Neighborhood: Cobble Hill

Miss Fashion, who grew up in Brooklyn and is helping me discover new neighborhoods outside of Manhattan, suggested we meet in Cobble Hill last night for dinner. I had previously fallen in love with DUMBO and Brooklyn Heights, but my evening in Cobble Hill was even better in some ways. This neighborhood reminded me of the Lower East Side, without the grit. I mean, people were mellow and smiled and sat at sidewalk cafes eating dinner with their kids and dogs.

First, we met up at Borough Hall and walked around the neighborhood, where Miss Fashion pointed out the beautiful brownstones. There were kids and parents everywhere, and at one point, we witnessed a returning father being greeted by his wife and kid at the door. A very sweet moment.

We then went to One Girl Cookies on Dean Street whose reputation is built on their Whoopie Pies and amazing cookies. Being the sweet-fiends we are, we both loaded up. Let me just say the pumpkin whoopie pie is amaaaazzing! And the Lucia cookie (the one with the black and white marble frosting) just sent my endorphins soaring. So good. And how cute is their store? So much bigger than bakeries in Manhattan with an entire seating area in the back, where you can just sit with your girlfriends and get your sugar rush on. I will definitely be back.

We strolled down Smith Street (Brooklyn's "Restaurant Row" according to some) and I was surprised by how many adorable boutiques there were, including Bird, which had great dresses and accessories, including foldable commuter shoes/ballet flats with carrying case:...and another whose name I forget that carries the cutest Vivienne Westwood rubber Mary Janes and Wedges, which Miss Fashion was crazy for. And we stopped in at Rime, this streetwear store that sold Kid Robot stuff, including both tricked out and do-it-yourself Munny's. They were having a DIY Munny contest actually. There was a Flight 001, where I stopped in for some travel accessories and we also passed Brooklyn Industries, though we didn't stop in. There were just too many cute stores and not enough time.

You've got to love Cobble Hill's broad selection of restaurants, from Cuban to Thai to Italian to French. On Pacific, the Angeleno in me got excited when passing the surf-shack Mexican restaurant called Pacifico and seafood joint called Trout (although the blogosphere seem less than enthusiastic about the food) But we ended up eating in the outdoor patio of Apartment 138 because Miss Fashion had heard good things:I had a Caesar Salad and a classic burger slider. The food was really delicious, esp considering restaurants seem to slack off when it comes to the slider. This one had a lovely toasted brioche bun and perfectly cooked patty and sauce. Yum! And the Caesar had a uniquely tart dressing that I really enjoyed.

Miss Fashion and I talked a lot about finding a neighborhood to call home in NYC and all the factors that go into that decision. I'm still haven't weened myself off Manhattan, but I'm beginning to think that in the future, with more excursions like last night's, I may change my mind.