Photo courtesy of A Brooklyn Life.

Think “comfort food” in Brooklyn, and the words “Buttermilk Channel” should be on the tip of your tongue. There are a number of restaurants around that try to get Southern right… and then there’s this Carroll Gardens spot where the pork chops are fried, the waffles come with cheddar and a $50 gift certificate will get you plenty full. A place that we love for oh-so-many reasons, Buttermilk Channel’s homey, yet classy menu and laid-back vibe make it what the RAFFLE OF THE CENTURY is all about: pure indulgence. (more…)

When we thought up the raffle for our birthday party this Thursday at Night Owl, we hoped to bring you, our loyal readers, some pieces of Brooklyn you might not otherwise have had the chance to enjoy: a fancy meal, a relaxing escape… We’re still bringing you that, and much more. But we never imagined we’d have one item so luxurious that it would meet your grandest Brooklyn wants and desires in a single fell swoop. Well, we were wrong. We’re proud to present a $500 American Express gift card, courtesy of Zync, and it’ll be waiting for you Thursday night. (more…)

There’s yoga with your mat touching your sweaty neighbor’s, your arms touching uncomfortably in Warrior 2 and the instructor concentrating only on the pregnant lady. Then there’s Brokelyn-RAFFLE-OF-THE-CENTURY yoga: a private lesson on a rooftop, plus a free week of group yoga, courtesy of the good people at goodyoga. Win this one, and you’ll enjoy a one-on-one session with co-founder and vinyasa instructor, Flannery Foster, hailed as one of the city’s best. (more…)

Opening night in March.

Granted, you hear the word ‘thrift,’ and ‘luxury item’ isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But what if you forget those ratty t-shirts and stained corduroys, and think Vintage? Vintage as in fashion time-machine catered to the innate style of the pin-up fashionista on a budget. That is Park Slope’s Guvnor’s Vintage Thrift. And that’s why they, and their $50 gift certificate, are part of THE RAFFLE OF THE CENTURY on June 10. And ladies, since you’re trying to look like a million bucks for the night, Guvnor’s might be a good place to start this weekend. (more…)

Photo by bitchcakesny.

You asked for it, we got it. It’s a store, cooking school and butcher shop all-in-one. It’s The Meat Hook, the newest extension of The Brooklyn Kitchen, helmed by one of Brooklyn’s most renowned foodies, Tom Mylan. And it’s given us (you) a $75 gift card for the RAFFLE OF THE CENTURY. While the actual term “meat-hook” isn’t high on the trendy or appetizing scale, think of it like this: To be called something so graphic and carnivorous-sounding means that it’s a) trendy enough to have such a daring name, 2) good enough to make it an instant success and 3) not joking about this meat. (more…)

Photo by Annie Wang

Few foods say luxury like lobster. And no other lobster has the neighborhood-born cachet of Red Hook Lobster Pound’s. The Pound’s only about a year old (just like us!) but already it’s a Red Hook staple and a major player in the borough’s food-truck explosion. We had to get our claws on a little something for our birthday raffle (sorry, Sizzler, maybe next year). The result: a $50 gift certificate that’ll bring in quite a catch. (more…)

Not convinced yet that we’ve got the goods for our big swagfest on June 10? If Five Leaves has quickly become one of Brooklyn’s foodies’ favorite spots, it’s not just because the place is hip. Chef Kenneth Addington and his mouth-watering, Australia-born menu might have something to do with it too. But don’t take our word for it. You’ll taste it once you win the $100 gift certificate(!) the Greenpoint eatery has generously pitched in to our birthday raffle. (more…)

Introduction to the Lathe, anyone?

The creative juggernaut that is 3rd Ward is bringing you our next birthday raffle prize: a free class of your choice at the Williamsburg design center. That’s right, you’ll be schooled in screen printing, jewelry making, photography, welding, woodworking, video editing in the sleek media lab, urban ecology or one of many, many others. Just take your pick. Besides providing fun (and functional!) classes, 3rd Ward brings Brooklyn’s creative community together. And as we celebrate Brokelyn’s birthday, we’re also celebrating 3rd Ward’s. Happy fourth birthday, 3rd Ward! We love you! (more…)

Your wish is our command. The raffle prizes are rolling in, and we’re starting off with one of our biggies—a combo prize at that: a one-night staycay in bucolic (and hipper-by-the-day) Ditmas Park. The main attraction is a night at Rugby Gardens bed and breakfast, one of the swankiest of the “swank Victorian B&Bs” requested of us, and a place you won’t want to leave… except maybe to sample some of the fares on nearby Cortelyou Road. Which brings us to the rest of the DP combo. (more…)

Happy birthday to us! Can you believe it’s already been a year of Brokelyn? In just 12 months, we stalked Martha Stewart, told you how to sell your [redacted] online, couch-surfed, Dumpster swam, Crockpot gourmeted, price checked, deal-scouted, taste-tested, happy houred, flirted with aluminum poisoning from cheap beer tastings and much, much more. We also brought you the Brokelyn Beer Book and some great t-shirts in the process. We’re just getting started, but all this means only one thing… PARTY TIME (excellent)! (more…)