Harper Blynn is playing a free show tonight in an interesting venue: The Apple Store on West 14th Street in Manhattan.  If you live in Chelsea or The Village, or you don’t like covers or minimums, this is the show for you.

Harper Blynn is a four piece band featuring high energy pop rock, lots of  hooks and good harmonies.  This past year they released a CD, Loneliest Generation, and a self titled EP.   The band is in the studio right now recording their next album.

The rest of the details are posted at Now I’ve Heard Everything; just click here to see them.

–Eliot Wagner

If I had a favorite performance at SXSW this year, it was probably Amy Speace at St. David’s Sanctuary, where she performed songs from her new album, Land Like a Bird, with her new band.  You can see a video of the moody, atmospheric but ultimately optimistic title track from that album posted at Now I’ve Heard Everything by clicking here.

–Eliot Wagner

The band named Ulysses S. Grant is made up of a number of New York musicians who all play in other bands: Pete Harper, J Blynn, Jim Campilongo, Rich Hinman, Chris Morrissey and Dan Reiser.  Ulysses S. Grant was put together to play some country tunes.  That’s what you’ll hear them doing tonight.  You can get the show details at Now I’ve Heard Everything by clicking here.

One of the musical finds for me at this year’s SXSW was Caitlin Rose, a 23 year old country/alt country/Americana/rock/whatever singer-songwriter from Nashville.  Getting to see her wasn’t easy: I missed her on Friday and finally caught her on Saturday.  But she turns out to be the real deal.  So much so that I was not surprised in the least to find out that Caitlin sings on the forthcoming album from Laura Cantrell.

See the professionally produced video which has the studio version of Shanghai Cigarettes just by clicking here.  Turning the sound up would not be a bad idea.

–Eliot Wagner

Last year the Brooklyn Blogfest made headlines, a special feature in the New York Times. Some called it a blast. Others called it a debacle. Some said it was a sell- out, others found it inspirational, fun, and a really good time.

Don’t you just LOVE controversy?

Find out what we do this year to top last year’s event, which featured Spike Lee, Lemon Anderson and all the flavored vodka you could drink.

Please buy your tickets today at the Bell House Website. We’re really looking forward to seeing on May 12th at 7:30PM.

“Where better to take the pulse of this rapidly growing community of writers, thinkers and observers than the Brooklyn Blogfest?” ~ Sewell Chan, The New York Times

Since it was founded in 2006, the Brooklyn Blogfest has established itself as the nexus of creativity, talent, and insight among the blogosphere’s brightest lights. This year will be no different as Blogfest presents keynote speaker, Jeff Jarvis, blog visionary and author of What Would Google Do? Jarvis blogs about media and news at Buzzmachine and is director of the interactive journalism program and the new business models for news project at CUNY’s Graduate School of Journalism.

Jarvis’ must-see presentation will focus on new business models for bloggers (in other words: how to make money blogging!!).

Blogfest is for bloggers, social networkers, journalists, creative entrepreneurs and those who want to start a blog. Whether you live by a blog, blog to live, live to blog (or are thinking of starting a blog) you’ll want to join us on May 12th.

Just announced: a stunning opening video by award-winning photographerGabriela Herman portraying bloggers at night lit  by the light of their screens (see photo above).  Also on tap: a video tribute to Brooklyn’s most visionary photo bloggers (by Adrian Kinloch of Brit in Brooklyn), Blogs Aloud (directed by Elizabeth Palmer of Midnight Cowgirls), special networking sessions for like-minded bloggers (i.e. Blogs of a Feather), and a roof-raising after-party with a cash bar, food and music!

Click to here to buy tickets.

Two terrific bands with different approaches and subject mater, but with some overlapping members make up tonight’s double bill at The Bell House. Up first will be Steve Wynn and The Miracle 3 (guitarist Jason Victor, bassist Dave DeCastro and drummer Linda Pitmon).  Steve and his band play straight ahead rock with with solid songs and intelligent lyrics.  They are supporting their latest album, Northern Aggression.  You can expect to hear a few songs from that new album, other songs from Steve’s impressive catalog (which stretches back all the way to The Dream Syndicate in the 80s) and some surprises.

Then it will be time for The Baseball Project, a band whose songs deal with America’s Pastime.  You’ll get to see Steve Wynn and Linda Pitmon again, and they will be joined by Scott McCaughey (The Minus 5, REM touring band) and Peter Buck (REM).  Expect to hear songs about the Bill Buckner and the 1986 World Series,  Harvey Haddix and his perfect game that wasn’t and man, many more.  And tonight, Hold Steady front man Craig Finn will be on hand to sing the anthemic Don’t Call Them Twinkies, an ode to and a history of the Minnesota Twins.

Details for this show are waiting for you at Now I’ve Heard Everything; just by click here to see them.

–Eliot Wagner

It’s nearly May and therefore it’s time for the May music calendar at Now I’ve Heard Everything; just click here to see it.  Even with 40 events currently listed, this is a work in progress that will be updated, so don’t forget to check the calendar frequently.  May starts off with the first outdoor show of the season over in Hoboken.  But April ends with two really good shows at The Bell House, just walking distance away.  I’ll be back to tell you about them on Friday.

–Eliot Wagner

Tonight there’s a pretty good double feature.  First up is music film.  City Winery will screen The Promise: The Making of Darkness at the Edge of Town and the extremely reasonable $10 admission goes for charity.  Once the film is finished, head on over to Banjo Jim’s to catch New York’s own Li’l Mo and The Monicats. You can catch all the details for these shows at Now I’ve Heard Everything by clicking here.

The term “literature with guitars” was coined by writer George Pelicanos.  It certainly applies to the novelistic/cinematic song, Wait Here for the Cops, by David Olney, who gets an entire story of desperation due to a life gone wrong down in just four minutes.  Click here to see the video of the song and learn how you can see David at a rare New York City appearance at a Sunday, May 1 house concert.

–Eliot Wagner

Loom, a band I like very much, is playing Sycamore tonight on Cortelyou Road in Ditmas Park. They are a six-piece indie rock band from Brooklyn that features male/female vocals, horns, guitars, banjo, ukulele, keys, and percussion.

They’ve got an unusual sound: early British folk rock with french horn and ukulele. Fairport Convention meets The National. Apparently Loom has completed a full-length album, Teeth.  The new album, currently unreleased, features cover art by Asthmatic Kitty artist DM Stith.  It was recorded in New York at Maverick Studios with producer Allen Farmelo and mastered at Masterdisk studios.

The new material mines a “decidedly louder sonic territory” (according to The New Yorker). 

Sycamore: 1118 Cortelyou Road Brooklyn, NY 11231. T 347-240-5850

My Pet Dragon is a band with some interesting 70s and 80s influences and whose live show is musically interesting and fun. Their song, Lover in Hiding, was one of my favorite songs released in 2010, and they have a new album in the pipeline.  They consist of Todd Michaelsen (guitar, lead vocals), Reena Shah (backing vocals, percussion) Mario Padron (bass), Rajeev Maddela (drums) and Vincent Mascolo (guitar).  They are playing at the Studio at Webster Hall tonight, and you’ll find the details about the show at Now I’ve Heard Everything by clicking here.

–Eliot Wagner

“Where better to take the pulse of this rapidly growing community of writers, thinkers and observers than the Brooklyn Blogfest?” ~ Sewell Chan, The New York Times

Since it was founded in 2006, the Brooklyn Blogfest has established itself as the nexus of creativity, talent, and insight among the blogosphere’s brightest lights. This year will be no different with Keynote speaker, Jeff Jarvis of Buzzmachine.com, who will discuss new business models for bloggers (i.e. making money as a blogger).

Just added to the program: an opening video by award winning photographer Gabriela Herman. For her series, Bloggers, she photographs bloggers at night lit by the light of their computer screens (see photo left).

Also on tap: a video tribute to Brooklyn’s photo bloggers, special networking sessions for like-minded bloggers, and Blogs Aloud, a dramatic reading of the most interesting blog writing out there. Plus: a roof-raising after-party with cash bar, food and music.

Buy tickets NOW at thebellhouse.com. Blogfest is for bloggers, social networkers, journalists, creative entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in reading or starting a blog.

Thursday, May 12, 2011 at 7:30 PM

@ The Bell House

149 7^th Street (between 2^nd and 3^rd Avenues) in Park Slope/Gowanus

Admission $15 plus cash bar! Buy tickets @ The Bell House.

I found a video taken at The Rockwood Music Hall on Sunday by someone named “Tahcofan,” to whom many thanks are in order.   So before we leave Norah, Sasha and Catherine this time, let’s watch them perform Wilco’s Jesus, Etc, one of my favorite songs that Norah is performing these days.  See it at Now I’ve Heard Everything by clicking here.

–Eliot Wagner

There was a strangely named band on the schedule of The Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2 last night.  But with the place rather full, it seemed that people knew who was going to be playing.  Right after 10pm, Cobble Hil’s Norah Jones, Park Slope’s Sasha Dobson and Catherine Popper took the stage. Get more details and see seven pictures from the show at Now I’ve Heard Everything by clicking here.

For some reason, April 15th is not Tax Day this year (Monday, April 18th is).  So you don’t have to stand in line at the post office tonight.  Instead, why don’t you make your way up to Greenpoint where Serena Jean and Hobson’s Choice are playing?

Serena Jean plays a blend of music which is mostly rock with a bit of alt country thrown into the mix and which has a bit of a 70s feel to it.  Originally from Canada, she certainly shows that the saying that no one plays American music better than Canadians is correct in her case.  And guitarist Thomas Bryan Eaton not only rocks, he knows how to shred when the situation calls for it.  Thomas’ band, Hobson’s Choice, will also be on the bill.  Expect more of the same from Thomas and the band.

You can get all the details at Now I’ve Heard Everything.  Just click here to do so.

–Eliot Wagner

Brooklyn Reading Works presents “In the Year of the Rabbit: Voices from the East,”  a celebration of Asian and Asian-American writers on April 14, at 8PM at the Old Stone House in Park Slope, Brooklyn. (336 3rd Street (5th Avenue) Brooklyn, NY 11215 718.768.3195).

The event will be curated by Sophia Romero, author of Always Hiding (William Morrow) and blogger behind Shiksa From Manila.

For the first time since Brooklyn Reading Works began writers from across the Pacific (or Atlantic depending on where one is standing!) will gather under one roof to read excerpts from their work.

Featured artists are poet Joanna Sit, novelists Thad Rutkowski, Bino A Realuyo, and Ronica Dhar, and playwright Diana Son.  There will be a Q&A at the end of the reading.

$5 suggested donation includes refreshments from Purple Yam and wine. Q&A will follow the readings. For more information go to www.brooklynreadingworks.com or www.theoldstonehouse.org

by Katie Husted

Even though I work for seniors, it’s their adult children who tend to find me and hire me. They are often either living too far away or are too busy to be able to handle the nitty gritty of planning their parent’s move.

In senior world, we call these adult children “caregivers.” But the caregivers themselves very rarely identify as such. One said to me once “Caregiver? That sounds so professional. I’m just helping my mom.”

The truth is that as the population ages, there will be a lot more caregivers out there who don’t think of themselves as such. It can be an isolating role. There’s no “What to Expect When Your Mom Turns Eighty” (yet) and – in our neighborhood – if you throw an old tennis ball in any random direction you’ll find a good dog walker, but try finding someone you trust to take your parents around when they can no longer drive themselves. Good luck with that.

So, in honor of all those wonderful people who are devoting countless, unpaid, hours to helping their parents navigate their eighties and nineties, I’ve compiled some resources that I hope might help make the role a little easier

In a great book with an odd title, How to Say it to Seniors, David Solie explains why seniors and their kids so often clash as they wrestle over control when the parents need support. His examples are often hilarious and make you pause and realize why your dad explodes every time you suggest it may be time for him to consider hiring help at home.

A woman I know who runs the New York City branch of an excellent homecare agency,  Senior Helpers, has started a website site called Senior Care. Kathy is compiling articles and resources to make life easier for local caregivers and she’s asked me to help with some contributions. Right now there’s a great post about the museums in the city that have programs for seniors with dementia.

I follow a couple of blogs with interesting articles about aging: “http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/” The New Old Age blog at the New York Times is always covering some unexplored aspect to aging.  There’s a recent post about a topic dear to my heart – the editing process of deciding what to keep and what to shed when you have to move into a smaller residence.

And: “http://www.elderguru.com/” Elder Guru stays on top of creative products and services to make life easier for seniors and caregivers. How about GPS shoes for people with dementia?

Also: “http://www.caringtoday.com/” Caring Today is an online caregiver community. I love this site because they devote a lot of their space to sharing personal stories from caregivers all over the country.

And of course, if you need a senior move manager, check out: http://www.nasmm.org” The National Association of Senior Move Managers and select one in your part of the country.

Caregivers and all you people who are just taking care of your parents but are decidedly NOT “caregivers,” I wish you all the luck in the world as you navigate your new, complex, role.

Katie Hustead, the owner of Paper Moon Moves, is a regular contributor to OTBKB. She loves seniors and has been running a volunteer reading program at a senior residence in New York City for seven years and was honored by President Bush for her commitment. She has an MBA from UCLA and has worked in project management and finance at major financial services companies for almost twenty years. She is personally involved in every job. She named the company after one of her favorite songs.

Tired of the rain in Park Slope?  Then how about some Death Valley Rain? Here’s a video of Steve Wynn and The Miracle 3 playing one of their signature songs at SXSW this year.  The photography is excellent and the sound is pretty good.  You’ll find it at Now I’ve Heard Everything by clicking here.

Here’s another video, this one from Brooklyn-based Harper Blynn performing Sucker, a song which is going to appear on their next album (currently being recorded).  Since this video was shot at The Rockwood Music Hall, there have been a few minor changes in the band: Pete Harper (playing keyboards here) removed his beard; J Blynn (lead vocals and guitar) has had his appendix removed.  No matter; this song rocks.  See it by clicking here.

–Eliot Wagenr

Brooklyn Reading Works presents “In the Year of the Rabbit: Voices from the East,”  a celebration of Asian and Asian-American writers on April 14, at 8PM at the Old Stone House in Park Slope, Brooklyn. (336 3rd Street (5th Avenue) Brooklyn, NY 11215 718.768.3195).

The event will be curated by Sophia Romero, author of Always Hiding (William Morrow) and blogger behind Shiksa From Manila.

For the first time since Brooklyn Reading Works began writers from across the Pacific (or Atlantic depending on where one is standing!) will gather under one roof to read excerpts from their work.

Featured artists are poet Joanna Sit, novelists Thad Rutkowski, Bino A Realuyo, and Ronica Dhar, and playwright Diana Son.  There will be a Q&A at the end of the reading.

$5 suggested donation includes refreshments from Purple Yam and wine. Q&A will follow the readings. For more information go to www.brooklynreadingworks.com or www.theoldstonehouse.org

There’s an interesting double bill at The Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2 tonight.  First, at 7, Leslie Mendelson will play a solo show.  She’ll be followed at 8 by Michael Kaeshammer.  I’ve not seen Michael, but he’s a Canadian boogie-woogie pianist, vocalist, composer, and arranger.  There is a video of him, which is pretty amazing posted, along with the details for this show at Now I’ve Heard Everything: just click here

–Eliot Wagner

Robbie Robertson, originally part of The Band, has just come out with a new record, How to Become Clairvoyant.  Robbie appeared on David Letterman on Tuesday night to play one song from it, He Don’t Live Here No More live.  His band for the gig (and a few other live ones coming up) was Dawes, who I have been following for a while now (see photos from a show Dawes played in New York City last summer here).  You can see the video posted at Now I’ve Heard Everything by clicking here.

Tonight you’ll find James Maddock playing a full band show over at The Bowery Electric.  James is certainly a favorite around here.  He had a wonderful album out last year, James Maddock Live at Rockwood Music Hall, which demonstrates how good he is live.  And James’ shows are not only excellent musically, they are just plain fun.  Joining James will be his band, Oli Rockberger (piano), John Shannon (guitar), Drew Mortali (bass), Aaron Comess (drums) and Leslie Mendelson (vocals and tambourine).  For the details, just click here.

–Eliot Wagner

By Dr. Amy Glaser

This past week, I conducted a physical examination on a nine-year-old girl with clear breast development. The mother was alarmed. She was concerned about a hormone abnormality and asked me whether there was something in her daughter’s diet that was producing this change.

Among her other concerns, she didn’t want early sexual development to turn her daughter into one of the “fast girls” who struggles with her reputation.

The truth is that sexual development in 9-year-olds is becoming increasingly common, because the average age of puberty is falling in girls in many countries, including the United States.

Textbooks say that puberty in girls may start anywhere from 8 to 13 years of age, while puberty in boys follows by about two years. Genetics account for around 50% of the variation. This is likely to explain some of the observed racial differences. In the United States, about 25% of African American girls and 15% of Hispanic girls versus 5% of White girls having at least some pubertal development by age 8.

Puberty is a prolonged process that occurs in a number of stages. For girls, enlargement of breast tissue usually precedes growth of pubic and axillary hair and the beginning of the menstrual cycle begins. Even after menstruation, the process continues with a deepening of the voice, increased growth of body on the legs and arms, and acceleration of growth velocity from about 2 inches yearly to up to 5 inches. The process culminates when the growth plates fuse and adult height is achieved.

For boys the onset of puberty is recognized with the beginning of testicular enlargement, but, again, sexual development occurs in several stages over a prolonged period. For both boys and girls, there can be variations in the order of the changes and the speed of the progression. For example, some girls develop a small amount of pubic hair several months or years before other sexual development begins. Boys can develop a small amount of breast tissue at a relatively young age. Although these types of developments can be embarrassing, they are common, and they are not a cause for alarm.

There are likely to be numerous reasons for the progressively younger ages at which puberty is beginning in girls. The average age has fallen from about 16 years of age in the 19th century to 13 years in the 20th century. Boys do not seem to be affected to the same degree, but the trajectory towards younger ages of puberty in girls is continuing. In a recent study, 10% of Caucasian girls were now starting puberty at 7 years of age.

Continue reading The Doctor is In: Early Puberty →

Check out the Brooklyn Blogfest website which is now up and running with information about Blogfest 2011.

Come one, come all to the 6th Annual Brooklyn Blogfest on MAY 12, 2011 at 7:30 PM at The Bell House(149 7th Street between 2nd and 3rd avenues) in the Gowanus/Park Slope neighborhood.

TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE HERE.

“Where better to take the pulse of this rapidly growing community of writers, thinkers and observers than the Brooklyn Blogfest?” ~ Sewell Chan, The New York Times

Since it was founded in 2006, the Brooklyn Blogfest has established itself as the nexus of creativity, talent, and insight among the blogosphere’s brightest lights. This year will be no different as Blogfest presents keynote speaker, Jeff Jarvis, author of What Would Google Do? Jarvis blogs about media and news at Buzzmachine and is director of the interactive journalism program and the new business models for news project at CUNY’s Graduate School of Journalism.

Jarvis’ must-see presentation, Will Blog for Food (or You Can Make Money Doing This!), will focus on new business models for bloggers!

Blogfest is for bloggers, social networkers, journalists and entrepreneurs. Whether you live by a blog, blog to live, live to blog (or are thinking of starting a blog) you’ll want to join us on May 12th.

Also on tap: a video tribute to Brooklyn’s most visionary photo bloggers (by Adrian Kinloch of Brit in Brooklyn); Blogs Aloud (directed by Elizabeth Palmer of Midnight Cowgirls); special networking sessions for like-minded bloggers (i.e. Blogs of a Feather); the return of the ever-popular Shout-out, when bloggers are invited to share their blogs with the world; and a roof-raising after-party with a cash bar, food and music! All at the fabulous Bell House.

See you on May 12th at 7:30 PM (doors open at 7PM). Order your $15 tickets NOW HERE.

Brooklyn Reading Works presents “In the Year of the Rabbit: Voices from the East,”  a celebration of Asian and Asian-American writers on April 14, at 8PM at the Old Stone House in Park Slope, Brooklyn. (336 3rd Street (5th Avenue) Brooklyn, NY 11215 718.768.3195).

The event will be curated by Sophia Romero, author of Always Hiding (William Morrow) and blogger behind Shiksa From Manila.

For the first time since Brooklyn Reading Works began writers from across the Pacific (or Atlantic depending on where one is standing!) will gather under one roof to read excerpts from their work.

Featured artists are poet Joanna Sit, novelists Thad Rutkowski, Bino A Realuyo, and Ronica Dhar, and playwright Diana Son.  There will be a Q&A at the end of the reading.

$5 suggested donation includes refreshments from Purple Yam and wine. Q&A will follow the readings. For more information go to www.brooklynreadingworks.com or www.theoldstonehouse.org

This article by  Tom Martinez originally appeared in the Brooklyn Eagle.

FLATBUSH — It’s hard to imagine a more fitting symbol for the Lenten and Easter themes of suffering and resurrection than the recent hardships and triumphs of the historic, landmark Flatbush Reformed Church (also known as the Flatbush Dutch Reformed Church) at the corner of Flatbush and Church avenues.

Roughly 18 months ago the building that houses the church social hall and a fleet of upstairs offices was engulfed in flames. Brooklyn Congregations United, the social justice organization located upstairs, had to relocate, and the church was forced to operate out of a tiny office adjacent to the main sanctuary (which wasn’t damaged in the fire). In short, things were looking bleak.

But under the leadership of senior minister Rev. Dan Ram (above, right) the church patiently undertook a massive renovation project, restoring the damaged building to its 17th century glory and revitalizing it.

Among the new signs of life is the hiring of Associate Minister Cheri Kroon (above, left). Since her graduation from Union Theological Seminary in 2006, Kroon has been serving as an interim minister for many congregations in the New York metropolitan area.

Continue reading Tom Martinez, Witness: Hardship and Triumph at Flatbush Reformed Church →

Today at Now I’ve Heard Everything there are get well wishes for two Brooklyn-based musicians, J Blynn and Aaron Lee Tasjan, info about The Mastersons touring with Steve Earle this summer (and appearing on Letterman later this month) and the albums by Amy Speace and The Baseball Project which I’ve been playing repeatedly for the past month.  Just click here for all the details.

–Eliot Wagner

On April 14 at 8PM, Brooklyn Reading Works presents “In the Year of the Rabbit: Voices from the East”, a celebration of Asian and Asian-American writers on April 14, at the Old Stone House in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

The event will be curated by Sophia Romero, author of Always Hiding (William Morrow) and blogger behind Shiksa From Manila.

For the first time since Brooklyn Reading Works began writers from across the Pacific (or Atlantic depending on where one is standing!) will gather under one roof to read excerpts from their work.
Featured artists are poet Joanna Sit, novelists Thad Rutkowski, Bino A Realuyo, and Ronica Dhar, and playwright Diana Son.  There will be a Q&A at the end of the reading.