A Brooklyn Life

Ahh the NYPD. While I appreciate that our city has a cache of cops ready to head off danger at any sign, what I can’t appreciate is why this danger includes bicyclists and people pushing shopping carts (or, for that matter, people who declare a pants-optional subway ride). Doesn’t really give me a lot of confidence in the NYPD top brass when they think that shadowing and harassing citizens not out to harm anyone is a good use of police time. Has too much a touch of a "police state" feeling for me. Perhaps I’m just bitter because I showed up for the Idiotarod in Williamsburg, along with a handful of spectators and at least one shopping cart, only to learn that the event’s starting point had moved to Fort Greene. In my blissful ignorance, I set out early to have a fab early brunch at Bonita in Williamsburg, without ever checking to see if the start point had changed. You can see Idiotarod photos on Flickr, but sadly, I have none. Gothamist also has some great coverage.

I did, however, decide to make a day of it in Williamsburg. Made stops at all my W-burg favorites: the fab used bookstore Clovis Press, the great Indian-influenced clothing and jewelry boutique Pema (225 Bedford Ave), the ever hip Mini Minimarket stuffed with appropriately ironic but not overdone T-shirts,  the uber sexy lingerie and bedroom store Sleep, the Golden Calf, which is where I’ll shop when I finally have that $1million loft or brownstone to fill, Academy Records so I can stand around and watch my hubby buy records and Love Shines (249 Grand St) because there is no better place in New York to purchase goods from Peru and dance to funky disco all while saving 50 percent off just because the owner wanted to be nice and have a sale. 

Along the way, our crew stopped for several rousing games of outdoor pingpong at Iona, which is my new favorite Williamsburg bar. Cheap drinks (Boddington’s on tap for $4! and $4 mixed drinks, too!!), friendly Irish bartender, decent music, chill patrons, and a cute backyard, perfect for those winter days where it’s 50 degrees outside (wassup global warming).

We then hit up DuMont spin-off, DuMont Burger, where we sampled both the DuMont Mini ($7, background and left) and the DuMont Burger ($9.50, foreground). Order them done medium, topped with Gruyère, and enjoy the disparity between the charred outer coating and the warm, juicy inner core.  Though a side of fries does the job, I’d recommend either the amazingly sweet, thickly breaded and sliced onion rings, or–if you are feeling particularly guilty about all that meat–the generous side salad tossed in a rosemary vinaigrette. Of course, your diet doesn’t really matter here because you’re going to need to spring for the boat-load of mac and cheese ($10, easily split among five of us)–the spiral pastas happily drown in a creamy melted mess of cheddar, Gruyère and bacon and are delivered with a crust of toasted bread crumbs. Still not as good as the chipotle mac and cheese at Pioneer Bar, but nothing to be ashamed of.

Update: Brownstoner covered DuMont Burger previously.