Brunchtime Boozin'

As I sit here in my Brooklyn Heights studio apartment listening to this weekend's weather forecast, a big smile forms on my face. Eighty Degrees! In April! Hooray, spring really has sprung! With the long winter soon in our distant past (here's hoping!) we Brooklynites begin to crawl out of hibernation and hit the streets to once again become reunited with our amazing neighborhoods. But when every sentence in the media (and in general conversation) these days begins with, "In This Economy. . . ." there is this little voice inside us that makes us feel guilty for spending money. "We should save," they keep telling us, "you may be next to get the ax at work!" But if we don't go out and support our fellow merchants, eateries and watering holes, how will we ever bounce back?

As I sat here deciding what to blog about today, this plaguing topic ran continuously through my brain. And then it hit me, "what's my favorite thing to do in the warmer months?" I asked myself. And the answer undoubtedly was, Sunday Brunch! I am a huge fan of "Sunday Funday" and with that comes mimosas and bloody marys. So this afternoon it was my quest to seek out Brooklyn Brunch Spots that offer pre-fixe brunch menus that include UNLIMITED MIMOSAS and/or BLOODY MARYS. Read on for my picks, please comment if you know of any that I missed, and let the drinking begin! Every girl loves a Recession Special! Cheers!


Sette Enoteca
http://setteparkslope.com/
207 7th Ave. (corner of 3rd St.)
Brooklyn, NY 11215
718.499.7767

$18.00 PRE-FIXE
- includes unlimited bloody marys or sparkling wine cocktails (peach bellinis or pomegranate amores), homemade raisin walnut foccacia bread, antipasti & secondi, coffee or tea
- menu features yummy Italian specialties in addition to traditional brunch fare such as "uovo al forno" baked eggs over polenta, tomato & ricotta cheese; double eggplant parmigiana baked lasagna with tomato meat ragu; and a portobello mushroom panini with roasted pepper & fontina cheese.


Barrio
http://www.barriofoods.com/
210 7th Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11215
718.965.4000

$15.95
- includes an entree and unlimited sangria or mimosas
- menu ranges from granola and yogurt, to huevos rancheros, to a yummy baked vegetarian enchilada! Definitely get the made-to-order guacamole!


Ceol Pub
http://www.ceolpub.com/
191 Smith St. (btwn. Warren and Baltic)
Brooklyn, NY 11201
347.643.9911

$20
- includes unlimited bloody marys or mimosas with a brunch entree
- as Irish a pub can get in Brooklyn, you can even download an Irish American Idol application on their website!


Scottadito
http://www.scottadito.com/
788A Union St. (btwn. 6th and 7th Ave.)
Brooklyn, NY 11215
718.636.4800

$15.95
- includes unlimited mimosas, champagne, coffee, and juice.
- a few of their unique dishes include: uova benedette, poached eggs on a english muffin with proscuitto, hollandaise, and pesto sauce; insalata di salmone fresco, salad with cold poached salmon, green beans, cherry tomatoes, olives and lemon-basil aioli; and gnocchetti di spinaci, homemade ricotta and spinach gnocchi, sage and butter, YUM!!!


APT 138
http://apt138.com/
138 Smith St.
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718.858.0556

$12 "Complete Brunch"
- OK, so this one is a bit misleading, it's not bottomless cocktails, BUT if you had a rough Saturday night and just need ONE drink to "sober" you up, their "complete" brunch comes with one entree, one bloody mary, mimosa, or PBR! And who doesn't want a can of ice cold Pabst Blue Ribbon the morning after? A recession special like no other!

"ZipCar: Wheels When You Want Them"

As an Auto Show Model who just moved back to NYC from a three year stint in LA, the last thing I am interested in owning is a car. I talk about them every day to consumers and selling my car in Cali to move back east was such an ordeal, I can't even imagine going through that ruckus again! Living in NYC, a car is often much more trouble than it is worth. You start to have anxiety dreams about where you parked it, if there is street cleaning today, will it get stolen or keyed, and the list goes on. Still, every now and then we city folks miss the ritual of driving, heading to the suburbs to visit a real mall, lugging a car load of groceries, or heading out to the shore for a day at the beach. And sometimes, hauling three bags carrying everything but the kitchen sink on the LIRR train just does not seem that appealing. So what's a girl to do?


Well luckily there is an amazing service in NYC called Zipcar. Zipcar is a membership based carsharing company that provides car rentals to its members, billable by the hour or by the day. Zipcar was founded in Cambridge, MA in 1999 by Robin Chase and Antje Danielson. In 2007, Zipcar merged with rival company Flexcar. Today, Zipcar offers rental locations in over 50 U.S. Cities, over 100 college campuses, and even in Toronto, Vancouver, and London! Once you are a member you can rent at any location!


Here's how it works. There is an annual membership fee of $50 (it is sometimes waived if you are a member of a certain organization, i.e. I am a member of NY Women in Film and Television and I get a free membership, call for details) which is payable after your online application is approved (they run a quick driving record check and you have to be 21 or older with a valid driver's license). Once you are approved, you get sent a Zipcard in the mail which gives you 24/7 access to Zipcars worldwide. All reservations are done online and can be arranged minutes or months in advance. Just click on your desired pick up location to view available vehicles. Zipcars range from hybrids to BMW's, so you really do have your choice of vehicle to suit your style and needs. There are 7 locations and over 50 vehicles to choose from in my neighborhood in Brooklyn alone! So convenient!

Once you have a reservation and show up at your pick up location, you simply hold your Zipcard up to the card reader in the windshiled. Because of radio frequency identification technology(RFID), the car "knows" you have a reservation and the doors magically unlock! Throughout your rental, the keys stay in the car and the doors open and close with the wave of your secret code on your Zipcard, it couldn't be easier!

Rental Prices range depending on the city you are in, but here in Brooklyn, rates start at $11/hr. or $77/day. And the best part? Gas, insurance and 180 miles a day are included in your rental rate! Those surcharges can really add up when renting a car the old fashioned way.


Just think of the green benefits a service like this can do for our planet! The company claims that each Zipcar takes the place of 15-20 personally owned vehicles on the road. Zipcar also maintains that after joining Zipcar, 90% of their members drove 5,500 miles or less per year. According to their website, "that adds up to more than 32 million gallons of crude oil left in the ground—or 219 gallons saved per Zipster". Pretty neat stuff, and members are saving money.

Want to hear something even greener? Zipcar recently announced the launch of a pilot program for plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) in their Bay Area fleet through a partnership with the city of San Francisco. The vehicle being used in the program is a Toyota Prius that has been converted for plug-in capability. The addition of the Hymotion battery provides the Prius with up to 30-40 miles of electrically assisted driving on a single charge. But rest assured, when the battery is depleted, the vehicle automatically reverts to standard hybrid operation, so driving range isn't a concern.

This is just the beginning of great things to come from a company that provides a service that is long overdue in the marketplace. Zipcar is convenient, cost-efficient, and environmentally friendly. Now let's help spread the word this Earth Day so that more people take advantage of it! "ZipCar, Wheels when you want them." Get on board!

www.zipcar.com

Next Stop, IKEA!!!

For all you In-The-Know New Yorkers, the IKEA in Brooklyn is old news. It opened last June on the waterfront in the up-and-coming Red Hook neighborhood. Still, I thought there was no better way to begin The Brooklyn Beat than with a blog dedicated to the affordable DIY Swedish furniture that helps Brooklynites transform their new (or old) digs from house into home.


There are a few different ways to get to IKEA. If you have access to a car you can drive there (it's right off the BQE) and enjoy one of their 1,400 parking spots! If you are a slave to the MTA, you have your choice of subway stations to travel to. If you are coming from Manhattan, take the 2, 3, 4, 5, M or R train to Borough Hall (1st stop Brooklyn). If you are coming from deeper parts of Brooklyn or Queens, take the F, M or R to 4th Ave./9th St. (this shuttle route also stops at Smith/9th St. for all those G train riders). From both locations there is a FREE IKEA shuttle that runs every half hour from 3 pm to 8 pm daily Monday through Friday and every twenty minutes from 11am to 9pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

But since going to IKEA can end up taking up your entire day, why not turn it into a complete experience? To assure yourself a memorable visit, I highly recommend taking the IKEA Water Taxi. Not only does it get you there quickly, but it's like a free cruise! You get amazing views of the Manhattan skyline, both the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, you pass by the beautiful Brooklyn Heights promenade, and it docks you right at the store! And if it is a sunny day, you can bring your delicious Swedish meatballs, cinnamon buns, and dollar fro-yo cones outside and eat in the lovely outdoor cafe seating right on the waterfront! Not to be missed!


The Water Taxi leaves Pier 11 (end of Wall St. @ South St.) every 40 minutes from 2pm to 7pm on weekdays, and from 11 to 8pm on weekends. Seriously, take the ferry! It is super fun!!!


After you've spent your hard earned money and have a cart full of boxes, that is when the panic attack sets in. "How on earth am I going to bring this stuff home?!?" Well rest assured, you have options. IKEA offers same-day or next-day delivery options starting at $89, or if you'd rather do it yourself, they have on-premise UHaul rental vans and cars for Zip Car members! (If you don't know what Zip Car is, there will be another blog on this amazing service shortly! www.zipcar.com)

Once you've got everything home, now it is time to build it. I speak from experience when I say that once you get through one piece of furniture, they do get easier. The Swedes were consistent when designing the parts and tools used from piece to piece, so you WILL get the hang of it! Just make sure that you have screwdrivers and a hammer handy and a bottle of wine also does wonders! But if you are still perplexed by the little cartoon drawings on your directions or even worse you've lost them, the IKEA website now has online instructions and can refer you to people who will build for you. If you want to go that route, I recommend using Craigslist (www.craigslist.com) and name your price! People are always looking for ways to make a buck!

IKEA Brooklyn, it really is amazing. Yes, the furniture may not last forever, but where else can you furnish an entire one bedroom apartment from scratch for under $2,000? Check it out, walk around, take the ferry, have lunch and enjoy yourself! It beats taking the bus from Port Authority to Elizabeth, NJ any day!

IKEA Brooklyn
One Beard Street
Brooklyn, NY 11231
10am-9pm Daily
718.246.IKEA
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/store/brooklyn