Lemon's Lurve List: Pete's Candy Store

What's better than being buzzed, with a beer in your hand, in the back of some bar in Billyburg, watching a boy sing some songs he wrote, 'bout his life and love thus far?  Buh buh buh best feeling ever.  At least, in that moment, it's the best feeling ever...and one the best things about living Brooklyn.  

After a few days of rehearsal and actor-saint-like living, I needed a release and a run in with a musician acquaintance of mine provided me with just the ticket.  Kevin's a Billyburg boy with a full schedule of bar-tending, barista-ing, and bar gigs.  And as he pulled a shot for my iced americano one afternoon at El Beit, he invited me to come and watch him play at Pete's Candy Store.  

"Do you know that place?  It's pretty cool, so you should def---"

"Do I know that place?.....Do I know that place?!?"  A little squeal sneaked out of my throat.  I know it's not very cool to act giddy and smiley and happy on Bedford Ave., but I just couldn't contain my excitement!!  I hadn't been to Pete's Candy Store for quite some time."  

"I love love lurrrve that place!...Oh! Once I had my birthday party there and brought a big confetti cake, and once, I also won bingo there a bunch of times in a row and another time, I saw this awesome insane band, and once i ran into this long lost friend there, and I won this glue gun on bingo night and once-

"Great, great....well glad you like the place!"  He interrupted my stories about Pete's Candy Store as he handed me my coffee.  "...So it starts at ten, uh, see ya there!"  

"Yeah definitely!"  I wanted to keep excitedly sharing my fond memories of Pete's Candy Store with my new friend Kevin, but he avoided my smile and looked busy with other customers. 

Silly me!  I had forgotten where I was!  No wonder Kevin didn't want me to keep squealing with excitement.  I was in a coffee shop on Bedford Avenue, where sad is sexy and indifferent is interesting.  I gave Kevin one last quick knowing glance and a "..yah, so later dude, uh, see ya at the show."  I slumped my shoulders, tilted my head, and turned that frown--Well, wait, I actually turned my smile...Upside down...so that it was turned into a frown...! Hey, a girls gotta be sexy when she goes to get her afternoon coffee.  

Thursday night, I barely made it to Kevin's show on time!  Luckily, Pete's Candy Store is just a few blocks from where I live, so I was able to tear out of my rehearsal clothes, throw on some lip gloss and run down the street!  Of course, once I got there I had to act sexy again and pretend I didn't care if I was late or not. I got a seat in front and enjoyed 45 minutes of Kevin's music.  After Kevin, there were a couple other bands.  I even saw some other friends from the neighborhood, including Boring Blogger Shawn. (Just kidding! Shawn's not boring!)  

Something about some boy playing the songs he wrote is extremely inspiring to me, and makes me feel like being an actor or singer or an artist in Brooklyn is so very special...and so very fun!  

Unfortunately, Pete's Candy Store doesn't have Sour Patch Kids or gummy bears, but they do have a great vibe, backyard, and a full schedule and selection of bingo, beer, and boys who play guitar.  

God damn,...when I leave for tour I'm gonna miss Pete's bingo and the boys of Billyburg, Brooklyn.  

--  Lemon

Here's a clip of Kevin singing and playing guitar!  It's not from the evening at Pete's Candy Store, but it's one of my favorite songs that he played that night.   Hope you lurrrrve it!

Comments

[me]

i went to pete's once and it was super cute... though it was my first time alone in brooklyn and very late at night... i was convinced i was in the beginning of an episode of law and order... convinced i was going to find a body, or end up as a body... thankfully neither happened and i did find that little hideaway!