JAMES REPUBLIC...long beach longshot....that paid off. 500 East First Street.

Salt Creek Grille in Dana Point, California

Watermelon, feta and..

Some family came up from San Diego and others south from Long Beach. We met at Dana point and after Jacques told me to fly a kite and then he got loft and Odette calmed Alex and grass sitting and beach gazing were over we began thinking about a restaurant. We had passed this place and it looked rustic and warm...and it was ..with our own living room/dining room and a concert for the kids to dance to and outdoor fires and a joyous wedding in the lower court yard. Family and watermelon salad, fresh tuna sandwiches, hot garlic cheese rolls and more. I couldnt have dreamed a better evening. Helped alot by patient professional staff.  corner of pacific coast highway and crown valley parkway.

Pat and Claire

Odette and Alex

Die Koelner Bierhalle on 84 St Marks Between 4 and 5aves in Park Slope.

I  was thinking this  place would be cavernous and feature a large array of taps but when I stepped in the surprise was a painting class of beer drinking bird portrait artists. Monday nights I think...occupy beer halls? Beer birdbaths?  Groupon? Well the temperature could have been cooler but the pretzel and chicken wurst mit sauerkraut and the spaetzel mit gouda (mac and cheese for lager lovers).  I will be back..in September.

Giovanni's ...because I can't cook as well.

Giovananni's on 8av in Greenwood ,Bklyn is not far
from Greenwood Park beer and boccie . Near Prospect Ave and now close to my heart because on a really hot Sunday we were guided to their really cool basement. A mostly Asian family seemed to be celebrating something with one year old Sophie. Sweet. And that was it. We were the only others in the rumpus room. But we were soon joined by a watermelon and onion salad with homemade vinaigrette and a pasta with tomatoes olives and capaers ... scallops and asparagus with slick and tasty papperdelle.
Maybe next time Sat or Sunday brunch ..or their meatballs or Sunday gravy. Nice affordable selection of wines.

Houston Hall

A

WHEATED

905 CHURCH AVE...pizza..oh sure ..so what...no listen...pizza...i ate them all...wheated ... they named them after bklyn hoods...so?..so nothin'. Listen I'm tellin yah :Vinegar Hill (you know before you get to the navy yard after Dumbo..doesn't matter).  What matters is fresh and aged mozzarella and! gorgonzola and white potato and thyme and grape must syrup....but the Bensonhurst too...oh pick a hood and you will not feel like moby pizza got away dis time. Mingia,

Vinegar Hill

Kensington

go.

The River Styx...on the life side of the great divide near the East River (estuary really)

Before the illuminations appeared across the skyline tops and in the gaps.. in a radio tower park we stopped at Torst(615 Manhattan Ave) for beer and 6 week old River Styx(21 Greenpoint Ave). This made for a happy 4th. The beer tap system was imported with the guidance of Gabriel Gordon of Long and Seal Beach in CA. The fried zuchini from Styx was imported from heaven (not the Hades side of that mythical river). As for beer the monkey and weasel were a likeable vinegarie offering but the Helles was a smoky fortelling of the Styx.

Oh Helles !

Dumpster of ginger outside Styx??

Heavenly Zuchini

Fusilli