cherrypatter nyc
and great ideas for what to do too!
interview: amber marlow blatt of the amber show
amber marlow blatt, the host of this amazing podcast that i am addicted to called hey brooklyn! where she interviews creative types of all sorts on a weekly basis (she has this great radio voice!), is a pretty die hard brooklyn fan, and pretty obsessed about her own neighborhood park slope. she also is behind the very fun blog the amber show, and even her daily activities are highly entertaining so i love reading her as well. i was thrilled that she was willing to let us know about her favorite spots along 5th avenue and beyond. thanks amber!
shopping:
top places for clothes?
the bargain rack at target! really, i’m the worst dressed person in brooklyn, maybe second next to the scary guy that runs around in ripped pants asking for change. would anyone like to help me? i will be your pet project.
go to place for house gifts?
cog & pearl. everything is well curated, and they have some really beautiful things for the younger, hipper, etsy-loving set. All of my girlfriends get really excited when i bring them into this place.
favorite place for cards/stationery?
scaredy kat on 5th avenue, and lion in the sun on 7th avenue. both have fantastic stationery selections and fun, tiny gift things, too.
flowers?
key foods on 7th. yup, it’s a grocery store! they have a great selection outside, and you can buy a few bunches of different flowers and make your own arrangements for not a lot of money. if you don’t want to diy, the guys will put a bouquet together for you, and they’re pretty good at it.
kid gifts?
the community bookstore, . i like to buy books for children as presents, and the community bookstore has such a nice children’s selection. they also have a resident rabbit in the back, and a pond in the way back. occasionally i see an old dog snoozing on the floor somewhere, and a there’s always a shopper or two draped in a corner, reading. it’s a great place. the art supply store has a lot of great children’s craft items, so you can put together an art bucket present and inspire imagination and creativity in your small friends. they don’t need any more plastic crap from china.
for your mum or aunt?
lumiere. this place is well stocked with gifts for mum/grandma/and aunt-like ladies with refined tastes. the shop keeper, peggy, (and probably the owner) is an older woman who is very glamourous! she’ll help you pick out something nice.
what about for guys?
bierkraft. beer! custom pick a six-pack of micro brews, and don’t bother wrapping it! they even sell cool metal bottle openers at the counter that you can throw on the cardboard carrier for embellishment. cheers, dudes!
for something fun for you?
tarzian west. there are a lot of wonderful kitchen gadgets in this store, including a great selection of sturdy, pretty aprons, and funky, colorful culinary basics. i can’t believe I’m the kind of grown-up lady that likes kitchen stores – my eleven-year-old self would be so devastated! but there you go. my thrills come from mixing bowls.
favorite shop – ambiance, service, stuff?
3r living. this is why I love this store: 1. they have a great selection of eco-friendly products. 2. the in-store recycling program that takes batteries, cell phones, ink cartridges, cds (and their cases), hand-held electronics, and crayons. 3. it’s owned by friendly folks. i haven’t met mark yet, but samantha is completely lovely, and we had a great chat when I popped in the other day and introduced myself. 4. everything is clean and the store feels airy and light. 5. samantha and mark care about working with companies that have ethical practices and care about the environment, and that means a lot to me.
favorite neighborhood place?
prospect park. when I first saw this magnificent place and realized it was a short walk from my apartment, I bubbled with excitement! before 9 am there are off-leash hours for the dogs, and when I can manage to pull myself out of bed that early, I bring my mutt brigade (I have three!) for some running-around time.
food:
date night restaurant?
aunt suzies on 5th. romantic to me is comfortable clothing, dim lighting, good food, quiet corners and friendly waitresses. you can find all that at aunt suzies, and the prices are beyond reasonable – they’re cheap! I hear al di la is also good for Italian food, but it’s way fancier, and i haven’t tried it yet. maybe for my birthday I’ll put on a little lipstick and go, but for a casual, romantic evening, aunt suzies is great!
with friends?
union hall. on the weekends it’s way crowded, but it’s not so bad during the week, and there’s bocce. everybody loves bocce!
for drinks?
the cabana bar on president street and on 5th. high dive has a 15 beer selection, and i’m a “beer person” generally. when I want a ridiculous fruity drink, however, we’re off to the cabana bar for a flaming volcano bowl that’s meant to serve 4 but usually gets split by 2! (bonus for me: both these places are within stumbling distance from my house). [note: unfortunately, i think that cabana bar is now closed.)
favorite dish for dinner?
trader joes. my favorite dishes are always the ones I make for myself, or that rob makes for me. trader joes is a good place to get the extra-special ingredients for at-home cooking, especially when you’re preparing something special. when I do go out though it’s bonnie’s grill. wings. WINGS! enough said.
best dessert?
brooklyn ice cream factory in dumbo. i love me some fancy-smanchy desserts, but in my book, they’re all trumped ice cream. the selection is small, all-natural, and the toppings are created by the pastry chef that works at the river cafe next door (no high-fructose corn syrup based grossness! hurray!) I like to get a cup and then eat on the boardwalk looking out over the east river to manhattan, usually while “canoodling” with my husband. awww!
for brunch?
i’m frustrated because i haven’t found good brunch yet. if anyone wants to send me park slope suggestions that i can meander over to on a Sunday morning, please do! i’d love to find a great spot.
favorite asian, latin american?
on 5th for thai food, and on 5th for sushi or hibachi. i’m not a sushi expert, but my friend phil said it was good when we went. It WAS good! there are lots of mexican places in the neighborhood, but I haven’t tried them all yet, nor have I had an exceptional dish at any of them. so no favorites yet. still, if you like mexican you have your choice of several places to try around here, and the sangria is fantastic just about everywhere.
best coffee?
gorilla coffee. free wi-fi and fair trade, organic, micro-roasted coffee. great service, fair prices. yes, yes, yes and yes!
best pastry/bakery?
baked in red hook. the brownies are oprah approved. clearly, you need to go here. (the owners, matt and renato, are kind of cute, too!). sweet melissa patisserie. they make the most beautiful birthday cakes.
what do you crave?
pupusas from one of the red hook food vendors. you can find them in red hook through the end of this month (they come back in the spring) and at the brooklyn flea on saturdays.
The cabana bar IS closed! I’m so bummed. I have to find a new place for my volcano bowls.
Thanks for letting me yammer about my favorite places!
I met Amber earlier this week. She is lovely and a super knowledgeable Brooklynite. Thanks for sharing more Amber with us!
Whoops! The Cabana Bar closed. Other than that, what an awesome list of places!
As Amber’s husband, I’ll verify that she needs a fashion forward friend.
ambie is fun to dress coz she’s willing to try things you throw at her.