Friday – Gorgeous weather today!

Easy day of breakfast with the girls and then off to pick-up and do some laundry. Lunch at Armando’s on Montague. We had been here several years ago and discovered it has been re-done inside to upscale the look from a diner to a bistro. Since we are there so early, humorously the soup is not done yet and the lamb pasta wasn’t ready either. Easy enough to change our orders to fettuccine with shrimp and butternut squash ravioli. We are a leery of eating the romaine Caesar salad but did so anyway. Recently there has been issues with E Coli in romaine lettuce and salmonella in eggs. A bit concerning when eating out so much.

The rest of the day is spent catching up on some reading and other normal activities. The weather has been beautiful and will be turning cooler and rainy tomorrow.

Lesley and Mike both had issues with their trains coming home tonight. After Mike and Steve picked up the girls at their school, we all met at Mooburger for dinner. The restaurant is filled with families with young children. Emme is insistent about sitting on a particular side of the table. Clever girl can now see the iPad at a table across the way where the movie Despicable Me is playing while two children at that table are watching.

The burgers are delicious and Emme seems to have no problem devouring her burger, part of Dad’s and Mom’s and French fries. Hhhhmmmm she must have that Blackledge blood!

Saturday:

Rainy start to the day. Breakfast at Junior’s where you can always overeat! No we did not have the cheesecake for breakfast.

A short walk towards the Vinegar Hill area is the Brooklyn Navy Yard. We pass by the 84th precinct, Transit Special Victims Squad. It feels like we are in a Law and Order episode.

The Navy’s been gone since 1963 from this area. A beautiful mural was created on one of the walls. We followed it up the hill to the top of the Vinegar Hill area and to where the map notes the “Commandant’s House” which is behind iron gates. Cobblestone streets, old houses and very few people in this area. This is located near to “Dumbo” so most likely starting to redevelop. In fact we spy a restaurant and stop to see which one it is – Vinegar Hill House.

Back down the hill to the Navy Yard and our tour of the Kings County Distillery. Funny claim – New York City’s oldest, largest and premier craft distillery founded in 2010. Apparently, most distilleries moved out of Brooklyn back in the day. Two men started brewing their own moonshine in their apartment in Brooklyn and sharing it with friends. This in turn led to setting up the company and expanding into the Brooklyn Navy Yard buildings – the Gatehouse (also used as a tasting room) and the Navy’s paymaster’s office.

Here are a couple pix from the tour inside – very small and hands-on. Tasting at the end. We liked the Peated Bourbon the best. Fun way to spend a dreary day.

Later we will have dinner with the family and toast Lesley for Mother’s Day from her gift from the distillery.