53 Boerum

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!

I couldn’t resist taking a walk to 5th Ave in Park Slope on this glorious, sunny Saturday. I got a few tips on some adorable shops over there and was greatly looking forward to checking them out…

To fuel myself for a day of shopping, my first stop was Ozzie’s, a coffee-tea-house, for a delicious pineapple-coconut “tea blast” smoothie. Ozzie’s reminded me of a college library, due to the amount of young students armed with laptops, iPods, and textbooks filling up the tables. Ozzie’s provides an ample selection of free local Brooklyn newspapers and flyers about events going on the area, which is a great accompaniment to your drink, but potential distraction from your schoolwork.

When the clock struck twelve noon, I was on my way across the street to the wonderful shop called Lucia. I was tipped off to this place by a co-worker wearing adorable turquoise cork-heeled wedges that I also needed to have. The quaint store was filled with unique tops, skirts, jewelry, and of course, fabulous shoes - at very reasonable prices compared to other Brooklyn boutiques. I picked up 2 shirts and those turquoise wedges (yeah!). While I was paying, I chatted with the shopgirl and learned that I very coincidentally had met the owner of Lucia years ago through some professional networking events. Brooklyn’s a small world!

Onward to Cog & Pearl… a fantastic store for all things eclectic. Filled with all sorts of handmade creations, many made by local Brooklyn artists, Cog & Pearl offers a great selection of gift items, accessories, jewelry, and housewares. The browse-worthy shop is treated like a gallery, giving credit to the artists who’ve created the crafts on small cards beside their items.

Anyone who’s been to Park Slope knows that it’s most famous for it’s Bugaboo Brigade. …And with the strollers, of course, comes the bevy of baby boutiques. Romp - the self-proclaimed store “for modern kids” - is a super-cute shop that stocks well-designed toys and home products that are cool enough for even the most finicky parents. The owners encourage you to bring your little ones - they are very play-friendly!

> Ozzie’s Coffee, 249 5th Avenue, 718-768-6868
> Lucia, 272 5th Avenue, 718-788-7500
> Cog & Pearl, 190 5th Avenue, 718-623-8200
> Romp, 145 5th Avenue, 718-230-4373

*This is the first post in a new series called “Out & About,” in which we’ll leave the cozy confines of 53BP to explore and review other neighborhoods around Brooklyn. Special thanks go out to our 53BP friend and beat reporter, Katie, for researching and writing this guest post. Thanks Katie!*

This weekend Brad and I explored the historic district of Bed-Stuy: Stuyvesant Heights. We took the A express (2-3 stops only) from Hoyt-Schermerhorn to Utica, and exited at the Fulton Park side of the station. Even in the dead of winter the park, modeled after London’s Bloomsbury Square, was inviting, especially against a backdrop of a brownstone-lined block. Exploring the many residential streets boasting well-maintained, architecturally varied brownstones reminded me of Park Slope, Cobble Hill and Brooklyn Heights.

An interesting commercial street is Lewis Avenue, where we eavesdropped on a children’s book reading at Brownstone Books, and picked up an amazing piece of red velvet cake at BrEaD-Stuy, a small WiFi-enabled café that serves an assortment of gourmet coffee, baked goods, soups and sandwiches. Did I mention the red velvet cake? Eating it last night was probably the highlight of my weekend. You can even place orders for cakes. The owner of The Little Red Boutique, a hip, upscale clothing and bath products shop a block away, provided us with some good local info. She recommended Solomon’s Porch (Stuyvesant and Halsey) for lunch where we feasted on BBQ chicken wraps. The sweet onion jam was a nice touch. The service was slow, but it is a nice spot and if you go at night you can enjoy live jazz (note: it’s BYOB).

More about Bed-Stuy: Read the rest of this entry »