Heard it Through the Grapevine

Olive Vine Cafe is coming back!

The middle-eastern eatery located on Seventh Avenue between Union and Berkeley that was destroyed by a fire in August 2004 is moving to 54 Seventh Street.

Seventh STREET?

Yup, that’s what it says on a sign posted on the window of the burned out store.

But that doesn’t make any sense. So OTBKB made a quick trip to 54 Seventh AVENUE and found the future home of delectable salads, pita, lentil soup and falafel.

Olive Vine is going IN and Prints Charming, a small framing and print shop, is moving OUT. In all her years in the Slope, OTBKB has never once set foot inside the shop. And now it’s too late: oh well. They always had lovely framed floral prints, and labels from orange crates displayed in the window.

OTBKB heard that the August fire began in the kitchen in Olive Vine. It spread to Zuzu’s Petals to its south and the large Korean market to its north. The demise of the beloved Zuzu’s Petals inspired a neighborhood campaign to save the store. 375 Fifth Avenue, between Sixth and Seventh Streets is the new home of abundant floral arrangements and plantings.

So far, nothing has been done to clean up the severely damaged one-story building that used to house the three stores. One hopes that the landlord will tidy up the mess so that stretch of Seventh Avenue can be returned to its former glory.

One hopes.

POSTCARD FROM THE SLOPE_newblog

WHAT is Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn, you may ask.  And WHY am I doing this?

ANSWER: Not sure just yet.

It remains to be seen what this needs and wants to be. In the meantime, I will continue to be the all-eyes, all-ears, all-around-the-Slope interested busybody; a social anthropologist, if you will.

Observing, being alert to the details, passing on important information, I want to give  you a wiff of the neighborhood zeitgeist, the mood that’s in the air.

Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn will also include vital links to information about: schools, services, parking, retail, food, books, movies, local artisans, writers, artists, activists, friends and neighbors.

Down the line there will be advertising about stoop sales, school, community, and cultural events in the neighborhood. Don’t be surprised if you see shops and services advertised, as well: I need to pay the rent (email me advertising information).

Keep reading as things evolve. And please send your observations and YOUR notes about what makes the Slope tick.

I’d LOVE to hear from you.

Yours from Brooklyn,
OTBKB