Almost

The open sign is almost visible.  

The soft hum of a crowded restaurant is almost audible.

The waft of Howard’s delicious steamed Peking duck confit bao almost tickles my nose.

And the sweet nectar of Ken’s Mezcal “In Fashion” cocktail almost warms my mouth.

Almost.

December started off with the long-awaited arrival of our t-shirts, hoodies, and tote bags.  Below the crew models the goods joined by our dear Ashley Mellinger, showing off her Lucky Luna bag on the way to grocery shop. 

We finished sealing the bar and the tables, not without a few hiccups, of course. 

finishing the bartop

Ken rolling on sealant

our first time using epoxy

We also enjoyed what some may consider the most enjoyable aspect of opening a restaurant— the samples!!!! 

booze!

mini-bar

amazing cheese and charcuterie tasting gathering

Ken spreading cheer

Our mascot, Drake, has kept us entertained and offered comic relief from the stresses. He also made an excellent nap buddy for the times when exhaustion takes over.

Small dog, big stick

Drake getting scolded for devouring a paper bag

The face of exhaustion

Ken and Drake passed out after a long day

The most enjoyable part we must say, has been putting the finishing touches on Lucky Luna, a place that at times seemed to exist only in our minds and through our descriptions that may have been incoherent to anyone but us.  

new biz cards

more handmade stenciled art!

Wall art

Our corner

Julie Paveglio’s painting “In the Roses” as part of the “New New Yorkers” show

We are in the final stretch to prying open Lucky Luna’s doors to the world.  Keep your eyes and ears perked for the grand announcement!!! And don’t forget to follow us @LuckyLunaNY on Twitter and Instagram for updates and current happenings. 

Lucky Luna presents:

New New Yorkers

with

 Amina Lei,  Emily Fjaellen Thompson,

Julie Paveglio and Queena Ko

January 1 – March 30 2014

Lucky Luna Restaurant and Bar, 167 Nassau Ave, BK 11222

   As part of Lucky Luna’s mission, we wanted our space to be utilized for others to showcase their talents, both edible and visual. Our inaugural art show highlights 4 local female artists who are either not originally from New York (like the Lucky Luna crew) or who have lived a great deal of their lives outside of the city, but who have chosen to set roots here (at least temporarily so).  The show is intended to deconstruct the personal relationships that everyone has with the iconic city of New York.  Known world-wide, the name alone conjures up very specific images, emotions and ideas for people from all walks of life— some who only know it as portrayed on the television, radio and cinema, or perhaps only from stories told by family about a distant cousin who once made his way to the big apple.  New York is the place where people come to make their dreams come true, with varying degrees of success.  Everyone carries with them their  cultures, experiences and diverse world-views.  They crash and collide, share and rejoice,  juxtapose and intermingle on the streets of this mega metropolis.

    The works featured at Lucky Luna and here on the blog, are the artists’ response to this: their  journey, discovery, and perspective as a New New Yorker (or New Yorker rediscovered), about their chosen city.  Each artist took a different approach, from the self-reflective to the observational, the ethereal to the matter-of-fact.  The collective show is also a response on behalf of Lucky Luna that acknowledges our position as newcomers to the city.  We have landed in a neighborhood built upon  years of dreams and desires of predominantly Polish immigrants.  While we celebrate and honor our cultures and our beginnings, Lucky Luna is excited to see what the future holds for us,  influenced by the relationships with our new neighbors and home.  

The tunnel is beginning to see more light

What a busy few weeks the LL crew has had! In our absentia from the blog world, we have been continuing our journey building and branding Lucky Luna, balancing extreme productivity with extreme patience.  Timelines are strange creatures when it comes to opening a restaurant— twisting and turning and folding back on themselves.  The pace is good, however.  Now it appears that every two steps forward are indeed two steps forward, with perhaps only a slight slip back, or just to the side rather.

Since our last post, the bar and backbar have been put together, wallpaper has been painted, the benches built and tables refinished.  With the leftover wood and scraps from all of the major construction, we managed to build a wine rack and small shelf that Ken thinks looks like a robot.

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We also made stencils, dressed up a couple walls and fancied up a salvaged shelving unit, while Howard tested out some pozole recipes.  Drake found none of it amusing.

Handmade stencil

Handmade stencils

Refinished shelf

Pozole testing

Drake not thrilled about us to leaving to work on Lucky Luna

And of course, we did more sanding.

more sanding

We also squeezed in a short trip through the midwest to see loved ones, enjoy the Ohio Turnpike, fill our bellies with pumpkin cheesecake and tap our toes to the tunes of the Sugar Beets straight out of Michigan.

midwest landscape

Tis the season for pumpkin cheesecake! Courtesy of Alexandria Grime’s Broken Cookie Bakery

Michigan’s talented “Sugar Beets” play a few tunes

We were also fortunate enough to help out at the Taste 4 the Philippines fundraiser this past week, co-sponsored by TALDE, Thistly Hill Tavern, Pork Slope and The Green Building, to benefit the typhoon victims.  Restaurants from all over NYC donated their time and talent to offer guests tasty treats and libations from the Philippines and beyond.  Those who were not able to participate, gave generously to the silent auction.  Thanks to the organizing efforts and an amazing turnout, the event brought in over 30 grand in donations!

Taste 4 the Philippines fundraiser put on by Dale Talde and crew. Over 30k raised with all of it going to victims of the recent typhoon that hit the island.

Taste 4 the Philippines had an amazing turnout of local restaurants donating time, effort and delicious food and drink for such a worthy cause 🙂

On Thursday, Lucky Luna finally got an awning of its very own!!!!

Finally getting our new awning!

Diamond Street view

New awning night view

AND the long awaited piece of paper that means so very much, has been bestowed upon us at last!!!!

Yay! Liquor license in hand!