Car seat

Jer noticed this on Huron Street in Greenpoint and asked me to submit this picture to: http://thereifixedit.com/ Maybe they'll post it!

Wombat-ty

Last night, I went with my friend Tim to an Australian themed restaurant called Wombat. It's near the Lorimer stop on Grand Street, and I had no idea it was there. From Mondays through Wednesdays, they have various specials, and last night (Tuesdays) was lobster night! $13 whole lobsters, and your choice between: boiled Maine style with butter and lemon, roasted Aussie style with Australian spices, or South Pacific style: stir fried with garlic and chili. We both got the roasted Aussie style one, so I didn't have much to compare, but it was just ok. The spices were dull, the lobster was small, and there were these red chunks throughtout that I couldn't differentiate between a fancy spice or gross brain matter. That's a lot of negativity there, but overall, the $13 lobster was ok by me. I'd definitely go back again to try one of the other 2. The menu also has a lot of my favorites on there, but you can check it out for yourself: http://www.thewombatbar.com/

Afterwards, we went to Bushwick Country Club, another first for me. I really thought this bar was in Bushwick. Also, the "Country Club" name brought back memories of yuppie summer day camp, where all we did was make bracelets and tie dye shirts, so I guess I always had a bad, and completely wrong, impression of the place. It's a good bar. Divey, with funky seating options. I think we sat on some seats taken out of a car. It was raining, so I didn't go outside, but I hear it's nice in the back.

There were some people promoting Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, so we got some free drinks in exchange for our souls (or, contact information). I realized at 5am that the rum/coke was the culprit for my insomnia. Always a price to pay for free booze.

http://www.bushwickcountryclub.com/

Crif Dogs

What...is...that? Let me tell you. It is the most delicious impending heart attack you will ever experience or taste. This is a hot dog from Crif Dogs, a place in the east village that i trekked over to on my lunch break last week. On my friend Katie's suggestion, we both got the Chihuahua, which is a bacon wrapped hot dog with avocado and sour cream. I took off most of the mayonnaise resembling sour cream, but it was still really good.

I didn't know much about the place, but it apparently has a speakeasy type bar attached to it, that you get secret reservations for, and have to use a telephone and a dummy door to get into. Whatever it is, I'm fine with just going there for hot dogs, although it's probably a "once in a while" kind of place. Maybe once a year. I still feel kind of gross.

Take a look at this menu!: http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/crif-dogs/

Bleh!

Highline/Skyline Byline

Billie and I checked out the highline on Sunday, after our first attempt was thwarted by July 4th fireworks preparation.



I liked how the flowers and plants weren't incredibly landscaped, and looked more natural than intentional, growing through the old railroad tracks and whatnot.

Then, as I was looking at the nearby apartment buildings, I was thinking about how easy it would be for someone to do exactly this:

Yikes! Right after, his girlfriend joined him. There was a crowd of people down below laughing at them. At least this city has a good sense of humor. But(t) what do I know.

Re-cycle

I have so much work to do today, and this week, since Thursday is my last day at work (yes!), so I'm not sure why I'm picking today to catch up with my blog. Deal with it, suckas. Your corporate AmEx application can wait.

On Saturday, I made my third trip to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, this time via bicycle. 2 very recent bike trips made it easier to keep up with Billie and Molly than I thought. Or maybe it's the Wii Fit! Probably not. Virtual hoola hooping might not facilitate bike riding too much.

I saw a lot of the same stuff from past trips, but this was my favorite:

It's called Aeonium Balsamiferum, stonecrop family: crassulaceae lanzarote, from Cape Verde Island, which is off the Western coast of Africa. I just tried to Wikipedia this plant, but only got results in German. Hmmm. From what I could tell, they were grouped with Cacti plants, so these are akin to roses that don't die easily, and don't need too much tending. Much more romantic, gentlemen, than the kinds of roses that wilt faster than your affection. I suggest you take off for Africa as soon as possible.

On the way home,we stopped at the Fort Greene "Brooklyn Flea." Billie and I shared a lot of germs, and the best popsicle I've ever had. It was from a vendor called "people's pops," and we got the sour cherry and rhubarb popsicle. Get to it! I think I will be going back there.

Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park

Now that is a mouthful of a park. Here is a mouthful (ewwww!) of a park goer:

Baracklyn Cyclones

A few of my pals and I went to a Brooklyn Cyclones game the other night, temporarily renamed the "Baracklyn Cyclones," as there was a special on tickets sold on Inauguration day. The first 2,500 people in got Obama bobbleheads, but we were too busy boozing it up on Beer Island. This bar, with an outside area in the sand, is actually called "Beer Island," and after drinking two 10% ABV Coney Island Blockhead beers, I felt like I would never make it off the island. The beachy style of the bar reminded me of that Long Island City beach bar, where they charge you $5 for cups of PBR, an insane price to pay for a crappy beer and a view of the skyline that I can see on my morning commute. Beer Island had all the beach-ish perks of the LIC bar, but with reasonably priced craft beers and an angry employee who will turn the porta-potty over on you if he thinks you are not a paying customer. Watch out. Here it is below, check out that sky:

Keyspan Park (I originally wrote "Keystone Park, that is where my brain is right now):

By the way, the Cyclones won. I think. The color of both teams' uniforms were too close for me to be able to tell the difference. Oh well, it was fun.