Good Beer Grows in Brooklyn

Yearning for a small taste of Oktoberfest, but without the time to travel overseas to Germany, my friends and I set up a little celebration of our own last Saturday to soak up the fall sunshine and mix up our traditional social regime. While it didn't necessarily involve lederhosen or beer wenches, it did involve an escape from the borough of Manhattan (to Williamsburg, Brooklyn to be exact), ginormous Bavarian pretzels and a big enough variety of beers to satisfy even the most discriminating beer-lover. Here are my top choices for a rousing good Saturday afternoon:

Brooklyn Brewery (79 North 11th Street, http://www.brooklynbrewery.com/) - The entrance is easy to miss since you think its simply the door to the production facility. However, once inside, you don't want to leave! Upon entering, stop at the booth to purchase a slew of beer tokens - 6 beers for $20 is the best deal and you can split them among friends (unless you're feeling ambitious). Head to the back bar to redeem your tokens and don't be shy about asking for samples - Martin was great about letting me sample a wide variety of beers before I honed in on my favorite - the Light Ale. Hungry? While they don't serve food, menus for Fanelli's Pizza are scattered around the casual picnic tables and they deliver right to the brewery. A fun perk to take advantage of is the Brewery Tour describing the history and production processes of the Brewery - it happens Saturdays 1-5 and Sundays 1-4 on the hour. Definitely not a chic or high-end establishment, but when you've got beer and great friends on-hand, what else do you need?

After a few hours at the Brewery, my friends and I ventured over to Radegast Hall & Biergarten (113 N. 3rd Street, http://www.radegasthall.com/), the second stop on our beer tour of Brooklyn. While the Brewery is more about the production and quality of beer, Radegast Hall & Biergarten is most certainly more about the enjoyment and merriment of drinking beer with friends. Choose to sit in the "outdoor" heated Biergarten or inside the hall (usually an easier option on a crowded day). This place definitely has the food - spatzle, sausage and Bavarian pretzels to name a few - enough authentic and delicious options to take you from day to night.

All-in-all a fantastic day in Brooklyn - our own Oktoberfest experience just a subway ride away.

Food Truck Heaven

Few places on Earth have as abundant a food truck presence and followership as New York City. Now, for those out-of-towners, I'm not talking about a random shish kabob and rice street cart. These are legitimate, well-established and delicious food establishments that just happen to be on wheels! While there are dozens and dozens to try (and I surely haven't tasted them all), I have began to compile a list of my favorites:

Street Sweets (http://www.streetsweetsny.com/) - You can spot this turquoise truck a mile away and its appearance perfectly matches the goodies it doles out. While they're typically near the large office buildings in midtown, on lucky Thursday, they head downtown to Houston & King from 3-5PM. My favorite goodies are their whoopie pies (pumpkin in the fall is perfection).

Rickshaw Dumplings (http://www.rickshawdumplings.com/plings.com/) - Something you can actually write-off as a real lunch! Rickshaw Dumplings is a brick and mortar establishment that has gone mobile. I recommend the Chicken and Thai Basil dumplings or the Vegetarian Edamame dumplings with the Asian Green Salad.

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream Truck (http://www.vanleeuwenicecream.com/) - These aren't your ordinary ice cream flavors. They have such inviting flavors as Ginger and Hazelnut, perfect even when the weather gets chillier. I've seen their light yellow trucks all over the city, but you can follow them on Twitter if you really want to pin down their location.

My next food trucks to seek out? Go Burger, El Diablo Tacos, Schnitzel Truck and Waffles & Dinges. All can be followed on Twitter to get up to the minute info on locations and daily specials.

J'adore Gramercy Park

Sometimes among the craziness of the city, it's nice to find a "respite from the storm", so to speak. I feel like I found exactly that this weekend when I decided to explore Gramery Park, a neighborhood that is situated between 14th Street, First Avenue, 23rd Street and Park Avenue South. The shining star of the neighborhood is, no surprise, Gramercy Park itself. The small, fenced-in, two acre park is one of only two private parks in the city. Only residents that live on the border of the park have a key and are allowed access. However, for someone without a key but with a lot of curiosity, I had a great time exploring the area. Here are a few of my favorite stops (aside from the beautifully maintained park which is a must-see in itself):

For after-work drinks or to kick-off a weekend night: Rose Bar or Jade Bar at the Gramercy Park Hotel (2 Lexington Avenue, http://www.gramercyparkhotel.com/). The hotel was recently madeover by hotelier Ian Schrager and it shows - both bars are designed with a kind of bohemian meets high-style mentality - its not cheap though so maybe save this for a special occasion.

For weekend brunch: Friend of a Farmer (77 Irving Place, http://www.friendofafarmer.com/). This spot offers a warm, homey atmosphere that makes you feel like you're a houseguest in a rural estate outside the city. Breakfast and brunch are their specialties.

For coffee/tea/relaxing: Few places in New York feel as non-chainy as 71 Irving Place Coffee & Tea Bar (71 Irving Place, http://www.irvingfarm.com/). They not only provide coffee and tea and other delicious beverages, but also mix up some unique sandwiches, soups, salads and other delightful items perfect to easily help you pass a weekend afternoon.

From tea to martinis and strolling to lounging, Gramercy's got it all!