can't cook, bike or drive.

Scroll to Info & Navigation

allswell that ends well I remember when food trucks first took to Twitter, using the real-time social media tool to broadcast their location, specials of the day and to shoot the shit with customers. The social media trend has taken hold of restaurants too, with many boasting Facebook links on their websites. Most of these Facebook pages usually do not show high levels of customer engagement, however. What’s worse, most feel like an afterthought. Who has the time to run a restaurant and update Facebook and Twitter, anyway? I always wonder which PR agency they’ve hired to ghost tweet or which overworked employee they have tasked with logging in to tap out 140 characters with overt cheerfulness. So what is it about Allswell’s online presence that I like? They don’t even have a real website. (Gah!) But where they lack a dedicated URL, they have a Tumblr which is updated daily with what’s on offer that night. I love that the colors of their logo changes, too, but not the logo. I admit it: I even like the font they use. They have to print out new menus each night anyway, why not post it online? And Tumblr makes it easy to do so. There are at least two more reasons why Allswell does it for me. The focus is still on the food, the daily-changing menu, but they’re smart enough to let people know about it. Also, their customers are the kind to like being reminded of what’s cooking. Allswell uses Twitter and Tumblr consistently and they’ve made it easy for themselves by linking these two accounts. Every Tumblr posts automatically sends to Twitter.  Using social media to share what’s good, like the chef’s recommendations, needn’t be hard. It just needs to have consistency in the frequency and voice. And if you change up the visuals, even something as simple as the color of a logo, then even better. In the end, a Twitter account with hundreds or thousands of followers will not keep a restaurant in business, but having a grown up version of a spicy McChicken sandwich (their peppery and tender ‘Crispy Chicken Sandwich’ is available during lunch and brunch) and reminding customers what they love about your restaurant even when they’re not inside just might. Allswell, 124 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn (347) 799-2743

allswell that ends well

I remember when food trucks first took to Twitter, using the real-time social media tool to broadcast their location, specials of the day and to shoot the shit with customers. The social media trend has taken hold of restaurants too, with many boasting Facebook links on their websites. Most of these Facebook pages usually do not show high levels of customer engagement, however. What’s worse, most feel like an afterthought. Who has the time to run a restaurant and update Facebook and Twitter, anyway? I always wonder which PR agency they’ve hired to ghost tweet or which overworked employee they have tasked with logging in to tap out 140 characters with overt cheerfulness.

So what is it about Allswell’s online presence that I like? They don’t even have a real website. (Gah!) But where they lack a dedicated URL, they have a Tumblr which is updated daily with what’s on offer that night. I love that the colors of their logo changes, too, but not the logo. I admit it: I even like the font they use. They have to print out new menus each night anyway, why not post it online? And Tumblr makes it easy to do so.

There are at least two more reasons why Allswell does it for me. The focus is still on the food, the daily-changing menu, but they’re smart enough to let people know about it. Also, their customers are the kind to like being reminded of what’s cooking. Allswell uses Twitter and Tumblr consistently and they’ve made it easy for themselves by linking these two accounts. Every Tumblr posts automatically sends to Twitter. 

Using social media to share what’s good, like the chef’s recommendations, needn’t be hard. It just needs to have consistency in the frequency and voice. And if you change up the visuals, even something as simple as the color of a logo, then even better. In the end, a Twitter account with hundreds or thousands of followers will not keep a restaurant in business, but having a grown up version of a spicy McChicken sandwich (their peppery and tender ‘Crispy Chicken Sandwich’ is available during lunch and brunch) and reminding customers what they love about your restaurant even when they’re not inside just might.

Allswell, 124 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn (347) 799-2743

morning at marlow & sons I’d been meaning to visit Marlow & Sons in the morning for their breakfast sandwich but, being one of those relatively attainable, non-urgent life goals, the actual doing of it didn’t happen until today - two years and many urgings (“You have to get the breakfast sandwich…”) later. I walked in and sat in the front room-cafe-boutique shop to wait for my friend, photographer Clay Williams, to arrive, and took stock of all the linen towels, tote bags, cutting boards, notepads, leather goods, t-shirts, vintage footballs (behind the counter), rain boots and fancy hand soap on display that I wanted to own one day. Aspirational lifestyle for sale at one of Williamsburg’s most popular restaurants. Guess my next relatively attainable, non-urgent life goal: (more) meals involving butter-laden food and a home filled with handmade custom goods. Marlow & Sons, 81 Broadway, Brooklyn (718) 384-1441

morning at marlow & sons

I’d been meaning to visit Marlow & Sons in the morning for their breakfast sandwich but, being one of those relatively attainable, non-urgent life goals, the actual doing of it didn’t happen until today - two years and many urgings (“You have to get the breakfast sandwich…”) later.

I walked in and sat in the front room-cafe-boutique shop to wait for my friend, photographer Clay Williams, to arrive, and took stock of all the linen towels, tote bags, cutting boards, notepads, leather goods, t-shirts, vintage footballs (behind the counter), rain boots and fancy hand soap on display that I wanted to own one day. Aspirational lifestyle for sale at one of Williamsburg’s most popular restaurants.

Guess my next relatively attainable, non-urgent life goal: (more) meals involving butter-laden food and a home filled with handmade custom goods.

Marlow & Sons, 81 Broadway, Brooklyn (718) 384-1441

williamsburg at dusk / lamb at dressler I snapped this photo just as daytime faded while crossing the intersection of Berry and Grand on Saturday. After an afternoon of apartment hunting in Williamsburg, Chris and I made a beeline to Dressler because we love it and were in the area. On previous visits, the chicken dish blew me away but, this time, it was outshone by the lamb. We asked for medium rare; it arrived with a center that was deep red and so raw it was nearly sashimi. Intentional or not, lamb, cooked rare, is delicious. dressler, 149 broadway, brooklyn, new york (718) 384-6343

williamsburg at dusk / lamb at dressler

I snapped this photo just as daytime faded while crossing the intersection of Berry and Grand on Saturday. After an afternoon of apartment hunting in Williamsburg, Chris and I made a beeline to Dressler because we love it and were in the area. On previous visits, the chicken dish blew me away but, this time, it was outshone by the lamb. We asked for medium rare; it arrived with a center that was deep red and so raw it was nearly sashimi. Intentional or not, lamb, cooked rare, is delicious.

dressler, 149 broadway, brooklyn, new york (718) 384-6343

seemed appropriate to share this at 3:22am Moving anxiety has made me an insomniac and my only consolation is that this means there’s more time to discover and share fun upcoming events, like the Brooklyn Night Bazaar happening in Williamsburg this Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I need to get my holiday shopping did (and get some sleep). brooklyn night bazaar, 149 kent ave, williamsburg / dec 15, 16 and 17 from 5pm-1am

seemed appropriate to share this at 3:22am

Moving anxiety has made me an insomniac and my only consolation is that this means there’s more time to discover and share fun upcoming events, like the Brooklyn Night Bazaar happening in Williamsburg this Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I need to get my holiday shopping did (and get some sleep).

brooklyn night bazaar, 149 kent ave, williamsburg / dec 15, 16 and 17 from 5pm-1am

more than just a pretty face I shared my thoughts on the Olympus PEN E-PM1 in an unusually long post this morning. Thing is… I have been taking way more awesome photos with my new camera than I’ve been showing you! Better late than never as they say, and it’s never too late to share a dish recommendation with visuals. Behold – the highly photogenic chicken & waffles from Pies ‘n’ Thighs in Williamsburg. To be honest, I prefer the chicken biscuit, but, as I said, the chicken & waffles is easy on the eyes and I cannot resist a good food photo… Pies ‘n’ Thighs 166 S. 4th Street, Brooklyn

more than just a pretty face

I shared my thoughts on the Olympus PEN E-PM1 in an unusually long post this morning. Thing is… I have been taking way more awesome photos with my new camera than I’ve been showing you! Better late than never as they say, and it’s never too late to share a dish recommendation with visuals. Behold – the highly photogenic chicken & waffles from Pies ‘n’ Thighs in Williamsburg.

To be honest, I prefer the chicken biscuit, but, as I said, the chicken & waffles is easy on the eyes and I cannot resist a good food photo…

Pies ‘n’ Thighs 166 S. 4th Street, Brooklyn