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Brooklyn Community Board Launches Assault On Williamsburg Brunch
By
Jamie Feldmar
Published Apr 19, 2012
Modified Apr 19, 2012
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Flickr user Gina Herold
By
Jamie Feldmar
Published Apr 19, 2012
Modified Apr 19, 2012
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Even in a godless place like Williamsburg and hipster Greenpoint, certain institutions remain sacred, chief among them the tradition of eating brunch outside during balmy summer days. Five Leaves, Lokal, Enid's and more open their doors to the hungover masses each Sunday, offering relief in the form of vitamin D and goat cheese omelets. But now, the local Community Board is threatening to crack down on this inexorable weekend ritual, by enforcing an obscure rule prohibiting restaurants from serving outdoors before noon on Sundays.
Community Board 1, the buzzkills you might recall as the opponents of both outdoor bars and outdoor benches, are once again crusading to keep everyone in Williamsburg indoors. Their latest push to keep sidewalks free from ruffians on God's day. “This would keep the sidewalks open for Sunday morning walks to church,” Community Board 1 public safety chairman Tom Burrows told the Brooklyn Paper, seemingly completely oblivious to the fact that the ratio of church-goers to brunch-goers in the neighborhood is approximately 16,000:1. And you do not want to mess with a mob of hangry hipsters.
The Department of Consumer Affairs, for what it's worth, has issued precisely zero violations for sidewalk cafes operating before noon on Sundays this year, but Burrows vowed to fight on: “Do they need a threat to be good neighbors? Take reservations so there aren’t hordes standing around not moving out of the way!” he cried. Brunch-lovers, now is the time to fight back! Remember these rallying words from author Evan Jones: “We like to sleep in Sundays, read the newspapers and loll in bed. After the World War II generation went away from church altogether, Sunday became a day to enjoy doing nothing and brunch just grew like topsy."
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al fresco
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community board 1
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williamsburg
Jamie Feldmar
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