53 Boerum

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…

Husband was feeling a bit tense from work, so I decided to book him an hour at Providence Day Spa, right around the corner from 53BP on Atlantic Ave. The woman on the phone was extremely friendly and so pleasant, that by simply talking to her I was already feeling relaxed. I was excited to find out they also do prenatal massage, so I booked a half-hour session for myself!

Upon entering Providence, we were greeted with a cup of tea and an invitation to relax until our therapists were ready for us. The decor is very stylish and soothing, and it’s quite surprising how a small space can transform into an urban oasis in the middle of bustling Brooklyn! You won’t get fancy robes, slippers, or your own shower here — we deduced this was due to space constraints. But the treatment rooms are the same size as any other NYC spa, and you won’t feel any less pampered!

We also found the prices to be reasonable — husband’s one-hour massage was $90 and my 30-minute prenatal session was $50. It’s a joy to walk home in less than 5 minutes and continue the relaxation all day!

Looks like our neighbors at 110 Livingston have begun a-selling… I signed up for the mailing list a while back, and received a VIP invitation to go see a model apartment. Upon stopping in last-minute, the attractive salespeople disdainfully tried to turn me away until I told them about my invite… then, they were all smiles and ready to schedule my appointment! (Fear not, apparantly the building will be open to the general public “soon.”) Can’t wait to get in there and see what’s going on, as we’ve been peering down on this 300-unit project from our living room window for quite a while now. I’ll be back with a full report!

This Saturday, after a fine dinner at Noodle Pudding with our visiting families, we couldn’t help but notice loud booms that sounded a lot like fireworks. It’s not the 4th of July… so we headed towards the Promenade to investigate and were fortunate enough to stumble upon Target Children’s Day and Fireworks - a free family event at South Street Seaport. We had a bird’s eye view of the show; nothing beats seeing the city skyline amidst the colorful fanfare!

According to a recent article in the Daily News, “Brooklyn’s empty and dilapidated former Family Court building is set to be transformed into two glistening new city high schools.” The building, which is located at 283 Adams Street, will be converted into specialized high schools for over 1,000 students. Curriculum planning has not yet begun, but parents are already applauding the plans for the new schools which are slated to open over a four-year period starting in September 2008.

Special thanks and a shiny, red apple to future-teacher Katie for the tip on this story.

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