Pizza by the Park Replacement?

When I first moved into Park Slope almost three years ago, I quickly became a big fan of Pizza by the Park, on 3rd St. It was convenient, relatively cheap, made good meatball hoagies, tasty chicken fingers, great salads, and had some decent toppings. It was perfect for grabbing a quick couple slices on the way home. Unfortunately, it was closed down by the health department a number of months ago, and the store front has stood vacant since then. I'm guessing that pretty much every restaurant in the city would fail a random health inspection for one reason or another, and as long as there's nothing wrong with my food and I don't actually witness any blatant violations, I'm happy. So the roomies and I have definitely missed Pizza by the Park.

Now, finally, it appears there will be a new restaurant in its place, next to the Stone Park Cafe. The new tenant is called Villa Rustica, and appears to be a slightly more upscale Italian eatery, advertising Brick Oven Pizza, which can't be a bad thing. Still, doesn't look like it's going to be a "grab a slice and go" kinda place, which is disappointing, but hey, it's better than nothing. I'm sure I'll check it out soon after it opens, and there'll be a full report at that time...

The Old Stone House

One of my favorite historical sites in Park Slope, the Old Stone House is a rebuilt Dutch farm house, located on 3rd St., between 4th and 5th Aves, and commemorates the Battle of Brooklyn, in which a colonial regiment from Maryland fought the good fight against British regulars, losing over 200 men, and serving as inspiration for the Colonials to continue fighting. Or something like that. All I know is that some colonial soldiers from Maryland gave a great accounting of themselves, and as a Maryland alum, it makes me proud.

The Park Slope Experience, in a Nutshell

Article from March 2008, worth a glance for comedic value, if nothing else - gives a great idea of what living in Park Slope is like, the kind of people that make up at least the most visible majority - the title alone, "Sisters in Idiosyncrasy," is wonderful - it's from the NY Times, but it reads like it could have come from the Onion, in terms of the number of stereotypes touched on. Funny stuff.