So Marty Markowitz announced yesterday that Coney Island’s Luna Park will stay open through October. Since it opened in June of 2010, 400,000 visitors have enjoyed the revamped amusement park, which is part of the city’s revitalization plan.

The original Luna Park, which was festooned with literally hundreds of thousands of lights, opened in 1903 and burned down in 1944.

Watching the new HBO show, Boardwalk Empire, and especially the great set created in Brooklyn, one gets a sense of what the original Luna Park might have been like.

Tonight The Montauk Club presents Book Jackets Required, the first event in their new literary reading series with Judy Baumel, Martha Cooley and Giles Harvey.

This event is produced in partnership with AGNI and is co-curated by Beth Romano.

The reading will take place at 8 PM, Wednesday, September 22, 2010, in the historic 120 year-old Ballroom at the Montauk Club, 25 Eighth Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn (adjacent to Grand Army Plaza).  Authors will read from recent work, followed by a brief panel discussion with a cocktail hour and tour of the club’s landmark building afterward.

The ticket price is free to club members and $5 for non-members; drink tickets for cocktails, wine, beer and non-alcoholic drinks can be purchased.  Visit our website at www.montaukclub.com for details on trains/transportation; RSVP to manager@montaukclub.com.

Click on Read more for information about the authors:

Continue reading Book Jackets Required: Reading Series at Park Slope’s Montauk Club →

It’s not just an exhibition, it’s a festival celebrating Brooklyn’s large and eclectic community of children’s book illustrators.

Says the Library: “Brooklyn is home to the LARGEST concentration of children’s book professionals on the planet.” At the Brooklyn Library’s main branch at Grand Army Plaza, this interesting fact is put on brilliant display by the work of the illustrators featured in this exhibition.

I always had the sense that there were a lot of children’s book pros around here but this just proves it. This festival, which runs through January 23rd, 2011 has many facets.

Drawn In Brooklyn Exhibitions
September 21, 2010 – January 23, 2011
Central Library, Grand Army Plaza

Illustration by Sophie Blackall

Kristin Diable is a singer-songwriter I discovered a few years back when she was regularly playing The Living Room and The Rockwood Music Hall.  Her music is a combination of rock, folk and blues all held together with an amazing voice made even more astonishing with a Louisiana drawl.  Back then, Kristin was living in New York City.  But about 18 months ago she decided she had enough of living in a third-story apartment in Greenpoint and moved back to Louisiana.   All the details about Kristin’s show tonight are here at Now I’ve Heard Everything.

–Eliot Wagner

How many Brooklyn film festivals does it take to screw in a light bulb? I don’t know but there are so many Brooklyn fests,  including two this weekend (Bushwick and Coney Island) that I’ve lost count.

The Bushwick Film Festival returns for its fourth year on September 24th for an exciting three day event at Brooklyn Fire Proof in Bushwick, Brooklyn. From September 24th-26th the festival will screen 5 feature films by notable directors Steven Garbas, Giorgio Arcelli, Dan Keezer, Andrew Shirley, and Shaun Jefford.  Also, the program for shorts will showcase documentaries and comedies by 20 filmmakers, including works by Brooklyn based collective The Film Shop and Untucked Films, who recently screened a retrospective of their work at Anthology Archive.

Continue reading Sept 24-26: Bushwick Film Festival →

On September 23rd at 7PM, Brooklyn Reading Works presents the second annual Young Writers Night, fiction, poetry and song by New York City teenagers. “In planning this event, I looked for artists with fresh insight, candor and guts.” writes curator Jill Eisenstadt, author of From Rockaway and Kiss Out. Young Writers should be an exciting night and a preview into the next generation of published writers.

Did I mention that the reading starts at 7PM???

Young Writers is an all ages event at the Old Stone House. Third Street and Fifth Avenue in Park Slope. Suggested donation of $5 includes refreshments.

Readers include Hananh Frishberg, Maria Robins-Somerville, Noah Miller, Banks Harris Lily Konigsberg, Gussie Rock, Charie Dore-Young and Luca Balser.

The show starts at 7PM!!!

Last week the Brooklyn Public Library cut branch hours at 26 locations (which is nearly half of all branches) and will be closed for both weekend days.

That truly sucks.

It was a choice between laying off employees or cutting Saturday service. The decision is a win for the employees (and a relief) but a big loss for those who use the library on weekends.

Jazz musician, composer and poet Roy Nathanson, an OTBKB fave and one of the 2009 Park Slope 100, will perform on Sept 28  and 29th at The Jazz Standard with the original Jazz Passengers (Curtis Fowlkes, Marc Ribot, EJ Rodriguez, Bill Ware, Brad Jones, Sam Bardfeld and Roy). at 116 East 27th Street -(212) 576-2232. Shows are 7:30 and 9:30. At the Sept 29th show Debbie Harry (of Blondie fame) will sing instead of Ribot on guitar.

October 7th is your chance to hear “Subway Moon,” Nathanson’s beautiful spoken word jazz cycle performed by Sotte Voce at the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center. Show begins at 8:30PM and it’s free.

The Jazz Passengers were founded in l987 by Nathanson and Trombonist Curtis Fowlkes. The two musicians met in the band of the Big Apple Circus and toured extensively together in John Lurie’s The Lounge Lizards. The two musicians connected over their Brooklyn roots, their affection for hard bop, comedy and eccentric currents in modern American music.

Continue reading Jazz Passengers at Lincoln Center and Jazz Standard →

Divorce, which ends almost half of all marriages today, is one of the top five life stressors. Wendy Ponte, a life coach and founder of Clear Life Coaching, has developed a new short-term workshop called, Transform Your Divorce, which will help you find positive ways to deal with the process of divorce and to come out the other side having done way more than just “survive.”

* Learn exciting new techniques for coping with stress.
* Find out how some of the latest research on the brain can help you cope with divorce.
* Access dreams and ideas you may not have even known were there.
* Create an action plan that will get you through this transition and take you into your new life.

To get more details about this exciting new workshop, go to Clear Life Coaching’s website.

Yes, an all ages event at the Old Stone House brought to you by Brooklyn Reading Works. In fact, it’s the first BRW event of the season. So come one, come all. It should be great.

On September 23rd at 7PM BRW presents the second annual Young Writers Night, fiction, poetry and song by New York City teenagers. “In planning this event, I looked for artists with fresh insight, candor and guts.” writes curator Jill Eisenstadt, author of From Rockaway and Kiss Out. Young Writers should be an exciting night and a preview into the next generation of published writers.

Young Writers is an all ages event at the Old Stone House. Third Street and Fifth Avenue in Park Slope. Suggested donation of $5 includes refreshments.

Readers include Hananh Frishberg, Maria Robis-Somerville, Noah Miller, Banks Harris Lily Konigsberg, Luca Balser, Charlie Dore-Young, Gussie Roc and more or their bios click on “read more.”

Continue reading This Thursday: Young Writers at The Old Stone House in Park Slope →

The 10th annual Coney Island Film Festival honors Darren Aronofsky, the Brooklyn-born director of the Coney Island classic, Requium for a Dream and The Wrestler for which Mickey Rourke won an academy award for his incredible portrayal of a troubled wrestler.

The mission of the festival, which runs from September 24th through September 26th, is to raise funds for the non-profit arts organization Coney Island USA, a group dedicated to the preservation of Coney Island and its history, nd to present an engaging program of films just steps from the fabulous boardwalk.

Check the festival website for the schedule of a eclectic group of films from the U.S. and all over the world, including a number of “made in Coney Island” productions each year.

The main screening venue is the legendary Sideshows by the Seashore theater, home to America’s last authentic 10-in-1 circus sideshow. The opening night celebration will  feature live performances by sideshow & burlesque stars.

Brooklyn’s Got Character[s], featuring songs written about and inspired by the real people of Kings County, will be presented Sept. 27 at Galapagos Art Space in Dumbo.

That got my attention. Especially since one of the songwriters got in touch with me because he was looking for Park Slope’s sidewalk astronomer. I asked why and he told me about this show.

According to the press materials, the show will “bring Brooklyn’s rich and varied humanity to life in theatrical songs based on the lives, stories, and personalities of its residents.” written by of some of New York City’s emerging composers, including Nathan Tysen and Chris Miller (The Burnt Part Boys), Joe Iconis (Things to Ruin, Bloodsong of Love), Tommy Newman (Band Geeks) and many more. All writers are alumni of New York University’s Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program at the Tisch School of the Arts.

Galapagos Art Space is located at 16 Main Street in Brooklyn. Tickets, priced $15, are available at www.smarttix.com/show.aspx?showcode=BRO101, and will also be available at the door.

Continue reading Sept 27: Brooklyn’s Got Character(s) at Galapagos →

Call it fate or call it coincidence as you will.  Thursday, I saw Sasha Dobson walking on the Lower East Side.  Sunday, Now I’ve Heard Everything got a couple of hits from folks searching for Sasha. And that same day, a You Tube account titled UnreleaseOriginal posted a video (actually a great recording with a still picture) of Sasha singing Couldn’t Let You go in a tasty, soulful solo acoustic version.   That video is posted for you to see and hear here at Now I’ve Heard Everything.

–Eliot Wagner

On September 23rd at 7PM Brooklyn Reading Works presents the second annual Young Writers Night, fiction, poetry and song by New York City teenagers. “In planning this event, I looked for artists with fresh insight, candor and guts.” writes curator Jill Eisenstadt, author of From Rockaway and Kiss Out. Young Writers should be an exciting night and a preview into the next generation of published writers.

Young Writers is an all ages event at the Old Stone House. Third Street and Fifth Avenue in Park Slope. Suggested donation of $5 includes refreshments.

Readers include Hananh Frishberg, Maria Robis-Somerville, Noah Miller, Banks Harris Lily Konigsberg and Gussie Roc. For their bios click on “read more.”

Continue reading Sept 23: Young Writers at the Old Stone House →

Tonight at Zora’s Space at 7:30 PM: Border crossing and migration are issues that confront societies worldwide, both rich and poor. Author and professor Behzad Yaghmaian (Embracing the Infidel) leads a program of film and discussion on the topic.

He will recount stories from Muslim migrants who make the treacherous journey to Europe from places such as Iran, Turkey, and Sudan. The premiere screening of the half-hour documentary “passTRESpass” introduces immigrants from Africa, Afghanistan, and Albania trying to create a life in Greece.

Immigrants express their pain and difficulties through movement and spoken word in a show performed for an Athens audience. Choreographer Despina Stamos, who instigated the performance and appears in the film, along with the film’s director, Jill Woodward, will be present for an informal discussion and Q/A following the screening.

Godfrey Simmons as Thomas Becket in the Church of St. Joseph and Brooklyn Arts HQ production of T. S. Eliot’s, Murder in the Cathedral, which runs through October 2,  at the church in Prospects Heights, Brooklyn.

Artist Lisa Bauer: Art in Brooklyn

Contents under pressure: Brooklynometry

Do not ignore your own flesh: Water Over Rocks

Prayer is how to manage contradictions: Old First Blog

Another year and we remember, 2010: Truth and Rocket Science

On getting lost…and the art of the accidental: The Writer and the Wanderer

The Bad Plus record release: Do the Math

Otto Dix at the Neue Gallery: The Spiral Staircase

I left my house yesterday at about 5:15 to make my way over to The Rockwood Music Hall to cover a 6pm show. So when the tornado hit Park Slope I was somewhere underground on the F Train. The performer, Alana Stewart, made it to The Rockwood a few minutes late and a bit soaked, but put on a fine show anyway.

I was able to take some nice shots at Tuesday’s The Bowery Ballroom performance by The Watson Twins. You’ll find them here at Now I’ve Heard Everything.

Finally, The Baseball Project (Steve Wynn, Linda Pitmon, Scott McCaughey and Peter Buck) have come through once again on their promise to post a monthly topical baseball song. September’s installment is titled DL Blues and no matter which team you may root for, you know all about the Disabled List. You can play and download your own copy of the song here at Now I’ve Heard Everything.
–Eliot Wagner

I know, I know, I’ve spent the summer trying to figure out where to watch Mad Men on AMC. By now, you’re probably thinking we should just get cable. But here’s my question, where should we watch Boardwalk Empire, HBO’s new series about Atlantic City during prohibition starring the great Steve Buscemi as Nucky Thompson?

Are there any local places that are going to have their TVs tuned to HBO Sunday at 9PM? Steve Buscemi is a local Park Slope treasure dontcha think?

Mad Men is on at 10PM (and 11PM) right after the show.

It’s Friday, post-tornado in Park Slope, and I’ve been scouring the listings for the best and funnest stuff to do this weekend. I know where I’ll be on Sunday night: Watching Steve Buscemi on HBO’s long-awaited Boardwalk Empire. Yom Kippur starts on Friday night but there’s still much to do this weekend i.e. movies, music, theater, comedy and TV…

Continue reading The Friday List: Sept 17-19 →

It’s Thursday and here’s my first stab at the best and funnest stuff to do Thursday-Sunday. Yom Kippur starts on Friday night so I’ll be at Kol Nidre. But after Sundown on Saturday: Time to Party!

Movies:

Tonight, Sept 16, at 7PM at BAM: A sneak peek of: It’s Kind of a Funny Story with a Q&A by directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck. In this New York City-set comedy-drama from the directors of Half Nelson and Sugar, 16-year-old Craig (Keir Gilchrist of United States of Tara), stressed out from the demands of being a teenager, checks himself into a mental health clinic. There he learns that the youth ward is closed and finds himself stuck in the adult ward. One of the patients, Bobby (Zach Galifianakis), soon becomes both Craig’s mentor and protégé. Craig is also drawn to another 16-year-old, Noelle (Emma Roberts). With a minimum five days’ stay imposed on him, Craig is sustained by friendships on both the inside and the outside as he learns more about life, love, and the pressures of growing up.

Last Train Home, Meserine Pts 1 & 2 (Thurs only), The American, The Town, I’m Still Here at BAM

Music:

On Friday, Sept 17 at midnight at Union Hall: Karaoke Killed the Cat is the infamous karaoke dance party for people who never thought they’d like karaoke. Hosted by the frenzied duo of Chris Goldteeth and Lord Easy, they have been changing the world’s view of what karaoke can be since 2003. Karaoke Killed the Cat brings together equal parts vocal chord shattering sing-along and booty popping dance party. Mix in sprinkles of crowd surfing, choreography and feats of strength; the result is a party unlike any other.

Saturday, Sept 18 at 8PM at Barbes: Joel Forrester is best known for leading the Microscopic Septet along with Phillip Johnston – as well as having written the theme to NPR’s Fresh Air….He has also been leading his quintet (which can sometimes be a quartet) for number of years. The band plays Forrester’s compositions which go from his quirky re-interpretation of Hard-Bop (which he learned directly from his one time teacher Thelonious Monk ) to cubist boogies and other pure idiosyncrasies.

Theater

Thursday through Sunday at 7:30 PM (Sunday at 2PM) at The Church of St. Joseph in Prospect Heights, Murder in the Cathedral, a site-specific production of TS Eliot’s play.

Comedy

This weekend at the Bell House: Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival

Farewell, Kempt

I used to shave each morning
And comb my wayward hair
And don formfitting Levis
To add a dash of flair.

But that’s become a remnant
Of a time that’s wholly past
And nothing–not even perfection–
Can ever hope to last.

Upstate farmhouses: CasaCara

Budget friendly bathroom makeover: Limestone Adventures

Historic house in Bay Ridge: Reclaimed Home

This ring was a book: My Coney

Macarons: My Coney

Season Six of Design Matters: Swiss Miss

The Church of St. Joseph and the brand-new Brooklyn Arts HQ present a site-specific production of T.S. Eliot’s Murder in the Cathedral.

Directed by OBIE-winner Alec Duffy and featuring original music by Jonathan Larson Award-winner Dave Malloy

Murder in the Cathedral runs from September 16th—October 2, 2010 at The Church of St. Joseph. 856 Pacific Street, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn

One of Brooklyn’s most majestic cathedrals will celebrate the power of the performing arts with a production of T.S. Eliot’s timeless play, Murder in the Cathedral.

OBIE Award-winner Alec Duffy (Three Pianos) helms Nobel writer T.S. Eliot’s classic poetic drama – last staged in New York over 10 years ago – in a dynamic, site-specific production featuring a diverse cast, thrilling staging and an original musical score by Jonathan Larson Award-winning composer Dave Malloy (Beowulf: A Thousand Years of Baggage). The play will be staged at The Church of St. Joseph, 856 Pacific Street (at Vanderbilt Avenue) in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.

Previews begin Thursday, September 16, with opening night on Saturday, September 18.  Performances continue through Saturday, October 2nd, running Thursday through Saturday evenings at 7:30 pm, and Sunday afternoons at 2 pm.

Continue reading Tom Martinez, Witness: “Murder in the Cathedral” →

Second Dan been called Oasis without the posturing.  They are a New York City based band, although the Melbourne accent of  lead singer, Dan Rosen, might lead you to conclude otherwise.  Their lead guitarist, Adam Lerner,  is also a photographer.  As for their music, you can call them rock and power pop.

But if you don’t get yourself down to The Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2 tonight, you’ll have to wait until 2011 to see Second Dan.  And that would be a shame, because this band is tuneful, loud and fun.  Get full details here at Now I’ve Heard Everything.

–Eliot Wagner

I hope you got to take part in yesterday’s cloudy and occasionally rainy Brooklyn Book Festival.  There were five music-related panels and I saw four of them.  And as you’ve probably already noticed, I’ve posted a photo of Rosanne Cash being interviewed on the BBF Main Stage.  Rosanne spoke about her memoir, Composed, as well as things like the first time she was mugged in NYC, her brain surgery, her next musical project (a trio album with Joe Henry and Billy Bragg), and things that she’ll probably do in the future (a Civil War album and another album based on the list of 100 songs her father gave to her when she was 18).  Rosanne spoke for about 40 minutes and was gracious, real and funny.  And if you don’t follow Rosanne on Twitter (@rosannnecash) you are missing something.

–Eliot Wagner

Friday night started with a party at the Greenlight Bookstore, a bookstore that will blow your mind even when they’re not serving wine and pretzels and celebrating the Brooklyn Book Festival —and specifically the Brooklyn indie publishing scene (Akashic Books, A Public Space, Archipelago Books, Armchair/Shotgun, BOMB, Electric Literature, Melville House, powerHouse Books, Tin House and more). The place was packed with writers, publishers, editors and those in town for the Festival on Sunday.

And the bookstore itself…

I mean, this is a place you could spend hours upon hours in. A great neighborhood bookstore, they have an astounding selection and lots of room to browse about in.

Then at the recommendation of Jessica Stockton, one of the co-owners of Greenlight, we walked over to DeKalb and had dinner at Chez Oskar, another place I’d heard about but never been. With its Chinese umbrella festooned ceiling and pinkish mural of a Parisian scene on the wall, it is a classic bistro with excellent bistro fare like hangar steak, lamb burgers, salad nicoise…

Walking out of the restaurant, which is located on the corner of Adelphi Street, we heard the sounds of a bebop saxophone across the street and found ourselves inside Cornerstone Restaurant and Lounge enjoying the Rakim Walker Quartet, an irresistible group.

With two sax players, an organist, and a very cool drummer, the quartet is Charlie Parker on steroids, jazz with a groove, funk with a jazzy undertone: the music is riveting and Cornerstone is a great place for this music every Friday and Sunday night.

Pictures to come…

So last night we made it over to Greenlight Bookstore in Fort Greene, where there was a party to celebrate the indie presses of Brooklyn complete with plastic cups of red and white wine, pretzels, Oreo cookies, and plenty of hard to hear conversation.

The bookstore, located on Fulton Street at South Portland Place in Ft. Greene, is glorious: spacious, attractive bright and filled to the gills with everything you ever wanted to read and more. It was my first visit and I was duly impressed (even floored).

Today there are more “Bookend events” leading up to the festival on Sunday.

Making Books Sing: A Warm-up for the Brooklyn Book Festival. In 1929, New York’s first Puerto Rican librarian, Pura Belpré, transformed her East Harlem library into a welcoming community center for all. Through a blend of storytelling, music, and puppetry, young audiences will learn about Puerto Rican folklore and the library’s important role in the community. Kids sing along and become puppeteers as Pura’s stories unfold. Followed by a bookmaking workshop.
Location: Central Library, 10 Grand Army Plaza (at Flatbush Ave.)
Time: 11 a.m. €– 1 p.m.
Price: FREE

Books to Film for Children. A series of short films based on children’s books for ages 2–6, followed by Q&A with Brooklyn Book Festival participants Jon Scieszka (with the film The True Story of the Three Little Pigs) and Chris Raschka (with the film Yo! Yes?).
Location: BAM Rose Cinemas, 30 Lafayette Ave.
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Tickets: $12 (adults) / $9 (children under 13)

Robin Hood: Prince of . . . MONSTERS! Mainspring Collective and the Irondale Center present Monster Literature, written and conceived by Daniel John Kelley, an action-packed and hilarious live theater series that celebrates great works of children’s literature that kids can read now. For details and advance tickets, visit www.monsterliterature.com.
Location: Irondale Center, 85 S. Oxford St.
Time: 2 & 4 p.m.
Price: $5 (advance) / $7 (door)

The New Brooklyn Cookbook: Recipes and Stories from 31 Restaurants That Put Brooklyn on the Culinary Map. Join authors Melissa and Brendan Vaughan for a panel discussion and cocktail hour at The Brooklyn Kitchen, North Brooklyn’s leading hub of home culinary exploration, and the best place to learn how to make restaurant dishes in cramped apartment kitchens. Panelists will include the chefs, farmers, kimchi makers, and beer brewers who make this borough delicious!
Location: The Brooklyn Kitchen, 100 Frost St.
Time: 2–4 p.m.
Price: $65 (includes advance copy of book)

Talking to Girls About Duran Duran. Author Rob Sheffield reads from his latest work and chats about new wave music, adolescent love, and John Hughes movie soundtracks. Rob is the best-selling author of Love Is a Mix Tape and has been a music journalist for over twenty years. Talking to Girls About Duran Duran is a poignant tour of his 1980s upbringing, as told through the music of that decade. Stick around afterward and enjoy Rob and other DJs spinning the tunes highlighted in the book. For details, visit www.thebellhouseny.com.
Location: Bell House (front lounge), 149 7th St. (between 2nd & 3rd Aves.)
Time: 8 p.m.
Price: FREE

Genre Busters. Freebird Books & Goods presents a ninety-minute revue show with artists and authors who work in a genre to turn it on its head. Includes readings, slideshows, short lectures, video, Q&A, trivia prizes, and snacks.
Location: Freebird Books & Goods, 123 Columbia St.
Time: 8 p.m.
Price: FREE

It’s Saturday, time to figure out where we’re going to watch Mad Men on Sunday night. Without cable, we’re left to find a bar, restaurant or friend’s apartment where we can indulge in one of our favorite television shows.

Last week I called Sheep Station and asked if they were showing Mad Men.

SS Bartender: Sorry, someone spilled a drink on the video projector and it’s not working.

OTBKB: Really?

SS Bartender: Yeah, someone spilled a drink on the video projector. It’s Labor Day weekend and we can’t get it fixed.

OTBKB: Someone spilled  a drink on it?

SS Bartender: Yeah, I think it was Don Draper.

OTBKB: Oh, you’re pulling my leg.

SS Bartender: Really, though, the video projector is broken so we won’t be showing Mad Men tonight.

OTBKB: That’s too bad. I’ll call you next week to see if it’s working again…

So I guess I’ll give Sheep Station a call, see if their projector has dried out. I’ve missed the last three shows though my sister has kept me up to date.  Last week sounded really fun what with Peggy Olsen’s strip tease game with her art director. She’s developing into quite an interesting character.

And we’re missing out unless we can find somewhere to watch the show…

(illustration: Roxanna Velandria)