Carroll Gardens, Gowanus and Rainy Day Musings on Love

I didn't let the rain last night stop me from an adventure. My friends got in touch with me to see this indie documentary, My Heart Is An Idiot, at Littlefield, a performance and art space in the Gowanus.

Coming from Williamsburg, I figured my easiest route would be to take the G to Carroll Gardens and then walk over on Carroll St. to the Park Slope side of the Gowanus. And what a gorgeous walk. I even passed the old location of ISSUE Project Room, a gorgeous space on Carroll St. between Bond and Nevins that is now BKLYN Yard.

I snapped a couple of shots during my walk. These don't capture the ethereal beauty of the place, the fragrant gardens and the humid, earthly feeling of the misty night.

My Heart Is An Idiot was a thoughtful documentary that followed around one man, Davy Rothbart and his professed search for true love. Rothbart, the creator of Found Magazine, tours around the country promoting Found and musing about love, namely in the form of two girls: the one he is obsessed with but with whom he has yet to forge anything more than a friendship with sexual overtones, and the girl with whom he is romantically involved but with whom he lacks a sense of commitment. As even his mother said in the doc, he is a "con artist" who is more focused on the pursuit of true love than the actual commitment of a relationship; as his one female friend put it, he is good at romance but not relationships. The beauty of this documentary is that it portrays Rothbart as the flawed, quirky individual he is in a very humanistic and sympathetic way. Thank director, collaborator and friend David Meiklejohn for that.  

Brooklyn Deliciousness and Debauchery

The storm clouds looming overhead today bring a sense of stillness to the city, the eerie quiet that precedes cleansing storms. It is fitting that the rain has held off until today, Sunday; the crisp, mild Fall weather of Friday and Saturday afforded a thorough enjoyment of the weekend, so that today we can stay out of the rainstorms and recuperate, indoors and cozy, free of guilt from not being outside.

Friday, I discovered Roberta's, a charming restaurant/pizzeria tucked into a quiet street in Bushwick. I am already planning on shortly returning to sample more of the deliciousness! After enjoying salad, cuttlefish and wine (yes, I had a glass! cheers to moderation...), I proceeded with my friend to Kings County Bar, a small hipster bar around the corner, in Bushwick/East Williamsburg. Sipping on my seltzer and lime, I sat outside with my friend in the lovely enclosed backyard area, listening to her stories of the bar's Saturday night frenzied crowd. Apparently Saturdays is a wild ruckus of a dance party and even has go-go dancers!

I may return there for less sober times in the future. But Friday night, after saying good-night to my friend, I departed to meet up in Greepoint. Here I discovered yet another place new to me, the Manhattan Inn, a confusingly named piano bar/jazz lounge/eatery in Greenpoint. I have to come back here as well!

All of this fun with only one glass of wine and good company!

Saturday, refreshingly not hungover, I embarked on a new adventure: BBQ party in Bushwick, celebrating my friend's birthday, mingling, and then biking and dancing galore. I have to say, I love, love love love small private outdoor parties! There is nothing better than a garden BBQ party in lovely crisp Fall weather, with good company, good food, and good music. I am excited about getting to know friends of friends better and delighted that NYC is opening up this way to me, with its hidden gardens and parties.

And then, I biked all the way to the Gowanus, from Bushwick, to the Bell House. I vaguely knew the way, vaguely got lost, and then seemingly magically arrived shortly before midnight, in time to pay the reduced entry for the Cheryl dance party. With a 7-11 costume theme, a free table to decorate yourself and thumping electro music, the party was truly jumping.

It was such an enthusiastic, visually fascinating crowd that I didn't even crave a drink. (And I was already good to go, with sangria from the BBQ party.) I even made it home on my bike before 2:30 a.m. Party pics below (which don't even do justice to the costumes or party).



And, today, there is a block party in Bushwick!! I wonder if it's rain or shine... Highlights include food from Roberta's and some great free music... !