Tis the Season for a Great Toddy Recipe

9 months out of the year I'm a gin & tonic kind of girl. It's a light and refreshing drink that never weighs heavy in my stomach like beer tends to do. But during the winter months, all I crave are spiked ciders and hot toddies that can warm my chilly ass in the first sip or two. Recently, I stumbled upon this recipe that combines the two in a hot apple-ginger toddy -- a great, warm cocktail perfect for winter dinner parties and supper clubs. If you want to give it a whirl, here's the recipe!

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FiPS Round-up: 4 Neighborhood Happy Hours

Since we here at FIPS are often in need of beverage-variety lubrication yet lack the financial prosperity of Wall Street Titans, we’re always on the lookout for good drinking deals. This week we're highlighting four different Park Slope eateries and bars who currently have some decent happy hour deals going on.

1. TWO BOOTS (514 2nd Street)

There aren’t many places to wet one’s whistle in Northeast Park Slope.  Two Boots, which aspires to be half-Italian, half-New Orleans, is an exception to the rule.  In addition to a big dining area and large outdoor patio, there’s a small bar up front with an interesting assortment of neighborhood locals. While there are no happy hour specials on food, you can get $1 off all dinks on M-F from 4-6 p.m., plus a special late-night happy hour from 7-9PM on Tuesdays.

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HOW TO PRONOUNCE "TERROIR"

Original image Yves Saint Laurent, 1966

YOU'RE WELCOME. 

Also, I actually went to the newly opened Terroir wine bar on 5th Ave in the old Great Lakes space a couple of weekends ago, and it was pretty fab. Their "garage door" in front was open and everyone was drinking wine and eating cheese like it was their jahb. They have communal tables in front, and of course I was sitting next to some chick who was breast feeding her baby all over the place, but I'm used to that whole Park Slope shuffle by now. 

They *do,* however, have hooks on those aforementioned communal tables, so at least you have someplace to hang your shit while you're sitting there getting drunk and fat (WHY don't more places do this!?). 

Anywhoose, thumbs up for Tehr-wahr. 

Ted Nugent's Son is angering Greenwood Heights residents with his beer garden

Photo via www.greenwoodparkbk.com

It’s been about a month since Greenwood Park’s gates opened, and local residents are already finding reasons to complain about the 13,000 square foot beer garden. The Brooklyn Paper recently clued us in to the drama: apparently the blocks surrounding the day drinker’s paradise have become havens for public sex, urination, and noise. The Paper even goes so far as to post a photo of a used condom allegedly found on the sidewalk (at least they’re using protection!), but of course, posting that photo is beneath the high standards of this blog.

“On any given night, we are witnessing public urination, sexual acts being performed, and drunks stumbling down the block,” one neighbor told The BK Paper. These guys are mad! I probably would be too if an outdoor bar moved into the abandoned auto repair shop on my block. Who wants progress, redevelopment, urban renewal, and a new place at which to get day drunk? Wouldn’t it be more fun to just stare at an abandoned piece of concrete forever?

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Barclays Center Receives Liquor License, Makes local residents hate them even more

Sometimes I sit at home and wonder to myself, Are Park Slopers still angry about the Barclays Center? After Barbra Streisand recently announced her plans to have a concert there, I figured we'd all moved past our qualms to just simply bask in the joy -- the pride of Brooklyn is coming home! (not a Babs fan? Shame on you.) Turns out we're not so joyful. 

Initially The Barclays Center applied for a standard New York liquor license, which would allow them to serve alcohol until 4 AM, effectively transforming the 18,000-seat arena into an 18,000-seat bar. “I don’t think you need to sell alcohol until 4 a.m. in order to make money,” an angry neighbor recently told the Prospect Heights Patch. “If that was the case, then Yankees Stadium would be out of business." In the same article, the Patch reported that the arena was eventually approved for a 2AM last call. Furthermore, Barclays Center is required to end all alcohol sales after the third quarter of NBA games (as per league regulations) and must cease selling booze one hour before the end of any other event.

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