The Farm at Adderly

Located on a burgeoning strech of Cortelyou Road in Flatbush a block from the other popular restaurant Picket Fence, this farmhouse spot is bangin'. Lavender walls and new burnished brown tin ceilings add to the relaxed Brooklyn vibe. An outdoor garden awaits a warmer day. Brunch is a family affair with couples and kids from the nabe and beyond. Expect to wait and for good reason. The food is super and pretty reasonably priced. Lot's of egg dishes like chicken apple sausage, eggs any style home fries and a salad for $8. Smoked bluefish cakes with a fried sunnyside egg, salad and spicy tomato mayo for $9. I had the farm burger with cheddar on an English muffin with fries, and a small salad of Boston lettuce, plum tomatoes and Kearney cukes which was $12. This was one juicy burger and really went well with the English muffin, I usually remove the bun even a good brioche one. The fries were semi skin on and fried to a golden browned perfection and well salted. The little salad had really red plum tomatoes and although I had never heard of Kearney cukes they were crunchy good. I have eaten here for dinner too and the food always rocks. The desserts observed at the next table at brunch looked pretty yummy especially the apple crisp with vanilla ice-cream and the butterscotch pudding with chopped graham crackers on top. The bathroom is another shabby chic affair with a weathered dresser to boot.

Salt

Salt is a sweet spot on a quiet non-touristed piece of MacDougal Street west of 6th. Ave sharing the block with other cute and cozy spots. I think this was my second time in the restaurant which is opened since 2003 and seems to be well received. The exposed brick walls and whitewashed communal tables lend a farmhouse ambience to the spot. A very small kitchen in the rear specializes in seasonal fare. I was there for brunch and the reason I chose Salt was that at 2:30 on a Saturday it was relatively empty. The brunch menu which was sort of a combo lunch/ brunch included soups, eggs, and sandwiches. I started with a cup of cream of tomato which was creamy and satisfying. Next a slow roasted eggplant with a puree of beets and mesclun with a creamy bluecheese dressing. I admit the two pieces of eggplant seemed miniscule for $14. This item is on the dinner menu as an appietizer and is definitely one. Overall, I was underwhelmed by both portion size and overall flavor. The bathroom though was one of the cleanest and best smelling I have come across with a large scented candle and pictures of various types of food groups like legumes and fruits with a cute shabby chic style cabinet and mirror.

Aveda Institute

At this zen like emporium training ground you are able to receive top-notch facial services and hair care using all Aveda products for a song. For skin care, the one hour facial begins in a separate closed off cubicle starting with a sensory journey. Steam, exfoliation, facial massage, an arm and hand massage and one or two masks follow. I have gone to Aveda for this facial for years and it is very uniform no matter who the esthetician. The students here are well trained and the treatment is a very relaxing one. An instructor joins us for a consultation and to make sure the student uses the right exfoliant and mask for your particular skin type. After a little over an hour, I feel refreshed and renewed and smelling like natural botanicals. The one hour facial costs $46 and the school offers other longer treatments. You must book a few weeks in advance as they fill up rapidly especially for Saturday morning appointments.