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I’ve lived in the same apartment in BedStuy, Brooklyn for over a decade now. I moved here to flee the nightlife scene in Williamsburg, which had become tedious living on Grand Ave. Then a few years later, the action followed me, and now my neighborhood is robust with newer bars and restaurants catering to gentrifiers like myself. Bar LunÀtico is one of those watering holes; one that I actually feel lucky to live quite near. The bar, which is excellent, has live music every night. No tickets, first come first serve, and the owner passes the hat around, all of which goes to the musicians. I’ve seen ensembles from Morocco, Brazil, Hungary. It’s nice to have a place you can just show up to and expect to see some really interesting music you’ve never heard before. The atmosphere is confidently cool without being pretentious, and in a city where most bars have morphed into this hemogenous urban nightlife experience, its unique in a way that’s become increasingly rare. See you there perhaps?
Oct 19, 2021
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- amazing talented musicians perform live every evening
- delicious and innovative cocktails (second only to Angel's Share in NYC cocktails imo, if i had to rate the whole menu I might even give Lunatico a higher score)
- rotating dessert menu. the chefs have fun with the ingredients
- no cover, suggested donation all goes to the performers
- cute decor, cute crowd, lovely neighborhood vibes
- i usually drop by before the first act of the night, when the dinner crowd is leaving; but if there is something that looks good to you on the current dinner menu, most likely you won't be disappointed
Apr 1, 2024
Let's call it like it is: There seems to be a lack of cool spaces for Black people in New York, especially in convenient neighborhoods, and it makes me scratch my head. Don't get me wrong: I love a Fanelli's moment, a Time Again moment, a Honoree Club moment, or a Rocka Rolla moment. After all, New York is supposed to be a city that prides itself on the people being integrated, despite our differing identities. You can have a fun experience anywhere in New York. All the other cities must bow down to us. However, to help get New York's groove back, I do believe there needs to be chic spots were men and women of color feel singularly welcomed at. Spots that aren't on TikTok, or a part of a scene. I lament this at times.
Now, here's the good news: I recently found one that has become one of my most visited establishments. Please Tell Me in Williamsburg, just off the Graham Avenue L stop, is a fun and elegant late night spot with good drinks and great music. It feels like a place where Black folks -- and all folks -- can congregate, hear great hip-hop music, from the classics to current, and have a nice Pilsner, Lager, or a cocktail. (The cocktails aren't bougie and pretentious either. It's pretty chill). Even the food is solid: I highly recommend the chicken sandwich.
I can be picky about bars. They mean a ton to me. A good bar is where you can find comfort, comfort that life tries to strip you from. A good bar is like church, it enlarges the brain, elevating it to a relationship with someone other than himself. A good bar is a wife of 20 years. A good bar is when you meet someone that inspires you to write a short story. There's nothing like a cold one at a place where the bartender knows you --- doesn't know everything about you --- but knows you enough to want to talk to you about the news happening in the ether.
Please Tell Me has earned my trust. It's a small space, for certain, and it can get a little stuffy in there at 1AM in the morning, but the high-spirits override any of those worries. Another cool thing: I met my girlfriend -- Mrs. Commas to all of you --- there. I knew I wanted to take her on a date when I saw her at Please Tell Me. I went bar hopping last weekend with her and our homies and we had a grand 'ol time. We weren't there for long, we got two drinks, danced to four songs and then left, but it's the kind of spot that lifts your sprits when you go. There were Black women dancing near the DJ, black men cheering them on, white and Latino men also connecting with us, and having fun. It is what I want New York to be like, what New Yorkers of color should experience. Shout out to Please Tell Me! Let's keep this place going.
Dec 19, 2024
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Bed stuy bar which hosts vinyl DJs most nights- pin ball machines are in the back. The worn in wooden benches and drink deals makes it feel homier than a most full blown “club” environments, but the dance floor opens up spontaneously whenever necessary.
May 8, 2024
Top Recs from @a.-savage
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In my opinion, one of the more unheralded New York foods is the crumb cake. Sometimes known as the coffee cake, it’s an item that is so New York-centric, but somehow hasn’t made it onto the bucket lists of tourists. In my opinion, the crummier the better. I like there to be a thick layer of crumbs on top, the ideal ration sort of being half crumb, half cake. You’ve seen it beckoning for your attention in glass deli cases, or on an Entenmann’s endcap at the grocery, or in the shadow of scones and croissants at your local bakery. Hell even Drake’s makes a decent version if you’re in a pinch. Much like bagels and pizza, most places in New York make a uniformly great version of it, so there’s no need to seek out the “best”. The “best” is in fact the one that’s closest to you.
Oct 19, 2021
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I guess you could say I’m a pretty avid backpacker; I enjoy the autonomy of carrying your bed, kitchen and house on your back, while navigating the unpredictability of nature. For this reason I make routine sojourns to Harriman State Park. The park is both approximate to the city, and also very remote feeling once you are inside of it. No car? No problem. Just take NJ Transit from Penn Station up to the Tuxedo, NY stop. There are multiples trailheads just near the station. About 40 miles of the Appalachian Trail pass through the park, which boasts the trail-famous Lemon Squeezer obstacle. It also is a great place for climbing, with the Claudius Smith’s Den being the best known locale for rock-heads. Harriman is a labyrinthine network of trails of varying difficulties. It’s probably the only place where you can get mauled by a black bear while looking at the Empire State Building. Actually I have had multiple bear encounters there that were totally were drama free. Great for leaf peeping as well!
Oct 19, 2021
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When people come to visit New York, and they ask me for advice on things to do and see, I without fail recommend the Dream House, a long-term sound and light installation in Tribeca. Conceived by minimalist composer LaMonte Young and light artist Marian Zazeela in the 1960’s, and in its current location since the early 1990’s, the Dream House is, essentially, a room on the second story of an otherwise unremarkable downtown building, with four speakers emitting mixed frequency sine waves, in a soft glow of fuchsia light. Hearing is believing, because as you navigate the room, the interplay of frequencies makes every coordinate in the small room completely unique. Even minute movement of the body alters the perception of sound in the space. And the sound isn’t just heard, it’s felt. The Dream House predates the public’s consciousness of meditation with binaural sound, and this is quadaural! Donations are suggested, might I recommend going there and spending an afternoon or evening. Stay as long as you like!
Oct 19, 2021