Thursday: The Night My Calendar Filed for Divorce
Rosé, Nebbiolo, and German wines walk into a bar... and I follow all of them. Plus George Motz heads to Bushwick!
If you know me (and if you don't, say hi!), you know I worship at the altar of Dickson's Farmstand in Chelsea. Frankly, there’s nowhere else I’d rather get my fix of bratwurst…(see what I did there?) and on my weekly visit to my sausage supplier I found out they’re throwing their annual rosé tasting party later this week.
Rosé and a selection of Dickson’s meats? A curious combination indeed — one I will be checking out!
But Thursday night is presenting a real damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don’t situation. I found three absolute killer wine events and unfortunately they’re all on Thursday. It's a battle royale for your calendar. You'll either need to make some tough decisions or perfect the art of being in multiple places at once. I personally will try to bend the laws of physics to go to all three, but you do you.
As a peace offering for when your group chat erupts into chaos over Thursday planning, I've thrown in a James Beard Sunday brunch and a George Motz (of Hamburger America royalty) poutine-filled event to even the score.
As always, get your phone ready to dial up your crew. These pop-ups move fast!
OH, AND GO KNICKS!
POP UP WATCH — Events worth your time (ticketed)
ROSÉ TASTING @ DICKSON'S FARMSTAND | May 15 (via Resy) Wine + meat = <3. Dickson's third annual rosé dinner is throwing down 11 different pink wines paired with a ridiculous meat extravaganza. Bone marrow butter. Ramp sausage. Lamb sliders. A whole Denver steak situation. All whilst sipping on rosé? Yeah, I’ll be there, bib on shirt, wine glass in hand. Go!
WEIN NIGHT @ GUGU ROOM | May 15 (via Resy) Gugu Room on the LES is hosting a German wine dinner that's got me intrigued. $135 gets you a 4-course Kamayan-inspired Filipino feast paired with 8 wines from Bürklin-Wolf (400-year history!) and Knewitz. The winemakers themselves will be there pouring and talking, which means you can pretend you're in Germany and the Philippines simultaneously!
TRAVAGLINI WINE DINNER @ PEASANT | May 15 (via Resy) If your ideal Thursday involves getting intimately acquainted with Italian wines while gnawing on wood-roasted animals, I have excellent news (and also you should send me a message). Peasant is hosting historic Travaglini Winery for a night that screams "I have sophisticated taste but also enjoy tearing meat off bones." The star? Nebbiolo served from bottles apparently modeled after the Pope's hand. $165 gets you four courses, multiple vintages, and a chance to impress the winemakers with your tasting notes.
MONTREAL TAKEOVER @ M. WELLS | May 18 (via Resy) Burger legend George Motz of Hamburger America teams up with M. Wells and Jaywalk Rye for a Canadian invasion that'll make you renounce American citizenship. $45 gets you Motz's take on the Hot Hamburger, M. Wells' twisted poutine, and a Maple Rye Sour to wash it all down. This one-day-only maple-soaked fever dream happens at NY Distilling Company in Bushwick from 12-5pm!
MALAYSIAN BREAKFAST @ CHEF KYO PANG | May 18 (via James Beard) James Beard semi-finalist Sunday brunch - need I say anything more? There are a lot of ingredients at play here, many of which I could not describe to you, but I’d still wolf them all down. This is the brunch that will ruin all future brunches for you, and you should go to it.
NO RESERVATIONS — Pop ups and block parties you can walk straight into
BAR MADONNA x VESPER | Williamsburg | May 13 Bangkok's cocktail royalty (voted 13 of the top 50 bars in Asia) lands in Williamsburg for one night only, TONIGHT. RSVP for the bar area if you want guaranteed entry, but either way, show up for cocktails that'll transport you straight to Thailand without the 20-hour flight. 7pm!
WHOOPSIE DAISY BAR | Crown Heights | May 17 A Jewish deli pop-up that'll make your bubbe weep. Rumor has it a crispy latke sandwich with braised greens and paprika spread on house rye will be on offer. Perhaps tmi but my mouth is watering at the mere thought. Head there at 3pm and stay for dessert!
UMAMI MAMI @ HANA MAKGEOLLI | May 18 (via Resy) Dame's sous chef Aimee Li is bringing her seafood wizardry to Greenpoint's Korean rice wine haven. Expect Cantonese-influenced creations highlighting under-utilized fish parts (she was a fishmonger before Dame, so trust her). The a la carte menu changes based on what's sustainable and seasonal, but whatever lands on your table will be worth crossing boroughs for. Multiple seatings available from 2pm onward.
THIS WEEK'S PRIME SCORES — Deals I found on Blackbird* and am taking advantage of this week
NUDIBRANCH | East Village | $10 crispy chicken sandwich | May 13
$10 crispy chicken sandwiches at one of the hottest restaurants in EV if you use Blackbird Pay. 5:30-10pm only. That's what I call daylight robbery. Go!
That’s all from me folks! Happy hunting :)
Forward this to your crew and get some plans on the calendar. And if you liked this newsletter, send me a message!