nycares.orgWinter Wishes is one of the most fulfilling ways you can give this season. Sign up now to be a Santa for a local child in need. You will receive a letter from them and are asked to buy what you can from their wish list.
Last time we got a heart warming thank you from Senia.
It’s a great cause that makes direct connections to kids in need.
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by Patrick DoughertySometimes we forget what great, beautiful resources we have for outdoor fun in the city. I hadn’t been to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in some time but enjoyed the surprisingly gorgeous weather introducing Van to koi, grass (which he’s still skeptical of) and roses.
I also really loved the Natural History sculptures by Patrick Dougherty. They feel both natural and otherworldly. Wish we had one of these stick huts to hang out in all the time.
Have You Twatted?Yes. It’s true I tweet now. I didn’t get it before but now I do. Follow me if you’d like @brixpicks (and it’s not just photos of my baby or links to this site, promise).
Yamajirushi BrandThought I new all that I was reasonably expected to about hot sauce but then I discovered Yuzu-It at Midoriya.
Citrus and spicy and such a new taste explosion. I am psyched!!
Can’t wait to try it on eggs, right? It’s a bit pricy (7 dollars for a 5 ounce bottle) but well worth it.
177 North 9th St, WilliamsburgQuick! Make your way to Pierogi Gallery to gaze at the intricate mini etchings by Tony Fitzpatrick (the show ends Oct 9).
From Bazooka bubble gum to Dick Tracy,mutant birds to off kilter snow men, this small collection is like traveling through someone’s half remembered childhood memories. If those memories could be gorgeously rendered.
A few of my favorites are posted but you really have to see them all in person.
A really nice surprise on a Thursday afternoon walk and a wonderful introduction to an artist new to me.
At Yes Gallery, 147 India St, GreenpointLooking for interesting things to do with afternoon strolls with Van (there’s only so many times we can go out for coffee and baby food) I looked into local galleries and found Yes, an almost hidden space on India was hosting an interesting exhibit of drawings.
Beautiful yet sinister, Dana Bunker‘s bold drawings of women in tangled are eye catching and expertly crafted. They belong to a new wave of illustration style that surely has a name but I’ll call it realistic fantasy (see Deanne Cheuk and my old friend Ashley Macomber‘s work to see what I mean).
It’s very appealing stuff that reminds me as much of hand painted wallpaper as it does Italian Vogue.
So bold are her images that Kenneth Burris‘s almost fade into the background but they are worth close inspection. Some of subtle renderings of skyscrapers and ships are quite lovely, especially in the miniature drawings in the front room.
The pencil work is subtle and intricate (therefor also hard to photograph with just an iPhone, so excuse the lack if photos) but they’re better to see in person anyways so head down before October 9 when the show closes.
9/11 MemorialThe Tribute in Light is a most thoughtful and touching monument in honor of our darkest day.
This might be the last year the temporary art installation is up, so be sure to see it tonight and take a quiet moment of remembrance
Modular RugsLooking for an affordable, attractive rug option for Van’s floor play, Friends Mike and Shaun led us to Flor.
Modular, stylish, cheap and offering a myriad of textures and colors it was a perfect solution! I always wanted a pop of yellow in our pale blue grey room anyways.
What, September already?! While I love Fall, the end of Summer is still a little sad and one thing I’ll be missing is weekly visits to McCarren Park’s Turtle Water Park. It’s a small kid playland, hidden and unnoticed by most others that live around here (unless you’re there really early and sharing with a few sleeping drunk men).
Van, a big fan of water, loves it and I can see it becoming one of those halcyon early-childhood memories he cherishes many years from now–one of those fuzzy experiences that nag at the back of your mind and you wonder if it ever really happened or if it was just your childhood imagination… Or one of those spots that look so small when you return with an adult’s point of view.
Look at me, I’m getting sentimental about it for the grown up him 🙂
98 Norman Avenue, Greenpoint BrooklynWeary of local dentists (and with good reason it would seem based on the yelp reviews of Manhattan Ave Dental Associates and especially Greenpoint Dental Center, yikes!) I was thrilled to get a glowing recommendation from a trusted friend for Norman Dental Center.
After a clean, courteous, informative visit there myself after a filling mishap, I am passing the recommendation on to you!
Rarely do you leave a dentist excited to tell people about it, but Dr. Teague was fantastic and the nurse and receptionist were incredibly polite (something I find strangely lacking in most Doctor’s offices).
If you’re in the area and in need of nearby dental care, look no further.