March 3, 2023

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Welcome to this week's newsletter! This edition features exciting updates from Greenpoint, Brooklyn. From exploring the culinary scene with Abi Balingit to discussing the proposed changes to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, this newsletter has it all. Additionally, we'll cover the surge in restaurant openings amid the pandemic, housing efforts, local art and literature events, and much more. Don't miss out on the details!

🍔 Food & Restaurants

NYT Food Readers Explore Cozy Cuisine in NYC's Greenwich Village and Greenpoint

Readers of NYT Food have recommended numerous cozy New York City restaurants, with Greenwich Village featuring prominently. French, Italian and British-Belgian fare were popular cuisines, with Le Fond in Greenpoint also receiving a nod.

Exploring the Culinary Scene in Greenpoint with Abi Balingit, Author of Mayumu: Filipino American Desserts Remixed

Abi Balingit, author of Mayumu: Filipino American Desserts Remixed, starts her day with a Jersey pork roll from Greenberg's Bagels, and makes Spamsilog for lunch. She also enjoys eating at restaurants such as LaRina Pastificio & Vino and Place des Fêtes in Clinton Hill.

Greenpoint's Food Scene Flourishes: Compton's Sandwiches and Big Wong Announce New Locations, While North Brooklyn Pancakes Receive National Recognition and Mustache Trends Make Waves at Fashion Week

Compton's Sandwiches will be expanding into Greenpoint and taking over the former 99 Franklin space, while Big Wong is bringing Cantonese classics to the neighborhood. North Brooklyn is also on Eater's list of best pancakes in NYC, and Greenpoint's mustache trends were showcased on the runway during Fashion Week.

Greenpoint Joins in Celebrating Southern Culture at Mable's Smokehouse's Dolly Parton Lookalike Contest

Mable's Smokehouse in Williamsburg hosts an annual Dolly Parton lookalike contest, now in its sixth year, which drew eight contestants and a crowd of Parton enthusiasts. The event, which combines stand-up comedy, trivia, and drag, was inspired by a similar competition in the 1980 film "Urban Cowboy" and is intended to celebrate southern culture, with Mable's owner considering other Dolly-themed events in the future; most contestants sign up after seeing flyers around Williamsburg and Greenpoint.

New York City Sees Surge in Restaurant Openings Amid Pandemic, but Health Experts Warn Dining Out is Still High-Risk for Unvaccinated - Greenpoint Included

New York City has seen a surge of restaurant openings despite the pandemic, with cafes, bars and restaurants debuting across the city in the past year; however, health experts warn dining out is still high-risk for unvaccinated people. March's top openings include Passionfruit Coffee in Bed-Stuy, Atti Korean barbecue restaurant in Downtown Brooklyn, and Gair cocktail bar in Dumbo helmed by the former executive chef of the now-closed Clinton Hill restaurant, the Finch.

🗳️ Politics

Brooklyn Residents Weigh In on BQE Renovation with Greenpoint Councilmember's Support for Two-Lane Focus

The NYC Department of Transportation presented three major design concepts for the replacement of the central portion of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) at a workshop attended by Brooklyn residents. The designs include elaborate landscaping, an enlarged Promenade, and temporary bypass highways, but concerns were raised about the emphasis on increasing park space rather than reducing the number of lanes and air pollution along the entire BQE corridor, with Greenpoint Councilmember Lincoln Restler expressing strong support for a two-lane solution on the project.

Greenpoint Included in Brooklyn's City Planning Director's Efforts to Increase Housing Amid Climate Change Challenges

Brooklyn's new city planning director, Alex Sommer, has big plans to increase the current housing stock amid the ongoing housing crisis and challenges posed by climate change. Sommer's office is focusing on creating new housing and preserving existing affordable housing across all neighborhoods in the borough, with the first plan under his tenure being the Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan, which will run a 13-block stretch of Atlantic Avenue and neighboring blocks of Crown Heights and Bedford-Stuyvesant, and the next stage allowing the local community to have their say, with an open house planned in March, while Sommer is also hiring two new staff members to undertake climate resiliency studies in Coney Island and Bed-Stuy.

🌲 Random

😎 Entertainment

Greenpoint-Based Filmmaker Dylan O'Keefe Wins Best Fantasy Feature at Hallucinea Film Festival with 'Zo in Exile'

Local filmmaker Dylan O'Keefe recently created his first full-length independent feature film, Zo in Exile, which has been screened at various festivals and won an award for Best Fantasy Feature Film at France's Hallucinea Film Festival. O'Keefe, who owns DOK Productions based out of Greenpoint, Brooklyn, hopes to inspire other aspiring filmmakers to experiment and try making movies.

Summer House Stars Tie the Knot and Reveal Exciting News: Greenpoint Loft Plays Host to Fairytale Wedding and Baby Announcement

Summer House stars Kyle Cooke and Amanda Batula got married in September 2021 at the Greenpoint Loft in Brooklyn, officiated by their friend Carl Radke, and are now expecting their first child together in October 2022. Their love story started on the set of the show, and although they have faced some challenges, they remain happy and in love.

💰 Finance

Exploring Greenpoint's Retail Crawl: Supporting Local Economies through Shopping Small

Shopping from small businesses is crucial for supporting local economies and creating jobs. To shop small, recognize the opportunities available, use the internet to find small businesses, budget more time for shopping, become a regular, take online reviews with a grain of salt, go on a small business crawl like Greenpoint's Retail Crawl, and remember to support small businesses beyond just Small Business Saturday.

Greenpoint and Gowanus Buck Trend as New Construction Starts Dive 27% in January: Dodge Construction Network Data.

New construction starts across the US declined 27% in January, with non-residential starts plunging by 38%, according to Dodge Construction Network data. The two largest residential projects to begin in January were in Brooklyn's Gowanus and Greenpoint neighbourhoods.

Finding Cheap Gas Has Never Been Easier: Visit Sonomax Gas Station in Greenpoint!

Looking for the cheapest gas stations? Check out Sonomax, located at 278 Greenpoint Ave in Brooklyn, NY, where gas is currently priced at $3.09 per gallon. Other cheap gas options include Gulf in Kenosha, WI, and Valero in Princeton, TX.

🤔 Opinion

Sipping the Classic Manhattan and Its Greenpoint Offshoot

The Manhattan cocktail, made with whiskey, vermouth, and bitters, has evolved over the years with modern offshoots like the Greenpoint cocktail, which adds yellow Chartreuse. Despite all the variations, the classic still remains a hard one to beat and a favorite to share with friends.

How Weather Patterns Connect Greenpoint Columnist to Loved Ones Across the Country

Greenpoint columnist Margaret Hartley reflects on how weather patterns connect us with loved ones across the country, from worrying about their safety during winter storms to sharing updates on the changing seasons and foraging adventures. In the age of the internet and weather apps, she feels more connected than ever despite the distance.

📰 In Other News

Thriving Black-Owned Businesses in Brooklyn: From Greenpoint to Sunset Park

Black-owned businesses in Brooklyn are thriving, with entrepreneurs offering advice on not taking no for an answer. From Barber shop Camera Ready Kutz to feminist bookstore and coffee shop Café Con Libros, other establishments include Williamsburg Music Center in Greenpoint and Stuart Cinema & Café in Sunset Park, which is set to expand this summer with the opening of a second theatre.

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Disclosure: This newsletter was curated and edited by a human. We leverage AI technologies to help us discover content and draft the newsletter.