In case you haven't noticed, it's pretty warm 'round these parts. It's a time where nobody really wants to be working while the summer sun beams in (if you're lucky enough to have windows) and most folk would rather be "anywhere but here." As such, we'd like to think that summer is synonymous with "adventure season." It's a time where we all want to shed our hibernatory habits and go forth into parts unknown. (If this doesn't sound like you or your summer plans, come on, live a little.) The good news is that you don't have to travel far to discover untapped places of beauty and reverie—and while the term staycation might feel like a cop out, in some parts of this great city, it surely is not. Trust us, "here" can actually be mighty fine. So, in partnership with Sanpellegrino® Sparkling Fruit Beverages and their Delightways app, we're rising to the occasion and pleased to give you a little primer on a fan favorite neighborhood of ours—Greenpoint—and a few of the local hidden-in-plain-sight gems that make us tick, time and time again.
With massive residential development looming—the Greenpoint Landing project on its own will bring some 5,000 new apartments to the waterfront—and with scads of new restaurants and retail already changing the face of Manhattan Avenue, it seems inevitable that Brooklyn's Greenpoint neighborhood, long protected by its lack of direct subway line into Manhattan, is in for an upheaval. But walk these streets today and there's still plenty of the old neighborhood character here, with its strong Polish community, low-slung housing, mom-and-pop businesses, and an overall enclave-like feeling. It's the perfect spot for a quick summer afternoon getaway—without having to go very far at all.
(Scott Lynch/Gothamist)
Sunshine Laundromat and Pinball
If you want a case study in how to make a small, utilitarian business buzz-worthy, even while continuing to provide a necessary service to your community, look no further than the brilliant Sunshine Laundromat and Pinball. Located in the heart of Manhattan Avenue's commercial district, Sunshine has embraced the changes to the neighborhood in style, becoming a beloved institution first by adding witty signage and offbeat promotions, then cramming in a few old-school pinball machines among the washers and dryers, and then, at the beginning of the year, adding an entire bar (yes with libations) and pinball arcade behind a "secret" door in in the back. Has doing your laundry ever been this much fun? And it's open until 2:00 a.m. on weeknights, and 4:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday!
Space Invader at Vinnie's Pizzeria
Last fall the renowned French street artist Space Invader made one of his periodic blitzes through New York City, putting up his trademark cartoony tile-pieces on buildings all over town. Some of these have since been stolen or removed, but Greenpoint's Invader remains fully intact over the entrance to the great Vinnie's Pizzeria on somewhat-far-flung Nassau Avenue. No surprise, really, that Vinnie's got an Invader; the slice-and-pie joint has long been a hangout for artists and pranksters (witness the excellent Sweet Toof mural outside), and, bonus for those of us who just want to grab one of their crazy slices, the Greenpoint location is much less hectic than the Williamsburg original.
The Thing
This place is insane. At the front of The Thing Second Hand Shop you'll find tottering towers of extremely-used kitchenware, electronics, home decor items, toys, collectibles.... Frankly, it's all the sort of the stuff you'd see at the tail end of a picked-over yard sale, but it's fascinating to squeeze your way down the aisles, just taking in the chaos of other people's discards. And if you think the front is a glorious mess, wait until you see the back room, and the basement, where more than 130,000 used records reside, none of which are organized or filed or sectioned off in any sort of order whatsoever. You can't even read the spines on these things! Just magnificent. Roll up your crate-digging sleeves and set aside about three hours to make even a dent here.
(Scott Lynch/Gothamist)
Ovenly
Erin Patinkin and Agatha Kulaga's six-year-old bakery Ovenly isn't exactly a secret anymore. Tons of (justified) praise, distribution deals with many of the city's most popular coffee shops, multiple booths at area food markets... but despite growth and success, Ovenly continues to be one of the city's most loved purveyors of baked goods. And because it's flagship location is way out of the way for most people, there on the dead end of Greenpoint Avenue, you can waltz in at any time and choose from the full menu of Ovenly's astonishing baked goods. The cafe is cute, but now that it's warm you should get your stuff to go and walk down to Transmitter Park for cookie picnic.
Achilles Heel
West Street, which runs parallel to the river, is likely to be overrun with strollers and Ubers in a few years, but for now it still feels a bit like uncharted territory over here. All the more reason to seek out Achilles Heel, the most far-flung outpost of Andrew Tarlow's North Brooklyn empire (Diner, Marlow and Sons, Wythe Hotel, etc.). The vibe is pure dive bar, the cocktails and small plates are delicious, and on most weekends when the weather's nice, they set up a rogue barbecue operation in the side yard to feed any and all late-day drinkers. Be careful, or you will fall in hopelessly love in this place.
Feeling like having a little adventure? We thought so! Go ahead—we hope you're ready to say goodbye to that Achilles Heel! And alongside our friends at Sanpellegrino® Sparkling Fruit Beverages, we encourage you to discover The Life Deliziosa™—the joy of wandering and the art of serendipity. Want to add a breath of fresh air to your journeys to come? Discover Delightways today—it's a curated journey-finding app full of local haunts and hidden gems that encourages you to rediscover the art of wandering—right here, at home in New York. Delighways helps you live The Life Deliziosa™, reminding you that delight is not only in the destination, but in the moments of joy we find along the way. Traditional mapping apps, step aside!
If you've got a destination, take a chance on something new and discover the most delightful way there. Keep cool with a refreshing Sanpellegrino® Sparkling Fruit Beverage and find your joy in the journey today.
This post is a sponsored collaboration between Sanpellegrino® Sparkling Fruit Beverages and Gothamist staff.
