Undiscovered New York: Handmade in Brooklyn

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Brooklyn remains one of the more fiercely independent places in all of New York City. Although the Borough was officially incorporated into the greater city in 1898, it has long-rivaled its more popular neighbor Manhattan across the river for the tallest buildings, the most impressive parks and museums and for the ingenuity of its residents.

One of the more visible artifacts of this competitive spirit and creativity is Brooklyn’s love affair with all things handcrafted, artisanal and one-of-a-kind. What is it about Brooklyn that makes it so creative exactly? Call it a symptom of the pride Brooklyn’s residents have for their unique brownstone neighborhoods. Or chalk it up to the high creativity of the area’s many transplants from around the world. But whether it’s made-from-scratch pickles, chocolate or beer, a lovingly crafted musical instrument or quirky piece of jewelry or hooded sweatshirt, the labors of Brooklyn refuse to be homogeneous.

And what about you, dear reader – are you looking for a one-of-a-kind gift or souvenir from your visit to the Big Apple? Does the prospect of some handcrafted beer make you thirsty? Perhaps some custom-made cologne, perfume or clothing is more your style? Grab the next subway out of Manhattan: this week’s edition of Undiscovered New York is handmade, straight from Brooklyn. Click below to read more.
Handmade Gifts
They say smell is the sense most closely associated with memory – Brooklyn scent-makers at D.S. & Durga seem to have taken the idea to heart. The pair of budding smell-smiths have been producing small batch handmade colognes and perfumes since 2007, sourcing plant extracts, resins and oils from around the world. Stop by one of their Brooklyn retail outlets and pick up a custom made bottle for yourself.

While D.S. & Durga are playing around with notes of scent like citrus and ginger, the craftsmen at Sadowsky Guitars have a very different kind of note-making in mind. Though New York has a long history as a center for guitar-making companies, the team at Sadowsky operates out of a small store in Brooklyn. They have produced custom guitars, basses and audio products for such musicians as Adam Clayton from U2 and Lenny Kravitz. If it’s good enough for these accomplished axe-handlers, guitarists everywhere can bet there’s a custom guitar there waiting to built just for you.

Independent Fashion
When it comes to clothing, Brooklyn’s got a style all its own. Men and women alike swear by local clothing chain Brooklyn Industries. They stock a wide range of quirky bags, outerwear, t-shirts and dresses to suit the most discerning fashion-lovers. It’s gotten so popular you can now find retail outlets well beyond the chain’s Brooklyn home in locations as far away as Chicago and Portland.

If customization is your thing, look no further than Brooklyn favorite Neighborhoodies. The clothing chain, which lets customers design one-of-a-kind hooded sweatshirts and t-shirts emblazoned with personal messages and imagery, first got its start in this most creative of Boroughs. This isn’t your boring old iron-on we’re talking about here – the letters can be hand-stitched onto any clothing item and can include graphics like guns, monkeys and thunderbolts.

Free-form Food
As was noted in a recent article by the New York Times, Brooklyn has become ground zero for one of the country’s most interesting and creative artisanal food scenes. Passionate foodies and chefs are making just about every kind of foodstuff imaginable from scratch, including items like chocolate, cheese and pickles.

But it doesn’t stop there – beer lovers should make sure to try out one of the Borough’s several local brews. Local favorites include Williamsburg’s Brooklyn Brewery, where visitors can take a tour and to sample a few of their recent specialities, or the Brooklyn brewers at Sixpoint Craft Ales. Meanwhile, the small-batch pickle makers of Wheelhouse crank out seasonal experimental pickle flavors like Champagne Vinegar Spears as well as standbys including Big Bang Okra and Top Shelf Beets.

More Differences in Dining

by Scott Carmichael on

Credit card for bar tab and bar ID policies

Want to sit at the bar and keep ordering drinks? Be prepared to hand the bartender your credit card. For some reason, you’ll usually only see this in more upscale establishments. Essentially, it is their way of preventing you from walking off without paying.

Also, unless you look like you are pushing 70, don’t bother ordering alcohol without bringing ID. The legal age for drinking in the US is 21, and bars get in a ton of trouble if they are caught serving underage patrons. For this reason, they usually have very strict “carding” rules for their staff, and some places simply “card” everyone – regardless of age.

Yes, this is a real hassle, as you will have to carry your drivers license or passport everywhere you want to drink. If your license does not include English, you’ll need to carry your passport. The same rules also apply to purchasing alcohol in retail stores – in fact, the law is so strict, that underage checkout clerks will have to call for someone over 21 to scan your alcohol purchase.

Opening hours and breakfast



Restaurants are open when people are hungry, so don’t be too surprised if you find a Taco Bell or McDonalds serving people 24/7. In fact, if you are in a major metropolitan area, you should be surprised if you can not find somewhere to eat in the middle of the night. The only downside is that many of these 24/7 places only serve people at the drive up window.

Breakfast is big here – forget the British with their fried breakfast; the US is where you’ll find fried chicken, gravy and steaks on the menu at many breakfast establishments. Oh, and for those of you visiting from the UK – bacon is served fried and crispy, not raw and dripping in grease.

The bathroom crack

Filled up on free Diet Coke refills and need to visit the bathroom? If you step into a stall, don’t be alarmed by the large crack in the walls and door. Most US bathrooms are made of privacy unfriendly panels, and the gap between the wall and door is often half an inch or more. Most of them are only high enough to reach your shoulders, so if you value your privacy, I suggest doing your business, and getting out of there as soon as you can.

Yes, the same country that freaked out over seeing half a nipple during the Super Bowl, has no problem with people being able to see you poop. Ironic eh?

The good news? Bathroom access is almost always free in the US, and when compared to some countries, our facilities are generally clean.

Choice is king!

Be prepared to be overwhelmed when it comes to ordering your meal – most places work hard to offer a large number of dishes. Don’t be surprised if you are presented with a 16 page menu and a separate wine list.

Tea is a drink served cold

If you order “tea”, be prepared to be served with a cold beverage. Tea in the United States refers to iced tea. If your idea of tea is something steeped and served in porcelain, then be sure to ask for hot tea.

Don’t be surprised to dine somewhere with 4 different flavors of iced tea, but no hot tea.

Free condiments!

If you are from Western Europe, then chances are you are perfectly used to paying for your condiments (ketchup, mayo etc.). Thankfully we here in the US will have none of that.

Some fast food restaurants may have a limit on the number of freebies, but you won’t run into anyone asking for 25 cents just so you can get a single pouch of ketchup.

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Differences in dining – Welcome to America!

by Scott Carmichael on

Welcome foreign readers (yeah, we know you read us!). Chances are, you’ve been reading the news, and with a little bit of luck, you’ll take advantage of a favorable exchange rate, and come pay us a visit this Summer.

If so, here are 10 things we do differently in this country when it comes to eating (and drinking) out.



Free soda refills



In the vast majority of establishments, you’ll only have to pay for your first soft drink. Unlike Europe, where a refreshing beverage is usually served tepid, we like to fill up on ice, and provide complimentary refills on drinks.

Most fast food restaurants will let you tap your own drink, and unless there is a sign specifically banning free refills, go ahead and fill up.

Smart people will wonder why stores sell small, medium and large drinks, when you can essentially get the same amount of drink for a lower price. That my friend, is the right way to think! And before you ask – no, you won’t get free refills on beer, and if you do, please let me know where that was!

Portion sizes

Yes – I’m fully aware that the United States is the source of many jokes about big portions and big people. We actually have ourselves to thank for that. Times are slowly changing, but there are still plenty of restaurants where the portion size is picked so it looks huge, not based on how much food one person actually needs.

The Doggy bag

The doggy bag picks up where the previous topic ended. Large portions are not served just to make you overeat – you paid for your food, so feel free to ask for a container at the end of your meal to carry any leftovers back home (or to your hotel).

Nobody will give you strange looks; quite the opposite in fact. You’d better have a good reason to leave food behind.

Tipping

Tipping is a really complicated topic, because it differs from anything you are probably used to. Tipping in most parts of the world is what you do to round up the check (cheque). If service was really good, you might even throw in an extra Euro or two.

In the US, tipping is what you do to pay your server, maître d’, sommelier or other hospitality worker. Your tip is their salary, as they most likely won’t be making anything over minimum wage, or less.

Refusing to tip, or tipping less than 15%, is what you do when your service was abysmal, not when you run out of money or don’t think it is worth it. When you order in a restaurant, keep in mind that you’ll have to add between 15% and 20% of your final bill for the tip. Tipping is not expected in fast food restaurants.

When you dine with a group, you’ll often be expected to pay a mandatory tip, which will be added to the bill. Unless service was horrible (in which case you should have asked for a manager), the restaurant will expect you to pay this. Sadly, the definition of “group” has decreased in recent years, and nowadays 6 people is usually where you start to be considered a group. The mandatory group tip is usually between 18% and 22%.

And if this wasn’t enough, you’ll be expected to tip the valet, cab or limo driver, bellhop and bar tender, and some people may even suggest you leave a tip in your room for the maid. The Internet is full of tipping resources, so to prevent an embarrassing situation, do a quick search for a crash course on tipping.

> > > Go to page 2 of “Differences in Dining – Welcome to America”

Five quick trip splurges to take with the Amazing Race’s million dollar win

by Jamie Rhein on

Now that Victor and Tammy have discovered that they get along with each other quite nicely, AND they’ve won the million dollar prize on Amazing Race 14, they could pool their resources for some dandy vacations and have plenty of money left over for two houses and the stock market. This is the time to buy. At least, that’s what I’ve heard.

Let’s say that Victor and Tammy only have a few days to squeeze in between their Amazing Race trip wins– considering that they came in first place five times and won trips for most of their Pit Stop triumphs. Just in case they are stumped about where else to go, I’ve thought of five places I’d head to in the U.S. if I were them. It doesn’t hurt to dream a little. Stay tuned for where I’d go in the world.

  • New York, New York: Spend three nights at the Plaza Hotel overlooking Fifth Avenue in New York City. For the summer, if you book two nights, the third is free. To add to the luxury, stay in the 2 Bedroom Suite with 5th Ave view Dining, 2 baths, butler service and a pantry. For the two nights that’ll be $7,000, not including tax and gratuity. Still that leaves a lot of moola for New York City fun.
  • Yountville, California: Dine at the French Laundry in Napa Valley, California. Ever since I read about Scott Haas’s experience dining here in his book Are We There Yet?, I’ve been salivating. Each day there are two new nine-course tasting menus. Haas spent more than $400.00 for his family of four. The tasting menu is $240 a person. Here’s today’s. Yum! Where to stay suggestion: Yountville Inn. There’s a Superior Room with two queen-size beds with breakfast included and complimentary wine tasting. Napa Valley would be a wonderful place for some R&R to celebrate a race.
  • Ogunquit, Maine: One of the first places I went on a solo adventure was Ogunquit. I didn’t stay, but visited a friend who was working there at a resort hotel. It was gorgeous. The Juniper Hill Inn is a beach front property within walking distance to the historic downtown and the Marginal Way, the path that leads to Perkins Cove. With a two-night stay you can get the Theater Package that includes two tickets to John Lane’s Ogunquit Playhouse, a summer theater outing. The most expensive rooms are less than $250 so there’s plenty of chump change for lobster and steamed clams to dip in butter. For the best of the best, MC Perkins Cove has a menu that’s sublime.
  • New Orleans, Louisiana: Whatever else Tammy & Victor decide to do in New Orleans, they need to eat breakfast at Brennan’s. I did that once, and it’s an experience not to forget. There are also many options for Creole style fine-dining, and a city that has a personality like no others. For slumber, my dreams point to a deluxe King room at The Avenue Garden Hotel in the Garden District. For $124 a night for a King bed Deluxe room, Tammy and Victor can certainly afford a room each.
  • Santa Fe, New Mexico: Friends of mine once said that said Santa Fe is the only place they’ve been that makes them feel like shopping. Seriously, this is probably the most aesthetically pleasing city in the U.S. My hands down favorite thing to do there besides linger at the Museum of International Folk Art is spend a couple hours at Ten Thousand Waves, a Japanese style spa and retreat center. La Fonda Hotel on the Plaza has a gorgeous restaurant, La Plazuela with superb eats. For luxury, the hotel has La Terreza rooms and suites on the top floor that includes a roof top patio. A suite is $595.

Galley Gossip: Nut allergies on the airplane

by Heather Poole on

Recently Patricia Aspinall, of Travel Savvy Mom, wrote an interesting article about her experience on board a flight to the Caribbean with a passenger who had a nut allergy, while traveling with her husband and daughter, a two and a half year-old. Like my own two year-old, Patricia’s daughter is a picky eater, so Patricia did what any smart mom would do and packed snacks – peanut butter granola bars.

When the flight attendants on Patricia’s flight asked passengers to refrain from eating nuts, Patricia had no idea what to do about her hungry child, so she asked a flight attendant. “The flight attendant didn’t have any solutions,” wrote Patricia. “It seemed this was a first for them as well.”

Solutions? Unfortunately, there’s just one solution – no nuts! Regardless of picky eaters on board. Not to sound harsh, but I’d rather have a hungry child on my plane than a plane that has to divert because someone has a serious allergy attack.

Daniel More, MD, from About.com, wrote…

A recent study showed that nearly one in 10 people with peanut, tree nut or seed allergies experienced an allergic reaction while traveling on an airplane. Surprisingly, most of these reactions occurred as a result on inhaling airborne particles from peanuts. This occurred after multiple bags of peanuts were opened near a person with peanut allergy. Airborne peanut particles seem to be common on airplanes, since peanut proteins have been found in the ventilation filters of commercial airplanes.

Since commercial airlines may not have emergency medical equipment on board, and because there may not be a medical professional traveling as a fellow passenger, people with peanut allergy need to be prepared. Calling various airline companies to see if peanuts are served on the planned flight is a good idea, but never a guarantee that peanuts won’t be present on the airplane. Carrying an Epi-Pen, as well as an antihistamine, is the best way to be prepared for an allergic emergency. For a long flight, a person with food allergies should consider bringing their own food on the airplane, since airplane food could contain hidden ingredients and may not be labeled as containing common food allergens

Because we no longer serve free food on board the airplanes, nuts are always a popular snack with passengers and crew alike. They’re healthy and filling and fit easily inside a tote bag. My favorite, almonds and pistachios. My coworker last week shared a bag of cashews. People bring nuts and products containing nuts on board all the time. So what happened when a child with a nut allergy walked on board my mother’s flight two years ago?

“The child looked to be about eight years old,” my mother said. “He was on his way to seek medical treatment with a specialist. He tried to smile, but he couldn’t because his lips were too swollen. It was the saddest thing I’d ever seen. The skin on his entire body was splotchy, puffy, and swollen. Whenever he’d try to scratch his mother had to force him to stop. I’ve never seen anything like it. Honestly, I had no idea it could be so bad. His eyes were so swollen he could hardly see out of them. Just because of a peanut allergy!”

“As soon as all the passengers were seated on board that flight we made an announcement and told everyone they couldn’t consume nuts because we had a passenger on board with an allergy,” my mother continued. “Everyone was very nice about it. Not one person complained. Then we went through all of our snacks and removed anything with nuts – candy bars and trail mix. We couldn’t even serve the people in first class the warm mixed nuts because his allergy was so severe.”

Not every passenger with a nut allergy experiences the same thing. Recently a passenger came on board and told me she had a nut allergy. I asked if it would be okay if we served snacks containing nuts. She said that was fine, though she, herself, wouldn’t be able to eat them. Every case is different, which is why it’s very important we all work together on this issue. If you’re a passenger with an allergy, please tell the flight attendants just how serious your condition is. If your a flight attendant who finds out there’s a passenger with a nut allergy on board, make you ask how serious the condition may be. While there are no reports of passengers dying from starvation on board a flight, at least none that I know of, I do not believe the same can be said for someone with a serious condition who has accidentally inhaled nuts from passengers sitting nearby.

Don’t forget I’m not just a flight attendant, I’m also the mother of a 2 year-old. I travel with my son often and I always do what Patricia did, I pack snacks – cheese and crackers, raisins, a sliced apple, peanut butter and jelly, cheese nips… Never, ever, do I depend on the airline for my hunger needs, regardless of how much I’ve paid for my ticket. I’ve worked way too many flights where we’ve run out of food (the flights aren’t catered full in coach) or the flight is delayed for hours, or even worse, the flight diverts! Flying can be like a a real life episode of Survivor. You never know what’s going to happen and you’ve got to plan ahead. Especially when you’re traveling with a child. That means you have to pack snacks – maybe even an assortment of snacks if your child is a picky eater.

Patrica went on to write about her experience on board that Caribbean flight…

I was told to go ahead and eat the food I brought. I replied that I wasn’t willing to take the risk. Finally they gave us some free snacks, but asked us please not to tell anyone. They didn’t have enough for everyone. As allergies are becoming a bigger and bigger issue each year, airlines need a definitive policy. As for me, I will definitely rethink what snacks I pack for our next flight

The flight attendants should NOT have told Patricia to go ahead and eat the peanut butter granola bar. However, in defense of those flight attendants, I probably would have done the same thing if I hadn’t heard my mother’s story about the child with the allergy traveling on her flight two years ago. I mean who knew an allergy could be so bad? I mean I have food allergies, but I only get congested when I eat things I shouldn’t eat. Seriously, unless you’ve experienced something first hand, or know someone personally who has a serious allergy problem, you really have no clue how much a person can suffer.

Patricia was smart to have packed granola bars for her child and it was not her fault that she couldn’t give her child the snack she’d packed. Now if I’d been Patricia, I probably would have just purchased another snack from the flight attendant. End of story. Because it’s not the airlines fault that a child with a nut allergy was on board the flight. Nor was it the child’s fault he/she had an allergy causing all items with nuts to remain unopened. There are no easy answers here. Unfortunately these things do happen from time to time. That’s why it’s so important to come prepared. For anything. Thank goodness Patricia new better than to take the risk and open the bar. Thank goodness the flight attendants had a few extra snacks to hand out – free of charge. More importantly, thank goodness the flight landed without further incident.

Got a nut allergy? You might want to read this post about Delta and Northwest. Also, check out these bag tags and nut allergy labels. (featured at the top of this page)

Photo courtesy of (airplane snack) Sean Mun son, (allergic reaction) Nancy