Artist Lisa Bauer: Art in Brooklyn
Contents under pressure: Brooklynometry
Do not ignore your own flesh: Water Over Rocks
Prayer is how to manage contradictions: Old First Blog
Another year and we remember, 2010: Truth and Rocket Science
On getting lost…and the art of the accidental: The Writer and the Wanderer
The Bad Plus record release: Do the Math
Otto Dix at the Neue Gallery: The Spiral Staircase
Yesterday a friend, whose 8th grade daughter is applying to public high schools, called in a panic because she’d heard a rumor that the students who score into the specialized high schools (Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Tech, Bronx Science, etc.) get their pick of the other high schools and the rest of the students get their left-overs.
My friend’s daughter isn’t planning on taking the specialized test because she isn’t interested in attending Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Tech, Bronx Science, Brooklyn Latin, etc. Still, my friend was concerned that not taking the test would put her at a disadvantage for getting into the high school of her choice.
I knew it couldn’t be true that kids who didn’t take the test were in this way penalized so I called Joyce Szuflita of NYC School Help, who is something of a public high school admissions guru in these parts. We spoke on the phone for an hour and then she said she’d do a blog post on the subject. I was relieved because my notes were a mess and I was a little confused about the whole thing anyway — all the talk of algorirthms, etc. Here is an excerpt from her very informative blog post called, “Don’t shout “algorithm conspiracy!” in crowded middle school.”
It has been brought to my attention that there is a belief among 8th grade parents that the students who score into the specialized HS get their pick of the high schools and the rest of the students get their left-overs.
To the best of my knowledge this is untrue. I have been chasing the details of this process for years, and here is what I understand from talking to the people who understand the algorithm, the timing of the running of the algorithm and the people at the DOE who work in the secret magic cave where the computers do their work.
First, just to throw a trickle of water on this fire, the DOE can be accused of a lot of things but no one can doubt that they go to crazy lengths to try to be fair and whether they succeed or not (and often they don’t), the conspiracy theorists can calm themselves knowing that this is one of the DOE’s first mandates…
I left my house yesterday at about 5:15 to make my way over to The Rockwood Music Hall to cover a 6pm show. So when the tornado hit Park Slope I was somewhere underground on the F Train. The performer, Alana Stewart, made it to The Rockwood a few minutes late and a bit soaked, but put on a fine show anyway.
I was able to take some nice shots at Tuesday’s The Bowery Ballroom performance by The Watson Twins. You’ll find them here at Now I’ve Heard Everything.
Finally, The Baseball Project (Steve Wynn, Linda Pitmon, Scott McCaughey and Peter Buck) have come through once again on their promise to post a monthly topical baseball song. September’s installment is titled DL Blues and no matter which team you may root for, you know all about the Disabled List. You can play and download your own copy of the song here at Now I’ve Heard Everything.
–Eliot Wagner
I know, I know, I’ve spent the summer trying to figure out where to watch Mad Men on AMC. By now, you’re probably thinking we should just get cable. But here’s my question, where should we watch Boardwalk Empire, HBO’s new series about Atlantic City during prohibition starring the great Steve Buscemi as Nucky Thompson?
Are there any local places that are going to have their TVs tuned to HBO Sunday at 9PM? Steve Buscemi is a local Park Slope treasure dontcha think?
Mad Men is on at 10PM (and 11PM) right after the show.
It’s Friday, post-tornado in Park Slope, and I’ve been scouring the listings for the best and funnest stuff to do this weekend. I know where I’ll be on Sunday night: Watching Steve Buscemi on HBO’s long-awaited Boardwalk Empire. Yom Kippur starts on Friday night but there’s still much to do this weekend i.e. movies, music, theater, comedy and TV…
Here’s the latest from the Brooklyn Bridge Rehabilitation Project on Brooklyn Bridge closures (Note: “contraflow” means the re-routing of eastbound, or Brooklyn-bound, traffic onto the north–normally Manhattan-bound–side of the Bridge):
Friday, September 17th [and early morning Saturday, September 18] will be the last eastbound contraflow operation for approximately three weeks. Ongoing work will occur on two of the three lanes of the south roadway, but one lane will remain open for Brooklyn-bound traffic. Manhattan-bound traffic will be on the north roadway, as it was pre-construction, and will not be diverted to the Manhattan Bridge.
The eastbound contraflow is happening tonight [Thursday, September 16 and Friday morning, September 17] (11:00 pm to 6:00 am) and tomorrow night (12:01 am Sat until 7:00 am Sat), and then will stop completely on weekends and weeknights for approximately three weeks. There will still be some lane closures on the bridge, but the eastbound contraflow will not occur.
The National Weather Service still doesn’t know whether to classify last night’s storm, which spread through Brooklyn and Queens killing one woman whose car was hit by a tree, as a tornado.
Those of us who were on Seventh Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn, when the storm twisted through the neighborhood and wreaked havoc, have no doubt. And the damage, according to the NY Times, “bore many of the hallmarks of a tornado, with the tops of countless trees sheared off and roofs blown off houses, but National Weather Service were still analyzing data to determine whether it should be classified as one.”
One thing is for sure: those winds of 60 to 80 miles an hour caused widespread damage, including downed trees, smashed vehicles, homes and power failures in Brooklyn and Queens.
It looked like a tornado, it felt like a tornado, t acted like a tornado, it damaged like a tornado
Sounds like a tornado.
The following is a message from City Councilmember Brad Lander responding to last night’s tornado in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
Dear Neighbor:
As too many of us know first-hand, earlier this evening a fierce, fast-moving thunderstorm moved through our area, causing significant damage throughout Brooklyn and Queens. In addition to lighting and heavy winds, there were reports of a tornado touching down in Park Slope.
Downed trees caused serious damage to homes, stores, and cars throughout our neighborhood. Quite a few streets remain closed at this hour, and I know some of you will be dealing with severe damage in the days ahead. Fortunately, injuries seems to have been limited. Schools will be open tomorrow (it is true that two large trees fell right in front of MS 51, but they did not damage the building, and they’ve assured us that school will be ready to start on time).
Below is some emergency management information if your home or vehicle suffered any damages during the storm. Thanks to the NYPD, FDNY, Parks Department, and others for their quick response (locally, they helped at least one family who were trapped inside their house).
The most heartening thing I saw on my walk around the South Slope tonight was neighbors on every block helping each other clear debris, move downed trees, sweep up glass, and even help a neighbor find a place to stay.
We’d like to build on that spirit tomorrow and over the weekend. I’ve talked to some people tonight that could use some help, and I’m sure there will be more. If you’ve got a few hours in the next couple of days to help clean and remove debris — or if you could use a bit of help from neighbors — email my office at lander@council.nyc.gov, or call us tomorrow at 718-499-1090. If you leave a message or send an email, please include your name, contact info and times you are available to help.
-Brad
How to Get Help:
If there is a life-threatening situation (a downed power line, dangerous debris) call 911.
If there is significant debris that is blocking the street or a fallen street tree, please call 311. Feel free to email your report to my office as well, after you call 311, and please include your 311 confirmation number.
If your house is uninhabitable, call the Red Cross for emergency assistance 1-877-RED-CROS
If you have a power outage, call Con Ed at 1-800-75-ConEd or www.coned.com.
If you have lost phone service, call Verizon at 1-800-837-4966.
If you have debris on your property that the city cannot take care of and you are physically unable to do so, email or call my office to see if we have volunteers that can help.
If urgent items, such as blocked streets or crushed cars, are not dealt with by mid-day tomorrow, or if you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free reach out to my office at 718-499-1090 for help.
Continue reading Tornado Message from City Councilmember Brad Lander
We’d love to know.
By 6PM, the tornado that twisted through Park Slope was over and the wind and rain had ceased, but the storm left much damage in its wake.
The front windows of Brooklyn Industries on 7th Avenue and 9th Street blew out, as did the shop’s front door. The shop itself was water soaked.
Street after street there were downed trees, crushed vehicles, and damage to homes and shops.
On 10th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, a tree fell on two cars. There were many branches and parts of trees in the street and on the sidewalks of that block.
On 5th Street between 6th and 5th Avenues, a fire truck blocked the street to cars because a tree crushed a car on that street preventing traffic to go through.
Awnings, windows, chairs, tables: all kinds of things went flying during the intense storm earlier this evening.
My daughter reports that the sky was green before the onset of the storm, which is a sure sign of a tornado. She was in Pino’s Pizza when the tornado hit. “The windows were shaking and rattling. A woman tried to come in through the door but she couldn’t get it open. When it finally opened, it pushed her against the wall,” she told me.
Susan Fox of Park Slope Parents watched the tornado from her apartment windows and told me that a friend of hers claims to have seen a cone/funnel shape in the sky.
At 5:35 PM a tornado twisted through Park Slope, Brooklyn. I was on 7th Avenue in Dashing Diva (getting a pedicure) when the sky darkened like night and rain came pouring down in wild zig zag sheets. Suddenly wind was banging against the windows and blowing the glass doors of the nail shop violently open and shut. The employees were terrified and one customer said aloud: “Should we go into the basement?”
One of the manicurists locked the doors just as we heard glass falling on the sidewalk. Turns out a window from the House of Whimsy, a decrepit corner building on 2nd Street and 7th Avenue, came crashing onto the street.
By 6PM the wind had stopped beating and the rain subsided a bit. From the salon I could hear the sound of shopkeepers sweeping glass off of the sidewalk. Seventh Avenue was filled with rain water and water was pouring into the basement of Met Food, a grocery store on Seventh.
Adults and children came out of their homes to discuss what they’d just seen and heard from their homes. Many described the tornado as frightening.
“I opened my window because there was so much banging I thought it would break,” one neighbor told me. “Wait until you see the damage on Third Street. The pine tree in front of C’s building is down,” she said.
Walking home to Third Street between 7th and 6th Avenues I saw many, many tree branches and parts of trees lying on the sidewalk. My daughter just called to say that a whole tree was down in the turf field behind the Old Stone House, a historic museum near Fourth Avenue.
My sister was in Prospect Park with her daughter attending a PS 321 class picnic that started at 5PM. At approximately 5:35, the rain began and the parents and children started to leave the park. “As we walked out of the par torrential rains drenched us and panicked the people we were with. Everyone was screaming. No one could see in front of them. A tree fell right in front of us. There was an apocalyptic feeling. People had abandoned their strollers to run out of the park. I saw strollers turned over and abandoned backpacks. I ended up carrying a stroller (with the baby in it) for one of the babysitters to get out of the park. We went into the lobby of a building on Prospect Park Park and 3rd Street. Children were crying. While we were walking home we saw a tipped over mail storage box. It was really scary. I was terrified,” my sister, Caroline Ghertler, told me.
Photo: the photo was sent into Twit Pic and I saw it at the City Room blog. It’s 6:56PM and No Words Daily Pix is getting his camera and running out to take pictures.
Where can you see…
–a three-dimensional map of the lower Manhattan skyline made of a Jell-O-like material by Liz Hickok
–an anxiety map of the five boroughs lit by sweat-powered batteries by Daniela Kostova and Olivia Robinson
–a “Loneliness Map” from Craigslist’s Missed Connections by Ingrid Burrington
–a scratch-and-sniff map of New Yorkers’ smell preferences by Nicola Twilley
–a cemetery map of Polish ancestors’ graves by Kim Baranowski
–an installation constructed from city ephemera by Pratt faculty member Robbin Ami Silverberg
–personal maps created from a call for submissions by the Hand Drawn Map Association including works by Tony Dowler, Will Haughery, Janine Nichols, Yumi Roth, Gowri Savoor, Rob Servo, Krista Shaffer, Kees Touw, Dean Valadez, and Shane Watt
–a series of mapped reflections on the extinction of the passenger pigeon and the ascendancy of the rock dove by Miranda Maher
–a New York subway map in Urdu by Pakistani artist Asma Ahmed Shikoh
????
Pratt Manhattan Gallery will present “You Are Here → Mapping the Psychogeography of New York City,” an exhibition of work by a selection of contemporary artists that will map the emotional terrain of the world’s most famous and influential urban center, New York City, and explore the effect of the city’s powerful moods on those who live and work here. “You Are Here” will run from September 24 through November 6, 2010, and will be celebrated with an opening reception on Thursday, September 23 from 6–8 PM. The exhibition and opening reception are free and open to the public.
Crossing the street at 9th Street and Fourth Avenue just got a whole lot less dangerous.
Park Slope City Council Member Brad Lander and other Park Slope and Sunset Park pols and community leaders joined DOT Commission Janette Sadik-ahn to unveil pedestrian countdown clocks, which are set to be installed along the length of 4th Ave from Pacific to 65th Streets and on 3rd Ave from Prospect Avenue to 63rd Street, display numbers that count down the number of seconds remaining before the “flashing hand” phase turns solid red.
Those signs have proven to be a big help for pedestrians at dangerous crosswalks because they can decide whether there is enough time to cross the street safely and reduce the number of pedestrians still in crosswalks during the “do not walk” phase of the light.
Continue reading New Pedestrian Countdown Clocks in Park Slope
You know I love lists (Park Slope 100 and all that) and here’s a fun one that was just announced over at CHOW.com, who announced their second annual CHOW 13, a baker’s dozen of the hottest, most interesting foodies, including NYC butcher Tom Mylan, of The Brooklyn Kitchen.
Each year, CHOW editors examine the most exciting developments to take place in food over past months and identify the individuals who inspired these trends. These people represent the culinary climate of 2010-the creative people who are making the trends happen. Some of them are well-known, others are up and coming.
This year’s winners represent a wide range of this year’s food trends, including school lunch reformer Ann Cooper; Dennis Crowley, co-founder and CEO of Foursquare, the app that’s turned going out to eat into a game; and
New Orleans chef Susan Spicer, an advocate for Gulf-area businesses affected by the oil spill.
The mayor and members of the City Council are proposing smoke free parks (and other public areas) in New York City. What do you think?
It’s Thursday and here’s my first stab at the best and funnest stuff to do Thursday-Sunday. Yom Kippur starts on Friday night so I’ll be at Kol Nidre. But after Sundown on Saturday: Time to Party!
Movies:
Tonight, Sept 16, at 7PM at BAM: A sneak peek of: It’s Kind of a Funny Story with a Q&A by directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck. In this New York City-set comedy-drama from the directors of Half Nelson and Sugar, 16-year-old Craig (Keir Gilchrist of United States of Tara), stressed out from the demands of being a teenager, checks himself into a mental health clinic. There he learns that the youth ward is closed and finds himself stuck in the adult ward. One of the patients, Bobby (Zach Galifianakis), soon becomes both Craig’s mentor and protégé. Craig is also drawn to another 16-year-old, Noelle (Emma Roberts). With a minimum five days’ stay imposed on him, Craig is sustained by friendships on both the inside and the outside as he learns more about life, love, and the pressures of growing up.
Last Train Home, Meserine Pts 1 & 2 (Thurs only), The American, The Town, I’m Still Here at BAM
Music:
On Friday, Sept 17 at midnight at Union Hall: Karaoke Killed the Cat is the infamous karaoke dance party for people who never thought they’d like karaoke. Hosted by the frenzied duo of Chris Goldteeth and Lord Easy, they have been changing the world’s view of what karaoke can be since 2003. Karaoke Killed the Cat brings together equal parts vocal chord shattering sing-along and booty popping dance party. Mix in sprinkles of crowd surfing, choreography and feats of strength; the result is a party unlike any other.
Saturday, Sept 18 at 8PM at Barbes: Joel Forrester is best known for leading the Microscopic Septet along with Phillip Johnston – as well as having written the theme to NPR’s Fresh Air….He has also been leading his quintet (which can sometimes be a quartet) for number of years. The band plays Forrester’s compositions which go from his quirky re-interpretation of Hard-Bop (which he learned directly from his one time teacher Thelonious Monk ) to cubist boogies and other pure idiosyncrasies.
Theater
Thursday through Sunday at 7:30 PM (Sunday at 2PM) at The Church of St. Joseph in Prospect Heights, Murder in the Cathedral, a site-specific production of TS Eliot’s play.
Comedy
This weekend at the Bell House: Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival
The Farm On Adderley and Sycamore in Ditmas Park present their second annual Pig Roast on Sunday, September 26th from 2-8pm. Chef Tom Kearney will be roasting a 100lb pig, from Fleishers Grass Fed and Organic Meats. The roasting begins Saturday evening, and carries on through the night. Food will be available around 4pm for $25/plate.
By the way, you can’t have a roast without great beer, so to wash it down, Lagunitas Brewery of Petaluma, CA will be pouring $5 pints of five of their delicious seasonal and sessional beers. There will be live music as well.
There are limited tickets available online at www.sycamorebrooklyn.com or at brownpapertickets.com. There will also be some additional tickets at the door.
Farewell, Kempt
I used to shave each morning
And comb my wayward hair
And don formfitting Levis
To add a dash of flair.
But that’s become a remnant
Of a time that’s wholly past
And nothing–not even perfection–
Can ever hope to last.
Many were affected when the MTA recently cut several bus routes, including Park Slope residents who lost the B71. That’s why NYC has introduced a new program to provide van service along select discontinued bus routes.
This pilot program will help reduce the negative impact of the MTA’s service cuts and allows residents greater accessibility to other buses and subways.
According to the NY Times, Community Transportation Systems and four other companies have been chosen by the Taxi and Limousine Commission (now run by former Park Slope Councilman David Yassky) to participate in Group Ride Vehicle Pilot Program. This company began service on Monday; the four other commuter-van operators, which will run along the former routes of the Q79, B23, B39 and B71, will begin on Sept. 20 and 27.The price to ride the vans will be $2, cash only — no MetroCards, unlike city buses. Riders will be able to request unscheduled stops along the driver’s route. This pilot program is meant to last a year at which point the Commission will determine its success.
When we were in Berkeley, California, the first American city to ban smoking on sidewalks throughout its business districts, I worried that my stepmother might get arrested for smoking outdoors.
And now it looks like she may have trouble in NYC, too.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg and members of the City Council are talking about banning some outdoor smoking as well.
Today a bill will be introduced in the City Council would prohibit smoking in all 1,700 city parks, 14 miles of city beaches, public marinas and even pedestrian plazas, like the one in Times Square.
According to City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, some of Times Square would allow cigarette smoking. People would still be able to smoke on sidewalks.
For Bloomberg it’s about second hand smoke and the health risks of being around smokers.
According to the city about 75% of litter on city beaches is cigarette butts.
Yes, smoking is gross. But should smokers not be allowed to smoke outdoors. What do you think?
Upstate farmhouses: CasaCara
Budget friendly bathroom makeover: Limestone Adventures
Historic house in Bay Ridge: Reclaimed Home
This ring was a book: My Coney
Macarons: My Coney
Season Six of Design Matters: Swiss Miss
It’s Thursday and since I didn’t get around to yesterday’s Food & Drink Bloggage, here goes.
Campo de ‘Fiori: NY Times
Best chocolate cake in the world: A Cake Bakes in Brooklyn
Salmonella at farm traced to 2008: NY Times
Next-Door Shipping in Bushwick: Eat It
Brunch at Brooklyn Label: Eat It
The Milk Truck at the Bklyn Flea: Serious Eats
Traif in Williamsburg: Serious Eats
Ox Cart Tavern: Ditmas Park Blog
Breakfast at Cafe Tibet: Ditmas Park Blog
The Church of St. Joseph and the brand-new Brooklyn Arts HQ present a site-specific production of T.S. Eliot’s Murder in the Cathedral.
Directed by OBIE-winner Alec Duffy and featuring original music by Jonathan Larson Award-winner Dave Malloy
Murder in the Cathedral runs from September 16th—October 2, 2010 at The Church of St. Joseph. 856 Pacific Street, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
One of Brooklyn’s most majestic cathedrals will celebrate the power of the performing arts with a production of T.S. Eliot’s timeless play, Murder in the Cathedral.
OBIE Award-winner Alec Duffy (Three Pianos) helms Nobel writer T.S. Eliot’s classic poetic drama – last staged in New York over 10 years ago – in a dynamic, site-specific production featuring a diverse cast, thrilling staging and an original musical score by Jonathan Larson Award-winning composer Dave Malloy (Beowulf: A Thousand Years of Baggage). The play will be staged at The Church of St. Joseph, 856 Pacific Street (at Vanderbilt Avenue) in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.
Previews begin Thursday, September 16, with opening night on Saturday, September 18. Performances continue through Saturday, October 2nd, running Thursday through Saturday evenings at 7:30 pm, and Sunday afternoons at 2 pm.
Continue reading Tom Martinez, Witness: “Murder in the Cathedral”
On September 23rd at 7PM Brooklyn Reading Works presents the second annual Young Writers Night, fiction, poetry and song by New York City teenagers. “In planning this event, I looked for artists with fresh insight, candor and guts.” writes curator Jill Eisenstadt, author of From Rockaway and Kiss Out. Young Writers should be an exciting night and a preview into the next generation of published writers.
Young Writers is an all ages event at the Old Stone House. Third Street and Fifth Avenue in Park Slope. Suggested donation of $5 includes refreshments.
Readers include Hananh Frishberg, Maria Robis-Somerville, Noah Miller, Banks Harris Lily Konigsberg and Gussie Roc. For their bios click on “read more.”
Hannah Frishberg is a Sophmore at Bard High School Early College. She loves New York City, and spends a good deal of my time working with kids, on the F train, or making jewelry out of household objects. This is her second year participating in Young Writers Night at the Old Stone House, and she is excited to be back!
Maria Robins-Somerville is a Sophmore at the Beacon School. She is happyto be participating in the Brooklyn Reading Works for the second year in a row. Other than writing, she enjoys theater, cooking, and spending time with friends.
Noah Miller is a Freshman a Hunter College High School. He is the winner of a Scholastic Young Artists Award and will be published in BEST TEEN WRITING OF 2010
Gussie Roc is a sophomore at Saint Ann’s School in Brooklyn. She’s been studying poetry since she was in kindergarten. Her favorite author is Harper Lee . Her dream, to move to Paris and/or make an Academy Award winning film about an issue that really matters to her.
Banks Harris is currently attending the Eugene Lang College the New School for Liberal Arts. She has been published in Best Teen Writing 2008 and has received numerous awards for her short stories.
Lily Konigsberg has been a fixture on the youth music scene in Brooklyn since she was 14. She has made her name as a singer songwriter on the acoustic circuit and the writer, lead-singer and rhythm guitarist of the band, Macon Dead. In the past two years, Lily has performed at all ages venues across New York City, including the Cake Shop and the Tank in Manhattan and Dead Herring and Goodbye Blue Monday in Brooklyn.
The Park Slope Civic Council is sponsoring a design competition for a new Third Street entrance gateway to Prospect Park, to replace the existing New York City standard movable barriers. The new design will address the following criteria…
Continue reading Competition: Design Gate for Entrance to Prospect Park
Second Dan been called Oasis without the posturing. They are a New York City based band, although the Melbourne accent of lead singer, Dan Rosen, might lead you to conclude otherwise. Their lead guitarist, Adam Lerner, is also a photographer. As for their music, you can call them rock and power pop.
But if you don’t get yourself down to The Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2 tonight, you’ll have to wait until 2011 to see Second Dan. And that would be a shame, because this band is tuneful, loud and fun. Get full details here at Now I’ve Heard Everything.
–Eliot Wagner
You can find a full listing of the results of primary 2010 at NY 1. In case you haven’t heard:
–Eric Schneiderman is the Democratic candidate for New York’s Attorney General.
–Carl Paladino is the Republican candidate for New York Governor.
–Rick Lazio is the Conservative candidate for New York Governor.
–Kristin Gillebrand is the Democratic candidate for US Senator from New York.
See the NY1 returns for all the local races that I haven’t mentioned yet.