Friday August 7
Location: Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Art: The Exhibition with Kaki King
Show time: 7 PM
Venue: Littlefield Gallery
Food: El Viejo Yayo
Drink: Buttermilk Bar
Miscellaneous: The Chocolate Room
Indie singer/songwriter and guitar virtuoso Kaki King created this exhibition which includes 16 artists and a few of her random fans who have taken guitars and created visual pieces based on one of her songs. Wear your Sunday’s best cause this will be videotaped for posterity plus Kaki will be performing at 9 PM. Keeping the night going, try El Viejo Yayo for dinner. This gorgeous and warm restaurant has an elegant dining room and an affordable menu offering Dominican/Latin cuisine. The outside of Buttermilk Bar may look non-descript, but looks are deceiving . . . just not in this case, as this low-key watering hole is where you can grab a cheap drink in a friendly atmosphere, while playing a board game or two. With a near insane menu of chocolates from coffee and tea to delectable dessert, and even beer, The Chocolate Room is a great way to end the night on a high note.
Friday August 7
Location: Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Bands: Deer Tick
Show time: 6 PM; FREE
Venue: Prospect Park Bandshell
Food: Press 195
Drink: The Gate
Miscellaneous: Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co.
With a growling voiced lead singer and some great country-tinged indie rock, Deer Tick make music that Hank Williams would be proud of. Joining them are Grace Potter & The Nocturnals and Jones Street Station. Taking the pressed sandwich to the gourmet level, Press 195 offers 30 kinds of hot pressed sandwiches that make this place hard to get tired of. One of the more social bars in Park Slope, The Gate is a great bar with a wide selection of local beers on tap and an outdoor patio overlooking the park. If time permits, you must, and I mean MUST go to the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co., a non-profit organization that helps kids with their writing, that’s fronted by a store selling super powers.
Saturday August 8
Location: Gowanus, Brooklyn
Bands: Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival!
Show time: 4 PM
Venue: The Old American Can Factory
Food: Press 195
Drink: Union Hall
Miscellaneous: O’Connor’s
Celebrate the state of electronic music at the Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival! with a great lineup of acts including The Juan Maclean, Young Love, 33hz, Shy Child, Designer Drugs, BELL, Jupiter One, plenty of top DJs and plenty of surprises. The theme at Press 195 is pressed comfort food. A sandwich shop with quite the menu, they offer 30 types of delicious sandwiches like the turkey and fontina cheese sandwich with a cranberry and roasted pear chutney on ciabatta ($7.75). While Union Hall looks like a cabin at a ski resort with a fireplace, stone walls, comfy couches, and inexpensive drinks, you may want to stick around rather than barhop. A low-key bar in this hood, O’Connor’s is a hole in the wall where you can grab a cheap drink and watch the game on their TV, just like your grandpa sitting next to you!
Saturday August 8
Location: Upper East Side, NYC
Event: Gotham Girls Get Tickets Here
Show time: 6:30 PM
Venue: Hunter College
Food: Brother Jimmy’s Bait Shack
Drink: BB&R
Miscellaneous: Dylan’s Candy Bar
Get ready to watch some rock-em sock-em action as the Gotham Girls roller derby league take over Hunter College. Its the mighty Bronx Gridlock Vs Manhattan Mayhem and with players named Fisti Cuffs and Surly Temple, there’s bound to be some bumps and bruises. If you’ve got a craving for barbeque, check out Brother Jimmy’s Bait Shack as the ribs, chicken, beef, and pork are all smothered in some amazing BBQ sauce. BB&R, which stands for Blonde, Brunette, and a Redhead is the brainchild of three best friends. What they’ve created is something between a neighborhood bar and a lounge with leather seats in the front and a pool table, photo booth, and video games in the back. Looking more like it came out of Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Dylan’s Candy Bar is a colorful place to get lollipops, licorice, and all things sugary. Don’t go crazy though, or your sweet tooth might melt here!
Sunday August 9
Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Bands: SUNDAY FUNDay
Show time: 2 PM
Venue: Legion
Food: La Locanda
Drink: Enid’s
Miscellaneous: Royal Oak
Come out and see some great bands, eat free BBQ, and for $20, you can drink all you want from 7-9 PM to support the Toy Box Theater at SUNDAY FUNDay. The Legion hosts an excellent lineup of bands including The Beatards, Susu, Freshkills, Naked Hearts, Bel Air, and Rumanian Buck, with DJ sets by Soul Imperial One of the last vestige’s of real Brooklyn in this hipster neighborhood, La Locanda serves simple Italian dishes like Chicken Parmigiana and pasta, but don’t be fooled, the food here is excellent, affordable and the vibe is homey. A good place to drink and talk nearby, Enid’s has cheap beer, a friendly atmosphere, and even food. Another good place for drinks if you feel like bar-hopping, Royal Oak offers a dark and sexy vibe, where excellent DJs play old-school R&B and 80s metal all mixed up like Britney Spears!
