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Bitter Chestnuts, or, A Foraging Cautionary Tale

I used to live along Fort Greene Park, and every September, these delicious looking nuts would start to fall along the edge of the park. To my very untrained, but hungry, eye, they looked just like the chestnuts I'd eaten drunkenly in Vienna a lot, or drunkenly in Barcelona that one time, and so I was determined to roast a bunch and save a whole $5 by not having to buy them from the store. 

So this past weekend, I boldly picked a couple...

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Open House New York at Green-Wood Cemetery

One of NYC's best events, Open House NY, is this weekend, and if you're like me, you get shut out of all the ticketed events because your fingers aren't quite fast enough to snag them. Luckily though, Green-Wood Cemetery is open, and you can check out some rarely opened mausoleums. Admission's $20, but it's definitely worth it to see these awesome things.  

Among the tombs open for viewing on Saturday is that of theater...

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Brooklyn's Original Six Villages: Gravesend

I've always been a little obsessed with Brooklyn's six original villages; these towns were the first European settlements, mostly Dutch, in the 17th century, and they were spread out all across the now sprawling borough.

The six--Flatlands, Brooklyn, Bushwick, Flatbush, New Utrecht and Gravesend--all have interesting histories, and you can still their remnants in the way their original streets disrupt the current street grid, but I've...

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This Fall! Tree Identification Walks

We're launching a whole series of tree identification walks with Lisa Nett this October and November, just in time for all that fall color. 

You'll explore Carroll Gardens or Greenpoint and learn lots of tips and tricks to identify trees by branching patterns, fruiting bodies, and more.  

We've got tons of walks planned - pick yours from the list below and sign up here

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Sessions:

Saturday, October 6:...

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The Brooklyn Navy Yard by Bike

Yesterday, we were spent an amazingly beautiful afternoon touring the always awesome Brooklyn Navy Yard with Cindy, Founder of Turnstile Tours.

In two and a half hours, we covered the history of the Navy Yard from the 1600's to today, exploring everything from Admiral's Row (alas, from beyond a fence), to the Vinegar Hill neighborhood and the Yard itself, all via bike. For most of us, it was our first peek behind the oh-so-secretive...

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