What: 1st Annual Fierce & Sweet Benefit Bake Off
When: Sunday, Oct 11th 1-4 p.m.
Where: East River Bar, Williamsburg
Why: Move over buffets. cook-off’s are the new cheap-eat spots in town. And for those craving sweets, the first annual Brooklyn bake off is coming to a New York River near you.
This Sunday, nearly 20 bakers will heat up their ovens for a contest with noble intent. On behalf of non-profit New York Cares, members Katie Hustead and Hayley Downs co-organized the bake-off as an alternative fundraiser to the organization’s bigger events. “We wanted something accessible, rowdy, fun, and eclectic,” said Hustead. “What started as a small event in our backyard has grown into a mix of our friends and professionals who love to bake.”
The pair has signed on celebrity judges from the local culinary scene in New York. Julia Jurgensen, executive pastry chef at Dressler in Williamsburg, said, “The perfect dessert is the simplest of pleasures. I’ll be looking for something to really surprise me. Plus, I love to support the effort to make desserts from scratch.”
Nick Suarez, chef and competitive cook-off guru said, “I like events that foster the competitive spirit among chefs. The fact that this is organized for New York Cares, is just icing on the cake. I have a soft spot for key lime pies and strawberry shortcakes.” (Take note chefs!)
Cost: $20, all proceeds go to New York Cares.
How To Get There: Take the F to the J/M. Exit at Marcy Avenue near Broadway and Havemeyer St. Head West on Broadway towards S. 8th until you come onto S. 6th Street at 97 S. 6th. For more information see fierceandsweet.com.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram