Seasonal Food Finder

Just a quick post about a cool feature on Epicurious.com

Here in Toulon, it’s easy to figure out what is in season.  There’s a farmers market 6 days a week here.  Every time I walk through the market, there’s one item that seems to be at every stand.  Whatever it is will be cheap and beautiful.  By the next week, it might be hard to find anyone selling that vegetable at all. 

In American grocery stores, finding what’s in season can be a little trickier- since the produce section at Safeway sells basically the same items year round. If it’s not in season, they’ll truck it in from somewhere it is or find a green house or warehouse that still has it. America might be defined by the availability of tomatoes in December or Pumpkins in July.  Still, your best value and best quality can be had by knowing what is at it’s peak.

A lot of food websites will suggest general things like “Summer means Strawberries”, but the US is just too big for that kind of broad advice. Summer might mean strawberries in California, but it probably means something else entirely in Maine.

Enter my new favorite seasonal veggie finder. I love it.  Thought I’d share.

Should I Really Pay for Software?

When Anne and I were in Budapest last month, we were pleasantly surprised to find that the budget hotel we’d chosen not only offered free wifi, but had a computer set up for guests to use.  An even bigger surprise- the computer was set up with Linux.

I’d never used Linux before, but I had some important fantasy baseball transactions to make so I gritted my teeth and dove in.  And it wasn’t so bad.

Spoiler Alert: Where I’m Buying You’re Next Christmas Gift

Delight.com is a site I stumbled across while shopping for Anne last Christmas. This store/blog quickly became my favorite site for unique, boutiquey, eco-friendly and design conscious stuff. The first person reviews from their staff add a much needed curatorial voice to the flood of products available on sites like Etsy. I’ve now seen several of the items they sell in real life and I am consistently impressed with their quality. And their prices are surprisingly reasonable for the kind of products they sell. It’s Design Within Reach except it’s actually within reach.

The list of people receiving gifts from me this year might be rather low (you know, like the balance in my checking account) .  However, it’s safe to say, if you are getting a gift from me this year, it’s probably going to come from Delight.com.

Brooklyn Book Festival

Almost as soon as I finished the alphabet and thought I was out of the Brooklyn woods, I discovered that this Sunday is the second annual Brooklyn Book Festival. There’s no way I could let it pass without a post! I really enjoyed the event last year–just when I was feeling nostalgic for new books and the start of school, the festival came along and made my September a wordier one. An array of writers speak on panels (Colson Whitehead! Paul Auster! Mary Gaitskill! Dave Eggers!), the Borough Hall courtyard becomes a massive book fair of (mostly) independent publishers, poets’ voices echo off of outdoor staircases, and general literary merriment reigns. And all of the readings and discussions are free!

The “mainstage” readings were very crowded last year, so I’d recommend getting there early (the festival starts at 10am) and planning a military-style course of action on a program. You might have to skip “Developing Stories” to get into “Africa Now,” so make sure to prioritize! Of course, I’ve found that the best readings are often ones with the less popular, still almost undiscovered writers.

The Brooklyn Book Festival is this Sunday, September 16th from 10am-6pm. It will be held in various venues around Brooklyn’s Borough Hall. See you there!

S: Siren Music Festival

This Saturday from noon-9pm, Coney Island is home to the annual Siren Music Festival. The free, all ages show will include headlining performances by The New York Dolls and M.I.A. I’m personally most excited about We Are Scientists (graduates of my alma matter) and the up and coming, Bushwick-based White Rabbits (who you can also hear on tonight’s Letterman).

What could be more fun for a summer Saturday than free music and the beach? Just be sure to bring sunscreen!

Beer for Bags

Alright, this deserves a quick interruption of the Brooklyn alphabet–this weekend New Yorkers can trade cases of beer for bags. Crumpler bags (which makes sturdy messenger and computer carry-alls) is taking beer barters instead of money. The phenomenon is fully explained on their website and in this New York Times article. Basically, they set the price, (2 cases of x beer for y bag, for exampe) and you do the rest. Apparently, buying with beer saves around 40-50%. Plus, by purchasing a bag, you get invited to the after party where the beer is imbibed. If you’re in the market for a new laptop holder or camera case, I say check it out.

J: Jamaican Patties and Joyce Bakeshop

After hanging out in Prospect Park or visiting the Sackler Center for Feminist Art at the Brooklyn Museum, hop on over to Prospect Heights for some cheap and tasty treats.

Patty’s Jamaican Patties, located at 387 Flatbush, is a perennial Brooklyn favorite. The beef patties are the house specialty, but also check out jerk chicken and the bakery case. This place is truly cheap ($2 for a patty), and it’s even been selected as a New York Time’s “top pick.”

If you still have room for dessert, head up to Vanderbilt Avenue. Joyce Bakeshop is one of the many new businesses that has opened here in the last year or so. You’ll find fair trade coffee, tea, juices and fresh baked goods (everything from chive and cheddar biscuits to Russian tea cookies). I had a red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting and a large fresh limeaid, and it set me back less than $5. The cupcake was moist and delicious, if a bit on the small side. The limeaid was perfect and exactly what I wanted on a hot day. Joyce’s atmosphere is nice, too–it’s much less crowded and noisy than the Tea Lounge in nearby Park Slope. I sat at a wooden table and read the paper. It would make a nice place to study. Unfortunately the place closes at 6pm, but I’ve heard the baked goods are sold for $1 during the last hour! Joyce Bakeshop is located at 646 Vanderbilt, between Park Place and Prospect Place.

B: Brooklyn Brewery

The Brooklyn Brewery, located a block from the water in Williamsburg, is an excellent weekend destination for gourmet and deal hunting beer shoppers alike. On friday nights and saturday afternoons, the warehouse is transformed into bargain bar and tasting rooms. On Saturday, you can also get a free tour of the brewing facility.

The tasting room can be crowded, but it’s fun crowded- like a party, not like a post office. The process of buying beer tokens and then waiting in a seperate line to get to the the bar can be a bit of a hassle, but your patiences gets you a cup of almost any Brooklyn Brewery product for $3. They have nearly a dozen brews on tap including seasonals that have just been released and some limited edition brews. They also have plenty of the Brooklyn Lager that’s a staple of bars across the city.

The last time I was there, they were getting rid of the remainder of their winter ale. They were selling 24 bottle cases for $12. They also sell a variety of gift items including limited run beers in gift sets, logoed glass wear, books and t-shirts for some pretty reasonable prices.

The Brewery is also a great place to stop before or after a visit to vintage mega store Beacon’s Closet (also a B) that’s located across the street.

The Brooklyn Brewery is located at 79 N. 11th st. in Williamsburg. It is open for happy hour from 6 -11pm on Fridays. Tours are available every hour on the hour on Saturday from 12 – 5 pm.

Museums On Us

This month Bank of America users get free entry into over 95 museums.  If you live in New York, check out the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (hurry and you can still make prime cherry blossom viewing time), MoMA, the Whitney, and the Brooklyn Museum (be sure to visit the newly opened Sackler Center for Feminist Art, which I review here) at no cost just by flashing your Bank of America ATM card. You can even bring along one guest for free.

The Bank of America promotion’s website  lists many more participating museums in New York, New England, and California. I wish museums at some interior states had been included as well, but otherwise it’s a great deal. Enjoy!

Small Space Tips

My room is tiny. It may have a window (a luxury for many New York bedrooms), but there’s not enough space to fit both a dresser and a desk. There’s a pile of shoes by my door, stacks of books all over, and not much wiggle room for yoga. However, I’ve called this little space my home for almost two years now, and usually it feels cozy rather than cramped.

I want to share my small space tips for all you others out there struggling with dorm like living conditions in a post-college world.