Today, I decided to spend a gorgeous day out in the hood around Gowanus canal and Smith St in the Boerum Hill section of Brooklyn. What occurs to one in the first few instants spent here is the incredible gastronomic eclectism in terms of all the multi-ethnic cuisine restaurants that adoringly line the length of Smith Street from Atlantic Avenue all the way until Douglass St. further south. Gowanus Canal accesible by the Union St overbridge fails to impress and visually seems only a shade more impressive than Mahim Creek in Bombay for those who know what I'm talking about. But its close proximity is the reason for the high asking rate for co-op apts. in the area. Yonder across Atlantic Av at the intersection of State St and Hoyt is an establishment that serves the finest chocolate eclairs I've consumed till date, called The Victory. I downed 4 of those of those here at one go back in the unforgiving summer of 2003 - the time of the infamous NYC blackout and earned myself...er.....no pun intended 'brownie points' for life from the salesperson as he offered me a free eclair for the next couple of times I swung by the tiny store!