people in your neighborhood

L magazine does an interview series called "people in your neighborhood," where they ask somewhat prominent musicians/artists/actors in nyc to share some of their favorite spots in their neighborhood (i.e. restaurants, bars, etc.). i thought i'd contribute my own answers since i really dig my 'hood. here goes!

. . .

neighborhood: greenpoint

best place to people-watch? mccarren park is the obvious choice (especially when it's warm outside), but it's sometimes too hip/obnoxious for my liking. i prefer to get my people-watching in while eating brunch outside on the weekends.


best place to drink? my new favorite spot is no name bar. it has a rather discreet facade with no signage, but their backyard (complete with lanterns hung from a towering tree and--at least last weekend--blow-up kiddie pools) is the jam. five leaves will always be my go-to for tasty cocktails, but calexico has a killer jalapeno mint margarita and manhattan inn serves up a proper manhattan.

best restaurant? five leaves never disappoints. their brunch is without a doubt the best in the neighborhood, and i will occasionally treat myself to their burger and truffle fries if its been one of those days (we all have them). my other favorite spot is calexico; their hongos and frijoles negros rolled quesadillas are addicting--hence why they've named the accompanying dipping sauce "crack sauce." and i would be remiss if i didn't mention the institution that is peter pan donuts. their glazed sour cream and toasted coconut donuts are to die for.


best bookstore or record store? word on franklin st. has a great selection of new titles as well as the classics. i also love their stationery nook for letterpress greeting cards.

best grocery store/farmer's market? key foods on mcguinness has decent prices (decent for nyc) and all the benefits of a real grocery store (none of that bodega/corner store inadequate selection nonsense). there's also a really great farmer's market on the weekends on driggs/union near mccarren park.

best laundromat? susan's on the corner of diamond and driggs has a real quick turn-around on dry cleaning and pretty cheap wash n' fold services (so i hear... i have laundry in my building).

best outdoor spot? if mccarren park is overcrowded, i love going to mcgolrick park to play bocce while sipping a pimm's cup. the east river park plays host to some great concerts in the summer (i've seen grizzly bear, band of horses, dirty projectors, etc. there), and open space alliance shows movies on the mccarren basketball courts during summerscreen (i'm going to see clueless in a couple weeks). the glorious foodie-dream-come-true known as smorgasburg is also a great outdoor event.


best place to attend a show/view art/see a movie? greenpoint has a couple spots to see live music (lulu's, bar matchless and manhattan inn to name a few), but the majority of the nearby music venues are in williamsburg (glasslands, music hall of williamsburg, cameo, death by audio, pete's candy store, knitting factory, brooklyn bowl etc.).

best coffee shop? this is a tough one... i love brooklyn standard (stumptown coffee, delicious homemade zucchini and pumpkin breads, and the best egg and cheese biscuit this side of the east river). downside: no tables. if i'm working from home (which is a rarity), i like to grab coffee and sit at either cafe grumpy (somewhat pricey, but i love the effort that goes into making my cup of coffee) or cafe royal (super delicious breakfast burritos).


best subway line? the L train, hands down. i know better than to rely on the G train (even though i live closer to it than the L). the only thing the G is good for is going to the brooklyn flea or target... when it's working.

best date spot? i know i sound like a broken record, but i usually recommend five leaves for any occasion. their food is delicious any time of day (try the ricotta pancakes or sage egg scramble for brunch or the burger and truffle fries for dinner) and their seasonal cocktails are supreme. while it's a bit of a tight squeeze in the actual restaurant, their staff has always been super friendly (especially the old aussie host) and accommodating.


best person whose name you don't know? the guy who owns the 24-hour bodega on the corner of diamond and nassau. he's the absolute nicest and has the sweetest bodega kittens. (probably the only instance where having pets in a bodega doesn't repulse me.)

according to neighborhood folklore, are there any celebrities living in the area? i've seen the grizzly bear guys in the 'hood (mainly at five leaves), and one of the vampire weekend guys lives on my street.

which are there more of: dogs, bodega cats, strollers, american apparel ads, or old men on stoops? while strollers abound, i would have to say that one of the more prominent neighborhood fixtures would have to be old polish men on stoops.

what's missing from your neighborhood? a really great thai restaurant!! i keep wanting to give erb thai a second/twentieth chance, but they mostly disappoint. i love chicken pad see euw more than life itself, but i'm afraid theirs is not up to par. rawr.

what's been the biggest change since you've moved in? the number of young folks who've moved into the area. greenpoint's still very family-oriented (it continues to have a thriving polish community), but the young twenty-somethings have migrated north to escape the hullabaloo that is williamsburg.


it's a saturday night in july/august. you don't feel like traveling very far but are antsy for a night out. where do you go? that's an easy one: five leaves, no name bar, or a late night dance party at manhattan inn.