Smorgasburg & Bklyn Flea, coming to Crown Heights

 (Above) "BERG'N" the newest eating, hanging, drinking spot to land in Brooklyn and most audaciously, in Crown Heights. Soon to be sharing Winter customers with the Brooklyn Flea and Smorgasburg

Whoa.

I like food. And much in the same way I like to have my good t-shirts dry-cleaned for reasons of practicality and pampering, I occasionally enjoy spending more than I should on small portions of obsessively prepared, delicious food.

In other words I like Smorgasburg.

And they've just dropped the word that they're going to be in Crown Heights for the winter weekends starting on Nov 8th & 9th placing them at 1000 Dean Street the newest of recently renovated commercial spaces in the western end of the neighborhood. This will place them back to back with Berg'n which I have been to twice but yet to review because I want to get a fair sense of Berg'n before I proclaimed it the latest and tastiest Beer-eteria I've been to. Oh see? there that went.


Eric Demby, Smorgasburg & Brooklyn Flea co-founder says there'll be between 100 and 110 vendors each weekend and that they'll be set up with more permanent stalls. Of those, five to 10 will be cooked-food stands and more from the "packaged-food contingent." In addition to food vendors from Smorgasburg there will be marketeers from the Brooklyn Flea in the space, making for an enclosed experience of food, shopping and meet up spaces. ("Whooohoo 360º!!" says the marketing staff.)

Snips aside it's a brilliant move. Berg'n the venture co-funded by GoldmanSachs (is this the first time they've invested in Crown Heights?) has been packing them in, even in these pics I took on their second day open just before lunchtime.

(Above: owner and Ramen Burger creator Keizo Shimamoto, he nimbly prepared one for me)

I'd figured it would be the convenient lunch destination for whatever businesses filled 100 Dean Street. Now this merge of offerings that attract and overlap like-minded customers boosts all the player's profiles and profits, and will probably go a long way to keeping Berg'n profitable despite the weekday afternoons when people traffic is lower.

(Above: A Ramen Burgen, bun of ramen noodles in between a tasty hunk of shredded beef chuck, juicy steak tomato, arugula and special mayo sauce, seconds later it became part of me)

I haven't written about 1000 Dean (the old Studebaker repair building long since under used) being made into a wide open ready to go commercial space mostly because I haven't heard of a main tenant being announced. Bergen and Dean streets run straight from Brownsville(Ocean Hill now, yeesh) East New York's end of Crown Heights and continue west straight to within blocks of Brooklyn Bridge Park. Bike lanes and buses on both streets. It's exactly what I've been saying to potential property buyers for years now, follow the bike lanes, there on lies a plan.

So all this new business in Crown Heights could be cool. Downside I can imagine now there'll be more new people who haven't gone through the crucible of moving to Crown Heights, meeting neighbors and becoming aware through hard and soft interactions not to be a entitled douche. So let's so come November how much fun it is to be around here on the weekends. Between this and Starbucks having opened today on the other end of Franklin's now crowded commercial corridor (mostly from Eastern Parkway to Dean St) we'll really get a sense of how much of the conscientious character of the neighborhood stays intact as we develop forward.

From the left; Mighty Quinn's (BBQ), Asia Dog, Pizza Moto, & Ramen Burger,
(clearly you can't sell food here without a compound name)

Look at those scant lines of people up there, it won't be that way when the Smorgasburg train comes to Crown.

More details from the folks at Gothamist: http://gothamist.com/2014/09/25/smorgasburg_crown_heights.php

Weekend One-Liners 4/13-4/14 - Happenings to Check this weekend in Brooklyn

Weekend One-Liners! 4/13-4/14

Habana Outpost's Big Annual Earthday Re-Opening Event happens this weekend! "Corn & Cuban" Sandwiches! Eco-Friendly info and the happy swarm of neo-Buppies, Yuppies, Hipsters and young dudes hanging on the corner trying mack are back! I still love this place now in it's eighth year. even though it can be a trend-trafficjam. I can't wait! Check for more info check cafehabanablog

Smorgasburg while open to it's second weekend of 2013, I arrived last week round 2p and couldn't get through to some of the good looking vittles, this week I'm ampted to be early. For more info check http://www.smorgasburg.com/Smorgasburg.com

Saturday & Sunday The Brooklyn Children's Museum has a slate of events including "Superhero Science" and Block Parties:

Superhero Science! 11:00, for 4 and up, Bend light, get x-ray vision, and discover optical illusions with Cyclops. It’s a new super science adventure every week!"

Block Party11:30, for All ages Let your imagination soar to new heights while you explore a unique assortment of blocks to play with. Build an imaginary castle with foam blocks, map out a new neighborhood with wooded ones, or use cardboard blocks to create whimsical patterns. "

And this is not a weekend event but next Tuesday 4/16 there will be a major meeting by the Crown Heights Community Boards to discuss rezoning efforts intended to improve the structure and preserve the positive history of the neighborhood. I'll post more about it next week but get a head start and check http://crowhillcommunity.org/projects/landmarking-and-rezoning-meeting/ for more info.

Got a Brooklyn weekend event you want posted? Email us at umbrooklynborn @ gmail.com

Live Blogging from Smorgasburg

Decided to check out the Smorg in person and against my better judgement I came here hungry.

I can report that as of 2:45p it's beautiful out, and packed with foodie and sun-lovers

But of the well known and desired food tents, most have serious lines.

Also I won't call anybody out but $4 Croissants & $7 tamales are not my thing.

3:10p finally scored!! Takoyake Balls!! and they are tasty! I'm used to the traditional method of a fried dough ball with a bit of octopus in the center, topped with ginger and bonito flakes. These from "Teriyaki Balls" have three styles: filled with Shrimp, Country Sausage and one I can't remember because I didn't try it.

The shrimp was very good but the country sausage turned a familiar favorite of mine into a delicious new experience which sounds corny but it's true they had optional toppings of corn and almond flakes which were surprisingly good. I ate it so fast I took no pictures.

3:40 about to get my lamb-burger on from "Landhaus" along with a mint lemonade.

Got the burger, very good! Nice bit of feta shiracha and a medium rare lamb patty. Very nice.

Also I guess people are getting their fill
(or food is running down?) cause the lines are running shorter.

Also can anyone in here say "excuse me" rather pushing their way through a crowd? Yeesh.
I wanted to try the "people's pops" but I was full up on mint lemonade, next time... 

Rhubarb seems like an easy sell, few can really say what it's supposed to taste like so if its sweet and refreshing you're golden.

Hipster styling in full effect (remember this year knit hats are to be worn like Smurfs, or like you're a Be-Boy from 1982

Maple Bacon on a Stick!!! Courtesy of Landhau. I really wanted some of this, Landhau will shall meat again.

Yes there's alot of Landhau picks, cause there's a lot I loved.

I admit it, the name and its turn on a phrase, turned me off. Though I love big ribs and I can not lie.

As I recall Handsome Hanks was the fish stand everyone was waiting in line for.

How green is grilling again?

Great name, plus points for the country table cloth pattern. Next time my soon to be friends....

Another proud Wolverine.

So all in all I now see why Smorgasburg is the event it is. If you've got a squad of friends it's definitely worth hitting it off if for no other reason than to extend your comfort foodie zone. And with offerings like Rhubarb, Cornflakes on Country Sausage stuffed Teriyaki Balls and more there's definitely room to expand mind and body.

I'll be back next week with more full mouthed opinions.

Take a bite out of gentrification! Some Spring Weekend Events in Brooklyn

The first big weekend of Spring 2013 begins!

Tomorrow my eyes and ears will be fixed on the Brooklyn Museum & Targét's 1st Saturday!

There was a moment back in the Fall when it seemed some sort of local grinchery had conspired to end the 1st Saturday's citing too much foot traffic. Ironic since a major goal of 1st Saturdays when they were started was to draw foot traffic to the Museum. Anywhoo. It seems smarter heads prevailed.
Film Screening, Music, Dance Party, Curator Talks (not necessarily in that order) will be going.
Check Brooklyn Museum for details.

Also tomorrow Smorgasburg is back! 

I confess I spent most of last year missing it and rueing the delicious stories I heard from friends and the bloggie-verse. But I plans to rectify that tomorrow. And you should too if you like food and acting out Portlandia skits. Sat in Williamsburg, Sun in D.U.M.B.O. 11a-6p Details at http://www.smorgasburg.com

Throw your arms around foodie-ism and artisanl everything! Take a bite out of gentrification!

This is by no means a complete list of what's happening this weekend. If you have an event you'd like to post here, feel free to leave a comment or email me direct at umbrooklynborn @ gmail.

Have a great weekend.