Brooklyn Brewery Tour

Every Sunday the Brooklyn Brewery is open to the public for a free tour. The tour gives a run down of the beer making process as well as giving a sensory explanation of the different ingredients in beer.  While there you can also visit the beer hall and try one of their many beers. The tour is a really fun and interesting event and a great Sunday Fun Day adventure in Brooklyn.

Australian Abroad and the Jay Z Concert

As part of the celebrations opening the billion dollar Barclays Center in Brooklyn, acclaimed hip hop and rap artist and part owner of the newly relocated Brooklyn Nets, Jay Z, opened the center with 8 shows over a week and a half. I was lucky enough to get tickets to the event last minute off of Stubhub for the bargain price of $42.50US.

As I got the tickets last minute the seats were not the best but did have a large screen to show all the action. The new center is amazing and has extremely steep rows so you feel on top of the action no matter where you sit. He also favoured the side we were sitting on and because we were so close to the stage I never felt we missed any of the experience. 

Brooklyn Bridge Park Beach and Pop Up Pool

Continuing the Summer of George I visited the pop up beach and pool at the Brooklyn Bridge Park. The pool opened up earlier this summer and is open till Labor Day on September the 3rd. Once again you needed to bring a lock to put all your valuables into the provided lockers. The pool is kept quite cold which is great with the 30+ degree weather happening at the moment. The sandy beach is a nice touch with lounge chairs that are freely available. With the amazing views looking back towards Manhattan and up the East River you can easily tell why I went back more than once to this pool.

The Lobster Joint

While out in Brooklyn I went to visit the Lobster Joint at 1073 Manhattan Avenue, Greenpoint. During happy hour they have $1 oysters, $4 oyster shooters and $4 beers. I ordered half a dozen oysters, an oyster shooter and a pint of Lobster ale. I also ordered the wonderful lobster claw bloody mary. The cocktail was not on special, but at $9 it is still great value. As you can see from the pictures the claw is huge and the drink also comes with a slice of pickle. The Lobster Joint is a must visit if you're in the area.

McCarren Park Pool

As part of my summer adventures I travelled to Greenpoint, Brooklyn to visit the newly renovated McCarren Park public pool. The pool is larger than normal olympic swimming pools at over 50metres long. It can hold a total of 5000 people at a time. There was luckily no line up when I arrived on Tuesday afternoon around 1pm. You must bring a lock which I wasn't aware of so I needed to go to a local deli to pick one up. All of your posessions must be put into a locker including your shirt as only your towel, sunglasses and sunscreen are allowed on the pool deck. Around the pool is concrete, which can be uncomfotable to lay on but I was able to snare one of the limited deck chairs. The pool is extremely clean and at a great temperature. I will most certainly be back next week.

My Tripadvisor Review Has Been Published: Brooklyn Botanic Garden

A review of mine is now available on Tripadvisor. Feel free to take a look.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60827-d103900-r131322615-Brooklyn_Botanic_Garden-Brooklyn_New_York.html

Public Hotel Pool at King and Grove Williamsburg.

NYC certainly isn't the normal beach or summer location most people think of. In fact in the middle of summer it can be down right revolting with the humidity and heat. Therefore, one idea is to seek out somewhere cool to relax and unwind. Thrillist has found just the place in the new pool at King and Grove Williamsburg. Unlike the Pools at SoHo House, Gansevoort Hotel and The Empire Hotel, this pool is open to the public. Their menu offers refreshing local brews on hand, warm-weather cocktails and a tidy sum of delicious eats.

The Pool At King & Grove Williamsburg
160 North 12th St; between Bedford and Berry St;
Williamsburg; 718.218.7500

Tips for the Best Brunch in NYC

EaterNY has a list of 15 hot new brunch spots in New York. Restaurants listed include Acme, and The Cannibal in Manhattan and The Good Fork in Brooklyn amongst others.

Some of my all time favourite brunch spots include the celebrity and model filled Cafe Mogador in the East Village, the bustling Peels on Bowery and the intimate 'ino in the West Village. Below are photos of the brunch dishes I tried at each location.

Cafe Mogador

Peels

'ino

Summer Fun at the Brooklyn Crab

Opening this week is the massive Brooklyn Crab in Red Hook. The new complex has entertainment including bocce courts, real-deal shuffleboard, ping pong tables, cornhole sets, and most excitingly a full-on 18-hole mini golf course.
Their menu is obviously seafood themed with crabs, whole lobsters, fried calamari, oysters and clams available. Patrons can also enjoyed a long list of beers and spirits in either of the two bars.

Brooklyn Crab
24 Reed St, btwn Conover and Van Brunt St; Red Hook; 718.643.2722

Please visit Thrillist for more details.

5 Cocktails To Try This Summer in New York City

The Gothamist has a great story on 5 cocktails to try in New York this summer. My favourite would be the Lobster Bloody Mary from The Lobster Joint in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Enjoy!
http://gothamist.com/2012/05/16/5_drinks_you_need_to_try_this_summe.php