There are 21 days left until that doorbell rings. Whether you are outside going in, or inside adjusting the trimmings, before then, there are gifts to be bought, cards to be written, a budget (to attempt) to obey, a diet conscience on your shoulder, and a family feast to mentally and physically prepare for.
This article will disregard the aforementioned. So relax, rest easy. Have a little fun, because let’s face it, not everybody is in a constant holly jolly spirit when there is so much work on top of work to be done.
Brooklyn is a favorite place of offMetro’s – if you loyal followers haven’t noticed by now – and what better way to unwind during the holiday season and escape the tourist crowds than with an easy jaunt to the other beloved borough where an old classic French film and a delicious French restaurant await—with a complimentary glass of wine with your dinner (and BAM ticket). Bon Appetit!
What: A showing of the 1956 Oscar-winning French film, Le Ballon Rouge
Where: Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM)
When: Dec 1—16 at 1pm on Sat & Sun only. Dec 22—Jan 1 at 1pm daily
Why: It’s a 34 minute moving canvas of old Paris, with brilliant strokes of storytelling.
Cost: General admission $11, Seniors, students, & children $7.50. Discounts available at Box Office.
How to get there: Take the B or D train towards Downtown/Brighton Beach. Get off at Atlantic Ave. – Pacific Street. Exit near intersection of Hanson Place and Ashland Place. Go North on Ashland Place towards Lafayette Ave. Turn right onto Lafayette Ave. Takes roughly 30 minutes from mid-town Manhattan. (30 Lafayette St., 718.636.4100, www.bam.org)
Or, take the BAMbus, departing one hour before every BAM performance in the Howard Gilman Opera House and the Harvey Theater, unless otherwise noted. Check BAM website. Pickups up at the Whitney Museum at Altria, 120 Park Avenue at East 42nd Street. Cost: $5 ($4 for subscribers, Friends of BAM, and students with valid ID) Reservations: 718.636.4100 (Reservation required at least 24 hours in advance; stand-by space available on a first-come, first-served basis.)
Chez Lola
387 Myrtle Ave, Brooklyn, NY | 718.858.1484 | bistrolola.com
Introduce yourself to the flavors of Mexican-French fusion at this off the beaten path “Bistro Sans Frontiers” in Fort Greene. The warm lights and bright comely colors at Chez Lola create a cozy artists-haven atmosphere. Show up on Wednesdays at 8pm for the live Jazz and Brazilian music, have some soup à l’oignon and the Roche Baron Cheese with Bartlett Pear over Serrano Ham, and if you’re still hungry for more, sink into your seat with a belly full of skinny hot-peppered onion rings. Breathe in, breathe out. Enjoy your complimentary glass of wine, and don’t forget to mention who set you up with Lola!
How to get there:
From Manhattan, take the B train to Dekalb Ave. Go east on Dekalb towards Hudson Ave. Turn left onto Clermont Ave. and then make a right onto Myrtle Ave. It’s between Clermont and Vanderbilt.
From BAM, Head East on Lafayette Avenue towards St. Felix St., and make a left onto Clermont Ave., then a right onto Myrtle Ave. If it’s snowing, take a cab. If it’s nice out, take the 14 minute walk.
The co-founder and editor-at-large at offMetro, Lauren is a sustainable travel specialist and freelance journalist with frequent bylines in National Geographic, Bicycling Magazine and Shape. Follow Lauren’s adventures at @laurenmati.
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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 
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