Brokelyn

The author boards the bus. Photos by Eric Reichbaum.

Ikea is practically its own sovereign Swedish colony on the banks of the Gowanus Bay. So it only makes sense that the store has its own intricate system of transit involving everything save for aircraft (so far, at least). But which mode of transport is the best for you? And by that, of course, we mean: which one is the cheapest? Herein then we lay out the specific costs of all the different ways to transport your Ektorp or Aspelund back to your apartment so you can choose smartly, and not fall into the fjord of poor decisions. Read the rest of this entry »

When we wanted to find out the best cheap places for teens in Brooklyn, we knew just who to ask: Anne Ichikawa and Melissa Walker, the Brooklyn-based creators of iheartdaily.com, a newsletter full of style and entertainment tips for the pre-Daily Candy crowd. Now that back-to-school shopping is in full swing, we brought them back to scout out some cute stuff for dorm rooms that can be ordered online. (Tip: Ship it straight to your room. You’ve got enough to schlep already.) Here’s what they found… Read the rest of this entry »

Like us, our frugal friends over at the design blog Bromeliad must have gotten the Ikea flyer last week detailing a few of the items that cost less this year at the Swedish retailer than last. Bargains include the Malm six-drawer chest ($149 last year; $129 this year), the oddly-named-for-a-sleep-surface Sultan Fidjetun queen-size memory mattress ($349 last year; $249 this year) and the ubiquitous Lack table, pictured, ($15 last year; $7.99 now.) The table comes in eight colors, and if you don’t look too closely at the ingredient panel, it’s pretty swell as is (especially in pairs). But Bromeliad rounds up a host of stylish ways to pimp your Lack: veneer it, mirror it or cover it in mosaic tile, among others. And while you’re nosing around this wonderful blog (sort of a mom-and-pop version of Apartment Therapy, check out another genius post: a DIY, very faux, zebra skin rug made with vinyl fabric and Sharpie. Fun.

Apparently, there’s some kerfluffle over the Red Hook Ikea banishing a nursing mom to the bathroom, but that unfortunate incident hasn’t dimmed our excitement over all things Ikea this week. (Our official statement: breastfeeding is awesome cause it’s even cheaper than Swedish meatballs.) Anyway, in a search for design bloggers’ picks from the new 2010 catalog, we came across this amazing post from the Vienna-based Ikketikketheo blog. (Does that just roll of the tongue in any language?) Blogger Sara, a Swede, features several spreads from a 1965 Ikea catalog that her mother happened to save. The pictures of the colorific mod interiors made us wish we could still send in that dog-eared order form for a Hugo chair. Does it come in white? See them for yourself.

Waterfront Barge, photo by Timothy Vogel.

You’ve been to Prospect Park 271 times already, done the once-a-year loop of Coney Island and Brighton Beach and spent way too many Sundays at Fairway. Another summer weekend is just four days away (Monday’s kinda fun when you think of it like that). So where’s that dang list of all those wonderful Brooklyn places you said you were going to visit this year, for real? We found it for you. Read the rest of this entry »

A Brokelyn favorite hobby is scanning those wet circular bags that wind up on your stoop once a week because they contain all sorts of useful information that nobody else bothers with: Twelve-can packs of Coke and Pepsi are always on sale and Fairway always has a killer meat deal (this week: sirloin for $3.99/lb). This week’s packet from Park Slope also has an Ikea insert. On sale this weekend only: the Ektorp sofa in Leaby red is $349 instead of $599. Not bad. Plus, free breakfast for fathers on Sunday. That’s a nice offer, but dragging Dad to Ikea on Father’s Day is a little like going camping for Mother’s Day. Go on Saturday instead.

The New York Times has a story about how the Red Hook Ikea’s Smaland—the playspace where parents can deposit kids for 90 minutes while they shop—is becoming the most popular babysitter in Brooklyn, and the store doesn’t even give a Fakse that the parents are dropping off their kids and not buying anything:  Read the rest of this entry »