The Post has word the city is considering the Open Space Alliance's proposal to close Union Ave b/t Driggs and Bayard and turn the space into some sort of pedestrian plaza extension of McCarren Park.

City officials have not indicated their support for the project or whether the site would stay asphalt or become grass, though Thayer, also a Parks Department administrator, remains confident that the change will happen.

The street is currently the home of the Greenmarket, whose director Michale Hurwitz told the Post, “All I care about is that we have a home." We care about that too! Greenpoint traffic headed towards the BQE on Union would be diverted onto Lorimer or North 12th, meaning less cars passing by the dog park and more pedestrians in their place. Win.

Posted by Brian Ries at 01:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

This just in: everybody located in the happy green wonderbubble wins something truly spectacular. Click through to claim your prize!

Posted by Brian Ries at 05:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

image c/o BrooklynBased

This really sucks, so go give Papacitos some business. From Gothamist:

Papacitos, the wildly popular Greenpoint Mexican restaurant with the best vegetarian tacos in town, was the victim of a brazen robbery Saturday night. Co-owner Cody Utzman tells us that thieves broke into the establishment after it closed, hopping the courtyard fence and entering through the back. According to Utzman, the robbers smashed open the cash register and made off with a safe that had $10,000 inside, as well as the restaurant stereo and some employees' personal belongings. Police have dusted for fingerprints and are investigating the incident.

But there's also good news for Papacitos fans; Utzman tells us he's doubling the size of the place by expanding into the adjacent storefront, which is part of the same building and was the former home of a palm reader. He adds that a "very high profile" designer is overseeing the expansion, which will include a 12 foot tequila bar (whenever Papacitos' liquor license finally gets renewed) and a new mosaic fountain in the spacious courtyard. Work is expected to start next month, with the expansion complete by the end of July.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 06:05 PM | Permalink

Leather booths. Edison lamps. Waiters in bowties. All are examples of some supposedly fun trends I hope I never see in a new restaurant again. Nothing against, say, Walter Foods and speakeasy chic—I like an inscrutable, nefarious-sounding cocktail as much as the next guy—but trends spread like the flu in this town, ha, and it’s nice to stumble into an antidote like Anella.

OK, so there’s no sign on the door here, but all preciousness is stopped at the door. Housed in the old Queen’s Hideway space on Franklin Ave, Anella has expanded it to two slim dining spaces wrapped around the apartment entrance in the middle. If this makes for a slightly disorienting entrance—aim for the door on the left—inside one is warmly welcomed by a sturdy, idiosyncratic-looking bar made out of workbenches snagged from the Queens Steinway factory. Some other piano paraphernalia blends seamlessly into an era-blending aesthetic combining smooth wood paneling, slate-topped tables, and a pair of unfinished walls, still sporting contractors’ instructions, that serve as an homage to the well-loved previous tenant.

Continue reading "Anella Awakens In Greenpoint" »

Posted by Nick Mosquera at 10:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

We're not sure if this it the work of food court druids and Orcs or neo-Nazis. But New York Shitty has the full discussion and more images here. And speaking of food court druids, there's a Cherohonkee fashion spread in Italian Vogue this month. WTF?

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 12:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

This Saturday at The Shank in Greenpoint (98 Bayard Street — map). From MyOpenBar

I know, I know—this sounds too good to be true, and it probably is if you look at it like a sane person: NinjaSonik, Team Robespierre, Juiceboxxx, Wild Yaks, Cerebral Ballzy, MNDR, Dre Skull, DJ C.lo and a secret guest (Spank Rock again? Whoops!) with 500 16oz cans of PBR going fast at 11pm. Oh and hey, it's all-ages, too. Also, Santa to pop out of the fireplace with a big bag of dicks for everybody. (PBR, $6 cover / 11am till gone)

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)