All posts by louise crawford

Music

OTBKB Music: Top Ten Songs of 2009

Top 10 Now that I've finished with the albums list, it's time for the Top 10
songs of 2009.  You'll see that three songs are from albums that didn't
make the Top 10 list.  Like the albums list, this Top 10 is also
presented in alphabetical order.



Sarah Borges and The Broken Singles – Me And Your Ghost
Neko Case – People Got a Lot of Nerve
Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career
The Damwells – Like It Is
Charlie Faye – She's Gonna Go
Israel Nash Gripka – Pray for Rain
Norah Jones – Young Blood
James Maddock – When The Sun's Out
Or, The Whale – Datura
Chuck Prophet – Hot Talk

 –Eliot Wagner

Civics and Urban Life

Top Five Park Slope Holiday Shopping Picks for Today: 12/18

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Music Matters: Get your gifts for those who don't download. They've got Tom Waits' new Glitter and Doom and lots more.

Big Nose Full Body: Great gifts for the oenophile on your list.

Mandala Tibetan Store: Jewelry, scarves, Buddhist statues, fluffy ear muffs.

Paper XOXO: Letter press everything, journals, calendars and all manner of paper goods.

Leaf and Bean: High quality coffee, tea, candy, homegoods for gift!

Civics and Urban Life

Vox Pop Closed, Again

So, what happened? Here's the story from Debi Ryan, who manages Vox Pop, the Cortelyou Road cafe, performance space and bookstore.

We were
in the process of trying to address the issue of back taxes that was
inherited by the new management when NYS Department of Taxation and
Finance chose to seize the assets. We are currently negotiating with
them to have the space reopened and I am confident we will be
successful.

What is so frustrating is that Vox Pop is on its way
to becoming the space we truly want it to be. We have consistent
programming that includes music, spoken word, art events, independent
film screenings, comedy and book readings. We have a children's story
hour on Wednesday morning and Sing-a-longs on Monday afternoon and
regular children's dinner concerts.

And, we do all of this for free, providing the community with the space to meet and study and work and organize and play.

We
have also partnered with many of the not-for-profit organizations to
support their fundraising efforts and have offered our space, our
coffee, our music connections to assist in those efforts. We do food
drives and gift drives to benefit the local shelters.

Now, we
are once again faced with a problem that was not of our making, but one
we assumed out of a sense of what is right as a responsible community
space.

Since we have reopened we have been actively paying
down much of that inherited debt. We chose to use our limited resources
to pay the people who needed it most first — like back pay for our
employees who are all members of this community, monies owed to local
vendors to help keep them in business, monies owed for back rent, old
utilities bills — while paying our current bills and meeting our
obligations.

Since reopening, we have also been faced with one
unexpected calamity after another; including a water main break that
damaged the physical structure of the space as well as destroying
equipment stored there, had to rewire the entire electrical system,
address several major plumbing issues, and replaced much of the
restaurant equipment. As anyone who has purchased an old house will
tell you, no matter how much you think you’ve looked in every corner,
from foundation to the roof, there are always problems you didn’t know
about until you actually move in. Eventually, you get it all sorted and
it becomes the beautiful home you want. But until then, it’s always a
bit of a leap of faith.

Basically, we not only inherited debt,
we spent a great deal of money just to get the place up to code. These
were all things that I certainly did not anticipate when we chose to
reopen Vox Pop as a community owned space. As I said then, I don't know
what I don't know, but this space is too important to lose it now.

What
makes Vox Pop so special? We are not just a coffee shop, we have become
a true community space that supports itself with the sale of coffee.

You
can help Vox Pop by becoming a member. For $40 you will recieve the
newly published book, "Voices of Vox Pop", which tells the story of Vox
Pop through a collection of stories, poems and art by the Vox Pop
community, and a membership card that entitles you to free coffee
refills for 6 months.

We appreciate all of the support that
the community has shown us and continues to show us and welcome any
fundraising ideas to help us over this hurdle.

I can be reached at debi@voxpopcafe.com

Civics and Urban Life

Revised: Sign Petition If You Oppose the Elimination of Student Metrocards

4 Comments

So the MTA discovers that it has a $400 million budget gap and more than  500,000 public school students who currently commute for free will have to pay half price next September and full price the year
after that.

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer has posted an
electronic
petition to sign if you want to protest MTA cuts to student subway
and
bus passes. The MTA's vote yesterday (Wed., Dec. 16) passed these
and
other measures, but protests are only beginning; perhaps we can
help
change at least this particular decision. Singing the petition
only
takes a minute!

http://www.petitiononline.com/mtacuts/petition.html

Civics and Urban Life

MTA Approves Massive Transit Cuts

From the Brooklyn Paper bad news for NYC subway and bus riders (i.e. everyone):

Brooklyn is facing a full-blown transit apocalypse — include massive
bus service reductions and the elimination of an entire subway line —
thanks to severe cuts approved by the Metropolitan Transportation
Authority board this morning.

The extreme measures, rubber-stamped by an MTA panel on Monday,
then hailed in a 12-0 vote on Wednesday, stem from the transit agency’s
claim that it has a $383-million deficit, despite the recent fare-hike
up to $2.25 per ride.

As you might imagine, the borough’s power brokers went nuts.

“These ‘punitive’ measures fail to equitably spread the burden of
funding public transit throughout the entire MTA region,” Borough
President Markowitz said in a statement.

Critics of the Atlantic Yards project could not help but see a connection between Wednesday’s service cuts and the decision this summer to allow developer Bruce Ratner to pay only $20 million of his promised $100 million lump
Civics and Urban Life

Top Five Holiday Shopping Picks for Today 12/17

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Urban Alchemist has the coolest lap top pouch based on the design of the classic Inter-Departmental Delivery envelope (pictured left). Loads of other goodies, including jewelry and vintage plastered Brooklyn milk bottles.

Brooklyn Mercantile has lovely candles and decoupage plates by Fringe. They will be getting in a lot of new merchandise this weekend, including vintage glass.

Diana Kane has Kai, a lovely gardenia fragrance; Jimmy Jane's Spin, a game for couples.

3R Living has drinking glasses made from Boylan Birch Beer bottles, as well as Rolling Rock, Stella and other beers.

Sweet Charity has homegoods, clothing, jewelry and paper goods. Part of the profits go to animal rescue charities.

Film

OTBKB Film by Pops Corn: Up in the Air

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It is a rare feat for a movie to truly define its time period by depicting the way people live today.  Jason Reitman tries to do so with Up In The Air, but only the strain shows.  Like Reitman’s adaptation of Thank You For Smoking, the film takes the approach of following a charming asshole to humanize contemporary societal ills.  I found the effect in Smoking to be completely tiresome. 

Up In The Air soars intermittently, due primarily to the star wattage of George Clooney, as a constantly-traveling hatchet man, who relishes and excels at his role of firing employees for executives who aren’t comfortable wielding the ax from within.  Clooney makes it easy to root for the villain, especially when his shallow lifestyle is called into question by a brilliant, but green, colleague (Anna Kendrick) assigned to shadow the master.  Along the way, he engages in a soul-less romance with fellow constant traveler Vera Farmigia.  The lessons to be learned are on the itinerary.  There are things the movie gets right like a Vegas convention and the perfectly character-appropriate text flirtation, but these moments, though wonderful, are insignificant.

The mismatched mentor-rookie story is a common contrivance, but I swear that Up In The Air takes numerous cues from Bull Durham.  Clooney is Costner, lovable yet a jerk, aging but smoldering, who teaches a future industry star the ropes.  Clooney’s meaningless goal of 10 million air miles is Costner’s minor league homer record.  The carefree sexual relationship with a contemporary (Farmigia is Sarandon) becomes our hero’s first stab at true love.  A scene in which the women explain their ideal husband even mirrors Costner’s “I believe in the soul” speech.

For all my problems with Up In The Air, I’ll admit that it doesn’t offer easy solutions.  Still, it’s hard to feel for the insertions of real downsized people (interviewed in the film and singing a song over the end credits), amidst a steady stream of product placement for big airlines, car rental companies, etc.  Perhaps it’s Reitman’s economic stimulus.  As the award season heats up, I guess I finally have a film to root against.  And while this week’s Golden Globes and I don’t agree on everything, at least I can concur that, based on the film’s Best Dramatic Film nomination, Air is not a comedy.  I, a laugher, did so only once.

–Pops Corn

Civics and Urban Life

Ratner Sells $511 Million in Tax-Free Bonds

From today's Gothamist:

Developer Bruce Ratner's Atlantic Yards project "cleared a major hurdle," according to the Daily News,
by selling $511 million in tax-free bonds for the arena's financing
yesterday. Apparently the bonds were selling like hotcakes—the NY Times says
they were sold out in two hours, "Indeed, the demand for the bonds from
institutional investors far outstripped what was available and belied
the project’s tortured history and court challenges."

Continue reading "Ratner Sells $511 Million In Atlantic Yards Bonds"
Buy Local

Top Five Holiday Shopping Picks for Today (12/16)

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Flirt, has clothing, accessories, jewelry and more for those who are creative, individualistic, unpredictable, and
up for anything! I love the $40 "gold" necklaces with hearts that say the funniest things: Really Fuckin' Cute, Stuff my Muff, Fuck Buddy, Wiling & Able, Balls to the Walls, Lucky Bitch, XOXO, Kiss Me Where I Pee, Wonder Buns, Taken, etc. Pick one for someone special in yr life.

Trois Pommes Patisserie, a lovely bakery owned by
Emily Isaac, a graduate of
the French Culinary Institute (1997) she has worked at some of New York
City¹s finest restaurants including Arcadia, Aquavit, Picholine and
Esca. In addition to pies, tarts, cookies, cupcakes and even hors d'œuvres for parties, Issac has reinvented junk pastry like Twinkies, which are almondy fabulous, Hostess Cup Cakes (called Mostess Cup Cakes) and Ring Dings (in red devil, chocolate or pumpkin).

Lululemon's shop on Bergen Street has high quality yoga inspired athletic apparel for women. They've got reversible yoga pants (black on one side, patterned on the other), shirts and jackets great for the active woman on your list. Somewhat pricey but very nice stuff.

Area Yoga and  Baby on Fifth Avenue at has a HUGE selection of funky, colorful, stylish kid's clothes including Kitano pajamas in many fun patterns.

Bergen Street Comics is a sleek very literary looking comics shop that is part of a new wave of contemporary comic book retailers. The owners are inspired by the brilliant comics being created today, and by other great retailers we’ve seen around the country.

Music

OTBKB Music: Best of 2009, Part 2

The first part of my top ten album list for 2009 was published on Monday and is available here.  Now for the second half, still in alphabetical order:

On The Moon Li'l Mo
and the Monicats –
On the Moon:  After a few years away from
the music biz, Li'l Mo returns with a collection that runs from country
to blues to rockabilly to 60s pop.  Most of the songs are originals but
a cover of the Bill Hailey song Rocking Chair on the Moon gives the
album its title.  Standouts include I Really Love (To Really Love You)
and The Boy Who Loved the Blues.

Sunrise on Avenue C120James Maddock – Sunrise on Avenue C:  James stock in trade is the
mid-tempo rocker, and he sings with an engaging gravelly voice with a
rasp someplace between Steve Forbert and Rod Stewart.  James has been
able to round up an all star band for this release, including Leslie
Mendelson on piano.  Sunrise show off James' strength as a songwriter,
including his ablity to mix humor into his songs without any of them
becoming novelty numbers.  Highlights include the anthemic When the
Sun's Out and Straight Lines, as well as Chance, Stars Align, Sunrise
on Avenue C and Dumbed Down.

SwanFeathers Leslie Mendelson – Swan Feathers: Adult pop, mostly piano based. 
Leslie's lyrics are literate and as many people have noted, playfully
sexy.  A couple of the songs on this album have been rearranged from
the way Leslie had been doing them live to provide the opportunity for
Leslie to step out from behind the piano and onto center stage,
including the first single, Hit the Spot.

Or-the-whale-200x200 Or, The Whale – Or, The Whale:  This seven-piece band based in San
Francisco takes their name from the subtitle of Moby Dick.  Their sound
is alt country, rock and folk with great harmonies (from four
vocalists, two male and two female) and their high energy live shows
are something that you must see.  This album, the band's second,
expands their sound a bit with some hints of The Grateful Dead and even
a nod toward Fairport Convention.  Highlights include Datura, Never
Coming Out and Shasta.

KillerinMe Amy Speace – The Killer in Me: This is a reflective album as the songs
in this collection were written during the break up of Amy's marriage. 
Instead of the mostly country sounds of her last collection, Songs for
Bright Street, this material lends itself to a folk rock treatment for
the most part.  And although Amy ruefully decides that "the only thing
I've learned is I haven't learned a thing" she does kicks up her heels
during a very spirited Would I Lie.

 –Eliot Wagner

Civics and Urban Life

MTA Deficit May Result in Huge Transit Cuts in Brooklyn

2 Comments

As reported in the Brooklyn Paper:

Brooklyn Brooklyn is facing a full-blown apocalypse from proposed
Metropolitan Transportation Authority transit cuts that include massive
bus service reductions and the elimination of an entire subway line.

The extreme measures proposed on Monday
are the result of the shocking news that the MTA is facing a
$383-million deficit, despite the recent fare-hike up to $2.25 per ride.

If you live in Brooklyn, you’ll feel the pain if the cuts go through. Here are some of the harshest measures being discussed:

• The elimination of weekday service on the B23, B25, B37, B39, B51 and B75 buses.

• The elimination of weekend service on the B7, B14, B31, B45, B48, B57, B64, B65, B67 and B77

• The complete elimination of the Z line, which would force the J to run local.

• The termination of the G Line at Court Square, meaning that any
Brooklynites heading to Queens (for whatever reason) will have to
transfer to go deeper into that distant borough.

• Reduced frequency of service along the A, D, F, G, N, Q, J, and M trains.

• The elimination of student discounts for schoolkids.

• Reductions in Access-A-Ride service, which assists disabled commuters.

Buy Local

Top Five Holiday Shopping Picks for Today

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Sweet Charity for the sheer volume of cool items for just about everyone on your list: homegoods, accessories, jewelry, paper goods and MORE.The store donates to charity a small part of their profits.

Hog Mountain , a General Store for Men, for its interesting variety of guy stuff, including clothing, bags, books, tools and skincare products.

Otto for its great sense of design in clothing, hats, scarves, gloves, snow globes, jewelry and lingerie.

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 Community Bookstore because books make such good gifts. "Storefront: The Disappearing Face of NY" is my pick for a nice coffee table photography book.

Urban Alchemist for its special somethings for those special someones was conceived as part store, part gallery and part artisan salon, Urban Alchemist has an eclectic mix of emerging designers as well as carefully selected vintage and modern home goods, accessories and furniture.

Civics and Urban Life

OTBKB’s 2009 Park Slope Holiday Gift Guide: Constantly Updated

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OTBKB's 2009 Park Slope Holiday Gift Guide has its  own mini-blog on the right hand corner of OTBKB's screen (where the ads are) or go here.

5th Avenue 5th Avenue 5th Avenue 5th Avenue 

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☆BERGEN STREET between Flatbush and Fifth

Babeland: Sex toys for women; great gifts!

Bump Brooklyn: Fashionable pregnancy wear and more. 

Bergen Street Comics: Cool and sophisticated comics in a sleek atmosphere. I picked up Scott McCould's "Making Comics" and "Understanding Comic" for my son. 

Ride Brooklyn: Bikes, bikes, bikes and accessories.

Bark Hot Dogs: A great place to stop when you get hungry. Great beer, too.Try the bark dog and the backed beans. They also have ONION RINGS.

Pintchik Hardware:

Eponymy: "One-of-a-kind cleverly-curated boutique–part clothing store, part gallery, part antique shop."

Lululemon: Great work-out and yoga gear for women. In the shop, you can write down one of your life goals and they'll put it on their Christmas tree. 

Private Stock (The Gentlemen's Shop): A quote from the owner in OffManhattan: "Private Stock is a malt liquor. When I was a teenager that was the
drink of choice. You just put it in a brown paper bag. There was
nothing classy about it, and that was like our drink of choice. It
wasn’t Cristal, or anything like that. And that is kind of my target
market: the guy that was cool back then and is older now, but still
wants to be cool. I don’t know if you’re a fan of Biggie Smalls…"

Brooklyn Larder: Amazing(!) cheese, olive oils, condiments, chocolates, spices, and way more for the gourmand on your list. Holiday gift boxes look GREAT, too.

☆FIFTH AVENUE Bergen to St. Marks

Lulu's Cuts & Toys: Great toys including Ugly Dolls in all sizes, shapes, and colors. Schilling vintage toys.

Lulu's for Baby: Right next door to Lulu's Cuts & Toys. Gifts, clothing, strollers and more.

☆FIFTH AVENUE St. Marks to Prospect Place

Buttercup's Paw-tisserie: Gifts for dogs and the people who love them.

Gorilla Coffee: Gorilla
Gift Box comes with 3x1lb of your choice of coffee, slide top silk
screen cover, gorilla logo wood burned on back.

Tabeel Aromatherapy Gift Shop and Hair Locking Center: In year's past, I liked the microwavable teddy bears for muscle soreness,
arthritis, backaches, sprains and headaches, Glycerine soaps by
the slice in various flavors and colors including grapefruit
(pictured).

☆FIFTH AVENUE Prospect Place to Park Place

Flirt:  Great bags, pin-up girl mirror, Bombshell babe Tampon Holder, Albert and Picollo underwear, thongs and MORE.

Teddy: Fargo hats with real rabbit fur.

 The Chocolate Room: CHOCOLATES!

☆FIFTH AVENUE Douglas to
Degraw

Balibag

 

A. Cheng: Lovely clothing and accessories. Floral scarves in saturated orange, bags like the one pictured. 

☆FIFTH AVENUE Degraw to Sackett

Soula: Sanita Danish clogs, Converse low top sneakers in black and white or silver with sequins.

☆FIFTH AVENUE St. Johns to Lincoln

  Body Essentials: Dr. Hanuska products.

☆FIFTH AVENUE Lincoln to Berkeley

Brooklyn Frameworks: Vintage prints including images of old Brooklyn


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 ☆FIFTH AVENUE  Sackett to President 

Cog and Pearl:   Decoupage
paper weights and dishes by John Derian; Things to Make & Do and
"Revive" calendar by Nikki McClure, "A Year of Mornings" (Princeton
University Press) by Maria Alexandere Vetttes; and hand soap.



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Hog Mountain (A
General Store for Men) is chock full of "indestructible" and classic
men's wear, including the perfect winter coat, jeans, ties, shirts,
tools, etc. Great for gifts for the men on your list.

☆FIFTH AVENUE  Berkeley to  Union

Extraordinary: Key rings
with small metal high heels, wing tips, ballet slippers, high tops.

☆FIFTH AVENUE Union to Carroll Streets.

Something Else: Fleece lined fur hats and fingerless mittens.

Bob & Judi's Coolectibles: Wide
variety of laminated posters that are ready to hang: Mighty Mouse Float
Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee film about Mohammad Ali by William
Klein ($13). Locker baskets.

Goldy and Mac: Clothing and accessories for women.


☆FIFTH AVENUE President  to Garfield Streets.

Matter: Still life fruit bowl — ceramic and wood, Rainbow of 13 colored sake or shot glasses, cork chair.

Scaredy Kat: In
the new location, the store is chock full of fun gifts for Hanukah,
Xmas, stocking stuffers and more: vintage toys you grew up with by Fisher-Price:
Clock Music box, Bouncy Bee,
Chatter Telephone ($15.), huge assortment of holiday cards ($9-17). 

 
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Diana Kane:
Clean, simple, modern locket. 18" Yellow gold chain with satin finished
sterling silver locket. Holds two photographs. Locket measures 3/4"
Handmade in New York. Jimmy Jane vibrators, candles, and Spin the Bottle game. 

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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.


Eidolan: Wool
neck collar with pom pom knit by Black Rabbit, unisex belts with
simple stitching made by Nadine NY, tunics and dresses in 1960's
patterns by Amara Felice.

☆FIFTH AVENUE Garfield to 1st Streets.


45rpm mirror-2
3R Living: Cool
round
mirror framed by old 45's (you can order according to your musical
tastes!); glassware made out of recycled Boylan birch beer, Boylan
orange soda, Rolling Rock, Stella bottles; bike chain frames, Mighty
Wallets, made of materials used in Express Mail envelopes, hand screen
printed, plywood wall hooks and bottle openers.

Lucia: Love bird necklaces; nice sweaters, gloves and hats. 

La Rosa Dance Supply: Tights and ballet supplies for little girls and women.

☆FIFTH AVENUE 1st to 2nd Street

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 Jonathan Blum: Paintings by Brooklyn's hometown artist.

☆FIFTH AVENUE Second to Third Streets

☆FIFTH AVENUE 3rd to 4th Streets

PYR Wine Shop:

Serene Rose

Razor

Brooklyn Mercantile: Give the gift of one of their intimate, on-site classes in sewing, crafts, quilting, and
more. They also have bags, housewares, jewelry, one-of-a-kind art and more.

Stitch Therapy: Knitting bags, Wool baby rattle knitting kit, felting kit ($30).

☆FIFTH AVENUE 2nd to 3rd Street

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Bird: It can be a little pricey in here but it's a great gift source
for the fashionista on your list. Featured women's collections (at all
locations) include 3.1 Phillip
Lim, Acne, A.P.C., Alexander Wang, Isabel Marant, Maison Martin
Margiela Ligne 6, Rachel Comey, Stella McCartney, Thakoon, Tsumori
Chisato, Yigal Azrouël, Zero + Maria Cornejo. .

☆FIFTH AVENUE 4th to 5th Street

Under the Pig Antiques: You never know what you'll fine in here. Have FUN.

☆FIFTH AVENUE 5th to 6th Streets

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…

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

Urban Alchemist: Part store, part gallery and part artisan salon, Urban Alchemist has an eclectic mix of emerging designers as well as carefully selected vintage and modern home goods, accessories and furniture. I love the delicate necklaces and earrings by Rebeccah Shepherd, the plastered vintage milk bottles from Brooklyn milk companies of yore and more. Much more. The shop is just east of Fifth Avenue on 5th Street.

☆FIFTH AVENUE 7th to 8th Streets

Save on Fifth: What a selection of just about everything. Cheap, cheap, cheap.

FIFTH AVENUE 8th – 9th Streets

Galaxy Comics: 12 inch Yellow Submarine Beatles figurines. 

Record and Tape Center: Huge collection of used LPs and CDs.

Tip Top Gifts: Commando sweaters in black, navy, and green with patches on the shoulders and elbows ($38).

 7th Avenue 7th Avenue 7th Avenue 7th Avenue

☆SEVENTH AVENUE Lincoln to Berkeley

Paper XOXO Owner Alison has great taste in all things paper, including Manhattan Diaries, letter press cards, diaries, journals and more.

Mandala Tibetan Store: Fantastic furry ear muffs, scarves galore, Buddha figurines, bags, jewelry.

Slope Sports: Great
gifts for winter runners: Mizuno BreathThermo running hat and gloves,
$20 each, The Stick self-massager;  Life is good® long-sleeve
t-shirts, CRAFT top or bottom base layer.

☆SEVENTH AVENUE Union to President

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.

Newstand: A lottery ticket.

Facets: Beautiful precious and semi-precious jewelry and earrings

Area: T-shirts and wooden toys, Ugly Dolls and more.

Aersoles: Shoes, great socks and stockings.

☆SEVENTH AVENUE President to Carroll

Loom: Great gifts, all price ranges, all age groups. 

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Lisa Polansky: This store is crowded with women's clothing, shoes, clogs and more.

Kiwi: Beautiful hat and glove sets 

☆SEVENTH AVENUE Carroll to Garfield

Jack Rabbit: A pair of running shoes and tuition in the Beginner Running Clinic ($250).

D'Vine Taste: Dried Fruits. Halvah. Fancy olive oils. Proustian Madeleine cakes.

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Community Bookstore: Book ideas: Lit by Mary Karr, Chronic City by Jonathan Lethem, Prospect Park West by Amy Sohn, A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore, Raymond Carver: A Writer's Life by Carol Sklenicka, Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann and Store Front (if they're out of it you can always order it).

Little Things: From trendy to classic toys: they've got it all. All wrapped up in purple tissue paper: what could be better?

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Back to the Land: Dr. Hanuschka, Avalon, Kiss My Face, California Baby, and other skin and hair care products.

Possibilities On The Slope: Cards, balloons, gift items, fragrances and skincare products, etc. 

 ☆SEVENTH AVENUE Garfield to 1st

Artesana: Beautiful ornaments, candles holders, etc. 

 

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The Clay Pot:  Hotcakes necklaces and earrings are my pick. See left. 

Treasure
Chest:

The Chair Store:

Lolli: Cinderella Pajamas that come with a book.

Mr. Choi: Just like last
year: Hot Sox in a wide variety of patterns including Hanukah menorahs,
cappuchino, bandannas, and polka dots (3 for $15). 

Brooklyn_myr_products
MYR: Mallory carries a great selection of her own blend of make up, skin care products and barettes
☆SEVENTH AVENUE 2nd to 3rd Streets

Eric Shoes: Boots, boots, fabulous boots and bags.

Good Footing: Ice skates.

Tarzian West: 

☆SEVENTH AVENUE 3rd to 4th Streets

City Casuals: Clothing (Cut Loose, and other comfortable brands), shoes, scarves and pretty jewelry. Reasonable prices.

Living on Fifth: Going out of business SALE!

The Cocoa Bar: Nicely packaged chocolate treats.

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Lion in the Sun: Moleskin notebooks in all sizes. Acme pens. Great place to find gifts for the writer in your life.

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☆SEVENTH AVENUE 4th to 5th Streets

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Lumiere: Pylones jewelry box, lady in skirt cheese grater, cake knife, massage device, jewelry box, hairbrushes, and other fun items. 

 ☆SEVENTH AVENUE 7th to 8th Streets

☆SEVENTH AVENUE 8th to 9th Streets

Brooklyn Industries: Great sweaters this year. Bags as always. Gloves, hats and of course super t-shirts.

☆SEVENTH AVENUE ABOVE 9th Street:

OTTO: Fantastic Echo gloves and scarves. Pricey but fabulous hats; three dot t-shirts, boiled wool handbags

4-Play BK: hippy-chic brands like Free People and Blue Platealong with urban
essentials like Puma kicks, designer jeans and Paul Frank t-shirts and more.

Music Matters: New CD by Tom Waits: Glitter and Doom Live, guitar picks in bulk. 

Big Nose, Full Body: Wine gifts galore for the wine enthusiast on your list. 

Goldy & Mac: Sweaters, dresses, bags, accessories…

Sp_desk_horiz_frames
Sweet Charity: Fun, floral and tasteful homegoods, gift and clothing shop that is chock full of gift items!

Grab: Gourmet gifts for the foodie you love.

Civics and Urban Life

My Friend Henry Lowengard: Imaginary Sound Winners 2009

Jhhl-salm-72
Hello Sound Listeners:

It's that time of year again. My friend Henry Lowengard has put together another list of Imaginary Sound Winners 2009:

http://www.wfmu.org/~jhhl/Best/

Says Henry:

"This is my 10th year of these lists – rather a lot when you think of it – and I'm happy to say some real world people are out there doing real projects in the same vein, such as those folks who hooked a big Victrola-style horn behind a plough in a field in Scandinavia.

"Happy imagined listening, and I hope to get to some of these sometime."

Music

OTBKB Music: Best of 2009, Part One

OK, it's mid December. 
That means it's time for my best of 2009 list.  Overall, 2009 had a
tough act to follow because 2008 was an extraordinarily good year
musically.  I do think that there was a bit of a fall off from last
year, but there was still plenty of good new music around.  I've picked
the 10 albums that I've enjoyed the most this year.  They will be
presented today and Wednesday, half on each day, in alphabetical order.

The Stars Are Out Sarah Borges and The Broken Singles – The Stars Are Out: Sarah Borges
has been around for a few years and usually categorized as alt
country.  But The Stars Are Out demolishes that view of her.  It's
mostly rock
of varying kinds, mostly up tempo and all wonderful.  The songs are
split between covers and SB originals.  A few SB&BS fans have
complained that this album is overproduced, but if this is
overproduction, bring it on.

One Last Century
The
Damnwells – One Last
Century: One Last Century is just plain
wonderful.  You could call it rock power pop with wonderful songs and
great vocals.  If you need a reference point, The Gin Blossoms aren't
all that far away from this.  There is no reason not to own this album;
it was released as a free download here. Yes, it's
legal!

Charlie Faye Wilson Street Charlie Faye – Wilson St: Originally from this area, Charlie moved to
Austin a few years back and Wilson St. of the album title is where she
ended up.  Austin is the place where rock, blues, country and folk all
blend into each other and that's what happens on this album as well. 
All songs are CF originals or co-writes and standouts include She's
Gonna Go, Bottletops, Runaround and Simple Seduction.

New York Town Israel
Nash Gripka – New
York Town:  Too young to have been around
during the classic rock era, Israel reaches back to what was good in
the 70s as inspiration for this set.  And yes, it does seem he's
channeling John Fogerty in the song Pray for Rain.

Norah Jones - The Fall Norah Jones – The Fall: The past couple of years have
been ones of change for Norah Jones.  So
with all that going on in her life, its no wonder that her new album,
The Fall, finds Norah's music in transition as well.  This record
features
an entirely different musical team and although it still recognizable
as a Norah Jones record, it has
electronic elements and is mixed to be edgier. Highlights include Young
Blood, It's Gonna Be and Back to Manhattan.

To be continued…

 –Eliot Wagner

Civics and Urban Life

Child’s Play: Acting Classes for PreK to 1st Graders

_DSC1453 Child's Play NY is opening it's winter registration for acting classes for PreK to 1st grade. Children interpret characters, tell stories and connect with their intuitive ability to make-believe.

Into each class is woven a folktale or fairytale which the class re-interprets and which springboards improvisation.

Techniques of acting as well as specific voice and movement work are an integral part of the curriculum. Visual arts, mask, puppetry and costume augment the workshop and support imagination.

Child's Play offers young people the opportunity to explore and perform theater and in doing so builds confidence, compassion and creativity.

The 12-week session is held in Carroll Gardens at the Area Yoga studio on 320 Court Street from 3:25-4:25 on Tuesdays from January 6th to April 5th.

Child's Play is taught by Jocelyn Greene acting teacher at the Packer Collegiate Institute and the Berkeley Carroll School.

For more information and an application go to www.childsplayny.com

Smartmom

Smartmom Chaperones a Marriott Sleepover

Smartmom_big8
Here from this week's Brooklyn Paper, it's Smartmom:

It was Luvbud’s 12th birthday and Luvbud’s Mom wanted to do
something really special for her: a night at a hotel with four of her
best friends.

So Luvbud Mom booked two rooms at the Brooklyn Marriott and told Luvbud to invite her BFFs.

But there was one problem: Luvbud’s Mom had to stay home to care for
her mother, who isn’t well. She called Smartmom with the bad news.

“I can chaperone the girls,” Smartmom told her.

“Are you sure? ” she asked.

“No problem. I don’t mind spending a night in a hotel with five 12-year-old girls,” Smartmom said.

When the Oh So Feisty One got wind of the plan she was none too happy.

“Why can’t Luvbud’s mom do it. That would be SO much better,” OSFO told her.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Smartmom said. “But it’s me or no party.”

On Saturday, Smartmom and the girls walked to the subway in the
rain. Smartmom made sure to stay about a block ahead of the girls
because she knew that OSFO wouldn’t want her hovering too close.

In fact, OSFO doesn’t like Smartmom hovering too close most of the time.

The allergy kicked in right around her 12th birthday last March and
it hasn’t let up at all. Sometimes she actually looks ill when Smartmom
enters her room.

Back to Saturday: Smartmom checked into the hotel as the girl swooned at the sight of the hotel’s pretty lobby Christmas tree.

“I’m two doors down from you girls,” Smartmom told OSFO and her friends.

“And the pool is open 24 hours,” she added.

“Yay. We can go swimming at midnight,” one of the girls said.

When the girls entered their room, they squealed with delight
and immediately started jumping on their beds. OSFO quickly ushered
Smartmom out of the room and made it clear that Smartmom wasn’t
welcome.

Smartmom did check in every half hour or so to see what they were up
to. She told them they should go swimming, but they were too busy
trying on each other’s clothes and putting on makeup in the bathroom.

Smartmom had lots to do in her private hotel room. She brought her
laptop fully intending to write her column or read a book. Instead she
found herself feeling very, very relaxed and sleepy on the ultra
comfortable mattress with its soft, soft, cotton sheets.

Smartmom woke up to a hard knock on the door. It was OSFO and the girls dressed in their bikinis.

“The pool was closed,” OSFO told her, clearly annoyed. “It’s not open 24 hours like you said.”

“Really? That’s what the woman at the front desk told me — unless I
misunderstood,” Smartmom said, sailing through a sea of unhappy faces.
“My bad. But you can go swimming in the morning. The pool opens at 9
am,” she added, restoring the levity.

About an hour later, Smartmom knocked on their door to see if the
girls were ready for dinner, but there was no answer. She banged some
more. Still no answer. She did experience a moment of panic. Had they
been asphyxiated by makeup or poisoned by nail polish remover?

She managed to stay calm and went downstairs to the Archives Restaurant to see if they were there.

Sure enough, the BFFs were eating dinner in the crowded restaurant.
Looking like 12 going on 23, they were all beautifully dressed up in
skirts or dresses and they were drinking …

“They’re virgin Strawberry Daiquiris,” one of the girls told Smartmom.

“We were having Shirley Temples, but then we ordered these,” another girl said.

Smartmom had to laugh. It occurred to her that this could be
construed as pre-alcoholic behavior, but she flicked the thought out of
her mind like an annoying mosquito. The girls were having fun.

As planned, Smartmom met Hepcat in the lobby for dinner. They sat
and ate their dinner at the bar — far away from the girls. He had a
Virgin Guinness while Smartmom had a Virgin Chardonnay. When the girls
were finished with dinner, OSFO came over to Hepcat.

“Can I borrow your camera,” she asked, all sugar no spice.

“Ummm, it’s the new camera,” he said nervously. “Do you know how to use it?”

“Of course I do,” OSFO said, taking the camera.

After dinner, Smartmom and Hepcat watched “White Christmas” in the
hotel room as he waited nervously for the return of his camera. Around
midnight, Smartmom knocked on the door.

“Yes?” OSFO said through a small crack.

“Can I have the camera?” she said.

“One minute,” OSFO said, shutting the door.

OSFO returned a minute later with the camera. She handed it over.

“And don’t look at the pictures,” she said, shutting the door again.

“I think she should see the pictures,” Smartmom heard another friend say through the door.

“Omigod. They took 315 photographs,” Hepcat exclaimed checking his
camera to make sure it was still in good working condition (which it
was). “And they’re really good,” he added. “Did you know they ordered
from room service?”

“They did?” Smartmom gasped.

Sure enough there was a photo of a waiter carrying a tray. There
were three other trays visible in the picture. Luvbud’s Mom would not
be happy.

“They sure made a mess of that room,” he said. “And they jumped on the bed.”

Indeed, the photographs were fantastic: a perfect lens into the
crazy, fun, exuberant world of Luvbud’s 12th birthday party at the
Marriott.

Smartmom may not have been a fly on the wall, but Hepcat’s camera
was able to capture better than thousands of words what it was like on
that magical night.

A birthday/slumber party at the Marriott: Expensive, trust me.

A night of fun with your BFFs (and OSFO’s mother, father and SLR camera): priceless.

Film

OTBKB Film by Pops Corn: Brothers

Brothers-poster-438x275
There are films that just can’t be described without rattling off dozens of clichés.   When I try to tell people that I love James Gray’s We Own The Night, for example, they inevitably ask, “What’s it about?”

What follows is a description that sounds like every movie ever made and me backpedaling to characterize the film and make it more than its contrivances.  Describing Brothers, this process will not be repeated.

If you’ve seen the trailer, the plot synopsis won’t confuse you.  Loser brother Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal) is released from prison just as winner brother Sam (Tobey Maguire) is deployed in Afghanistan to fight terrorism. He is reported killed in action.  Tommy takes over as surrogate father to Sam’s kids and potentially husband and lover to Sam’s beautiful wife (Natalie Portman).  Sam, his death erroneously reported, returns home considerably damaged to find his reformed brother is new favorite.  Sam rampages.

The Afghanistan footage, where Sam is kept captive and must commit grave atrocities that betray his values and his country, is completely out of step with the rest of the film. This could have provided an opportunity for tonal exercise, seeing how much the audience could take of two films in a completely different style.  However, the combat and captive scenes ring far too false. Director Jim Sheridan is much better at handling the tender side of the family drama, as his background with films like In America would suggest.  The film also suffers from a seemingly tacked-on “everybody’s fine” ending (the alternate ending theory seems to be a theme in this year’s Oscar-mongering crop).  An actor’s workshop of sorts, Sheridan does get some solid performances, notable is Sam Shepard, as the emotionally disconnected, tough-love patriarch.  But at its best, the movie is only able to rise above some of its many clichés.

–Pops Corn

Civics and Urban Life

Hannukah: Light Two Candles Tonight

Menorah
It's already the second night of Hannukah. Here's the blessing for candle lighting in English and Hebrew. Thanks to: judaism.about.com/od/chanukah/qt/hanukablessings.htm

BLESSING 1

English:
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified
us by His commandments, and has commanded us to kindle the lights of
Hanukkah.

Sfaradi/Modern Israeli:
Barukh Atta Adonay Eloheynu Melekh Ha-olam Asher Kiddeshanu Be-mitsvotav Ve-tsivanu Lehadlik Ner Shel khanuka

Common Ashkenazi (Western Europe, Belorussia, Baltic Republics):
Borukh Ato Adoynoy Eloyheynu Melekh Ho-oylom Asher Kiddeshonu Be-mitsvoysov Ve-tsivonu Lehadlik Neyr Shel khanuko

South Ashkenazi (Poland, Ukraine, Romania, Moldavia): 
Burikh Atu Adoynoy Eloyhayni Melekh Hu-oylum Asher Kiddeshuni Be-mitsvoysuv Ve-tsivuni Lehadlik Nayr Shel khaniku

BLESSING 2

English:
Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, who wrought miracles for our fathers in days of old, at this season.

Sfaradi/Modern Israeli:
Barukh Atta Adonay Eloheynu Melekh Ha-olam She-asa Nissim La-avoteynu Ba-yyamim Ha-hem Ba-zzman Ha-zze

Common Ashkenazi (Western Europe, Belorussia, Baltic Republics): 
Borukh Ato Adoynoy Eloyheynu Melekh Ho-oylom She-oso Nissim La-avoseynu Ba-yyomim Ho-heym Ba-zzman Ha-zze

South Ashkenazi (Poland, Ukraine, Romania, Moldavia): 
Burikh Atu Adoynoy Eloyhayni Melekh Hu-oylum She-usu Nissim La-avosayni Ba-yyumim Hu-haym Ba-zzman Ha-zze