Dizzy's - A Finer Diner, Brooklyn

Seems impossible to get into a rut in New York City.  But it is SO possible.  "Here is your grocery store, here is your dry cleaner, here is your post office and here is your restaurant, or restaurants. "

"What? You mean in the most dazzling city in the world and I have to go just here to eat?"

My friends and I usually meet for brunch in the West Village. It is a great way to catch up and have a lovely afternoon, but it sometimes get ruttish.

My friend Sean proposed doing something out of the box, something different. His idea was venturing to the outer West Village. The wilds of the outer West Village. 

I suggested Brooklyn.  Park Slope. The idea seems so "two days by coach" but once you are on the subway and spend 20 minutes you are in a whole new world. It is worth the time to see something new every once in a while, no?

When we popped out of our subway rabbit hole on the other end we were in tree-lined Park Slope and there was our destination,  Dizzy's , straight ahead.   A long way to go for eggs, sure, but it was the spirit of something new we were after.



Dizzy's is this great funky brunch place with good food, really friendly service by waiters in "Got Bacon" t-shirts and a free basket of muffins and excellent coffee and OJ included with your $12.50 breakfast. Really, really not a bad deal. And the food? Really, really good.

Sean and I opted to share our heart attack so we split the steak and eggs and the biscuits and gravy. I  have never thought of myself as a biscuits and gravy person and I don't want to start, but these were fine: sausage and bacon mixed into a lovely, creamy white sauce and slathered (you have to use that word here) over a fluffy biscuit and eggs. All your food groups: fat, cholesterol and some grease.  But you are closer to heaven! Literally.  I would say that another biscuit to soak up the gravy would be nice, but that is my only complaint. Otherwise a great brunch.

67 Burger, Brooklyn

Just to make sure I could not jump up on stage at "The Hard Nut" and join in la danse I went to 67 Burger  some few paces away from BAM to have a burger, fries and a chocolate shake.  And I am working the Lose It App.  This was my daily take to be sure.

But what a great find.  67 Burger, if you are going to lose it over Lose It, is a great place to commit calorie crime.  The burger was perfection.

I may have this wrong, but New York is way more obsessed with burgers than California.  Way more into eating and talking about burgers.  There seem to be burger places everywhere and it is the default choice at every diner in town. "Burger deluxe (lettuce, tomato, fries) please."

The ordering process was somewhat confusing even though they have a Steps 1, 2, 3 ordering system.  But still it was not good.  And the woman taking the order at the register was not pleasant.  "Not pleasant" in the service business (aka "the USA") is just not acceptable.  She was not interested.  Just unpleasant. And I saw her be that way with others.  I did not leave a tip in her jar just because of her "dourosity."  Shame because the wait staff were great.

And that burger!  Excellent. So charbroiled and excellent served just with a wheezy, gasping "Moo" as I like it.  The milkshake (sadly the extra in the metal canister seems long gone) came in a generous pint class and was delish.  And the fries (too many) were adequate, but for me fine, but unmemorable.

I would go back.  I would eat a burger there again anytime  But I think I need to wait for 35 pounds to go off my body.  Perhaps I should walk to Brooklyn next time to go to 67 Burger.

Oh and they have that napkin dispenser on each table that operates like a tissue box and you use as many napkins as you would tissues crying over a breakup.

The Hard Nut

 My friend  Frank took me as his guest to see Mark Morris Dance Group's production of "The Hard Nut" at The Brooklyn Academy of Music, more familiarly known as BAM.

I had only seen the production on PBS many years ago and remember loving it, but just like basketball it is oodles better seeing it live.   For dance it is the live orchestra, the 3-D immediacy of it and the shared audience experience.  I love the packed lobby at BAM.  People everywhere.  Who are they all and how can I meet them? 

I love dance more than most things and I love the theatre and I love Christmas events and the chill and the lights and the bundling up and the letting go.

December is magical mostly.   And seeing this production made it moreso. Go see live dance where you are.  Anything.  Just go.  You will be amazed.

Utensilography

My friend Jeff explains where we are in Brooklyn to me. The knife is Manhattan, the fork is Queens and the spoon is Brooklyn. Where he is pointing is CLEARLY Sunset Park.