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Civics and Urban Life

We Love Our Firefighters in Park Slope

We love our firehouses and firefighters in Park Slope because they’re such a vital part of life around here. That’s why there’s a big neighborhood rally tonight (Thursday) at 7PM in front of Engine 220 on 11th Street between 7th and 8th avenues, one of the firehouses that Mayor Bloomberg has slated for closure.

We need and depend on our local firefighters for emergencies of all kinds. They’re there. They’re on it. The response time is fast, their dependability is solid.

After 9/11, we truly understand their level of commitment and the profound, mortal risks they take for the public good. We vowed never to forget the sacrifices they made on that day (and on other days) and the men and women who were lost.

I remember in the weeks and months after 9/11 waving to the guys from Squad 1 and 220 every time they rode by in their trucks. It was such an emotional time.

Firefighters are, quite simply, part of the fabric of this place we call home. Sure, you can reduce what they do to a spread sheet. But that’s so reductive and short-sighted. Think about all they do:

Firefighters control and put out fires, they perform search and rescue at fire emergencies, provide pre-hospital emergency medical care, and perform fire safety education. Think of those class trips and the way they inspire children.

They also enforce laws, ordinances, rules and regulations regarding the prevention, control and extinguishment of fires and  to non-fire emergencies including terrorist activity, hazardous materials incidents, vehicle accidents, water main breaks and utility emergencies.

Need I say more?

Politicians try to measure things and balance budgets. But the relationship between a community and its firehouses is special and hard to measure. They contribute in ineffable ways to the texture of our lives and the ways that we feel safe.

Come rally in support of Engine 220. They deserve it and so do we.

The rally is being held to demonstrate the depth of community outrage over cuts to public services that are basic to public wellbeing, while the Mayor refuses to lend his support to the millionaires’ tax that could mitigate some of the need for cutbacks. Join Assemblymember Jim Brennan, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, Senator Eric Adams, Yvonne Graham, Deputy Brooklyn Borough President, Steve Buscemi, Marian Fontana, Al Hagan, President, Uniformed Fire Officers NS Jim Rallis, Former Captain, Ladder 122 at the 7PM rally.

arts and culture

OTBKB Music: The Jim Keller Band Plays Tonight

Back in the early 80s, Jim Keller wrote the still ubiquitous 867-5309/Jenny and was part of the band that recorded it, Tommy Tutone.  That band broke up shortly after that and Jim kept working as musician.  After a few years, he put his guitar away and ended up working for the music company of composer Philip Glass, licensing Glass’s music.  About five years ago, Jim dug his guitar out of the back of the closet and started writing and performing again.  The Jim Keller Band is made up of some of New York City’s musical mainstays (including Chris Masterson).  One thing for sure, these guys know how to rock.  See the details about tonight’s show at Now I’ve Heard Everything by clicking here.

–Eliot Wagner

Civics and Urban Life

Thanks for the Autograph (and Happy Birthday Bob Dylan)

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Me and Bob Dylan go back, way back. I mean, not only is he the voice of my generation, he’s the voice of my life. I’ve been listening to his records and singing his songs for decades now. When I was 11, my parents gave me a vintage leather jacket (from Ridge Furs on 8th Street) and a Bob Dylan songbook.

I loved that aviator’s jacket. But that songbook. That was my bible for so many years because as a budding singer/songwriter, that was my music.

Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright. Bob Dylan’s Dream. All I Really Want to Do. Blowin’ in the Wind. A Hard Rains’ A Gonna Fall. These were the songs I sang sitting on my bed, strumming my Maderia guitar.

And the albums: Freewheeling Bob Dylan. Highway 61 Revisited. Blonde on Blonde. Self Portrait. Nashville Skyline. Blood on the Tracks: the music of my childhood.

I saw Bob Dylan and the Band at Madison Square Garden, at the Arena in Binghamton, NY, at Radio City Music Hall, at Madison Square Garden with Tom Petty, at Madison Square Garden during his born-again phase, at Madison Square Garden in concert with Joni Mitchell.

Best of all: I saw Bob Dylan on Eighth Avenue in Park Slope across the Street from the Montauk Club back in June 1999 on my son’s birthday. He was wearing a cowboy hat and was roaming around with a photographer, and stopping to chat with people. I asked him for an autograph and he signed his name on the back of an American Express billing envelope I had in my bag. Luckily I didn’t mail it.

About a year later my son bought me The Definitive Bob Dylan Songbook for my birthday. He’d told me for days that “I’d probably start to cry when I opened it.” And he was right.

Happy Birthday, Bob.

Civics and Urban Life

Save This Park Slope Firehouse: Rally Today at 11AM

Mayor Bloomberg has proposed closing 20 firehouses and 8 of them are in Brooklyn, including Engine Company 220, located at 530 11th Street in Park Slope.

The community is fighting it and there’s a demonstration this morning.

Join Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, Councilmember Brad Lander, Councilmember Elizabeth Crowley  and Borough President Marty Markowitz will join Park Slope and Windsor Terrace residents THIS morning to rally against the closure. If the Bloomberg Administration is allowed to proceed with this closure, response times at fires will increase dramatically for Park Slope and Windsor Terrace residents. Arrival of the second engine necessary to get water on the fire would rise from 4:08 to 5:24 (a 30% increase). The elected officials and residents will call on the Mayor to explore other savings or revenue options, rather than seeking to save $55 million by putting lives at risk.

WHEN: Wednesday, May 25 at 11am
WHERE: Engine Company 220, 530 11th Street, Park Slope, Brooklyn
WHAT: Rally and press conference
WHO: Residents of Park Slope and Windsor Terrace, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, Councilmember Brad Lander, Councilmember Elizabeth Crowley, Uniformed Firefighters Association President Steve Cassidy, Uniformed Fire Officers Association President Al Hagan

arts and culture

OTBKB Music: Israel Nash Gripka’s Goodbye Ghost

Suppose back in 1971 that Neil Young and John Fogerty decided to put out a record together.  It certainly would have been one of the best records of the year.  That never happened, but Israel Nash Gripka‘s new record, Barn Doors and Concrete Floors certainly sounds like that pairing and is in the running for many best of the year lists.  See the video of Goodbye Ghost from BDCF at Now I’ve Heard Everything by clicking here.

–Eliot Wagner

arts and culture

OTBKB Music: New Video from The Little Willies

The Little Willies (Lee Alexander, bass; Jim Campilongo, guitar; Norah Jones, vocals and piano; Richard Julian; vocals and guitar; Dan Rieser, drums) had not played together since 2007 until they got together again about six weeks ago for two secret shows at The Rockwood Music Hall.  There is a excellent video shot  at their March 31, 2011 show which features some great vocal interplay between Richard and Norah waiting for you at Now I’ve Heard Everything.  Just click here to see it.

–Eliot Wagner

arts and culture

A Letter To Tiger Mom, Wicked Stepmothers, Babeland and More at Edgy Moms

You won’t want to miss: A Letter to Tiger Mom from Anaconda Mom at this week’s Edgy Moms.

Also just added: Barbara Ensor, will read about the stepmother to end all stepmothers from Cinderella (As If You Didn’t Already Know the Story).

And as another added treat: we will be raffling off some interesting items from Babeland, including their fabulous new book, Moregasm: Babeland’s Guide to Mind Blowing Sex. Says O Magazine: “The writers are as down-to-earth and funny as your closest friend.”

So what is an Edgy Mom?

She’s feisty and fun and a little bit zany. She whines to her friends and can be a bit of a martyr. She fantasizes about taking long trips without her children. She lets her kids have dessert before dinner and reheated pizza for breakfast. And she NEVER remembers to bring Cheeros or tissues to the playground. Except when she does and then she feels victorious.

Her kids have seen her fight with their dad, yell at her mother and curse her sister on the phone. They’ve watched her cry. She’s been know to throw away her children’s old toys and art supplies when they’re not around. And then pretend she doesn’t know where they are when they ask.

And she knows NEVER to miss Edgy Mother’s Day because it’s a blast and the wine is free.

Join us for this stellar line-up of writers, including Paola Corso, Jennifer Hayden, Judy Antell, Nancy McDermott, Sophia Romero, Yona McDonough and special guests who will rock you and  shock you, make you laugh, cry, cheer and look at motherhood in a whole mother way.

See you on Thursday, May 19, 2011

@ The Old Stone House

Third Street between Fourth and Fifth Avenue in Park Slope’s Washington Park

Note: due to construction in the park enter on the Fourth Avenue side of the house

Curated by Louise Crawford and Sophia Romero

$5 donation includes free wine and snacks.

Photo of a lovely mermaid mom at the Coney Island Mermaid Parade by Hugh Crawford

arts and culture, Music

Eszter Balint & Chris Cochrane at Barbès 8PM

Tonight at Barbes at 8PM, I can’t think of anything better to do than this:

Eszter Balint & Chris Cochrane:  Jon Pareles of The New York Times has this to say about singer. songwriter and violinist Eszter Balint: “Miss Balint has her own film noir sensibility as a songwriter. She puts arty twists into back-alley Americana… but the cleverness is not the point. She slips inside her characters to project their restlessness and longing.” In addition to two releases of her own, Eszter Balint has also appeared on recordings by Michael Gira’s Angels of Light, Marc Ribot’s Los Cubanos Postizos, and John Lurie’s Marvin Pontiac’s Greatest Hits among many others. Balint recently toured with Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog, featured as special guest on violin and vocals. Eszter Balint will be performing some of her brand new material during this residency, accompanied by one of New York’s most inventive and fiercely passionate players, guitarist/composer/songwriter Chris Cochrane.

376 9th St. (corner of 6th Ave.) Park Slope, Brooklyn

arts and culture

OTBKB Music: Joey Ramone and General Johnson Take a Ride to Rockaway Beach

It really felt like summer this weekend, so in honor of the warm weather finally finding us, I’ve posted a video of The Ramones‘ song, Rockaway Beach over at Now I’ve Heard Everything.  It’s a classic soul rearrangement by General Johnson, lead singer of The Chairmen of The Board (their big hit was Give Me Just a Little More Time), and sung by him and Joey Ramone.  To see the video, just click here.

–Eliot Wagner

arts and culture, Civics and Urban Life

The Brooklyn Eagle on Brooklyn Blogfest 2011

The following is an article about the Brooklyn Blogfest 2011 by Samuel Newhouse of The Brooklyn Eagle:

Who are bloggers, exactly? Well, they’re people who love to write about the little things that matter to them — whether it’s the unique behavior of a homeless person on the sidewalk or talking about how to bake the “Lazy Day” cake.

No one’s sure whether it’s the Brooklyn magic that makes borough residents blog about their day-to-day thoughts and observations or vice versa. But at the 2011 Sixth Annual Brooklyn Blogfest at the Bell House in Park Slope, bloggers of all stripes were in attendance.

Cooking and restaurants are popular topics for blogs, as is Brooklyn’s thriving music scene. Many bloggers just write about their little observations of life.

Some are dedicated, daily bloggers, while others are infrequent gadabouts.

However, the blogfest’s keynote speaker, Jeff Jarvis, urged attendees to consider the enormous potential for “advocacy blogging” and “citizen journalism.” He believes there is an untapped market for commercial networks to post their ads on blogs that could make blogging a real career, thereby improving the blog “eco-system.”

“Our holy quest is to try to find ways to support your work as a business because we believe if we can support it, more will come,” said Jarvis, professor of media at CUNY’s Graduate School of Journalism. Jarvis said the decline of print media has left, for example, dozens of former Star-Ledger journalists unemployed in northern New Jersey. Ironically, their area is woefully undercovered in media.

If there was a commercially viable way for these writers to cover their neighborhoods and make a living as “citizen journalists,” they would help the communities, Jarvis suggested, by providing in-depth coverage of everything from potholes to politics.

“The glory days of the Brooklyn Eagle are gone,” Jarvis said, possibly unaware of this paper’s existence. “You are the new Brooklyn Eagle.”

Speaking of the Brooklyn Eagle, read the rest of this article at that very newspaper’s website.

arts and culture

May 19: Edgy Moms at The Old Stone House

This is not your mother’s Mother’s Day, it’s Edgy Mother’s Day, an annual reading of writing about motherhood and mothers by writers with sharp pens and sharp wits (presented by Brooklyn Reading Works).

As an added treat: we will be raffling off some interesting items from Babeland, including their fabulous new book, Moregasm: Babeland’s Guide to Mind Blowing Sex. Says O Magazine: “The writers are as down-to-earth and funny as your closest friend.”

So what is an Edgy Mom?

She’s feisty and fun and a little bit zany. She whines to her friends and can be a bit of a martyr. She fantasizes about taking long trips without her children. She lets her kids have dessert before dinner and reheated pizza for breakfast. And she NEVER remembers to bring Cheeros or tissues to the playground. Except when she does and then she feels victorious.

Her kids have seen her fight with their dad, yell at her mother and curse her sister on the phone. They’ve watched her cry. She’s been know to throw away her children’s old toys and art supplies when they’re not around. And then pretend she doesn’t know where they are when they ask.

And she knows NEVER to miss Edgy Mother’s Day because it’s a blast and the wine is free.

Join us for this stellar line-up of writers, including Paola Corso, Jennifer Hayden, Judy Antell, Nancy McDermott, Sophia Romero, Yona McDonough and special guests who will rock you and  shock you, make you laugh, cry, cheer and look at motherhood in a whole mother way.

See you on Thursday, May 19, 2011

@ The Old Stone House

Third Street between Fourth and Fifth Avenue in Park Slope’s Washington Park

Note: due to construction in the park enter on the Fourth Avenue side of the house

Curated by Louise Crawford and Sophia Romero

$5 donation includes free wine and snacks.

Photo of a lovely mermaid mom at the Coney Island Mermaid Parade by Hugh Crawford

arts and culture, Civics and Urban Life

2011 Brooklyn Blogfest Photobloggers Tribute

This year’s wonderful Photobloggers Tribute was produced/edited/and with music composed by Adrian Kinloch Click on the link and go to Brit in Brooklyn for this montage of photos of Brooklyn from some of the borough’s best photobloggers including images of Coney Island, Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Atlantic Yards and the Federation of Black Cowboys and more. The video features the work of Jonathan Barkey, Tracy Collins, Hugh Crawford, Atiba Edwards, Efrain John Gonzalez, Jill Harrison, Fank Jump, Adrian Kinloch, Nathan Kensinger, Heather Letzkus, Tom Martinez, Matthew Nedbalsky, Claude Scales, Eliot Wagner, Lara Wechsler and Barry Yanowitz.

2010 Photobloggers Tribute

2009 Photobloggers Tribute Part 1

2009 Photobloggers Tribute Part 2

2008 Photobloggers Tribute

Civics and Urban Life

Transcript of Blogs Aloud 2011

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Here is the transcript of Blogs Aloud 2011 directed by Elizabeth Palmer of Midnight Cowgirls. These parts were performed by Nancy Graham, Charlotte Maier and Elizabeth Palmer. And they were AWESOME. Thanks to all the bloggers whose posts were included in this performance.

Woman #1:              My husband sometimes does not change his underwear for DAYS. He said his record is five days and he had, in fact, gone three the weekend before during the baseball tournament (in 500 degree weather and 100 percent humidity). It was so bad, he laughed, that he’d thrown the boxer briefs out rather than risk my finding them in the laundry basket. (Effed in Park Slope)

Woman #2:              Lately, I’ve avoided writing about a lot of things that have come up for our family, just because I can’t get out of my head who might be reading this. Do I want all those folks to know some of the negative things I wish I could say? No. So I haven’t written them, and I’m not going to.

Woman #1:             I do believe that this will be my last post. I would like to thank you all for stopping by, because you people out there are the only reason I have kept it up for the past year or so. There were times when I was really into the blog, but now unfortunately it has become more of an obligation and that’s no fun at all. I think I prefer to be a blog reader rather than a blog writer. (Found in Brooklyn)

Woman #3:     You know how sometimes you go to the public library to do some work or hang out or whatevs. And then after awhile you realize that you’re not really getting anything done, and so then you start texting some friends, but no one is answering you back? So then you try talking to the dude next to you until you realize that he’s homeless and is having a convo with a head of lettuce that he’s dressed up with a

wool hat and drawn eyes on with a black magic marker? And then you’re just like: hmm…maybe I’ll just pull up some hardcore pantyhose porn and jerk off right here at the public computers? Just me? (Effed in Park Slope)

Continue reading Transcript of Blogs Aloud 2011 →

Civics and Urban Life

Blogfest 2011 Program

THE BROOKLYN BLOGFEST 2011

The Bell House

May 12, 2011

OPENING VIDEO by Gabriela Herman

WELCOME by Louise Crawford of Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn

BLOGS ALOUD with Charlotte Maier, Nancy Graham and Elizabeth Palmer

-With selections from: Brooklynometry | Found in Brooklyn |Truth and Rocket Science | Kensington Stories | A Cake Bakes in Brooklyn | Fucked in Park Slope | With Charlie | Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn | Midnight Cowgirls

INTRO TO THE BIG PICTURE by Atiba Edwards, Visual Stenographer and F.O.K.U.S.

THE BIG PICTURE produced and with music by Adrian Kinloch, Brit in Brooklyn

INTRO TO THE KEYNOTE by Max Robins, vice president and executive director of The Paley Center for Media’s Industry Programs, blogs at The Robins Report. He was editor-in-chief of Broadcasting & Cable magazine and an editor and columnist at TV Guide and Variety.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Jeff Jarvis, author of What Would Google Do?, blogs about news and media at Buzz Machine. He is director of the interactive journalism program and the new business models for news project at CUNY’s Graduate School of Journalism.

CLOSING REMARKS by Louise Crawford

BLOGS-OF-A-FEATHER: Intro and Directions by Atiba Edwards

BLOGS-OF-A FEATHER: Special interest break-out groups for networking and information sharing in various parts of the room.

Eclectic with John Guidry | Journalistic Ethics with Brenda Becker & Eliot Wagner |So You Want to Blog: Louise Crawford & Cathryn Swan of Washington Square Park Blog | Parenting with Nancy McDermott | Place and Hyperlocal with Dan Myers & Joseph Teutonico Sheepshead Bites | Culture and Arts with Eleanor Traubman & Mike Sorgatz,| New Business Models for Blogging with Jeff Jarvis of Buzz Machine | Food, Craft, Fashion with Phyllis Bobb | Photo and Video: Atiba Edwards of Visual Stenographer

BLOGFEST CREDITS

Founder and Director: Louise Crawford

Event Coordinator: Atiba Edwards

Stage Manager: Larry Lopata

Blogs Aloud Written by: Elizabeth Palmer

Blogs Aloud Actors: Nancy Graham, Charlotte Maier, Elizabeth Palmer
Opening Video by Gabriela Herman
The Big Picture: Produced/edited/music by Adrian Kinloch

DeeJay: Sharrie Sutton

Webmaster and Photo Booth: Hugh Crawford

Poster designed by: Mike Sorgatz

BROOKLYN BLOGFEST WISHES TO THANK: Jeff Jarvis, Max Robins, The Bell House, all the BOAF facilitators, all the photographers in The Big Picture, all the volunteers, Atiba Edwards, Mike Sorgatz, Elizabeth Palmer, Adrian Kinloch, Gabriela Herman, Larry & Melissa Lopata, Sharrie Sutton, Lesley w, Marion Hart and Hugh Crawford, Charlotte Maier, Nancy Graham and everyone who came out tonight!

arts and culture, Civics and Urban Life

Big Fun Brooklyn Blogfest at The Bell House

I want to thank everyone who came out to the 6th Annual Brooklyn Blogfest last night. I really had a great time and I hope you did, too.

Much gratitude and appreciation goes to The Bell House. What an awesome venue, what a class act through and through. When I walked in at 4:30, the chairs were set up, the sound technician was good to go, and a lovely man named Kieran was there to facilitate whatever needed to be done. The woman at the box office was super great as were the bartenders and EVERYONE I came in contact with.

The Bell House is a special events producer’s DREAM COME TRUE. I can’t rave enough. I think they probably got sick of hearing me gush.

I must also thank Jeff Jarvis, our keynote speaker, who shared some very smart, interesting and thought provoking ideas about new business models for bloggers and journalists. We were lucky to have him. As one blogger said, “What a good grab.”

Thanks also to Max Robins, all the Blogs of a Feather facilitators, all the photographers in The Big Picture Video (which should be on You Tube today), all the volunteers, Atiba Edwards, Mike Sorgatz, Elizabeth Palmer, Adrian Kinloch, Gabriela Herman, Larry & Melissa Lopata, Sharrie Sutton, Lesley w, Marion Hart and Hugh Crawford, Charlotte Maier, Nancy Graham and everyone who came out.

A final note of thanks to Oaxaca, who brought deliriously delicious tacos to the event. If you don’t know the restaurant, it’s on Fourth Avenue between President and Carroll Street in Park Slope. The tacos, a choice of chicken, pork or potato (or all three as I had), were awesome. Their catering business (led by Jake) is delicious and dependable.

I’m trying to  compile a list of everyone who was there so if you were at The Bell House last night please send me an email louise_crawford(at)yahoo.com or a message on Facebook (friend me if we’re not friends).

Each year Blogfest has a different feeling, a different vibe. This year there was a palpable sense of comradaerie and community. It felt celebratory and fun.

I hope it inspired you in some way. I’m so happy you were there.

Now We Are Six by AA Milne

When I was One,
I had just begun.
When I was Two,
I was nearly new.
When I was Three
I was hardly me.
When I was Four,
I was not much more.
When I was Five,
I was just alive.
But now I am Six,
I’m as clever as clever,
So I think I’ll be six now for ever and ever.

Best, Louise