Marlene Clary, a beloved teacher and the founding director of the Brooklyn Community Chorus, died this morning at Calvary Hospice at Lutheran Hospital in Sunset Park. The cause was cancer.

In 2001, Clary founded The Brooklyn Community Chorus (BCC), a group committed to including singers from diverse
backgrounds, ages, and musical experiences.

One member of the chorus writes: "Marlene was the ultimate teacher and she brought out the best in
everyone – English students, actors, singers - she pushed hard and
demanded the best, but always with tremendous love and spirit.  She was
so full of love and a love for life - and fortunately, because she was
such a giving person, her life touched so many people."

Clary also touched many lives as a highly respected teacher of English literature. One former student writes:

As a former student of hers I can say that Marlene treated every
student in the same tough but loving way. In her English class, while
the work was plenty, and the level of academic output and class
participation she demanded of us was high, she showed all of us a true,
motherly sort of love. She loved and respected us, and from this we
were able to trust, love, respect, and admire her. She truly was an
amazing woman. I only wish I had had more time to learn from and grow
under the tutelage of a woman of such valor.

Clary was an actor, director, and soprano soloist, who appeared in leading
roles in summer stock, Off-Broadway and regional theaters. For many years she taught English at the Berkeley Carroll School, where she was honored with the Dexter
D. Earle Award for Excellence in Teaching. She is  survived by her husband and two grown children.

A funeral service will be held on December 28th at 4 PM at Old First Dutch Reformed Church in Park Slope. .

I just got word that one of the victims of last night's fire at 392 Third Street was rushed to the Cornell Burn Unit. According to CBS 2 HD, he is in critical condition and is fighting for his life.

Another victim, a woman, is still at Methodist Hospital but she is in stable condition.

Six  families, who live in the 4-story, 8 unit condo apartment building, were displaced when a fire whipped through one of the top floor apartments. I am not sure if all the apartments were occupied.

According to CBS 2, the fire started in the living room and quickly became out of control. It was a 1-alarm fire and trucks from Squad 1, 122 and 105 responded quickly. It was an icy, cold night with temperatures in the low teens.

The Red Cross was on the scene and today they are helping the 6 families relocate. Two of the families have been taken in by friends or relatives.

The cause of the fire is as yet unknown. 

HD video is on the way

Because police were not allowing people to cross Sixth Avenue and walk towards the fire scene, I had to walk down Second Street to Fifth Avenue and around  to Third Street to get to 392 Third Street, a 4-story, 8-unit limestone condo, where the fire took place. 

By the time I got near the building, the flames were out but smoke was emanating from the burned-out apartment. The rest of the building was evacuated except I could see that lights and a television set were on in the first floor apartment on the right. There were no lights on in any of the other apartments. 

A ladder from Ladder 122 reached up to the fourth floor apartment on the right; I could see from the sidewalk that firefighters were hard at work inside hosing the apartment down. The pump truck was from Squad 1. 

An EMT worker standing on the north side of Third Street told me that three victims from the building were taken to the hospital. One person had burns and the other two had smoke inhalation. "One was a Code 3," he told a reporter from the NY Daily News who was also trying to get information.

"Do you know which house got the grab?" the reporter asked the EMT. 

"Whoa. You know the lingo. I haven't heard that since the 1970's," he told her. 

None of the firefighters or EMTs, who were standing on the north side of Third Street, knew the cause of the fire. 

"Does anyone know where the Chief is," the Daily News reporter asked. 

"He's over there but he's a little busy right now," the EMT told her. 

A resident of Fourth Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues didn't smell smoke from his home, which is right around the corner, but he heard the sirens and "the sounds of axes and  saws coming from the burning building," he told me. "The smoke smell is much worse up by 6th Avenue," he said. 

The Red Cross was on the scene helping out the displaced residents of the building. Adults and children were evacuated from the other apartments and taken in by people in neighboring buildings,  According to one EMT, none of the other residents of the building suffered injuries, burns or smoke inhalation.

He did, however, offer one bit of advice:

"It's important this time of year that people make sure their smoke detectors are working and especially their carbon monoxide detectors. It's a cheap device but it can save lives," the EMT told me. 

Residents of Third Street in Park Slope were awakened by the sound of firetruck sirens and the smell of smoke at 3 AM Wednesday morning. The fire was in the top floor apartment of 392 Third Street, a 4-story, 8-unit limestone condominium building on the south side of Third Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues.

Three residents of Third Street (between Sixth and Seventh Avenues) braved the icy sidewalks to see what all the commotion (and smoke) was about on this frigid night with temperatures hovering around 21 degrees but with a wind chill that made it feel more like 14 degrees. 

One Third Street resident told me:  "I saw flames blazing out the top floor windows of that building. I think it's 392 or 394,  I'm not sure." Trucks from 122, Squad 1 and 105 and EMTs were already on the scene when he got outside. "The response time was extremely quick," he said. Standing near the building minutes after the blaze was put out he said, "I saw two people naked and unconscious being taken out of the building," he said. "That apartment is completely destroyed."

Standing on 6th Avenue and Third Street we watched as an unconscious person on a gurney was wheeled by EMTs and put in an ambulance.

At approximately 3 AM,  I woke to the sound of sirens and actually smelled smoke in my apartment, which is in the middle of the block between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. The smell got more intense in our public hallway and I walked up to the doors of all the apartments in my building to make sure the fire wasn't coming from our building.

When I got downstairs I saw the flashing lights of fire trucks on Sixth Avenue and more trucks between Sixth and Fifth Avenues. Numerous residents of my block were outside because they had smelled smoke and thought the fire was in their building or one nearby. One woman who lives closer to 7th Avenue told me: "I thought my building was on fire." When she tried to cross the street at Sixth Avenue to get a closer look at what was going on a policeman jumped out of his squad car and ran across the street. "Lady, do not go there. Get back. You are not to go down there," he yelled. 

"I just wanted to see what was going on," she told him as she walked back to the east side of Sixth Avenue and walked home.

Greetings, Pub Quiz Way More Than Two Turtle Doves…

No Rocky Sullivan's Pub Quiz this week.  It's Christmas Eve, and, well, it's Christmas Eve.  NORAD will once again be issuing updates on a strange airborne vehicle under the power of — yes, yes, reindeer.

Were NORAD really monitoring a BIFO – Barely Identified Flying Object – they'd shoot it down just after it had crossed the U.S.-Canada border between Saskatchewan and Plentywood, Montana.  St. Nick's sleigh has a lot going for it — tireless reindeer, one with a glowing beacon for a nose, a storage capacity that defies physics, and Santa's unmappable ability to bend the laws of time and space — but he doesn't have a transponder or a ship-to-ship radio system.

…Sarah Palin's not the only one who can see Russia from their front porch

That, or he'd wave and the Strategic Air Command pilots, reacting the way the New York cops did when Amadou Diallo went for his wallet, would open fire by the time Santa got halfway through "ho ho ho!" number two.

I might be divulging my ominous sense that the country, the world, our city, Brooklyn, are all careening toward a bad, bad end.  Or, the U.S. military shooting down Santa's sleigh might just be funny.

Although I've linked to NORAD, bear in mind that the U.S. military charming the yule-season pants off us is, in reality, a left-over relic from the golden age of the Cold War.

For a half-century, the U.S and Canada's air-defense mandate us undertaken this seasonal task.  According to the Norad Santa Tracker website,

The tradition began in 1955 after a Colorado Springs-based Sears Roebuck & Co. advertisement for children to call Santa misprinted the telephone number. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone number put kids through to the CONAD Commander-in-Chief's operations "hotline."

Oops.

The Director of Operations at the time, Colonel Harry Shoup, had his staff check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole. Children who called were given updates on his location, and a tradition was born.

In 1958, the governments of Canada and the United States created a bi-national air defense command for North America called the North American Aerospace Defense Command, also known as NORAD, which then took on the tradition of tracking Santa.

NORAD uses four high-tech systems to track Santa – radar, satellites, Santa Cams and fighter jets
.

Fighter jets?  Fighter jets?!

Why, yes.  Fighter jets.

Canadian NORAD fighter pilots flying the CF-18 intercept and welcome Santa to North America. In the United States, American NORAD fighter pilots in either the F-15 or the F-16 get the thrill of flying alongside Santa and his famous reindeer: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and, of course, Rudolph.

Of course, Rudolph.

 
Welcome to North America, Santa!  Canadian CF-18, American F-16 herald the birth of the baby Jesus

So be sure to log off whatever true meaning Christmas has for you, and log on to NORAD's Santa Tracker.  Because, really, if the U.S. military can't bring you Christmas, who can?

Merry Christmas, all, and in the wider realm, Happy Holidays.

Scott M.X.,
Rocky's Quizmaster

* * * * * * * *

Here's something NORAD won't be tracking…

The Rocky Sullivan's Pub Quiz Quizzin' New Year's Eve Extravaganza!

Thursday December 31, 2009
THE ROCKY SULLIVAN'S QUIZZIN' NEW YEAR'S EVE
9pm

That's right – New Year's Eve falls on a Thursday.  And we're ready.  Free champagne, pointy hats, a post-midnight DJ to make your feet happy, and an evening of questions, photo- and music rounds about the year Two Oh-Oh Nine!  The last one of the decade.

It's the perfect New Year's Eve event for folks who wanna go out but don't wanna deal with all the New Year's Eve nonsense — expensive clubs, packed dance floors and the frightening tag-team of Dick Clark and Ryan Seacrest.

Babeland: Sex toys for women; great gifts!

From the Brooklyn Paper:

A state court has once again rebuffed an effort to throw a wrench in Bruce Ratner’s Atlantic Yards machine, rejecting a lawsuit that accused the MTA of improperly selling its Vanderbilt rail yard by not seeking new bids after reopening the original 2005 deal with the developer this summer.

The suit, filed by panoply of elected officials and opposition groups, claimed that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority broke a state law that was passed in the wake of Atlantic Yards to curb abuses by state authorities through stricter transparency and ethics guidelines.

The plaintiffs pointed to the fact that the MTA renegotiated the deal with Ratner this summer, getting just $20 million up front instead of the $100 million originally promised. At the time, the transit agency did not seek new bids for its eight-acre train yard at the heart of the proposed arena, housing and commercial development.

But state Supreme Court judges did not agree with project opponents, ruling last Wednesday that the renegotiated deal did not warrant restarting the bidding process.

“If every change were to be viewed as a new plan so as to trigger anew each mandated review process, no development plan could ever reach final approval — let alone ultimate completion,” the ruling read. “The MTA had a rational basis for continuing to use the 2005 appraisal rather than ordering a new one in 2009.”

Opponents of the project called the ruling a sham, especially in light of the MTA’s just announced “doomsday cuts” in service thatwould affect everyone who uses public transportation.

“The MTA has no shame,” said Daniel Goldstein, a spokesman for Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn, the main Atlantic Yards opposition group. “While giving a sweetheart deal to billionaire developers … its board gives a big lump of coal to school kids, disabled New Yorkers and all transit riders.”

Says Crains NY: 

The Brooklyn Flea is saying goodbye to Dumbo this winter and hello to Fort Greene.

The nearly two-year-old vendor marketplace will relocate to 1 Hanson Place, the former Williamsburgh Savings Bank, in the Fort Greene/Boerum Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn. The move, which will more than triple the Flea's current square footage at 81 Front St., is scheduled for the weekend of Jan. 9.

This will be the second winter for the weekends-only Flea, which expects around 100 vendors—selling everything from apparel to stationary to chocolate—to participate in the coming months. The Flea will use about 10,000 square feet on the ground floor and 10,000 square feet in the basement of the 85-year-old bank, and original fixtures such as bank teller windows and overhanging lamps, will remain intact. Such details only add to the building's charm, said Eric Demby, who runs the marketplace with partner Jonathan Butler of Brooklyn's popular Brownstoner blog.

So there won't be much posting today (unless I can use Hugh's computer). I'm taking my Macbook to Apple or Tech Serve. Seems that the fan isn't working and its been crashing frequently. 

Jonathan Ames because even though you live in Boerum Hill, your HBO show, “Bored to Death” is too damn funny and has too many great scenes of the neighborhood not to mention you or it.

Babeland because you’ve got sleekly designed kinky sex toys for women and your workshops for women and men, who want to explore their sexuality are top notch. Your sex-positive “how to talk to your kids about sex” workshops for parents are a big contribution to the life of this community.

Blue Apron because many say that your existence is reason enough to live in Park Slope. You are specialists in yummy charcuterie and cheese, and a carefully curated selection of breads, chocolates, olive oils, vinegars and everything a foodie needs in the cupboard.

The City Council Candidates (39th): Kudos and thanks for the memories to John Heyer, Joe Nardiello, David Pechefsky, Gary Reilly, Josh Skaller and Bob Zuckerman.

Susie DeFord because your book The Dogs of Brooklyn is a poetic narrative about your colorful life as a dogwalker accompanied by vibrant photos of Brooklyn and the dogs by Dennis Riley.

The Food Pantries of Park Slope because you’ve helped many people through a tough year. You are: The Helping Hands Food Pantry at St. Augustine’s Roman Catholic Church. CHIPS on Fourth Avenue. The Church of the Gethsemane on 8th Avenue and more to come.

 

Fucked in Park Slope because you truly are the best Park Slope blog. Seriously though: you bring humor, fun and irreverence to a subject totally worth making fun of.

 

Deborah Fisher and 21st Century Ploughshares because you decided that if you could get a bunch of people together to "throw seeds" in Bed-Stuy one spring morning you could bring wildflowers to the vacant lots, the tree pods and the streets of that neighborhood.

 

The Flaming Neon at Rachel’s Taqueria because it really adds spice to Fifth Avenue.

 

Fourth Avenue Pub because it's a great place to have a beer.

The Free Impressarios because you are a group of three friends, who have sprung into action not once but twice to bring modern dance and opera to Park Slope. In the words of Phyllis Wrynn, one of the FIs, “After last spring's superb opera event, Suor Angelica, the reaction was so wonderful that we thought we'd try it again.” And indeed they did. This year they presented SYREN Modern Dance’s production of “last of the leaves.” Both times they used the 1907 school auditorium of St. Francis Xavier on President Street, with its glorious stained glass ceiling, beautifully decorated walls and historic murals. Can’t wait to see what they do next.

Ken Freeman because when you became president of the Park Slope Civic Council you had Lydia Denworth’s big shoes to fill and you’ve filled them well working hard for the neighborhood that you love.

 

Ed Fusco because you’re a local attorney on Seventh Avenue, who has toiled for the Brooklyn Blades Hockey Club for years and you’re still in the sidelines. Now that's dedication!

 

Marcus Gonzales because as founder of the Salsa Salsa Dance Studio on 4th Ave between Bergen and Dean, you run a phenomenal studio, where amazing teachers teach salsa to all levels.

 

Dr. Philippa Gordon of Gordon Glaser Pediatrics because everyone agrees that you're a great doctor and this year you helped to cool the hysteria about H1Ni with your FAQs on Park Slope Parents. You are an information wellspring, who is great about sharing what you know!

 

Bernie Graham because, as one OTBKB reader puts it: “you are a serial good deed doer.” You’re a judge, you are on the board of the Park Slope Civic Council, you’re big and tall and statesmen-like and a great husband and father.  

John Guidry because your blog, Truth and Rocket Science, has intellectual velocity and creative eccentricity and it’s fun and interesting to read.

 

Hanco’s Vietnamese Sandwich Shop because your sandwiches rock especially the Classic with roasted ground pork, Vietnamese ham, pate, mayo, butter, cucumber, pickled carrots, daikon radish and cilantro on toasted french baguette. 

 

Iris in the radiation department at New York Methodist Hospital because you moved mountains to get my friend in and out of there on time every day for 8 weeks. Some days the wait was longer but you were warm and friendly and that goes a long way when you’re dealing with cancer.

 

James Hannaham because your first novel, God Says No, from McSweeney's Books is a funny must read. You teach at Pratt and used to work at the Park Slope Writers Space. 

 

Lyn Hill because it’s not easy being Vice President for Communication and External Affairs at New York Methodist Hospital but you do it with grace and energy.

 

Adrian Kinloch and Brit in Brooklyn because as a transplanted Londoner your big, bold photos bring much to the Brooklyn blog landscape. Photo by Adrian Kinloch at left.

 

Katia Kelly because you run the indispensible and fabulous Carroll Gardens blog, Pardon Me For Asking.

 

Scott Lindenbaum and Andy Hunter because you decided to publish Electric Literature an ambitious new lit mag. In your own words: “We're tired of hearing that literary fiction is doomed. Everywhere we look, people are reading—whether it be paper books, eBooks, blogs, tweets, or text messages. So, before we write the epitaph for the literary age, we thought, let’s try it this way first: select stories with a strong voice that capture our readers and lead them somewhere exciting, unexpected, and meaningful.” YES.

 

Irene LoRe because as owner of Aunt Suzie's, you were one of the pioneers of the new Fifth Avenue, who managed to retain some of the flavor of the old. And now you run the Fifth Avenue BID giving your time, intelligence, energy, and experience to the Park Slope community.

Lexy Lovell and Michael Uys because you infuse your passion and enthusiasm for life into compelling and thought-provoking documentary films. Riding The Rails and very recently, The Good Soldier, have provided rare glimpses into American culture and consciousness mixed with an artistry that makes the documentary format very accessible.  Talent and passion aside, you are great friends and neighbors and you help define and inspire the tone of the neighborhood. 

Marissa Palma-Muller: From OTBKB: “It was just a simple note on a yellow piece of paper on the door of Palma Pharmacy, on the corner of Garfield Place and Seventh Avenue. But that's how Park Slope learned of the loss of a trusted member of the community. Pharmacist Marisa Palma-Muller, age 48, died of a heart attack on Wednesday. Since then word has been trickling into my in-box with remembrances. One OTBKB reader wrote in to say: "She was the last of a disappearing breed: the neighborhood pharmacist who knew all her customers, had a nice word for everyone, tried to help customers baffled by insurance regulations…"

Martin of Café Regular because regulars at Regular seem to think you're one very cool, sarcastic and interest
ing barista. As one person said, “he’s fun to see first thing in the morning.”

 

Melanie at the Purity Restaurant for introducing coloring books to this diner and putting up the most awesome Halloween decorations in the Slope. You decorate a little bit every day that you’re working and by Halloween it's just magic – not over the top but magic. Like there's a treat in every booth. You do all the holidays but we know you like Halloween the best and it shows. It shows.

 

Frank McCourt because you were a great writer and a better teacher and you gave life and dignity to a lot of peoples' least favorite Irish city, Limerick.  (Frank did nothing, though, to stop the preponderance of "there once was a sailor from Nantucket" giggles).  You gave a lot of life to that other Irish city, New York.  Your three books — Angela's Ashes, 'Tis and Teacher Man — was a triptych that didn't just talk to us, it talked with us.  Frank McCourt: you were a man who inspired kids one on one, enthralled pub patrons circled around him, and reached readers in 30 languages. (in memoriam by Scott Turner).

 

Momasphere because you create innovative programs and events that serve to empower, enrich and enlighten moms, while giving back to the community and that's very cool.

 

Mary Morris because you’re the grand dame of literary Park Slope and the acclaimed author of Revenge, Vanishing Animals, The Bus of Dreams, and The Lifeguard Stories

 

The New Turf Field in Washington Park. Nuff said.

 

Norma & Gunni because you are AMAZING dog walkers and where would the dog owners and dogs of Brooklyn be without the two of you. Arf.

 

Old First Dutch Reformed Church because when the ceiling at Congregation Beth Elohim fell in just days before Yom Kippur, you welcomed that congreation into your church for their high holy day. "What joy to celebrate the repentance of our sins from A to Z. That's a gift that Jews and Christians in unity can give our society, the good news of repentance, and just why that is good news," wrote Pastor Daniel Meeter on his blog Old First. 

Otto (and Annette Englander) because for that last nineteen years form meets function in your shop ith its elegant and stylish selection of fine lingerie, swimwear, clothing, accessories and Otto exclusives.

 

 “Park Slope Woman” because you broke up with your live-in boyfriend of six years and promptly (and luckily) found a place in Park Slope. When you got here you were “a total wreck of a human being who could barely get out of bed let alone make the trek to law school on the Upper West Side,” a friend writes. “But you found sanctuary in this amazing community and found yourself again. No only are you healing, but you’re learning WHO YOU ARE. If it takes a village to raise a child, it may also take a village to bring that child back to herself. Park Slope is such a special place and it's the people who make it great."

 

Faye Penn and the team at Brokelyn for the right blog at the right time and for teaching us to live big on small change.

 

Wendy Ponte because you write the Brooklyn Frugal Family Examiner and are showing us how to simplify and live with more frugality.

 

Tom Potter because you are co-founder and former CEO of The Brooklyn Brewery—one of the most successful artisan breweries in the United States and the largest beverage alcohol company producing in New York City. Nice work.

 

Rebecca Pronsky because in 2005 you founded the Brooklyn Songwriters Exchange, a monthly series with a mission to present great musical talent and foster community among local songwriters.

 

The Prospect Park Alliance because since 1987, the year you began to restore the Park after years of budget cuts and steady neglect of both its natural areas and usage, you have supplemented the Park’s basic operating budget with private funds and have initiated many capital projects and community programs. You’ve made the public understand why parks are so important in New York City, while gaining support from donors and volunteers for the restoration projects that have brought Prospect Park back to its glory (and beyond). Yay team!

Prospect Park West because this satiric novel by Amy Sohn really got the neighborhood reading and talking about itself. 

 

Red White and Bubbly because you folks seem to know what pairs well with hot dogs, grilled cheese and leftover ziti.

 

Reverend Billy and the Life After Shopping Gospel Choir because you believe that Consumerism is overwhelming our lives. Because you believe that our neighborhoods and "commons" places like stoops and parks and streets and libraries, are disappearing into the corporatized world of big boxes and chain stores. Because you are singing and preaching for local economies and real – not mediated through products – experience. Sing on. Amen. 

Rooftop Films because you make it possible to view movies al fresco. Your o
riginal programming and stunning outdoor venues makes Rooftop Films one of the best-attended film festivals in New York.

 

Powerhouse Books because you’re a world-renowned art book publisher and your "arena," a cool DUMBO gallery, boutique, book store, performance and events space welcomed the Brooklyn Blogfest and hundreds of others events last year.

 

Sophia Romero and Dan Schwartz because not only is Sophia the Shiksa from Manila and the author of the novel, Always Hiding, the couple are the uber-couple when it comes to fund-raising: he for Congregation Beth Elohim and she for Berkeley Carroll (as co-chair of the Auction Gala 2010, "Road to Morocco"). They call themselves "the bookends." Cute. And what a team!

 

Debi Ryan because you revitalized Vox Pop Coffee Shop with energy, spirit and loads of charisma. As of this writing, VP is closed again. But not for long if you have anything to say about it. Lead on.

 

Joe Rydell because you're the friendliest man on Seventh Avenue, who knows everyone and everyone likes to talk to (even if they don't know your name). You're a devoted dad, a psychotherapist in private practice,
founder of the Berkeley Carroll documentary
film series and part-time realtor. You and your partner, Berkeley Carroll teacher David Wood, exemplify what makes Park Slope extraordinary. You worked to get more trees planted on 7th Avenue, as part of the Park Slope Civic Council. Look for the trees this Spring!

 

Dr. Mehryar Sadeghi because, according to one OTBKB reader, you’re a Park Slope ophthalmologist with a great bedside manner. You escaped Iran after the revolution, landed in Canada followed by medical school at Harvard and Washington Universities and now we’re happy to have you looking in our eyes.

 

Jeff Sandgrund because you have worked tirelessly for parks and green space in New York City and most especially in Brooklyn where you served for several years as a community liaison for the Parks Department, then managed Fort Greene Park and now you're the operations manager for the new Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation. You are a born and bred Park Sloper who still lives here and still loves the 'hood.

 

Seven AM Morning Disc because most weekday mornings (and Sundays at 8:30 AM) a good number of you gather at the 9th Street ball fields for a rousing pickup game of Ultimate Frisbee. You've been doing this for a few years now and routinely get between 10-20 people out there each time. Wow. The game is spirited, competitive yet open to all skill levels. What an incredibly invigorating way to start the workday. Once the ground freezes over (around Dec 1), you migrate over to the turf fields at the Parade Grounds, but the fun continues all year long.  Like all responsible organizations, you even have a google group (morning disc at google groups).

 

Phyllis Salome because she lived in Brooklyn all her life, raised two daughters, Joan and Alice, on 4th Street in Park Slope and had four grandchildren. A graduate of the Cooper Union, she enjoyed painting and was very active at the PS Senior Citizens Center where she was board president for 4 years.  The family has requested that donations be made to the Park Slope Senior Center in her name, 463-A 7th street, Brooklyn, NY 11215.

 

Showpaper because you’re a big fold out listings newspaper of all ages music shows in the New York area, including Park Slope, that’s a must-read for local music fans. Well-designed, it always includes a fabulous illustration on the cover and is delivered around town by an enthusiastic gang of all ages volunteers. 

 

Melissa Silverstein because you are marketing consultant, writer and blogger, who specializes in women’s issues, with an emphasis on women and Hollywood.  Your blog Women & Hollywood has become a respected site for issues related to feminism and pop culture.  In 2008 it was named by More Magazine as one of the “blogs to watch,” and in 2009 it was named “Best Hollywood blog” by totalfilm.com.

 

Daniel Smith because you’re a local jazz, classical, and cross-over bassoonist who has been called "the Rampal of the Bassoon." 

 

Peter Solomita and Little Buddy Biscuit Company because, in the words of Eleanor Traubman at Creative Times, “He’s a baker, an entrepreneur, a disc jockey, a dad, a husband, and a teacher. He defies the stereotype I have of professional chefs as being ill-tempered. (Remember Nicolas Cage in Moonstruck?) Pete is passionate about everything he does, but that passion comes seasoned with lots of compassion: he keeps one eye on his business and another eye on the big picture of what’s happening in the rest of the world and how his work fits into that.”

 

Michael Sorgatz because your site  "Art in Brooklyn" promotes the work of local artists, and that’s a positive and generous thing to do (especially in these times). You are also a talented artist in your own right and a really great guy.

 

Martha Southgate because you are the author of three novels, most recently Third Girl from the Left, which won Best Novel of the Year award from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association. You also organized a great reading at Brooklyn Reading Works called Young  Gifted and Black (Men) in September presenting the wonderful James Hanaham, James Lavalle and Clifford Thompson

Spuyten Duyvil Books because you publish amazing books: fiction, non-fiction and poetry out of a Park Slope apartment.

 

Sufjan Stevens because you recognized the beauty of the BQE and it inspired you to make a film and write symphony about it. 

Cathryn Swan because you’re fighting the good fight with your blog Washington Square Park, the chronicles of a beloved park and a city government overcome by its own power. In your own words: "Washington Square Park blog began after I attended an exhibit on Jane Jacobs and her New York City activism presented by the Municipal Art Society in January. An eye-catching brochure was handed out entitled “The City is You.” The point of it was to lay out the steps of advocating for issues and causes in your neighborhood, believing that doing so is what keeps New York City vital: “Observe. Think. Assess. Learn. Assemble. Participate. Advocate.”"

And you've been doing that ever since. 

 

Joyce Szuflita and NYC School Help because you are an amazing resource when it comes to helping parents with public school admissions process—and that is one awesome good deed. As one satisfied customer wrote: "Joyce understanding of all school issues, is armed with all the current facts, and understands the inner workings of the Dept. of Ed. Her knowledge of the middle and high school choice process in YC likely saved us two months of research time. Joyce took a complex and often confusing process, and helped us make decisions that were right for us.  We feel lucky to have found her!"

Third Street News Stand and Deli because the owner and the guys in there are great and one OTBKB reader said, “It’s a second home for my kids."

 

Clifford Thompson because you wrote a terrific novel, Signifying Nothing, and published it yourself. Your advice to other sulf-publishers: “Believe in what you’re doing, because not everyone you tell about your self-published book will shower you with congratulations. You WILL sometimes get the pity-laced smile that makes you want to say, “Maybe you misheard me. I don’t have bone cancer, I’m publishing my BOOK.” But if you believe in what you’ve written, then you must also believe it’s worth putting out there, however you can do it.”

 

Scott Turner because you are one very funny man. But that's not all. You're a dedicated Develop Don't Destroy activist, who runs the pub quiz every Thursday at Rocky Sullivan's. You're a graphic designer and a writer, who pens OTBKB's weekly Greetings From Scott Turner column, which is way funny and smart AND you have a one-man-band called Rebelmart. We approve. 

Urban Alchemist Design Collective because you’re part store, part gallery and part artisan salon and you’ve got an eclectic mix of emerging designers as well as carefully selected vintage and modern home goods, accessories and furniture. You’re really a hive of creative energy and beauty.

 

Emily Vaughn because you work hard behind the scenes as a member of Buy in Brooklyn and you were this year's coordinator of the Snowflake Celebration, the night when local merchants throw open their doors to stay lope late and create a holiday atmosphere enabling the people of Park Slope to do their holiday shopping.

 

Bob Vitalo because as head of the Berkeley Carroll School one OTBKB reader said you’re known for your “calming and strengthening skills.”

 

Jack Walsh, executive producer of Celebrate Brooklyn because this Brooklyn institution offers something for every Brooklyn resident – young, old, parents, the childless, drama freaks, world music geeks, opera fans, dance nerds, indie hipsters –  and it is very family-friendly, too. Heck, there’s even a parking spot for bikes, (relatively) cheap beer, and great Brooklyn food. You are one Brooklyn treasure, Jack.

 

Steve Wiener, Joe Uzzo and the crew at The Video Forum because you are something akin to neighborhood treasures.  When you are not good-naturedly recommending films at the store, you are performing in their band, Mute City.  Your congenial natures and ease of conversation is surpassed only by your ability to make the boomers of the neighborhood forget about their lives for a moment to embark on a trip to Generation Y. Great guys.

 

Eliot Wagner because you’re a walking, talking DJ, who loves to turn others on to the music you love with your carefully curated monthly CDs that are a great plug for the musicians and a treasured treat for your community of friends and neighbors. And now you've got your own blog, Now I've Heard Everything. You’re a great fan out there night after night listening to music in the clubs of Brooklyn and the Lower East Side. You're also good at teaching Boomers how to use the newfangled stuff that’s replaced LPs and CDs. And lets not forget OTBKB Music, one heck of a great music column. Thanks. 

Willie's Dawgs because you serve plump, juicy and delicious hot dogs grilled any way you like, and give some of  the profits to dog shelters in and around Brooklyn and to the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation.

 

 

Asha Veza: Clothing and accessories made of iridescent Indian silks, intricate embroidery, and delicate beadwork make beautiful gifts and all the
garments in the boutique are either sourced from emerging designers in
Bosnia or India or handmade by disadvantaged women in India. The
proceeds from the designer collection funds the training of women who
are victims of trafficking or poverty.

Ajiri
Tea: Ajiri means 'to employ' in Swahili.  The goal of this company is to create employment for women and pay school
fees for orphans in western Kenya . 
The tea is grown by small-scale farmers on 1-2 acres of land.  Sara and
Ann hope to empower these women within their communities.  All profits
will go back to this area of western
Kenya to pay school fees for the
many HIV/AIDS orphans. 

Aijiri Tea mades a beautiful gift: a stong,
black tea that you prepare with milk, it comes in a lovely box and a tie that
makes a great friendship bracelet and everything is hand-made.  It’s
available at Blue Apron, the Park Slope Food Coop, Java Joe's, and Grab, and each
box is about $12 – a really lovely stocking stuffer/ gift with a mug or a
tea pot! 

Scaredy Kat: In
the new location, the store is chock full of fun gifts. It's the go-to place for Xmas, stocking stuffers and more. They've also got the vintage toys you grew up with by Fisher-Price:
Clock Music box, Bouncy Bee,
Chatter Telephone; huge assortment of holiday cards.

Eidolan: Eidolon
is a cooperative boutique owned and operated by three independent
designers featuring locally hand-made clothing, accessories and gift
items for women.

Zuzu's Petals:  Small
oval shaped (and very feminine) quilted jewelry boxes, plates and
platters that look like doilies, Italian urns, runners, samplers with funny/interesting sayings and MORE.

Go here to see the entire 2009 OTBKB Park Slope Holiday Gift Guide

  A lovely idea for the holidays.

Purple Yam, the new Filipino/pan Asian restaurant on Cortelyou Road will have a special celebration for Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) & New Year’s Eve.

They may be new to Brooklyn but Purple Yam used to be Cendrillon in SoHo.

Enjoy delicious food on Xmas eve. And on New Year's eve you will serenaded by a local jazz quartet. 

Here's today's weather from your local Park Slope weather tower.

Please email if you have knowledge of WordPress. Thank. louise_crawford(at)yahoo(dot)com

Smartmom had barely recovered from chaperoning the past weekend’s
slumber party at the Marriott with five 12-year-old girls. She couldn’t
sleep and she did what she often does when she can’t sleep: she checked
her e-mail and noticed an e-mail from another mom who lives in the
neighborhood.

“I want you to know that there are a series of photos on Facebook of
the girls at a party in their underwear. The photos are very
suggestive. I’d never want to interfere but I thought u should know,”
she wrote.

Smartmom looked at the pictures that this mom had conveniently
attached. They were of the Oh So Feisty One in the adorable
polka-dotted and striped underwear they’d bought together just a few
months before.

But the pose and her expression were, er, yeah, kinda provocative.

Truth be told, it looked like she was wearing a bathing suit and the
girls were just having fun. But Facebook is a very public place and if
those photos got into the wrong hands — like a child porn site — it
would be pretty awful. It’s a good thing that Dumb Editor didn’t run
the shot.

It all started because OSFO had borrowed Hepcat’s fancy schmancy new
Canon camera during the Marriott sleepover. She took more than 300
pictures and then gave the camera back to Smartmom and Hepcat, who
looked at all the pictures for intell about what was going on down the
corridor in the hotel.

Of the 300 pictures, there were none of the girls in their underwear.

Smartmom concluded that the pictures in question must have been
taken with one of the other girls’ cameras. Smartmom went on Facebook,
but she couldn’t get to OSFO’s Facebook profile because OSFO unfriended
her some time ago.

She figured out that one of the girls at the party had put up maybe
100 pictures and these were just part of that group. Since it was the
middle of the night, there was nothing she could do.

The next morning, Smartmom woke OSFO up. “You have to get your friend to take those pictures down,” she told her.

“I know, I know. I’m texting her now,” OSFO said.

Clearly, OSFO was aware of the pictures and not happy about the
situation either. Smartmom was amazed that she and OSFO were on the
exact same page. But when OSFO left for school, her friend had still
not returned her text. That meant that the pictures would still be up
until after school.

Smartmom was stressing. At 3 pm, she e-mailed OSFO’s friend and left a gentle note not wanting to demonize her or point fingers.

“Please take down those pictures of OSFO,” Smartmom wrote. “Facebook
is very public and I think OSFO would prefer that they not be up there
for all to see. Thanks so much for taking care of this!”

OSFO’s friend, who is a bright, lovely girl wrote back soon after:

“OSFO told me today during school, and I told her that I would take
them down. We took them as a joke in the hotel and when I was uploading
my pictures I completely forgot about them. Really sorry,” the girl
wrote.

Smartmom called OSFO on her cellphone and told her that she’d e-mailed her friend.

“Why did you e-mail my friend?” OSFO asked. Smartmom took a deep breath.

“It was important that she take those pictures down,” Smartmom said.

“Why is this so important to you?” OSFO asked.

Smartmom kept it short, but here is a combination of what Smartmom did and didn’t say.

Smartmom, like Cyndi Lauper, knows that “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.”
When she was 12, 13 and 14, Smartmom, her sister and a friend used to
perform elaborate musical numbers in the living room wearing camisoles
and slips. You should have seen the choreography of “Mein Herr” from
“Cabaret” (“You have to understand the way I am, Mein Herr, a tiger’s
not a tiger but a lamb, Mein Herr…”)

Now that was kinky.

But thank Buddha there were no cheap, portable video cameras or Facebook back in the 1970s.

When she was a junior in high school, Smartmom and an ensemble of
her school friends performed “Don’t Tell Mama” also from “Cabaret” for
the entire school wearing their sexiest black lingerie (“Mama doesn’t
have an inkling that I’m working in a nightclub in a pair of lacy
pants…”).

Yeesh.

So Smartmom gets what those photos were about. But it’s a different
time and place now that our lives are enmeshed with the Internet.

While Facebook may aspire to be a place where people can interact
safely with their friends and the people around them, nobody can
guarantee that the site is entirely free of illegal, offensive,
pornographic or otherwise inappropriate material.

Smartmom told OSFO that while the pictures were beautiful, there are
bad people out there who will steal those pictures and put them on
child pornography sites.

OSFO listened and seemed to understand. Mostly she seemed miffed that Smartmom had e-mailed her friend.

“I told you I was taking care of it,” she said.

And she was right. She had told her friend, and Smartmom didn’t need to meddle in that way.

But some meddling is good. The parent who called Smartmom in the
first place did the right thing. There’s nothing wrong with reporting
back to a parent if you observe any kind of inappropriate behavior at
your house, on the streets, at school. Anywhere. In most cases, parents
will want to know because they need all the help they can get.

Holiday Craft Market at Brooklyn Lyceum: Sunday December 20th 2009
11:00 AM. Free admission.

Makers Market at American Can Factory on 3rd Street near 3rd Avenue features a select group of artisans. Nice atmosphere, beautiful glassware, knitware, ceramics, soap, lamps (see left) and more.

Corduroy
Kid: Owned by an Australian, CK is a children’s lifestyle boutique featuring a comprehensive
collection of cool kids clothing (newborn to 7yrs), modern home
furnishings, toys, unusual gift items and plenty of quirky, other fun
stuff, including this rocket t-shirt pictured left.

Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co: Strive
To Be Boring and My Secret Identity black t-shirts. Secret Identity
kits, Superhero Supplements from Aardvark Brothers Brand, Strong vacuum
suction cups, mylar force fields…

Blue Apron (just east of 7th Avenue): Imported
and domestic hams and other chacuterie.  The cheeses are artisanal,
perfectly kept and presented, and none are cut until you're ready to
buy (a righteous rarity and a practice only found among the best cheese
mongers).  They work with very small producers to be able to offer
flawless ricotta cheese, domestic prosciutto that rivals Parma's, and
other products that are available almost nowhere else in New York. 
Breads are from Amy's, Pain d'Avignon, Sullivan Street and Royal
Crown.  Jacques Torres is a friend of the store and the best of his
chocolates are sold here. 

Go here to see the entire 2009 OTBKB Park Slope Holiday Gift Guide