I moved to Bushwick in October 2014 after graduating from college in Boston. The only thing I knew about the neighborhood was its massive warehouse parties as depicted in an episode of Girls. Truthfully, I knew very little about Brooklyn — what I knew was what my dad told me about the Brooklyn he grew up in. But that was 50 years ago. A lot has changed.
Bushwick today is a diverse, thriving neighborhood. Its industrial past has given way to expansive artists’ lofts and production houses for artisanal products. Its bodegas have morphed into gourmet food stores selling $8 chocolate bars and kombucha. Many of the neighborhood’s longtime resident have expressed anger and frustration over the gentrification. Bushwick, like many other parts of Brooklyn is undergoing a rapid, transformation with consequences beyond the control of well-intentioned hipster newcomers.
The neighborhood is also becoming a popular tourist destination, thanks in large part to the Bushwick Collective, a street art project that commissions artists from all over the world to paint murals in the neighborhood.
So what is one to do in a single day in Bushwick?
A day in Bushwick
Images via Flickr Creative Commons
My ideal day starts off with a hearty breakfast or brunch. Luckily, the latter can be easily found along the L train. My brunch pick is Fritzl’s Lunchbox, a tiny shoebox of a restaurant on a quiet corner of Irving Avenue and Stockholm Street. On a recent visit, I ordered a crab cake omelette while my runny egg-averse companion munched a breakfast sandwich. The vibe is calm, the service friendly, and the wait is often shorter than most brunch spots in the neighborhood.
If brunch isn’t what you’re after, grab a chorizo tostada at Tortilleria Mexicana Los Hermanos (a favorite of none other than Anthony Bourdain). Place your order on an index card, and then await your order by the counter. The tortillas are some in the freshest in town as they’re made right in their factory on site.
Wake up and brunch
With a full belly, make your way to Bushwick’s claim to fame: street art. Strolling down the cluster of blocks off the Jefferson L train and you will understand why tourists from all over the world flock here.
From Stockholm Street, head west to Troutman Street to see the many incredible works of The Bushwick Collective, including a mural of Jay Z and Basquiat from New Zealand street artist Owen Dippie. Every first weekend in June, the collective hosts a massive block party in the neighborhood, drawing thousands of visitors to witness live mural painting and discover the area.
The Bushwick Collective was started by Bushwick native Joe Ficalora. It is now one of the most recognized street art collectives in the world.
Colorful street art in Bushwick
Alternatively, you could check out some of Bushwick’s many art galleries and studios. Since rent is significantly cheaper than Manhattan, many artists call Bushwick home. Don’t miss the studios at 56 Bogart Street (aptly named The BogArt) off the Morgan L that are often open to the public. Notable galleries include Luhring Augustine, SIGNAL and The Living Gallery.
If film is your preferred genre of art, you won’t be disappointed with a visit to Syndicated, a new restaurant and bar that happens to have a movie theater in back. For only $3, catch a flick while dining on tater tots and truffle popcorn.
The area surrounding the Morgan L Train is jokingly known as “Morgantown.”
It’s dinnertime, and Bushwick has plenty of options. The most obvious choice would be Roberta’s, the hipster pizza joint that practically put Bushwick on the map. If the wait is too long, head to Northeast Kingdom. The farm-to-table restaurant serves elevated comfort food in a low-key setting.
In hybrid-loving New York, Maite is an Italian-Basque-Colombian restaurant off the Central M train where the chef creates wildly unique dishes in a homey atmosphere.
Roberta’s
Nightlife is where Bushwick excels. From dive bars hawking $2 Genesee to all night warehouse raves, this is a party neighborhood. Start your night off at The Narrows, a speakeasy-style spot with a great little patio. El Cortez, from the owners of The Commodore in Williamsburg, combines Tex-Mex cuisine with a raucous party vibe.
If bar hopping isn’t your cup of tea, check out the programming at the House of Yes, a performance space hosting a wide variety of dance, circus, theater & cabaret performances.
Where to stay
The New York Loft Hostel
The New York Loft Hostel: A repurposed factory now houses a hip hostel complete with backyard patio and rooftop deck. New York Moore Hostel: Simple hostel accommodation with spacious rooms BKLYN House Hotel: Recently opened full-service hotel inspired by the creative, artistic community of Bushwick.
On the north side of the National Mall, the Natural History Museum attracts huge crowds everyday. It has little to envy of its New York counterpart with 127 million artifacts on display. “This is one of the world’s great natural history museums, with 18 exhibition halls, one of the largest IMAX screens in the world, giant dinosaur fossils, glittering gems, creepy-crawly insects, and other natural delights,” says Fodor’s.
Free everyday, the National Museum of Natural History is a favorite around here.
This museum houses artifacts from American History. The range is wide, and can go from cultural objects to military ones. “In general, this is a better museum for children than adults; displays tend to be bright and interactive, perhaps a little too much so for those seeking a more serious engagement with the nation’s history,” says Lonely Planet.
Perhaps the best museum choice for families, the American History Museum is usually crowded, so try to make it early in the day to get the best experience. It’s also a free Smithsonian.
The National Archives are where some of the country’s most important records are held. The American Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are some of the main highlights. Seeing the three together can be a mind-blowing experience since you will understand just how much of the creation of the United States was based on faith and taking chances.
Fodor’s calls the Archives “monument, museum, and the nation’s memory.” Admission is free, but reservations are definitely necessary.
A must-see for anyone seeking a deep understanding of one of the largest genocides of recent history, this museum seeks to teach. When you begin your tour, you’ll pick the identity card of an actual Holocaust victim, whose journey you will learn about throughout different parts of the exhibit. Other museum highlights covers the rise of Nazism, anti-Semitism, and the rest of World War II. “You learn that anti-Semitism was nothing new, and observe for yourself in newsreels how Germans were bowled over by Hitler’s powers of persuasion and propaganda,” says Frommers. The museum is free, and definitely worth a visit.
One of the coolest features about the American Indian museum is that it was designed by a Native American team. This means that the actual building is as much a part of the message as the exhibits themselves. Time Out says “the details are extraordinary: dramatic, Kasota limestone-clad undulating walls resemble a wind-carved mesa; the museum’s main entrance plaza plots the star configurations on 28 November 1989, the date that federal legislation was introduced to create the museum.”
Like most Smithsonian institutions, the museum is free.
The collection at the National Gallery is noteworthy because it extends from the Middle Ages to the present. The collection is giant: 100,000 pieces stored in two buildings. Travel + Leisure highlights the “array of classical masterworks by Vermeer, Monet, Rembrandt, and van Gogh—as well as the only da Vinci in America.”
As for the modern art lovers, the National Gallery also offers Picasso, Matisse, Pollock, and Warhol, all for free.
The 22 galleries at the Air and Space Museum tell the story of aviation from the earliest human attempts at flight to supersonic jets and spacecraft. It is often called the most popular Smithsonian museum.
According to Lonely Planet, “Everyone flocks to see the Wright brothers’ flyer, Chuck Yeager’s Bell X-1, Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St Louis, Amelia Earhart’s natty red plane and the Apollo Lunar Module. An IMAX theater, planetarium and flight simulators are all here ($7 to $9 each).”
Unlike most of the other Smithsonian Museums located on the Mall, the National Portrait Gallery is found in the busy Penn Quarter of downtown DC. The impressive courtyard space is memorable in this museum, modeled after its namesake in London. “Andy Warhol’s iconic Marilyn is here, alongside a striking kitsch-classical Elvis by Ralph W Cowan, looming huge over a rural scene with Gracelands in the background, as well as serious figures such as Hillary Clinton,” writes Time Out.
This family-friendly museum is quirky and fun. It houses gadgets that anyone will be keen to try. Plus, “visitors adopt cover identities, test their spy skills, and learn about the history of espionage and its role in the Civil War. The museum’s got plenty of spy-themed gifts (think lipstick pistols), plus an exhibit dedicated to James Bond,” says Travel + Leisure.
The Spy Museum does cost $22, though children can get in for $15. It’ll be worth it though, after you learn what to look for when it comes to suspicious activity.
Joseph H. Hirshhorn, a Latvian immigrant who made his fortune in uranium mines, founded this museum. Frommer’s advises to “look for Thomas Hart Benton’s dizzying sprawl of figures in the 1920 painting People of Chilmark, Ellsworth Kelly’s vivid minimalist paintings, Dan Steinhilber’s sculpture made out of paper-clad wire hangers, Henri Matisse’s bronze casts, and Damien Hirst’s The Asthmatic Escaped II.” The Sculpture Garden is another highlight here. The Hirshhorn is free for visitors.
A trip to DC is a huge blast from the past. It’s a city to understand how the United States began, and how it progressed. Make sure to visit as many museums as you can during your stay here.
The Bay Area is having a renaissance — and I don’t mean just San Francisco. Aside from that stunning metropolis, the Bay Area’s other two cities across the East Bay, Oakland and Berkeley, offer a wide variety of wonders (both culinary and visual) that are worth exploring.
To aide in your NorCal trip, we’ve complied a guide to the best long weekend filled with attractions and good eats. From San Francisco’s best dim sum to the ultimate record store in Berkeley, we think having this guide in your back pocket would be a hella good idea.
Day 1
photo.ua / Shutterstock.com
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Hotel Zetta, Boulevard, City Lights Bookseller, Ferry Building Marketplace,
Start your weekend off by checking in to the fun and tech-savvy Hotel Zetta, located in the SoMa neighborhood. Frommer’s says it “embodies San Francisco’s young professionals’ “work hard, play hard” motto.” Gayot says Hotel Zetta “emphasizes interactivity with its services,” which include an interactive lobby with Mac computers and a Plinko game wall. San Francisco is, after all, the home of such tech luminaries like Twitter, Airbnb and Uber, so why not stay at a hotel that reflects the city’s innovators? Rooms from $260 a night. From the hotel, hop in a quick 10 minute cab ride or Uber ($8) to City Lights Booksellers & Publishers, one of the last great independent bookstores in the city, opened in 1953. Peruse the aisles for hard-to-find titles in world literature, arts and politics. While you’re there, you might even catch their weekly author reading series. After City Lights, it’s a short walk to the Embarcadero, home of the Ferry Building Marketplace. Originally built in 1896, the building is now host to a marketplace featuring merchants like Blue Bottle Coffee, Cowgirl Creamery and Acme Bread Company. Lonely Planet says “hedonism is alive and well at this transit hub turned gourmet emporium, where foodies happily miss their ferries slurping local oysters and bubbly.”
Every Saturday morning, locals pile into the Ferry Building for the farmer’s market to scoop up fresh produce, local cheeses and meats.
While you could just make a meal out of provisions found at the Ferry Building, if you’re feeling more of a sit-down dinner, walk to Boulevard, where chef Nancy Oakes is known as one of the first to put a fine dining spin on American cuisine. According to Time Out, “Since 1993, this Belle Epoque restaurant has been a consistent favorite: From the service to the cooking, there’s seldom a misstep.” The menu is full of sumptuous, seasonal-focused dishes like Quail with Roasted Forest Mushrooms & Cauliflower Panzanella. Main courses from $27. End the day with a nightcap at Hard Water, a restaurant and bar carrying up to 180 different American whiskeys. Opened by Charles Phan of The Slanted Door, Hard Water’s “compact space featuring a central horseshoe-shaped bar is best for socializing over ‘after-work drinks,’ ” says Zagat. We’d say sipping an Old Fashioned by the water is a pretty stellar way to cap off the night.
Day 2
Oakland Museum of California
It’s Saturday morning — and that means brunch. While you could wait in hours-long lines for pancakes and eggs, we’d rather hit up our pick for city’s best dim sum, Ton Kiang. Take the 38R bus down Geary Boulevard (it’s a long walk from the hotel) and stop when you see a snaking line outside of the bi-level restaurant. While inevitably busy, rest assured that you’ll be in and out as quick as the servers can cart their shumai and sesame balls.
I’ve been coming here since I was 5. It’s my family’s favorite.
With a full belly, it’s time to explore the city across the bay, Oakland. From Ton Kiang, take a 20-minute BART train ride to the Oakland Museum of California. Specializing in natural science, history and art of the great state of California, Lonely Planet says the museum is a must-see. “Relevant, fascinating exhibits have included knockout Yosemite photography and interactive Great Quake rooms.” The museum’s mid-century modern design is worth seeing just on its own. General admission is $15.95. Alternatively, you could see a matinée film at the historic Paramount Theatre, one of many Art Deco-era movie palaces in Oakland. The Paramount is known for showing classic films, as well as being a host to music performers in town. It’s dinner time, and there are few better places in town to indulge than Camino. While on the pricey side, this restaurant with a wood fire grill does simple, Californian cuisine at its finest. Lonely Planet says the restaurant “showcases the best of local organic produce and meats, most cooked over an open fire in slow-food-meets-California-now style.” Main courses start at $30. Grab an Uber ($30) or hop on the BART back to San Francisco. It’s been a long but adventurous day!
Wake up early and head to Tartine Bakery, an unquestionable institution in San Francisco with long lines to match. Famous for its European-style bread (which you can order up to 3 days in advance), the bakery and cafe also serves an astonishing variety of pastries, cakes, tarts and sandwiches. This is nirvana for those who love a flaky croissant or morning bun.
Tuesdays and Wednesdays tend to be less crowded than weekends.
Take your pastry and coffee and walk over to Dolores Parkfor a great vantage point of the city. Recently reopened to the public after extensive renovation, the park remains a favorite among locals with picnics, offering unparalleled views of the city. Frommer’s says it’s “the scene of modern bohemia,” and we’d have to agree. SFer’s know how to relax.
Mission Dolores Park, Berkeley, Chez Panisse
But enough splendor in the grass. Hop in 30-minute a cab or Uber ($20) and spend the afternoon in the other city across the bay, Berkeley. Berkeley is foremost a college town, so you would be remiss in not visiting the University of California, Berkeley. Stroll around the leafy campus, made famous in the ‘60s for its Free Speech Movement and opposition to the Vietnam War. After soaking up collegiate vibes, make your way to Telegraph Ave, one of the city’s thoroughfares and historic center of hippie culture. Drop by Moe’s Books (it’s been around since 1959) for browsing new and used books, then walk over Amoeba Music, a record collector’s dream carrying hundreds of thousands of CDs and LPs.
You may recognize Amoeba Music for the “What’s In My Bag?” series on YouTube.
When the hunger pangs begin, make your way to Chez Panisse. Opened in 1971 by Alice Waters, the restaurant practically invented farm-to-table cuisine. “Californian cuisine is so much a product of Alice Waters’s genius that all other restaurants following in her wake should be dated A.A.W. (After Alice Waters),” says Frommer’s. Yes, this restaurant is one of the best known in the country, and yes, you’ll need a reservation, but we think Chez Panisse is an absolute must when in Berkeley. Prix fixe menus at dinner start at $75, while the cafe serves an a la carte menu. Don’t leave Berkeley without seeing the stunning nighttime views over San Francisco bay at the Lawrence Hall of Science.
Day 4
Be sure to catch some Golden Gate views before heading home.
Sadly, your weekend in the Bay Area is coming to an end, but before you leave, don’t miss viewing San Francisco’s top-rated attraction – the iconic, elegant, Golden Gate Bridge. For the best views, Travel + Leisure has you covered: “Do yourself a favor and see the Golden Gate Bridge the way it was meant to be seen: from below.”
With that last view, your long weekend in the Bay Area is over. You stayed at one of the best hotels, ate at some of the best restaurants, and saw some of the best attractions. Once you’ve experienced SF, Oakland and Berkeley once, you’ll be planning a trip back very soon. It’s just that kind of place.
Pro tip: Consider buying a Go San Francisco Card, an all-inclusive pass to the city’s top museums, attractions and tours, including a cruise around the Golden Gate Bridge.
