Monthly Archives: April 2009

Civics and Urban Life

South Slope’s Sidecar Bar & Grill Serves Food Until 4 am Every Night

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SIDECAR-front7 Hugh and I fell in love with Sidecar Bar and Grill last night. We went after the opening of the show of Mike Sorgatz's paintings at Red Horse Cafe on 12th Street and 6th Avenue. It was  about 10:30 and I was wearing uncomfortable shoes but I urged Hugh to walk up to 15th Street on Fifth Avenue.

"This is quite a trek," he said.

I told him not to be a stick-in-the-mud and to be adventurous because I was determined to give the place a try.

I'd been to Sidecar a few years ago for a blogger's cocktail party (organized by Brooklyn Based) and liked it quite a bit but hadn't been back and never tried the food.

We walked in and the joint was jumping, good music on the juke box and quick attention from a staff member standing near the door. A beautifully lit, beautifully designed restaurant, the owners have preserved much of the original detail of the space including really old signage on the wall in the back. They have a gorgeous tin ceiling and exquisite lighting.

At 10:30 or so, there wasn't even a booth to sit in but the waitress quickly led us to the counter that overlooks the kitchen, a great place to sit and watch the cooks cook, something Hugh and I love to do.

The waitress noticed Hugh's camera and asked, "How did you like the light today?" They launched into an interesting discussion of morning light versus late afternoon light. Just the kind of conversation Hugh loves. She then told us the specials.

We ordered the Brussel sprouts salad with mushrooms and onion. This unusual salad was incredibly flavorful and delicious. We also shared a delectable cheese burger and fries. For drinks our waitress selected an excellent Argentinean white wine for me and Hugh had  a bottle of Woodpecker. For dessert, the waitress suggested the bread pudding in bourbon and caramel with whipped cream and Hugh was not disappointed. Neither was I.

I asked the bartender (who I think is the owner) how late they serve food there. He told me that they serve food every night except Monday until four in the morning. FOUR IN THE MORNING.

"On Monday nights we serve gumbo," he told me. That's right: he said gumbo, that New Orleans dish of Monday is the kitchen night's off but they prepare a gumbo and they serve that until 4am on Monday. "People come in wanting their burgers, their fried chicken and I tell them try the gumbo. And they love it. Our chef is a very talented guy."

I told him that I am often looking for a place to go late on Tuesday nights with my writers group and most places in the Slope stop serving at 11 pm. I know I'm going to bring the group to try the Sidecar Sandwich, oven roasted turkey breast, bacon, cave aged gruyere, granny smith apples, thin sliced red onion and sun dried tomato mayo on grilled sour dough; Buttermilk Fried Chicken with “succotash” and root mash; the Sidecar Burger; The Bahn-De, a classic Vietnamese sandwich with grilled pork chops; Veggie Tacos filled with sautéed mushrooms and onions, roasted red peppers, roasted corn, marinated chayote, tomatillo sauce, sour cream and mixed greens and more. 

Sounds good, don't it. And I haven't even mentioned all of their interesting drink menu. Guess you'll just have to go up there to give it a try.

Civics and Urban Life

Love the Red Horse Cafe: Paintings by Mike Sorgatz, Great Music and More

IMG_2928 Last night I was invited to the opening of a show of paintings at the Red Horse Cafe by my friend Mike Sorgatz. There was also a a performance by Leslie Graves and Jason Fleitz.

 I am a big fan of Mike's paintings of New York City. His painting of the Brooklyn Bridge was used on the 2008 Blogfest poster. Of his work, Mike writes:

"Inspired by the controlled chaos and constant evolution of the city, my
primary subject is the urban landscape. I'm attracted to the energy of
crowds and the interactions that take place on the streets. Using an
improvisational method, I apply the paint with alternative tools such
as palette knives and spatulas. This technique gives the canvas a
highly textured surface as layers of paint are applied to build the
image."

Seeing Mike's show was a great excuse to finally make it over to the Red Horse Cafe for the first time and I must say it's the cafe we've all been wanting in Park Slope (and it's been here since 2006). A truly interesting vibe, interesting looking people, great music on weekends, food, art, coffee and wine.

Located on 6th Avenue and 12th Street, the Red Horse Cafe was opened in June 2006 by Brent and Carolina Whitson and obviously has a large, loyal following. It's a cozy and comfortable place with tables and couches in the back.

They serve coffee from Barrington and a wide
assortment of teas. They also have pastries and bagels,
sandwiches, soups, Dub pies and more! There's also a good selection of beer and wine.

Civics and Urban Life

Weekends at the Old Stone House: Photographs by Hugh Crawford

Eahugh
Essence and Accident: Photographs by Hugh Crawford at the Gallery at the Old Stone House.

Weekends April 1 – June 30, 2009.

The
gallery is open on Saturday and Sundays. It is also open by appointment.
Photographer Hugh Crawford will be in the gallery every Friday in April
and May from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m.

There is an opening celebration on Tuesday April 28th from 6-8 p.m. You are all invited!

292636852_6Y7hu-M Come on down and see the work you've come to love on No Words Daily Pix. Meet the photographer (pictured) on the 28th or any Friday night. All the photographs are for sale.

The Where and When

Essence and Accident: Photographs by Hugh Crawford

Opening celebration April 28th 6-8 p.m.
The Old Stone House in Park Slope
Fifth Avenue and Third Street
Gallery
is open on weekends. The photographer will be in the gallery every
Friday from 4-7 p.m. It is also open by appointment. Contact hugh AT hughcrawford DOT com
brooklyn beat

Brooklyn Beat: Coney Island Dreamin’

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Here is an excerpt from a brief report by Brooklyn Beat of Deep in the Heart of Brooklyn about a Saturday fternoon visit ot Coney Island, a neighborhood in transition that still contains multitudes
Coney Island Dreamin'.


It was a perfect day to hit the shore. Coney Island was bustling.
Ruby's Bar, which we had visited late last summer, was still open and
doing business, although a large banner outfront indicated stores for
rent, contact Thor Equities if you please. That was true of loads of
real estate on the beach, either closed or temporarily opened pending
the Thor Equities flip. Sure enough, Astroland was gone, but the
Wonderwheel was twirling in the warm spring breeze and the screaming of
the rollercoaster riders could be heard for miles. Sections of the
boardwalk here and there are gated pending much needed repairs. We
strolled all the way down to Brighton. Tatiana and Cafe Volna were
doing very good business on the day before the Russian/Eastern Orthodox
Easter Sunday tomorrow. Lots of happy strollers, tourists and hipsters
under a gorgeous sunny blue sky, folks out on the beach already,
anticipating the season of mellowing out. A bunch of guys with a
variety of instruments, set up on W. 17th street, for some free-form
Saturday afternoon jamming. We were there a little early, so the
hypno-techno- dance scene a few blocks down, was not yet in action.
And, oh yeah, the public restrooms were open and in pretty clean shape
so far. The Coney Island Museum had a nice crowd hanging outside, but
we didn't stop into see the sights, at least this time.
Civics and Urban Life

Songs From The New York Times: Leslie Graves

Last night I went to the Red Horse Cafe and heard the very talented Jason Fleitz  and Leslie Graves perform. Jason is a skilled guitar player with a gentle and soulful voice. He writes lovely songs. Singer/songwriter Leslie Graves, who also has a great voice, impressed me with her songs based on New York Times stories.

Apparently these songs were written for a show called Times 365:24:7 which played at Bone Orchard and The Brick Theater March 14th through April 11th. Missed it

Many people worked together to create this theater piece- the
actors brought in published news stories, interviews, and their own
perspectives to contribute to what became the script. It sounds like it was an interesting show.

Leslie Graves writes of the show:

Coming on as a sound designer fairly early in the process, I did not
know exactly what the piece needed sound wise. I gathered and created
what I thought might fit, and when I was at a loss I busied myself
writing little songs inspired by news stories – which is one of the
ways I create my own world/cocoon – writing songs. It was a relief to
write about other people’s stories and not consider myself. The songs
are not complicated and came out easily – maybe because I’m not
‘creating my own story’ in this process, it is allowing me to be less
critical. And also they feel fleeting – like news stories – here today,
gone tomorrow. But anyway, I have been having a light-hearted time
writing them.

Here are some songs. A few of them appeared in the show. The haunting song, Ms. Emily Upp, about a young woman that went jogging in Riverside Park and lost her memory, was my favorite last night. Some of the others are quite short, like Leslie says, fleeting.

recession psychosis
plane lands on the Hudson
no more appetite
Ms. Emily Upp
plane crashes near Buffalo
madoff goes to prison
la brain
woman hit with bow and arrow in the bronx
aig give it back
remote control killers/oh brave robot

Civics and Urban Life

Brooklyn Songwriters Exchange: In-the-Round at Union Hall on Monday Night

Mk_photo Monday night check out the Brooklyn Songwriters Exchange at their April show tomorrow: Monday, April 20 at 7:30 pm at Union Hall.

Rebecca Pronsky hosts an in-the-round show featuring Matt Keating, Sarah Donner, and Dan Blakeslee.  The four songwriters will perform solo, each sharing a song, then onto the next and so on, and back round again.

702 Union Street
Brooklyn, NY
7:30PM doors, 8PM show
FREE SHOW

About April's Performers:

MATT KEATING (from Manhattan and pictured):
"Beautiful and honest songs of substance and melancholy." ~ TimeOut London

DAN BLAKESLEE (from Boston):
"His
quirky, good-natured take on the world, his unguarded, animated
personality make him naturally engaging and entertaining.  ~ Spotlight
Magazine (Portsmouth, NH)

DSC_7000 SARAH DONNER (from Princeton, NJ pictured at left):
"The
tunes skip along; her peppy strumming and an eager, near-breathless
vocal style, keeping up with lots of self-deprecation and goofy
details" ~ The Onion

REBECCA PRONSKY (from Brooklyn):
"Songbird. With a brutal, cutting lyricism and a jazz trained voice, Ms. Pronsky is an act worth catching." ~ Ithaca Times
Civics and Urban Life

More Cost Cutting Measures at Brooklyn Museum

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Witmer_building481-h It's a sign of the times and sad news that the Brooklyn Museum is having a tough time during these tough financial times.

Or maybe I should say, it looks like they're being very proactive about cost cutting measures that will insure the museum's survival.

First they raised the price of admission from $8 to $10 for adults and $6 to $8
for senior and students. That was a bitter pill to swallow for some but understandable in light of the fact that the museum's admission fees were not on par with other NYC museums.

But there are other changes afoot as well. And these effect staff members at the museum, who have been offered voluntary "separation packages." Is that s golden handshake or something? Plans are also being developed
to implement a one-week furlough this summer
for all staff members (dates and details not released yet) while the Museum remains open to
the public. In addition, all higher-paid
non-union staff members will receive pay
reductions on a sliding scale.

Pay reductions on a sliding scale? Wow. Now that's a big and not very pleasant turn of events. But I guess it's better than massive layoffs that's for sure.

Here's the press release I received today from the museum.

Among measures to increase revenues
are a recent increase in suggested admissions
fees, from $8 to $10 for adults and $6 to $8
for senior and students, a commitment from
all Brooklyn Museum Trustees to maintain or
increase their financial support, and an
enhanced program of traveling exhibition
development.

The critical nature of these financial
challenges has led the Museum to make a
voluntary separation package available to
each staff member. Plans are being developed
to implement a one-week furlough this summer
for all staff members, details to be
determined, while the Museum remains open to
the public. In addition, all higher-paid
non-union staff members will receive pay
reductions on a sliding scale.

"These measures have been carefully
considered, along with additional means of
enhancing revenues, in order to minimize the
impact on our visitors and to allow the
Museum to continue to provide the same degree
of access and quality of experience to our
public, while maintaining our financial
stability. As with most other cultural
organizations throughout the country, the
economic downturn has created funding issues
that have forced extremely difficult choices.
These measures were developed over the past
several months and affirmed yesterday evening
by the Museum's Board of Trustees at their
regularly scheduled meeting," states Museum
Director Arnold L. Lehman.

The Brooklyn Museum is one
of 34 New York City cultural institutions
that comprise the Cultural Institutions Group
(CIG): each member is located on City-owned
property and receives significant capital and
operating support from the City to help meet
basic security, maintenance, administration,
and energy costs. Several segments of the
staff, including security guards, engineers,
and art handlers are members of DC37, a union
made up of New York City employees.

For the fiscal year 2009, which
began on July 1, 2008, the annual operating
budget of the Brooklyn Museum is $29 million.
Since FY 2008, City operating support to the
Brooklyn Museum has been reduced by 32%. The
value of these reductions in FY 08, FY 09 and
those currently proposed in FY 10 is $2.31
million, and additional cuts are possible.
The recent economic downturn has also created
a significant loss to the Museum's endowment,
which is currently valued at $65 million,
down from $93.1 million a year ago, as well
as substantial losses in earned and
contributed revenues. The Brooklyn Museum,
one of the oldest and largest art museums in
the country, currently has a staff of 281
full-time and approximately 40 part-time
employees.

Smartmom

Smartmom: Pining for a Foreign Affair

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Smartmom_big8 Is it spring break already? Wasn’t winter break, like, two minutes
ago? Smartmom and OSFO just got back from Crystal Springs Spa in New
Jersey — and who has the money to spend on another vacation?

Even a one-day one in New Jersey!

Despite endless talk of dark economic times, Smartmom has heard about quite a few people going on vacation to exotic places.

How do people do it? Caribbean cruises? Beach resorts in Puerto Rico and Cancun? Quick jaunts to Paris with three children?

Is it those Frequent Flyer miles that Smartmom can never get her act
together about, or do other people just have money in Ponzi-proof
brokerage accounts that enable them give their children those great,
jealousy-provoking vacations?

Smartmom wishes she could give her kids that kind of life. It would
be nice to get out of Brooklyn every now and again so that they could
go to the real Grand Canyon instead of the hamburger joint on Seventh
Avenue. Or they could learn to speak more French than La Bagel Delight
(that is French, isn’t it?).

Heck, she wishes she could be even half as worldly as her friend,
Best and Oldest, who manages to spend many weeks every year in Europe
with her kids.

Smartmom and her twin, Diaper Diva, traveled extensively when they
were young. Her father was transferred to the London office of his
advertising agency when they were 4-years-old and the family took a
real ocean liner to and from England and lived in a duplex near
Kensington Gardens for six months.

Smartmom remembers trips to Buckingham Palace, the British Museum,
St. Paul’s Cathedral, Harrods and a wonderful toy store called
Henley’s. They even made friends with an adorable little English girl
named Emma.

Those kind of memories are indelible. You never forget playing
wedding with your sister at Canterbury Cathedral or reading “When We
Were Six” in a farm house in Scotland.

Sadly, trips to other parts of the world have not been part of Teen
Spirit and OSFO’s childhood repertoire. And that, no surprise, makes
Smartmom feel guilty. She wishes that she and her children were
citizens of the world; the kind of people, who effortlessly know their
way around the airports of the world; who’s passports are covered in
country stamps.

Truth be told, Teen Spirit and OSFO don’t even have passports. Which
isn’t to say that they’re a bunch of stick-in- the-muds. The family
does travel to Northern California to visit the family farm twice a
year, and Hepcat did take Teen Spirit on that amazing cross-country
road trip when he was 10. Highpoints included the Andy Warhol Museum in
Pittsburgh, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, the Rocky Mountains and the
Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.

But it’s just not Europe or Asia.

Sure, there have been plenty of good reasons for staying close to
home: Work commitments. Making money. Not making enough money.

Initially, the main reason they didn’t travel was because traveling
with young children isn’t all that fun. Smartmom knows that trying to
do grown-up sightseeing with kids under the age of say, 9, can be a
disaster. Hanging out in playgrounds in Greece or Italy isn’t the point
of a vacation.

If they wanted to do that, why leave the Third Street playground?

But Smartmom knows that where there’s a will — and imagination —
there’s a way. And Smartmom’s kids aren’t little anymore. Lately, she
has fantasized about getting Eurail passes and taking them to the great
cities of Europe. That’s what Hepcat’s mother did when he was a
teenager, and Hepcat and his sister had a great time. Hepcat still
remember the pain of the ingrown toenail he had when they were visiting
the Matisse Chapel in Provence.

OK, so now Smartmom is on board, but there’s one problem: money is
low and anxiety is high. Smartmom and Hepcat, both freelancers, aren’t
sure where that next freelance job is coming from.

So this year’s spring vacation is a staycation like many of the
others. OSFO already went with Diaper Diva and Ducky to “Dora the
Explorer Live! Search for the City of Lost Toys” at Radio City Music
Hall and there are plans to see the Ringling Brothers & Barnum and
Bailey Circus at Madison Square Garden. Maybe they should schedule a
day at the Metropolitan Museum to see the great art of the world.

It’s the next best thing to being there, even if it isn’t quite.

Civics and Urban Life

Monday: Park Slope’s Theresa Rebeck Reads at Playwrights Horizons

Off-Broadway
theater Playwrights Horizons will present a special free reading and
signing with Pulitzer Prize finalist and Park Slope resident Theresa
Rebeck in honor of the upcoming paperback release of her acclaimed
novel "Three Girls and Their Brother."  The event will take place
Monday evening, April 20 at 8:00PM at Playwrights' Mainstage Theater
(416 West 42nd St betw 9th & 10th Aves, Manhattan), in advance of
the paperback’s release by Three Rivers Press on Tuesday, April 21 and
Ms. Rebeck’s play "Our House" at Playwrights, running May 15-June 21 on
the Mainstage.
At
the event, Ms. Rebeck will read excerpts from the novel, followed by a
signing of the book and her other works.  Copies of the new paperback
edition of "Three Girls and Their Brother," as well as select copies of
her other works, will be available for purchase on site.
In
"Three Girls and Their Brother," life in the Heller household is
changed forever after a photo of the three striking redheaded sisters
graces the pages of The New Yorker. Narrated in four parts from the
perspective of each sibling (the three sisters and their brother,
Philip) the novel follows the girls' journey from The New Yorker
feature to modeling for the industry's most exclusive fashion
magazines, attending New York City's trendiest events, and, inevitably,
making the front pages of the tabloids. But as the girls go from taking
high school chemistry tests to navigating the celebrity talk show
circuit, they quickly experience the drawbacks of living in the
spotlight. As the struggle for fame threatens to tear the family apart,
the siblings learn that, in the celebrity world of viciousness and
betrayal, their most important allies are each other.
"Three
Girls and Their Brother" was named one of the 10 Best First Novels of
2008 by Booklist and was awarded the American Library Association’s
prestigious Alex Award.  People gave the novel 4 out of 4 stars and
called it, “A deliciously wicked satire.”  Publisher’s Weekly called it
a “Hilarious first novel… Rebeck shines when Amelia gets cast in a
ridiculous Off-Broadway play… her insider’s look at the theater world
is spot on and uproarious.”  In a starred review, Kirkus called it “A
wickedly enjoyable exposé of modern celebrity.”   Entertainment Weekly
praised, “Rebeck is known for black comedy and hyper-intelligent
heroines, and both figure in her first novel, Three Girls and Their
Brother — a fizzy satire of celeb-obsessed NYC about flame-haired
teenage sisters who get photographed for The New Yorker and soon become
megastars. A-”  
The event is free and seating is limited.  To make reservations, call Rob Ribar at Playwrights Horizons at (212) 564-1235 ext. 3152 or e-mail marketing@playwrightshorizons.org
by 4/15.  Subject line “Rebeck reading.”  Be sure to include your full
name, number of reservations, and a daytime phone number where you can
be reached day-of in case of cancellation.

Postcard from the Slope

Ringling Brothers Coming to Coney Island This Summer

3196_1064576619466_1377515964_30219697_2240003_n Okay. We just paid a fortune to see Ringling Brothers at Madison Square Garden and now Vin Cipolla, President of the Municipal Art Society, writes to tell me that the Ringling Brothers Circus is coming to Coney Island this summer. They don't mention any dates or a location. But I'm all ears and will continue to research it.

"MAS congratulates the City of New York on its success in bringing Ringling Brothers to Coney Island this summer. The City has taken a vital step toward making Coney Island the world's greatest seaside stage once again.  To secure Coney Island’s revitalization we need this kind of exciting, interim programming while we also plan for its long-term future.”

The Municipal Art Society of New York, founded in 1893, is a non-profit membership organization that fights for intelligent urban planning, design and preservation through education, dialogue and advocacy. For more information, please visit  HYPERLINK "http://www.mas.org" www.mas.org.

Photo by Alice Crawford
model: ellie the elephant

Civics and Urban Life

Visit Hugh Crawford’s Show at the Old Stone House: Friday, Saturday & Sunday

Eahugh
Essence and Accident: Photographs by Hugh Crawford at the Gallery at the Old Stone House.

April 1 – June 30, 2009.

The
gallery is open on Saturday and Sundays. It is also open by appointment.
Photographer Hugh Crawford will be in the gallery every Friday in April
and May from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m.

There is an opening celebration on Tuesday April 28th from 6-8 p.m. You are all invited!

Come on down and see the work you've come to love on No Words Daily Pix. All the photographs are for sale.

The Where and When

Essence and Accident: Photographs by Hugh Crawford
Opening celebration April 28th 6-8 p.m.
The Old Stone House in Park Slope
Fifth Avenue and Third Street
Gallery
is open on weekends. The photographer will be in the gallery every
Friday from 4-7 p.m. It is also open by appointment. Contact hugh AT hughcrawford DOT com
WHY I WROTE THIS BOOK

Why I Wrote This Book: Cliff Thompson

Cliff[1](2) Another installment of OTBKB's occasional feature, Why I Wrote this Book, where Brooklyn authors share their latest work.

WHY I WROTE SIGNIFYING NOTHING
By Clifford Thompson

When I was growing up in the 1960s and ’70s in Washington, D.C., my grandmother lived with our family. She was very old, and from my earliest memories she was practically deaf. She was a beloved member of the family, but every move the family made had to be planned around her, because she couldn’t be left by herself.

Fast-forward three decades to Brooklyn, where I am writing a novel about a guy named Lester: 19 years old, developmentally disabled, and mute. Lester has never said a word, until the day he suddenly begins rapping at the top of his lungs, throwing his family into a tizzy. Even more than before, his parents, brother, and sister have to figure out what to do about Lester, which leads to conflicts with one another. I had written about a third of the story when it occurred to me that I was really writing about . . . my grandmother.

I think Signifying Nothing will appeal to anyone who has issues with members of his or her own family — in short, anyone.

Excerpt from Signifying Nothing:

“On a spring evening in 1979, in the house where he had lived all of his nineteen years, Lester Hobbs did what no one had ever heard him do: he spoke. One moment he was galumphing across the living room in his undershirt and jeans, skinny arms swinging, hands trembling slightly as they sometimes did; the next, he stopped, arms going stiff at his sides, neck craning forward, a fierce expression taking over his normally placid, baby-smooth brown face. His words were not spoken in the soft, halting way that a thirteen-month-old says “Momma” for the first time; they were full-throated, even loud, like the words of a man accustomed to speaking authoritatively, a drill sergeant or film director. Even more surprisingly, they not only made sense — they were delivered with rhyme and rhythm. In short, the boy was rapping . . .”

Civics and Urban Life

Learn How to Blog with OTBKB: 4/29. 5/6, 5/13 (Wednesdays)

 Yup. I'm teaching a three-session workshop at BAX (421 Fifth Avenue at 8th Street) and it's a great chance to learn how to blog. You will even be encouraged to start a blog during the workshop.

My workshop is part of of AccessBAX: Classes and Workshop for the Curious, Creative Adult. Pre-registration is required. To register call 718-832-0018. For more info: www.bax.org

The cost is $45 for the three sessions.

Learn how to blog with OTBKB, is a hands-on workshop for anyone interested in becoming a blogger and those who already blog but want to learn more. I will discuss a wide variety of blogging genres, including photo blogs.

Session 1: Introduction to Blogging
Session 2: Hands-on Blogging
Session 3: Next Steps

Postcard from the Slope

On Earth Day: No Paper Cups at Slope’s Red Horse Cafe

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IMG_2645_2 The Red Horse Café at 497 6th Avenue in Park Slope, Red Horse Café will celebrate the
planet by not serving beverages in disposable paper or plastic on Earth Day.

And there's more: On Earth Day (April 1  22 ), Red Horse Café will debut a new line of stainless steel and
ceramic mugs with the café’s rocking horse logo. Guests of the café are
also encouraged to bring their own mug to the café. Guests of the busy
neighborhood café are enthusiastically supporting the growing efforts
to become more green.

In addition to recycling, composting and reducing energy
consumption, “No Paper Cup Day” is the latest effort from the
husband-and-wife owners at Red Horse Café toward reducing the café’s
carbon footprint. In January 2009, the café launched an initiative
called “Bring Your Own Mug”. This initiative works similar to a coat
check, in which guests bring a mug from home and leave it at the café
on a shelf behind the bar. The guest takes a number that hooks onto
their keychain and then shows the number when they return to the café.
Thus far, “Bring Your Own Mug” has been a phenomenal success and guests
have said that they feel a sense of community by having their very own
mug at the café.

Most recently, Red Horse Cafe owner Carolina Whitson, in
collaboration with the Events and Marketing Coordinator, Carolyn
Gilles, built a solar powered horse and cart at a recent Solar 1 “I ♥
PV” event in Brooklyn. Upon testing the design and functionality among
other contestants, judges determined that the solar powered horse and
cart by the Red Horse team won a blue ribbon. The winning model is on
display at the café.

Photo by Carolyn Gilles

Breakfast of candidates

Monday on Breakfast-of-Candidates: John Heyer

On Monday on Breakfast-of-Candidates, OTBKB breakfasts with John Heyer, currently the assistant to Borough President Marty Markowitz, he is the only candidate for City Council born in the 39th district. A fifth-generation Carroll Gardener, his two passions are politics and theology. He works as a funeral director at Scotto's Funeral home and his knowledge of the history of the neighborhood runs deep though he is only 27 years old.

And in case you missed these:

Breakfast-of-Candidates: Gary Reilly. At 34 he's not quite the youngest of the candidates (John Heyer beats
him on that score) but he's plenty wet behind the ears and full of
enthusiasm about public transportation and other issues that affect voters.

Breakfast-of-Candidates: Bob Zuckerman. A long-time politico, Bob is currently
executive director of the Gowanus Canal Community Development
Corporation and  Gowanus Canal Conservancy.  He remembers the night
Richard Nixon was elected in 1968 (he was 7-years-old) and one of his
heroes is Harvey Milk.

Breakfast-of-Candidates: Brad Lander, The intellectual of the group, Brad has two master's degrees and
a BA from the University of Chicago. He made his mark running
community organizations like the Fifth Avenue Committee and Pratt
Center for Community Development, advocating for affordable housing and community sustainablility.

Breakfast-of-Candidates: Craig Hammerman.
As District Manager of Community Board 6, Craig is the nuts and bolts
guy. He's the candidate, who understands infrastructure and really
knows what its like to serve the public day in and day out for 19 years.

Breakfast-of-Candidates: Josh  Skaller. A former computer music composer at
Harvard, it was Howard Dean's presidential campaign that jumpstarted
his interest in electoral politics. As president of the Central
Brooklyn Independent Democrats, he learned to facilitiate dialogue  and
manage strong personalities. Running on a community empowerment
platform with a strong interest in the environment and smart
development, Josh is proud to be refusing donations from  real estate
developers.

Breakfast-of-Candidates: David Pechefsky. The Green Candidate, David worked for 10 years in the central staff of
the New York City Council. With a master's degree in public policy and
experience advising local governments in Africa, David knows how the
City Council works from the inside out and has ideas about how it could
better serve the people of New York City.

Civics and Urban Life

Tonight and Tomorrow at Irondale: Anthony Braxton and The Walter Thompson Orchestra

I just  heard from Joseph McCarthy, who happens to be the development director of the Irondale Center, and he wrote of this interesting cultural event: This Could Be Weird, Could Be Wild, Likely To Be Wonderful.

Check out what's happening at the Irondale Center, the new performance space on the second floor of the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church in Ft. Greene: Anthony
Braxton and Walter Thompson Premiere A
New Soundpainting Composition

Performed by Anthony Braxton, Walter Thompson, the Walter Thompson
Orchestra,
and the actors of the Irondale Ensemble Project

 

Walter Thompson Conducting

In collaboration with Soundpainter Walter Thompson and the Walter
Thompson Orchestra, MacArthur Fellowship-winning composer Anthony Braxton
– one of music’s most original composers and instrumentalists – will
premiere a new work. Mr. Thompson will combine Mr. Braxton’s Language Music
System with Soundpainting
– the multidisciplinary live – composing sign language created by Mr.
Thompson. The concerts will feature performances by Anthony Braxton, a
woodwind virtuoso and multi-instrumentalist, the fifteen musicians, and
actors of the Walter Thompson Orchestra and Irondale Ensemble actors.

April 16, 17, 18 at 7:30PM

Prices: $20.00 Adult | $15.00Student/Senior/Working Artist

Click here to buy now

Another Special Event: April 18 at 1PM

Irondale's
Big Box of Distractions

Walter Thompson will be running an interactive soundpainting workshop
with the Young Company and audience members. Since Walter spends a lot
of time in Sweden, they're serving Swedish finger
food as a treat!

Prices: $10.00 child + one adult | $5.00 each additional child |
$10.00 adult without child

Civics and Urban Life

Tonight and This Weekend: St. Matthew Passion at BAM

Apr 17, 18, 21, 22, 24 & 25 at 7:30pm

Music by Johann Sebastian Bach
Conducted by Paul Goodwin
Directed by Jonathan Miller

"Mr. Miller’s staging of the 'St. Matthew' proved a revelation."
— The New York Times

Renowned
for his highly original takes on operatic works, Jonathan Miller draws
out the full magnificence and drama of Bach’s final and most revered
Passion. Sung in English and pared down to its glorious essentials, his
singers—casually dressed—are placed with the musicians in the round,
granting the music an undeniable immediacy.

In an unprecedented
occurrence, BAM brings back this incomparable production which has
delighted audiences in its previous sold-out runs. With a cast
comprising many returning members, Miller again strips away the
traditional performance conventions of this sacred work, allowing us to
confront the emotion and humanity at the heart of this Passion.

BAM Harvey Theater
Running time: 170min with intermission

Subscription tickets: $24, 44, 64, 72
(Full price: $30, 55, 80, 90)

Music

OTBKB Music: Video: The Winterpills


It seems to be Massachusetts week here at OTBKB Music: first, Sarah Borges (Boston) Wednesday and The Winterpills (Northampton) today.

Although they are often referred to as "chamber pop," I always think of the Winterpills as a band which plays quiet music really loud. This video, a live appearance at a radio station, is a good way to understand what it is that The Winterpills do.

Tomorrow The Winterpills appear on a strong triple bill along with Brooklyn artists KaiserCartel and Lucinda Black Bear at The Bell House, 149 7th Street (near 2nd Avenue), Gowanus, 7:30 pm.

Civics and Urban Life

La Bagel Delight Opens New Location on Monday at 10 am

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And for the opening extravaganza Borough Prez Marty will be on hand to help cut the ribbon at the new Park Slope location of La Bagel Delight at
284 7th Avenue .

The new store will replace and expand on the
252 7th Avenue location. Since
1986, under the direction of partners Frank Bavaro, Dino Bavaro, Dominick Orlando,
Victor Carino and Michael Vazquez, La Bagel Delight has been preparing hand-rolled, boiled bagels for Brooklynites at their five locations, which also include 122
Seventh Avenue, 90 Court Street, 104 Front Street and an independently-operated
store at 73 Lafayette Avenue. There's also one in DUMBO on Front Street.

Civics and Urban Life

Calling All Caterers and Restaurants: Blogfest Needs Food

Zen_logo Are you a caterer or restaurant, that would like to provide delicious, easy-to-eat snacks at the Blogfest after-party at Galapagos Art Space????

The last couple of years we served Mexican goodies, fudge and Vegan bakery items but we're wide open to your ideas.

This is a great promotional opportunity. Think 300 hungry bloggers, many food and place bloggers, that will write about YOUR FOOD.

If you'd like to donate your food and services that would be great and you will be listed as a Blogfest sponsor on the website and at the Blogfest.

The after-party begins at 9:30 p.m. at Galapagos in DUMBO. We are expecting 300 bloggers…

If you can't do it for free, how about a big bloggy discount?

Call Louise at 718-288-4290 or email louise_crawford AT yahoo DOT COM

Postcard from the Slope

DOT to Close Third Street Vehicle Entry & Exit to Prospect Park

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Big news!  At Thursday's Community Board 6 transportation committee meeting, the DOT proposed the closing of the 3rd Street entrance/exit at Third Street. They also proposed the closing of the exit at 16th Street.

A project manager presented this plan (complete with Powerpoint of course) and said that planned closures help to strike "an appropriate balance between bikes/pedestrians/vehicles and will lower the amount of vehicular traffic in Prospect Park."

At Third Street the entrance area will be re-striped for bikers and pedestrians. To block traffic going in and out there will be French barricades, movable metal fences that are easily moved by emergency and maintenance crews.

When the Third Street entrance/exit closes, Grand Army Plaza will be the only way to enter the park drive. There is an entry/exit for Wollman Rink usage on the other side of the park.

Civics and Urban Life

DOT: Change Prospect Park West From 3 to 2 Moving Lanes plus a Bike Lane

I went to my first Community Board meeting. I am officially a local blogger! And what an interesting meeting it was!

The Department of Transportation (DOT) which has been addressing traffic calming issues for Prospect Park West for many years, presented a new plan to change Prospect Park West from three moving lanes to two moving lanes and to add a two-way bike lane, which they hope will really reduce traffic speeds and increase safety of pedestrians and cyclists.

Prospect Park West, which is 49 feet wide and sees approximately 1000 cars per hour (plus buses), does not require three lanes. It is their analysis that the extra space encourages speeding and bad driving because people are not as cautious when there is extra room. Additionally, there is no lane for bike riding and cyclists tend to ride on the sidewalk, which is a problem for pedestrians and results in tickets for the cyclists.

The DOT believes that the 1000 or so vehicles per hour could be accommodated in two moving lanes and that it would help reduce speeding. According to their studies, over 70% of the cars are speeding on PPW. The speed limit is currently 25 MPH. Between 2005-2007, there were 58 reported crashes and, thankfully, 0 fatalities.

Here's what the DOT is planning for PPW:

–Two moving lanes for vehicles.

–A  "protected" two-way bike lane next to the sidewalk

–Vehicle parking paces next to the traffic on the park side designated by paint stripes.

–Some kind of pedestrian "refuges" near crossing areas

–Warning signs for pedestrians about bike lanes and new signage for vehicles.

According to the DOT this plan brings PPW closer to the goal of "Complete Streets" which they define as streets, which accommodate every user: cyclists, pedestrians, autos and buses. The DOT has done something like this on 9th Avenue in Manhattan it is has been very successful in reducing speed and accommodating pedestrians and cyclists.

There was a mix of comments and concerns from members of the Community Board and members of the public, who attended the meeting. One man, who lives on 10th Street felt that the elimination of a third moving lane would be "a nightmare during peak usage time" when there are school buses and cars dropping off and double parking for school in the morning, little league baseball and Celebrate Brooklyn.

The project manager responded that the DOT would look to the community to locate high volume drop off areas on PPW.

Someone else wondered what would separate the bike lane from the parking lane. A DOT representative said that it would be just be paint stripes and added that this has been effective on Ninth Avenue because if someone parks in the bike lane there is a $115. fine.

There was also the concern that bike traffic going north would not be able to see traffic lights which are south-facing. It was suggested that additional traffic signals for northbound bike traffic be installed.

Someone asked if two vehicle lanes would be sufficient for Fire Department and other emergencies. A DOT representative said that the FDNY is always shown their plans and they make changes as necessary based on their assessment on access and safety.

Eric McClure of Park Slope Neighbors asked if they had looked at the possibility of a two-way PPW and two-way  8th Avenue, a measure that is supported by Park Slope Neighbors. The DOT representative responded that it wouldn't address traffic calming and it would complicate traffic issues at Grand Army Plaza if another "input" was added.

At the end of the meeting, the Community Board enthusiastically voted to approve the DOT's plan with the added suggestions that they add:

1. Additional traffic signals for north-bound bike traffic

2. Analyze high volume ares and make accommodations for drop off vehicles.

On the third Thursday of every month, the Transportation Committee of CB6 "routinely reviews any projects, studies
programs and services related to the use and condition of our local
streets, sidewalks and highways, including infrastructure projects
affecting the roadway subsurface.  The committee concerns itself with
matters pertaining to improving transportation safety, access,
circulation and mobility for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists.
Additionally, the committee regularly reviews intermodal transportation
issues including public transportation systems (rapid and surface), the
use of the airspace over the district, and maritime-based traffic."

The CB6 meetings are always open to the community.

Civics and Urban Life

Green Grows in Brooklyn With The Fifth Avenue BID

Earth Day The Park Slope 5th Avenue Business Improvement District is a newly
formed 30 block BID whose mission is to develop, improve and enhance the
economic, environmental and social welfare of the merchants, landlords and
residents of the BID area and all those who benefit from its commerce.

The BID is partnering wit the Park Slope Chamber of Commerce to support local recycling and
sustainability efforts and bolster the expanding green economy. 

The initiative, GREEN
GROWS IN BROOKLYN, coincides with Earth Day celebrations. “Keep an
eye out for the Green Tree in the window of participating businesses on both
Avenues who have signed on to collect donations in order to support local
recycling efforts in the community,” said Irene LoRe owner of Aunt Suzie’s and
Executive Director of the Park Slope 5th Avenue BID,  who
is leading the campaign.

This is the first of a series of efforts by the
Park Slope 5th Avenue BID to increase awareness around the issue of
recycling—as well as to create some real community-based resources in the
neighborhood to supplement existing NYC city recycling programs. Donations
from participating merchants and customers will go directly into creating more
recycling drop-off spots and expanding e-waste events in Park Slope. Given the
recent suspension of city e-waste programs around the five boroughs, the
program is more needed than ever.

“There is a real demand for recycling locally,”
said Samantha Delman-Caserta, co-owner of 3r Living,
“and the need exceeds local capacity.” LoRe concurred. “Recycling not only
addresses issues of environmental degradation, but is a major source of jobs,
innovation, and insight—and the BID wants to be at the fore of this issue,” she
said, “it is not only good for the environment, but good for the economy and
overall health of the neighborhood."

The Park Slope5th Avenue BID takes
its broader campaign message seriously, working with entrepreneurs and local
nonprofits to educate the community about the benefits of recycling for the
environment and community. Stay tuned for the results.  To date, merchant participants include Get Fresh Table & Market, 3 R
living, Bob & Judi's Coolectibles, Corduroy Kid and Aunt Suzie's
Restaurant.

Green
Grows in Brooklyn

Date/Time:     The week of Earth Day (April 22nd)

Location:        Park
Slope, Brooklyn

Contact:         
Irene LoRe, Park Slope 5th Avenue BID: 718-637-1955;
parkslope5avbid@aol.com