Our roving photographer takes on a tour of the northwest section of Brooklyn. Watch Sandi Durell’s wonderful video interview with Tony winner John Lloyd Young (Frankie Valli, Jersey Boys.) One of our favorite stores, Fishs Eddy, has opened a museum displaying American china on the second floor. Ready for a fun cruise without leaving NYC? We’ve got two. Want a glamourous boxed picnic lunch in Central Park? Check this out. Our Broadway Babe has several unique YouTube finds. Valerie Smaldone has the scoop on one of the best rooftop eateries in the city.

The Sights of Brooklyn

Brooklyn, New York City’s most populous borough is home to many distinct neighborhoods. Our roving photograper, Nicole Freezer Rubens (author of The Long Pause and the Short Breath), showcases some of the quaintest and most charming include Boerum Hill, Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill.

These neighboring residential enclaves in the northwestern section of Brooklyn are known for their beautiful 19th Century houses, their old-world mom-and-pop shops and recently added hipster boutiques and restaurants. The vibe is a pure mix of multigenerational old and new blending harmoniously. 

Alan Menken, George M, Flops, and More

Our Broadway Babe has some unique finds this week for your YouTube viewing pleasure. A documentary about Alan Menken, the 1970 musical “George M” with a fabulous cast including Joel Grey and Bernadette Peters. Plus a light hearted documentary about some of Hollywood and Broadway’s biggest flops, and the making of the Producers album. Get the details.

Fishs Eddy’s Museum of American Restaurant China

Our absolute favorite home goods store is Fishs Eddy (Union Square) and we are so happy they survived the pandemic. We love their fun and quirky kitchen items like the “blue plate” special plates and vintage china from diners, hotels, and so much more. We never leave without buying something. And now, just one flight up, they have opened a one-room museum, the “Museum of American Restaurant China” with thousands of pieces of vintage restaurant ware. It’s free too. Make sure to stop in.

 Fishs Eddy, 889 Broadway at 19th Street. The exhibition upstairs is open Thursdays and Fridays 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.  

The Lobster Roll Cruise

Several Tomatoes are raving about the “lobster boat cruise.” Take a 60-minute cruise on the Hudson, grab some Lobster Rolls, (or other items from the menu), a few drinks, and enjoy incredible sunsets and the most beautiful skyline in the world, on the beautiful deck of a boat.

They’re booking now for July 4th. North River Lobster Co. is on Pier 81, W 41st St and 12th Ave. Visit their website.

Architectural Boat Cruise

Another highly recommended tour, is sponsored by the AIA (American Institute of Architects). This 2-hour-and-45-minute cruise circumnavigates the island of Manhattan via the Hudson, East, and Harlem rivers, and is AIA New York’s signature tour experience. Enjoy insightful narration by an AIA New York guide as you explore the architecture, infrastructure, and urban planning of New York City. Tour highlights are thematically linked to illustrate the recent transformation of a post-industrial waterfront, and an exploration of how cities might adapt in the post-COVID era.

Tour features include iconic Art Deco spires, historic engineering marvels, adaptive reuse, progressive waterfront parks, and recent buildings by local, national, and international award-winning architects. Get the details.

Picnic in Central Park in Style

Time Out New York says…Pastis and Roberta’s, two of NYC’s harder-to-come-by restaurant reservations, will let you skip the line and picnic in Central Park this June 26 and 27. Each three-course lunch is $45.

Pastis is on the Saturday menu, with a marinated bean, roasted pepper and niçoise olive salad, a ham, aged Comté cheese, Bordier butter and cornichon sandwich on a baguette and chocolate hazelnut macarons. On Sunday, Roberta’s is offering a porchetta sandwich with roasted Berkshire pork, swiss chard, salsa verde, a crudité with rainbow radishes, fiddleheads, carrots and white bean dip and Roberta’s Pride trail mix with nuts, dried fruits and Calabrian chilis. Each picnic also includes a sparkling water, Mah-Ze-Dahr Bakery cookie, blowing bubbles, a Frisbee, a mini-sunscreen and a pennant flag in honor of Pride Month.

Get the Book.