Picnics in Parks with Pals
Ode to a Brooklyn Spring
In years gone by as spring is born in Brooklyn, it would mean venturing out for gleeful farmers markets’ jaunts, lazy brunches trying to snag a table outside, afternoon sessions at the Barge, evenings at one of the many Williamsburg rooftop bars, or nights bar-hopping along Greenpoint’s Franklin Street strip. Sadly, not this year...
What do I miss most about these weekends though? Is it drinking and dining at my local haunts? Certainly. But is it more about being outside, enjoying carefree days full of sunshine and green leaves appearing on trees? Sucking in the crisp, cool evening air when just one outer layer will do (denim jacket, check). And all the while, laughing and carrying on with my best buds...
Does an ideal Spring weekend in non-COVID times actually have to involve lining up for a table or a drink and instagramming the perfect plate of Sunday in Brooklyn pancakes? Or can we embrace social distancing for the better and get out and about, enjoy the beautiful outdoor settings that we are blessed with in this city and let go of our long held notions of how to be social with friends.
Wouldn’t it be great if all of your local spots continued serving take-out cocktails and food to-go regardless of lockdown restrictions? Maybe they will; the future remains uncertain…
But let’s assume they will. And then let me tell you my ideal Spring day when the thermometer reads 65 and the blue skies are begging for you to bask underneath them: Saturday afternoon. Williamsburg to Greenpoint. Five parks. One picnic blanket. Innumerable excellent establishments hawking their wares to-go. And my best friends. Picnics in Parks with Pals, if you please.
Bringing you on my journey, we’d start at Domino Park, thread through the ever hip Williamsburg, to it’s cooler, out of the spotlight older brother, Greenpoint, in search of the perfect snack and beverage to match the idyllic waterside settings. These five topnotch park-food-drink combos would be my go-to’s in this quest.
1. Domino Park
Opposite Domino Park in the shadow of the Williamsburg Bridge, the upscale grocer Mekelburg’s is your first port of call. If you’re commencing the journey with an appetite, then split a sandwich (we have a whole afternoon ahead of us, don’t get carried away please) with a carefully selected friend. Mekelburg's is well known for their sarnie collection - Nana’s Meatloaf won’t disappoint - and of course grab a beer or cocktail to go. Their selection of 20 beers on tap come in lidded jars, with four made-to-order cocktails on the menu. The Rose Sangria with Hennessy and fresh fruit is a fab way to kick off your afternoon. Enjoy your starters at one of the many pop-down spots (or more literally, circles) along Domino Park.
2. East River Park
On the way to the East River Park you’ll take a slight detour into the heart of gentrified Williamsburg and pick up a taco at one of the neighbourhood's not-so-hidden gems: the Taco Morelos truck at the corner of N 7th and Bedford. Go ahead and order the enchilada (spicy pork with fresh herbs, crunchy radish and a little tang from the homemade salsa) or pescado (not crispy fish, well-seasoned, and a nice kick without being spicy). And then star this spot in your Google Maps and come back for a burrito next time. If tacos aren’t your thing (who even are you), then Oasis around the corner offers a very, very solid falafel sandwich (yes with the lot, thanks). Pick up an ice cold margarita at Gran Torino or a freshly poured beer from the doorway of corner spot George and Jack’s Tap Room on your way to the foreshore. Find a spot on the stone steps right on the water. Consume, and be content.
3. McCarren Park
But not for too long. You have some walking ahead of you. Plug the Lot Radio into your Google Maps and get on your way. 10 minutes later, there surely will be some in your clan that are complaining about the need for a caffeine pick-me-up. Well here you are. Others may be parched for a cold beverage; you’re also in luck. On offer is their standard coffee menu, beer in cans and wine by the bottle or glass, with complimentary beats played over the loudspeaker from the radio station that operates from the same shipping container as the bar you’re ordering from. Take your chosen beverage over the road to McCarren Park, plonk down and reminisce about harder times.
4. Transmitter Park
Next on the itinerary is the Greenpoint icon, Paulie Gee’s Slice Shop. You’ll never, ever, go wrong with a slice of the Hellboy (pepperoni and hot honey). Unless the Mootz (white pizza with mozzarella, Pecorino Romano and lashings of garlic) is more your style. In which case, you’ll also be winning.
Slice-in-box, you now enter a strip of Franklin Street where a plethora of beverage options await you. Try Brooklyn Safehouse for some of your lower-end-of-the-spectrum options (read: Bud Light), or head across the road where Broken Land is serving up a refreshing range of their house cocktails out of their front window. If your date needs a pick-me-up, perhaps a Hounds of Love cocktail-for-two is the way to go, or if the afternoon sun is getting to you, the always popular Frozen Pina Colada should do the trick. Or around the corner, pick up a craft beer at Brouwerij Lane.
Make your way to Transmitter Park, take a seat on the grass or wonder out onto the pier with your goodies. Relax and savor.
5. Newtown Barge Park
What a day so far, but we carry on. Next we have the piste-de-resistance, the nightly to-go special on offer from one of Greenpoint’s best, Vietnamese joint Di An Di. Viet-Cajun crawfish, grilled Cornish hen, grilled lemongrass short rib. Stop it. Order ahead, and tip the doorman, this gonna be good. As you’re picking this up, call in a vino procurement from neighbourhood staple Dandelion Wines - did someone say Rose o'clock? They did.
And if they didn’t, and you’d rather wash down your delights with a cold one, pop by the window at Threes Brewing - their selection of take-away beers will do the trick.
If, for some unimaginable reason, you’re not feeling the Vietnamese vibe, swing by Achilles Heel where their snack offerings, like the hummus with fire roasted muhammara with Shewolf pizza bianca, are perfect for sharing with your tipsy friends. And if you remain thirsty, growlers of beer or (and!) cocktails to go are available as well.
With your delectable goodies, continue north to the Newtown Barge Park. Pick a spot on the green grass, talk about how life ain’t that bad, and indulge. Chin Chin.
