Get to Know Your GoogaMooga Gurus: Tom Colicchio

Photo via ZagatBuzz

You've all been preparing for the food celebration at this weekend's Great GoogaMooga, right? Whether said preparation involves breaking out the stretchy pants or expanding your palettes, next Saturday and Sunday will prove to be a food festival of Empire State proportions. For fuck's sake, with an event that's being promoted as an "amusement park of food and drink," you're bound to end up broke, full, and slightly nauseated.

And did you know that there's an actual GoogaMooga "Guru Council?" The members are described as "culinary leaders who embody the spirit and community of GoogaMooga. They have generously shared their talent, ideas and playlists." The Guru Council is a real Who's Who of the New York Foodie Scene, so I'm going to help you get to know one of them a little bit better.

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Wallet-Friendly Retail Therapy: Where do you get your fix?

One of my biggest weaknesses is retail therapy; that feeling of satisfaction and temporary happiness that comes with buying something -- sometimes, anything. I have a friend who hits up William Sonoma whenever she's frustrated with the rest of her life. Granted, she has a paycheck that can support such shopping sprees. I'm not saying retail therapy is bad (it ain't good), but for those of us who need it, it's helpful to know where we can go in the hood to get that fleeting feeling without breaking the bank.

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[Fips Was There...] The Prospect Park Food Truck Rally

We here at FIPS spend a hell of a lot of time out and about in Brooklyn, attending outdoor concerts, comedy shows and various other events. So [FIPS Was There...] is where we're gonna' talk about all this shit.

It was hot and sticky this past Sunday as food trucks fired up their grills. This, of course, could only mean one thing: the Prospect Park Food Truck Rally is back in Grand Army Plaza for the season. From April through October, some of the city's most well-known trucks will gather on the third Sunday of every month (along with everyone else in Park Slope). I stopped by to sample a few goodies, which was totally worth braving the heat for.

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Who gives a shit: Where can you get a gift wrapped in Park Slope?

I never think about the gift I'm buying for someone prior to 5 minutes before walking out the door on my way to give said gift away. More than once I've peeled the price tag off of some trinket as I'm walking up to a party. Turns out the Neergaard Pharmacies on 5th Avenue offers complimentary gift wrapping on their reasonably priced children and baby gifts. I'm guessing it's a rare find to get free or (minimally priced) gift wrapping on that $25 Giraffe teething toy for your neighbor's baby shower, and stores like Area Kids refuse to even give out bags with purchases.

So tell us:  Where do you get a gift wrapped in Park Slope? Or do you stick your gift in a black bodega bag and call it a day?

Prospect Heights Beats Park Slope For "Most Stylish Nabe"

Photo: Refinery29.com

Despite having Bird, Goldy + Mac, and plenty of vintage shops in the neighborhood, Park Slope has lost the war on style. According to Cole Haan (maker of insanely comfortable heels), NYC’s Most Stylish 'Hood is Prospect Heights.

Refinery29 says the Heights has all the money, architecture, young, stylish professionals, outdoor entertainment, connected citizens, and shops, shops, shops required to hit the top of the list. But I call bullshit. Park Slope is home to A.Cheng, The Clay Pot, and, up until recently, J.Crew's Jenna Lyons, for fuck's sake (Ed Note: I've also seen Steve Booshems walking around this nabe with some pretty stylish eyeglasses.)

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