Just like our hearts

1. Go to the Gowanus Yacht Club, because summer (Friday)

2. Head to Brooklyn Fireproof, will they will take you back in time, to the 19th century. Steampunk attire encouraged (Friday)

3. You might think this reading at Unnameable Books is like any other reading, but there’s a twist: it’s outdoors

4. Brooklyn Skillshare will teach you anything from reclaiming vacant public land to making your own ricotta cheese, and it’s all free (Saturday) (more…)

We’ve never been so excited to see benches

There are plenty of markers popping up on the road to summer: dance parties, movies, concerts. But the true mark of summer is always when the Gowanus Yacht Club throws open it’s gate and welcomes people to it’s magical Shangri-La of outdoor drinking, pierogies and cheeseburgers. And guess what? THAT WHEN IS TOMORROW! (more…)

May the beers be ever in your favor.

WTF is Modern Pentathalon? We’re about to find out: The Olympics opening ceremonies are on Friday where the Queen herself will open the games and 4.8 billion people around the world will tune in to see what Kate Middleton is wearing. The ceremony starts at 9pm GMT, which means 4pm in New York, however NBC plans to delay the airing of the ceremony until 7:30pm EST (ratings, duh). NBC will stream all 302 events in real time online and via mobile apps but only to cable or satellite subscribers, so we brokesters are SOL yet again (unless you borrow someone’s access code, of course). No matter, here’s a list of bars where you can drink international brews while cheering on Brooklyn’s local Olympians. (more…)

Reason #89: Super Summer Man is here! Flickr photo by Quiet Storm!

We tell people all the time that NYC is a great place to live even when you’re broke, and never is that truer than in the summer, when the city splits open at the seams and releases everyone into the wide open. The almost nightly barrage of free movies, free concerts, cheap drinking spots and no-cost revelry makes you drunk on the idea that this is indeed the best city in the world, even if you don’t have a dime. And there’s seemingly more every year. Here, in honor of  today’s high temp, our top 88 reasons why summer belongs to brokesters: (more…)

Oysters at Cornelius. Photo courtesy of 3fortheroad blog.

It’s summer time, and you’re in the mood for some salty slurpies to go with that afternoon beer. Sure, they’re a delicacy, but bar food is bar food, and if they’re gonna charge $2.50 for one mouthful of slime, you’d rather go stick your face in the Gowanus Canal. Here’s where and when to get ‘em for a buck each: (more…)

Not their best sign, but it does the job

I have been walking past Gowanus Yacht Club every day of this abnormally outdoor-drinking-friendly spring wondering “WTF they were waiting for?” New taps apparently, because the minute they were finished being installed yesterday, the gates swung open and excited/thirsty Carroll Gardens locals started streaming in.

The place is still pretty barren as they rushed to open for the unseasonably warm weather, weeks before the usual opening. The grill is not yet assembled and the “Don’ts” list isn’t even up yet. But management assures us they will be fully operational by the weekend. In addition to burgers and dogs cooked on a hairdryer fueled grill, GYC is also introducing an expanded menu this year including $1 oysters on Tuesday (owner Alan Harding is a legend in the Brooklyn restaurant scene and currently chef at Littleneck) and other daily food specials TBA. Get excited for house smoked pulled pork and 2/$5 random grab-bag beer specials all day every day. They also have $4 Duff and $5 Jever Pils daily plus a rotation of interesting drafts throughout the summer. (more…)

Consider us told. Photo via alibrady12

This picture is too perfect not to post: Announcing the seasonal opening of Gowanus Yacht Club, home to cheap pitchers, cheaper mysterious “Duff” beer, veggie dogs, good tunes, and the sun-soaked seating area that, for this reporter, most symbolizes a cool oasis adorning another gorgeous summer in Brooklyn. The small beer garden at the corner of Smith and President streets opened its gate on Friday, according to its Facebook page. Expect to see your friends at Brokelyn there en masse (or sometimes just with a good book). Thanks to @alibrady12 for doing her duty and sending us the pic! Ah summer!

Ourdoors at Pacifico. Photos by Lindsay Buckley.

This week, we took it upon ourselves to make the rounds on Smith Street, trolling from Atlantic Avenue to Union Street to find all of the happy hour specials along the way. Although most of the 16 places listed below have similar hours and prices (weekdays 5-8, $3 beers), some standouts caught our eye: Camp’s Recession Thursdays run all night long with $3 well drinks, while Bar Great Harry offers 21 beers on tap as well as well drinks and bottles, all 2 for $5! Once the clock strikes 8 you can always saunter down the block to Gowanus Yacht Club, where $2 and $3 drinks are the norm. (more…)