Weekly Free Wine Tastings: Try Before You Buy

Brooklyn is not lacking in the wine shop department, there are plenty of privately owned boutiques in the borough where you can grab a bottle of bubbly to take to that summer bbq or grab a last minute bottle of red on the way home from work to enjoy with your din-din. Yes, vino in BK abounds but sometimes you want to sample your wine before you buy it to make sure that will indeed compliment that scallop dish you've been gearing up to cook for that special someone. Heights Chateau is your answer. A true neighborhood wine shop that has been a fixture in the Brooklyn Heights/Cobble Hill community for over 20 years.

Heights Chateau has an extremely knowledgeable and friendly staff led by Matthew LaSorsa who will assist you in choosing the perfect bottle to take home for any occasion. Their selection changes with the season and there are over 2,000 items to choose from on their shelves. The shop also features a temperature controlled basement, a large selection of organic and biodynamic wines, and one of the largest spirit, apéritif, digestive and cordial sections in all of Brooklyn. They host educational samplers and seminars, and (my favorite) free in-store tastings every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings! Up on this week's tasting schedule: July 30th Paul from Noble House Wines 5:30-8:30, July 31st The Famous Grouse 5:30-8:30, and Aug 1st Miolo Brazilian Wines 4-7. A great opportunity to sample different wines and learn some stats that you can throw around at your next dinner party (and feel like a sommelier).

Heights Chateau is located at 123 Atlantic Ave. between Clinton and Henry. Check out their website for more info HERE.

Mysterious Film Shoot Today on Remsen St.

As I walked home from the gym this morning, I noticed a NO PARKING sign from the Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting stating that there was to be a film shoot (Day 22 of filming of said project) on Remsen St. between Court and Clinton today, July 29th from 6am- 8pm. The project name is listed as "Art = (Love) 2". Through my meticulous internet research I'm afraid I've fallen short and can find no information regarding this film or the shoot. What's even stranger is that I walked by the proposed "set" at 11am and still there were no trailers set up or sign of a film shoot of any kind. Does anyone have any news or info they can contribute? If so please write in the comments section!

Shop Brooklyn Presents "Boutique Fashion Nights"

Tonight and tomorrow night, Wednesday July 29th and Thursday July 30th, Brooklyn Tourism in association with wunderbloc (a fabulous NYC boutique discovery and fashion website) and yelp (real people, real reviews) present 65 boutiques from Bay Ridge to Billyburg who will keep their doors open til 10pm for some late night shopping, fab discounts, wine & cheese and other fabulous goodies and entertainment. The complete list of participating stores can be found on the Shop Brooklyn website by clicking HERE

A few worth checking out include:

Andie Woo at 251 Smith St. (btwn. Douglass and Degraw) featuring 20 % their super cute and stylish jewlery in addition to free tacos from the newly opened late night Smith St. Taqueria Oaxaca.

Epaulet at 231 Smith St. (men's and women's clothing boutique) will feature discounts, refreshments, and live music.

Sweet Virginia at 164 Havemeyer St. is offering 10% of regularly priced vintage duds as well as complimentary homemade mini baked goods.

La Vedette at 43 5th Ave. will feature 10-50% off storewide (famous for fancy, sophisticated dresses) and will be serving cocktails and hor' dourves.

Brunch at "Chestnut" on Smith

I finally made it to chef Daniel Eardley's Chestnut, one of the first to open on Brooklyn's "Restaurant Row" back in 2001, yesterday for brunch. It was so delicious and the service superb, I turned to my friend Katie and wondered why it took me 8 years to go. Granted, I had left the neighborhood for 4 of those years but still even with the abundance of restaurants and cafes in the Cobble Hill/Carroll Gardens area (which can certainly get to be a bit overwhelming), Chestnut is not one to miss!

I was greeted by Susan, the friendly bartender and sat in the "refined rustic" new bar (which just opened in October) while I waited for my brunch date. I ordered a bottle of sparkling water which was delivered in a bottle that I hadn't seen before. Susan told me that it was from a local Brooklyn company and that they were very green, bottles are re-used and collected weekly. I was instantly impressed and the water was refreshing and just as good as San Pellegrino or Lurisia. Katie arrived and we decided to stay and eat at the bar (I've always been a fan of eating at the bar, maybe I was British in a former life). We ordered and as we were waiting for our meal, we were given a complimentary plate of home-made baked goods. A moist blueberry scone, a freshly baked popover (a light hollow roll made from egg batter), and two miniature cinnamon rolls served with home-made jam and butter, yum!

Shortly thereafter we received our main course. I ordered the poached eggs with wild mushrooms and caramelized shallots atop of brioche toast drenched in a light, creamy mushroom sauce. Katie opted for the salt cod hash with roasted egg and mixed greens. Both dished were melt-in-your-mouth delicious and so inventive. Eardley's simple, savory dishes are all made with local produce, and according to Slow Food NYC, the chef has been known to "regularly travel upstate to his native Dutchess County to forage and visit farms of his childhood, filling the car with all it can carry."

My taste buds were pleasantly surprised and very satisfied. It is so refreshing to find a place that puts a creative spin on the traditional brunch dish and succeeds, focusing on the simplicity of the flavors and quality of the ingredients as opposed to going overboard in order to try to be different. Since Chestnut can be a bit pricey at dinner time for some, Susan informed us that on Tuesdays and Wednesdays they offer a $30 three course prix fixe menu. Amazing! I will definitely be back! It may have taken me eight years to sample the goodness that is Chestnut, but I am so glad that I did!

Chestnut
271 Smith St. (btwn. Sackett and Degraw)
718.243.0049

Rock Star Karaoke

Have you always wanted to rock out on stage with a LIVE BAND? Well here is your opportunity! Rock Star Karaoke NYC's motto is "Be the STAR you always WANTED to be"! Their band members go by fantastic stage names: Rockette, Rock God, Rock Warrior, and Rock Hood and the band's resume ranges from rocking out for Mayor Bloomberg to the Bonnaroo Festival in Tennessee. We Brooklynites are in luck because we have two chances weekly to get up on stage and live the dream.

Rockstar Karaoke NYC has a Wednesday night residency at good ol' Hank's Saloon (46 Third Ave. @ Atlantic Ave.) at 10pm and on Fridays at 9pm at Lime Lounge (673 Flatbush Ave. btwn. Hawthorne St. and Westbury Ct.) Their song list is available on their website so you can prepare yourself for your "big break" and tunes include such rock favorites as AC/DC's "Shook Me All Night Long", Pat Benatar's "Heartbreaker", and Guns' n' Roses' "Welcome to the Jungle". They also play on Thursday nights in Manhattan at the Canal Room (285 W. Broadway @ Canal) where I had the opportunity to experience live band karaoke for the first time last night. I was there for a friend's birthday party and saw her get serenaded on stage to Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get it On". It was such a fun night full of sing-a-longs and dancing. I took some video (pasted below for your viewing pleasure) of these DJ/rocker twins (who are in the band Shinobi Ninja) killing it to the Beastie Boys' "Fight for Your Right" and Broadway's Steve Rosen trying his best at Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer" (where the crowd went wild!)


Three times a week to let out your inner rock star! So brush up on your fav band's lyrics, start singing those scales in the shower and bring out your entourage to cheer you on!

My Favorite Subway Performer

Ok, ok so the MTA signs insist that it is unlawful to give money to the homeless, performers, and the like who beg for change on the NYC subway system, but clearly that doesn't stop the hundreds of people who do it day after day. And let's be honest, it wouldn't be NYC without the individuality that these people bring to our daily commutes. Some are more aggressive than others, some sell candy for hypothetical basketball teams, some are "raising money" for homeless funds and "used" to be homeless, some tell you their life story, some bust out a boombox and do backflips, some dance, some sing, and the list goes on. We New Yorkers have seen it all and every bit just adds more color and richness to the canvases of our lives. One of my personal favorites was a band I saw back in April dressed as the characters from Sesame Street rocking out on the Manhattan bound 3 train at 11am. There's nothing like Cookie Monster playing the xylophone en route to a long day at the Javitz Center! Another woman I remember (who also used to sing all over Greenwich Village) would perform covered in flowers and only sang Harry Belafonte's "Day O" as she peddled for spare change.

But the one subway performer who stands out in my memory that I would without a doubt give my last dollar to, I saw for the first time the week I moved to the big apple as an innocent NYU freshman back in 1997. He was this African American gentleman who was blind and belted his heart out to the percussion of his cane tapping the subway floor and to the jingle of the change in his can. His voice was so haunting and soothing and hearing it would always make my day. I would see him sporadically on the train through the years but hadn't run into him since returning to the city in September after my 3 year hiatus to LAlaland. Last Friday I headed underground at the Bergen St. subway station en route to Park Slope and I heard his voice. "Where was he?" I wondered. And then I saw him across the platform tapping his cane and singing as if it was his last day on earth, waiting for the Manhattan bound F train to do his thing. I snapped a photo and have pasted it below. It made my day to see that he is still alive and well and pounding the pavement with his amazing gift, his voice. I don't know this man's name or his story, but keep your ears and eyes open for him. Amidst the hustle and bustle, sometimes it pays to take the time to listen, spare change or not.

Affordable Yoga at Area Yoga Brooklyn

Loretta Gendville, a Smith St. pioneer, is an amazing business woman. She opened Area Yoga and Area Emporium and Spa back in 2000 when there was very little on Smith St. except for a few restaurants and bars like Patois, Bartabac, and Panino'teca 275 to name a few. Clearly the neighborhood has changed tremendously over the past 9 years and many storefronts have changed face multiple times, business have come and gone (in fact only 1 of the 3 restaurants mentioned still remains), rents have skyrocketed, and there are now 2 Starbucks, a Dunkin Donuts and an American Apparel in the area. However, the Area chain is still going strong and is ever-expanding. Loretta now owns 8 children's stores, multiple Brooklyn buildings, a yoga studio and spa. Her yoga studio is now housed in a larger space located at 320 Court St. between Sackett and Degraw.

Yoga has become quite trendy over the past decade as well, and instead of inflating prices to keep up with the times (and the rents), Loretta has chosen to make yoga classes affordable so that we all can practice, not just the wealthy. Classes are only $10 each or you can purchase a 10 class card for $75 which breaks down to $7.50 per class. You'll spend more than that on a grande latte and a muffin at Starbucks and the yoga class is better for you anyway. There are plenty of classes to choose from daily including basics, open, kids yoga, prenatal, and yogalates to name a few. The teachers are great and the classroom is a beautiful, open space in which to practice, chant, and get your "zen" on.

More info on classes and schedules can be found on Area Yoga's website HERE. Call it a recession special, I call it best bang for your buck. Namaste.

Happy 100th Birthday Mary!

I was leaving my yoga class this morning and was walking up Sackett St. and I noticed an abundance of balloons and streamers adorning a brownstone ahead of me. I overheard some neighbors talking on the stoop next door and found out that the decorations were there to honor the 100th birthday of Mary, a longtime Carroll Gardens resident. There was also a beautiful banner that was made hanging above the door with Mary's photo. What a wonderful way to celebrate life! I snapped a photo with my blackberry to share with The Brooklyn Beat readers. May we all be so lucky to have such a long life and to be able to celebrate it Brooklyn style!

"Mad Men" Casting Call!

Have you always wanted to act in a hit television show? Well here is your chance! Banana Republic has teamed up with the hit AMC Emmy Award-winning series "Mad Men" to give you a crack at the opportunity of a lifetime! Visit any Banana Republic store starting tomorrow, July 21st until August 11th, and enter to win a walk-on role on AMC's "Mad Men" PLUS a $1,000 Banana Republic Giftcard. Here's how the "Mad Men" Casting Call works: Visit a store, pick up a Casting Call Entry Code and Mad About Style Guide, then upload a photo of your stylish self directly to the website showing off your best "Mad Man" or "Mad Woman" style, true to the time period with your own personal flair. All entry instructions and contest details can be found HERE

Season 2 of Mad Men was just released on DVD (which just received 16 Emmy nominations!) so you have a month to catch up on the show before the Season 3 premiere on Sunday August 16th at 10pm/9c on AMC. The show is truly fabulous, it's a stylized period drama set in 1960s NYC which reveals the cunning, ruthless and ambitious world of the Madison Avenue advertising industry and its key players. "Mad Men" defines the ad man/ladies man/martini lunch combo and eloquently illustrates a slice of life of the era. Smart, witty, and sexy, the show's protagonist, Don Draper (Jon Hamm) will leave you wanting more!

Watch the Season 3 promo HERE

And the best part? We have a Banana Republic store here in Brooklyn. You don't even have to leave the borough to enter. It is located at 133 Montague St. between Henry and Clinton.

Good luck!

Independence Day on a Williamsburg Rooftop

I know, I know, this post is over 2 weeks late, but I just realized when going through my photos that I never shared the shots I took on the 4th of July. I was at a fabulous party on a rooftop in Williamsburg that evening, taking some amazing photographs of the city skyline at dusk turning into night, dancing to the dope DJ, enjoying my spiked punch and waiting for the fireworks to begin over the Hudson (and the various amateur fireworks being set off all over Brooklyn) when at around 9pm a huge cloud of black smoke filled the air. There was a fire just two blocks away from us that was growing at a rapid pace. It was crazy to be that close to it and see it from 12 stories above (not to mention breathe it in). Still no one knows who started the fire (lots of speculation, from hipsters setting off roman candles to insurance fraud), and there was very little news on the internet regarding the incident. What we do know was that it was The Rosenwach Tank Company, one of the oldest manufacturers of wooden tanks in America. More information on the fires and the aftermath can be found by checking out the posts on Gothamist, Brooklyn 11211 and Brownstoner.

Amidst all of the smoke and sirens the Macy's Fireworks Spectacular began, and then the rooftop dance party went in to full swing. All in all, a wonderful New York evening filled with adventure and sweeping skyline views.

The Williamsburg Indie Designer Soiree

The Arsenal, a pretty incredible space in Williamsburg used for events, photo shoots, and classes as well as the home of Brooklyn Royalty, an established indie street-wear label that houses its design headquarters and showroom in the authentic Civil War-era armory, will be hosting The Williamsburg Indie Designer Soiree this coming Saturday July 18th from 11am-9pm.

Many Brooklyn based designers will be selling their duds at the soiree, from high-end to handmade, and it is a great opportunity to score some affordable original clothes, accessories, and jewelry by local designers. Here's your chance to give back to the community and buy local. Not only will you be supporting Brooklyn indie designers in a recession (and taking home a unique outfit rather than showing up wearing the same Forever 21 frock as "some other girl" at your next cocktail party or summer BBQ) but you can also get your groove on to the line-up of Brooklyn DJs who will be spinning and showcasing their talents throughout the day. There will also be a bar serving up 2 for 1 mimosas, DIY bloody marys, and beer specials. And to satisfy your creative juices (which will be flowing from all the booze, music and shopping) there will be workshops on everything from crocheting to screenprinting to jewelry making. And who knows? Maybe by this time next year you to will have your own booth at the soiree!

A few of the designers selected to showcase at this year's event are: Brooklyn Royalty, Duke & Winston, Tar and Feather, Fancy Sexy Me, Belle Helmets, Raw Toast Designs, Thrills, and more! For more info and directions, check out The Arsenal's website by clicking HERE

Coney Island at Night

Need a reason to make the trek out to Coney Island at night? Every Friday night this summer a brilliant fireworks display will light up the Coney Island sky, offering spectators views all along the beach and boardwalk. There is usually a Brooklyn Cyclones baseball game happening alongside the fireworks as well as tons of other activities to keep you entertained and your belly full. Some of my favorites include the Cyclone Rollercoaster (and other carnival style rides), the famous Freak Show (which dates back to 1922 and begun by "Professor" Sam Wagner, known as "The Godfather" of the Coney Island Freak Show), Nathan's Famous Hot Dog's, and Totonno's, the oldest continuously operating pizzeria in the U.S. run by the same family and still standing in its original location since 1924 (where they use the finest tomatoes imported from Italy, handmade mozzarella cheese, and dough which is made daily in their kitchen, so yummy!)

I went for the fireworks last week, had a great time and took some photos. I've pasted them below. Enjoy "Coney Island at Night" through my eyes!

SJP: Not Brooklyn Bound

According to Josh Barnabel of the NY Times, the ultimate Manhattan girl Miss Sarah Jessica Parker and her husband Matthew Broderick will not be leaving their West Village digs for Park Slope after all. All of the articles and blogs that were written in hopes that they could soon call the Sex and the City gal their "neighbor" were all speculation and unfortunately untrue.

The Brooklyn Beat previously reported that "The gorgeous home (at 17 Prospect Park West, previously owned by film stars Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany) was purchased for $8.45 million last December by a limited liability company called Harken Pretty, which sounds "pretty" similar to SJP's production company, Pretty Matches. The house has nine bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms and since SJP just brought home newborn twins (from a surrogate mother), Park Slope seems like the ideal location for her growing family."

Barnabel reports that last week the actual owners of the house were spotted on the corner of Prospect Park West and Carroll Street. The buyers asked that their names not be published and "stepped forward to say, that while they were familiar with “Sex and the City,” they were just ordinary people looking for a family-friendly neighborhood." And the name similarity? Apparently Harken Pretty is an anagram of their first names.

I guess next time we should all call up SJP's publicist before we believe the Post and internet rumors. Until then, we hope that SJP's production company, who has optioned Amy Sohn's new Brooklyn mommy chick-lit book, "Prospect Park West" (Sohn is writing the TV Pilot for HBO) brings Brooklyn to the small screen!

Bastille Day Brooklyn Style!

The 7th annual Brooklyn Bastille Day celebration took place yesterday on Smith St. in Cobble Hill and it was bigger and better than ever. Bastille Day, the French national holiday celebrated on July 14th overseas (and referred to as Fête Nationale in France, "National Celebration" commemorating the 1790 Fête de la Fédération) comes to Brooklyn every year in the form of a block party founded by Francophile Bette Stoltz, executive director of the South Brooklyn Local Development Corporation. It is the biggest Bastille Day celebration in the United States and in addition to French food, drinks, (bring on the Ricard and Lillet!) music, and a mock guillotine, the street is covered in 10 yards of sand donated by the Quadrozzi concrete company for the annual petanque tournament (petanque is like bocce ball but played in sand and with metal balls). Eighty teams competed this year! Also for the third year in a row, there was a skateboarding competition courtesy of the Homage skateboarding emporium at 151 Smith St. The event was sponsored by two of the fabulous French restaurants on Smith St., Bar Tabac and Robin de Bois, and Ricard. In case you missed it, I documented the festival with photos and video clips of skateboarders in action and some serious petanque players. Enjoy!