Lindsay's List: April 2025

I waited in line for Filipino donuts, danced my ass off and finally watched that TV show everyone's been talking about

May 05, 2025

∙ Paid

I waited in a Very Long Line for the first time in recent memory for something on this month’s list. Waiting an hour plus for the chance to purchase (a maximum of five) donuts was surprisingly worth it, but I couldn’t help but wonder… what if it hadn’t been?

If you’ve known me for a long time, you’d know that I used to be the queen of waiting in line. Hours-long lines for Kusama pop-ups at David Zwirner Gallery, waiting outside at 4:30p on a Sunday for a bar seat at Lilia in 2016 (ok but can we talk about how getting 1.8k likes on Instagram actually used to be possible?) and yes, I even fell victim to waiting in lines for two of the worst scams this city has ever seen: DŌ Cookie Dough Confections and Black Tap.

lindsaypaulen

A post shared by @lindsaypaulen

I’ve stopped waiting in lines for a variety of reasons — less free time, more chronic pain, less money to spend frivolously, more motivation to spend that money at businesses I want to support. But I think the main reason is just that less time waiting in lines means more opportunity for spontaneity and whimsy, more chances to say yes.

I challenged myself to slow down (by my standards, at least) last month, keeping much more free time on my Google Calendar than I’m used to. This meant I had the time to say yes to things that fell into my lap this month: a Magdalena Bay DJ set at 99 Scott, a double date to see the cherry blossoms in bloom at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, a Monday night double-feature date starting at the newly-renovated Bathhouse and ending at Le Crocodile, a Saturday beginning with exploring Sunnyside with Madeline (read more about that below) and ending with two frozen painkillers at a dive bar after midnight… oops!

NYC, from A to Z: B is for Bolivia

Lindsay Paulen

Apr 24

Read full story

All that to say, sometimes the line is worth it — I promise, for these donuts it is — but oftentimes the best things in life are best unplanned. And with that, here are my favorites and flops for April:

The Favorites:

Leche Flan Fried Brioche at Kora
Location: 45-12 Greenpoint Ave in Sunnyside
Transportation: 46 St-Bliss St 7 or B24/Q60 Buses
Cost: $7
The texture of this donut should be studied and I'm not sure I'll ever top this bakery spread
Each of these Filipino donuts warranted waiting in line for an hour plus, but the star of the show, for me, was this brioche one that’s stuffed with a whole flan — and I don’t normally even gravitate towards flan!!! The base of the donut is a pillowy, buttery fried brioche that somehow carries a whole flan without being dense or heavy. There’s also no oily residue, which is one of my biggest issues with so many donuts. The flan is perfectly textured, creamy and has a rich vanilla flavor. Just underneath the flan, there’s a layer of gooey dulce de leche filling, which adds just the right amount of sweetness and highlights the caramel undertones of the flan itself. Knowing the amount of time, energy and artistry that goes into each aspect of this donut, I honestly think that $7 is kind of a steal. This is truly a treat that’s worth the trek.
The Sound Room at Public Records
Location: 233 Butler St in Gowanus
Transportation: Bergen St F/G or B65 Bus
Cost: $15.45 for entry before midnight (varies depending on the event you go to)
As someone who has a very strong sense of self, being in a months-long funk has been quite taxing. Like every other woman in a quarter-life crisis, I’ve been asking myself: have I lost my *spark*? I obviously can’t attribute feeling more like myself this month to a few short hours spent on a dance floor with bass pounding around me, but… this night of dancing with my friends undoubtedly re-invigorated something in me. Thursday nights are my favorite night for going out — less crowds and usually less expensive — and the Sound Room at Public Records will be my new go-to. It’s dark, smoky and sexy and like all my favorite places to dance, there’s a sparkling disco ball hanging from the center of the ceiling. While I don’t normally love house music, the acoustics in the room (thanks to vintage hi-fi speakers) were so all-encompassing and captivating that I’m willing to bet I’d have a good time here no matter who the DJ/artist is.
Hart’s
Location: 506 Franklin Ave in Bed-Stuy
Transportation: Franklin Av C/S or B26/44/48 Buses
Cost: Varies depending on what you order (inclusive of tax and 20% tip, my half of the check, which I split with Claire, was $74.47)
Kinda crazy how much a high-quality olive oil elevates a meal
I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to go somewhere less than a mile from my apartment, but I’m so glad I finally went to Hart’s this month. It’s a cozy spot, just a few tables, with an ever-changing Mediterranean-inspired menu. Claire and I split five small plates amongst us and, of course, saved room for dessert: a spongy angel food cake topped with whipped cream and a heaping of coconut shavings, served alongside a spoonful of macerated strawberries. Everything we ordered was so fresh and a little punchy — and don’t forget to order a side of bread to soak up the olive oil that most dishes are served with in ample amounts.
“Severance”
Meme credits to @thefilmmemes on Instagram... they have embeds blocked so pardon my shitty screenshots
Okay okay, I know I’m embarrassingly late to the game on this one, but I finally watched “Severance” this month and holy shit. I haven’t been this captivated by a piece of media in a LONG time and ended up watching both seasons in just six days. It’s hard to talk about the plot without giving too much away, but it’s thrilling, hilarious and utterly addicting to watch. These memes are a pretty good representation of how I’ve felt since watching it, so if you want to talk “Severance” Season 3 theories, hit me up.
Cheesy Baked Gnocchi with Spicy Tomato Sauce (Lindsay’s Version) from NYT Cooking
Cost: Varying depending on ingredients
Look at her glow
Claire and I made this last week and I was enthusiastic about eating the leftovers for days, which rarely happens. While the base of the recipe is a great starting place, I’d highly recommend making the following adjustments (Lindsay’s version, if you will):
- Cooking the tomato sauce longer than the recipe calls for to thicken it up and/or blitzing it with an immersion blender for a better consistency
- Doubling the garlic, duh
- Adding sugar to taste to help counter the acidity of the tomatoes
- Also adding a tablespoon of butter to the tomato mixture itself
- Seasoning the sauce with oregano, fresh basil and black pepper
- Broiling the cheese a minute or two longer for a crispier effect
This is a weeknight dinner that’s hard to beat with a small, affordable ingredient list and only one pot. This will be filed under my go-to recipes.
“Cellar Rat” by Hannah Selinger
Cost: $29
I also was lucky enough to go to a “Cellar Rat” book talk!
It’s no secret that I love restaurants. But if you’ve ever worked in a restaurant, you know it’s far from all glitz and glamour. Even just from working as a hostess during college, I quickly learned this lesson — at the same time though, I fell for the allure, the gossip. In her memoir, Selinger chronicles the highs and lows of this dichotomy on a much greater, more interesting scale. Showing the underbelly of work in restaurants like Momofuku Ko and Jean-Georges, she takes an intimate look into what life in the industry is actually like: the good, the bad and a lot of the ugly. Selinger’s writing is honest and raw and should be on any “restaurant person’s” reading list.
The Flops:
Major Food Fiasco: I know it’s kind of cool to be a Major Food Group hater these days, but I’ve never had a bad meal at one of their spots. Until I tried Parm last month — the only restaurant (and most casual/most chain-like) in the group I hadn’t been to. I hold the mindset that it’s hard to mess up Italian-American classics like Caesar salad, vodka sauce pasta and chicken parm, but Parm somehow proved this mindset wrong.
A finale flop: “The White Lotus” season finale was a total miss, in my opinion. I watched the finale with a big group of friends and almost every “twist” had been predicted by someone in our group. Here’s to hoping that Season Four keeps me more on my toes.
Frequent faller: For some reason, I’ve completely wiped out twice in the last month or so while in my neighborhood, which left me with a busted elbow and ankle for much longer than I would’ve liked. I’m just hoping my feet won’t fail me in May.