Friday, May 29, 2009

Summit Garden tag sale

The Summit St. Garden is holding a tag sale tomorrow! Find a bargain for yourself while supporting a great local garden!

Summit Street Community Garden
Saturday, May 30 from 8:30 - 2:00-ish
Rain Date: Sunday, May 31st.
Location: Corner of Summit and Columbia Streets, Brooklyn

Scooter Block Party!

SCOOTER BOTTEGA is participating in a citywide series of scooter events this weekend by throwing a block party with barbecue and live music at their location on Union St tomorrow, 5/30. See the flyer and details below, or check out the NY Scooter Club message boards for details of all of the events in the series.

4:00 PM - ***BBQ AT SCOOTER BOTTEGA***, 65 Union Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231 (between Van Brunt & Columbia)-Enjoy food, drink, and live music from Better Off Dead, and get to see some old and new friends. (duration ~4 hours).

Carroll Park flea market tomorrow

The annual Carroll Park flea market returns tomorrow and runs all day long! Check out the Friends of Carroll Park website for update and more details

Wobblies @ Work

A series of ceramic work called "Wobblies" will be @ Work this weekend as part of the Open Studio Tour. This series is by Brigitte Bouquet and you can see more about her here

Score something on the Gowanus - Saturday, 5/30



More details at BKLYNYard

Monday, May 25, 2009

New comer on Van Brunt: Tiburon

A new boutique opened on Van Brunt about a month ago featuring products from local artists and designers: clothes, bags, jewelry, postcards...

Tiburon is "shark" in Spanish, named after the owners' favorite bodega which recently closed.



Tiburon is located at 392a Van Brunt street, check out their site at www.tiburonbrooklyn.com

Perch! at Steve's Key Lime Pies

Every weekend this summer, there will be a little store set up in Steve's Key Lime Pies: It's called the Perch Outpost featuring Amy Adam's full line of modern ceramics, as well as samples, prototypes and one of a kind gifts.

Hours: Saturday & Sunday 11-6
Location: Pier 41 (204 Van Dyke) follow signs for Steve's

Pier 41 is now a lovely destination: take a stroll down Van Brunt, have a drink at Botanica on Conover, then turn into Liberty Sunset Garden Center, walk through the nursery and you will be at Pier 41. There you can check out Glassworks, and Perch!, maybe get something special for someone special, have a key lime pie (delicious!), and then walk that off down Coffey street towards the water and enjoy Valentino Pier with its beautiful views of the harbor, urban anglers, and the Red Hook Boaters.

Perch Outpost at Pier 41

Amy Adams, the artist

Here are some samples of her work:








Find out more info about Perch! here.

The Carroll Gardens and Red Hook Open Studio Tour - 5/30 and 5/31

Each year, Brooklyn Studio Tour organizes Open Studio events in which local artists open their studios, galleries, and workspaces to the public so that people can enjoy walking through the neighborhoods and stopping in as many as they can find time for.

This year's Carroll Gardens and Red Hook tour will take place from Saturday May 30th to Sunday May 31st and is being chaired by Dan Marino of Marino Photgraphy.

There are other related events throughout the week as well, such as cocktail parties, live music, and gallery openings. Check out the official site for a listing of all events and other details.

Maps of the tour sites are available by clicking this link or by stopping in front of Ellie Winberg's studio at 160 Union St (one of the participating sites):

Friday, May 22, 2009

Crazy Joe Gallo month takes the neighborhood by storm

Last week, we were fortunate enough to join the 2nd installment of the Crazy Joe Gallo tour through the neighborhood, led by Tom Folsom, author of "The Mad Ones," and sponsored by Freebird Books.

Anyone interested in neighborhood history or NYC history in general should definitely check out this tour (the last installment of which is tomorrow, Saturday 5/23, at 1pm and is free). There will also be a screening of the Gallo themed movie "The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight" at Jalopy on Tuesday 5/26 and some pictures from the period at Work on 5/30. Check out details on Freebird's events page.

Also check out our interview with Tom Folsom here and a sneak peak of the tour below:

To learn about the history of these sites and others, you'll have to go on the tour or read the book!

Interview with Tom Folsom, writer of The Mad Ones

WOCS: How did you get interested in gangsters in general?

Telling gangster stories of the mad, mean streets of New York offers a chance to recreate a larger than life city, a dangerous place full of possibility, where you could get whacked in a barbershop chair while getting a hot shave. Nights were alive with showgirls, like Joey’s wife Jeffie, in smoky supper clubs and Village jazz joints. Even today, with American Apparel and Dolce & Gabbana a few blocks away from Umberto’s Clam House on Mulberry Street in Little Italy, where Joey was gunned down over a plate of scungilli, tourists still ask to see the bullet holes (not there since Umberto’s moved down the block), nostalgic for Joey’s gritty world.

WOCS: And Joe Gallo in particular?

Crazy Joe claimed “If I’d had been born at the right time and place, they’d have put my statue up in the streets.” Joey saw himself among history’s great revolutionaries, Fidel Castro and Garibaldi, whose statue watches over Washington Square Park. In the 1960s, Joey immersed himself in the counterculture and read Camus and Sartre, heroes of the beatnik coffeehouses in Greenwich Village. Turned on to revolution, Joey rallied his brothers, Larry and Kid Blast, to overthrow the Mafia in a violent, bloody coup waged on the mean streets of New York.

Voraciously consuming books and films, Joey yearned to be more than a common hood. In the months before his death, he became sought-after in a “gangster chic” second act to Tom Wolfe’s Radical Chic, arguing existential philosophy while hobnobbing with literary giants, socialites, and celebrities like his good pal Jerry Orbach (who played Joey in The Gang that Couldn’t Shoot Straight). At Elaine’s on the Upper East Side, everybody who was anybody wanted to meet a real life gangster. How a small time hood became a cultural icon was a story that needed to be told, to me, a look into America’s mythologizing of gangsters.

WOCS: How did you go about your research?

People know the name Crazy Joe Gallo, but not many know his full story and the extent to which his revolt was central to the dramatizations of The Godfather. What I set out to capture in The Mad Ones was a spirit I felt was overlooked in traditional “mob books.” In the turbulent 1960s, as America was undergoing a revolution, Crazy Joe waged a revolution against the Mafia in a fight to the death. It was as important to research the time as the life of Joey himself, duly documented in 1,500 pages of FBI files (and 1,500 more pages on his brother, Larry!) As for press from the time, the Gallos craved fame and made regular headlines in the New York Post and Daily News, not to mention a feature and photo spread in Life.

WOCS: Has there been talk about turning the book into a movie?

The book has been optioned by the Weinstein Company. The film has got to kill The Godfather. Rebelling against the Father was critical to the fervor of the sixties. To that end, The Mad Ones film will revolutionize the mob movie, akin to what The Sopranos did in television. The Godfather stands its ground. But it’s time to reclaim the original material that fueled it. “Going to the mattresses” wasn’t a time honored Sicilian tradition, but a scheme original to the Gallo brothers.

Larry Gallo and brother Crazy Joe take the fifth

before the McClellan Committee on February 17, 1959.

(AP Images)

Crazy Joe has been likened to the Joker and the Riddler in the original Batman television series, a favorite show of the Gallos. Joey relished playing a role akin to Richard Widmark’s giggling psychopath in the noir classic Kiss of Death. In black and white photos and mug shots, Joey looks like a young Robert De Niro playing Johnny Boy in Mean Streets. Crazy Joe will be one of the most challenging and anticipated roles. It’s hard not to read the book without imagining Scorsese directing and Leonardo DiCaprio playing “Joe the Blonde,” Crazy Joe’s other nickname.

WOCS: Are you a "true" New Yorker?

Absolutely. New York City has always been a haven for people who come from somewhere else, from Bob Dylan to Joey, who flocked to Greenwich Village in the early 1960s to escape their pasts and be true outlaws. Dylan made Joey into a folk hero on his album Desire, in the tradition of the film Bonnie and Clyde. As Dylan said of Joey, “I never considered him a gangster. I always thought of him as some kind of hero in some kind of way. An underdog fighting against the elements.”

Opening day at The (BKLYN) Yard

Last year it was announced that The Yard, that great outdoor venue on the Gowanus, was sadly going to close. It now appears that whatever was causing that didn't happen, because they are back as BKLYN Yard and are having an opening event tomorrow that looks really fun! See the flyer below:

According to the NYTimes, the development projects along the canal were the reason for the closing. Could the economy and the recent Superfund issues have anything to do with all this?

Save the date: Sunday Jazz in June at the Meadow!!


SUNDAY, JUNE 7TH

Playing with James Keepnews’ People’s Party @ 2pm

Daniel Carter - reeds, trumpet, flute
In addition to being one of the most inspired musicians of the New York Free Jazz scene of the last thirty-two years, Daniel Carter also has the distinction of a much broader approach to music than many of his "energy music peers." "I was an aspiring anarchist. Not in the sense of disorder, everything is crazy in the street, violence, but in the sense of wanting to be myself as much as possible, and...sometimes you discover you're radically different in your procedure. You have no real desire to be radically different in your procedure, and to clash with the procedures of others or the methodologies of others, but I got to the point where I didn't want to be told what to do." Thankfully, Carter has pursued his musical vision with high integrity, resulting in some of the most beautiful music to come out of NYC in a long time. People's Revolutionary Party is the creation of James Keepnews who calls the band--post everything ascension funk. PRP is:
http://www.myspace.com/peepsrevparty
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1kR6U_jPXo

Anne Mette Iversen Quartet @ 3pm
Anne Mette Iversen is a member of the Brooklyn Jazz Underground and writes music that falls within various genres. She composes for strings, for choir and for brass instruments.
She composed "Hvor er din bolig vidunderlig" for the 125 year anniversary of The Danish Church in New York. Also, she arranged the music when Denmark hosted 120 United Nations ambassadors, the General Secretary Kofi Annan and Crown Prince of Denmark, His Royal Highness Prince Frederik, to a dinner at the B.B. King Club in New York 2002.She composed "Rondo Alla Manipula" for 3 cello's which was exhibited at Charlotte Friis' exhibition "Storytelling Furniture" at The Danish Design Council in May & June 2005.

http://www.myspace.com/annemetteiversen


SPOKE @ 4pm
This Brooklyn group of unique musicians have created a truly post-modern yet beautifully melodic album incorporating diverse influences from 1960's free-bop, contemporary classical, funk and Chinese pop music.
Spoke's first album represents the culmination of a repertoire developed over years of playing together regularly. After forming in 2006 to play a regular Fort Greene restaurant gig, the ensemble quickly found a purpose in pursuing what one listener calls the "Art of the Compromise:" living in the intermediate territory between individual and collective improvisation, while retaining a sense of structure and tradition.

www.myspace.com/spokemyspace
www.danloomismusic.com



Upcoming Concerts:

Sunday, June 14th
2pm George Gilmore and Daniel Wayne
3pm Tanya Kalmanovitch Quartet
4pm SAT Quartet


Sunday, June 21st
2-5pm Jalopy sponsored bluegrass festival

Featuring: The Dust Busters - "these guys will blow your head off. They are one
of the best groups I've ever seen" - Lynette, from Jalopy.
The Saul Bellows - klezmer style bluegrass.

Sunday, June 28th
2pm Willie Martinez' La Familia Sextet
3pm Dave Sewelson's Two Daves
4pm Nick Gianni's Lotus 9 or Evolution


Sponsored by The Famous House of Pizza and Calzone

Bring the kids, a blanket and a picnic, the event is free, with a $8 suggested donation for the musicians.

It's going to be awesome!!!


Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Brooklyn Women's Rugby team is having a "Rugby in Prom Dress" event!

Prom Dress Rugby
(
Corsages are optional)


The event takes place May 23, 2009 on Field 3 in Red Hook Park, at 11:00am.
Prom dress Rugby is simply that: for the sheer hilarity of it, players repurpose a prom dress, usually the ugliest one they can find, as a rugby uniform. By the end of the match the dress is a mess, but a good time has been had by all. It’s the catfight that you always wished would happen at your own prom, but never did.

The field is located across from the intersection of Bay Street and Hicks Street in Red Hook, right by the Ikea. Nearest subways are Borough Hall (2/3/4/5/M/R trains), Jay St (A/C/F trains, joined with Borough Hall even though not on map), Smith & 9th Street (F/G trains), and 4th Ave (F/M/R trains).

"Family Tuesdays" at Hope and Anchor until June 16th

The delicious Hope and Anchor is hosting "Family Tuesdays" every Tuesday evening until June 16 where all kid entrees are 10% off and apple juice is free!
So, if you, or your kid(s), are fans of Hope and Anchor's food (and you should!), please take advantage of their offer.

The restaurant is also featuring the work of the Red Hook Playgroup artists. For those who may not know, it is the neighborhood's first and only preschool.

Enjoy!

New art gallery to open in Red Hook


“Vintage Violence”
Group Exhibition of 16 Artists’ Work

Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY – Space 414 will present its debut exhibition with a group show titled “Vintage Violence,” featuring 16 artists’ work including painting, sculpture, and works on paper – all depicting various manifestations of violence. The exhibition is curated by John Gordon Gauld. There will be an opening reception on Friday, May 29th from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Participating artists are:
Elizabeth Albert
Danny Balgley
Joe Borelli
Matthew Fisher
John Gauld
Graham Guerra
Steve Hellerstein
Paul Jacobsen
Bettina Magi
Norm Paris
Shane Ruth
Scott Sjobakken
Jennifer Viola
Robin Williams
J.G. Zimmerman
Jennifer Zackin

Space 414 is a storefront located on Van Brunt Street in the dynamic, artistic community of Red Hook, Brooklyn. It was founded by a local group of artists and business professionals with the support of the building owner, Liz Larie. The mission of Space 414 is to serve as an incubator for creativity for local artists and beyond. It will host exhibitions, live music performances, art and education workshops, film screenings, readings, panel discussions and will provide a viable meeting space for community residents and artists to connect with each other, exchange ideas and grow together.

For additional information and gallery hours telephone 718-408-1643, or email: thespaceat414@gmail.com.

Here is a sneak preview:

By Shane Ruth

Matthew Fisher

John Gauld

Monday, May 18, 2009

Happy Anniversary - to us!!!!!


One year ago, on May 19th, 2008, we started this blog as a way to get involved in the community and fill what we found to be a void in blogging in the neighborhood. While many blogs occasionally touched on the slice of Brooklyn we call home, none were entirely dedicated to it or took a look at it from a non-business standpoint.

Now, one year and many posts later, we're proud to say that we've met a lot of great people, learned a lot, and had a lot of fun. We're also glad that we've been able to get involved in addressing local issues, organize events for families and children, and support local businesses and artists. We hope that we've enabled other local residents to do all of the above as well.

Whether you've been reading since the beginning or just recently discovered us, we appreciate you taking the time to both read what we have to say and to take interest in our community. Keep checking back in!

Special thanks to anyone who's ever given us their time, input, and ideas, or helped spread the word about us, including local residents, businesses, local organizations, artists, fellow bloggers, and of course anyone that reads and comments!

We're also proud to say that we've been nominated as one of the best local blogs by Nickelodeon's Go City Kids website. If you feel like lending us a hand, head over to this link and vote for us (up to once a day).

Thanks,
Chris and Jessie

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Calexico on Martha



The whole Calexico crew appeared on the Martha Stewart show earlier this week. Check out the video above.

We can't wait for it to open!

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Its My Park Day events Saturday 5/26 and other events

Urban Meadow event

If you haven't been in the Urban Meadow recently, it is coming along beautifully: The grass is lush, the flowers are coming out (please do not pick them), and the dogwood trees are pink!
And of course... weeds are running wild!

This Saturday, May 16th, all are welcome to help weeding and cleaning up the site from 10am to 12pm.
---------------------

Red Hook Dog event



More info at the new Red Hook Dog site.

--------------------------------------------------------
Red Hook Boaters related events

This Saturday, from 12-5pm is the first chance to Kayak around Valentino Pier this season and to help the Red Hook Boaters paint the new Kayak Shack at the end of Coffey Street. This event is part of the It's my Park Day with Parks and Recreation and other organizations, including Portside NY, who will be helping a hand so it's a great opportunity to get involved.

Wear a bathing suit, or shorts and a T-Shirt, sunscreen and bring water to drink.

See the Red Hook Boaters site here for more info

The Boaters are also open on Sunday (5/17 from 1-5pm)

.......but before or after you kayak, see Budd Schulberg's Iconic Play "On the Waterfront" aboard the Waterfront Museum across from Fairway. Say "the Gowanus Dredgers sent me" and an extra $5 contribution will be made to support the museum (in addition to your ticket purchase). The museum will be traveling soon so this is your last chance to see an event before their departure!

See the Waterfront Museum site for more info

In June, the Museum returns with an unusual crew of CircuSundays performers and I encourage you to purchase tickets ASAP before they sell out! Of course, there will be Red Hook Kayaking every Sunday in June so be sure to get on the water! see: http://www.waterfrontmuseum.org/circus/schedule09.htm
thanks - Owen
718 243 0849
owenfoote@hotmail.com

-------------------------------------

Kentler International Drawing Space (K.I.D.S.) event

Teaching Artist Mollie McQuarrie will be collaborating with John Clarke and Coffey Park Gardeners for a unique "Drawing Together" workshop in honor of "Its My Park Day" in
Coffey Park THIS weekend!!

For more info check out their blog here

Participants will work in small groups to identify and measure trees
and then translate their data to color coded ribbon. The ribbon will
be joined and labeled according to tree type and wound into a spiral
(echoing a tree ring) showing the types and sizes of park trees. The
finished product, a "drawn" mural celebrating our spectacular and
local tree life, will be displayed in the park house for all to enjoy.

Where: Coffey Park, Red Hook, Brooklyn

Start time: We will provide an explanation at 11:30 but anyone is
welcome to join in at any point between 11:30 and 2.

Ages: For all ages

Meeting place: At 11:30 look for a congregation but otherwise you can
look for the Kentler International Drawing Space table and/or ask
around for Mollie McQuarrie, Molly Rouzie, Perian Carson, or John
Clarke.

This event is free and open to the public.

-----------------
Brooklyn Bridge Park event

Saturday, May 16
10.00am – 12.00pm

Projects in Brooklyn Bridge Park will focus on weeding, planting native perennials and mulching. All ages welcome, children must be accompanied by an adult . To let them know you're coming, please email rsvp { at } bbpc.net
Meting place will be at the entrance to the park at the corner of Main and Plymouth Streets.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Spring Cup Show at Clayworks on Columbia

Clayworks on Columbia is a full service Clay studio offering instruction at all levels as well as providing studio space for members and a storefront gallery on Columbia between Sackett and Degraw. Until May 24th, you can check out and purchase all types of cups and mugs made by the artists of the studio.
Click here to register for one of their ceramics art classes.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Brooklyn Greenway related news and events

Whenever I get an email from the Brooklyn Greenway, its so full of good events and information that i've resorted to just copying and pasting the whole thing here.......

BKLYN DESIGNS Bike Park, St. Ann's Warehouse

Saturday, May 9th, 12:00-6:00PM Brooklyn Greenway Initiative is teaming up with the BKLYN DESIGNS showcase to provide free "valet" bike parking across from St. Ann's Warehouse on Saturday, May 9th, 12:00-6:00PM. See you there! More info

Columbia Greenway Clean-Up

Saturday, May 9th, 10:00-11:30AM Celebrate Bike Month by lending a hand at our monthly greenway cleanup! Meet at BGI's office, 145 Columbia Street; gloves and tools provided, all ages welcome. More info

Get Your Tickets Today for New Views 2009!

Thursday, June 18th, 6:00PM-9:00PM Show your support for the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway by attending New Views 2009, our annual benefit! It will be held on Thursday,
June 18th
at IKEA Brooklyn's Erie Basin Park, which includes the first privately funded and implemented section of the Greenway. This year, we are thrilled to honor Christopher O. Ward, Executive Director, The Port Authority of NY & NJ; IKEA Brooklyn and Mike Baker, Store Manager; and Transportation Alternatives. More info and tickets

Pulaski Bridge Walk + Ride Evening Commute

Friday, May 15th, 6:00PM Join Transportation Alternatives and the Pulaski Adopt-A-Bike Lane Initiative for a special Bike Month celebration & advocacy event to support safe walking, cycling and driving on the Pulaski Bridge. Meet at Jackson Avenue & 11th Street, Long Island City. After-party at The Creek, with happy hour continuing until 9:00PM!

"It's My Park Day" Shoreline Clean-Up

Saturday, May 16th, 1:00-5:00PM Join Brooklyn Greenway Initiative for the "It's My Park Day" shoreline cleanup at Valentino Park in Red Hook. This event is taking place in partnership with the Red Hook Boaters, who will be providing free walk-up canoe rides all afternoon! More info

MillionTreesNYC Coupon Program

Ongoing through June 15th Help the City reach its PlaNYC goal of planting 1 million trees by 2017! This program provides you with a $20 discount on eligible trees and is good through June 15th. Here's more info about participating nurseries, opportunities for tree planting, and the MillionTreesNYC organization.

Donate Now and Help Build the Greenway!

The Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway is quickly becoming a reality – please help to sustain the momentum by supporting BGI with a contribution today! You can donate now or mail your check to Brooklyn Greenway Initiative, 145 Columbia Street, Brooklyn, New York, 11231.

The 1st Annual Brooklyn Folk Festival 5/15-5/17

The first annual Brooklyn Folk Festival, being sponsored by the Down Home Radio Show, is going to take place at Jalopy and Moonshine next week!

Check out details at the official site here


Also, don't forget that the party continues at the Urban Meadow on 6/21 with a Jalopy sponsored Bluegrass Festival!! (part of the Jazz in June series)

Thursday, May 7, 2009

May 11th: Small business support by Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez

Monday, May 11, 6:30 - 8:30 PM

Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez Presents:

Small Business and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
Resources to Help Entrepreneurs Lead Economic Recovery

at Brooklyn Borough Hall Court Room 209 Joralemon Street, Brooklyn, NY

Free Mother's Day wine tasting at Donna Da Vine

New mom and owner of Donna Da Vine (a wine store on Atlantic Ave) is celebrating her first Mother's Day by conducting a free wine tasting on Sunday, May 10th from 3pm to 7pm.
She will be featuring some of her favorite wines produced by moms!

Here's just a taste of what's on the menu:

domaine gaujal st bon cote de thau rose '08
domaine gaujal picpoul de pinet '07
penner ash roseo '08
heron pinot noir 'vin de pays doc' 06
heron sexto 'terra alta' '06
revolution shiraz '06

Sounds awesome!

Mother's Day at the Brooklyn Children's Museum

I Love My Mommy

May, Saturday 9 and Sunday 10.

02:30pm, for 5 and under.

Preschoolers—come spend a lovely afternoon reading stories and singing songs with a special woman in your life. Create a beautiful flower and decorate a card to express how much you love her!

The Brooklyn Children's Museum is an amazing place and I strongly recommend checking out their upcoming events.

Brooklyn Botanica is having a special Mother's Day Brunch

Brunch menu:

Poached organic cage-free eggs on polenta with roasted tomatoes
Challah French toast with Strawberries and organica blue agave syrup or organica maple syrup
Crepes with a choice of fresh farmer’s cheese, roasted pineapple, strawberry, prosciutto or chocolate


Reservations are recommended at info@brooklynbotanica.com


Also enjoy the sounds of
DJ's O+Sound & B-Nice playing a special set for all you mommies.

home/made: Artist Opening Reception tonight

home/made
Artist Opening Reception
Heike Buelau Photography
Thursday May 7th
6:30-8:30pm

tini wine bar is now home/made

Please join us at our new location for an opening art celebration with local Red Hook photographer Heike Buelau.

home/made is OPEN
Wed-Fri 5pm dinner
Sat 11am brunch
4pm dinner
Sun 11am brunch
4pm dinner


293 Van Brunt St
(between Pioneer and King)
347-223-4135


Mother's Day Brunch brings special surprises....bring mom in for a treat she'll remember for a long time.Click here to subscribe

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Have some wine for the PS 58 PTA

Members of the community and PS 58 Parents are invited to.....

A Taste of May: The 2009 PS 58 PTA Wine Crawl
Tuesday May 19th, 7-9 pm
Enjoy a Glass of Wine and a Small Plate at each of the following locations:

~The Jake Walk~
282 Smith/Sackett

~Chestnut~
271 Smith/Degraw

~Black Mountain Wine House~
415 Union/Hoyt

Stroll in the Moonlight to each Destination
Sample Incredible Wines and Delicious Food at each location
Meet Friends and Support the PS 58 PTA!

Ticket Price, In Advance: $50
All profits go directly to the PS 58 PTA to fund
PS58 Programs and events year round.

Tickets Available at:
• PS 58 lobby, mornings after Weds 5/6
• Credit card sales online through NYC Charities at:
http://tinyurl.com/ce9nch
(PC only)
• At each participating location

The Salt Pile, one week later

One week after we were told that the pile would be removed within a "couple of days," it still remains. At least the first, and probably most important, part of the promise was acted upon right away - its completely covered and is no longer blowing into the street.

Goodbye Mucho Gusto, Hello Iro Sushi

Last week we were walking past Mucho Gusto late at night and thought "it looks like they're doing renovations!"

It turned out that they were actually closed for good, and the new restaurant to take its place, Iro Sushi, was setting up shop.

They opened up today (what a quick turnaround!) so go check them out and welcome them to the neighborhood.

We're sad to see another restaurant closing in the area, but at least there was a quick opening in its place.

Please help find Pepper!

Message from one of our neighbors:

"Brooklyn Neighbors,

My friend Lena's dog Pepper is missing tonight. He is black/white/brown Foxhound in the attached picture, with my dog Steve.

Around 6:30 p.m. he got loose and ran south on Court Street. He was seen getting clipped by a car but got back up and continued on Court. He was last spotted running on Hamilton Avenue past Columbia St towards Red Hook. We have been searching the area but there have been no sightings for a couple hours.

Pepper is wearing a collar with tags and a leash. He is friendly, a fast runner, but may be injured. He comes if you call "Pepper, come!" If you see him please call Lena at 917-703-1812.

Please forward this message and picture to your friends and neighbors in the area. Help us find Steve's best friend.

Thanks,
Andrea
718-208-5991"

Monday, May 4, 2009

Crazy Joe Gallo Month at Freebird

Freebird books has dubbed May "Crazy Joe Gallo Month" - a month long celebration of a local celebrity who made the gangster style oh so chic - and enlisted the help of Tom Folsom, author of a new book on Gallo called "The Mad Ones" to make it possible:

Please RSVP to 718-643-8484 or info { at }freebirdbooks.com for the following walking tours (Tom Folsom has kindly offered to lead them on three successive Saturdays).

1 pm, Saturday, May 9--A personal tour of the Carroll Gardens and Red Hook that Joe Gallo and his gang called home (meet at Carroll Park along Smith Street just outside the Carroll Street stop of the F train)
1 pm, Saturday, May 16--same as above
1 pm, Saturday, May 23--same as above

They also have a few other events on deck:

time tbd, Tuesday, May 26
--screening of The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight at the Jalopy Theater down the street at 315 Columbia Street (the film is based on Jimmy Breslin's novel about the Gallo gang and includes many contemporary footage of Red Hook)

time tbd, Saturday, May 30
--an exhibit of photos of the Gallos and the neighborhood as it looked in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s at the
Work Gallery at Union and Van Brunt Streets (one block from the old Gallo headquarters).

Check out Freebird's website for more details.

And check out the promo video for "The Mad Ones" below, which is probably the first video trailer for a book that I recall seeing:



Image at the top from the Joe Gallo wikipedia article

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Calexico to be on Martha Stewart and to (hopefully) open soon

The Vendley Brothers, the owners of Calexico, are scheduled to be on Martha Stewart on May 13th according to Gothamist, but we're hoping to see the Union St. restaurant open before then.

On April 20, Eater.com reported that they should be open in 3 weeks (which at this point is next week!) and Jay Crider was also spotted recently working out front of the space, which is why the window is now covered with different paper than before and is missing the signs that had hung there since September.

We can't wait!

BWAC's Spring Pier Show opens 5/9

the Color of HOPE

May 9 – June 14, weekends only, 1 – 6PM

Named to reflect the resilience and enduring spirit of art in our lives, the Color of Hope, BWAC’s 17th Annual Spring Art Show at the Pier will display the interpretation of hope in 1600 new works from over 300 BWAC members.

Opening weekend festivities include a Meet the Artists reception on Saturday, 5/9, with music by The Loose Marbles, a traditional New Orleans street band, 3PM. The celebration continues on Sunday, with jazz guitarist Ron Jackson.

Featured artist for this show is Renee Radenberg, who creates objects of beauty of recycled scrap glass and metal.

Location: 499 Van Brunt St in Red Hook

Check out bwac.org for more details.

Puppetry Arts Earth Day Carnival at PS 15

Puppetry Arts is hosting an Earth Day carnival on Saturday, May 9th, at P.S. 15.

According to an article about the event in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle:

This event will feature arts and crafts made from found items and recyclable products as well as games and prizes. Special guests will include WNBA NY Liberty, Sandy the Seagull of the Brooklyn Cyclone and the Star Wars Costume Volunteers of the 501st Empire City Garrison and Echo Base Rebel Legion.

Free admission, $1 activities and snacks, $3 bounce house. Activities include cookie decorating, arts and crafts, carnival games and face painting.

P.S. 15 is on Sullivan and Van Brunt St.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Cobble Hill Playgroup's Spring Fair

Another one to add to the list of events tomorrow:


Join us for the Cobble Hill Playgroup Spring Fair!

We will be welcoming in spring with a great day full of fun for the whole family at the Louis Valentino, Jr. Ballfield in Carroll Park on Saturday, May 2 (rain date: May 3).

Activities include:

  • Bouncy castle
  • Pony rides
  • Face painting
  • Mothers Day present crafts
  • Games
  • Races
  • Book sale
  • Flea market
  • Bake sale
  • Plus even more great games and food

Come support our preschool & enjoy tons of games, fun & food for the whole family!

Address: Carroll Park at Court Street between President St & Carroll St

Subway directions: Take the F Train to Carroll St stop. Park is located next to the President St exit.

Event dates and times:
Saturday, May 2 10am - 4pm (rain date Sunday, May 3)

Event prices:
Free admission with $1/ticket for activities

Age range:
Great for families of all ages

Telephone number: (718) 243-0440

More info at their site

Nursery University - Premieres today at Cobble Hill Theatere!

The movie Nursery University, which so many of us in the neighborhood can relate to through either experience or observation, starts showing today at Cobble Hill Theatere!





Synopis:
In post-9/11 New York City, a baby boom has turned the preschool admissions process into a blood sport. With more than 20 applicants for every available spot, $4,000 consultants are hired and teams are recruited just to acquire application forms. What starts as a race to get their children into the right Ivy League "feeder" schools turns into a reality check when unexpected hiccups arrive with the response envelopes.

Monday night at the Jalopy: Ursa Minor and Micro Titans

This coming Monday night, the Jalopy is having 2 local bands: both band leaders and all the musicians but one live in the Columbia Street Waterfront District. Truly a local gang!


So here are the details:


May 4th @ Jalopy
Micro Titans will play at 9. Ursa Minor at 10.


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MICRO TITANS
Don¹t you ever wonder what Led Zeppelin would be like
without that awful singer?
How About AC/DC with Bob Mould on guitar, or Dick
Dale doing a session with KISS in Genesis castle in Scotland?
Featuring:
Briggan Krauss - Guitar (Sex Mob, Pig Pen, Medeski Martin and Wood)
Laura Cromwell - Drums (Growing Up Skipper, God is My Co-Pilot, The Vivian Sisters, Queen Moonracer)
John Mettam - Bass (Bassoon, Cocktail Angst, EZ Pour Spout, Chum)


http://www.myspace.com/microtitans


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URSA MINOR:
Michelle Casillas (vocals, gtr), Rob Jost (bass, vocals), Robert DiPietro (drums, vocals), & special guest Jonathan Goldberger (guitar)
Fronted and founded by singer-songwriter Michelle Casillas, Ursa Minor has become a mainstay in NYC’s indie rock scene. The band delivers a timeless mix of vocal driven pop/rock with a primal rhythmic undercurrent; sharp and urban yet broad and free.
Ursa Minor’s debut LP “Silent Moving Picture” was released by Sonic Youth’s Steve Shelley, on Smells like Records; a small Hoboken label known both for championing new artists (like Cat Power and Blonde Redhead), and for releasing comprehensive series of works by Lee Hazelwood, and Sonic Youth.
Since then, Michelle has swapped her electric piano for guitar, and her songs have a new snap in them. Her singing is startling and sexy; effortlessly rhythmic, with soulful vulnerability and a bold attitude. Bandmates Rob Jost(bass) and Robert DiPietro(drums) are her musical family and equally create the sound. They also contribute songs of great depth and strength, and sing harmony. Monday night, special guest Jonathan Goldberger will join the core trio on electric guitar.
Time Out New York
Ursa Minor is where the low-light songs of Michelle Casillas stand in sharp relief against classic pop arrangements. The group’s album Silent Moving Picture is one we keep coming back to, finding something new each time.
Village Voice
Ursa Minor put a purplish Fender Rhodes bruise on storm cloud through picture window singer-songwriting ritual.
All Music Guide
Sultry singer/songwriter Michelle Casillas' band, Ursa Minor, blurs the line between folk, jazz, and experimental music with haunting, spare, even cinematic songs. "Silent Moving Picture" is an album that spotlights an amazing voice, but the delicate instrumentation is equally as moving.




ENJOY!