Dear Bushwick

From Dear Bushwick to Falansai, there have been lots of restaurant openings in Bushwick recently, proving that there’s more to the neighborhood’s culinary world than Roberta’s. (Which, incidentally, we still love.)

Here’s our rundown of the best places to eat in Bushwick.

Paracosm is out on August 13th via Sub Pop.

On Paracosm, the Georgia-based musician explores the album’s namesake phenomenon, where people create detailed imaginary worlds. The concept has been used to describe fantasy lands like Tolkien’s Middle Earth and C.S. Lewis’ Narnia, and it’s at the heart of the 2004 documentary In The Realms Of The Unreal about outsider artist Henry Darger.

The idea of escaping is all over Paracosm’s lyrics, and it’s also the main thrust behind the music, which finds Greene distancing himself from the modes and methods that informed Washed Out’s previous recordings. No, he hasn’t thrown away his computer or synths, but Greene made a conscious decision to expand his sonic palette, which resulted in the employment of more than 50 different instruments, the most significant of which turned out to be old keyboards like the Mellotron, Chamberlin, Novatron, and Optigan. Designed during the middle of last century and made up of prerecorded sounds with individual notes sampled for each key of the chromatic scale (the flute sound in The Beatles’ “Strawberry Fields Forever” is a well-known example of the Mellotron in action), these relics allowed Greene to use his sampling expertise while also offering the flexibility to explore new creative avenues

Here’s the trailer: (more…)

Via Xbiz

In the XXX parody, Hannah (Alex Chance) decides to forsake men, and boyfriend Adam, to experiment with lesbianism. After a few satisfying jaunts she returns to Adam — and mankind.

Adam accepts her back into the fold, but, true to the original show, adds a dominant and quirky dimension to the scene.

“[Adam’s] like, ‘OK, then crawl to my fucking bed,” Calhoun said, explaining how the action begins.

The ensuing sex involves mild BDSM with a sprinkling of strange: In addition to dirty talk and rough sex, Adam uses a candy ballgag attached to a stretchy cord to direct Hannah’s face towards him.

The parody also features Kris Slater and Adriana Chechik in supporting roles.

According to Calhoun, Canterbury captures the tone and voice of the show, and Hannah in particular, calling it “provocative” and “very well written.”

He also mentioned that, due to the show’s frequent sexual themes, “They didn’t have to do much” but roll with the original script and extend the intercourse scenes.

After being disappointed by the new Daft Punk (ok, the single and the Panda Bear tracks are great), Mount Kimbie’s latest Cold Spring Fault Less Youth is a refreshing surprise. If two makes a trend, Mount Kimbie, like Daft Punk, are using live instrumentation on their latest recording including a traditional drum kit. Listen to Cold Spring Fault Less Youth below. It’s out on Warp May 28.

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The Levee

Where the fuck are we gonna get our cheese puffs!

Sad news from Williamsburg, as a tipster is reporting that the Levee, the bar famous for its cheap drinks and old timey bar snacks has closed.

Apparently owners Howard Hunt and Susan Surdacki let their liquor license expire last month and stopped operating as of this week without telling anyone why. They had run the Levee since 2005, in the same location that once housed the infamous narcotics friendly bar Kokie’s in the late 90s and earlier part of the new century. Eater has called the bar looking for comment but no one answered.

UPDATE from facebook: Hey, friends. We’re fine. Our paperwork for our license renewal never made it to the SLA, so we’re playing it safe and staying closed until our new license comes in. We’re gonna take this next month to make some much needed improvements to the bar, and hopefully be back better than ever. Thanks for the outrage and love and support!

The So So Glos

Just RSVP here. Their new record is great and they always put on an amazing show. Here’s their latest single, ‘Son of an American:’

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Odd Fellows Is Set to Open This Weekend

Yep, the guy behind Lady Jay’s and Free Williamsburg favorite, Oak and Iron is opening an ice cream shop in Williamsburg:

We will be located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on Kent Avenue, between North 3rd and North 4th Streets (just 3 blocks from Bedford Avenue, 2 blocks from Smorgasburg/Brooklyn Flea and a stone’s throw from the East River), and are slated to open Memorial Day weekend.

What Makes Our Ice Cream Different?

First and foremost, all of our ice cream will be made from scratch in our kitchen, which not too many ice cream shops can boast. Most ice cream shops that promise “homemade” actually throw flavors into a pre-made ice cream base. That’s not homemade! OddFellows Ice Cream Co. will be homemade. At the helm will be Chef Sam Mason (Empire Mayonnaise, wd~50, Tailor, Lady Jay’s). If you recognize the name, you know his culinary endeavors are delectably unconventional …now just wait until you taste his ice cream.

Chef Mason will pasteurize our base in-house. By making the ice cream in this manner, OddFellows will be able to deliver the highest quality and freshest product possible. Pasteurizing our base will also give us the freedom to concoct the most distinctive and scrumptious flavors. We will be able to individually infuse each batch’s mix to add depth and scope to each flavor. Nothing tastes better than homemade!

As for our ingredients, we source our milk, eggs, and cream from local farms and will, whenever possible, use in season, all natural ingredients. While our flavors will always be changing, we offer 8 to 10 ice cream flavors along with 2 to 4 sorbets daily. Our flavors will range from the odd and unconventional to inventive renditions of the classics. OddFellows will also have a full soda program (all homemade by Chef Mason), baked goods, candy, and other treats.

Today’s the last day to tak part in their Indiegogo Campaign. Find out more here.

We’re enjoying the new album from Wye Oak’s Jenn Wasner. Her side project is called Dungeonesse and here’s the first single:

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What else is left on this guy’s bucket list? He was assisted Williamsburg’s Sky High Murals. If you want to see the thing, it’s on the corner of Grand and Bedford. Here’s the trailer for the movie he’s promoting:

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80 West Street, Brooklyn, NY 11222
8am – 2am • Every Day
347-987-3666; achillesheelnyc.com

Via

For his follow-up to Reynard, Brooklyn restaurateur Andrew Tarlow created a casual all-day bar and cafe on a quiet stretch of West Street in Greenpoint. Achilles Heel serves coffee and pastries in the morning, and cocktails and charcuterie at night. Tarlow hopes to offer sandwiches, oysters, clam chowder, and other lightly prepared foods in the near future. All the goods are sourced from his other restaurants, and Achilles Heel also offers produce and fresh baked breads to take home. The beverage list includes beer, wine, and classic cocktails, plus a few drinks from Tarlow’s other restaurants.

The corner space existed as a neighborhood tavern from the early 1900s to the 1960s, but it has sat vacant for the last 40 years or so. Tarlow tells Eater that he got the idea for Achilles Heel when the landlord for the building approached him last year about opening something in the space. The restaurateur refurbished the bar from that old tavern and touched up the room, but it still has an old-world, worn-in feel. Achilles Heel is now open from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m., daily. Stay tuned for a tour of the bar early next week.