DUMBO is such a cool neighborhood with a great vibe! The cobblestone streets, views of the bridges,…read moreand waterfront parks make it a fun area to wander around. That said, prepare yourself for the crowd at the iconic Washington Street photo spot-there are so many people packed into that one block all trying to get that classic shot of the Manhattan Bridge framed by the brick buildings! It's definitely worth stopping by to grab your photo and explore the nearby shops and water views, just be prepared to share the space with plenty of fellow tourists!

Scenic views and great architecture. Dumbo has its own website where they post events. There are…read moreall kinds of things going on - movies, happy hours, lectures and workshops. Also the famous annual Dumbo Drop where toy elephants on parachutes fill the sky. Brooklyn Bridge Park offers beautiful views of the skyline and public art displays. There's also Jane's carousel. Carousel hours and ticket prices are posted on their website. Lots to do. Try to go here early before it gets too crowded. Wear comfortable shoes.

Fort Greene "is The Joint" I'm guessing my older more famous cohort Spike would say of his old…read morestomping grounds. I took this part of the hood for granted growing up. Later learned that the tower was a memorial for our Revolutionary War fallen veterans. George Washington snuck away from the Redcoats in the middle of the fog to avoid defeat in one of the many Revolutionary W battles. Spike Lee had a store The Spike Lee Joint selling clothing hats etc from his line at the time from the 80's to I believe 90's. Tennis courts in Fort Greene Park. Also the park was the site of the gauntlet gang initiation scene in The Education of Sonny Carson. Brooklyn Tech. The Brooklyn Academy of Music, The Barclay's, Junior's, The Albee Square Food Court, and countless excellent restaurants. Oh. And don't forget the Clock which used to be one of the tallest structures in Brooklyn before the 2000's and the Chase Building that looks like something from Lord of the Rings. It is a residential area with beautiful brownstones. Truly an awesome neighborhood

If you ever need to test the durability of a backpack, just spend a day at Fort Greene Park. Mine…read morehas now survived three unexpected dirt slides, one collision with an overenthusiastic golden retriever, and a near-disastrous moment where I thought I lost my sketchbook in the grass. (It was under my leg. Typical.) I originally came here to get some work done, but that plan derailed when I got distracted by a group of people practising acrobatics on the lawn. Watching someone casually flip through the air while you struggle to open a granola bar puts things in perspective. They fell a few times, laughed it off, and tried again--like failure wasn't even a thing to consider. I respect that. One day, a woman with calloused hands sat next to me and began carefully arranging leaves on the bench beside her. She sorted them by colour--deep reds, crisp yellows, tired browns--before pressing each one flat against the wood as if committing them to memory. A breeze came through and scattered her careful work, but she only smiled and started again. I almost asked what she was making, but some things don't need a final form to have meaning. Five stars. Come here if you need space to think or if you want a reminder that the world is full of people quietly working on things that matter to them.

So a friend and I decided to dine out on a Tuesday, thinking that most places would be empty, well…read morenot EVELINA. We were able to snag an early seating at 6:30. Note: reservations are not required but definitely suggested!! This place was packed. Every table sat, but a few chairs at the bar. I give this place 5 stars, EVERYTHING was lovely! The dim lights, (I love a dark and moody restaurant) noise level, talk-able but good music in the background, food, drinks, service.... all of it TOP NOTCH. Let's get into the deets.... I ordered the Portia cocktail... if you like Mezcal, you should definitely try this one. Smoky and a little sweet, it was a delicious drink We order Pinsa Bianca for appetizers, the bread, roasted peppers and whipped ricotta all made for a light but delish start. We then dove into the rib-eye (for 2) DELICIOUS ! One of the best steaks outside of a steakhouse I have had. The marbling gave it great flavor, salted well and the perfect char on the outside, it was accompanied by French fries and broccolini. All a great addition; The broccolini was surprisingly not too bitter which was nice. To round it off we ordered their version of a Lemon tart! It was the perfect level of sweet and tart! Yummmo Overall a great place for dinner, run don't walk, you won't be disappointed! You'll thank me later

I recently had dinner with friends at Evelina and had a nice experience. We started with the…read morezucchini blossoms, which were okay, and the fritto misto, which was delicious. The calamari and shrimp were perfectly crispy, although I wish the portion included more than two shrimp. For drinks, I ordered the Lavinia, and it was excellent--a refreshing blend of tequila, lime, orange, and a nice touch of honey. For my entrée, I had the grilled pork chops, which were cooked perfectly. The pistachio gremolata added a unique burst of flavor that really elevated the dish. My friends ordered a variety of pasta dishes, which I tried and tasted good, and everyone enjoyed their meals. We ended with dessert and tried both the traditional tiramisu, which was very good, and the budino--a butterscotch pudding with pistachio gelato--which completely stole the show. It was absolutely amazing. Overall, a great dining experience, and I'd definitely return.

Such a amazing pasta, and for a great price! I went to their other location years ago and had a…read moregreat experience there too. This location has a backyard so there's plenty of seating. My friend and I shared the spicy rigatoni, limoncello tart, and spaghetti and meatballs. You can't really go wrong with anything on the menu. Definitely going back!

6/10 Mafaldine Scampi - Oh my this was so watery and lacked flavor affffffff…read more 7/10 Pappardelle Bolognese - The pasta was cooked perfectly, but it lacked sooo much flavor. And where was the cheesiness? There was basically none. It definitely had potential, but it didn't live up to expectations. Cost - $15.00 each

Gersi is a neighborhood favorite. I've never had an issue with a walk in and the food never fails…read moreto disappoint. Upon arrival you're not able to ignore the carefully curated boutique & aristocratic Tuscan vibe. Small chandeliers hang from the ceiling with exposed brick and intricate detailing to keep you cozy no matter what season you visit. Gersi does comfort well. We started with our wine orders, montepulciano and Sauvignon Blancs and an order of bruschetta. They have a bruschetta section of their menu, and we opted for the garlic, chili, & olive oil with anchovies on the side. I didn't realize bruschetta had different variations outside of the classic chopped tomato and basil topping so this felt more like a variation of garlic bread to me. But still perfectly soft and crusty. For our mains, we ordered the spaghetti limone, linguine vagole, and chicken parm alla vodka. The spaghetti limone is a bright dish that captures the sun's rays onto a plate to brighten any day with its glossy lemon and butter finish. The linguine vangole seizes the tastes of the ocean with the saltwater clams cooked perfectly into al dente linguine for a comfort punched light dish (that I still packed home with leftovers). The genius of the chicken parm with substituted vodka sauce instead of marinara stole the show. It was a version of a spicy rigatoni with a perfect chicken cutlet that invited you back bite after bite. This is not on the menu so you specifically have to order it this way, but if you're in the know then you know. This wasn't my first, second, or third time to gersi and I'll continue to be coming back - winter, spring, summer, and fall.

Gersi isn't just a restaurant; it's a genre, specifically the neighborhood Italian cafe. The kind…read morethat dotted Brooklyn's landscape a generation ago, the kind Billy Joel is talking about in that song. The food is up to the exacting standard that New York demands of its Italian cuisine. Don't expect a Carbone or Torrisi rival, but don't expect the glittering, nauseating Instagram-fueled hype machine of those places either. This is uncomplicated, unglamorous comfort in the same way a favorite sweater or a long marriage is. Come with your partner, split a bottle of wine, have one of their eight or so nightly pasta specials, and end with the tiramisu. And hey, how lucky are you to live in a place where this kind of delicious joy is a quotidian experience?

The July 4th fireworks along the Manhattan skyline. The beautiful sunset toward the Statue of…read moreLiberty and the Astor Pl tower clock glowing in the evening. These are the beautiful images that I took for granted in this unique neighborhood. Where Notorious B.I.G., Li'l Kim, Mos Def, Rosie Perez and Susan Sarandon called home, and the Quincy Ave and Downing block was featured in Dave Chapelle's Block Party movie 2005. Home of Pratt Institute whose founder built brownstone mansions for his family members, and adjacent to Bed Sty, Williamsburg and Fort Greene. Steinway Studios on Washington and Flushing where Spike Lee's Inside Man was filmed. Now with restaurants, cafes and hipsters gallore.

My apologies but I'm never sure if I'm in Fort Greene, Bedstuy, Crown Heights or Clinton Hill so…read moregoogle earth is a handy little app. Like most parts of Brooklyn I love it here. Like most of the stories being told the people are fed up of being "pushed" out. Gentrification. My friend who has lived here for many years says "pretty soon ima have to leave". He's genuinely concerned. He's not a typical worrier. I enjoy walking the streets during all seasons, summer-time peering into restaurants/bistros/cafes coming up with stories of their occupants. I have been known to sit on benches outside these establishments for hours just observing and writing stories......in my head. What is it with the bodegas and their cats? I'll be back to update this review from time to time. Not quite....the end.

I went to the Tastes of Brooklyn event along Franklin Ave. The festival offered ticket sales online…read moreand I appreciated that you could buy tickets without any service fee on top of the ticket price (~$10/taste). Ticket pickup in front of Cent'Anni was easy once I knew where to go, and I found it so helpful that there was a map and list of what each spot was offering. That list was useful in planning what I wanted to try. In the future, I'd recommend that the event hosts try to confirm these listings with participating restaurants a bit closer to the event date, because some of them were inaccurate. One place listed as offering "sliders" served only a single (scrumptious) slider, and another spot listed as offering a "choice of two tacos or a margarita" informed me when I arrived that they weren't offering the margarita after all. I thought the offerings were pretty fair, just wish the list had been a bit more accurate. While I wouldn't recommend Tastes of Brooklyn to someone looking for a "good deal", it wasn't a bad way to share a walk and various foods with a friend while supporting Seeds in the Middle.

I think it was fine, but probably overpriced. Sure, it was for a cause but a lot of the…read moreparticipating vendors were very inconsistent. Some places did food and booze as one stamp, while others made it two separate ones. Some portion sizes were gigantic, while others didn't even give a full slice of pizza. And a few closed up shop early because they were so popular (we ended up with extra tickets that we just spent on half slices of pizza because nothing else was left). The ticket pickup station at the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club was also a bit of a hassle. Not the most centrally located, and their ticketing system was a mess. A lot of manual handwritten notes. That said, I appreciated all the businesses that participated (some of which I've never been to before!), but I wish it were better organized.

Happened to come across this while in Brooklyn with my mate, he and I loved the store. The…read moremerchandise was authentic by many African artist and designers from all regions, if we (I) could have shipped the entire store here back to Bermuda I would have, we do not have a store like Bayaal. The customer service was personable, he was very knowledgeable, cheerful and funny made our visit very joyful. I wish the owner continued success and I/we will be back.

Bayaal is a unique shop featuring all kinds of cool gifts and houseware items from Senegal and the…read moreregion. It is truly amazing how they can offer so much diversity and options in such a relatively small space (and still keep it so easy to browse)! I've stopped by Bayaal a couple times and always find something I want/need. The owner and her staff are super friendly and there's no pressure to by (from them, but from yourself yeah you'll feel the desire to buy something for sure!)