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28
Oct 2011
05:02 PM

Halloween in BrinkGuide Cities

Where ever you are, we at BrinkGuide have searched the internet and our own guides to find the best places to be to fully enjoy this Halloween weekend.Here is your rundown and let us know if we are missing out on something special and/or spooky travelers and locals shouldn’t miss.

(Photo from NYmag.com)

DANZIG!! If you are in Manhattan or anywhere in the NY Burroughs, head out to Hammerstein Ballroom ( 311 W. 34th St) October 29th to hear some classic Samhain and Misfits songs from the dark idol himself. But if you can’t get tickets or the price is to steep for your blood (you can get them for $36.50-$97), fear not, the Boogaween Costume Ball is happening down on Houston St. the same night. There is sure to be dancing at the Mercury Lounge (217 E. Houston St) and tickets to the ball will only cost you $25 the night of the show.

(Photo from timeout.com)

In London, the Round Chapel (Clapton Park United Reformed Church, 1d Glenarm Rd.) will show horror classics all weekend. Showings, or “screamings” as they’re calling them, happen early (at either 4:45pm or 7:30pm October 28-31) so you can get spooked before you head out for a night of partying. Choose from “The Omen”, “The Exorcist”, “The Blair Witch Project” or “Halloween.” From what we can tell, the hallowed halls of the historic church is the perfect venue to get you in the mood for the holiday.

(Photo from Halloween 2007, Pitussi’s flickr stream)

From what our Madrid editors have told us, Spaniards haven’t quite caught on to celebrating Halloween, save for the students. A little bit of digging and we found the goth club Dark Hole has been putting on a Semana Gotica de Madrid kick off event each year. We have found pictures of wonderfully costumed patrons from years passed but can’t find exact details for this years event. Ask a local, show up at the venue in your darkest costume (13 Mesoneros Romanos, Metro: Gran Via) or go to find Madrid’s Gothic Week website to find out the latest event offerings in the area.

(Photo from Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli Photography + Design)

This weekend Tucsonians will have plenty of house parties and concerts to choose from but really we are saving our energy for the big event next weekend. Dia de los Muertos, a Mexican holiday for celebrating the dead, will be celebrated the weekend after Halloween. Floats and folks with black and white painted faces will parade through downtown on November 6th for the All Souls Procession, with the route ending in a Dance of the Dead. Residents don’t skimp on costuming as you can see from the photo above, taken at last year’s event. This will be the 21st walk and the community organized event has attracted as many as 20,000 participants in the past.

-Caroline Jackson, editor of BrinkGuide

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24
Oct 2011
09:00 AM

Vicarious Brooklyn Bar Crawl

I’ve been cruising through final edits of our New York Burroughs edition of BrinkGuide and I found we had a bit of a drought when it came to bar and club reviews. Maybe our editors aren’t big drinkers but I thought our app users should have some options when they’re trying to imbibe outside of Manhattan. So I sent one of our tried and true editors Liz Hazard on a bit of a club hopping mission through BK. I armed her with a list of some of my old haunts in Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Red Hook, Bedstuy and Clinton Hill and a weekend to cruise around. Her reviews started coming in today and she fished out some spots in Williamsburg that I love and some that I hadn’t discovered yet. Liz also threw in some shopping and eating spots you may want to stumble into when you decide to give the boozing a rest. I thought I’d give you all a sneak peak into which venues she’s recommending and I’m planning on checking out on my next visit.

Rosemary’s Green Point Tavern (188 Bedford Ave.): A local treasure. The beer comes in styrofam cups, perfect for sneaking a big, cold brew out the front door and talking a walk around Williamsburg but if the weather isn’t permitting, enjoying the seasoned bar patrons is the second best option. Year round Christmas lights provide stellar decor for party time.

Juliette (135 N. 5th St.): Another lovely spot to get a drink in Williamsburg but with a bit of a different flavor. This French brassiere has a totally cozy roof but will require a prettier penny than Rosemary’s. We recommend grabbing an Irish coffee in colder months or a St. Germain cocktail in warmer and enjoying the outdoor seating. Their food, desserts and coffee come recommended as well if you’re interested in something more substantial or non-alcoholic.

Buffalo Exchange: This now chain originated in BrinkGuide’s hometown of Tucson (we may be world travelers but I’m in Arizona as I type this post) but this location gets particularly choice items. Grab the hip and affluent’s cast offs for pennies on the dollar. You can find well-known current designers and also vintage pieces in great shape. But it gets packed out on weekends and even some weekday afternoons so be prepared to duke it out with other shoppers.

Masten Lake (285 Bedford Ave.): After fighting elbow-to-elbow with other fashion connoisseurs, this restaurant may be the perfect spot to unwind. Inspired by the owners’ childhood vacation home in the Catskills, Masten Lake proves to be a great departure from the bustle of Williamsburg and the big city in general. It has only been around since July but the kinks are all worked out (the chef has some cred: he worked at Roberta’s and Lupa). The food (Italian-influenced, simple, market-driven) is the highlight but the wine is on-point as well, featuring great female winemakers of the world in particular.

I’m looking forward to you all getting your hands on the full range of what New York Burroughs has to offer (including Liz’s full bar crawl report) when the new BrinkGuide comes out soon! Check back for more traveling tips and for the date of the big launch of our forth-coming BrinkGuides London, Madrid and NY Burroughs.

-Caroline Jackson, Editor of BrinkGuide

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21
Oct 2011
03:25 PM

These Madrid Bars are not One-Trick Ponies

One of our new BrinkGuide editors told us recently Madrileños love a bar that doubles as something else. So we thought we’d feature two she frequents in case you want a little something extra with your mojito. And these two are in the same neighborhood, Malasaña, so the bashful traveler can check out a more modest venue, while the daring can go for something more risque. You’ll see what I mean.

J&J’s (c/ Espiritu Santo, 47): You’ve run out of holiday reading material but also really could do with a nice, cold beer. Why not kill two birds with one stone? This little bar, tucked away on Calle de Espiritu Santo doubles as a cunningly-disguised bookshop! Bookworms will find hundreds of second-hand titles awaiting them downstairs. A firm favorite with the local ex-pat community, they also have a quiz night on Fridays and a language exchange night on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Beware, it gets pretty crowded.

ConSentido (C/ Barco, 32, Tel: 91 521 16 44): Really, it was only a matter of time before someone opened a bar which doubles as a vendor of, um, adult playthings. Here you can browse an exciting range of “back massagers” as well as erotic art. And if you should need to build up a little Dutch courage before making your purchase, a discreet, exotically decorated bar at the rear of the premises offers the usual range of beverages. José the owner claims they do the best mojitos in the city (but then, everywhere claims that, eh?) Open from 8pm (closed Sundays and Mondays).

Madrid is so close to launch! If you’re planning a trip to Spain, check back here for features on the capital city and to find out when you can get the app.

-Caroline Jackson, Editor (Photos taken by BrinkGuide contributor Victoria Knill)

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07
Oct 2011
12:06 PM

London is Calling!

At BrinkGuide, we are putting the final touches on our London edition. I have been sitting in front of my computer screen, scrolling through page after page of reviews. Our editors are talking about where to imbibe, munch and find the perfect dress. It is enough to make me want to hijack the next trans-atlantic flight out of Tucson and into the London fog. And then, today I got a bunch of new photos from one of our contributors across the pond. They didn’t help. But instead of doing anything rash, I thought I would share a few spots with you.

Our writers have promised me Cloud Cuckoo Land isn’t another run-of-the-mill secondhand shop. Instead, it sounds like a wonderland of well-picked gems. And the shop owner is supposed to be a woman of discerning taste who won’t skimp on the compliments or critique. That is always what I want when I’m looking for the right thing and willing to pay a little extra for it.

Cloud Cuckoo Land

Cloud CuckooLand

But after getting the royal treatment, I wouldn’t mind rifling with the masses on Portobello Road. I don’t what could be more appealing than pastels and tables piled up with antiques. These photos made me crave a little shopping across the pond.

PortobelloMarket

PM2

PM3

-Caroline Jackson, Editor of BrinkGuide

All photos taken by BrinkGuide London contributor Mira Joshi. Read More »

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