The best bar on the most beautiful block in NY

Now I'm not much of a bar hopper (my friends and family are now doubling over in laughter at the thought) but when I happen on a place like this one, it's definitely worth a blog entry.

Some very close friends of mine had a welcome home party on Sunday, honoring their return from a long trip. They're not that old, so inviting all their friends to gather at a bar is de rigeur. I was invited too.

Habana Outpost in Brooklyn's Fort Greene is not to be missed. For starters, it's the first "eco-eatery" in NY. What does that mean? It's solar powered, everything is recyclable, and even the smoothies are blended with bike power. Second, you can take your dog, at least to the outdoor seating (which is all I saw). Third, the Cuban menu includes corn on the cob rolled in something that is positively delicious (though not identifiable to this gourmande). Fourth, there's a fashion flea market set up around the perimeter but inside the bar's fence (yes, it's a fence). Fifth, they show movies at night. I could go on but just look at the pictures.

Then take a walk down South Portland Avenue, toward Fort Greene Park, and see what Time Out New York  calls "the most beautiful block in New York." No surprise to me. It's Brooklyn, my mother's beloved hometown.

Comments

[Josly]

Thanks for your valuable contribution!

[Paul Levy]

Bike power?? Now we'll need to do the calculation of total energy taken in and used by a human being to stir up a drink -- versus .5 kwh or less from a power plant. It may be -- just maybe -- that it is actually more energy efficient to do the latter. But it may depend on the time of day you order the drink. If it is off-peak, in terms of regional power usage, the energy may come from a very efficient generating plant. It also depends on what your biker eats. If he eats corn-fed beef from a feed lot in Iowa, his energy conversion ratio may not be very good! (Kind of like ethanol made for automobiles.)

More than you want to know???

[jessica lipnack]

Not even nearly enough. We need a pocket calculator, ooops, how dated, a widget with us at all times to understand the energy equation. But did you notice that the whole place is solar powered? And did I mention that there's a wall fixture, outside, that looks like a fan but in fact is a solar powered cell phone charger with three adapters (one for Blackberries)?

[Paul Levy]

I will loan you my solar powered calculator . . .