Yeah, I co-built that cube.

Tomorrow my dear friends Chris D’Acunto and Anthony Browne are having an art show called Do What You Want at 248 McKibbin St. in Bushwick. Chris has recently undergone a transformation in his paintings, making them less caricature-based, and more complex and abstract. Anthony, playing off of Sol LeWitt’s perfect cube idea, has created a series of badly built cubes, five of which I have helped him to create. The show starts at 7 tomorrow night, and for those interested, there will be a procession from Anthony’s studio on Johnson Avenue (call or tweet @anieldadler for details) where we will each take a cube and walk to the space at the McKibbin Lofts, where once inside  we will create a giant pyramid of badly built cubes. This is not a rinky-dink little art show, it is featured on ArtCat, and here’s the Facebook invite.

248 McKibbin is the good one, not the crazy one where my co-worker Jess visited last January and found a roach on her coat as soon as she set it down on the bed belonging to the hippies whose party she was at. So come one, come all, it’s going to be as distinguished an art show as you can expect in Bushwick.

I was biking down Grattan St. in Bushwick this morning and to my delight, my suspicions that a new joint was opening up were correct. It’s a ramen place called Shinobi, or something like that. They put up their sign the other day, which means they’ll be serving delicious treats pretty soon, probably by September, if my innate food sense is correct.

And the best thing is, I know it’s going to be delicious. Because one, hipsters won’t stand for sub-par ramen. And two, because there’s a reputation Bushwick has to maintain as emerging food center.

It started with Roberta’s. Then came Momo and The Morgan and Arancini Bros. and pretty soon, this new ramen place, which will probably be better than Momofuku, or if not, at least more local.

Oh and by the way, I’m blowing up Cain’s Tavern‘s spot, too. It’s a new bar on Wilson and George St. It’s cute and hip. What else would you expect?

My mom’s moving back to New York soon. She probably wouldn’t be able to afford (or want to live in) one of the dumpy Manhattan studios in her price range. So all of the above are reasons why she should just buy a loft in Bushwick.

The Archive, rest in peace, has finally been replaced. Swallow, don’t get any dirty thoughts, is a bit better suited to Morgantown 2011. Industrial lightbulbs provide arch light, the saggy cushions have been replaced by movie theatre style seating in the back and cutesy European style granite tabletopped tables, and the baristas actually know how to make a macchiato. The gorgeous red Marzocco esperesso machine glowed and bubbled, the music was recognizable without pretension, and in general, it is friendlier and less of a hey-please-watch-out-for-my-mac-book-pro-charger-cord kind of place.

For the scenesters in Bushwick, Cafe Orwell still gets it done, but for the main strip, Morgantown needed a more hostpitable cafe, one where you can actually meet someone for a date, or even better, talk about life and literature, without getting the hairy eyeball from the people sitting next to you.

Don’t get me wrong, I loved Archive. And the way I’m describing it makes it out to be the kind of cafe where everyone regards you with a sneer. In fact, people were generally friendly there, but it was the vibe that made the difference. The Archive had been in place for years, and so had the people working there. That said, I’m thankful that there’s a clean coffee slate in my new neighborhood.

Forget Mimosas and Bloody Marys in Williamsburg – brunch at J.K. & Sons, which I affectionately call  “J.K. Rowling,” on Broadway in Bushwick, is where it’s at. J.K. & Sons is warm and unpretentious, run by a couple that’s been married for 40 years. No haughty waiters here, just good ol’ fashioned service, just the way I like it. The menu is a veritable novel and filled with eggs and bacon, waffles, cheese burger deluxes, lamb gyros, Greek and Cobb salads, chicken wraps, steak and potatoes, and all of that good sort of stuff. I always have extreme difficulty making my choice. And each day, they have soup specials, which I can never pass up – who would, when a tasty bowl of Manhattan Clam Chowder will set you back only $2? Whenever I walk into J.K. & Sons and see the waitress (there’s only one), I feel happy. Long live J.K. & Sons.

J.K. & Sons is located at 801 Broadway, Brooklyn  NY11206 (Btwn Fayette & Ellery St). Near the Flushing Avenue J train station.

It’s out with The Archive and in with Momo Sushi Shack, a fantastic new edition to the community of cool grocery stores, cafes and bars by the Morgan Ave L. If you’re a Bushwick resident and you’re into amazing and beautiful looking Japanese food served up in an unpretentious space with a great vibe, Momo is your  new favorite hangout.

I wandered over to Momo, the work of the guys behind the popular Bozu in Williamsburg, a couple of weeks ago and quickly fell in love with the utilitarian long, heavy wooden tables and benches, the low lighting and concrete floors, and the friendly service from co-owner and head chef extraordinaire Phillip, who took the stress out of ordering from an unfamiliar menu. He asked how hungry we were, we said how much, and he whisked away our menus, telling us he’d bring us out a selection of food that we would not be disappointed with.

And we were not disappointed with what came out of the kitchen. The miso soup was tasty and piping hot (Momo doesn’t cut any corners and makes the stock properly with kombu and bonito), the pork and chive gyoza was lightly fried just right, and the selection of sushi bombs featuring cuts of fish like big eye tuna and organic Scottish salmon, presented alongside a trio of soy sauces infused with varying degrees of wasabi, was fresh and flavorsome.

But best of all was the pork belly. This is no regular pork belly. It’s sliced thin, and each slice, set prettily in a fan shape around a big white plate, is drenched in a sweet mix of soy sauce and sake and topped with a delicate drop of wasabi cream sauce and cilantro. Everyone who dines at Momo must indulge in a dish of these mouth-watering morsels of meat. To die for.

As a postscript, Momo doesn’t have a liquor license just yet, but that’s okay: it just means you have to get a drink at Roberta’s around the corner before your meal.

Momo Sushi Shack is located at 43 Bogart Street (between Moore St & Grattan St), Bushwick, Brooklyn. By the Morgan Ave L train.

If you’re in Bushwick and need a bagel and free wi-fi in a hurry, Café Orwell is for you. It’s situated near the Morgan Ave L on Varet Street, a few doors down from my favorite place to get air for my tires, Post Bike Shop, and makes for a nice place to sip, munch, read and type,  provided you can work with the loud-ish music and the somewhat dimly lit surrounds.

Cafe Orwell doesn’t do eggs or bacon for breakfast: it specializes in the vegetarian bagel. I usually get an everything bagel with veggie cream cheese, avocado and tomato – they’re big and juicy, and a pretty good deal at $3.50. They also have muffins, various toasts, sandwiches and other such items. The coffee is pretty good I hear, but alas, there’s no freshly squeezed orange juice for non-caffeinated folks like me (only glasses of bottled juice for $3 – rip off).

Café Orwell is located at 247 Varet St (between White St & Bogart St), Bushwick, Brooklyn. By the Morgan Ave L train.

The New York Times recently offered Bushwick, Brooklyn as one of the cooler neighborhoods for young artists  and creative types—the “New Bohemia.”

While some argue that it’s an “up and coming” neighborhood that’s not quite “up” yet with lots of noise and a high crime rate, others note that rent is far more reasonable than other locales in the city and that it’s close to youth meccas like Williamsburg.

Cultural highlights in Bushwick include excellent bars like the Bushwick Social Club, Gotham City Lounge, and 280 Cafe & Lounge. For music lovers, there’s Silent Barn, Goodbye Blue Monday, and Cafe Orwell next to a little combination loft and hostel. Grab a bite to eat at Bushwick Pita Palace or The Archive, a sweet cafe right off the Morgan stop.

The neighborhood can be divided into roughly four sections:  the industrial area on the border of East Williamsburg (also known as Morgantown because of its proximity to the Morgan Ave subway stop), a family-oriented area dominated by immigrant families and a rapidly gentrifying housing market, East Bushwick which is similarly family-oriented and serene (if lacking in bars and a cultural scene), and South Bushwick which is more dangerous and less populated than the other three areas.

If you like Mexican food, Bushwick is the neighborhood for you. If you don’t like it, you may go to bed hungry if your apartment is devoid of any food you’d consider eating, and you’re too lazy to make the trek to the Food Bazaar.

I frequent many Mexican joints in my neighborhood, but mostly Cholulita. On a Saturday morning, I stumble out of bed and pick up the phone to place my order, which is usually fraught with a misunderstanding or two, probably owing to my accent and complete lack of ability in Spanish. My roommates usually get a kick out of hearing me desperately try to ensure I get my food exactly the way I want it: “Egg and cheese and bacon on a BAGEL, with TOMATO” or “TWO, just two beef tacos.” After getting off the phone, I laze around for a few minutes, throw on some clothes, and head over the street to collect my breakfast.

Cholulita makes a pretty good egg sandwich and other staples like chicken and beef tacos, fries, Philly cheese steak, guacamole and chips, salads, papaya smoothies, quesadillas, enchiladas, etc. Their spicy green sauce is a winner; a taco is not complete without it. Stop in next time you’re in the neighborhood.

Cholulita is located at 888 Broadway Avenue (between Belvidere St & Arion Pl), Bushwick, accessible via the Myrtle-Broadway JMZ station. Telephone (347) 435-0813.

As with any other city or state, some neighborhoods in Brooklyn are safer than others. You have places like Park Slope, Clinton Hill, Brooklyn Heights, and Fort Greene, which are considered very secure. At the same time, certain areas like Bedford-Stuyvesant, East New York, and Bushwick and known for being more dangerous.

Of course, not everyone can afford a $500,000 home in Park Slope or even a high-rent apartment. But crime isn’t just about location—it can happen anywhere.

I grew up in a wealthy area of Pittsburgh that was usually considered safe, but every so often we would hear about break-ins and other crimes. Thus, while it’s important to think about crime rate while looking for Brooklyn apartments, you also need to think about what you can do to protect yourself and your family.

Although there is some information online, I prefer to speak to actual people when researching a neighborhood. These include potential roommates and landlords, local businesspeople, and friends in the area. This way, I can learn everything about a given neighborhood: how late people are still on the street, which areas are the most and least safe, how many cops patrol the streets, etc. With this information, you should be able to find the perfect part of Brooklyn for you.

MANHATTAN – The PSAL Girls Volleyball tournament is down to it’s final four in Class B, while the quarterfinals in Class A take place tonight at Hunter College.

In the Class B quarterfinals, top seeded Leon Goldstein High School for Science of Manhattan Beach ended 24th-seeded Bushwick’s dramatic run in the tourney in a two game sweep, 25-12, 25-16.  Goldstein (14-0) had defeated 17th seeded Springfield Gardens in the second round after having a first round bye; Bushwick (11-4) had defeated 9th-seeded School of the Future and 8th-seeded Riverdale/Kings to reach the quarterfinals.

Goldstein will face B-6 Divison rival and 13th seeded Franklin D. Roosevelt of Mapleton.  FDR defeated the 5th seeded East Harlem Pride of Manhattan in a two game sweep.  Goldstein defeated FDR (12-3) in their regular season matchups on September 22, October 7, and October 21; the three games were the only losses of the season for FDR.

The winner of the all-Brooklyn matchup will face the winner of an all-Queens matchup between 3rd seeded John Adams and 15th seeded Scholar’s Academy…

Tonight’s action shifts to Class A, as 5th seeded Midwood takes on 4th seeded Stuyvesant of Manhattan, while 6th seeded Brooklyn Tech faces 3rd seeded Benjamin Cardozo of Queens.

Stuyvesant is ranked 9th in the Post poll:

Cardozo is ranked 4th in the New York Post/PSAL Girls Volleyball poll:

The two matches featuring Brooklyn teams will take place at the Hunter Sportplex at 6:00 p.m.  The other two quarterfinal match-ups have 2nd seeded Susan Wagner of Queens facing 7th seeded JFK of the Bronx, while top seeded Francis Lewis of Queens faces 8th seeded McKee/Staten Island Tech.

Semi-finals in both Class A and Class B will take place at Hunter College on Friday, with the championships scheduled for Tuesday.

IF YOU GO: The CUNY/Hunter College Sportsplex is located at East 68th Street and Lexington Avenue, Upper East Side, Manhattan.  The (6) Lexington Avenue Local stops at 68th Street/Hunter College station.