Issue: Find a bar in the South Slope that will let us linger for a bit.
Rule: Many bar/restaurants have strict rules about how long you can sit at a table without ordering a ton of food. On Saturday I took my cousin and some of his friends on a tour of Brooklyn which ended in the South Slope. We wanted to sit in a place at the end of our four mile hike that wouldn't hustle us out, especially since it was before 6:00.
Application: We found Toby's on the corner of 6th Ave and 21st Street. We had heard about awesome pizza and a great location for South Slopers. During our long exploration of Brooklyn we had grabbed lunch so none of us were that hungry, but the pizza was impossible to resist.
The room is small but has plenty of outdoor seating available. There is only one bathroom and it is wallpapered with old Playboys. The wood burning stove is in the back of the bar, visible to all. This helps to make the wait time for pizza almost non-existent. As soon as we arrived (all 5 of us) we were gently warned that if a party came in that wanted to eat, we would be kicked out. It didn't happen until we had drank a few rounds and were prepared to go anyway. We had plenty of time to enjoy the interesting beer selection which included Toby's Cheap Beer (Killian's) as well as a Peak Organic Amber. The menu is small but the pizza is important and there are plenty of varieties to taste. We just had the simple margarita with delicious cheese and a thin but solid crust. Yum. I can't wait to go back and sample all the other pizzas.
The bar also had home made beef jerky. Normally something I avoid, but darn, it was pretty good. Salty and oddly sweet. I had 3 pieces.
Service was good and attentive. Our waitperson was friendly, a ball-buster and a bit over the top. I kept replaying the line from "It's a Wonderful Life" in my head. "We serve heard drinks in here for men who want to get drunk fast, and we don't need any characters around to give the joint 'atmosphere.'"
Conclusion: A lovely place to sit inside as the sub pours in, or when the weather is a little warmer, to sit outside and enjoy the quiet corner of South Slope. With friends who recently moves just around the corner, I am excited to go back there.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Saturday, April 3, 2010
School cafeteria food
Bleh, right? But is it really why we are all so fat? Everyone from Jamie Oliver to Michelle Obama is up in arms about the quality of food in our nation's cafeterias. Yes, it is gross and unhealthy, but can that really be the reason for our obesity epidemic? Get ready for a rambling rant.
I am a bit obsessed with food. I like to know where it came from and how long it took to get to me. Organic is better, local is best. It is obvious in my line of work that many children are not eating right. (Unfortunately, it is also obvious in my line of work that many children do not go to school.) Many children come to my office reeking of McDonald's and Popeye's. The elevators in court are often littered with french fries and smell of grease. This is what the impoverished in America eat. It is pretty gross. It seems like more and more we are fast-fooding our cafeterias as well. Instead of baked chicken, we have chicken nuggets that are as fried and greasy as ever.
I was captivated by this article in the NY Times a few years ago about carrots: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/17/dining/17carr.html?scp=1&sq=carrots,%20schools&st=cse The idea of all of those carrots going to waste to make baby carrots has stuck with me. It all seems linked together, doesn't it? instant, cheap food is nearly impossible to be good for you, but it is everywhere in poor neighborhoods. Check out the neighborhood food joints at a school in Bronx and ones in Park Slope- entirely different options. (side note- you can also check out the difference in Army recruitment offices in those neighborhoods- scary.) Although, Park Slope kids still seem to venture to pizza places. The point is, change needs to come on all fronts. School cafeterias, fast food restaurants outside the schools, how parents shop in grocery stores. Maybe grocery stores should post cheap and easy recipes above the onions. Maybe fast food restaurants could use organic produce and recycle their kitchen grease. Food stamps can be used at many farmer's markets now, maybe there should be a discount.
Ultimately, you can't get kids to eat stuff they don't like. But if they don't eat McDonald's, they won't know what they are missing. It needs to start early, and it needs to start fast. More fresh option need to be located around low-income areas, gym class is probably a good idea, and groceries need to be given a priority. That means that if parents can't afford pots and pans, we need to start a program that will give them pots and pans. Who's with me?
I am a bit obsessed with food. I like to know where it came from and how long it took to get to me. Organic is better, local is best. It is obvious in my line of work that many children are not eating right. (Unfortunately, it is also obvious in my line of work that many children do not go to school.) Many children come to my office reeking of McDonald's and Popeye's. The elevators in court are often littered with french fries and smell of grease. This is what the impoverished in America eat. It is pretty gross. It seems like more and more we are fast-fooding our cafeterias as well. Instead of baked chicken, we have chicken nuggets that are as fried and greasy as ever.
I was captivated by this article in the NY Times a few years ago about carrots: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/17/dining/17carr.html?scp=1&sq=carrots,%20schools&st=cse The idea of all of those carrots going to waste to make baby carrots has stuck with me. It all seems linked together, doesn't it? instant, cheap food is nearly impossible to be good for you, but it is everywhere in poor neighborhoods. Check out the neighborhood food joints at a school in Bronx and ones in Park Slope- entirely different options. (side note- you can also check out the difference in Army recruitment offices in those neighborhoods- scary.) Although, Park Slope kids still seem to venture to pizza places. The point is, change needs to come on all fronts. School cafeterias, fast food restaurants outside the schools, how parents shop in grocery stores. Maybe grocery stores should post cheap and easy recipes above the onions. Maybe fast food restaurants could use organic produce and recycle their kitchen grease. Food stamps can be used at many farmer's markets now, maybe there should be a discount.
Ultimately, you can't get kids to eat stuff they don't like. But if they don't eat McDonald's, they won't know what they are missing. It needs to start early, and it needs to start fast. More fresh option need to be located around low-income areas, gym class is probably a good idea, and groceries need to be given a priority. That means that if parents can't afford pots and pans, we need to start a program that will give them pots and pans. Who's with me?
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