A Tree Grows In Brooklyn....And So Does Treats!

Rachel Ray (aka EVOO) suggest when traveling to "ask the locals." That's exactly what we did this weekend. Alex and I visited the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens after hearing rave reviews of the cherry blossoms. As a child my family and I would often frequent the gardens (and then head to Prospect Park!)  Saturday, being a great day to be outdoors, inhale the fresh air and take in the crisp, but rather warm weather seemed perfect! Falling in love with the plants, flowers and trees that shower the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens served as an added bonus. After two hours of trailing, Alex and I worked up a sweet tooth. Truth of the matter is that for us spring and ice cream are synonymous!

No longer familiar with Brooklyn, I Yelped dessert places nearby. Okay, perhaps not exactly "asking the locals", but in today's modern world it's sort of the same thing. Shortly after we were driving to 5th Avenue in Park Slope, to a dessert café called The Chocolate Room. The menu consists of a few categories: Desserts, Ice Cream and Shakes and highlights a few items that are truly classic: Sundaes, Chocolate Room Pudding, Brownie Sundae and Fondue! We sat there and contemplated the menu (unusual for us since we also know what we want to order). But being here in the presence of multiple chocolately—and seemingly endless—options, it was impossible to narrow it down! As soon as we did, and were seconds from ordering, the waitress brought out an order for the table beside us that looked truly amazing! So naturally that totally through us for a loop and we were back where we started! Finally, Alex made his final decision: Banana Split and I ordered the Chocolate Layer Cake (Suggested by Oprah Magazine) and a cup of Joe! My goodness, when then came out I thought I was in heaven! They looked picture perfect and tasted absolutely decadent! Alex and I behaved, and shared desserts. With each mouthful we took a minute to close our eyes—ignore each other for a sec—and take in the whole experience. And what an experience it was, sinfully delicious!

A few moments later we noticed a group nearby sharing our enthusiasm! We began chatting about how delicious this spot was. The man stated that he recently moved from Queens a year ago.  New to the neighborhood, he stumbled on this hot spot. After dining here a few times he knew it was the perfect place to take his two friends who currently joined him—both out of towners! It was true, by the look on his guest faces you could see how delighted they were! Not only was he right, but so were the hundreds of reviews written on yelp. So you see, we did ask the locals one way or another. Brooklyn proved again to be a great spot for embracing nature and all those deliciously naughty pleasures that comes with the arrival of spring and provided a memory reminiscent of my childhood—what a delicious way to spend a day!