Red Hook Criterium

The adventure begins here. Or maybe it continues. 

No.

The adventure resumes. 

I took a break from going out and exploring. 

I forgot that I like that.

But now I'm back :)

I haven't been out exploring NYC much recently. I've been thinking about adventure as our big trip and almost forgot that I LOVE New York because there is so much opportunity for adventure right here. This past weekend I ventured to Red Hook, Brooklyn to watch Cuse hoops and the Brooklyn Criterium. Zach had told me about the Criterium a few days before and explained it as a night bike race on a super short loop, where the cyclists have to do tons of laps and make really tight turns. That is exactly what it is. It is an unsanctioned bike race that was started 7 years ago by bike messengers in BK. 

I've only been to Red Hook once before and I had never attended a bike race before, so I was PUMPED for this endeavor. As soon as I got off the F train at Carroll Street, I felt the adrenaline. I had no idea what the evening held, but every time I saw a bike, I smiled a little more. Passerby may have been creeped out, but that is ok. 

sights for seein

oh hello, keith haring. fancy meeting you here. 

Since the two (bball and bikes) could have potentially overlapped, there was no time for commuting. I looked up a bar right next to where the race was to take place. Red Hook Bait & Tackle was perfect. Deer heads mounted on the wall. Friendly bartenders. Delicious, local brews (Kelso IPA Mmm). Live music. 

The only downside was that they only served potato chips. Not a big deal except the only  two chip flavors they had were sour cream and onion and salt and vinegar. Hate them both. 

I asked the fiddle player what the difference was between a fiddle and a violin. She said a fiddle has strangs and a violin has strings. She plays a fiddle. I think we could be friends. 


I would have liked to hear her fiddle and her friend's harmonica, but the racing hour had come. Two blocks toward the water, right at the entrance to a dock like area, people had gathered with their cow bells and cameras. The Red Hook Criterium began the moment I got there. Gosh, I love when things work out. 

Clinton Wharf at Pioneer Street, Red Hook BK

A guy wiped out on the first lap and just lay on the ground while race folk 

cleared away his gear. 

Can't imagine that felt good. For the ego or the body.

Stadium seating. People were on the top by the end of the race.

 The cyclists did 24 laps. One guy, Dan from Williamsburg, whooped everyone else by a long shot. He pulled out in front in the fourth lap and held the lead while the pack drafted at least 30 seconds behind him. Every time someone got lapped by speed racer Dan, they were out. Check out the video. It came out better than most of the pictures and captures the energy pretty well. 

pie

EVERYONE SHOULD EAT MORE PIE.
Casual pie, though.
Not like after dinner, omg how did I just eat all that kind of pie.
More like, mid afternoon, don't mind if I do pie.
Possibly accompanied by a glass of wine.

Lemon chess pie @
4 and twenty blackbirds.

After climbing at Brooklyn Boulders on Saturday, Zach and I went to 4 and twenty blackbirds, a super cute bakery in Gowanus, BK for a quick slice before heading to the homebrew store. We haven't brewed in quite awhile. Almost a year, actually, but we are tonight and it smells delicious!

Tri training

80 Days. Holy shit.

My mentality throughout the day is usually pretty confident. I got this, I tell myself. Except when I check the little countdown clock on Sharon and Ryan's wedding website. They're getting married on the same day that I race. I'm bummed I'm missing it and I ought to say "but I'm excited for the race," though that isn't quite accurate. Nervous/Scared/Want to barf thinking about it.

For the past month, have been training about 5 days a week, with more emphasis on running and biking. When it is not deathly hot, raining, or the morning after a few glasses of wine, I ride to work. (Too many qualifiers?) Its about a 20 mile ride round trip. I just got clipless pedals and beat my personal best riding from Chinatown to Harlem. When I remember, I check the time on the bottom of the History Channel sign as I get on the 3rd Avenue bridge to the Bronx. 35 minutes is my best. That makes for just under 45 minutes to work. I'm pretty sure I can get it down to 30 minutes to the sign.  

As for running, I usually do the Williamsburg bridge or East River Park after work, though I give myself credit for running on my lunch break this week. Ugliest run ever through the South Bronx. Projects, chop shops, garbage bags stuck in barbed wire, Cheetos bags swirling around hot sidewalks, a total stereotype of itself. Apparently, something about the hot weather makes it ok to use the sidewalk as your garbage can. Don't get me wrong, I love where I work. I hate the littering. 

Swimming. Swimming is inconvenient and hard. I'm doing it, but it kicks my butt every time. I swim at Metropolitan Pool in Williamsburg. I enjoy going there, but it is the getting there that is hardest. But, what a show! This place is the perfect snapshot of New York.

My favorite pool rule: 

No person will be permitted in the pool having: skin lesions, sores, or inflamed eyes, mouth, nose, or ear discharge, carrying communicable disease or having any type of bandage, adhesive tape, etc., on their body.

Ear discharge. Ew. In one lane, you will find any combination of white, black, hispanic, asian, hipster, yuppie, thug, anorexic, preggers, obese, boob jobs, cellulite, tankinis, nose plugs, mullets, fu manchus, back hair, swim shoes, tattoos, and everything in between. And the best part is, every one is in their bathing suits. I almost choked on water while trying to watch a tubby old guy in his swim cap and baggy speedo (hiked up past his belly button) waddle around the pool deck. Let's just say, it can be hard to focus on technique with such entertaining scenery. As much as I enjoy swimming in BK, I am looking forward to the opening of Hamilton Fish Park, which has an olympic sized outdoor pool. Oh! I almost forgot to mention. A membership to NYC Rec centers is $75 for a year. A YEAR. Amazing.

It is after mile 4 of a run or 40 minutes of swimming that I get a real bad case of No f-ing way am I going to be able to finish in August. I am looking forward to not having school (13 days!) and being able to work out on a full tank of gas. Possibly even trying to combine workouts, considering I am going to have to do that in August. 

Romping in the rain

Pals at the Highline

Maureen came to visit this weekend from Baltimore! Maureen and I met while I was on Time Out from college. We both did time as snack bar employees at Baltimore Country Club. We immediately bonded over an affinity for small pleasures, oddball observations and feel good, guitar centric music. 

A few weeks ago, I stopped for a piece of pistachio cake from Brooklyn Larder while on my way to Brooklyn Boulders to climb. Pistachios always remind me of Mo because she used to keep them in her pockets for anytime snacking. So I sent her a picture of my snack and she decided to come to NYC for a slice of cake. It was great to have her vibe around this weekend while we romped throughout Brooklyn and the East Village.

We started our day by hitting up the Highline, an elevated park built on an old rail line in Chelsea, and had a lovely stroll through nature.  The Highline is beautifully designed and has tons of really thoughtful features, like how the chaises are built on rollers that slide along the old rails, and the benches seem to lift up from the ground. Very neat. I wish it were sunny and beautiful, but I think we noticed more about the park since the sun was not around to steal the spotlight. 

The sun wasn't out, but the chartreuse chair sure shone :)

Despite the cold drizzle, we moseyed on to the Brooklyn Flea in Fort Green to peruse some jewelry and nibble on delicious food. Edible highlights: Cheezy corn, spicy hot chocolate, fish tacos.  We didn't last too long here, as we started to lose feeling in our fingertips. 

Cheezy corn at the BK Flea

Amazing breadsticks. Perfect packaging as well. 

After the Flea, we struck out in search of the pistachio cake. Following our phones through new neighborhoods (new to me) in Bk, we were ecstatic to finally round the corner and see our destination, Brooklyn Larder. Bk Larder kept popping up in things I've been reading about food, people who love to eat, and establishments who purchase from local farms. It has been on my list of places to explore, and by explore I mean, eat their food. We rewarded ourselves with a menage a trois of soul satisfying desserts, followed by a mid afternoon bottle of wine at Franny's.

Best lemon bar ever (upside down) at Brooklyn Larder.
The infamous pistachio cake is on the left.
I don't even know what the top left was. Shortbread/fudgy heaven square.

Mid afternoon bottle of vino at Franny's. Well timed. 

Bags. 

The weather was totally nasty and we were soaked to the bone when we finally got home, but I was proud of us for sticking to our agenda. We had a great time. Later, Melissa came over to make pizza and drink some vino, which turned into the perfect rainy night w/ friends and food. Thanks pals for a great wknd :)

Adios, Summer!

Last night marked the end of the summer softball season. Shed a tear. Our softball team was originally comprised of members of Zach's office, but featured guest appearances from everyone's friends (what up Melissa, Kopes and Dovman!). We played in McCarren Park in Williamsburg, BK and hit up the Turkey's Nest for huge $4 beers in styrofoam cups before and after the games.



From the field you had a view of the trees in the park and the Manhattan skyline, which really sent the message that you are no longer in Manhattan. I often lost track of the score while spacing out in the outfield. Good thing right field doesn't get a whole lot of action. Except of course, when the team playing on the field behind us is hitting bombs. Then I paid attention (so I didn't get a baseball to the back of the head).



Softball was fabulous. There was lots of laughing. Zach and his two friends, Zach and Ian, created the league, NoPro Sports, out of their unsatisfying experience with Zog Sports. They created an awesome, laid back and friendly league of strangers. I made new friends and thanks to softball, had an excuse to befriend Williamsburg, my favorite new friend of all.