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The Super Bowl is hours away and you need a place to watch it. Luckily for you, The Greenpoint Gazette published a list of 18 bars in Williamsburg and Greenpoint that will be airing the game. I cut that list in half, narrowing it down to my top picks of which bars and specials sound best. Descriptions by the Gazette.

- Full Circle Bar (318 Grand Street, 347-725-4588): Giving out free Bon Chon Bowl wings, showing the game on three 40+ inch HD TV’s, and selling 24 ounces of Genesee Beer for $10.

- Huckleberry Bar (588 Grand Street, 718-218-8555): Serving up chili nachos ($7) and chili dogs ($4), $15 buckets of Budweiser and Bud Light (5 beers in each), and projecting the game onto the wall.

- Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Avenue, 347-529-6696): Showing the game on a 12-foot projection screen in the main room and on two 48-inch screens in the front bar, providing free snacks, and offering a food menu complete with pizza, wings, and party food. Reserve a party package and get seated before everyone else. The packages are First Down (12 beers, 1 pizza and a reserved table for $45), Field Goal (24 beers, 2 pizzas, plate of wings and a reserved table for $85), and Touchdown (48 beers, 4 pizzas, plate of wings and a reserved table for $150).

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As a few blogs are pointing out today, an article in the January/February issue of Arrive, Amtrak’s “onboard magazine for business and leisure travelers,” refers to Williamsburg as a borough. It thinks SoHo and Harlem are boroughs too.

“Forget Williamsburg or Soho,” the article states in big print. “New Yorkers are taking notice of Harlem’s new restaurants, cultural landmarks and neighborhood vibe. Now’s the time to (re) visit one of the city’s most exciting boroughs.”

The article’s writer, Jason Clampet, is from Hoboken. Come on!

YesWayMusic

A couple weeks ago, Brooklyn’s The Yes Way premiered a music video for “Falter” at Cameo Gallery. The story of this video completely reconstructed my thoughts of this indie rock band. It takes us on a journey of a man seeking for a little more, in a dark naughty sense. Certain scenes are raunchy whereas certain scenes are a little depressing. Watch the video below and get a free download of this track at ExportAMusic.

The Yes Way \”Falter\”

Does a professional body whipper really exist in the Williamsburg community?

These guys will be performing next Monday at The Knitting Factory, December 19th. If you happen to be lurking around Metropolitan, stop by and catch their set. The evening is called “Rock Your Face Off!”. Show begins at 7, purchase tickets over here.

Also, take a visit to The Yes Way bandpage.

Image c/o Wikipedia

Two days ago, the Graham Avenue C-Town issued a community alert on their tumblr page (yes, they have a tumblr), saying:

Today we were alerted by the police that somebody is sexually assaulting women as they walk up the stairways off the Graham Ave & Grand St L train stops.  3 women have been attacked to date.  The attack on Graham Ave happened late at night (3-5 AM).

Unfortunately, further details were not provided and a cursory Google search yields nothing. So if you have information on these incidents, please contact NYPD.

Stay safe out there, friends!

image c/o Adam Lerner/Creative Commons/mcbrooklyn

Despite the rapid rise of that uber trendy youth culture attributed to our neighborhood, there  is a long-established Italian community thriving in Williamsburg. And today marks the beginning of a 124 year old Italian Williamsburg tradition - The Annual Giglio Feast.

Commemorating the return of Bishop Paulino from slavery, the festival reenacts his homecoming jubilee by carrying gigli structures (flower laden steeples of wood) and a boat through the streets.

So maybe go beyond your usual and check out the several events held in honor of the Feast during its 12 day run (July 6 to July 16).

via NY Times

“I’ve lived in this neighborhood since the 1980s, when there were a lot of Polish and Italian social clubs, and I was always inspired by that idea of creating your own community center,” said Chris Raymond, 48, a fly-fishing enthusiast and the information-technology director for Abrams Books. His signature accessory is a worn red baseball cap stitched with the words “Fish Pimp.”

So two years ago, when he was between jobs, Mr. Raymond organized a weekly hangout with 11 other mostly unemployed, musically inclined fathers in a two-story, 800-square-foot former warehouse they rented on an industrial stretch of Kent Avenue near North 11th Street.

The agenda? Listening to records, drinking beer and talking about the great outdoors. They built their own furniture and tacked up fishing maps of the Catskills and Newtown Creek. They jammed on their guitars or headed to the ragged shore nearby to catch moss bunker and bluefish.

Check out their calendar at bklynrodandgun.com.

Nighthawk Cinema

After all our complaints about wanting a movie theater in Williamsburg (in addition to IndieScreen) we can finally rejoice that not only has a theater opened that plays indie first run films, but also serves booze! Nighthawk Cinema officially opens this weekend with showings of Midnight in Paris, The Trip, and Submarine. Zagat has the full scoop on the theater.

“There are tables between every two seats, complete with drinks holders, and you can place written orders from a waiter throughout the flick. The drink list contains options that are themed around movies, while the food options range from homemade beef jerky to watermelon salad. If you don’t want to stay for a show, there is a bar area that is open to the public as well.”

Tickets are $11, and the food is all prepared by Chef Saul Bolton who won a Michelin star for his restaurant Saul on Smith Street. Here’s a peek at the whole menu.

Nighthawk Cinema; 136 Metropolitan Avenue Brooklyn, NY; 718.963.2917

Sorry Virginia, turns out it’s the other Williamsburg that’s for lovers.
According to a survey by online dating site HowAboutWe.com, Williamsburg ranks 5th in the 10 most popular New York neighborhoods to have a first date.
Unlike conventional dating websites, HowAboutWe.com lets you propose first date activities, and then matches you up with a prospective beau who shares your interests. Based on more than 100,000 date suggestions posted, popular Williamsburg destinations include the Brooklyn Brewery, Four & Twenty Blackbirds, Brooklyn Bowl and Mast Brothers Chocolate Factory.
Nothing says romance like organic pastries and PBR.

 

c/o Guest of a Guest

c/o Block Magazine

Williamsburg’s demographics may be changing, according to David Maundrell, President of Aptsandlofts.com.

As reported on The Real Deal Magazine’s twitter feed: “As families and retirees move into Williamsburg off the Bedford L stop, hipsters are moving east along the L,” Maundrell said yesterday at the Green Pearl Brooklyn Real Estate Summit.

Can Williamsburg survive these population changes and maintain its edge, or will its indie cred be lost to pension checks and baby strollers?

image c/o antenna mag

This week, Williamsburg, Greenpoint and Bushwick will be off the friggin’ hook when Northside Festival 2011, Williamsburg Walks and Crest Fest 2011 simultaneously inundate our fair towns with music, art, film, food and ideas.

Here’s a quick resource guide for navigating your way through all the awesomeness:

NORTHSIDE FESTIVAL 2011
Thursday, June 16 to Sunday, June 19
PRICES VARY

Four-Day Badges
If you were lucky enough to score one before they sold out, your Northside badge will grant you access to EVERY show on a first-come, first-served basis.

Badges are available for pickup at Northside Headquarters, located at 240 N. 12th St. in Williamsburg (between Union and Driggs).

Bring a photo ID and drop by during any of the following open hours:
Thursday, June 16 12pm – 10pm
Friday, June 17 12pm – 10pm
Saturday, June 18 12pm-8pm
Sunday June 19 12pm-5pm
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