Lifestyle / Williamsburg
The Art of Having a Very Good Saturday in Williamsburg
Pretty nails, long brunches, a little flirting and a skyline dinner. A Williamsburg itinerary for the day your group chat deserves.
There are Saturdays for laundry, errands and answering emails you have been avoiding. Then there are Saturdays for putting on a very good outfit before noon and making a proper event of your own life.
This is the second kind.
It begins with brunch, moves through the nail appointment you booked weeks ago because your vision required planning, and lands at a cocktail bar where your hands have somewhere worthy to rest. There is dinner with a view. There is one final drink because nobody is ready to go home. There may be a cute stranger. There will definitely be photographs.
Williamsburg makes this unusually easy.
Optional, 9 a.m. | Steam, soak and ease into the day
Bathhouse Williamsburg
103 North 10th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11249
Daily, 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
abathhouse.com
If the plan calls for a full day, begin at Bathhouse.
A thermal circuit before brunch is a chic way to clear your head, warm up your body and give the day a sense of occasion before the actual occasion begins. Rotate through the pools, saunas and steam rooms, then take your time showering and getting dressed.
This is the stop for the friend who has been talking about “resetting” all week. It is also the right answer if you would like to arrive at brunch relaxed, dewy and prepared to enjoy yourself.
Keep Bathhouse optional. A good itinerary should leave room for sleeping in, and skipping it does not make the rest of the day any less fabulous.
The move: Book an early session if you want it. A ninety minute visit gives you time to get ready without turning brunch into an Olympic event.
11:30 a.m. | Brunch first, responsibilities later
Sunday in Brooklyn
348 Wythe Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11249
Breakfast begins at 8 a.m. Brunch runs daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Dinner is served from 5 to 10 p.m.
sundayinbrooklyn.com
A girls day needs a brunch with enough personality to set the tone. Sunday in Brooklyn has that handled.
The hazelnut maple praline pancakes remain a required order. Add something savory for the table, order coffee and accept that nobody is leaving quickly. The room is bright, lively and very good for observing the sort of Saturday plans other people thought of first.
This is the time to unpack the week, discuss the person who texted something confusing, choose nail colors and decide whether everyone is being sensible tonight. Nobody needs to answer honestly.
Wear the sunglasses you have been saving. Order the pancakes. Give yourself enough time to enjoy the little show happening on Wythe Avenue outside the window.
The move: Reserve ahead. A casual Saturday brunch still deserves a reservation.
1:30 p.m. | The manicure that changes the whole day
Cura Theory Nails & Wellness
268 Grand Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211
(347) 834 2933
Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
curatheory.com
There is a moment at the end of a great manicure when the entire day takes a turn.
Your hand suddenly belongs in every photograph. You hold your drink differently. You become very aware that people can see you opening doors, adjusting your hair and reaching for the check.
Cura Theory is the stop for that feeling.
The Grand Street studio approaches nail appointments with a real eye for detail, from meticulous dry cuticle work and shaping to custom nail art that is polished, personal and meant to be seen. Think sculptural accents, delicate hand painted designs, chrome, intricate French tips and a fresh set that actually suits the rest of your life.
There is also range. Gel X is there for the girl who wants length. Hard gel offers structure. The studio’s Takumi Japanese Manicure is for the person whose reference folder has become a minor work of art and who needs a technician with the patience to match it.
I got the Takumi Japanese Manicure, Cura Theory’s signature service combining meticulous dry cuticle work with advanced nail art. Think Russian manicure, but far more gentle. It began with a complimentary nail health consultation, which comes with the Takumi and every nail art service. We talked through the condition of my natural nails, the design I wanted and how to care for the finished set. All the techs are fantastic, too, and if you linger a little, you may spot a celebrity or two.
Bring your inspiration. Bring a photo of the outfit. Bring the idea you are not quite sure how to explain. This is the part of the day where it becomes real.
The move: Book in advance and give detailed art the time it deserves. The better the idea, the less you should rush it.
4:30 p.m. | Fresh nails, a martini and a little eye contact
Maison Premiere
298 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11249
Monday through Thursday, noon to 1 a.m. Friday, noon to 2 a.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday, 10 a.m. to 1 a.m.
maisonpremiere.com
The nails are done. The outfit has survived brunch. Now take those freshly manicured hands somewhere they can be appreciated.
Maison Premiere is still one of the prettiest rooms in Williamsburg. Curved marble, vintage mirrors, proper cocktails and an oyster bar give it the kind of atmosphere that makes an ordinary Saturday feel slightly cinematic.
It is romantic without requiring romance. You can arrive with your closest friends, order something sparkling and feel perfectly at home at the bar. You can also be open to the possibility that someone notices your nails before they notice anything else.
The bar is the right place to sit. It is more social, more spontaneous and much better for a quick conversation than a table tucked into a corner.
And if no cute stranger appears, you are still at Maison Premiere with oysters and martinis. The day remains a success.
The move: Go for bar seats, particularly if you want the room to feel like part of the evening.
7 p.m. | Dinner with a view and a reason to dress up
Laser Wolf Brooklyn
97 Wythe Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11249
Sunday through Wednesday, 5 to 10:30 p.m. Thursday and Saturday, 5 to 11:30 p.m. Friday, 3 to 11:30 p.m. Weekend lunch, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
laserwolfbrooklyn.com
This is where the day gets dressed up.
Laser Wolf sits above The Hoxton with a view that makes Manhattan look as though it dressed for dinner too. The room is energetic, the cocktails are good and the charcoal grilled menu is built for the long, luxurious kind of meal where everybody wants to taste everything.
Start with the salatim, hummus and warm pita. Then let the grilled dishes arrive. The pleasure is in sharing, passing plates and pretending you can all agree on what to order.
A sunset reservation is ideal. There is something about the skyline beginning to glow that makes even the friend who “does not really take photos” reach for her phone.
Dinner should feel like a little reward for having planned a day this well. Laser Wolf understands the assignment.
The move: Reserve around sunset. This is a view worth timing.
9:30 p.m. | One more drink? You know the answer.
Bar Blondeau
80 Wythe Avenue, sixth floor, Brooklyn, NY 11249
Monday through Friday, 5 p.m. to midnight. Saturday, 2 p.m. to midnight. Sunday, 1 p.m. to midnight.
barblondeau.com
A great girls day should end with the possibility of one more drink.
Bar Blondeau is close enough to Laser Wolf that the group can stay in its groove, but it has a different energy. The room is polished and warm. The Manhattan skyline does its part. The lighting understands faces. Everyone looks like they made a good decision by being there.
Settle at the bar, order something good and begin the evening recap. Who had the best outfit? Who spotted the cutest person? Was that a real conversation or simply excellent eye contact?
The answers can wait until tomorrow. Tonight is for another drink, one more photograph and perhaps a very charming reason to stay out later than planned.
The move: Reserve a table if the group wants a home base. Choose the bar if the night feels open ended.
A very good Saturday, properly executed
The charm of Williamsburg is how easily it lets you become every version of yourself in one day.
The friend who takes wellness seriously. The friend who orders pancakes for the table. The person with the great manicure. The person who knows where to get a proper martini. The person who dressed up simply because she felt like it.
You do not need a birthday, a promotion or anyone else’s invitation to have a beautiful day.
The occasion can simply be that you are here, your nails look excellent and your friends are free.
Save the itinerary. Send it to the group chat. Book the appointment.
Before you go
What are some things to do in Williamsburg on a Saturday?
Choose an optional morning at Bathhouse, brunch at Sunday in Brooklyn, an appointment at Cura Theory, oysters at Maison Premiere, and rooftop dinner and drinks at Laser Wolf and Bar Blondeau.
Do I need reservations for this Williamsburg itinerary?
Book restaurant tables and the nail appointment in advance. Bathhouse day pass prices and availability vary by time, so check its official booking page.