Jacques Torres brings Ice Cream to DUMBO just in time for summer!

Jacques Torres, master of chocolate, God to sugar addicts, and former pastry chef at Le Cirque has given us a new reason to cheat on our diets this summer. His long awaited Ice Cream Shop just opened yesterday next door to his DUMBO location at 66 Water St. There are twelve flavors including chocolate-banana, a caramel-rum vanilla swirl, strawberry, hazelnut with chocolate chunks, wicked hot chocolate (spiced with ancho and chipotle chiles), and four different sorbets. The shop features yummy homemade waffle cones, ice cream cookie sandwiches, or you can opt to get your scoop served on a Belgian waffle with the works! Options abound! So grab a cone and walk it off at The Empire Fulton Ferry State Park across the street. I can't think of a better way to spend a Sunday!

Lebanese Food Festival

Okay, so this entry is a little bit late. . . . but if you read this and have the time to hit up Brooklyn Heights tonight before midnight or all day tomorrow, 12-6pm, you will not be sorry! Our Lady of Lebanon Roman Catholic Cathedral is hosting its annual Lebanese Food Festival. And if you have a chance to stop by this evening, Amin "Sultan" Koury and his ensemble will be performing. That's right folks, live Arabic music and dancing til midnight tonight on Remsen St. in the heart of Brooklyn Heights!

Remsen Street is closed off from Clinton to Henry St. and not only is there yummy Lebanese delicacies, but also merchant tables and rides/games for the kids. The feast is part of fundraising efforts to pay for much-needed repairs on the Cathedral. The menu features super affordable traditional dishes like $3 hummous, $4 kibbe squares, and you can even watch them make your fresh zaatar bread (flat bread cooked on a sajj, an outdoor oven, with thyme, olive oil and sesame seeds), only $1.50! And your meal would not be complete with some decadent Lebanese pastrys like katayef (folded crepes filled with spiced walnuts or sweet cheese and syrup) and while you're at it, try some Lebanese Ksara wine or an ice cold Almaza premium pilsner.

And if for some reason you can't make it. . . . but are salivating at the thought of an ethnic food festival in the streets of Brooklyn, have no fear. . . . St.Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church will be having their annual Greek Festival next week, June 1-7th with live music and dancing on Friday and Saturday til 1AM! More details to come and you better believe there will be a blog entry! So get ready people because it will soon be time for some feta cheese, baklava, Ouzo and Metaxa, Opa!



Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral

113 Remsen St
Brooklyn, NY 11201

(718) 624-7228‎

Lebanese Food Festival
Friday May 29th 12noon-10pm
Saturday May 30th 12noon- 12midnight
Sunday June 1st 12noon-6pm

Barbina "Blossoms" at The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens

My intention with The Brooklyn Beat is to build a community through sharing ideas, stories, and reviews on Brooklyn culture. Since the blog is clearly new and in its "blossoming" stages, I have decided to open it up to guest bloggers who want to share their passions on this forum. This is the first of many contributions to The Brooklyn Beat. My dear friend Adam called me from The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens telling me that "I just HAD to do a piece on the cherry blossoms." Then it hit me, "why don't you write it Adam?" And so he did! I'd like to thank Adam Barbina, the very first contributor to The Brooklyn Beat. Here it is folks, a lovely piece that is sure to inspire some spring fever in us all!

"Barbina Blossoms at The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens"
By: Adam Barbina

After a healthy dose of the liberal Saturday Times, I picked up myself and tried to figure it out what to do on this drizzly day -- heading to Brooklyn from Long Island City seemed like a trek, but given that I have been wanting to go to DC for two years to see the cherry blossoms, this seemed much easier to accomplish.

The trusty G train (I know some of you have never heard of this said 'G' train and its lime green color, but I really believe it is a great asset in commuting between BK and LIC.) I definitely hopped off the G and onto the E only to realize I was heading back into the city. I corrected myself and getting to the shuttle and then the botanical gardens was a flash. Although a bit of confusion regarding the already growing line of people at 11:30 am, somehow I found a nice girl working who thought I was a student and put me at the front to pay with cash. The $12 entrance fee was well worth my experience.

Walking in I ignored the garden map and just decided to follow where everyone else decided to go. Luckily they were following a trodden path which led to a beautiful panorama of light pink cherry blossoms. For a moment I asked myself if this is what I paid 12 Washingtons for, but keeping with the positive mindset (shout-out to all those avid Secret readers) I took in the surroundings (and endless people watching) and enjoyed the fresh air. Underneath the tent a cultural exhibition existed accompanied by food and trinket vendors. To be fair, the traditional Japanese food selections looked amazing and if it hadn’t been for my head still hurting from the night before I would have opted for the Asahi rather than the Honest Tea lemonade. . . .


I walked around the cherry blossoms and found a very simple treasure in the dainty leaves flowing in the wind. Such simple things rarely stop you, but somehow their beauty and the enthusiasm other shared for the trees was nothing short of infectious.

I then wandered around the gardens and found myself in what a novice botanical garden visitor like me would call the 'hot house'. However, this was one of the greatest surprises. Here the rain forest desert and bonsai exhibit are under one roof. I have recently developed a slight obsession with the bonsai and I learned of the plethora of species that exist. Say I didn’t put my email down to be included in the bonsai club's list serve. While seemingly cliché, I think I was one of every three visitors that tried to capture a shot of the cacti while in the hothouse.


Sweaty palms and unsure armpits put me back outside to what was an abounding crowd. I also sneaked a peek at the wedding reception progressing in the great venues inside the gardens. From here I walked back to the cherry blossoms and the pictures of the trees can’t capture what it was like to be there. They say that smell is the most powerful senses and it uncanny how much a smell can bring back a flood of emotions. Walking through the Lilac gardens, the smell brought back the familiar scent of my backyard in small-town Ohio and the smile on my Mother's face. These pale purple flowers produce a beautiful fragrance that is calming and reminds me of some childhood innocence. (Note to self, check Sephora to see if there is a lilac fragrance and if not, capitalize on this observation.) They even have a white version – these are two of my favorite photos taken.


Moving on, I ended up in the wide open space – reminiscent of some formal European gardens -- perhaps one that has been written in a book and that Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy had escaped to. On making my way around, I happened upon the group photo of those participating in the anime competition. All reservations aside, this was a bit weird, but I love how enthusiastic those participating seemed to be. Unfortunately I don’t have a photo of this site, but imagine 27 year-olds dressed in some decently freaky get-ups. I needed to go home but before I left I for sure checked out the ponds and realized that my umbrella was brought in vain -- my day at the Botanical Gardens turned out to be a beautiful New York spring day. Heading back to the train, I couldn’t help but think about Brooklyn - I can’t tell if I am jealous of those living here or have come to the conclusion that they just dress much cooler than I might ever hope to. I guess I am still wondering, but this might be my next home.

Although I am not sure if I was the only single dude there, I am certain of the couples that seemed to flock to the gardens for the scenic environment playing into a great day date or romantic setting. Regardless, for anyone desiring a bit of nature and to see cherry blossoms without taking the Fung Wah to DC, this is definitely a sight worth seeing.

Adam Barbina is a financial consultant, aspiring to be something much cooler. For questions, suggestions or date invite, email him at alb50@yahoo.com.

Evening Stroll 101: Brooklyn Bridge and Grimaldi's

One of my favorite things to do on a summer evening is walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. It's definitely one of those activities that is a must for visitors to NYC, and since my friend Jessica was visiting from LA, I had to take her on a stroll. My friend Tal joined us and confessed that although he grew up in NYC, he had never walked across the Brooklyn Bridge, in either direction! What is amazing is that he is not the only one. There are tons of native New Yorkers who have never taken the journey reasoning that "It's just for tourists, I can't deal with the mass of people and their cameras." So if you are one of those individuals out there who have yet to walk the Bridge or if it has been a while, I invite you to take the plunge this summer and "be a tourist" for the day.

Since we're going there, why not take it one step further and end your walk by canceling out all the calories you burned off with a little Grimaldi's pizza. Yes the line can be long, but it is definitely worth it. A bit of controversy over which coal-oven pizzeria in NYC is the "oldest", most "authentic", or the "best", Grimaldi's will not disappoint. (Technically the oldest is Lombardi's in Little Italy which opened in 1905. Tottono's in Coney Island started in 1905 as well, but the pizzeria didn't open until 1924, however it is still standing in its original location and run by the same family. Grimaldi's didn't open until 1933) And let's face it, waiting on line for an hour for hot, coal-oven pizza loaded with fresh mozzarella and yummy meats and/or veggies will make the whole Brooklyn Bridge journey a complete experience, tourist or not.








Grimaldi's
19 Old Fulton St.
(btwn. Front and Water St.)
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718.858.4300

Mint Juleps and Bocce Ball

Ah! Derby Day! First Saturday in May, sun is shining and a craving for mint juleps is in the air! There's a bar around the corner from my apartment called Floyd that had signs advertising their annual Kentucky Derby party. They were showing it on the big screen TV, had drink specials, free appetizers, cake and encouraged guests to wear their Derby attire, namely a fabulous hat. I decided to check it out with my friend Tal, although we both attended sans hat. It just seemed a bit silly to me to dress up since we weren't actually attending in Kentucky but rather at a bar in Brooklyn. Well let me tell ya, we were definitely under-dressed for the occasion. As I walked to the bar, all the people in my neighborhood were decked out in their Sunday best from head to toe heading to Derby inspired events. Once I entered Floyd, I gotta say I was very impressed with the outfits! You'd think we were in Louisville! Photos are posted below to give you a visual, all we were missing was the annual mud wrestling extravaganza!

Floyd is a great little spot. The owners, Jim Carden and Andy Templar, are Kentucky natives, so they definitely know how to throw a party. The bar features Kentucky beercheese, a wide array of bourbons, and on Derby Day, $5 Mint Juleps. One of the bar's quirks that makes it a go-to destination is the indoor clay bocce court. If you are really into the game, you can even join a bocce team and participate in year-round bocce tournaments. Trophies line the walls and if bocce isn't your thing, they've got some board games and Ms. Pac-Man. The men behind Floyd also own a larger venue in Park Slope, Union Hall (blog on this space will be posted at a later date), with 2 bocce courts, library, and downstairs stage/cabaret. Somehow I ended up at Union Hall later that same evening not even knowing that it was its sister venue. Go figure!

Floyd in Cobble Hill. Laid back, baby and pet friendly, and a stress-free Brooklyn good time.

Floyd, NY
131 Atlantic Avenue
Brooklyn, NY
between Henry and Clinton Streets
(718) 858 - 5810

Did someone say Free Pizza and Skeeball?

Last week I went to go see the film "Adventureland" with my friend Amy, and since it takes place in an amusement park, it got us in the mood to play some old school arcade games. After the movie Amy turns to me and says, "Let's go play skeeball at my favorite bar! It's down the street!" "Skeeball?" I asked, "At a bar? What is this place you speak of and why have you been hiding it from me?"

We were in Manhattan at The Union Square movie theatre and we walked east on 14th street until we stumbled upon it, The Crocodile Lounge (located in the same space as the old Cellar Bar). It's not in Brooklyn, but it's sister bar (which is actually the original) The Alligator Lounge, is and they both feature the same amazing recession busters so I figured it was fitting to incorporate it into The Brooklyn Beat.

At both bars the concept remains the same, buy one drink and receive a coupon for a free pizza! And we're talking a personal brick-oven pizza here, not just some dinky little slice. Toppings are gonna cost you extra, but good old cheese is gratis! And I have to say, it's pretty darn yummy and the price is right!

Both bars have arcade games, photo booths and a pool table, but the real draw is the skeeball machine! For this, you're gonna have to head into the city to the East Village location, but let me tell ya, it's worth the subway ride. It's fifty cents a game and if you are a huge dork like me, you'll be entertained for hours.

Cheap drinks, free pizza, and indoor beach boardwalk games in the middle of the city 7 nights a week. Now that's a Recession Special!

The Crocodile Lounge
325 E. 14th St. (btwn. 1st & 2nd Aves.)
East Village NYC 10003
212.477.7747

Alligator Lounge
600 Metropolitan Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11211
718-599-4440