Brooklyn’s Fort Greene Neighbourhood

We’ve been in NYC for about a week and a half now (of our three week trip), and I would love to share some of our adventures and my travel picks with you.

First up is Fort Greene, the neighbourhood in Brooklyn where we’re staying. We LOVE it here. Residential tree-lined streets with gorgeous brownstones and old estate homes, great restaurants, Fort Greene Park and its green space, excellent access to subway lines, the only Target in Brooklyn, etc, etc. And everything is extremely family-friendly.  You can’t throw a stone around here without hitting a baby stroller. When people say that Leslieville is the “Brooklyn of Toronto”, this is what they must be referring to. This area certainly feels like home, but better.

Our favourite spots in Fort Greene (so far):

The Smoke Joint and Not Ray’s Pizza for delivery – they’re both really fast, cheap, and delicious. The Greene Grape has amazing gourmet groceries and coffee. Habana Outpost offers crazy-good Cuban food in a family-friendly atmosphere. They have an outdoor courtyard with a cool fountain, where kids run around and people chill in hammocks. The beer list at the Brooklyn Public House is impressive, and they didn’t blink when we brought our baby to happy hour.

Butterfly Nail Plaza is a no-frills but clean NY-style nail bar, where I got a great inexpensive manicure. Fort Greene Park is a good spot for a picnic and people watching. There’s a farmers’ market there on Saturdays with fresh produce, dairy, breads, fish, and more. The independent Greenlight Bookstore has an excellent selection of books by local writers (including Nicole Krauss and Jonathan Safran Foer), lots of books about Brooklyn and NYC, and great cards.

I have a few more great spots to share with you, but I’ll save them for their own posts later in the week.

[pic of Dekalb St in Fort Greene taken by me]

 

New Fall TV Shows

There are a handful of new TV shows starting up soon that I’m kind of excited about.  Up All Night looks hilarious (and very timely for Ian and I).  I love Will Arnett (he was so funny on Arrested Development) and Maya Rudolph is a genius (so funny in Bridesmaids, so lovely in Away We Go).

New Girl could be quirky and fun, like most of what Zooey Deschanel does, or it could totally suck.  I can’t tell.  Same with the American version of Prime Suspect – Helen Mirren’s show from the UK, but with Maria Bello (isn’t she so beautiful?).

And for the Sci-Fi hole in my life left by Lost, Terra Nova could be good.  But somehow I doubt it.

NY Magazine has a great roundup of the new shows.  Have a look at their slideshow here.  And if you don’t see anything you like, don’t worry… Downton Abbey is coming back!  See a trailer for Season 2 here.

New Favourite Shoes

Yesterday I got a new pair of shoes – chocolate brown classic Toms.  I had been looking for them for a while in Toronto, but I couldn’t find my size in the few stores I checked.  I had no problem finding them at DNA Footwear in Park Slope, and they are amazing.  Today I wore them for hours, walking around the Met Museum.  They’re starting to stretch and mold to my feet, and are getting even more comfy.  I love my Toms!

I’m Back… For A Moment.

You may have noticed from the last post that I’m back in Toronto… but only for a moment!  We’re in town until next Saturday, September 3, when we head back out again (to Brooklyn).

I have some photos and video to share with you from the last couple of weeks, when we were at a cottage we rented near Bancroft.  I’ll put those up next week sometime.  I also have some other random stuff to share with you all… just have to get it all together.  Please be patient with me… everything seems to take so much more time to do than before I had a kid!

[image above: one of my favourite drawings by Marc Johns.  If you like it too, you can get it as a temporary tattoo for only $5 over at Tattly]

The Best Travel Websites Ever

See… I told you I couldn’t stay away for long!  I saw this list of the Best Travel Websites Ever on the Guardian’s website and had to share.  It really is the best roundup of “insider” travel websites I’ve seen in a long time.  Peruse, and enjoy!  (I might be back soon with more info about a few of these that are personal faves.  Otherwise, I’m still on holiday!)

Au Revoir, Mes Amis

Yay – it’s finally vacation time!  Ian has just started his 12 weeks of parental leave, and we’re hitting the road.  First stop – visiting my parents, then his parents.  Then we’re off to the cottage we rented near Bancroft.  We’re back in Toronto for 10 days at the end of August, and then to Brooklyn.  It’s going to be a whirlwind, and as I’m sitting here with a packing list as long as my arm, I’m wondering if it’s all just a little too much.  But I’m always game for an adventure, so onward!

I won’t be blogging regularly until we’re settled back in at home at the end of September.  But I’ll probably pop online here and there to keep you updated, and share anything I find that I just can’t keep to myself.

Have a wonderful rest of your summer, whatever you’re up to.

Old Timey Bathing Suits

I went bathing suit shopping at the Bay on the weekend, as they’re having a 50% off sale.  It was hell.  I must have tried on at least 45 suits, and almost all of them looked terrible.  I did eventually find two that worked, so it ended up being okay, I guess.  A disheartening experience overall though.

Later, when I was complaining about the whole ordeal to friends, Jenna told me about Esther Williams Swimwear.  You know, Esther Williams, the swimming movie star from the ’40s and ’50s?  She has a line of old timey bathing suits that flatter the bodies of real women.

Jenna has the “classic sheath” bathing suit, and says that the construction is top notch.  I’ve seen it – it’s too cute.  I checked out the other looks available, and was thrilled to see that they have the one-piece “classic bandeau” style that I love.  The two bathing suits that I picked up at the Bay are that style, and it really seems to work for me.  Now I know where to get more if I can’t find them in traditional stores.  I think I’d get polka dot or cherries!

PS – I’m reading a book right now from England, and they call their bathing suits “bathing costumes”.  Don’t you love that?

Guy Garvey’s Finest Hour

Guy Garvey is the singer of one of Ian and I’s favourite bands – Manchester-based Elbow.  Guy hosts a radio program on BBC Radio 6 every Sunday night (at 10pm in England, or 5pm here) called Guy Garvey’s Finest Hour.  We like to listen in – he’s quite entertaining, and naturally, has a great voice for radio.  The music he picks to play is great too.

You can listen online on your computer here, or download the TuneInRadio app for your iPhone, iPad, or Blackberry.

[photo of Guy Garvey by Gary Calton, from this Guardian UK article]