Author Archives: Veronika

“36 Hours in Brooklyn Waterfront” – Veronika Shalska

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In the early 1900s, Brooklyn was a mecca for immigrants arriving via Ellis Island. A hundred years later, young professionals and artists left pricey Manhattan digs for Brooklyn’s cheaper and more expansive space. Neighborhoods around Brooklyn Waterfront, which had fallen into disrepair over the years, were restored and reborn as funky enclaves. Walk or bike over the historic Brooklyn Bridge (or ride the subway) to Brooklyn Heights for a stroll along the Promenade and breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline. From the delicious Italian restaurants to the Irish bars that line the avenues of Bay Ridge, from the hotdogs and rollercoasters of Coney Island to the bagels and handball courts of Greenpoint, Brooklyn is a state of mind as well as a dynamic community. Discover why, no matter where people move on to, they remain Brooklynites at heart.

FRiDAY
1. M.O.B. – Maimonide of Brooklyn 2 p.m.
Billed as avant-garde vegetarian food with appetizers like creamy corn soup with popcorn, dry cured fennel and sage saucisson of sundried tomato, porcini mushroom, and quinoa salad. Offers M.O.B.s which are house-baked dough made with locally grown and milled organic flour shaped like the arches of the Brooklyn Bridge and topped with fruit, vegetable, and seasoning. M.O.B. is also located in Paris. It has an original design with two long tables the length of the restaurant. It does not fit into any category except it’s own and it’s all good. There is a back yard for when the weather is nice.
2. Check-In with a Green Dream 5 p.m.
NU Hotel is located in downtown Brooklyn in walking distance to four great Brooklyn neighborhoods, including Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill, Park Slope, and Prospect Heights. The hotel is one of the famous green leaders and practices a lot of eco-friendly solutions such as tracks energy use, linen reuse program, recycling bins in guest rooms, towel reuse program, and education for guests on green practices. NU Hotel proudly boasts some of the most unique accommodations. The hotel rooms are loft-like, reminiscent of an urban artist’s studio with a touch of whimsy. Designed with a natural palette and sustainability elements, hotel rooms feature distinct touches, some with bunk beds or hammocks, others with wall murals from perspectives artists. Freshen up with our rain showers using all-natural bath products, or slip into a bathrobe and slippers and invade the mini-bar stocked with locally handcrafted wines, spirits, and snacks. Whatever your fancy, NU Hotel offers high quality New York hotel rooms and amenities with a healthy portion of Brooklyn NY style and personality.
3. The Peaceful Charm 7 p.m.
Located in southwestern Brooklyn, Bay Ridge is filled with magnificent mansions and offers stunning views of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. When you think of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, images of John Travolta’s dance moves in Saturday Night Fever may come to mind. The movie, which was filmed in Bay Ridge in 1977, is just one of the historic pieces of the neighborhood’s past.
Developed in 1879 as a resort town for wealthy Manhattanites, Bay Ridge’s harborside location became a popular destination for all once public transportation began to service the area. With its quaint streets and ample park space, Bay Ridge today maintains the peaceful charm of a waterfront resort.
4. Beer and Pickles 9 p.m.
In the past few years, “everything” has grown from a bagel topping to a spice blend all its own, and we’re pleased as punch about the whole development. At Lock Yard, a new craft beer and sausage bar in Bay Ridge, everything spice gets put to noble use in a great bar snack: fried pickles.

Everything Fried Pickles ($5) come four or five to an order, long salty spears that retain some snap. They’re coated in a thin, craggly batter that mostly serves to adhere the mix of salt, sesame, garlic, poppy, and onion to the pickles. Bite past that substantial crunch and you’ll hit a shot of pickle juice. Does it need anything else? Cream cheese, of course, provided for dipping on the side.

SATURDAY
5. Good Morning, New York! 9 a.m.
Offering magnificent views of the Manhattan skyline and the Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge Park with its 1/3-mile-long sliver of green overlooks Brooklyn’s busy industrial waterfront. This park encourages people to travel by walking, biking, taking the ferry, or taxi water throughout the park in order to save gas, energy, and decrease pollution. This park also provides a sustainable energy source there are a lot of storage tanks built underground where it holds thousands gallons of water for the purpose of conservation. This park is all surrounded by natural environment. The park also has an energy center that has solar energy panel that provides about 80% of the energy needed in the park. All these elements provide a complete package for tourism, especially for Eco-tourism.
The Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy (BBPC) has made a major commitment to transforming the Brooklyn waterfront. That commitment has resulted in a seamless blend of modern landscaping and beautiful plant life. Trees and plants from across North America, like the iconic red and green crimson clover, were carefully chosen to match New York City’s climate. The park and its vegetation are also a huge source of ecotourism. The park relies on volunteers to guide free tours of the parks. This not only showcases the waters diverse and beautiful plant life but also brings attention and more importantly business to the waterfront.
One of the activities is visiting the park to learn about marine life. The Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy offers education programs that introduce children and adults each year to the habitats of the New York harbor and East River estuary. Marine scientists use a seining net to catch and identify the remarkable creatures of the East River. Since the program began, participants have discovered a variety of marine life including oyster toad fish, horseshoe crabs, lined seahorses, and jellyfish.
6. Yeah Dawg 11.30 a.m.
After taking a long walk in Brooklyn Bridge Park it’s time to get some food from the first vegan hot dog cart in NYC, serving street style food since spring 2013. It offers soy free and gluten free dawgs made from vegetables, seeds, herbs, spices, and gluten-free flour, then covered with a variety of toppings.
7. Meet a Hipster 1 p.m.
Williamsburg, one of Brooklyn’s most popular and exciting neighborhoods, straddles old and new. You can explore the lively arts, music, and boutique scene here, chill in numerous cafes, dine in some very good restaurants — and soak up the creative energy and young vibe.
A mecca for young creatives for over a decade, Williamsburg is in the same cosmos as hip East Berlin. Interestingly, the hip Williamsburg scene plays out against a backdrop of old industrial buildings, modest attached homes (though punctuated by increasing numbers of expensive waterfront high rises), and a long-standing residential community of Hasidim. Williamsburg is a mish-mash of cultures and vistas, a place that’s perhaps not as beautiful as, say, the campus of Brooklyn College, nor as uniform as landmarked brownstone Brooklyn. If there’s one neighborhood that’s indicative of the “new Brooklyn,” it’s Williamsburg. Come take a look!
8. Shopping Time 4 p.m.
If it’s vintage clothing you’re shopping for, Williamsburg has a lot to offer, and in different price ranges. For just plain hunt-and-find experience, go to the huge, popular Beacon’s Closet. If you have a strong sense of your personal style, shopping at Beacon’s Closet can be a cheap way to express yourself, without breaking the bank. In fact, you can probably find a complete outfit for under $50 at Beacon’s Closet. And, it’s a relatively easy shopping experience, complete with dressing rooms. They accept credit cards. Merchandise changes seasonally, so you can actually pick up relevant wardrobe items for weekends, and with luck, possibly work attire too.
9. FARM-TO-TABLE: Take a Cooking Class at Kitchen, Tour Mast Brothers Chocolate 6 p.m.
Given the locavore, farm-to-table ethos in this corner of Brooklyn, it’s no surprise that one can also find interesting cooking classes. Need to learn how to carve a hock of ham? What to do with knives? How to make a killer pie crust? Take a class at Brooklyn Kitchen. Then head to Whisk, a to-die-for kitchen supply store. Or, treat yourself with a tour of the acclaimed Mast Brothers chocolatier.
10. Go for a Drink 9:30 p.m.
Interested in a casual experience that costs less than dinner out, but feels fancier than just having a beer? Have a nibble with your date at a bar. Or, head to one of the interesting cocktail bars in the neighborhood. If wine’s your thing, explore some of the neighborhoods small, low-key, tasteful wine bars. Not only does Brooklyn Winery feature wines for sale, tastings and events – it’s actually a real winery where you can make your own wine. It’s right off the Bedford L stop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

SUNDAY
11. Breakfast Paradise 9 a.m.
Tom’s Restaurant in Prospect Heights (782 Washington Avenue) has been a crowded, friendly mainstay of this neighborhood for decades, and is a winning place to begin a day in Kings County. Eat pancakes and waffles in a room filled with tchotchkes and good cheer, and watch the marvelous parade.
12. The Green Way 11 a.m.
Take a bike from Nu Hotel and explore the Brooklyn waterfront. A 14-mile landscaped route for pedestrians, runners and cyclists that will connect neighborhood parks and open spaces from Green point to Bay Ridge. It will incorporate green infrastructure elements and function as a commuter and recreation route for Brooklyn residents and tourists alike. Five miles of the Green way are already in place, including Kent Avenue, Flushing Avenue, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Columbia Street, and the northern end of Van Brunt St. Two additional miles along West Street and around the Brooklyn Navy Yard are now being designed.

 

1. M.O.B., 525 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn, NY. http://www.mob-usa.com/

2. NU Hotel, 85 Smith Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201. http://nuhotelbrooklyn.com/

3. Lock Yard, 9221 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY11209. www.lockyard.com/

4. Yeah Dawg Cart, check the website for location www.yeahdawgvegan.com/

5. Beacon’s Closet, 74 Guernsey Street, Brooklyn, NY 11222, www.beaconscloset.com//williamsburg/

6. Mast Brothers Chocolate Factory, 111 North 3rd Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211, mastbrothers.com/

7. Brooklyn Winery, 213 North 8th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211, bkwinery.com/

8. Tom’s Restaurant, 782 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11238, www.tomsrestaurant.net/

Veronika Shalska

I moved to the U.S. almost three years ago from Ukraine. Maybe it sounds weird but I always knew that my life would be connected with hospitality industry. After graduating from high school, I started to study in Kiev National University of Trade and Economics and choose Hospitality Management as my major. However, after two years, I was offered a perspective full-time job in one of the most successful tour operators in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. The company was founded in 1993 and held its leading positions for more than 20 years on the out-coming travel market. It specialized on escorted bus tours to all the European countries and served more than 6000 travelers annually. I worked there as a manager assistant of Scandinavian department and was obsessed with tourism industry. The biggest pleasure for me was to hear happy voice of a client who came back after vocation. My job in this company helped me to develop my personal qualities such as enthusiasm, commitment, interpersonal and organizational skills.

I came to America in order to explore new opportunities and broader horizons. I lived in California and tried myself in insurance business which was completely opposite to my lovely and interesting job in hospitality industry. After several months of hesitation, I decided to move to New York and keep trying to find myself in what I enjoy. I started to work in a very popular Russian restaurant in Manhattan as a hostess. My first job in restaurant business gave me fundamental experience and professional knowledge. However, an idea to continue my education didn’t leave me and I choose New York City College of Technology. I had a chance to be attended at the Hospitality Management tour organized in the college last spring. It was informative and fascinating journey to the world I always wanted to be a part of. Fortunately, my journey started with the beginning of this semester and I’m sure it’ll be interesting.