Archives for April 2009

Williamsburg Fashion Weekend Rocks Glasslands

BY CC MCGURR

Taking a bite out of the big New York fashion enchilada Fall 09, Brooklyn distinguished itself with its very own “Williamsburg Fashion Weekend” by staging an intriguing lineup of talents and happenings on February 20 and 21. Demystifying the self-importance of the fashion industry by making it fun, and just a bridge away from the more famous Manhattan event, the Williams-burg version scored major points for its intuitive tone, merging newcomers with confirmed players in a spirited two-night marathon reminiscent of the 70s movie “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?”

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Not all of us are natural students, and many of us no longer have the patience to endure long lectures or do homework on a regular basis. But there are very few of us who don’t appreciate the value of acquiring a new skill set, especially one that’s fun, even to the point of relative uselessness. The WG took the time to sample some of the neighborhood’s most intriguing classes, some of which have more practical applications (flower arranging), and others that are more difficult to apply to everyday life (aerial tricks!). Williamsburg/Greenpoint is a collection of creative minds that need constant stimulation, and though the internet can teach you a lot of things, there’s something to be said for taking a stroll, rolling up your sleeves, and seeing what live instruction has to offer.

Pickling (Canning) Class
at The Brooklyn Kitchen
616 Lorimer Street
(718) 389-2982

The Brooklyn Kitchen offers some of the wildest, most delectable classes around, even appealing to kitchen-phobes and self-proclaimed non-cooks like myself. I can barely manage to turn out an al dente pasta, or save a Pillsbury roll of cookies from the burn of neglect, and yet, when I heard there was a knife skills class available at the BK, it was all I could do not to pre-order myself a set of Ginsus. The classes range from $25-$75; some are demonstration-based, others are more interactive. The pig butchering class sends you home with eight pounds of swine, while the pickling class urges students to bring any vegetables they’ve been “dying to pickle” for a week-long test run in the brine jar. The cake decorating and fondant classes are taught by a contestant from the Food Network Challenge. The BK’s staff is slightly disaffected, but eventually they warm up, and it’s clear they’ve got good instincts about what off-kilter classes might add gas to your fire.

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