The Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn is no secret to any New Yorker – the art/music community has been growing there for decades, as gentrification of neighborhoods such as SoHo and the East Village in Manhattan priced the arts community out. Proximity to Manhattan (one subway stop away) and inexpensive spaces fueled Williamsburg’s growth. Read about the neighborhood here.

Plan-Eat Thailand was a small restaurant on Bedford Avenue. In 1999, it moved to its current location at 133 N. 7th Street and became Planet Thailand. The vast industrial space with soaring ceilings wraps around the corner to Berry Street. And, of course, the crowd is now trendier; many Manhattanites can be found. They have two bars, one done as a sculpture with glass bottles. There is a rowboat suspended from the ceiling. The menu is extensive with over 250 items – Thai, sushi, and Hibachi. Excellent food, inexpensive pricing. (There is also a Planet Thailand 212 in Manhattan on 24th Street.)
Please forgive the photo quality – I took these with a point and shoot in very low light…

Update: Planet Thailand has closed its Williamsburg location, but Planet Thailand 212 is still open.

Think Coffee at 248 Mercer Street (near NYU) has become a favorite hangout for many, including myself and a friend who introduced me to it this summer. Click here for more photos. They have a mission statement: “Think Coffee is an independently-owned cafe with a socially and environmentally conscious bent and a community-oriented mission. We serve only Fair Trade, shade-grown, organic coffee, Fair Trade, organic teas, and local milk and ice cream fresh from the Hudson Valley.”

However, for most habitues, I think it’s the casual atmosphere that is the attraction and what really sets it apart. They have comfy upholstered couches and chairs, free WIFI, a plethora of power outlets, and a large selection of coffee, tea (and other beverages), desserts, and sandwiches/snacks. They provide free Scrabble sets, and on Thursday nights, there is free live music. Click here to check out their site for more info.
There is generally an abundance of students – many park themselves here for hours at a time. The reviews are generally excellent. Absolutely zero pressure here – sit and relax as long as you like…

As nearly everyone knows, the West Village has one of the largest gay communities on the planet, so it should come as no surprise to find many stores, restaurants, bars, and clubs catering to the gay population. At 531 Hudson Street, with its signature red bicycle, is Rubyfruit Bar and Grill, a longstanding lesbian establishment. In addition to the bar, Rubyfruit has a mellow, cozy, candle-lit romantic downstairs dining room. Upstairs, there is a parlor with skylights. Click here for more photos.

The name Rubyfruit is based on one of the first lesbian coming of age novels, Rubyfruit Jungle (1973), by Rita Mae Brown, known for its explicit lesbianism. Rita Mae herself has been seen here, as have other Sapphic stars such as Martina and Melissa.

By the way, this photograph was taken September 16 – I had been waiting to do this posting until their website was operational and I could provide a link to it. However, since the site has yet to work, and not knowing when and if they will get it up and running, I decided to go ahead…

Update: Rubyfruit Bar and Grill has since closed.