Afternoon beer at The Gate

Summer days at The Gate's patio. Great relaxed Brooklyn vibe. Reminds me of hanging out at the Dog and Duck in Austin.

I love summer, and it seems my camera really loves beer.

Prospect Park

Summer is finally here, and one of the greatest parts of living in Park Slope, is the proximity to Prospect Park. I like it better than Central Park, in many ways, and not just because it's three blocks from my apartment as opposed to a 30+ min subway ride.

Both have the same style, having been designed by Frederick L. Olmsted, but Prospect Park was designed later, so it's supposed to be the park he was proudest of. The landscape architecture geek in me really digs this. Additionally, Prospect has a more intimate feel from Central, less tourists, more people just sunbathing and having picnics. It feels more like a park for the neighborhood, where people are there to truly use the open space for it's intended purpose.

I had some fun taking pictures, playing with the macros and light settings.

Rainbow Over NYC

I meant to post this a week a go. But after an obnoxiously wet month of June, last Saturday we saw the most wonderful thing: a full rainbow over the Brooklyn sky. I hear you could see it over all of NYC, but in Park Slope, because of the lower rise buildings, we could appreciate it in all it's glory. I can't remember the last time I saw such a complete rainbow, the full arc, and all the colors individually delineated

And in time for Gay Pride Week!

7th Avenue Gay Pride Parade

It's one of the strange things about living in Brooklyn, when you go grocery shopping one Saturday evening, and find that your street is closed off to cars because the Brooklyn Gay Pride Parade will be going right through it. So we bought our groceries, went back home, and sat at the window sill in the currently unoccupied next door apartment, which has views out to 7th Avenue. Then we watched the Parade go literally by our building's front door, full of dance music and people cheering.

This must be one of those, only in NYC moments.

Rachel's Taqueria

I think we have found a new happy hour spot. We went out to celebrate because I FINALLY have some architecture contract work. After sending out my resume to a kazillion places, I got an interview and they called me back and want me to work for them. It's not a full time position, but really, with the economy the way it is, I am incredibly excited about it.

I'd wanted to come here for HH for a while, since it's two blocks from our place, and they had recently remodeled the bar area. Finally made it, and I'm glad to say that the margaritas were strong yet sweet, and mostly, they were only $4 each at the bar. Can't beat that.

St Augustine Roman Catholic

The wedding preparations continue (which makes it sound much more hardcore than it really is). Like proper family folk, Nate and I have decided to have two separate celebrations: one to address his Texas family and US traditions, and one in Peru for my side. And the Peruvian one, as custom suggests and dictates, will be a catholic ceremony.

Which sounds great and all, but I haven't attended church regularly since... uh, my first communion? I have a lot of catching up to do. I have to get confirmed (which includes classes, finding a sponsor and doing the ritual), and Nate and I have to attend the Pre-Cana workshop and do some premarital sessions with a priest. We are doing all the preparatory bureaucratic paperwork here in Brooklyn, which will then be sent over to the Archdiocese in Lima. It seems to be a pretty standard process. I hope.

Well, today was our first meeting with the Priest, and he was very nice and welcoming. I decided on St. Augustine Church mostly because they are located a block from my apartment, but based on how they've been so far I would have picked them even if they were THREE blocks away. Everyone has been nice and welcoming, and specially, so willing to work with us through this process.

Not confirmed? No problem, you are welcome to the classes. Had to miss the first two sessions because you were in Texas? No problem, you can make them up, no big deal. Nate is not Catholic? No problem, this is common, just need some proof that he is baptized. Don't have a certificate? No problem, we can work it out with you as needed. I really get the sense that they are on my side, and happy to be helpful.

If more churches had been like this when I first moved to Austin (St. Austin's, I am looking at you and your wretched school), I might not have had such a negative reaction to the Catholics in the US. It turns out, maybe it was just St. Austins that sucked, because so far St. Augustine seems to be very much like what I remember churches being like in Lima.

The building is old, and, well, it reminds me of a church. I sound like an untrained layman, because a deeply rooted part of me wants Church to look old and solid, like the stones have been around longer than my grandparents. This must be the same deeply ingrained part of me that remembers all the prayers in Spanish, and knows instinctively when to stand/sit and answer the priest while in mass. The architect in me considers this ludicrous and wants me to fight my baser instincts. But there you go, I like St. Augustine because it looks like what a proper Catholic church should look like.

It's curious for me to have a church a block away, and Park Slope is filled with churches, of all sorts of denominations. I know Texas is a god-fearing state, but I have never felt so surrounded by places of worship than when I moved to NYC. Must be the density, because every two blocks, there is another church popping up, happily reminding me that Sunday is coming up, and uh... god is watching? The cultural catholic guilt is a hard one to get rid of.

Nate and I went on a walk this morning after our meeting with the Priest, and I decided to embrace the day and take pictures of the churches we saw on the way. We must have walked about a half hour or so, went to get coffee and enjoyed the pretty weather.

The seemingly excessive amount of churches, which I had noticed before, must be part of what makes this neighborhood feel so authentic. I am not saying that a place of worship is necessary for the longevity of a community, but rather, a diversity of services is what makes a neighborhood sustainable. We, as residents, need to know that there is a church within a walking radius us, just like we need a library, cleaners, doctors, daycare, gyms, shoe repair, electronics, groceries, cafes, etc. And even though I don't patronize many of the aforementioned services , it matters to me that they exist. The day that I need one (like say now, when I am going through the wedding preparation process), I can walk five minutes and be there. I don't even have to leave the neighborhood. And that's part of what makes Park Slope such a sustainable piece of urban fabric.

Coco Roco - Park Slope

I feel like I have neglected this blog lately. I've been studying for the LEED exam (sustainable design certification), and it just took over my life these last few weeks. The good news is that I passed and I now get to put the super nifty LEED AP title after my name. The bad news is that my apartment is falling apart and needs to be put back together, and now I am back to full time job hunting. blegh

Still, yesterday was a great day. I took the exam, managed to inadvertently insult the proctor while singing in, became convinced halfway through that I must be failing, received my passing score, stared at the computer screen for a solid five minutes in disbelief, and proceeded to excitedly walk back home all the way from Brooklyn Heights (about 40 minutes). I felt like this weight had been lifted off my shoulders, a monkey off my back, of however that weird expression works. I'd been holding my breath for a solid month, and the feeling of oxygen seemed to confuse my lungs.

Of course I celebrated by having some wine at home. Nate was still at work, but since when has that stopped anyone? One of the perks of being self employed is that ability to make scheduling adjustments for any personal, um, needs.

I later convinced Nate we should celebrate a Coco Roco, a Park Slope Peruvian restaurant that we hadn't been to in a while. I was seriously craving some Pollo a la Brasa (also known as Rotisserie Chicken); which is weird, because my family did not eat pollo a la brasa in Peru (my dad didn't care for it, said it was too hard to eat with all the bones.) So it's not like this craving came from a childhood comfort food place.

We ordered Pisco Sours, I got Pollo a la Brasa with french fries, and Nate Lomo Saltado. The drinks were great- sweet, tasty and strong, just like they should be. It's not a good Pisco Sour unless you think you are drinking lemonade and then realize you are buzzed.

The food didn't fare as well. The chicken was juicy and tender, but the soggy fries left a lot to be desired. The roast chicken is supposed to be their specialty, and I can see why. Nate's meat was tasty, but the rice felt dry and under seasoned. And seriously, this is a Peruvian restaurant, rice quality is of the essence. I found his dish disappointing, because Lomo Saltado is one of those things that should be hard to mess up. I've had it before though, and it was good, so maybe their rice maker was broken yesterday or something.

Fun side factoid though, Tuesdays are the token free Salsa lesson days. Must be an attempt to rev up business on the slow part of the week. And it must not be working because there were only about 6 full tables. A couple of tables joined the instructors for lessons, and I wish we had gotten up and learned some fun turns. But Nate had to get back early, and we left shortly after finishing our food. He promised that next time we go, we can make more of a night and stay for free lessons.

I want him to learn more moves so that we can latin dance at our wedding. Silly me, but it seems important.

Coco Roco
392 Fifth Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11215

interior photo courtesy of Kate Attardo and New York Magazine

Connecticut Muffin

Many years, ago, when I lived in the UT dorms, I developed a morning routine of picking up to-go breakfast from the dorm coffee stand. Specially useful on those days when I had early morning classes. Nothing crazy or unusual, just a juice box and a muffin. Not just any muffin. A poppy-seed muffin, and if they were out of that flavor I would just get a bagel. I developed a taste for these delicious poppy concoctions, and figured that after I moved out of the dorms, it'd be nice to still have them from time to time.

No big deal, right?

Well, to my amazement, poppy seed muffins are not that easy to find. Over the ensuing years, I kept my eye open for these very specific muffins, checking every coffee shop in the Austin area just in case they carried them. I found banana nut, bran, orange, chocolate chip, oat, etc. But I was a woman on a mission, and it was all or nothing. In reality, I don't particularly care for other muffins, they taste a bit soggy. Maybe I just have a chemical dependency to poppies, they did make Elaine fail a drug test on Seinfeld, after all.

Fast forward ...oh.. about eight years. I am older and wiser, and have by and large finished my search. Simple answer: the HEB bakery sells poppy-seed muffins. Not the most glamorous setting, but they taste good. If there are other places in Austin, I'd love to hear it, but I won't believe you. I searched. It's done, I am content. Then I move to Brooklyn and it stirs the quest again. And wouldn't you know it, I am still having a hard time finding the dreaded muffins here too.

That is, until the day the skies part and angelic music fills the streets, and I see, a mere eight blocks from my apartment: Connecticut Muffin. An entire place that celebrates muffins. And of course, they carry lemon poppy (my favorite) with glazing. I am in heaven.

I should add that I like Connecticut Muffin for many other reasons as well, and I probably wouldn't have found those out if I didn't have this zealous quest for poppies. Connecticut Muffin, in addition to their namesake, also sells other basic pastries, sandwiches, coffee, and refreshing granitas in the summer time. The service is efficient and friendly. And though their location is tiny, they have claimed the exterior via a slightly sunken area with benches. When it's warm, every possible seat is taken, and people use this space to read, chat with friends, hang out with kids, dogs, etc. It's truly a case of a coffee shop spilling out to the street.

I like coming to Conn Muffin on days like today, when I am washing my clothes at the laundromat across the street. I start the washer (or dryer) and come here, order my blessed muffin, a cup of coffee, and pick up one of the many newspapers lying around from previous customers. It makes the dreaded laundry process be a bit more bearable.

And, it puts a very satisfying end to an obnoxious quest that I should have finished years ago if I had been really really serious about finding these muffins.

Brooklyn St. Patrick's Parade

This afternoon we went to the hardware store to buy a fly swatter, and voila, there was a parade down on our street. It was fun. Lots of bagpipes, kilts and people wearing green, and many schools and local chapters of armed forces represented.

We had no idea there was even a parade scheduled on our street, so it was a happy surprise. Lucky for me, I had my camera with me, so I took some pictures.

Long Tan

I've been getting used lately to ordering Thai takeout. It's nice, we don't have to cook, and we pick up the food ourselves since the place we like is only four blocks away. Then I can just eat in my PJs while we watch The Daily Show on Hulu. What can I say, I'm living the dream.

The thing is, Long Tan, our current favorite Thai takeout, also happens to be a great location. Which really raises a conundrum on nights when we want to go out and have a nice dinner. Why should we go to a restaurant that serves the very food we like to pick up when we are feeling lazy?

Because we like the food. This is the answer I've come to.

Whatever. I like the place. It feels very modern and hipstery. Dark red walls, minimalist wall decorations, mood lighting and candles, bamboo plants as place settings. It feels very urban and chill. It also helps that they have a pretty good music selection. Just today we were serenaded by The Shins, Elliot Smith, Interpol and Led Zeppelin, from what I recognized.

I ordered a glass of white wine and Thai fried rice with chicken. Nate got a Yuengling beer and pad Thai noodles. My rice was good and tasty, and was in fact so large that I took some home with me. Nate finished his whole plate, and I'll trust him that it was good since I don't eat peanuts. This menu is really affordable, and it's nice to have a nice night out in a place that exudes fabulousness without breaking the budget.

We also took a bunch of silly pictures. I've been trying to discover all my Minolta's different options and settings. I inherited this camera from my father a few months ago, and though it's not my dream Nikon SLR, but it's definitely an upgrade from the previous one I had. I've been attempting to figure out all the manual settings, aperture, focus, f-stop and exposure. With mixed results, but it was still fun to take 50 pictures of the glasses and coffee.

Ozzie's Coffee - The Third Place

In Urban Design, there is a term for informal gathering spaces, coined by Ray Oldenburg, called the Third Place: “a setting beyond home and work (the “first” and “second” places respectively) in which people relax in good company and do so in regular basis.”

This becomes that hub in a community, the place where people go to meet people, to be aware of what is happening around them, to see and be seen. Such as coffee shops, community centers, bars with the same regulars for happy hour, that type of place. I have been fascinated for a while by the ongoing discussion of how Third Places fit with modern cities. Modern American city planning encourages nesting – think of suburban homes becoming larger and larger, including private pools, movie-viewing rooms, space for a full bar, private decks, etc. Entertainment becomes a private notion rather than being in a public setting. Even suburban clubhouses are private in nature, as they require a type of membership for use – living there. I have an entire schpeal about suburban city planning, but I wont kick a puppy while it’s down, as suburban developments haven’t been doing well lately.

Some people also feel that the Internet acts as a Third Place. I find this concept to be very interesting and spent, in fact, an entire semester of graduate school discussing this in class – digital communities, social networking, forums, multi-user games, etc. And though I agree with the functionality of the web as a tool for socialization, personally I crave physical proximity. Third Places persist, as they are in many ways a vital part of how we interact with the world. We still find coffee shops and places that are of a public nature, where we can democratically intermingle with the community.

Oldenburg said "The character of a third place is determined most of all by its regular clientele and is marked by a playful mood, which contrasts with people's more serious involvement in other spheres. Though a radically different kind of setting for a home, the third place is remarkably similar to a good home in the psychological comfort and support that it extends…They are the heart of a community's social vitality, the grassroots of democracy, but sadly, they constitute a diminishing aspect of the American social landscape.”

I realized today that Ozzie’s, a coffee shop in my neighborhood, might just be a perfect Third Place by every definition.

I wrote about Ozzie’s a few days ago, in my search for good coffee shops in which to study. I went today to the main location on 5th Avenue, a few blocks from my house. The 5th Avenue location is larger, brighter, with bigger tables and more windows, a nicer model to the smaller location in front of my house. And as I discovered today, it is also a great community hub.

For starters, a major characteristic of Third Places is that they tend to be from the community to the community. Ozzie’s is locally owned and only has two locations, both in the neighborhood. They also have a major wall to a bulletin board advertising everything from guitar lessons, moving services (“a guy with a truck”), to tutoring and computer services. Nothing too crazy, but it’s always nice to see home made ads. There is also a bookshelf for free book exchanges, free wi-fi, computer and printers on a pay as you go basis, a full table with local magazines and newspapers, sandwiches, and board game night on Thursdays.

The thing that really got me, though, was that people were using the space. I was sitting across from a young hipster mommy group. Six or so young mothers and their babies, drinking coffee and conversing about movies or whatever, all the while breastfeeding, burping their children, and balancing them around with expert ease. Yes, the kids were a bit loud, but no one complained. This is a child friendly establishment. Probably because the rest of the clientele was, respectively, an old couple reading the newspaper, a group of teenage girls giggling about boys, 6 or so tables with students and their laptops, some young people reading books, 3-4 tables with kids being tutored in math, and some parents who were waiting for their kids to meet them there after school. Everyone had a stake in the place. And it made me realize that Ozzie’s, along with selling coffee and pastries, is providing the community with a basic gathering point. People know a meeting space is their at their convenience, and this is powerful knowledge.

It was one of those moments where all the things I learned in school clicked in a whole new personal way. The nerdy urban designer in me had a totally exhilarating moment. My “cool” façade betrayed nothing. I feel like I could geek out on this for hours, and go into my excited rants of how amazing it is to live in a medium-density vibrant mixed-use neighborhood, but I think I should finish.

After all, my reason for coffee shop searching was to study for LEED. And I still need to get some reading done tonight.

Tarzian Hardware

So this didn't actually happen today, but since I didn't go to any place in particular, I figured I'd reach a little and talk about a Saturday errand. I am really trying, as much as possible, to keep this weblog primarily about "places" I go to. Its a good way to keep me busy and actively explore the city.

I don't make it a habit to go to the hardware store, in all honesty, though I love them. Tarzian is that typical small neighborhood place, everything is really crammed and they have a little bit of everything. Granted, when we painted the living room or when we've had major home repair projects we made the trek to home depot. I love local stores, but what can I say, when push came to shove, Home Depot has move wood and tools. And we've gone to HD a few times, I think both Nate and me tend to like DIY home stuff. (On a side note, I hope to someday make my own coffee table. But that'll be some other day.)

Tarzian is that perfectly dependable place that has everything you need if it's just a couple of items. Over the months I have purchased tape, nails, hooks, putty, different sized screws, cables, light bulbs, paint, and the like. I don't think I can say enough how much I love my neighborhood and having a hardware store nearby that actually has products I need. Sometimes, if I'm not careful, I go several days without leaving Park Slope, and that's not really good for me either.

Last Saturday we needed twisty ties. There's a back story. I woke up in the middle of Friday night with a terrible splintering migraine, and I went to the bathroom desperately looking for my meds. I hate my migraines; they are the bane of my existence. And that very night our bathroom shelf (which we had put there) decided it was time to fall off the wall. On top of me. It wasn't the wall connection that failed, it was the black wire shelf itself. So despite the dramatics, I only ended having a huge bruise on my arm, and a little bruise on my nose (that looks only like badly applied eye shadow, thank god). Still, I totally freaked out about it, and Nate wisely decided we needed some reinforcement for the shelf. We also got a couple more brackets to attach the shelf to the wall.

All I have to say is, good thing the bathroom floor had been recently scrubbed, and we are lucky the toilet seat was down. : )

Bad picture of my arm bruise, that's my elbow at the bottom. And the new reinforced shelf is back up. Just need to put all the towels and stuff on it.


Tarzian photo courtesy of PSFK

Union Hall

Last Night, after having dinner at Aunt Suzie's, I went to grab couple of drinks with J. We had bunch of stuff to catch up on, and Union Hall is a good bar. It's always good to catch up with friends, we get so wrapped up in our schedules that time just flies by, and sometimes I just need a state of the union type outing.

One of the greatest things about living in New York is not having to worry about drunk driving. I know I sound like such a lush with that statement. But its just so nice to be able to move around without needing a car. Union Hall is within walking distance of my apartment. It is wonderful to be able to go to dinner, and then grab a drink at a "cool" bar, and then walk home. All without having to leave the neighborhood. Granted, drunken walking isn't pleasant either, but at least it doesn't harm other people.

Drunk walking was a non-issue last night. At least not when I went to Union Hall. I had a Purim party later on, so the beers were just for an hour or so. Then J and I parted ways, I went home, changed for the party, and we headed out. Still in Brooklyn, but a different neighborhood.

I ordered a glass of wine, and J had a mixed drink and we sat at the bar. I guess it was early, because it wasn't very crowded. I have been there late at night when the place is so hopping it's hard to even find space to stand.

The greatest thing about Union Hall are the bocce ball lanes. I'm learning that this isn't the only NYC bar with bocce ball, that in fact, it might even be hipster thing to do. No matter, I hadn't seen bocce lanes since I was a kid. I remember being at the Regatas, in Lima, and watching the old men in their guayaveras, drinking beer and playing bocce. I also remember thinking that it looked really boring, like bowling without the excitement of knocking down pins. I must say, hipster bocce is awesome. These guys, in their fabulous ironic outfits, drinking nice Belgian beers, and being so earnest about their game, they crack me up. And they have skills. To this day I haven't ventured to play because every time I go its really late, and the sign up list is pretty full. It's not a big deal to wait, but since I've never played bocce ball before I'd rather not do it to a full audience. I also hear they have a boccce league, which seriously? brilliant.

Ozzie's Coffee

Today was one of those days where I just didn't want to leave Brooklyn. The way my transit card works right now, is that it costs me less long term to pay per ride than to get the monthly pass. It's fine, but it has the undesired side effect that sometimes I just don't go to Manhattan unless I have an actual reason, otherwise it costs me 4 bucks to get there and back. Four bucks add up, man.

This is partly why I ended up at the coffee shop in front of our building. Literally, it's right across the street. I love Park Slope so much. I am still in full study mode for the LEED Exam. If Obama is right, most of the new construction coming up will be sustainable design, and I gotta make myself competitive as a candidate. And I trust Obama, I really do.

I have very mixed feelings about Ozzie's. I want to like it because it's a coffee shop right across the street. My parent's thought it was the greatest place when they came to visit last year. But other times I've gone, I've had super slow unfriendly service. One time I tried to work with my laption and I couldn't get the wi-fi to work. Then again, I haven't fully given it a chance because something always seemed a little off to me about it. Nate goes there on Saturday morning and picks up coffee and bagels for us. They are usually good enough. So I should like it, right? It's this weird thing where I want to like it and I want to not like it, and faction of my aesthetic subcontious are battling it out.

Stop. I'm waxing philosophical and that never leads anywhere productive.

I just want to say: I think I am an Ozzie's convert. I like the place. I had a great experience there. And I think it's an important distinction to see which types of coffee uses it can have, and what things it's just not so good at. Specially in comparison to the Tea Lounge, which from the surface was my preferred place. I feel like because I went to them back to back recently with the specific purpose of studying, I can only judge one in comparison to the other.

The thing is, Ozzie's doesn't have couches. It doesn't have that cozy vibe where you envelope yourself in indie coolness and have yerba mate to chill around. In many ways, Ozzie's is more of a utilitarian coffee shop that reminds me of an old pharmacy converted to a cafe. You know the type, it's an established prototype. It has lots of windows, and teeny tiny tables that are really best for no more than two people. The morning service is terrible, but the afternoon guys were pretty chill. Probably because they work in the afternoon, and the morning guys have to be there at 6 am, and really, who could be in a good mood when they get up so early in the morning.

The main thing I like was that I got a lot of work done. A lot. There was a utilitarian aspect to it that really vibed with my mood. Every table was full, and though people kept leaving and new ones took over their tables, I didn't feel weird for staying for over 2 hours nursing my same cup of coffee. The guys sitting closest to me was a a bit annoying, as he kept answering his phone, but not that big a deal in the grand scheme. The people were good, not pretentious, not there to see and be seen. They seemed to be there because they wanted to sit and have coffee. There were some people reading the newspaper, some reading books, a couple of people with sketchbooks, about 5 -6 students with textboks and laptops, two tables with parents and babies, and a couple of table with single people making time until their friends showed up to join them. A good diverse crowd, both in age and activity. As an urban designer, I coudln't ask for more.

Ozzie's, I owe you an apology. I though you were mediocre. Now I realize that I never gave you a chance. I was caught up by superficial BS. I never allowed myself to sit for a long time and observe you. I dismissed you because of bad bagles, and that is unforgivable. I hope you understand. I hope you take me back.

Because, really, I have soooo much LEED studying left.

Tea Lounge

I am studying for the LEED exam. The deadline before they change the test format is March 31st, and I have decided that I need to take the old test before the shift happens (so everything I did for the LEED Holiday Inn Hotel doesn't become irrelevant.) It's gonna be a big study crunch, the likes of which I haven't done since college. I have a reference binder - huuuuuuge - with over 400 pages of information to go through.

Back in college I used to frequent coffee shops to study. I have font memories of Spider House, Metro, Flipnotics, Mozart's.... those were the days. I would find a place where I could just read and chillax. You know, get some coffee and serenity.

I've gone to the Tea Lounge a couple of times before. I want to like it, I really really do. I want to adore this beautiful place that's only four blocks from my house. Sometimes I think the coffee shop culture of New York doesn't quite mesh with the coffee shop vibe of Austin, because there is just something a leeetle off. Not sure what it is.

The Tea Lounge is theoretically great. Plush couches, some tables & chairs, dark lighting, and most patrons are on their laptops. They have a pretty good coffee and herbal tea menu, as well as many sandwiches and pastries. Supposedly they serve alcoholic drinks in the evenings, though I haven't taken advantage of that yet.

I ordered a large coffee and a small grilled cheese sandwich. The coffee was a little bitter, nothing spectacular.  My sandwich was okay too, and managed to really hit the place that a grilled cheese should. It had cheddar, so you can't really go too wrong there. And for $3.25, it was more than acceptable.

The problem to me is that all issues with food an coffee taste are irrelevant if there is a good vibe. After all, that's why I go to coffee shops. I know there are some lovely coffee snobs out there with exquisite palettes who will crucify me for saying that. And I understand that there area really good types of espresso, and that the crap I usually drink is but mediocre brown water with tons of milk and sugar. Whatever. I like the vibe. I aim to find the right combo of people watching, couches, interesting music, and that je ne sais quoi that usually somehow allows me to focus on getting work done.

And for some reason the Tea Lounge doesn't quite serve the purpose. It should. The decor has that perfect slacker indie sensibility. It really reminds of Ruta Maya (mostly the old downtown Austin location), but a little smaller. There are many things that could have been my problem today. Maybe it's that the it was so full that the only place to sit was an overstuffed couch that I had to share with another guy in very close proximity to many other people. Maybe it was that my seat smelled of B.O. as if a homeless person had been there for many hours. Maybe the weird smell was the guy sitting across from me. Maybe it's that there were too many laptops, and after a while it crossed the threshold where there just weren't enough human voices (that last part is not the Tea Lounge's fault, just something more that has changed since my college days). Maybe it was that my table was way to low for me to set my binder down and read comfortably.

Not sure what it was, at some point these seemingly insignificant things added up to become an actual issue. I'll be back for sure, specially to check out the bar, but I'm not sure about trying to study there. I'll try some other places and see if they work better.

Park Slope Food Coop

I worked my shift today at the Park Slope Food Coop. And despite the fact that I am growing a bit tired of it, I have to admit that the Coop is one of the greatest assets to living in Park Slope.

We joined soon after moving to the neighborhood. I wanted a place that had "a more varied selection of whole wheat pastas" and "better produce, seriously, Keyfoods sucks." Since then, I have discovered that there are indeed other options for good produce in our neighborhood, such as Union Market and the Farmers Market on Saturdays. Furthermore, if need be, we could go to Whole Foods in Union Square or the Union Square Farmer's Market. But it was all those options are more cost prohibitive in the long run. And I have problems shopping at Farmer's markets. Don't get me wrong, love the idea, love the whole concept of farmer's markets. But every time I've gone one, including the Austin Farmer's market, I get this weird feeling that the farmer is just watching me, watching as I make decisions, silently appraising whether I am making good produce choices or not. It keeps me from feeling free to browse and look at things. It's just my issue, not sure where it comes from. And I am mildly ashamed of it, to tell the truth.

This is how the seed of the Food Coop was first planted.  About two or three weeks after moving to Brooklyn, Nate and I were walking down Union St (in Brooklyn) at night, exploring our new digs. And we randomly ran into Matt C., an old high school friend of mine. I hadn't seen him in years... so he seems rightfully shocked to run into me just chillin' in "his" neighborhood half way across the country from Austin. But I digress, in our brief chat he told us he was on his way to the Food Coop, a store which I had seen but hadn't ventured into yet. And that was all the recommendation I needed.

A couple of weeks later we were at the orientation to join.

The way it works is pretty simple and totally socialist. It is a true cooperative. Essentially, only active members are allowed to shop there. Every member pays a one time membership fee and a refundable "investment" that you get back when you leave. And every member has to work 3 hours every four weeks - stocking, cash register, sorting things in the basement, pricing, cleaning, bagging, etc. Because of this, there are very few paid employees at the Coop, who coordinate, and take care of business with providers, etc. But since most of the bulk of the busy work is volunteer based, it allows the Coop to keep prices really low. This was a nice surprise, as we joined because of the produce, not realizing that in addition, it's really cheap.

Love the place. Great selection of cheeses, veggies, whole grains, the whole shabang. Now if they could just do something about the ridiculous lines in the evenings....

Brooklyn Public Library

We are living in the northern end of Park Slope, and the Brooklyn Central Library is only a few blocks from us. I feel like I always dreamed of being able to walk to the library, without a car. We are lucky that the location closest to us is also the largest, so it has a pretty large selection.

Today was such a beautiful day, and I really enjoyed my walk there along Prospect Park and Grand Army Plaza. It was one of those days where it's great to be in Park Slope.

If I had to pick a gripe of the library is that building doesn't engage the street. Nevermind that Grand Army Plaza is a total urban aberration (more on that on a later post), the building has a very severe blank facade. I appreciate that it's architecture of another time, and that in fact they've done a lot putting tables and chairs on the front plaza (I hear it even has free wi-fi), but it's still not an active front. Maybe that's okay. Maybe the fact that the surrounding neighborhoods are vibrant mixed-use areas with commercial diversity means that this civic space doesn't have the responsibility of engaging the area. Maybe the plaza being tree-less gives the space the appropriate grandeur of a building of a different era. I would need to hang out there in the summer. So far, I've only discovered the Library in the winter.

I am currently reading The God Delusion by Richard Dawkings, and could not be happier with the library giving me an opportunity to read for free.