Last year, Vanderbilt was blocked off from car traffic for four Sundays and filled with music, food, and activities for all ages.  It was so successful that they’re bringing it back this summer, with slightly different scheduling.  Vanderbilt will be closed from Dean to Park from 12:00pm to 5:00pm on:

Saturday, June 12th

Sundays June 20th and 27th

Latisha Daring, Vanderbilt Avenue Merchants District Vice President and local business owner, says, “This year, expect more! More music, more dancing, and more art, and as always, there will be plenty of surprises!”

Buttermilk Channel in Carroll Gardens is one of the restaurants I’ve been meaning to try for the past year.  We went on Saturday, and the first thing you should know is that this joint is jumpin’!  We arrived at 7:00pm and were quoted an hour and 15 minute wait (they only take reservations for large parties).  After a stroll around the neighborhood and a cup of coffee elsewhere, we sat down to dinner.  The restaurant has between 15 and 20 tables, depending on how they configure them, and a long bar with probably 15 seats.

The menu is one page, but there are enough options that it was hard to decide.  They have everything from bar snacks to oysters to charcuterie, and two categories labeled “First Course” and “Second Course”.  The theme is haute barnyard, and they do it very well.  We decided on Maple Bacon Glazed Almonds and the Delicata Squash Tart to start.  The almonds were good but were totally upstaged by the chunks of candied bacon that came with them.  The tart was delicate and rich.

For our entrees, my gentleman friend had the Duck Meatloaf and I had the Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Cheddar Waffles.  The meatloaf was rich and deliciously savory, and the fried chicken was crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside, just like it should be.

For dessert, we shared the Pecan Pie Sundae, which was exactly what it sounds like.  YUM!

The wine list hovered around $10 a glass.  There were about five local beers on tap, and their signature cocktails looked classy.  The service was attentive and our server was great about giving recommendations when asked.  Entrees run between $17 and $22, appetizers $10 and under.

We’ll definitely be back on a Monday, when they do a three course menu for $25.  Thanks for a great meal, Buttermilk Channel!

Buttermilk Channel, 524 Court St., (718) 852-8490

Real Live Girls! Real Live Tunes!
A night of live music and burlesque
Friday January 15th, 8-11pm
Bar 4 in Park Slope, 444 7th Ave. (@15th St.)
No cover!

Hosted by comedian Chris Sifflet

With musical sets by:
Duck!
Hank & Cupcakes
The Young Dads
Dinosaur Feathers

Featuring the burlesque stylings of:

Cozy Josie
Sebastian Darling
Della Dare
Kay Cazzo

We had such a great time in September that we simply HAD to do it again!  With a combination of new performers and old favorites, this night of new routines and fresh tunes is the perfect way to warm up a cold January night.  Warning: last time things were pretty packed, so get there early to claim a good spot!

Last weekend was the grand opening of the Brooklyn Flea’s winter home at One Hanson, aka the Williamsburg Savings Bank.  The building has just been restored, and it looks amazing!  The main floor has most of the non-food vendors, but there are more on an upper mezzanine and a few downstairs by the super cool vault where the food vendors are set up.  Stop by any Saturday or Sunday through March from 10am to 5pm for great shopping, delicious food, and an inside view of a historic Brooklyn building.

Brooklyn Flea, 1 Hanson Place, right next to the Atlantic Center Terminal

Last fall, I had the opportunity to do some personal training with my friend Haley Treco.  Haley is a friend of mine from college, and she’s also a certified personal trainer and nutrition and wellness consultant.  Had she not been someone I knew already, I don’t think I ever would have tried personal training.  I had a negative experience with the personal training at my gym (in the first session my trainer said “No more french fries.  Ever.” and repeatedly said “bas-LAM-ic instead of “bal-SAM-ic,” which I guess shouldn’t be such a big deal but this is my HEALTH here).  Even just the title of “Personal Trainer” brings to mind some sort of terrifying boot camp/Olympic games/marathon scenario where I pass out during the session and get trampled by an army of thin, sexy people.

Haley herself. See? Not scary! Just buff!

Luckily, Haley is nothing like those nightmare trainers.  I met with her a couple times a week for hour long workouts at her gym in Williamsburg, and she worked with me to develop a challenging (but not faint-inducing) all-around workout that I can do on my own.  The workout is a big improvement on what I had been doing at the gym (basically, half an hour of cardio followed by aimless weight lifting and a few crunches), and I’ve noticed tangible changes in my strength and muscle tone.

The most important thing about working with Haley is that I immediately felt like she was both realistic about what I could do and confident that I had the ability to improve.  So much of working out is mental, and it was critical to me that the person I was working with believed in my capabilities but wasn’t going to push me too fast to do things my body wasn’t ready for.  Haley believed that I was worth training, which sounds kind of gushy but I think is a big hangup for people when deciding whether or not to work out.  Her goal is getting you into the best shape for your body, not getting you to lose x number of pounds or get down to 0% body fat.

Another great thing about Haley: she is CHEAP!  Her rates are somewhat dependent on where you train (less if you train at her gym, more if she travels to yours, assuming your gym allows outside trainers), but they are less than half what the trainers at my gym charge, for much more personalized service.  She trains people of all genders, ages, and sizes.  If your New Years Resolution includes losing weight, getting in shape, or making more out of what you’re already doing at the gym, I seriously recommend training with Haley Treco.  Check out her business facebook page for more info, or email her directly at haleytreco AT gmail.com.

Our friends at Gothamist shed a little light on what the hold up is at Way Station on Washington: no liquor license.  I guess they’ve been holding one-off events with one night only licenses, but haven’t been able to get a real one.  If you want to show ‘em a little support, stop by on New Years Eve for their party/fundraiser.

Just read this post on Brownstoner that describes Steampunk bar Way Station as a “music venue” set to open after the first of the year.  Interesting!  Apparently they’re also having a Christmas/Hanukkah party on the 20th and a New Years Eve party, if you’re interested.

Way Station, 683 Washington Ave.

Minor Arcana was supposed to be called Flying Monkeys.  That was before a tarot card reader in Brighton Beach told the owner that he was destined for failure in his new venture.  Instead of throwing in the towel, he changed the name: “Minor Arcana” apparently refers to a destiny that you can change.  Thanks to this twist of fate, we can welcome to the neighborhood this small but cozy bar on Washington between Prospect and St. Marks.

The bar has a loose Coney Island theme, with sideshow style posters on the walls and tarot cards in the glass topped bar, but calling this a theme bar would be an overstatement.  Amazingly enough, it seems to aim to be just…a good bar.  Our bartender was friendly and from the neighborhood.  They have 12 taps with most beers at $6 (they have one for $3; add a shot of Jim Beam for another $3).  A jukebox near the entryway plays mostly rock.

I think it’s a sign of how much Washington Ave. has changed in the last year that a bar can now open without a gimmick and expect to attract people simply based on the fact that there are people in the neighborhood looking for a hangout spot.  One year ago, there were no bars on the block; now we have at least five.  Prospect Heights and Crown Heights are exploding, and it’s going to be really interesting to see where we are a year from today.  So on that note, welcome to the neighborhood, Minor Arcana!

Minor Arcana, 706 Washington Ave. between Prospect and St. Marks

This is it, folks: the last two shares of the 2009 Prospect Heights CSA season.  Didn’t that go fast?!

Week 21

We got some adorable cauliflower, which led me to learn that cauliflower used to always be this size, but they were bred to be bigger to fit American tastes.  Now, with petite vegetables becoming more and more popular with restaurants, the original size has come back into vogue.  (Thanks, “Produce Bible”!)

Week 22

As you can see, we now have enough potatoes and shallots to feed a small army.

And that’s the growing season!  It goes to show that even in a “year with no summer,” our local farms can produce some really amazing stuff.  We’ve been eating a primarily vegetarian diet all season without trying; we’ve just had too much else to cook!  This season we’ve learned some new recipes, eaten a LOT of frittatas and quiche, and decided that we just aren’t a fennel household.  We’re signed on to our CSA’s winter share, which is a once a month delivery, so we don’t have to go through complete withdrawal quite yet.  Besides, we still have to finish all those carrots…

Geez, I can’t keep up!  Brownstoner reports another bar opening on Washington.  This one is called Minor Arcana and is going to have a Coney Island theme.  The location is 706 Washington Ave., between Prospect and St. Marks.  Check it out on Friday night!