PARK SLOPE FOODIES

The strollered tot would not stop squirming,

Annoying his mom a bunch,

Till finally she threw down the gauntlet:

"Stop, or no sushi for lunch."

pix by Jleighb

It was so cool having two bookstores right around the corner. Seventh Avenue Books and Park Slope Books both added so much to the intellectual landscape of Seventh Avenue between 3rd and 2nd Street.

First Seventh Avenue left. Now Park Slope Books.

I feel like a spurned book lover.

A few
month’s ago Henry’s tutor asked if there was a Bible in the house and
we couldn’t find one. Omigod there’s no bible in the house That explains a lot.

A few days later I went into Park Slope Books and bought a beautiful edition of the Torah and New Testament.

Park Slope Books was great for those kind of impulse purchases. And I’m so glad to have those religious tomes around.

Every inter-faith household needs a Torah, a New Testament…

What will we do when we need a quick Torah, an anthology of international poetry, a copy of some book by an author we discussed at dinner.

Sadly, Park Slope Books is nearly done moving all of their books out of the store. The packing went fairly quickly.  Now it’s just bookcases in there.

The store has an outpost in Brooklyn Heights called Brooklyn Heights Books. The owner is a friend of my father. I’ll have to find out why they decided to close the shop.

My guess: high rents and low revenues. But maybe it’s something else. You never know. Tom, the owner of Seventh Avenue Books claimed that sales were pretty good in his shop. But then again he was trying to sell the shop.

Truth is, Tome sold for personal reasons and maybe Park Slope Books reasons are personal, too.

You never know.

pix by Phil Moore

Brooklyn Industries on Seventh Avenue moved into its new corner space on 9th Street and temporarily vacated the store next door while workmen fix/refresh/renovate things in there.

Next week, the two storefronts will become one when a sheet rock wall is removed. Voila: a bigger Seventh Avenue Brooklyn Industries.

Some new merch in the shop but still a lot of sale items. If you’re a small size maybe one of the long down jackets will fit you. The price is good.

They’re selling woolen hats and scarves for $9 bucks.

Bank space goes red (Gowanus Lounge)

Park Slope Books closed (Gowanus Lounge)

Brooklyn Industries in new location (Gowanus Lounge)

Storefront catacombs at 4th Avenue station (Brooklynometry)

Gowanus as national historic landmark? (Brownstoner)

A Third Street neighbor, who works at a Starbucks in Manhattan, assured me that the milk foam in lattes and cappuccino’s at Starbucks will be much improved because of Tuesday’s re-training sessions at all 7,100 shops.

At the re-training sessions, employees were trained in the art of making frothy foam. Turns out, the majority of Starbucks baristas were doing it wrong.

My Third Street neighbor was an exception. One of the top three baristas at his Starbucks, he’s been doing it right all along I am proud to report.

From now on, he said, the coffee drinks should taste much, much better. The company, which has sales of over $9 billion dollars, has seen it’s profits plunge since 2006. They’re scared and are attempting to get back to basics to salvage their falling market share.

According to some reports, stores opened yesterday with a sign urging customers to complain if their drink wasn’t "perfect".

I haven’t been to the Seventh Avenue store since last week but am interested to see if things are different over there.

While I’m not a big fan of Starbucks coffee, I do like the staff at our local Starbucks.

To my knowledge Wednesday was the first time there was a tasting table at the Park Slope Food Coop—if I’m wrong about that I’m sure someone will correct me.

I felt like I was at Trader Joe’s or Costco.

Indeed, the  tasting table across from the refrigerator case that has eggs, Indian sauces, tofu, tempeh, and other refrigerator items, gave the Coop a mainstream supermarket vibe. Shoppers seemed surprised to see the free brownies. But few seemed to object—that’s for sure.

The women were promoting individually wrapped Greyston chocolate fudge, walnut, expresso bean and blonde brownies that the Coop will be selling.

I grabbed two pieces of blonde brownies by the toothpick and savored the delicious treat. When I went back to the table for more I noticed that the packaging said Ben and Jerry’s on it.

"I see Ben and Jerry’s is on the label," I said.

"Yes, we make the brownies for their ice cream," said one of the women from Greyston.  "It’s a good fit for the Food Coop. I wish we could come here every day," 

That’s Ben and Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie she’s talking about. That flavor contains chunks of yummy, chewy Greyston brownies. According to the Ben & Jerry website, Greyston provides employment and training to economically disadvantaged
residents of Yonkers. Ben & Jerry’s likes Greyston because "we get great tasting brownies and we also get to
support the good work they do to create economic opportunities in their
community."

So Greyston are social activist brownies and that’s why they had a tasting table at the Food Coop. That makes sense.

From the Greyston website:

Greyston Bakery is a force for personal transformation and community
economic renewal. We operate a profitable business, baking high quality
gourmet products with a commitment to customer satisfaction.

Greyston
Bakery provides a supportive workplace offering employment and
opportunity for advancement. Our profits contribute to the community
development work of the Greyston Foundation.

According to the Greyston Foundation website, they don’t hire people to make brownies, they make brownies to hire people.

The Foundation provides jobs, workforce development, low income housing, child care services, after school programs, comprehensive HIV health care, housing, community gardens and a gourmet baking business. In 2007, the foundation celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2007.

Clyde Haberman: Crystal ball is cloudy (Brooklyn Heights Blog)

No run for Bloomberg (New York Times op-ed)

Independents best in bed, republicans the worst (Brooklyn Optimist)

Teaching journalism in Bhutan (Andrea Bernstein’s blog)

RIP: William F. Buckley, Jr (New York Times)

Earn an A and you can use your cell phone at a few Brooklyn middle schools (NY Times)

$60 million gift to SUNY Stonybrook from hedge funder (NY Times)

Gowanus Green in detail (Gowanus Lounge)

Online petition to link G to Atlantic Avenue station (Gowanus Lounge)

Well, the construction workers wouldn’t talk but the nice man in the newsstand had no problem spilling the beans about the new restaurant going in where Tempo Presto used to be. And speaking of beans, black beans, that is…

"A Mexican restaurant is going in there," the newsman told me Wednesday afternoon.

"Did Tempo Presto go out? a customer asked the man behind the counter. Where you been? I thought to myself.

"Three months ago. They were only there, what, six months?" the shopkeeper looked at me for confirmation.

"Yeah six, eight months," I concurred not really sure how long they’d been there.

"I never went there," his customer replied.  "Not much room in there for a restaurant."

"They’re going to have outdoor seating," the newsman said.

"But that’s only good in the warm weather," the customer laughed.

"Maybe they’ll put in a tent like Sette," I added pointing the Italian restaurant across the street.

"They’ll have to pay for the heat," the newsman said.

"That’s expensive," the customer said and walked out with his cigarettes.

Dr. Phillipa Gorden, a well-regarded pediatrician in Park Slope, put the word out on Park Slope Parents about two cases of measles in the area. She started with this concise post.

Not
sure
if
this
has
been
reported
yet,
but
there
is
a
little
outbreak of
measles
in
Brooklyn
—
and
it
is
homegrown,
not
imported
from
another country.

I am guessing that some PSP members got a little agitated. One woman, a self-described hypochondriac, wrote to say that she appreciated the heads
up,
but wondered what she’s supposed
to
do
with this
information? 
Watch
for
fever
and
red
spots? 
Avoid
indoor
public
germfests
like
B&N?

Dr. Gordon sent out this second post to allay her fears. But it sure contains some scary information.

Sorry
everyone,
I
did
not
mean
to
start
a
panic. It’s
only
2 cases! 
 

The
primary
case 
contracted
the
disease
and
passed
it
on
to an
unimmunized
family
member. 
But
why
it’s
interesting
is
that
the index
case
had
not
been
out
of
the
country, 
which
means
he
or
she
was exposed
to
the
disease
within
New
York
City.

Since 
the
mid-nineties, almost
all
cases
of
measles
have
been
imported
–either
visitors
to
USA from
other
countries,
or
US
residents
returning
from
trips
abroad. 
From a
public
health
point
of
view
this
is
extremely
interesting. 

Measles outbreaks
can
only
occur
when 
so-
called
"herd
immunity"
fails
—
that
is,
when
the
number
of
susceptible
people
in
a
community
increases
to
a
certain
percentage,
transmission
occurs,
but
if
the
number
of susceptible
people
in
a
community
is
low,
the
community
cannot
sustain an
outbreak. 

So
it
raises
questions
as
to
the
status
of
our
community with
regard
to
herd
immunity,
and
the
Dept.
of
Health
will
be
watching carefully. 
Occasionally
they
have
to
institute
quarantines
—
some
may remember
that
last
year
there
was
an
outbreak
of
chicken
pox
at
321
and the
DOH
came
and
sent
home
children
who
had
no
proof
of
immunity. 

Interestingly,
if
a
disease
becomes
very
prevalent,
some
people
who
are
immunized
will
catch
it
anyway.

As
far
as
what
we
as
parents
need
to
worry
about,
if
your
child
is
immunized,
no
problem. 
The
disease
consists
of
fever,
cough,
runny
nose,
conjunctivitis,
and
a
lacy
red
rash. 
Also
spots
inside
the
mouth
called
Koplik’s
spots. 
Kids
under
5
are
more
at
risk
for complications. 
Acute
encephalitis
causing
permanent
brain
damage
occurs in
one
out
of
a
thousand
cases,
and
death
occurs
in
one
to
three
out
of a
thousand
cases. 
In
addition
there
is
a
chronic 
irreversible degenerative
central
nervous
system
syndrome
known
as
subacute sclerosing
panencephalitis 
that
is
very
very
rare
and
has
hasn’t
occurred
in
the
US
in
many
years.

As
children
are
infectious
one
to
three
days
before
symptoms
occur,
it’s
a
crap
shoot,
but
staying
home
if
your
child 
have
fever
or
rash,
and
making
sure
your
child’s
immunizations
are
up
to
date
if
you
do
intend
to
vaccinate
them
are
the
best
bet
for
now.

Brooklyn Reading Works presents THE MEMOIR-A-THON!

This is the Brooklyn Reading Works
event you won’t want to miss. Never heard of a Memoir-A-Thon?

That’s
because I made it up. It’s sort of a marathon reading of memoirs—but it
won’t be long and boring.

No way. That’s because the writers are each limited to 6 minutes and that will be strictly enforced by my little bell.

At 6 minutes: ding, ding, ding.

And what a group of writers: Branka Ruzak, Mary Warren, Marian
Fontana, Paula Bernstein and Elyse Schein, Nica Lalli, Kim Larsen,
Carla Thompson and MORE…

Come to this great event and hear the personal stories of these
unique writers. Books by these authors will be on sale at the event
which is at the Old Stone House at Fifth Avenue and Third Street.

PAULA BERNSTEIN & ELYSE SCHEIN are the authors of Identical Strangers: A Memoir of Twins Separated and Reunited,

MARIAN FONTANA is the author of A Widow’s Walk, a memoir of 9/11. 

NICA LALLI is the author of Nothing; Something to Believe In, a memoir of growing up an athiest.

BRANKA RUZAK has
been
a
writer,
producer
and
editor
for
commercial
and corporate
advertising
who
spent
many
childhood
hours
listening
to
her father’s
stories
and
playing
Croatian
folk
music.
Always
an
avid
traveler,her
studies
in
Hindusthani
classical
music,
as
well
as
her
enthusiasm
for Indian
novels,
textiles
and
a
good
cup
of
chai
have
taken
her
to
India
and other
destinations.
She
is
currently
working
on
a
collection
of
essays
about family,
identity,
culture
and
travel.

MARY WARREN is a freelance writer who teaches English at a local college. SHe has two blogs, Mrs. Cleavage’s Diary and Eat, Drink, Memory.

CARLA THOMPSON writes a blog, "The Ride: Life
Lesson for Those Who Can’t Draw a Straight Line", which features her
acerbic and sometimes witty musings on everything from politics to pop
culture. Carla has also written a variety of articles for Women’s
eNews, Black Enterprise, AOL Black Voices and the Atlanta
Journal-Constitution among other publications.

KIM LARSEN’S feature story, "Bad Blood," which
reports on the reintroduction of DDT in the fight against malaria in
Africa, is the cover story in the winter 2008 edition of OnEarth
Magazine. Her essay about the untimely death of a close friend appears
in the essay anthology, "The Oldest We’ve Ever Been."

PAMELA S. OUELETTE Pamela S. Ouellette is a speech language pathologist currently working with school-age children in the South Bronx and an adjunct lecturer at Baruch
College, CUNY.  She is writing a collection of not-so-comic,
not-so-nonfiction about her work with adults with traumatic brain injuries
entitled "Addled: Capering Amidst the Wisdom of the Traumatically Brain
Injured," about a recently divorced speech language pathologist who
attempts to discover who is more addled–she or the patients she treats and
learns that shattered minds can resuscitate arrested hearts.

JULIE MERZ (BIO TO COME)

Remember Richard Grayson? Funny literary guy, author of I Brake for Delmore Schwartz, And to Think that He Kissed Him on Lorimer Street and With Hitler in New York?

He’s a sometime-columnist for OTBKB and writes about Brooklyn bus rides and his high school English teacher.

Well, today he told me something interesting. Maybe he’ll write about it:

I did go to something on Sunday afternoon at Bluestockings that was kind of interesting, a meeting of planners’ reading group at which they discussed a sociology book Bargaining for Brooklyn, a study of community-based organizations in Bushwick and Williamsburg
in the late 1990s.  I didn’t write anything about it because it was
pretty academic although I will probably at least skim the book.

That’s because I went to the ribbon cutting ceremony without Hugh. No Hugh_No Camera. I did have my iPhone with me but I forgot about that camera.

The place looks great. The 1/8th of a mile Olympic sized track is awesome. But don’t take my word for it. There are sure to be gobs of pictures tomorrow. I saw some photographers there. And Channel 12…

LEAP INTO LITTLE BOXES

Leap Year Day, that calendar curiosity,
Comes to Brooklyn with velocity
Bringing crossword puzzlers Friday
Hoping each to make it "My Day"
In the annual competition
For their peers’ recognition
As the verbal king or queen
Of the
Up-and-Down-word scene.
The American Crossword Puzzle Tournament,
Otherwise known as Connecticut’s ornament,
Shifts to Brooklyn (with its subway trains)
In the search for more room–and more brains.
Which is how the Brooklyn Bridge Marriott,
Famed for its ballroom and commissariat,
Landed the World Series of puzzles,
Sport of head-slaps and of
nuzzles.
Founder and director Will Shortz
Of course will be there with retorts
To questions of style and suitability,
Issuing rules of enforceability.
Six hundred crossworders will keep heads bent
At the the weekend-long event.
Shortz, the New York Times puzzle master
Overseeing the race-to-be
faster,
Won matinee idol movie status
Starring in "Wordplay" with charm apparatus.
Soft of voice, the ideal boss,
Will never utters a word that’s cross.
Brooklyn’s crossword-off welcomes visitors,
All except vocal kibitzers.

Yesterday there was activity in the Tempo Presto storefront—a radio playing jazz and people inside moving around, cleaning up.

Strangely, there were also workmen moving metal pipes and other objects from the abandoned and boarded-up building on Third Street into a rental moving truck.

That’s the mystery building on Third Street next door to Tempo Presto.

"What’s going on?" a Third Street neighbor asked me. Any activity in that neglected building is big news on Third Street.

"Dunno," I said. "I asked one of the workmen if the building had been sold and he said no. But maybe that was the wrong question."

"I think the city owns that building," my neighbor told me. "It’s been vacant for more than ten years."

More like 14 years. My guess is that someone wanted all that metal. It’s worth some money, isn’t it?

It was encouraging to see activity in that building which has been boarded up for as long as I’ve lived here. Back in 2001  it looked like the building was being turned into condos and there was consistent work going on there.

After 9/11 everything stopped. Either the money dried up or someone connected with the project was affected by 9/11.

There’s been almost no activity there. Until yesterday.

Pix of armory/recreation center (Gowanus Lounge)

Park Slope Family Theater Closing (Gowanus Lounge)

Ft. Hamilton Army Base head tapped to work under General Petraeus (NY Daily News)