Culture Club - Williamsburg

My colleague and I had a playdate on the calendar that we had scheduled after kickball one evening when we snagged seats at the bar and left our coworkers/teammates to stand and wait for our table. I'll be honest and say that I actually just wanted to go to the gym last night and then go to sleep super early but a playdate is a commitment that must be honored.

My magic Googling skills found The Heaping Helping's potluck dinner at the Brooklyn Kitchen. That's what you find when you browse the Brooklyn Brewery's event calendar and your plans are dictated by where you can find pumpkin ale.

We ventured into Williamsburg and had I known this when I got up in the morning, I would've worn my plaid  shirt, leggings, boots, Native American inspired shawl, seventeen necklaces, knit cap, and eyeglasses. Instead I wore dress pants, a mock turtleneck, one of those oversized pashmina-like white girl scarves, and Uggs. Yes, Uggs. It was too cold for my leopard print flats so I left them at my desk.

All the desk essentials.

The food was amazing but I scarfed it down too fast to photograph it. Those hipsters sure know how to cook. Since Ritalin and frozen lightly creamed spinach were not acceptable offerings, I gave $20 instead of a dish. Best $20 I spent all week. In addition to all you can eat (and I mean all you can eat - we were so stuffed we couldn't eat anymore) dinner, Brooklyn Brewery beers were sold for $1. Therefore I had $5.

Brooklyn Post Road Pumpkin Ale

I ran into my friend and former boss Viviana. I see her everywhere - Harlem, my office, Williamsburg... It's always a pleasure but it's beginning to get a little creepy.

The band Skunkmello provided the musical entertainment. They were actually pretty good. The lead singer doesn't wear shoes while he performs. How Taylor Swift of him.

I literally ate the most delicious treats. There was butternut squash soup, pumpkin twinkies, chicken pot pie (with biscuits as the pie top), risotto, mashed potatoes, white chocolate key lime cheesecake (which I didn't have because I didn't have anymore room!), and personal pecan pies made in cupcake tins. It was everything I dreamed of and more.

I'm not really sure what the Brooklyn Kitchen is. It seemed like a home goods store but it also appears to have a butcher's shop. It was cool in an, "Oh we're in Brooklyn and everyone looks like Buddy Holly" kind of way. Their bathroom was pretty nifty though.

The King... and a changing table.

You can see the sign for the Meat Hook behind my head.
You can also see my double chin.

After gorging ourselves on homemade food and locally made beer (although the pumpkin ale said something about Utica on it?), we went to Refugio Cigar House down the street. I still haven't had a cigarette since last Saturday, but I did have a cigar last night while we watched wrestling and hung out with the owners. Although I don't think that really counts as smoking, I felt guilty about it this morning and felt compelled to confess to my friend from high school who inspired me to stop smoking after she did. It was a Romeo + Juliet and it was delicious.