city guide - Brooklyn

13 July 2023

While she typically stays in Manhattan, Frances crossed the East River this past trip and decided to explore Brooklyn. She jotted down her favourite stops for us from neighbourhood coffee shops to a special natural wine bar.

When one thinks of travelling to New York, it usually means New York City. Just over the bridge(s), however, is a whole different vibe in Brooklyn. Equally as buzzy as the Lower East Side and as lush with trees as the West Village, neighbourhoods in Brooklyn have so much to offer. Frances crossed the East River this past trip and decided to explore Brooklyn. She jotted down her favourite stops for us from neighbourhood coffee shops to a special natural wine bar.

caffeinate —

Located in leafy Cobble Hill, Poppy's is truly the perfect neighbourhood spot. Freshly made sweets (get the chocolate babka), seasonal salads, and excellent coffee make this spot a must stop whenever we're in the neighbourhood.

stay —

The Wythe Hotel is not new by any means, it opened in 2012, however it's still one of our favourite places to stay in Brooklyn. It's become a classic NY experience with amazing views across the river and an incredible restaurant (Le Crocodile) attached. And like other NY experiences, it comes with the price tag.

reset —

A few blocks away from Fort Greene park is Sarai, a small oasis of a yoga studio. The space fits less than 20 people at a time, making it intimate and full of community. We loved their Vinyasa with live music class.

shop home —

One of the most thoughtfully curated shops in Brooklyn, Primary Essentials is helmed by fashion stylist Lauren Snyder and it shows. The offerings range from the super practical (beautiful beeswax tapers) to dream buys (like the handmade pottery from CLAM LAB.) We need a bigger suitcase.

shop beauty —

We may be biased (they're an Abel stockist!), but Shen is THE beauty destination in Brooklyn. You can shop from the world's best non-toxic brands and get a facial all in one go.

eat —

Located on the corner of buzzing Dekalb Avenue, Saraghina Caffè (pictured here) feels like it was plucked out of Europe and plopped down in the middle of Brooklyn. We loved our aperitivo, which very easily turned into splitting a delicious pizza, all while people watching on one of the best corners in Brooklyn.

drink —

Rhodora (pictured at the top) is one of those places that you walk by and feel the electric vibe and you just have to stop in to see what it's all about. What they just happen to be about is zero waste, carbon neutral, natural wines. And we just happen to be very about that.