad about getting obliterated and stumbling home, which some have been known to do on occasion. Then the Bully kicked it up a notch and added a grill outside in the summer weather, with hotdogs, hamburgs, veggie burgs, tater tots and pretty much your standard grill delights. They have since moved this wonderful grilling guru inside into a small kitchen where you can order pop-corn and snacks. This fanfare is even more enjoyable because its like 3.50 for unlimited trips to the grill!

The beers are cheap, the food is great and the time you'll have with your close friends is even better. I won't say its worth a special trip, but if you are in the area, it's a great time. It's also a short bus ride on the 61 or the 43 to Driggs and a hop skip and a jump down Driggs ave. Also if you've never been to this part of Greenpoint, you should check it out, maybe it will help you when you are getting ready to move.The Health Inspector gave them a 24 because:
Sanitary Violations
1.) Minimum final rinse temperature of 170°F or proper chemical and temperature levels not maintained in manual utensil washing operation.
2.) Milk or milk product undated, improperly dated or expired.
3.) Cooked or prepared food is cross-contaminated.

photos from http://nymag.com

Sweet Ups for the top 5 Break Ups

2008-02-13T20:43:00.009-08:00

In general, I’m not a big fan of the v-day. I agree it’s a greeting card holiday that makes us singletons feel oh so pitiful. But in the spirit of love I bring you a review from one of the cutest make out joints to hit close to the BQE. Sweet Ups is this adorable quaint bar. The music is groovy, the booths are sultry, and the drinks are cheap. A newcomer to Sweet Ups, I soon learned that this bar is also known to be a make-out lip smakin’ ta doo. I found it easy to nuzzle in a booth with it’s ravishing red wall-paper and dull lighting, it made me want to get cozy with a special someone…make sure you say hi to Amy when your there she made sure all the ladies in my booth feel very loved!

Top 5 worst break ups:
1. Tom – You broke up with me in 8th grade after I lost my soccer game. You said it was because I was flirting with Chris. I happened to share some jell-o with Chris at lunch and Tom saw it all, scandalous!

2. Nick – Didn’t have the nerve to actually say it to my face in 9th grade but sent a messenger with a letter so that I could read it before my economics class. Nick and I made out in the back of a church bus…I was just too much excitement for him.

3. Tim – Well this one sent me into an 11th grade girly depression. For a year I felt nauseous by the site of him. He left me for the girl who won season 2 of

Beauty and the Geek

4. Josh – It was a blissful 3 days, by the time it had gotten around school that we were dating he had already dumped me. Oh how much fun that was to explain, “Yes, we dated but…uh.. then…well I’m not really sure what happened.”

5. Jeff – You just wanted to be friends, right? Oh of course you did.

Gimme Coffee

2008-02-11T19:53:00.004-08:00

Yes I’m a klutz…I know it’s really sexy right? So I was at work minding my own bees’ wax when all of a sudden I got a craving for Gimme Coffee. Gimme Coffee is probably one of the best places to get a quick delicious cup of Joe. Unfortunately, I was at work (which is nowhere near Williamsburg) and all we have there is crappy coffee. I trudged over to our minute kitchen space served myself a searing cup of mediocrity and trudged back to my 4 x 4 hell and started to update a spreadsheet. As I sipped my water-downed coffee I tried to imagine how tickled I would feel if I was sipping on some Gimme Coffee, maybe the La Union or the Papua New Guinea brew, they are all so flavorful. Maybe the crappy work coffee got jealous; I’m not really sure what happened but some how I hit the top of my cup. Now I happen to be one of those people that don’t really react well to explosions or accidents; I kind of just stare in utter disbelief as the carnage takes place before me. Spilling a full cup of searing hot coffee all over my keyboard and onto my legs was no different; I honestly just stared in awe at my mess. One of my co-workers walked by and snapped me out of it with a “OH geez, what did you do?” All I could say was, “Gimme Coffee!”

www.gimmecoffee.com

Amarin Thai Hooray!

2008-01-21T19:25:00.000-08:00

Chicken Pad Thai, yumma yumma yumma! I have been to about 10 places in New York City and all pale in comparison to Amarin Thai. This place is not only adorable it’s deliciously cheap! The plates cost between 6 to 10 and they give you plenty of food to eat. Amarin Thai also has scrumptious Thai iced tea; love it! For spicy lovers, beware the spicy is intense. As far as service goes, the waiters are pretty observant of their guests and they all seem very friendly and happy to be there. None of this “I’m really a professional hipster but this is how I make money” shit. They have really cute saltshakers that they change about every few months. They were ghosts that were hugging and then chubby piggies and the last time I was there they were cute yorkies. I talked to a delightful young waitress named Toom about potentially purchasing some for my humble abode. Amarin Thai has also received high ratings in both Time Out’s: Cheap Eats Edition & the Zagat.

Wombat Elevator

2008-01-21T19:18:00.000-08:00

I work on the 19th floor in midtown and I wanted to go grab some yummy food for lunch. I stepped in the elevator selected the lobby floor, stared blankly at the little news feed TV monitor and awaited my magical transportation. As I progressed downward – I thought about how much I love this new restaurant Wombat. It’s Australian down-under style and they have really tasty food. In the elevator, I felt weightlessness as if I had just taken a big bite of wombat’s amazing benedict but then I felt this wicked jolt. As I picked myself up from the elevator floor, I thought maybe today is the day, the day that I fall 19 floors in an elevator and die. I stood there for a second…the tv monitor had turned off and the lights seemed to flicker… debating whether or not I should ring the emergency buzzer, feeling tears in my throat, or remain calm and think about wombat’s delicious black bean dip. Death or dip, then the elevator started moving, upward, very fast, and the doors to the portal opened. Now originally my final destination was the lobby-ground level, so when those doors opened up on the 18th floor, I saw this as a sick game. The elevator wanted me out; it wasn’t going to give me my magical transportation. But in my squirmy little head, if I exited the elevator on the 18th floor the elevator would win. I would never be able to ride it again and taking the stairs every day isn’t really an option. So as I watched those fateful sliding doors close on 18, I figured maybe today is the day I die or I go to Wombat for dinner and have an Aussie burger.

Newtown Creek

2008-01-08T13:10:00.000-08:00

I was privy to listening to a radio program about the issues with Newtown Creek, which is, sadly, a recent concern of mine as a Greenpoint resident. New Reports as of 2003 estimate that the spill is more like 30 million gallons, not 17 million as first was thought. The EPA has found that the smell of the oil vapor is more dangerous than the oil which is at the closest 6 ft under the soil. If you haven't heard or read up about this I'd recommend you check out Riverkeeper which has maps, links and some great information about the spill, also on Wikipedia.
boomp3.com
Here is the audio from this conversation between Riverkeeper.org and Leonard Lopate on his daily show on WNYC. There was also talk about water contamination as well as illness perhaps related to the spill. It's true that Exxon is trying to clean up the spill, but this has been a problem since the 70's when it was discovered, why hasn't anything been done? Also, check out OldNYC.com in their "Newtown Creek Galleries" for photos of the polluted creek.Get involved with the issues.

photos from old.nyc.com

Franklin St.

2007-11-23T11:05:00.000-08:00

I’ve been in Greenpoint for just a few years now, but I am new to the Northernmost part up by LIC. I’ve been living up here for a year and I still feel like I am just discovering the area. Franklin St. is probably one of the most happening places to check out if you haven’t already. There are more than 4 places to get coffee and brunch, plenty of boutiques and what seems like more bars opening up each week! Starting at the top there is a nice park with a huge basketball court and a great view of the water. Heading down further you’ll hit Greenpoint Coffeehouse and further down Brooklyn Label. Both of these places are out of the park delish and are usually booming on the weekend with brunchers. Keep heading down and you hit Record shops, boutiques and all the bars you could dream of. On the Corner of Greenpoint Ave and Franklin there are alone 4 bars you can hop from and then crabwalk home. It makes you feel a little less of an ass if you get stumbling drunk just a few blocks away from your house. The Pencil Factory, Lost and Found, Black Rabbit and Coco66 are great places to get the old ‘Flirt and Fuck’ on. Word is also a great place to hit up for some lite afternoon reading for mum and baby. Head out to Franklin this weekend and you will not be disappointed. See you there!

Save Rite Wine & Liquors

2007-11-22T22:07:00.000-08:00

I stumbled into this liquor store on a Friday night, picking up some wine to go with dinner and I wandered into one of the best finds on Manhattan Avenue. Located right on the corner of Greenpoint and Manhattan Aves, this liquor store has more than anyone could ask for. Being a usual at BQE Wine and Liquors, it was a hard transition to this part of Greenpoint with more little stores with less, than one large store with everything, but Save Rite has it all. They have wine tastings usually every Friday and Saturday and sometimes on Thursday. They have a sandwich board outside telling you what will be sampled what day, and if you sample and then choose to buy, its 10% off! My significant other and I purchased a bottle we would probably never think to pick up and really enjoyed the flavor. This store has a huge selection of wines and liquors, ranging from region and style and also by type, with a large selection of blush wines, more than I have ever seen in this area. If you are looking for that perfect something they have a very helpful staff who can recommend as well as find something if you cant. The only downside to this booz-oasis is that they have a $20 minimum for credit cards, which is what I usually use to purchase my alcohol of choice, but it works out to your favor, given the amount of sales and cheap wines they have, you can come home with two when you were only going to pick up one. Check it out the next time you need something to bring to a party or just need the right compliment to a romantic meal at home.
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