Sunday, May 6, 2012

A Sunday Afternoon in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

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Crazy things happen. I've been living in Manhattan for the past 14 years, yeah fourteen, and never really been to Williamsburg!
Insanity, right?
I always have that sense that you have to walk to the train, then travel a loooong distance to get there... Boy how I was mistaken!
Easier than going to Soho!
We've just walked some blocks to the 14th Street L station and voila! Just 2 stops to Bedford Avenue! It took like 15 minutes!



Stepping out of the train, I was so surprised about the general vibe of the place: super crowded (what do you expect? A crazy nice Sunday afternoon), the people looked very young and very hip, nice restaurants and shops and also, the architecture of the place!

Without even walking a block we saw super cute old vinyl records molded as bowls.
Had to get one!
Was almost getting an Elton John one, but at the last minute saw my dearest Frank Sinatra!


Kinda kitschy, but hey! It was super cheap (8 bucks) and a quirky display piece!

Then we walked like less than 2 steps and we ended up in conversation with another street seller (we did also talk to the old records guy for a while). This second seller had cool old coins pendants and necklaces, but nothing really that would make me buy then.

Have to tell you: LOVED Bedford Avenue!

Almost looks like a small town with the main bustling main street...

Look at the beautiful architecture:




Would even consider buying an apartment there! But I think I will continue in my dear Gramercy Park area ;-)

Well, then after recovering from the (good) shock, we really needed a place to eat and drink. It was getting late (we never ever get things going early on weekends).
After some previous internet search, I've spotted Juliette, a really cute French bistro. It has an amazing terrace bar on top and the cutest decor.
Since there was a wait, we did go upstairs for some sun, international beautiful crowd and some Stellas!



So great!!!!

Then we were called and were seated in a great garden area.





The food was good, not super amazing, but good. Had a Maine halibut sammich with fries.



The local draft was good too.

Would def recommend this place. The tab was way cheaper than NYC.

Then we went walking around Bedford and did manage to do some more damage.

Bought a nice shirt with an American Indian chief on it (sounds tacky, but it is not at all!) at Mini Mini Market - a self-described "Girlie Bodega in the heart of Williamsburg" . 
The stores over there are sooooo cute and hip!
This was a trip: Catbird - but so full that I could not really see a lot of it...
 
Bought a some antiques at Ugly Luggage: an old Russian-American tea tin, a really old (and unfortunately moldy) Ladies' Home Journal from 1913 (a cover that was very familiar to me - I've had a childhood book about these covers) and an old blue bottle. All of this for 20 bucks!!!! 

Then this graffiti blew my mind! And made for some very good shots!



Met some really friendly people and animals!!! What a difference from Manhattan, where almost everyone is really bitchy!


Look at that face!!!

The McCarren Park was also a great surprise... And it even has a Russian Orthodox church in there!!!
Can you believe this shot?




Finally we did a major bar crawl - with some side effects later  ;-)

Bottom line: LOVED WILLIAMSBURG AND WILL GO BACK MANY, MANY TIMES!!!

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