Adios Brooklyn

We are at JFK, awaiting our flight to start our big adventure in Madrid.  I was fortunate to have 24 wonderful hours to end what was 29 years in Brooklyn.

On Sunday Andreas and I went to get a pedicure from the wonderful Carolina at Mirai Spa on Fulton Street.  It is always great to go with Andreas because he is incredibly ticklish and when Carolina starts scrubbing his feet he goes out of his mind.  It is hysterical to watch.  

Then I went to see Buju my barber at On Point on Hansen.  He has been doing the boys hair for years.  On Point is a boisterous place, with laughter ricocheting off the walls.  Buju has been cutting the boys hair, and what is left of my hair, for years, although to be honest I don't understand a word he says.  Even his texts are cryptic.  I once texted him "When do you get in tomorrow?".  His reply:  "When a get a text u ok let u come."  

Sunday night my wonderful friends Maisa and Carlos joined a gourmand friend of mine, Hannah, to check out a new restaurant in Bed-Stuy, L'antagoniste.  Sunday nights if you prearrange they have Canard a la presse, and it was delicious, totally decadent, really.  The chef presents the duck to you, fillets it in the kitchen, brings the press to the table and presses out the juices from the carcass, and makes a sauce.  Wow.  When I was a kid my dad hunted duck and although we had a duck press I don't remember him ever using it.  It was definitely a conversation piece, however.  I look forward to returning to L'antagoniste in the future.   On Mondays you can pre-order chicken cooked in a pig's bladder! 

More than the food, however, it was amazing to spend my final evening with such good friends.  I have known Maisa and Carlos since I started working at Varig, when I first arrived in NYC.  They are more like family now.  I have spent countless hours with them, the times always punctuated with lots of laughter.  Hannah I just got to know this year as she just moved to the neighborhood, but she is fun and a foodie.  She happily accepted all the crazy kitchen equipment that I parted with when moving out of 353.  I will miss her a lot, but I look forward to seeing everyone in Madrid.

My last meal was at Not Ray's, a spot which has killer pizza.  A Fort Greene institution, the Grandma Pesto slice is crazy good.  The guys who work there are friendly, and the vibe is very Fort Greene.  Dayo joined the boys and I for a casual and delicious send off to Brooklyn.

I will really miss Fort Greene, and Brooklyn, but the boys and I are very excited about the adventure that awaits us...  I'm sure it won't be any difficulty finding great food in Madrid.