Another Summer.

This summer I decided to make another trip to NYC, this time with my friend Clayton.
He's a pretty swell guy.

I meant to update this blog earlier in our trip, but there wasn't really an opportunity... or maybe there was, but I was too lazy.

Clayton and I woke up at 4 am on Thursday August 18th to head out to YVR for our 8 am flight. This time, when flight booking, rather than just look for the cheapest flight, I actually looked at ones with reasonable times. Yes, 8 am is early, but it also meant that we arrived in Newark at 7 pm and didn't have to wait a billion hours for the train to Penn Station, and then a million more hours for the subway. We made the mistake of not mapping out our route into Williamsburg before leaving home, so we kind of had to wing it. One too far subway trip and cab ride later, we were settled into our temporary home.

We dropped off our things, and almost immediately headed out to a bar called Post Office to meet up with Lauren, a friend of Clayton's (who by the way, is a completely lovely person). Post Office had a good selection of beers and a REALLY good selection of whiskeys. They also had some pretty delicious food. On my insistence, Clayton ordered a chicken liver and bacon sandwich, which he said was quite possibly one of the most tasty things in life ever.

After some drinking and chatting, I realized, to my confusion that my phone was ringing. Most people knew I was away, so I didn't see who would be calling me at this time from Vancouver. Turns out it was Becky's roommate (Becky is the lady we are subletting from). Turns out, we were not supposed to lock the deadlock on the door. Further turns out that it was now almost 2 am, and she had tried to call me about 5 times, and she had to get into the apartment so that she could go to sleep to get up and work very early in the morning. WOOPS!! Thankfully we were not too far from home, so I literally sprinted back with the keys and let her in. She apologized profusely for being grumpy on the phone and I apologized profusely for locking a door that she could not open. I said goodnight and was back outside on my way to Post Office when I realized I was not 100% sure on how to get back. I started walking in the right direction and figured that I would ask someone along the way. Halfway there, a handsome young hiptery black man came out of a bar and asked me where I was going, he was running a night there and thought that I should come in for a drink. I told him that I was on my way to meet friends, but he insisted that I come in and have a shot with him, and who am I to say no... I feel like this kind of random occurrence just does not really happen in Vancouver, and it's one of the things that I love about New York. We chatted for a bit and I told him that I didn't live here, and I was from Vancouver and hoped to one day move here to which he responded that he ran some kind of music company and if I ever wanted a visa I should give him a shout and he would try to figure out how to get me a job here. I can't say that I 'm not tempted to see if he was serious or not.
ANYWAYS... back to the bar and more drinks, one of the nicest bar tenders ever, one more bar with a huge patio and more beers and then it was time to call it a night. Clayton headed off to Lauren's and I went to Becky's for sleeps. SLEEEPS.

Slept in pretty late and debated sleeping in for many more hours, but then Chris Ferguson convinced me via the internet that I had to start getting on New York time right away, or I never would. Met up with Clayton and Lauren for a somewhat mediocre brunch on a place with a super nice patio and then we just grabbed some beers and went and sat in a park.
I don't really recall how the rest of our day mashed into itself, but we basically spent the evening bar hopping around Williamsburg.
The first place that we went was the Brooklyn Brewery. It was a good place to check out, but was a little underwhelming, and I was pretty sad that they didn't have their Summer Ale on tap. After drinking a few beers, we went outside only to be assaulted by a torrential downpour. We quickly ducked into a nearby bar where we grabbed a few beers and some nachos to wait it out. Thankfully, unlike in Vancouver, the rainstorms here and short and sweet, so we were on our way within a little over an hour.
The next bar that we hit was called Barcade, a long room with a good selection of beers and a GREAT selection of old school video game machines; it might just be a nerd's dream bar. A couple of hours later, we went to maybe the best karaoke bar I have ever been to in my life. If I lived in this neighbourhood in real life, I would probably go there every week. The crocodile would pretty much look like your typical bar from the street, but in the back there is a little room with a stage where you can croon your heart out every Thursday night. I am not exaggerating when I say that they have the best selection of karaoke songs that I have ever seen in my life. It was full enough to be interesting, but also small enough that Clayton and I each got to sing three songs. HURRAY!! The other interesting thing about this place is that with every beer, you get a ticket that you can use to get an entire freshly baked cheese pizza. Not a slice. A whole pizza. This is both great and horrible. Great, because there is never a point in the evening where you think to yourself "I have had too much to drink and I reaaaaaally need a snack". Not great because, OH GOD I ATE SO MUCH CHEESE PIZZA. OW! MY STOMACH LINING!"
I think that we went somewhere else after that, but I don't remember.
Stumbled home.
Sleeped.
Sleeped in.
Brunch.

Saturday morning I yelped close brunch places and Clayton and I decided on Le Barricou. OMG. SO DELICIOUS. Quite possibly some of the best brunch I have ever had in my life. Tasty omelette, perfectly seasoned potatoes and a big salad on the side. The room was super pretty and the service was impeccable. TEN OUT OF TEN.
We hopped the subway to the Brooklyn Bridge and strolled across and took some tourist shots, then walked around Manhattan for a bit before heading to Lauren's for some drinks. More subways. Then a very long, epic night of bands, short films and tons of free beers on an amazing rooftop. HURRAY
At 4 am, I was once again subway-ing my way home, when who do I run into... the only boy who I have had awkward makeout with in the entirely of new york. We drunkenly made out one night while I was here last summer then hung out one more time, when i realized we had nothing in common, and never called him again. HOW DID I RUN INTO HIM ON THE SUBWAY AT 4AM?!? SO AWKARD.
Got home, and wouldn't you know it, the deadbolt was locked. REALLY?! I didn't have a key anymore, so I just had to knock on the door until someone got up and let me in.
Internets. Netflix. Sleeps.

SUNDAY! Tried to make it to the Red Hook Lobster truck at the BK Flea Market, but then Lauren and Clayton got kind of lost and were late and we missed it. ANOTHER DAY.
We ducked into a tiny italian place to hide from another downpour and snacked on some tasty foods before running over to Mikey's apartment.
Hurray Mikey! The last time that I was here, we hung out for one afternoon, as later that day he was on his way to Spain. This trip is almost no different. We spent the evening hanging out with him and his roommate and were going to head to a rooftop party, except that sadly it had been rained out. Early tomorrow Mikey is heading to Spain again, so sadly, there will be no epic party night this time around. NEXT TIME.

On the way home, we stopped at a restaurant called Caiexico where I had the best burrito that I have ever had in my entire life. I'm not even joking. Everything about it was completely amazing. YUM!! SO MANY DELICIOUS FOODS!


Ok. so I know that this post is exceedingly long and at the moment there aren't even any photos.
So I'll wrap it up!!

The next morning, TODAY, Clayton and I went for brunch at Egg. I would highly recommend this place. I got an egg with chees in brioche and it came with some wilted kale and roasted tomatoes. The whole meal was magical, but the real star was the kale. It was so perfectly prepared that a description could not possibly do it justice.

I then weirdly bartered on a 12 pack of pbr at a corner store, and now here I am on the patio off of our room, typing out this blog post.

Oh. I also went to yoga this morning. By donation. How great is that!

DONE!!
It's now almost 4 pm, and I think that Clayton and I are going to bike around the city a bit and then who knows.

So far, it's been a pretty great trip!

Bye for now!