Articles I have to Shorten

Whether you live in Williamsburg, are visiting a friend who lives there, or you want to take your date or a group of friends to Brooklyn's "hippest" neighborhood for a night on the town, there are a variety of stellar places to grab a drink (or several....).  There is a venue to support every budget and/or occasion, ranging from your typical dive bar, to an upscale rooftop club, and everything in between.  With the surge of Michelin Star restaurants and cocktail bars featuring some of the best mixologists in town popping up all over this neighborhood, it's really no surprise that every weekend there is an influx of Manhattanites and tourists alike filtering off the Bedford stop.   As someone who has resided on Bedford Ave. for the past four years, I am very familiar with where to go, and which places one should avoid at all costs. I am willing to share my all-time personal favorite locales with you, so you can impress your date, or spare yourself the agony of not knowing where to go and ending up somewhere unsavory.  

1.Maison Premiere, Bedford Ave. 

This will be the one and only establishment on this entire list that is located on Bedford Ave.  Maison Premiere is an upscale oyster / cocktail bar and is the perfect place to bring a date, have a girls night with a small group of friends, or have a fancy, pre-dinner cocktail if you plan on making the rounds elsewhere for a later dinner engagement or party.  The oyster selection is impressive, and the small plates on the menu are perfect for sharing and downright delectable.  They do have a limited number of large plates for dinner, but I would recommend just sticking to cocktails and oysters.  The cocktail selection is also expansive, and every cocktail I've had is amazingly executed. If you, or someone in your life, is an absinthe aficionado, you absolutely MUST bring them here.  They have over 25 types of Absinthe on drip, as well as a number of specialty absinthe cocktails.  The atmosphere is perfect for intimacy, with the dim lights, candles, and the oyster bar / bar situated in the very center of the establishment.   

 

2.Extra Fancy, Metropolitan Ave.  

Located on Metropolitan Ave., Extra Fancy is a short walk from the L-train, and perfect for grabbing some casual cocktails or a bite to eat with a group of friends or a date.  Although the name might imply otherwise, this place isn't at all fancy in terms of atmosphere or dress (think hipsters with tattoos wearing tees and baseball caps), although the prices lean towards the fancy end of the spectrum. Cocktails are strong and delicious, but run around $14.  Anytime I have had dinner here, I leave still hungry and short $110 though, so I would suggest just doing cocktails and maybe some small plates.  The fries are out of this world good, and the kitchen is open until 2:30am, which is highly convenient if you're a night owl.  They have a decent selection of oysters, an amazing $8 glass of house rosé, and an outdoor patio for those warm Summer nights or afternoons!  Be warned, this place is a hipster favorite, and on random nights, they have a DJ spinning old vinyls, so it could get funky if you go late.  

 

3.The Ides Rooftop at the Wythe Hotel, Wythe Ave.  

If you are looking for the perfect place to enjoy some fresh air while taking in the Manhattan skyline and having a leisurely drink, this is the place to go.  The Ides Rooftop, located at the top of the Wythe Hotel, has an upscale feel, great crowd, and upscale prices (a well-gin and tonic will run you $17).  It gets rather busy during the afternoon on weekend days, so be prepared to wait in a mini queue downstairs if you plan to go on a sunny Saturday.  The ambiance is great, with chill music playing in the background, plenty of seating both outside, and inside, and a good mix of people (foreign tourists staying in the hotel, fashion industry types, artistic types, older couples, etc.).  It's an ideal locale to bring a first date, or your significant other for a sweet surprise, or to go with your friends for an after-dinner drink if you're in the neighborhood and feeling cool. 

  

4.The Levee, Berry Street 

This is a prime example of your classic, all-American dive bar.  Situated across the street from Radegast Hall, this is the type of bar you come to get your drink on (ie. you plan to get intoxicated).  The crowd is quintessential Williamsburg: twenty-something, hipster types swilling beer and playing pool.  It's a great place to mingle, a good place to end up when they night is coming to an end, or the perfect place to bring your friend who is having relationship woes and needs a shot or two.  Food is limited to hotdogs and chips, so eat beforehand if you plan on drinking heavily or aren't into processed cuisine.    

 

5.TBA, Wythe Ave.  

If you are into house / electronic music and looking to get your dance on, this is the place for you.  TBA is great for a weekday night when none of the major clubs are open, but you still feel like partying and grooving to some deep-house or techno music.  The place is popular amongst the Bushwick-rave set, and for good reason; the walls have lights which coordinate with the beat of the music, and the crowd is always chill and friendly. The bar itself offers your standard array of liquors and beer choices at pretty standard prices, however, they also have a small selection of specialty cocktails.  If you are bored on a Tuesday night, but don't want to end up at a dive bar or shell out tons of cash drinking at a fancy rooftop, this is a great alternative. 

Morning Blues

Back when I was employed (only three short weeks ago), if and when I experienced anxiety or stress, it was usually at night.  My anxiety (if it was one of those days) usually occurred at nightfall or when I was supposed to be getting tired in the late evening hours.  It was usually triggered by the usual shit - me, being home with nothing to do or to occupy my thoughts, and my boyfriend working late at the club and not answering texts.

Now, I have a whole new breed of anxiety and stress that occurs every morning.  I never thought I could feel anxious or stressed as soon as I wake up from sleep, but since I lost my job, that is exactly how I feel... every.. fucking... morning, like clock work.

It's awful.  It's like, I wake up before my alarm even goes off, and instead of enjoying the fact that I don't have to get up for work and I can actually keep sleeping (which, let's face it, is how we all feel on any given morning we DO have work and wake up by the sound of the alarm), I CANNOT go back to sleep.  I lay in bed tossing and turning, thoughts racing through my mind about how I should get up and get on the computer and start job searching.  I usually end up picking up my phone; then I check for emails, and end up surfing around facebook and Instagram before I decide I need to get the F*ck out of bed and go make coffee and be productive on my computer.

Meanwhile, this whole time, it's like the new day is taunting me.  I used to HATE waking up dog-tired and by the alarm (which I would hit 'snooze' on at least 10 times).  I used to wish I would just wake up, not tired for once, and without having to crawl out of bed five days a week and go to work.  Before losing my job, I legit hadn't had more than 5 days off in YEARS.  The last time I even had more than two days in a row off was Christmas.  Before that, I hadn't had more than two days in a row since I went to TomorrowWorld in September.

I didn't even give myself a break in between switching jobs, because I couldn't afford to do so.  I literally ended my last job Nov. 28th, and started at my new job Dec. 1st.

It has been nice having some time off.  My mind is definitely a bit more clear than it was, and I feel more relaxed in many ways, however, the stress of my future has been weighing pretty heavily on me, as I job hunt and try to figure out what I'm going to do.

I was supposed to go to Italy this summer with my boyfriend; I'm not sure how that is going to happen with no viable source of discretionary income.  I haven't been going out; I've been going home on the weekends to prevent myself from staying here and either resigning to be home alone (since my BF now works all three weekend days....), or spending money on parties.

I know I'll be ok, because I really have no other choice.  I think my biggest concerns right now are paying for healthcare (I decided NOT to change my health plan right now, because it's a good one and I don't want to lose it), and having any bit of extra money to actually have fun with.

I also hate telling people I have no job.  It's not even my fault - my ex-boss was a fucking deviant drug addict who never did payroll on time, partied every fucking night of the week, openly took drugs, and let me go with no notice because she couldn't afford to keep my position. Like, that is fucked up and not my fault.  But I still feel some level of shame telling people I've lost my job, because I feel like I'm letting them down.  Everyone was so happy for me when I got this job, because I had been trying to get out of retail for so long.

I am also now getting anxiety thinking about the fact my boyfriend is going to be doing 4 nights in a row of late night; Thursdays thru Sundays at a new bar.  If and when I DO get another job, I almost pray it's not a Monday thru Friday, 9-5pm, because then, I will NEVER see him again.  We won't have a single damn day off together.  And that is fucking awful for a relationship (I know because it's been my life the past three years, more or less....).

I guess I better drink my damn coffee and hop on Craigslist while the day is young.  I have a phone interview for a writing job that I've already submitted a sample for at 11:30 (so that COULD be promising).  I also have a second interview with that expensive beauty store in the West Village at 3pm. I still have Mt. Fiji on my cheek, so hopefully that doesn't deter them from hiring me.

Embarrassing Things I do When I'm Drunk

I haven't drank since February 5th.  I mean, sure I've had a couple of glass of wine here, or a couple of cocktails there, but I haven't drank heavily or to the point of intoxication since Feb 5th.

Last night, I got sloppy.  Somehow, I have managed to wake up with no hangover, only a slight dizziness. But I hate myself.  I hate myself so much when I drink, because I am a goddamn animal.  I do crazy shit, I say crazy shit, if I have access to social media, I usually end up posting crazy and annoying shit.

I am an annoying person when I drink.  Like messy, sloppy and just generally awful.  Last night started out dandy enough - I had a friend over for some wine, and I basically finished the bottle off myself.  I then proceeded to drink vodka from a wine glass.

I then went to Rosarita's Fish Shack with my boyfriend and friend, where I proceeded to have a margarita.

We spotted Robert Pattinson, and I decided it would be a good idea to ask for a picture - he declined.  I then said, "well can I have a high five then?" and he high fived me.

I was a goddamn sloppy fucking mess.

I woke up at 4am on my couch, thirsty as fuck.

I woke up hating myself and having to piece together the bits I remembered from the night before. Why do I do these things?