Brooklyn Art guide

One of my favorite activity in New York? Definitely visiting art galleries


I already told you about the Chelsea ones.
This time let's stay in the hood and go meet local artists thanks to this simple and suit website : http://wagmag.org

Stay tuned and try to make it every second Friday of the month in Williamsburg:
Galleries in are open late with opening events and special performances.
Next one: Friday December 14, 7-9.

Nice in line with the season; you don't want to miss Mountainscapes by Doug Kofsky at Art101:

Stoops, oh oui!

Stoops are definitely a great symbol of New York.

I wish I could hang out every day with my camera 

and catch those trifling moments which are actually full of stories : 

A band playing innocently,
two girls drawing meticulously, 

a man reading his newspaper, 

a cat laying in the sun, 

kids surrounded with toys, 

a mum combing her daughter's hair
...

never ending stories

every single person has its own

own your stoop

enjoy it

as long as you can

what else do you need!

For those who like History, Stoop comes from a Dutch word (stoep) which means small porch.
I kind of want to learn Dutch now, it's a cool word, right?!

Storm King Art Center

One thing I love in this country is how much space you can find. While some people are just wasting it, others hopefully still do very smart things.

The best example I have seen lately is called Storm King Art Center.
Founded as a non profit art center in 1960, it is now an amazing museum of modern sculptural art.
And the best part is, it is in total immersion with the surrounding nature.

Expanding on more than 2000 acres, Storm King Park is a very interesting, relaxing, mind-growing place to visit. I am telling you, you will definitely feel smarter and better once you have been there. Look:

Plan a day trip, it opens from 10 am to 5 pm.
It will cost you between 8 to 12$.
It is upstate New York,  not to far from the Catskills.
All the details to get there and everything : http://www.stormking.org/visit/

Respect!

Tchou tchou

If you have a kid or if, like me, you still remain a child at heart, you might love this:

Until January 17, within Grand Central Terminal you will have the chance to see the New York Transit Museum’s ninth annual Holiday Train Show, an ode to all kinds of locomotives.

You will certainly feel giant while wandering around the 34-foot-long display, festooned with miniature versions of city landmarks like the Brooklyn Bridge and the Empire State Building. They travel over the river (the East River, to be exact) and through the woods to reach their final destination, the north pole.

Nice!

MoMa + Munch = must do it!

You cannot have missed this news:

The only painting of Le Cri owned by a private collector is now exhibited on the 5th floor of the MoMa until April 29th.

If you remember, this painting has been sold last May 2nd for 119,9 millions dollars in less than 12 minutes at Sotheby's. this is the most expensive art piece ever sold to a private collector via an auction.

Munch did 4 paintings of Le Cri. This one is the most colorfoul one. The 3 others are owned and exhibited at the Munch Museum in Oslo.

Edvard Munch, Le Cri, 1895, Sotheby's © Stefna Wermuth/Reuters.

So unless you personally know the happy owner of this masterpiece, you better not forget to step by the 5th floor if you are around!

Thanks for sharing mister unkown millionaire !

Ethiopian food, go for it!

"Life is a mysteryyy", that's what she said.
Anyway, we all know that. And the beauty is to discover those little secrets hidden behind the daily ugliness thrown in our faces. Hopefully, things like a good meal, good friends, simplicity are here to help us hang in there.

Ethiopian food is definitely part of the things to be tried once in your life. You will probably want to experiment it more.

A good way to start if you ever are in fort Greene is this place on Fulton St called Bati.

Yes, don't be shy! Try one of their combo so that you get a taste of everything. This is a fun meal, you can party with your hand dipping the injera (this flat bread made from teff, a cereal grown in Africa) in the different wat (the curries).

The prices are ok : around $20 per person with tips and tax.

The place is simple and cool. Just like you? So just go for it!

Bati
747 Fulton St
(between Elliott Pl & Portland Ave)
Subway: Lafayette Av (A, C)
Fulton St (G)
Atlantic Av (B, Q)
http://batikitchen.com/

Beyond a sushi

Beyond a sushi, there is the sky

And there is Beyond sushi...

Am I silly?

still wonder why?

Look at that:

This is just a sample of the wonders you can find at this place cleverly named Beyond sushi.

This is the best sushi I've ever had for such a low price.

And there is not even fish in it!! Can you believe this?!

Ouiiiiiiiiiii, I'm not kidding at all here: from 6.50$ for a roll (8 pieces), you will have a blast.

Green Machine, mighty mushroom, Sweet tree, spicy mang, La fiesta...

It's like a party in your mouth!
Try them all, see which one you prefer. Go crazy, be happy, as long as we have Beyond sushi!!

14th street between 2 & 3 Ave

http://beyondsushinyc.com/

Hope with Hopper

Nighthawks, still my favorite painting

I like this man and woman: deeply thinking

While the whole world around seems fading

Simon said "Finding your way by getting lost"

I am afraid everyone around looks like a ghost

Lately, I've been closing my eyes in the subway

Up, down, over, I can't breathe during the day

I wish I was on a beach far away

What happened to you Big Apple?

Please get rid of those useless people

 Move on, be simple and real

Hopefully I live in my bubble

Where my heart is open

But my mind is broken

I need some glue

Or maybe just a screw

Or

Just let it go

Go with the flow

Let the magic happen

Maybe keep a weapon...

New York, mon amour

T'aimerais-je encore et toujours? 

Paintings such as Nighthawks (Art Institute of Chicago, 1942) convey a mood of loneliness and desolation by their emptiness or by the presence of anonymous, non-communicating figures. But of this picture Hopper said: `I didn't see it as particularly lonely... Unconsciously, probably, I was painting the loneliness of a large city.' Deliberately so or not, in his still, reserved, and blandly handled paintings Hopper often exerts a powerful psychological impact. (http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/hopper/)

Dé Nimes ou D'Gênes

One thing we would often find in a tourist's suitcase back from the US, would be this:

 Yes, the brand has been created more than a century ago and despite les aléas de l'économie, is still pretty strong. But did you know its interesting story?

So Levi Strauss, a jew immigrant from Germany, comes to San Francisco in 1847 with a stock of blue kind of canvas sheets. He starts cutting them to make pants. Gold seekers start buying them because they like their strongness.

The tissue imported from Nîmes gives denim in English. Likewise, the word jean comes from Gênes, this italian harbor where the tissues are being imported from!

You know the rest of the story, a piece of it is probably in your closet...

Yayoi! You have until Sep 30, 2012

If you have the chance to be in NY this month, you should not miss this amazing exhibit of Yayoi Kusama’s paintings, drawings, sculptures, films and installation at the Whitney Museum.

Born in Japan in 1929, Kusama came to the US in 1957 and quickly became an icon of the New York avant-garde scene.

Well known for her more than original exhibits and art happenings such as nude polka dots painted models in the subway to denounce how people should communicate instead of just commuting, Kusama will blow you out with her variety of ideas and art pieces. 

 

The Withney Museum is holding your hand for a little journey. Starting from her early drawings, already very powerful, you will fly through the depiction of a struggling life of a Japanese woman during and after World War 2, not to mention in a predominant world of male. On the way, you will realize how tremendous her work is. And the best part is, it never ends. I am telling you…

It is a really deep experience you will not regret.

+ if you are lucky enough to be able to go there on a Friday evening the entrance is pay what you wish starting from 6 pm.

+ + if you are really a fan of her art, take a ticket on line to the masterpiece Fireflies on the water described on the museum website as:

Yayoi Kusama’s depictions of seemingly endless space have been a central focus of her artistic career. Kusama’s Fireflies on the Water (2002)—with its carefully constructed environment of lights, mirrors, and water—is one of the outstanding examples of this kind of installation, which creates a space in which individual viewers are invited to transcend their sense of self.

 Who said accessing to Art in NYC is expensive?!

The Whitney Museum

945 Madison Avenue at 75th Street

General Information: (212) 570-3600

info@whitney.org

How to get here:

Subway: 6 Train to 77th Street

Bus: M1, M2, M3, M4 to 74th Street

General admission: $18
Ages 19–25: $14
Ages 65 and over: $14
Full-time students: $14
Ages 18 and under: FREE
Members: FREE

Admission is pay-what-you-wish on Fridays, 6–9 pm

Say Hi to Brooklyneur!

The last two months have flown I don't know how

New York, New York, I still love you

Not the same way I use to do

One thing is sure:

I am not leaving you

For now

No more burgers

No more fat stuffs

I hate you guys

I don't like the smell of nail spots anymore

I don't care about you hispters neither

I just want to be here, one among the others

Living my own dream

Keep crossing the path of some rare pearls

Making friend with the ones

Who are down to heart

With their head in the clouds

Just being myself

The one I am still discovering

Thanks to you New York

Or I should say thanks to you Brooklyn

And for those who want to follow the adventure

Come with me to the next step

New, fresh and French though

www.brooklyneur.com

 & Never forget

Keep having fun

Keep being crazy

Every single day

Life is short

Don't worry...

the graffiti Mecca

If you are a fan of street art, you probably already know this place.

In any case, if you are in New York, you HAVE to make a trip to 5 pointz, Long island City, Queens, New York.

Created in 1993, the 5Pointz Aerosol Art Center is an outdoor art exhibit center where aerosol artists from all around the world come and paint on this 200 000 square feet (19000 m2) factory building wall. The building itself hosts around 200 artists who can rent a studio here. The gallery curator is graffiti veteran Jonathan Cohen, best known by his signature tag, “Meres One.” His goal is to convert the five-story, block-long industrial complex at Jackson Avenue and Davis Street, formerly the Phun Phactory, into a graffiti art museum.

No need to tell you, once there you will be turning your head all over admiring this amazing concentration of street art. Also, if you have a chance to take the 7 trainm you will be able to take even more pictures of that hidden side.

and as you might have guessed, the name 5Pointz refers to the 5 boroughs of New York. Here, the 5 points come all together as 1 such as all those artists coming from all over the world and making this place the Mecca of graffiti.

Your turn to go check it out!

you can also book a guided tour, let's do it!

45-46 Davis Street
Long Island City
Subway : G Court Sq - 7 45 Rd Court Sq
http://5ptz.com

Wild night at the flat

The best nights are often the ones without any plan.

This becomes totally true at this bar : the Flat, in the middle of nowhere in Brooklyn.
Try, just tell few friends to meet you there anytime from 10 pm and let the night makes it show...

I kind of don't want to tell you anything about this place, like the website which basically just shows the adress and few weird photos...

The only thing i can tell is : Yes you can.

http://www.theflatbkny.com/

The Bulgarian bar

I don't like beer in general. But when it comes to discover some new flavours, i'm down to it, beers included.
Have you ever tasted a Bulgarian beer?
I highly recommend this one:

Go get a Bulgarian night at Mehanata!

Food, drinks, atmosphere, everything combined is good thing to experience, you will feel good.
Check out the website for the events, you better go a concert/dancing night. Be careful it is open only # nights a week Thursday to Saturday!

You can also try the ice bar downstairs for 20$, good way to cool down if you get too hot...ou pas...

Don't forget to get crazy, everything is allowed in Lower East Side!

Mehanata

113 Ludlow St
(between Delancey St & Rivington St) 

Subway:

Delancey St (F)

Essex St (J, M, Z)

Grand St (B, D)

Hours: Thu-Sat 7 pm - 4 am

http://www.mehanata.com/

Momo sushi shack

Momo in Japanese means hundred and also peach tree.

Not sure what the link is but it's enough of a good reason to go check this place out.

Right off the Morgan stop, welcome to Bushwick, the current most laid-back, cool and interesting neighborhood of Brooklyn.

Fan of street art, if the place is packed, get on the list and go for a walk in the neigborhood, you won't regret it. Don't forget to always have your camera ready to shoot whenever you're in NY.

The restaurant itself is set up in this sort of industrial box. Make new friends while sitting on those long benches and eating a pretty original mix of tapas and sushis prepared with love!

Almost 5 stars on yelp and more than 200 comments on Yelp, that helps.

If you are not convinced yet,check out there website ans stop dribbling, jump on your bike and go!

Momo
43 Bogart St Brooklyn
Subway : L Morgan
http://www.momosushishack.com

Ink48

Rooftops are for people who like to show-off? Well true and not true

Rooftops are expensive for what they are? Well depends who you are with

Rooftops are good to go once in a while? Definitely

This one is cool with the amazing view and this reflecting pool which gives a pimpin touch’

I think you have to dress smart to get in, not sure though…

Anyway, for a little change, for an instant bite of Manhattan, head there with the sunset. It’s always nice to bring someone who is visiting for example. Blow them up!

Martini: $15

Small plate of salumi, olives and grilled bread: $15

Ink 48

653 Eleventh Ave., at 48th St

Peachy!

Some people are down

Some people are peachy

Today is peachy, tomorrow will be

 Let’s make a peachy crew!

It’s Peachy = C’est chouette.

Forcement, I like this one a lot!

A secret healthy food spot, ssshhh...

Yes! Let's live in NY and be healthy!

Grease, sugar, preservatives, colorings, fat, chemicals…we are being confronted to so much crap all the time…How about just getting back to the basics = a balanced, sustainable and healthy food…

Impossible  in  New York?

Oh well, we all know that nothing is impossible!

Secret number 1: supervegan.com

I know the name could sound scary for some people. Vegan does not mean weird people getting together to practice yoga and eat green leaves…nop nop, healthy food can be very diversified and as tasty as a pizza or a burger could taste for those who have no sense of what good food is :)

This website will help you find in a click any vegan, vegetarian or descent place in the city serving vegetarian dishes.

Of course you don’t have to go extreme and cut all the meat and fish. There might be plenty of places, just be curious and go look for it!

Today, Iet me take you to Jivamuktea café. Ok it is vegan! But it is tasty! I have tried the sandwiches; I think you can go for any of them, portobellos, avocado, BLT…guaranteed fresh and good!

The smoothies are a bit too cold so you cannot really taste each ingredient but still better than a diet coke! You should also try the dessert; we never know what surprise you could have with gluten free. Usually I am not a big fan but here we should give it a try…

The coolest thing is the place itself: hidden on the second floor of this building across the street from the Regal cinema, no one would expect such a relaxing, calm and pretty space. A good way to escape from the craziness, especially in union Square

Prices are ok : around 8$-15$ for a dish

Jivamuktea café

841 Broadway
2nd Floor

Union Square

http://www.jivamuktiyoga.com/fms/index.html?p=jtt