P.S. (but prescript, not post), I have links below but only to share more easily with you - I am not getting paid from them!
I moved to Fort Greene this past month, which I am thrilled about. I have been unsettled for a year now, so to finally have a place to call home again is the best feeling.
During my time in Brooklyn, I have lived in Bushwick, Clinton Hill, and Bed-Stuy. Each neighborhood, although not far from each other, felt very different. While I’ve loved each neighborhood, I have a special place in my heart for Fort Greene. Fort Greene Park was wear my bff Sophie and I decided to live together in Clinton Hill, it was a savior to us as a place to safely gather with friends during later COVID days, and it is where we danced all day and night the day that Biden beat Trump (one of my all-time favorite memories).
Because of the prices in Fort Greene, I assumed that I would not be living there, likely ever. But then.. the apartment gods answered my prayers, and Sophie connected me with someone (yay, Nathan!) who had a place in my budget, near Fort Greene Park, with private outdoor space.
I have had private outdoor space in every place I have lived in New York, including my 3 Bed-Stuy sublets this past year. My continuously stumbling upon these places is the only thing that’s proven to me that manifestation is real and that if you decide on how you want your life to look, it might just look that way. And for me, I had decided years ago that private outdoor space in my NYC apartments was crucial.
What I love the most about having outdoor space is hosting. My rooftop came with an outdoor dining table and chairs, a grill, and an umbrella so I was ready to start having friends over. I quickly did what I do at each place I live and designed and ordered custom matchbooks.
As someone who obsesses over the food world (Top Chef is my favorite show, I love keeping up with James Beard Award nominees and winners, checking out new restaurants, The Bear, etc., etc.) I am not a chef, at all. I order out more than I eat in and when I do eat in I make something lazy. This year I am hoping to seriously change that, and I think cooking for my guests will be a fun way for me to do it.
My first guest was my boyfriend Charlie. He picked up a bottle of orange wine and I made a NYT Cooking Cold Noodle Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce (recipe here) and laid out some heirloom tomatoes sprinkled with with basil, Graza Olive Oil, and Maldon salt (of course). TBH - these heirloom tomatoes were from Whole Foods and not quite heirloom enough for me (I want them green and ugly!).
My next guests were two of my best friends B and Katie, and Charlie and Tucker joined us later. I made them a NYT Cooking “Pasta With Corn, Mint, and Red Onions” (recipe here). I had basil in my fridge so used that instead of mint, used Brami as the pasta (yay protein pasta that tastes like regular pasta). The real star though was the Kate Hill vegan whipped ricotta on top. I got it from Whole Foods and while everyone else was a non-vegan, they loved it. B brought two delicious bottles of orange wine and Katie brought a yummy olive tapenade which I picked up a sourdough from Greene Grape to go with.
I wore my Levis, Coach flip flips (that I got last summer for $2 at a yard sale), and this cute backless top from Anthro.
Later in the week, I was excited to try the new bar in Crown Heights, Rodeo with Sophie. The space was very cool and the natural wine list was expansive (and affordable). Unlike a lot of other natural wine bars in the city, they also serve cocktails (which I love). Afterward, we headed over to Frog, our usual neighborhood hang-out in Bed-Stuy to meet up with friends (and a kitty).
I wore this fun Yumi Kim jumpsuit that I had rented from Nuuly, it was now time to return it and I hadn’t had an opportunity to wear it yet, so chose tonight. The fit was a little off but I loved this flower(?)!
Because I was out last Monday for my birthday, and traveling Tuesday, work Wednesday-Friday this week was packed so my outfits were my errands & WFH ones. This 90’s long denim short trend has been a real go-to for me during these insanely hot days.
In the first pic below, I am wearing a (very wrinkled) Nirvana tee from Daydreamer, RE/DONE denim shorts, and my new Adidas Sambas from END. (they have the best colorways). In the second pic, the same shorts, along with a “Kensington, London” tee from Zara (bought it out of study abroad nostalgia), Zara flip flops with a mini heel and my Baggu x Sandy Liang bag.
I’m off to finish my work so I can enjoy the holiday this week. Thank you for reading and stay cool!
xx Erin
Reading this as I do my post-work stroll around Fort Greene Park lol! Thanks for the great read neighbor!