CITY

This month, our student Amberlyn Wemmer invites us to Brooklyn, NY. From tree-lined stoops perfect for wine with friends to spots buzzing with creativity and culinary inspiration, Amberlyn shares how Brooklyn shaped her love for event design and her passion for Hebrew. Here’s how she spends 24 hours in her city 🗽

Hi-osh! Amberlyn here from Brooklyn, NY. I have been a part of the amazing Citizen Café community for the past 2.5 years and 8 semesters. I live in Bedford Stuyvesant or as we say Bed-Stuy, an area full of history with tree lined residential streets where you can drink wine with friends on the stoop, find an epic street party, and experience cultural diversity and great food. And of course, shout out to my girlfriend’s cute juice shop Tamar Juice Bar here in the neighborhood, in case you want to practice Hebrew while grabbing an acai bowl. Whether taking a dance class, walking Prospect Park, or meeting friends for a beer, the NY culture has made an impact on me. Inspired by a city full of creativity and culinary innovation, Brooklyn brought me the inspiration to go into event design combining my love of composition, concept design, food and service. No sleep til Brooklyn or at least until I figure out when to use alef or ayin.

1. Where do I get my coffee?

📍 Brooklyn Kolache (520 Dekalb Ave Brooklyn, NY 11205) Brooklyn Kolache really has it all – great coffee, perfect working space, a backyard, and the main event is their handmade kolache pastries. Kolaches are round, doughy pastries that are heavy on the dough and light on the sweet or savory filling. They come in excellent versions of classic flavors like poppyseed, cherry sweet cheese, and jalapeño egg and sausage egg. Come check out this neighborhood staple but get there early before they run out!

2. Where do I go when I’m feeling fancy?

📍 Mesiba (353 Bedford Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11211) Mesiba in Williamsburg certainly lives up to its name and is the perfect spot for a date or night out with friends. I love to have a fancy arak cocktail in hand and be surrounded by Tel Aviv’s Bauhaus-inspired architecture with retro Israeli music playing. I highly recommend to nibble on nishnushim before tucking in to a crispy striped bass served whole and sided by carrot zhoug, tatbila sauce and lettuce leaves. And if you really want to impress, the interactive Masabacha Hummus cart is always a hit. Yalla check out this great spot guaranteed to make you feel like you’re in Tel Aviv.

3. Cultural hub

📍 Nitehawk Cinema (188 Prospect Park W. Brooklyn, NY 11215) Brooklyn summers and winters can be brutal but the perfect thing to do in extreme weather is go to the movies. Nighthawk is a dine-in theater pairing the best movies with tableside food and drinks. What’s better than a beer and unlimited truffle popcorn while seeing a new release or classic?

4. My go-to outdoor spot

📍 Smorgasburg Williamsburg (90 Kent Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11211) Tucked in the middle of Brooklyn, is the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens oasis and botanical getaway. It’s a great spot to get lost on a Saturday afternoon in Spring. And what says spring in NYC better than cherry blossoms in the Spring? When the pink petals finally reach peak bloom at Cherry Esplanade and Cherry Walk, it’s a great spot to lay or pull up your Hebrew flashcards.

5. A place that I don’t like in the city

📍 Smorgasburg Williamsburg (90 Kent Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11211) Anyone who’s ever been to Smorgasburg in Williamsburg has seen it. The hot, sweaty line of hopefuls stretching around the Berg’n booth, all yearning to get their hands on the famous ramen burger every Saturday. But this tourist trap is expensive, crowded, and overrated in my opinion. The harsh reality of the situation is the half hour wait is not worth the price.

6. A significant person for you who was born in the city or currently lives there

📍 The Notorious B.I.G. “King of New York” Mural (1093 Bedford Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11216) There are so many amazing artists that come from Brooklyn from Barbara Streisand to Jay-Z. But Biggie was born, raised, and made a name for himself in Bed-Stuy and throughout Brooklyn. There is no shortage of landmarks celebrating his legacy and these mark the infamous street corners where a teenage Biggie freestyled when he was just starting out.