le smorgasBURGER.

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a fun and productive weekend. I've been very busy the last few days getting my shxt together, locking up this gig for Steeve, and also dealing with his show on Friday [which was amazing as always]. I also revamped my unestablished career when asked to be an impromptu bartender that night, and if anyone knows the Shanelle from college, you know I lack the ability to pour reasonably. Needless to say, I made some tips and no one died. Anyway, the main event was Saturday - our anniversary! Our relationship was officially reset and established on that day last year, and the only way to celebrate was to be joined at the hip all day and surrounded by good food. We ate at various places throughout the day, but I want to highlight what we ate at Smorgasburg. If you've never been, it's a weekly outdoor central for various vendors held every summer weekend in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The concept has now expanded to places like DUMBO, Coney Island, and Park Slope as well. There's food, drinks, clothing, soaps...you name it! We set out to find the best vegan food. The second I saw the Chickpea & Olive stand, I immediately had the heart-eyed emoji face! They have been the talk of the Instagram vegan community for some time now, so I had to do my due diligence. They are actually a pop-up restaurant that literally "pops up" and serves amazing food at various locations. Check out their site to learn their typical spots and times. It's a great concept from a business standpoint, especially avoiding the overhead costs of operating a store. When it comes to buying food in the street, I tend to play it safe most times and order something in my comfort zone -- a bad habit I've been actively trying to break. I could have easily resorted to the avocado sandwich, but we both decided to try the Phatty Beet Burger. Steeve had the Calexico, which included avocado, pickled red onions & jalapeños, cheddar cheese, and chipotle aioli. I had the Bacon Cheddar Ranch, which had hickory smoked eggplant bacon, cheddar cheese, pickles, and fresh herb house-made ranch dressing. I got two opinions from the employees about the cheese and the conclusion was that I still don't trust Daiya cheese, and never will! Needless to say, we both omitted the cheese, I added avocado to mine, and we were both very happy. The eating area gets packed! We sat at a picnic table next to some random people, and other random people continued to rotate out of the extra space while we ate. People are very friendly generally, so if you see a spot, just ask if it's cool to sit! You may even make a friend. Enough --back to the food! The eggplant situation wasn't necessarily comparable to bacon because it's just too soggy. I'm afraid nothing will likely compare to the shiitake bacon I had many moons ago, but that's okay! I definitely appreciated the smokiness, and it complimented the other flavors very well. The patty was tasty, and unlike some veggie patties, it held together nicely. I have no idea the name of the bun, but it was toasted and a perfect pairing for the burger. It was so buttery and soft. All burgers also include lettuce and tomato in case you were questioning this. I just wish I bought some fries from somewhere also! Steeve ordered the blood orange iced tea, and I ordered the coconut flavor. You can order it sweetened or unsweetened, and of course Steeve got the former and I got the latter. DELICIOUS. This was beyond refreshing on a humid day, and such a nice compliment to the burgers. I will definitely be back to try the burger Steeve had, and also to try the avocado sandwich which consists of smashed avocado, lettuce, tomato, Carolina slaw, pickles and horseradish aioli. It sounded YUM! Overall, I give them an A for taste and creativity. Also, as per usual, we felt nice and light afterwards. No "ethnic fatigue" like meat meals!

As for the rest of the experience, it was nice to just sit on the grass, absorb some much needed vitamin D [since I've been deficient as of late], and spend some quality time together. We walked outside of the park to find a spot closer to the water. Laying on the grass and taking in the scenery together was very romantic. There were all sorts of interesting looking people, kids, and animals out and about [standard in Williamsburg]. There was even a block party on Bedford Avenue sponsored by Lyft, equipped with faux grass mats laid out on the street and a live band. Williamsburg also has tons of beautiful murals and graffiti walls. So it's no surprise that it also serves as my go-to destination for my creativity outings. We actually met an amazing girl at one of the mosaic classes my best friend and I attended years ago at Baked in Brooklyn, and she is now one of our good friends today! You never know what you will see or who you will meet, so put yourself out there and accept what comes your way. Carve out at least one Saturday this summer, whether it be a date with bae, a date with friends, or a date with your cot-damn self, and at least check out Smorgasburg when you have a moment. It's worth it!

Peace, Kings & Queens

xoxo

Shanelle Julia Rosita Campbell