Everything old is new again in Brooklyn. Hobbies once generally associated with the elderly — such as crocheting, card games, and bingo — have been co-opted by the young, and are now common sights at bars around the borough. With the Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club adding a mahjong league, we couldn’t help but wonder what other pastimes Brooklyn’s spring chickens can appropriate from its old timers. Here are a few we would like to see — and the venues we would like to see them in.
Slide nights at Videology
Nothing tickles a grandparent’s fancy more than showing slides of their straight-faced younger selves standing on newfangled suburban lawns. And nothing tickles a hipster’s fancy more than using outdated technology and then showing the fruits of said technology to a group of like-minded neophiles. Bar-theater Videology could allow 20-something travelers the chance to show off selfies and food photos from their recent trip to Portland, Ore., while their audiences sip craft cocktails to numb the boredom.
Couponing club at Lulu’s
Forget book clubs — as our elders already know, the real way to enrich your life, both literally and figuratively, is getting together with pals to clip coupons and trade thrifty tips. Lulu’s in Greenpoint, known for its free pizza and cheap drinks, would be the perfect place for unpaid interns to gather and share two-for-one coffee vouchers. You never know when that combined pizza and cheesy-bread offer could come in handy.
Water aerobics at McCarren Park Pool
Between dodgeball leagues, cornhole tournaments, and bocce courts inside bars, sports that require minimal physical exertion are booming. Water aerobics combines the retro appeal of Richard Simmons’ favorite workout with low resistance and pool noodles. Plus, it is an excellent way for singles to check each other out in swimwear.
Early supper club at the Runner
Brooklyn has played host to silent dinners, bug dinners, and even Beyonce-themed dinners — but what about early dinners? Retirees know what is up — chowing down around 4 pm leaves more hours for having fun. New Clinton Hill restaurant the Runner serves turn-of-the-century cuisine, with denture-friendly dishes such as chicken liver mousse and butternut squash soup. An early-evening seating would allow bar-happy Brooklynites time for the pregaming process and more rounds of Card Against Humanity.
