The Great Outdoors

www.sunset-park.com

http://www.thepoolparties.com

At Cafe Drake we hate the heat but stay in the kitchen. It's air-conditioned. But when you want some fresh air (and to save money on the absurd electric bills) it's good to combine a field trip with gustatory pleasures. Recently we toured Sunset Park, an obscure little corner of Brooklyn and new home to Cafe regulars Susan and Henry (and soon, a third addition to the family - more on that to follow). Their spacious new digs are pure Victorian-era Crooklyn, paneling and oak built-ins and all. Susan gave us a locals-only tour of the 'hood, including the charming Mexican markets and the densely-populated Chinatown (second in size only to Canal St in NYC - take that, Flushing). The tititular park is also the highest point in five boroughs, offering a bird's eye view of New York Harbour and cool breezes as a bonus. We supped at one of several Vietnamese restaurants, not the best in the world, but gracious and generous with the portions and sides. Our table nearly toppled under platters of summer rolls, lettuce and fresh herbs, mixed pickles, rice paper wrappers, plates of raw beef and an electric pot of boiling vinegar to cook it in, steamed rice and prawns in the shell. Word of advice: skip the salty lemonade, proving as it does with every sip that there's a reason we don't drink seawater.

And when you want that August hotdog and beer fix, we understand. Luckily the McCarren Pool parties offer turkey and organic soy varieties of frankfurters as well, plus $5 pints of Brookly Lager to boot. It also helps that the drained former city pool is awe-inspiring in scope, a football field + of poured concrete, sporting a massive stage with top bands performing for free! Cafe Drake feels so lucky to be right around the corner. This summer we've taken in faves liek Of Montreal, Beirut and Deerhoof, surrounded by our alternative-identified neighbors, a 20-ft Slip and Slide and the afore-mentioned franks and brewski. We're just waiting for the Canuck invasion.