Neil Feldman of Not Only Brooklyn, the wondrous free art and events enewsletter, mentioned this in today’s edition. He didn’t explain so I just had to investigate.

If you would enjoy receiving Not Only Brooklyn, email Neil directly using the address litnlean(at)aol(dot)com. This is a different address from before.

The Poetry Brothel is the first event of its kind to seduce New York City. A new and dreamlike twist on a poetry reading, The Poetry Brothel is foremost interested in the presentation of excellent, original literature. However, it is also an interactive performance art event based on the concept of a brothel. The "Madame" presents a rotating cast of this city’s finest poets (both men and women) engaged in a night of surreal happenings, literary debauchery and private poetry readings. Here’s how it works: The poets play "whores," visitors play "johns" (and are also encouraged to attend incognito!) but instead of physical intimacy, the poets offer the intimacy of their poetry by giving private, one-on-one readings in curtained-off areas. All of the resident "whores" are available for private readings at any time during the event (for a small fee). Of course, every good brothel needs a furtive "front" or cover business; ours is part saloon and part salon, offering a full bar (serving Le Tourment Vert absinthe all night!), blackjack table (played for prizes), tarot card readings, raffle tickets, live painting, one-on-one poetry consultations (bring your poems!), and live music, with performances from our poets, performers, and artists throughout the night. Each night "The Madame" will also introduce "the new girl," a featured reader who will delight the whole cast and cast of customers with a very special public performance.

The Where and When

Saturday, October 25th, 2008
9pm-2am
Featured Reader: David Lehman
The Zipper Factory
336 W. 37th St. @ 8th/9th Ave.
Subway: A/C/E/1/2/3 to 34th St. or 7/N/Q/R/S/W to Times Square-42nd St.
$15 (includes one free private reading, one free raffle tickets, AND a
complimentary Le Tourment Vert absinthe cocktail!)

On October 26th at 7:30 p.m., New Yorker political
commentator Hendrick Hertzberg will speak alongside Michael Waldman,
prominent public interest attorney and current director of NYU’s
Brennan Center for Justice.  They will discuss pressing issues facing
the United States Constitution in the election year and beyond.

Over the past four decades Hertzberg has established himself as one
of America’s preeminent political journalists, putting in time as a
staff writer with the New Yorker, as a speechwriter for Jimmy Carter,
and later as the editor of the New Republic.  Following political and
cultural trends as diverse as the birth of rock ‘n’ roll, the war in
Vietnam, the rise of neoconservativism, and the increased influence of
the religious right, Hertzberg has amassed a unique body of knowledge,
crucial to the election year.

Michael Waldman, currently the director of the Brennan Center at
NYU, was both a high-level policy aide and a director of speechwriting
during the Clinton Administration.  He is a career public-interest
attorney and makes frequent television appearances during which he
speaks authoritatively on a wide range of topics, from politics to
legal theory to governmental reform.  His most recent book, "A Return
to Common Sense," was released by Sourcebooks, Inc.

The Where and When

October 26 at 7:30 p.m.
Congregation Beth Elohim
Garfield and 8th Avenue

Just got this email from the folks at Brooklyn for Obama:

Yes We Carve: Barack O’Lantern Making Party (Sat. 10/25 @ 11 AM)
Join members of Brooklyn for Barack for a Barack O’Lantern Making Party in
Prospect Park this Saturday, October 25th, from 11 AM to 3 PM. We will meet
in the Long Meadow area near Grand Army Plaza. Bring your own pumpkin and
carving set or buy one at the Grand Army Plaza Farmers Market. We’ll provide
Obama stencils and patterns. Kids are welcome!

The Where and When

Time:    Saturday, October 25 from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Host:    Amanda Thompkins
Location:
Prospect Park (Brooklyn, NY)
meet at Long Meadow
Just behind Grand Army Plaza
Brooklyn, NY 11215
Directions:    B/Q to 7th Ave 2/3 to Grand Army Plaza
To RSVP, please visit:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gprbmz

Here’s a heads up on Ghouls and Gourds, the family Halloween bash upcoming this Sunday at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Ghouls and Gourds is one of BBG’s biggest family events of the year, and a totally unique way to celebrate Halloween! On Sunday, October 26 from noon to 6 p.m., Brooklyn Botanic Garden opens its doors to families from across the metropolitan area and invite them to revel in New York’s wackiest Halloween celebration party.

Ghouls and Gourds features a curated selection of music by the likes of the Revolutionary Snake Ensemble and John Carlin & the Kids Music Underground; larger-than-life puppetry by Mortal Beasts & Deities; hands-on workshops in mask-making, corn grinding, compost critters and more; a funky costume parade for all to join; a batty book fair featuring 17 leading children’s book authors and illustrators; and much more! The breathtaking backdrop of the Garden’s fall color makes Ghouls and Gourds feel like a true Halloween wonderland.

Fox 5’s Mike Woods is doing a live weather broadcast from BBG on Friday morning! From 7-9 a.m., we’re previewing some of Ghouls and Gourds’ most exciting highlights: John Carlin & the Kids’ Music Underground will be on hand for a sneak peek performance, we’ll be visited by some very special puppets, and more. All we need is some of the borough’s most wonderful kids to come and enjoy the fun! We would like to offer families the chance to come over and be on the broadcast—parents are welcome and costumes are preferred for all (even if it’s just a mask). It’s a great way for kids to get more mileage out of this year’s costume and show it off for all to see on Good Day NY! 

Again, we ask families to join us any time between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., in costume, at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Anyone interested should email me at kateblumm(at)bbg(dot)org.

This from Racked:

The Brooklyn Industries at Fifth Avenue and Union Street in that hotbed of Barackism called Park Slope has just put Barack Obama masks
on all its mannequins. We’re not talking about likeness that is about
to win awards, but it does manage to convey the message. The fact that
the female mannequins are also wearing Barack masks conveys some sort
of message too, but we’re unclear on how much to read into it.

Here’s an excerpt from the NY Times story:

For 39 years as an educator, Robert Grandt has been promoting other people’s
books. So this year, when his daughter helped create a graphic novel of
“Macbeth,” Mr. Grandt could not resist bragging a little in the
newsletter he distributes as a librarian at Brooklyn Tech.

Mr. Grandt’sdaughter, Eve Grandt, co-illustrated a version of
“Macbeth.” He said he was taken aback by conflict-of-interest charges.
"I was just so proud of my daughter for writing it," he said.
   

“Best New Book: Grandt, Eve, Shakespeare’s Macbeth — The Manga Edition,’ ” he wrote under the heading “Grandt’s Picks.”

He also placed a few copies of the book at a library display table, and
posted a sign: “Best Book Ever Written.” If someone were interested,
they got a book free.

But one person’s parental pride is another panel’s ethical transgression.

Susan Fox, who runs Park Slope Parents says it’s time to start dreaming up those costumes because it’s almost Halloween. The
Park Slope Civic Council, the Park Slope Chamber of Commerce, Park
Slope Parents, the Old Stone House, and The Puppeteers’ Cooperative are
teaming up to make the 2008 Halloween festivities bigger, better, and
more exciting than ever.

On
Sunday, October 19, the Annual Harvest Festival takes place at the Old
Stone House in J.J. Byrne Park from 11am to 4pm. Highlights of this
family-oriented event include pony rides, a petting zoo, pumpkin
painting, face painting, and monster making. Music will be provided by
Mr. Ray, last year’s popular musical act, and Princess Katie and Racer
Steve, who ask all attendees to dress for the Halloween season.

Local
businesses are also getting involved by providing free Halloween
trick-or-treat bags for Park Slopers. The reusable bags, which contain
coupons and information from the sponsoring businesses, will be
available around Park Slope during the weeks prior to Halloween. For a
list of participating businesses, go to parkslopeciviccouncil.org/halloween-parade.

This
year, The Puppeteer’s Cooperative, which makes the large-scale puppets
for the Greenwich Village Halloween parade, is working with Park Slope
Parents to construct new, unique puppets to march in the Park Slope
parade. A 15-foot dragon, a 10-foot sun and moon, fairies, and a
sorcerer will all be joining in the fun. Theresa Linnihan, the
Cooperative’s NYC Director, says, "We’re excited to bring the fantasy that these puppets create to this parade." 

The
1st Annual Makin’ History Costume Party Bash gives adults an outlet for
their Halloween creativity. On Saturday, October 25 from 8pm to 11pm
the Brooklyn Lyceum will be transformed into a spooky ballroom. The
bash is a fundraiser for summer programs at the Old Stone House. "We
wanted to give folks a place to have fun, support our cause, and enjoy
the season without breaking their banks," says Kim Maier, executive
director of the Old Stone House. Tickets are $40 each; they can be
purchased through the Old Stone House website, theoldstonehouse.org.

On Halloween, the celebration begins at 5pm with the 1st Annual Park Slope Civic Council Halloween Costume Contest in front of the Secondary School for Law, Journalism, and Research (formerly John Jay High School); check-in for participants starts at 4pm.
Local businesses are sponsoring an assortment of costume categories,
which range from "greenest" to "least original" to "best tasting."
Winners will be given banners to display in the parade. Joan Emerson,
co-chair of the Halloween Parade, notes, "We’re trying to recapture
some of the quaintness of days gone by, encouraging people to make
their own costumes." Photographer Roberto Falck will be on hand from 4pm to take free pictures of participants. For rules, schedule, entry form, and a list of sponsors and costume categories, go to parkslopeciviccouncil.org/halloween-parade.

To round out the evening, the main event—the Annual Park Slope Civic Council Halloween Parade—kicks off at 6:30pm. The parade begins at the corner of 7th Avenue and 12th Street and continues up 7th Avenue to Union Street. Participants are asked to join at the back of the parade after the paparazzi, puppets, and politicians.

Brookita sent this in yesterday and we’re glad she did Hopefully, it’s the first of many submissions:

Lately, I’ve been thinking about one Halloween tradition I really miss: eating dinner after the parade, in full costume, at Snooky’s Restaurant. Snooky’s held years of memories for me—over and above the fun of checking out the Halloween costumes as we waited for a table, then awkwardly eating their great seafood pasta in my floor-length silver sequined cape.

Snooky’s was where my partner, Dave, and I had our first real conversation. It was the night that Dave played guitar at a birthday party for Allison, one of the “regulars.” Allison, who worked crazy hours as a reporter for public radio, liked to stop off at Snooky’s after work to unwind with a glass of red wine and chat with Tony the Bartender. Jim, a desk editor from The Daily News, also hung out at Snooky’s. Admittedly, the place was missing the quintessential element that makes a bar a true New York media hangout: frequent Pete Hamill sightings. But Pete’s brother Dennis drank there.   

I remember a lot of cool people from Snooky’s: Tony, a retired fireman with a droopy mustache, liked to sit in the window and drink. Bob, a mathematician, liked to sit at the bar and read his newspaper. A lovely middle-aged couple liked to drink together at one end of the bar; they were retired husband-and-wife obstetricians from Methodist Hospital. Teachers from P.S. 321 liked to socialize there.

Quite a few grey-haired ladies lunched at Snooky’s on a regular basis. Some of them were even accompanied by their aides from the Madonna Residence. I never knew their stories; I just observed that the people at the bar jumped out of their seats and respectfully held the door for these ladies as they entered or left.

Of course, the most famous of the ladies who lunched at Snooky’s was named Barbara Lewnes. People knew that she was the retired nurse from Methodist who, in 1960, stayed up through the night to take care of the 11-year-old boy who was the sole survivor of the plane that crashed on Seventh Avenue. She was so certain the boy would make it, but most of us know the sad end of that story.

Another of the regulars at Snooky’s was the late, great, Mac, a Scottish émigré stage actor and a delightful raconteur who also happened to be a Cordon Bleu–trained chef. A lot of the regulars remember that Mac taught us a few of the Rebel toasts. “Here’s to the King!” Bruce would declare as he raised his glass over a tumbler of water in a toast. Then he’d whisper, “Over the water,” as he waved his glass of Scotch. “That,” Mac explained to all of us seated at the bar, “is the Scots’ way of reminding each other that Bonny Prince Charley will return.”

And in addition to the regulars, there were a few surprises—like the night that two travelers on their way back to Ireland borrowed Dave’s guitar and shared some of their songs with everyone who was lucky enough to be at Snooky’s. 

But the bar was only part of the scene. Every evening, dozens of Park Slope families walked in, nodded hello to Tony at the bar, and guided their children past the crowd and into the enormous restaurant behind it. Upstairs at Snooky’s, wonderful parties went on. It was not unusual to see a bevy of girls in white dresses running up the stairs excitedly, followed by a smiling mother carrying a huge confirmation cake. Snooky’s upstairs party room was the site of many graduation parties and community board meetings. Snooky’s, it should be noted, was a power lunch spot for much of the local business community.

I was upstairs once for an office party—during which I spent most of my time on the dance floor, whirling around and around with my delighted 18-month-old son in my arms as the DJ played “Layla” and other hits. A year later, downstairs at Snooky’s, my son ate his very first hot fudge Sunday—served by Marina, the loveliest waitress I’ve ever met.

As I mentioned, Snooky’s was where Dave and I first really talked to each other, at one of Allison’s birthday parties. It became our place. José would usher us to a table, where Dave and I would drink while my son played Pac-Man. As soon as dinner was served, Bambi the waiter would walk over to the Pac-Man machine and guide my son back to our table.  Bambi, who comes from Indonesia, is probably best remembered for introducing Park Slope restaurants to Sri Raj Indonesian Hot Sauce.

After Snooky’s closed, my friends and I gazed sadly at the plywood boards that surrounded it for so many months. So when the boards finally came down, revealing The New Place in Snooky’s Space, Dave and I made a point of stopping in. The food was great. After dinner, the owner came over to our table, introduced himself, and began chatting with us. He said, “Snooky’s was not bad.” Then he sneered and said, “But the clientele….” He made a little back-and-forth wave with one hand and continued to sneer.

“Yes, “I mused, “The clientele. That was us!”
“And our friends!” Dave added.

As we walked out, I told Dave: “I never want to come back here. I can’t believe we paid someone for dinner—and then he came over and insulted us.” 

A few months later, I ran into Tony the Bartender. When I told him about our experience at The New Place, Tony said, “You’re only about the thirtieth person to tell me a story like that. In fact, the owner has been telling people that ‘everyone who came into Snooky’s was a lowlife, a drug addict, or an alcoholic.’”

“Or a journalist!” I blurted out. Or a fireman! Or a doctor or nurse from Methodist! Or a sweet grey-haired lady enjoying lunch out!”

A few weeks later, I ran into one of the regulars from Snooky’s. He told me, “You know what the owner of The New Place was telling customers when he first opened up? He told them, “The first thing I have to do is get rid of the old clientele.”

“Well,” I said, “he certainly did.”

A friend sent this information about What’s the Hook, the BWAC exhibition in Red Hook, Brooklyn of photos taken of the Red Hook community  by the Red Hook community. This is the final weekend of the exhibit.

What’s the Hook? is a community-based photography project designed to   
document a single week in the life of Red Hook, Brooklyn, one of New York   
City’s most unique and rapidly changing neighborhoods. Last summer, What’s   
the Hook? asked people of all backgrounds to submit images captured during   
the week of August 12th – 19th, 2007. Kids at PS #27 and their neighbors at the   
Senior Center were given single-use cameras. Other people used their own.   

In seven ordinary days more than 120 people produced over 1000   
extraordinary photos of what Red Hook means to them. (A selection of What’s   
the Hook? photos can be seen and downloaded at:   
http://flickr.com/groups/whatsthehook/pool/   

Images of all kinds, from all kinds of people.   

From the pupusa vendors at the ball fields to the crew of the Crown Princess at   
the Container Port. Old-timers and newcomers, professionals and amateurs,   
dog-walkers and drivers, shopkeepers, chefs, artists, vets — even the UPS guy
What’s the Hook? was created in part to bring the community together to   
RECORD, REMEMBER and REDEFINE the changing face of Red Hook.

The Where and When

Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition (BWAC)
499 Beard St.
Red Hook, Brooklyn
Check out www.whatsthehook07.com
Screening:
A Hole in a  Fence  4 pm Sunday 
(http://www.aholeinafence.com/) 
Final Weekend!
Oct. 25 and 26

My friend, Adam Zucker, is the director of Greensboro: Closer to the Truth, a documentary, which is playing at Brooklyn College on November 3rd for one day.

November 3rd happens to the 29th anniversary of the Greensboro massacre, when  members of the Communist Workers Party were holding a Death to the Klan rally in Greensboro, North Carolina. Suddenly a caravan rounded the corner, scattering the protesters. Klansmen and Nazis emerged from the cars, unloaded an arsenal of guns and began firing. Five people were killed.

It turns out that a professor and chairperson at Brooklyn College has a profoundly close connection to the event.

Sally Bermanzohn, professor and chairperson of the Political Science Department at Brooklyn College, was a labor organizer in the Duke Hospital cafeteria when her husband Paul was critically wounded in the Greensboro Massacre. 

At present, she is researching and teaching courses on the international phenomenon of truth and reconciliation commissions.  Bermanzohn is the author of Through Survivors’ Eyes: From the
Sixties to the Greensboro Massacre (2003), for which she received the Brooklyn College Award for Excellence in Creative Achievement. 

She also co-edited Violence and Politics: Globalization’s Paradox (2002),which includes her chapter on Violence, Non-violence and the US Civil Rights Movement.

She will be present at the screening of the film,Greensboro: Closer to the Truth, which reconnect many of the players in this tragedy—widowed and wounded survivors, along with their attackers—and chronicles how their lives have evolved in the aftermath of the killings. All converge at the first Truth and Reconciliation Commission ever held in the United States in Greensboro from 2004- 2006 to investigate the Massacre.

The Where and When

Monday, November 3rd at 6:30 p.m.
Greensboro: Closer to the Truth
Brooklyn College
Woody Tanger Auditorium