53 Boerum

Next time you’re on the 2 train, totally riveted by an article in The Times, and think nobody is paying attention — think again. You just might be the subject of a new series of drawings by Brooklyn-based illustrator Ami Plasse. Ami, a resident of neighboring Brooklyn Heights, has been drawing on the train on and off for the past 11 years and finally began publishing his drawings on a blog — appropriately named — Ami Underground. His expressive sketches take ‘people watching’ to a new level and capture the unique mix of characters and fleeting moments that are quintessentially New York.

Ami’s talents aren’t limited to his subway sketchbook. Check out his complete portfolio of design, illustration and animation at amiplasse.com.

When it seems like all that’s going on in the music industry is Britney’s custody battle and Amy Winehouse’s drug habit, it’s easy to forget about all the not-yet-discovered talents out there. Lucky for us at 53 Boerum, one of them lives right here in the building!

Pamela Quinn is 1/4 of The Sweet Divines, a quartet of strong, soul-singing women (don’t dare call them a girl group) who will blow you away with their amazing vocals, unique ’60s vibe, and adorably matching wardrobe. There’s no production smoke-and-mirrors here, people. These ladies can just sing.

Check out their site at www.thesweetdivines.com and don’t miss their upcoming show at Union Hall on February 16. Their recent show at Magnetic Field sold out, so get your tickets early. And while you’re at it check out some sample MP3s, especially Honeythistle. I can’t get it out of my head!

Neighbors Katie and Brad alerted me that the NY Times article I was interviewed for was indeed on newsstands today! The article, featured in the Real Estate section of the April 14 issue, is a love letter to our blossoming residential Downtown Brooklyn neighborhood and highlights all the reasons it is such a great place to live. The Times deems Downtown the next big thing in Brooklyn real estate. Cheers to us for getting in early! Read the article here.

Photo courtesy of Uli Seit, NY Times.

OK, OK, I promise not every post will be about our new son. But with spring creeping up on us oh-so-quickly, I can’t help but get excited about taking the little guy to one of the great parks in our neighborhood. One of my personal favorites has always been Cobble Hill Park on Clinton and Congress… this well-kept greenspace is tucked away next to the most adorable residential street (Verandah Place), and has plenty of tables where you can often see older gentleman playing dominoes in harmony with young professionals clicking away on their laptops. There’s a small playground area, and plenty of benches on which to just sit back and enjoy the weather. It’s total perfection for a sunny spring day. What are some of your favorite parks? Any tips to share on which are family-friendly?

Calling all tiny ladies of 53 Boerum… there’s a handsome new man in town! We at 53boerum.com are pleased to introduce you to the newest resident, our son Cooper. Us proud parents can be seen strollin’ with the little guy around the building. Stop by and say hello!

Today at approximately 11:15 AM a fire broke out at the condo conversion at 110 Livingston. From what we could see out our living room window, black smoke was pouring out of what appeared to be the 4th and 5th floors. FDNY and paramedics were quickly on the scene — no word yet if there were any injuries, or the cause of the fire. Stay tuned to 53boerum.com and our Flickr gallery for more birds-eye view pics coming shortly…

When my mother-in-law was visiting recently, the husband and I took a walk up to our favorite Italian restaurant in the Northern Heights, Noodle Pudding. There was the usual 45-minute wait and even a wave of my very pregnant belly couldn’t help score us a table. So we decided to try Noodle’s neighbor, Henry’s End… and we are so glad we did!

A cozy spot known for serving game during the fall and winter (we had an outstanding buffalo steak), Henry’s End also has great southern fried chicken, a wide selection of veal dishes, superb seafood, and an array of duck dishes. A delicious house salad is served to all diners, along with the obligatory bread basket. There is also the extensive and reasonably priced wine list, many of which are available by the glass. We were way too stuffed to try the dessert menu, but the choices sounded delicious!

Perhaps what most impressed us about Henry’s End was the service. The friendly waitstaff are true professionals and take pride in their restaurant. We found them to be extremely knowledgeable in recommending dishes and pairing wine and beer with the meals.

We recommend Henry’s End for a date night or going out with friends. Sorry Noodle Pudding, we have a new favorite spot in the Heights!

If you are looking for something fun to do with your kiddies, check out The Little Gym, which is coming to Brooklyn Heights on Atlantic Avenue this January. This athletic facility, located adjacent to the YMCA in the Court House apartments, is geared towards wee ones aged 4 months all the way up to 14 years! Their professionally developed, non-competitive curriculum has been designed to build motor skills while having fun, and simultaneously fostering enhanced emotional, intellectual and social skills. Programs include movement, music, gymnastics, sports, exercise, games, listening and cooperation.

Of special note is “Parents’ Survival Night” held on select Friday and Saturday evenings. Moms and Dads can leave their kids in the care of The Little Gym pros for a night off to go a movie or dinner. It is open to both Little Gym members and non-members.

Looking for a fun and different idea for “date night?” Have an anniversary coming up? You might want to do something more creative than the usual fancy dinner out… like, actually cooking the meal yourself — along with 14 other New Yorkers!

Last night husband and I took a class called “Essentials of Tuscan Cooking” at the Institute of Culinary Education on West 23rd Street in Manhattan (OK, I know this blog is about Brooklyn but it is such a quick jaunt from 53BP on the F train, we are making an exception). The school offers an extensive selection of both professional and recreational courses.

At the beginning of class, we were given a booklet containing 12 recipes including Bistecca alla Fiorentina, Crostini with Roasted Eggplant, and Almond & Anise Biscotti (um…. YUM!!), which was the menu that our 16-person class was going to prepare that night. We were split into three “teams” and each assigned several dishes to prepare. Our cheerful instructor Michelle was there to help us along the way and answer questions when needed (I had no idea what a chive looked like). The entire cooking process took a couple of hours — when it was completed and our delectables were plated and ready to be served, the assistant instructor had already magically transformed 2 of the workstations into an elegant dining table set with white cloth tablecloths, silverware, artfully folded napkins, and bottles of wine. The class then sat down together to enjoy the fruits of our labor, the highlights being a Wild Mushroom Risotto that one of our fellow teammates prepared, and of course the Oranges with Marsala Glaze for dessert — prepared by yours truly and the husband. (One last shout-out must go to Jim from Delaware, who made the bellissimo biscotti!)

Our one-night 5-hour class was a reasonable $90/per person, which included all the ingredients, recipe booklet, instruction, dinner and wines. Take-home containers were also provided so you could enjoy some of your favorite dishes the next day. We had a blast and would highly recommend this for a fun night out for couples or a group of friends. Mangia!

Finally! Today as I walked past the painfully prime (but empty) retail space in the Court House Apartments, I had a vision! A vision of….. sneakers! Looks like the folks at New Balance have taken up shop in one of the store spaces. I stopped in to say hi and welcome to the nabe — they just opened yesterday. This is sure to inspire other retailers to start movin’ on in. Let’s offer the pioneers at New Balance our support and maybe buy some new kicks! The marathon’s only a few months away…