Claire's lived in Red Hook for well over a year now, and this was my second visit up there. (You may remember Claire from my epic Wyoming trip; she's the one who saved me from all the imaginary bears while backcountry camping and also pitched our tent. Without her I'd be lying on top of a mess of poles and tent…fabric. Eaten by bears.)
Frankly, and this probably reveals my true provincial nature, but I would be happy to go to NYC on a semi-regular basis and never leave Red Hook. People, THEY HAVE AN IKEA RIGHT THERE! And also, several great bars, and adorable residential sections, and a tight-knit community that reminds me a lot of Bloomingdale. Oh yeah and did I mention the bars? We started off Friday night with some of the best dark and stormys and chocolate pudding I've ever had at a little gem called Fort Defiance. (What, dark and stormys and pudding aren't a natural combination? Well, they are to the HUMAN VACUUM CLEANER aka me.)
Time Out New York calls Fort Defiance a 'nerdy cocktail bar' but I'm not so sure what's nerdy about being totally FARKING AWESOME. I will forgive the fact that the owner's first name is St. John, which is kind of ridiculous, because he made some truly killer drinks. I wish I hadn't stuffed my face on the Bolt Bus with a giant mediocre roast beef sandwich, or I would have been eating the crap out of some of their menu items (they keep the menu to five items or less every day due to the size of the place).
Natania
joined us, and we did some spectacularly unsuccessful jumping photos
outside of the bar. I suspect, based on this and our Jackson Hole
jumping photos attempts, that maybe we all suffer from some terrible
disease that's probably known as Can't Jump More than Three Inches Off
the Ground-itis. I mean, OMGWTF:
Sunday morning, we dropped by the Red Hook community farm to pick up Claire's CSA share. I also had some amazing coffee at Home/Made. Home/Made is this sort of upscale-ish in a simple way tiny wine bar/cafe, but they have a drunk. His name is Dan. He was in there at 10:30 AM sipping on what looked like a hefeweizen. Whatever works for you, buddy.
Natania, our resident vegan friend, bid us adieu, and Claire and I caught the bus up to Char No. 4 in Carroll Gardens. It's a whiskey and meat bar! Yes, we were going there for brunch! No, we didn't care! Yes, we are gigantic lushes!
But really, we went for the food, which I'd read some positive things about. And, yeah, well maybe the bourbon Bloody Mary had something to do with it, too.
The rest of Saturday involved plenty of lovely walking around in the miraculous weather.
Did I mention that Claire owns and lives with a horse? Her name is Mimi.
We went to the brooklyn flea market, which was excellent. I mean, where else could you buy something like...this?
If you can explain in the comments to me what you think the motivation behind this painting is, I will give the winner of the best explanation a cookie.
We also had delicious food stand tacos:
After a bunch o walking around, we caught the bus back to Red Hook where we hit up the Bait and Tackle, Red Hook's resident dive bar, that allows dogs! And horses!
The bar also is apparently one of the 20 best bars to throw up in America. A list which also includes my beloved L&L Tavern in Chicago. I have good taste, apparently.
Then it was over to Park Slope to meet up with Cynthia (yay!) for a not-repulsive vegan dinner at Dao Palate, and then it was on to Union Hall! We played bocce there. I should amend that. We played bocce very very badly there.
Seriously we lost seven straight games in a row.
We didn't get too crazy and wild, because, well, god we're all ancient now, but it was a very fun night! And the next morning, we were rewarded with a wonderful brunch at Home/Made. Check this deliciousness out:
Their bread rules my universe.
Then it was back on the Bolt Bus to boring old DC. Had a lovely time with the girls, as always, and can't wait to go back to Red Hook!
Oh, that's Hillary Rodham Clinton's "I have a Dream (of ski jumps and men dressed as monkeys)" painting.
She also dreams of an America where you can buy that painting, kite string, balls, a stick, and white Adidas shoes w/no shoelaces at the same table.
Posted by: Neil | November 13, 2009 at 03:13 PM