by BCB Property Management | Apr 4, 2019 | Brooklyn, Neighborhoods, New York City, Real Estate
New Yorkers may be ready for spring in the city, but Winter is fast approaching – for the HBO series Game of Thrones, that is. The eighth and final season returns to the small screen on April 14th, and plenty of New Yorkers are looking to travel back to Westeros with their fellow fans.
Whether you just want to venture out for the premiere or make watching with friends a weekly habit, here are four spots to catch the show which offer special drinks, reserved watching areas, and all around revelry that would make the show’s original master of excess, Tyrion Lannister, proud.
Liquor Lab
If mixology is your thing, head to SoHo’s Liquor Lab and make like wine-swilling Queen Cersei. For the Game of Thrones premiere, the Lab has planned one of their signature hands-on cocktail creation experiences at the Game of Thrones cocktails and watch party, which includes teaching attendees how to mix up three show-inspired cocktails – The Rains of Castamere, North of the Wall and the Search for the Grey Lady. Pizza and snacks will also be served as you create.
Junoon
This Michelin-starred Indian restaurant has developed nine in-house Game of Thrones-themed cocktails over the years including the Jon Snow, said to be dark and mysterious, which arrives in a sea of spiced smoke, the Arya Stark, which appears innocent but comes with a kick, and the Mother of Dragons, which comes with its own citrus peel dragon head garnish. The bartender at Junoon, Hemant Pathak, will debut a 10th themed cocktail at the premiere — rumor has it, it’s dragon glass related.
Parklife
If you are really ready to be outside, show up at this self-described oasis in Brooklyn which has 4,000 square feet of outdoor space, drinks and food on April 14th at 7:30pm. Watch the Season 7 finale followed by the premiere under the stars at 9pm. Check back to see if the whole season will be screened, and enjoy your Game of Thrones drama in the outdoors as the weather warms up.
The Bedford
The night may be long and full of terrors in Westeros, but at The Bedford in Williamsburg you’ll find a rustic haven to watch the show every Sunday. The upscale pub, known for casual neighborhood dining, occupies a former garage. The restaurant has a carefully curated wine list, cocktails and a back dining room with a projector screen to make sure attendees can catch every minute of the final season.
No matter where you choose to catch Game of Thrones’s final season’s action, these venues make it possible to have a hand to hold and a shoulder to cry on, as well as a drink in hand. To paraphrase one of the show’s most infamous lines: if you think this has a happy ending, you haven’t been paying attention.
Looking for NYC activities with no series finale? Read our guides to the best live comedy, pub trivia, and free music in the five boroughs!
by BCB Property Management | Jan 28, 2019 | New York City
It may be frigid on the streets of New York, but inside the many great cafes and restaurants across the city, a delectable chocolate indulgence awaits. For a satisfying mug of divine deliciousness that will thaw you out, the city has many choices. These are our top five favorite spots for a hot chocolate that’s unlike any other.
The City Bakery
The City Bakery is not just a bakery, but also a cafe, wholesaler, caterer, and chocolate shop. Founded in 1990, they’ve since expanded all the way to Japan, but there’s no place like their NYC home for their highly original treats. Dark hot chocolate is their claim to fame: rich, thick, and slightly (but delightfully) bitter, you may be inspired to order a second cup. Be sure to splurge for the large marshmallow.
Max Brenner
For chocolate lovers of all stripes, Max Brenner is a must-see. Willy Wonka might be jealous of their chocolate fountains and whimsical, family-friendly menu. That menu features more than 10 different types of hot chocolate, each is a completely mind-blowing affair in its own right. Notable is their famed “Suckao Experience,” a very concentrated shot of either white or milk hot chocolate. “Suckao” describes the act of literally sucking the drink down with a metal straw. Bring your sweet tooth and don’t be shy about sharing the experience with your friends (and followers)!
Alice’s Tea Cup
The name might imply that this cafe is for tea lovers only, but don’t be fooled. Their selections involve tea most of the time but in all the right ways. Their hot chocolate is infused with teas like Rooibos Bourbon and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne, so those who face a wintertime drink dilemma will be right at home here. Each concoction is unique to Alice’s and wholly memorable in its own right. These boundary-pushing flavor combinations are well worth a try for anyone bored with the usual.
Maman
This French-inspired bakery with 7 locations across Manhattan and Brooklyn has become renowned for their inventive indulgences. Lavender-infused hot chocolate stands out on a menu filled with remarkable treats and favorites. Their nutty chocolate chip cookie, perfect for dipping, made Oprah’s “favorite things list” for 2017. If it’s good enough for Lady O, it’s definitely worth a try.
Sant Ambroeus
Named for a Milanese bishop born in 334 AD, this eatery focuses on “savoring each moment.” Their three Manhattan locations are the height of urban sophistication, with elegant mugs of incredible hot chocolate, or cioccolata calda, to match. Relaxation is the vibe in this Euro-infused experience. Dairy-free options mean there’s no restriction on enjoyment here, either, as all their elegant mugs of hot chocolate come with the milk of your choice – almond, soy, or whole.
It’s time to give up on the powdered stuff in a packet. Be kinder to yourself, it’ll be worth the trip. Take advantage of winter to enjoy the city’s best offerings for hot chocolate: warm your body as well as your soul. In these temperatures, it certainly couldn’t hurt.
Looking for more great NYC food and drink? Check out our guides to NYC’s most Instagrammable dessert spots, the Five Coolest Speakeasies in the City, and the best Food Halls in town.
by BCB Property Management | Oct 22, 2018 | Neighborhoods
Museums are known to house sacred pieces that shape history and society as we know it. Silently walking the halls while using your eyes alone to take in the exhibit is becoming a routine of the past. New types of exhibitions are springing to life in cities all over the world. Enter the pop-up museum, created specifically for hands-on interaction and the boosting of everyone’s social media presence. Here are the top pop-up museums in New York City right now.
The Color Factory
A bright take on art makes this museum one unlike any other. It is centered around – you guessed it – colors. It features prestigious artists, illustrators, makers and designers, non-profits, and local food vendors. Located in a 20,000-square-foot Hudson Square space in Soho, this pop-up highlights all the happiness and fun that come from vibrant colors. No outfit is too flashy here.
The Museum of Pizza
The website describes this pop-up as “A space to bask in multi-sensory, psychedelic pizza joy.“ The $35 ticket will buy you a tour of pizza-themed rooms such as the “cheese cave,” a “pizza beach,” and others. Otherwise, they’re a little cheeky as to what it all actually means. Whether you’re intrigued or creeped out, this experience is guaranteed to be “marvelously-’grammable.” Bring your cameras and all cheesy pizza hashtags. It will likely make you hungry.
Candytopia
Here, everything is made of candy thanks to the talents of Hollywood “candy queen” Jackie Sorkin and fabricator Zac Hartog. The website sums up the museum as “where colossal candyfloss constructions meld with a tantalizing taffy twistedness!” If that doesn’t sum it up, you’ll have to see it for yourself. A tour through Charlie’s Chocolate Factory may not live up to this modern-day pop-up. Bring a sweet tooth and your Instagram game.
The Velvet Underground Experience
If you think you should’ve lived your best years in the 1960s, this museum may be your cup of tea. Connect with Lou Reed in his prime and go into a technicolor world befitting Andy Warhol’s iconic banana album cover. This pop-up features six films, 350+ photos, 1,000+ objects, and special events such as concerts, lectures, installations, exhibitions, screenings, and masterclasses.
Museum of Illusions
Want to see your head on a platter without actually losing it? This is the place to do so. When you’re in this museum, everything is an optical illusion. It will make you question your senses and learn about them at the same time. Nothing is what it seems until you leave the building. Great for kids and adults alike. Perfect for selfies.
The weather is getting chilly, so go inside to warm up and check out these delightful budding forms of pop culture in the greatest city in the world. The caveat to these Millennial-centric pop-up museums is that they are only around temporarily. Get your selfies in before they close!
by BCB Property Management | Sep 17, 2018 | New York City
Much has been written over the past several years about the extinction of what was once a city staple: the greasy-spoon diners and unassuming luncheonettes of yore. It’s true. So many of the idiosyncratic places that used to form the fabric of New York City have been replaced with more stylish, homogeneous versions of themselves. The NYC diner isn’t completely dead, but its heyday has seemingly come and gone.
Recent closures include Chinatown’s nearly 70-year-old The Cup and Saucer, the Lyric Diner in Gramercy, the 40-year-old Del Rio in Brooklyn, the Village’s Joe Jr., the 53-year-old Market Diner in Hell’s Kitchen and, of course, the much maligned closure of Broadway’s 34-year-old Cafe Edison, an absolute institution in the heart of the Theater District.
Diners have been upended for a variety of reasons, usually some combination of lower receipts, higher rent, and competition from ubiquitous chain eateries. Those factors, plus the reality that a new generation of college-educated professionals is proving reluctant to run family businesses that involve long, hard hours and slim margins, are converging in what has felt like a massive diner die-off.
It’s no wonder that city staples have been replaced by glossy alternatives like Pret a Manger and Le Pain Quotidien. In fact, a recent Crain’s article said that while the city had over 1,000 diners and coffee shops 20 years ago, today that number has been whittled down to fewer than 400.
And, while many New Yorkers are lamenting the loss of their favorite spots for affordable comfort food, overall, the population’s tastes have changed. Some diners have struggled to keep pace by switching to upscale ingredients or replacing meat-heavy dishes with vegan and vegetarian options. Champ’s Diner in Brooklyn specializes in vegan fare. The Empire Diner in Chelsea offers upmarket menu items like tuna “poke” bowls, beef carpaccio and antibiotic-free chicken. Some might argue that menu items in the $30-range go against the spirit of the diner, while others are thankful for the cozy, retro atmosphere and the ingenuity.
Thankfully, there are still some old-time diners that grace our great city. More of them tend to be located in the outer boroughs rather than Manhattan, but there are diners to be found in either case. Favorites include the appropriately named Manhattan Diner, Broadway Restaurant, Comfort Diner, Bel Aire Diner, and the Neptune Diner.
For most of us, the days of walking a few blocks to get to our neighborhood diner, a place chock-full of friendly and familiar faces, may be over. But that doesn’t mean that the experience is lost entirely. If we’re willing to travel a little farther and perhaps endure a little anonymity, we can still bask in the warmth and comfort of eating scrambled eggs on a vinyl seat, surrounded by chrome and Formica.
Hopefully, the high-profile closures have generated enough interest to convince a large customer base to patronize our remaining local treasures. Perhaps NYC’s remaining diners can survive against the odds, pouring coffee and grilling burgers in perpetuity.
Looking for a different type of NYC eating experience? Read about ethnic food enclaves in Brooklyn and the Bronx, or satisfy your sweet tooth at one of our most instragrammable dessert spots.
by BCB Property Management | Apr 17, 2018 | Neighborhoods, New York City
NYC is already a foodie paradise-with more restaurants than you could visit in a lifetime-but who’s to say you can have too much of a good thing? More and more developers across the five boroughs are opening food halls, dedicated spaces featuring a variety of food options under one roof. These are 3 of our favorites!
Dekalb Market Hall – Downtown Brooklyn
Sited in the basement of the remodeled Albee Square Mall, CityPoint features a new Target, Century 21, and Alamo Drafthouse movie theater, but the biggest attraction sits in the basement. This bustling hall holds 40 vendors representing the spectrum of Brooklyn eats, from tacos to pierogis and everything in between. Perhaps the most enticing option are the mile-high pastrami sandwiches from Katz’ Deli-available outside of the Houston St. original for the first time ever.
Hudson Eats – Battery Park City
Underneath the picturesque Winter Garden Atrium in Battery Park City’s Financial Center, Hudson Eats boasts perhaps the city’s most massive food hall, with big names suitable for the enormous space. Mighty Quinn’s BBW, Dos Toros Taqueria, and Blue Ribbon Sushi are just a selection of the top-quality fare to be found in the shadow of the Freedom Tower, located just across West Street.
source: timeout.com
Shops at Queens Crossing – Flushing
Arising from a former mall food court, the Shops at Queens Crossing feature a major upgrade from the fast food of yesterday. Appropriately enough for the majority Asian neighborhood, Flushing’s brand new food hall features foodie-grade bubble tea, Hawaiian poke, Japanese sushi, Chinese dim sum, Thai ice cream, and even some French and British options. For New York’s most diverse borough, it’s only right that an international flavor is in the offering.
Want more NYC food talk? Check out our Food Enclaves series: with visits to Crown Heights, Brooklyn, Jackson Heights, Queens, and Arthur Avenue in The Bronx.
