Bklyn Larder: Great gifts for your favorite foodie.

Lulu's Cuts & Toys: All the stocking stuffers you could hope for.

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

 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.

As you probably know by now, tonight is the first Thursday of the Third Annual Park Slope Snowflake Celebration, brought to you by the tireless folks at the Buy in Brooklyn campaign! 

The weather is going to be great so you should take advantage of the promotions that many of the local shops and restaurants are offering the next two Thursdays.

Rose Water Restaurant has "decided to skip the "free cup of mulled wine" approach and take the "damn the torpedos, let's dive off the deep end," route with a huge GC Giveaway that was fabulously successful on every level (except, perhaps, for our bank account).  Color us crazy, but we're gonna reprise our own P-Slope restaurant stimulus package!"

Zuzu Petals looks great this week! The store is dressed up with lots of flowering plants and gorgeous fresh cut flowers. And they want you to get your Thanksgiving orders in soon!

Here's the news from Zuzu:

Just in from the nurseries:
Huge selection of Baby Phaelenopsis Orchids $25.
Thanksgiving Cactus (Zygocactus) full of buds in 6" pots and 2 size hanging baskets…$24-$55
4" Cyclamen in hot peachy pink  and red violet…$12.
4" Kalanchoe in seasonal colors …$9 (a bit boring but cheery,reliable and long blooming)

Pottery:
The new collection of Happy Cups, Mugs and Bowls is in from our favorite potter in New Jersey.$20-$25
The zuzus love polka dots …and these colors!

Seasonal Pick Up Bouquets
The seasonal pick-up bouquets of razzle dazzle mums, painted solidaster, st. johnswort and buplorem are running $8-$27.

Time Out asked Zuzu’s Petals to make a well-priced bridal bouquet for their wedding issue. 

Zuzu outdid herself: Amelia roses, cool water roses, Saint-John’s-wort,
scabiosa, thistle and nigella create a lushness of textures within a
simple color palette, at $175. 

See the link: http://newyork.timeout.com/articles/weddings/78984/bridal-bouquets.

Zuzu’s Petals: 374 Fifth Ave between 5th and 6th Sts, Park Slope, Brooklyn; 718-638-0918

The Park Slope Restaurant Tour sponsored by Buy in Brooklyn is this Thursday night from 7-9 p.m.

Remember last year? It was like trick or treating for grown ups.

Over 500 people lined up at 35 restaurants and food shops for the chance to get a taste of what they had to offer.

This year there will be even more participating restaurants and other special deals.

Restaurants include all our favorites and probably quite a few that we haven't tried, including Brook-Vin, Athena Mediterranean Cuisine, Cafe Grumpy, Flipsters, Fonda, Gialeti's Cafe, Istanbul Park, Provini and more.

Go here for all the information you'll need, including the tour map and the list of participating restaurants and shops.

Click on the poster to the left to make it BIGGER.

Dalaga, a 2-year-old boutique on an interesting stretch of Greenpoint's Franklin Avenue, is owned by designer Michelle Mangiliman. The shop features an affordable selection of designer women's and men's clothing, shoes and
accessories.

Back by popular demand is the peacock dress, which is $65 and available in black, white and turqoise. They also have pretty floral dresses, black linen shorts and coin medallion necklaces.

The shop is located on 150 Franklin Street in Greenpoint (718-389-4049). And it's open on the fourth of July.

Here is a letter written by a longtime Fifth Avenue merchant to other Fifth and Seventh Avenue merchants. This merchant is fed up with being 'bombarded by seemingly endless government agencies with inspections, fines and
audits."

Representatives of the NYS Department of Labor (NYS DOL) went in teams of three and "visited" 24 businesses, mostly restaurants and pizzerias, on Fifth and Seventh Avenues last week.

Knotting Slope (242 7th Av in Park Slope)  a beautiful rug shop run by a very knowledgeable couple who travel to Turkey and buy directly from the artists, is closing. The recent economic downturn and a drop in sales meant that they could not renew their lease with a rent increase. The owners may be moving to Turkey.

Some Park Slopers are probably unaware that Pure Essentials, the new health and beauty shop where Second Street Cafe used to be has a Kids RX in the back ( I think there's a separate entrance on 2nd Street). Here's a nice shout-out from a member of Park Slope Parents:

On their website, KidsRX describes itself as "a real community pharmacy that places special emphasis on the healthcare needs of children."  They accept all insurance plans, and offer fast, free, same day delivery in Manhattan (they have a branch in Tribeca) .Do they deliver in Brooklyn, too? Not sure.

Kirsten Marino is the owner of Slope Sports, a specialty running store on
Seventh Avenue. She will be participating in Buy in Brooklyn’s Snowflake Celebration  during the first two Thursdays in December (12/4 & 12/11) by staying open until 10pm and having a HUGE
SALE on running shoes and selected winter running apparel.

Q: When did you open for business and why did you choose Park Slope? 

A: Slope Sports will be celebrating its 5^th year anniversary this
January. We opened in January 2004.

My husband, Haig and I, both avid runners and
outdoor enthusiasts, lived in Park Slope and noticed the lack of a specialty
running store in the area and saw the need for one.

Slope Sports has since met the needs of the
local running community, by offering customized shoe fittings and technical
performance apparel, specialized customer service, weekly running groups as
well as sponsoring and organizing local races.

Slope Sports Factoid:  Slope Sports is truly a family business – Kirsten’s
husband, Haig, frequently works at the store and helps her with purchasing
decisions. Her mother and father, Sandy and Birger Olsen, did the entire
build-out of the store. And, her now-2.5-year-old son, Thor, was literally
raised at the store, taking naps in the dressing room and spending most of his
time here.

 
Q: Which of the Sustainable
Business Network NYC’s "Top Ten Reasons" to shop locally resonate most
with you & your business?

A: Reason  #1 – Significantly more money re-circulates in Brooklyn when purchases are made at
locally owned, rather than nationally owned, businesses. Due to
my full schedule as a mother and small business owner, I actually find it more convenient
to shop locally, on my walk to the store or on the way home.

Whether it’s picking up paper towels or office
supplies for the store, or gifts for friends and relatives, I find that local
businesses not only provide an equally good selection, but they also offer more
interesting and unique items as well as individualized attention.

I also don’t have to deal with the hassle of
crowds or parking found at the nationally-owned big box stores.

Shop Local
Factoid:  Locally owned and operated retailers
keep profits in the local economy and support a variety of other local
businesses. They hire local accountants and printers, advertise in local media,
bank with local banks and have the ability to source products
locally. For every $100 dollars spent at a local business, as much as $73 stays
in the local economy, compared to $43 when the same amount is spent at a chain
store. ("Andersonville Study of Retail Economics;"
Civic Economics, October 2004)

"Why Shop Local?" is a communication initiative of the Buy in
Brooklyn team. To learn more about Park Slope’s Buy in Brooklyn campaign, visit
their website at http://www.buyinbrooklyn.com/
The site, with its ever-growing list of participants and partners is updated
regularly.

Interview conducted by Rebeccah Welch

Paula Tarzian-Ciferni, Harry Tarzian, and John Ciferni are owners of Tarzian Hardware.  John is also
President of the Park Slope Chamber of Commerce. Tarzian Hardware will be
participating in the Snowflake
Celebration during the first two Thursdays in December (12/4 and 12/11)
by offering 15% off of everything in the store, raffles for children’s toys,
and holiday refreshments.

Q: When did you open for
business and why did you choose Park Slope?

A: The store was opened by my grandfather, Charlie Tarzian, and his brother
Marty in 1921.  They had apprenticed for their brother-in-law in his store
on Fulton Street.  When it came time for the brothers to open their own
store, they recognized the diversity and potential in Park Slope.  The
original location was at 203 7^th Ave.  After 15 years the
brothers moved to the store’s present location at 193 7^th Ave.
Then my father Harry expanded next door to 195 7^th Ave in
1972.  In 1999 my mother Paula completed the expansion and redesign into
our current layout.

Tarzian Factiod:
During WWII, Charlie volunteered to become an air-raid warden.  Going
door-to-door, Charlie would ensure that each house had proper air-raid
equipment.  If they were out, luckily he could recommend a dependable
store for supplies.  This service kept the store afloat in the early 40’s.

Q: Which of the Sustainable Business Network NYC’s "Top
Ten Reasons" to shop locally resonate most with you & your business?

A:
Reason #2: "Our one-of-a-kind businesses are an integral part of Brooklyn’s
distinct character."  In the 1960’s there were six hardware stores open on
7^th Ave b/w Flatbush and 16^th Street.  With the
continued expansion of big box and chain retailers, our numbers have dwindled
to one.  Tarzian Hardware has remained viable by focusing on our
customers, community, and fellow merchants.  Over the years we have been
approached by many large retailers interested in our space.  Although
these offers were fair, we take pride in our relationship and position in the
community.  As long as there is a family member to run things, Tarzian
Hardware will remain a fixture on 7^th Ave.

Shop
Local Factoid: Shopping at local businesses will help maintain Brooklyn’s
unique landscape. Residents have a "social contract" with local businesses — they
help define their sense of place, yet communities often forget that their survival depends on local patronage.

"Why Shop Local?" is a communication initiative of the Buy in
Brooklyn team. To learn more about Park Slope’s Buy in Brooklyn campaign, visit
their website at http://www.buyinbrooklyn.com/ The site, with its ever-growing list of participants and partners is updated regularly.

Interview conducted by Rebeccah Welch

For the second annual Snowflake Celebration this year, the Buy in
Brooklyn team is going all out!

The "shop local-shop late" event– which falls
on the first two Thursdays of December (December 4^th and
11^th), will include over 120 businesses in the Park
Slope neighborhood and is growing at a clip.

Indeed, the stock market may well be playing an amplified role for organizers this year.
From nearly every corner of the economic landscape, the forecast is bleak—giving
this year’s call to shop locally added impact. "The Snowflake festival is more
important this year than ever," said John Ciferni, owner of Tarzian
True Value Hardware and President of the Park Slope Chamber of Commerce. "In
these hard economic times supporting our local businesses is one of the most
important things we can do to keep our local economy and community strong," he
said.

The cool fiscal winds may be giving Buy in Brooklyn’s educational
mission a boost too.  "We are excited to be partnering with a number of
nonprofit and local groups this year to broaden the educational mission of
Buy in Brooklyn," said Rebeccah Welch, who is running communications for
the campaign and working with some of its partner organizations. From the
Sustainable Business Network NYC (SBNYC) and Local Labels to the
Brooklyn Green Team and Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development
Corporation (SBIDC), the breadth of participants speaks to the range– and
the imperative– of a thriving local economy.

"We hope to leverage greater support by
getting out the word on how many excellent organizations are out there working
hard on this issue," said Welch of the campaign.

The Buy in Brooklyn team
is particularly excited about their work with the Borough President’s Office,
whose Shop Brooklyn launch they whole-heartedly support.  "We see
this borough-wide initiative not only as a measure of our early success, but as
a sign that a broader understanding has taken hold," added Welch, "one where
people see how the health of small businesses has a direct impact on the health
of local communities."

About Buy in Brooklyn: Buy in Brooklyn is an original
initiative of the Park Slope Civic Council and Park Slope Chamber of Commerce
and was founded in 2007 to bring merchant and community groups together to
tackle local economic issues in greater collaboration. The "Snowflake
Celebration" is a shop local-shop late campaign of Buy in Brooklyn
organized by the Park Slope Chamber of Commerce in close partnership with a
number of organizations including the 5th Avenue BID and the Sustainable
Business Network NYC.

OTBKB is proud to present another installment of Why Shop Local?

Judi Pheiffer is co-owner of Bob and
Judi’s Coolectibles, and Co-Chairperson for the 5th Avenue Business
Improvement District (BID). She will be participating in the Snowflake Celebration
during the first two Thursdays in December (12/4 and 12/11) by offering
a 10% discount on all vintage holiday ornaments, xmas cards, and unique
mah jongg menorahs. She will also have yummy snacks to keep your energy
up for late night shopping.

Q: When did you open for business and why did you choose Park Slope?

A: We opened our business 11
years ago this December when Fifth Avenue was still uncharted
territory. We had bought our home a few blocks away between Fourth
& Fifth Ave years before, and kept hoping that Fifth Avenue would
begin to come back. We had been selling at the PS 321 Flea Market and
had developed a following. We wanted to open a store and figured we
should invest in our own neighborhood, so we followed our dream. And,
as they say, the rest is history.

Coolectibles Factoid:
We have always considered ourselves a “recycling” business. We live in
such a disposable world. There’s something so nice about giving an old
object a second, third or greater life span. Bob and I hand pick each
item for our store, and we especially love finding the items people
write down on our store’s “Wish List.”

Q: Which of the Sustainable Business Network NYC’s “Top Ten Reasons” to shop locally resonate most with you & your business?

A: Reason # 7. Local business owners invest in community.
From the moment we opened our store we knew we that our store’s
survival was tied into making our community better.
We helped re-start a defunct Merchant Association which has now become
a BID. We worked with our Community Board and elected officials to
plant trees, clean up graffiti, and get historic street lights.
Merchants like us support our local schools PTA, community gardens,
non-profits and neighborhood dance and music companies. It is all about
being a part of a neighborhood we love.

Shop Local Factoid: Local
businesses are owned by people who live in this community, are less
likely to leave, and are more invested in the community’s future.

"Why Shop Local?”
is a communication initiative of the Buy in Brooklyn eam. To learn
more about Park Slope’s Buy in Brooklyn campaign, visit their website at http://www.buyinbrooklyn.com/— the site, with its ever-growing list of participants (and discounts!), will launch this weekend and be updated regularly.

Interview conducted by Rebeccah Welch

OTBKB is thrilled to present the first installment of Buy in Brooklyn’s “Why Shop Local?” Series

Melinda Morris (pictured here with her husband Dave) is the owner of Lion in the Sun and communications and outreach coordinator for the Park Slope Chamber of Commerce, A founding member of the Buy in Brooklyn team, she will be participating in the Snowflake Celebration, Park Slope’s second annual shop local campaign,  during the first two Thursdays in December by offering 10% discounts on holiday cards & holiday gift wrap items, along with prosecco, sweets and live music by the Lion in the Sun elves.

Q: When did you open for business and why did you choose Park Slope?

A: I opened the shop in June of 2002 and choose Park Slope because I had lived here for about 8 years (at that point) and saw a real need in the neighborhood for a good quality paperie and custom invitations. I was really taken by the small town communal feel of the neighborhood and was excited about getting to know my neighbors better and being an active part of the community. (I still am!)

Q: What’s a little known fact about your business that you think people would find interesting?

A: Two things:  1.) We carry a lot of recycled paper and paper made from renewable resources. Although we are a paper store, we try to be environmentally conscious. 2.) The name Lion in the Sun comes from the original store (owned by my parents on LI) who, in the early 1980’s, sold their vacation house in the Hamptons to start the business.  Because they were no longer going to be lying in the sun they named it "Lion in the Sun."

Q: Which of The Sustainable Business Network NYC’s "Top Ten Reasons" to shop locally resonate most with you & your business?

A: Reason #3: Our one-of-a-kind businesses are an integral part of Brooklyn’s distinct character. At Lion in the Sun, we really pride ourselves on the uniqueness of our shop, our products and our services. We are all about personal relationships with our clients— it is what makes it meaningful for me. For instance, we are always looking for ways to customize things for our clients (and their events) that are thoughtful, specific and personal. It is much more work to do it that way, but totally worth it in the end. We also try to offer unique collections by supporting many local Brooklyn designers and artists as well as small independent companies—taken altogether, that’s what makes it possible to stand out among the "big guys."

"Why Shop Local? is a communication initiative of the Buy in Brooklyn team. To learn more about Park Slope’s Buy in Brooklyn campaign, visit their website at http://www.buyinbrooklyn.com/– the site, with its ever-growing list of participants (and discounts!), will launch this weekend and be updated regularly.

Interview conducted by Rebeccah Welch