Donations for the 2nd Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony on Columbia street

On Thursday, December 11, will be held the 2nd Annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Human Compass Garden, on the corner of Sackett and Columbia streets. In order for this event to be one to remember for the whole community, The Carroll Gardens Association is asking for your help.

The following items are needed:

• Tree Ornaments
• Cookies
• Hot chocolate
• Candy canes
• Cups for hot chocolate
• Extension cord (100 feet)
• Firewood
• Marshmallows
  

Any suggestions or contributions are greatly appreciated.
Please call The Carroll Gardens Association at 718-243-9301, ext. 18 to further discuss any details or arrangements.

Missing: Mango- The Key Lime Pie Pooch

Local dog Mango, often seen roaming around on Columbia street near Degraw or by Steve's Key Lime Pie down on Pier 41, seems to have been stolen. Please spread the word and keep your eyes out for him. As a dog owner myself, this type of thing is very frightening.

Below is a message from his owner, Steve of keylime pie fame:

WANTED: MANGO
Mango was Nabbed outside of Jake’s BBQ on Saturday, 11-22,
around 7:00 PM, on the corner of Columbia and Degraw
streets, while innocently waiting a piece of cornbread. Blue
mini-van may have been involved.

Intact male 10-years old. White body, rich brown ears, lighter
brown “mango” on left jaw and dark brown under left ear.

We are seeking the return to his rightful master and his place in the pie kingdom.
We seek the return of our beloved mascot, constant sidekick, canine friend and
family member for the past 9-years. He answers to his name and to verify his identity,
just ask him “where’s the rat?” If he doesn’t respond, it isn’t him. If you do see
him, please try and note when, where and with who. If you are certain it is him you
can always call 311, but least call any of these numbers with your information 718-
288-0853, 718-858-5333, 917-280-6505, 646-431-8177. If one of your neighbors is
suddenly walking a new seasoned dog that looks like him, it very well could be him.
We appreciate your help.

Please see www.keylime.com/mango.html

Great Deals for The Winter/Spring Session at Everyday Athlete Kids

"This upcoming session will start on Monday, January 12 through Sunday June 21 (21 weeks of classes
). Installment Payment Plans are available for all classes.

We are introducing a new curriculum and new activities for each class to stimulate and engage your children’s minds and bodies.

Our Winter Session schedule is ready and early registration has begun.
Early Enrollment Incentives:
Register your child before December 20th
Register 2 children and receive $50 sibling discount for the second child
Register your child for more than one class p/week and take 15% off the 2nd class
Register with a friend that is new to us and take $20 off for each child
Register your child for the session and enjoy one FREE Open Play date each week
Enjoy a $50 discount on your child’s Birthday Party if they are enrolled in any class

We are excited to announce that in addition to our terrific Tumbling and Activity classes, we are also offering some new programming this session:


Toddler Movement- props, singing and early tumbling moves for children 12-18 months old with a parent or caregiver.
Lunch Bunch- 1 ½ hours of midday fun for 3-4 year olds that aren’t napping anymore. Send them with lunch and we will feed them and keep them entertained with storytime, arts and crafts and fun physical activities.
Open Play from 2-6pm Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Buy 10 visits, get the 11th free!
Birthday Parties include free balloons for each guest and a T-shirt for the birthday child
Ballet classes in association with Cobble Hill Ballet on Wednesdays for children 2+.
Parents’ Night Out- a drop off night that includes arts and crafts, tumbling, storytime, games and a pizza dinner

everydayathletekids
273 columbia street (between carroll and summit)
347-529-6377
info@everydayathletestudio.com"

Amazing Deal Alert: Register your child for the Winter Session and enjoy
one FREE Open Play session per week! A great destination now that the winter is upon us!

For more information and for class and event descriptions, check out:
http://www.everydayathletestudio.com/youth.htm

Beautification of Construction Sites

This is coming a little late, but I love that we have local artists like Jay Crider taking the time to beautify so many of the neighborhood's construction sites with art. It can make ugly wood paneling and scaffolding into something that's actually really nice to look at.

Unfortunately, given the lateness of this post, I actually missed my opportunity to get pictures of some of the other ones that were up around the neighborhood (i.e. the one at House of Pizza).

Is this also Jay Crider?
Jay Crider also did this piece outside of the Red Tin Shack on Union St.

Plot thickens....

Mystery restaurant Piccolo Caffe on Columbia St. now has an awning.

Luminous Accumulation

Walking through the neighborhood today, we happened upon the reception for the new art installation at the Art Lot on Columbia St called "Luminous Accumulation" by Natalia Zubko.

Not only did we get our first inside walk through of the Art Lot, but we were also able to enjoy some Mulled wine and gingerbread (perfect for a cold and windy day).

The installation involves a network of pipes that collect rain water into a boat-like pool. There are also some lights that reflect off of the water and surface of the boat. Its an interessting concept that i'd really like to see all lit up at night.

Moonshine - aka The Cop Bar

"COP BAR" video by Jimmy Lloyd from jimmylloydsuperstar1 on Vimeo.

I don't know if cops actually hang out at the Moonshine bar on Columbia St. or not, but this music video called "Cop Bar" by Jimmy Lloyd was shot on location at Moonshine, and includes my friend Maggie, tough guys from the Sopranos and Bronx Tale, a bunch of cop types, and much mroe Fun stuff. Interesting how they made the south end of Columbia St. look so shady.....

Head to the Heart of Brooklyn for free (on the weekend)

The Heart of Brooklyn partnership is now offering several free shuttle services to make it easier to visit museums an cultural institutions around Brooklyn. Now that they make it even easier to get around BK, who needs manhattan?

Here's one example:

Saturday Scene is free regular transportation to central Brooklyn from select neighborhoods in Brooklyn, running continuous loops from 10am-6pm. Serving Bay Ridge (second Saturdays), Red Hook (third Saturdays), and Williamsburg (fourth Saturdays), the shuttle makes its way to the main entrances of the cultural institutions in the Heart of Brooklyn.

RED HOOK STOPS (third Saturday: November 15, December 20):
NY Water Taxi Entrance on Beard St.
10am, 1pm, 3:30pm, (6pm drop off only)

Van Brunt St. between King & Pioneer St.
10:10am, 1:10pm, 3:40pm

Columbia St. at Carroll St.
10:20am, 1:20pm, 3:50pm

Union St. at Court St.
10:35am, 1:35pm, 4:05pm

What will become of Pier 11?

Nothing for now, according to the Brooklyn Paper:

More than two years after the city began soliciting bids for an inactive city-controlled pier next to the cruise ship terminal and just south of Hamilton Avenue, developers were shocked to receive letters about two weeks ago from the Economic Development Corporation that it had rejected all the proposals.

This is unfortunate considering that there do seem to be some good ideas out there. One example was presented to the Columbia Waterfront Neighborhood Association last week by NY Water Taxi owner Tom Fox, which included public waterfront access, a man made beach, a marina, restaurant(s), and a ship storage and repair yard that would employ around 1,000 people - many of whom would be people that live in the neighborhood.

More on that and the meeting to come soon.

Who has been wondering about 169 Columbia street?

For the past year we have been wondering about what was being built at 169 Columbia street (three doors down from Degraw street). It turned into a yellow brick apartment building. We were sure it was going to be condos, but it is so much more.

This is a residential program owned and operated by the Postgraduate Center for Mental Health, it holds 55 studio apartments to be used as permanent housing for homeless people. The goals of the project is to integrate their tenants into the community, stop the cycle of homelessness and enhance the tenants' ability to get education and job training.

It will be staffed by the program director, a live-in superintendent and porter, four case managers, six front desk staff who provide reception service, as well as two staff members on duty 24/7. All this to ensure that the tenants remain stable and maintain a good relationship with the community.

The tenant screening process is quite lengthy. All housing applications must be approved by the Human Resources Administration (HRA). The applications approved for independent living are then sent to PCMH central intake unit and a Masters level social worker conducts a comprehensive assessment to ensure the applicant is ready, willing and able to live at the residence. Those assessed as a good fit for the residence are then sent for a second interview with the program director. Twenty-two tenants will come from the community and thirty-three will be referred by the New York City Department of Homeless Services.

A wonderful project that fits perfectly in this time of change.

We wish them luck!

Wine Tasting at Old Brooklyn

WINE TASTING @ OLD BROOKLYN WINE & LIQUOR COMPANY

WHEN: TOMORROW
TIME: 5:30pm - 7:30pm
WHERE: 145 Union Street

Upcoming events at the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative

Saturday, November 8, 10:00am
Columbia Greenway Clean Up
Join BGI supporters and neighbors in helping to keep the newly finished Columbia Street section clean and safe for pedestrian, cyclists and runners.
Tools and gloves provided. Meet at BGI's office, 145 Columbia Street, b/t Kane and Degraw.

Sunday, November 16, 1:00pm
BGI Bike Ride in Greenpoint/Williamsburg
Meet at 12:30pm at CitiStorage, N. 11th & Kent Ave.
The New York City Department of Transportation is in the process striping bike lanes on many of the streets along the future route of the Greenway in Greenpoint/Williamsburg. Eventually, these will be reconfigured so that pedestrian, joggers and bicyclists will be physically separated from moving traffic with the addition of a planted median. The bike ride is a celebration of this important milestone!
For more informatin or to RSVP contact Michael: info@brooklyngreenway.org

Tuesday, November 18, 8:00pm (doors open at 7:00pm)
Making Way for the Greenway!
A benefit for the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative
Join supporters and friends of the Greenway for an evening of music and program shorts from some of Galapagos' fabulous resident artists! Proceeds support the development of the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway, a 14-mile off-street bike and pedestrian route that will connect Brooklyn's parks, neighborhoods and people. Galapagos is located midway along the planned route, so it's the perfect place for a celebration of recent milestones.

Matt Wasowski, founder and Big Boss of Nerd Nite will give a presentation about the Coney Island hot dog eating contest and the fascinating world of competitive eating. Also featuring the hot and sweet sounds of Michael Arenella and his music. Other acts TBA.
Door prizes and raffle items!

Advanced tickets are $20 per person, or two fro $30, so bring a friend! At the door, tickets are $25 per person, cash.
To purchase tickets, go to htt://www.galapagosartspace.com/events.html
For more information, contact Brian: bmccormick@brooklyngreenway.org

Old voting machines lined up for their last run in a Red Hook warehouse

Just a funny neighborhood tidbit that gives me an excuse to remind people to go vote (and tell all of their out of state family and friends to do the same). Obviously this is a historic day on numerous levels.

Pictured above are many of the city's traditional lever voting machines, which are most likely on their last run for this election. They've been in use in NYC since 1962 and are apparently stored in a Red Hook warehouse. It's always fun to see what goes on behind closed doors of so many of the area's warehouses and buildings.

Photo above and original story on NY City News Service

Pictures from our 7th Annual Halloween bash!

What a great time we had! we hope you all did too!
Here are some pix from the event:

Eating candy...

Running around in costume.

The Red Hook Raiders

Visiting the fire engine.

Parading

Thank you to all who participated !

Mystery Caffe coming "soon"!

According to this sign on Columbia St., there will be a new Caffe called the Piccolo Caffe opening "soon." Can't wait to see what it is.

What's that big ship???

Walking along Columbia St. towards Atlantic Avenue today, my wife and I had to stop and look at the huge ship docked at the Brooklyn Marine Terminal - especially when we realized it was French.

Thanks to BrooklynHeightsBlog, we have a little more information on it as well as a great picture:

Apparently its called the Gaspard Monge and its a Missle Tracking Ship.

Fundraiser for PS 29 at Bocca Lupo - Nov 18th - 6-10pm

UNCORKED FOR A CAUSE : Bocca Lupo restaurant hosts a Night of Great Food
and Fabulous Wine to Benefit PS 29.
Tuesday, November 18th, 6-10 pm
391 Henry Street, corner of Warren St., Cobble Hill, Brooklyn

Bring friends, drink wine and sample what Zagat's calls "fabulous
small plates" to support PS 29 in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. Owner Jeff
Lederman will donate 100% of ticket proceeds to PS 29.

With the impending budget cuts, WE NEED YOUR HELP more than ever. Your
support will help pay for PS 29's teaching assistants, learning
materials, as well as collaborations with cultural institutions such as
the Brooklyn-Queens Conservatory of Music, the Metropolitan Opera Guild,
American Ballroom Theater's Dancing Classrooms and CityLore, among
others.

Tickets: $30 in advance, $35 at door.
$60 in advance per couple, $65 at door.

You can also purchase tickets online at:
http://www.nycharities.org/event/c_event.asp?CharityCode=2068