20 Years Later Blacks & Jews Come Together in Crown Heights
I can’t believe it’s been nearly 20 years since the Crown Heights Riots, a three-day riot in August 1991 in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. The community, which contains a mix of West Indians, African Americans and Jews had longtime simmering tensions. The riots began on August 19, 1991 after the child of Guyanese immigrants was accidentally killed by automobile that was part of a motorcade of a Hasidic rabbi.
During the riots an Orthodox Jew was killed. The riot unleashed tensions between the neighborhood’s black and Jewish communities. The riots influenced the 1993 mayoral race and led to the defeat of David Dinkins, who was viewed by many as having had a weak response to the riots…
Continue reading 20 Years Later Blacks & Jews Come Together in Crown Heights
Study Suggests That Redesign Calms Traffic on Park Slope Avenue
A study conducted between July 17th and 24 seems to confirm that the new design of Prospect Park West is a success. According to a press release from Park Slope Neighbors, a neighborhood advocacy group, traffic is slower on PPW thanks to the new bike lane and one less lane of traffic…
Continue reading Study Suggests That Redesign Calms Traffic on Park Slope Avenue
Tuesday Night: Dancing Under the Stars in Washington Park
I have friends who have been going to Dancing Under the Stars every Tuesday night in Washington Park in Park Slope and are just loving it. Every week this summer this event, sponsored by the Park Slope Business Incentive District, features a different band and a different style of music. So far, there’s been jazz, pop, and folk dancing. This week a Latin band will be providing the music and there should be some great dancing rhythms. Continue reading Tuesday Night: Dancing Under the Stars in Washington Park
Man Beaten to Death on Fifth Avenue in Park Slope
Here in Block Island I took a lazy look at my iPhone and saw on Google Alerts Park Slope that a man was savagely beaten to death on Fifth Avenue! I ran upstairs to my computer so that I could read the story at the Daily News site.
Continue reading Man Beaten to Death on Fifth Avenue in Park Slope
Crazy Lady and Smartmom Want Teen Spirit’s Bedroom
The kid is off to college and the imaginations run wild. Crazy Lady and Smartmom have designs on Teen Spirit’s bedroom…
Continue reading Crazy Lady and Smartmom Want Teen Spirit’s Bedroom
OTBKB Music: Advance Planning and a Givewaway
For those of you who need to figure out what you are doing well before it happens, my August Advance Planning Music Calendar is now available over at Now I’ve Heard Everything. Don’t forget that Aretha Franklin is coming to Brooklyn twice next week!
For those of you who’d like something for nothing, Now I’ve Heard Everything is holding a Giveaway. Win tickets to see Eli Paperboy Reed and The True Loves at Le Poisson Rouge, the new CD from Eli and an American Express Gift Card. You can read my review of Eli and the band when they visited The Bell House in June here, and then enter the Giveaway here.
–Eliot Wagner
No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford
Tonight: Mad Men at Sheep Station
Yes, it’s true. If you do not have cable at home (or specifically lack AMC) the nice people at Sheep Station welcome you to watch Mad Men tonight at 10PM in their back room. Here are the details from an OTBKB reader. And yes, I’ve called Sheep Station:
Like most Brooklynites, I don’t have cable, and like many Brooklynites I enjoy watching Mad Men. In trying to find a bar that was showing the premier last week, I kept hitting dead ends… Until the friendly folks at Sheep Station agreed last minute to show it for me and a few friends on the projection screen in their awesome back room. They’ve agreed quite enthusiastically to continue showing it every week, and I figured it was worth spreading the news to other Don Draper fans in the area. There have been questions posted on many a Brooklyn blog looking for this info which is why I’m sending it your way.
Mad Men is at 10pm on Sundays, and Sheep Station is at 4th Ave. & Douglass St. In Park Slope.
No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford
OTBKB Music: Celebrate Brooklyn’s Rock Weekend; Li’l Mo Plays Two Boots
Celebrate Brooklyn hosts a rock weekend tonight and tomorrow. Tonight’s show is of the softer variety with The Swell Season and The Low Anthem (gates open at 6:30pm and the show starts ay 7:30pm). Tomorrow the festival goes loud with a triple bill of Sonic Youth, Grass Widow and Talk Normal (gates open early at 6pm and the show starts at 7pm).
After tonight’s show at Celebrate Brooklyn, why not head over to Two Boots on 2nd Street and catch Li’l Mo and The Monicats? You’ll get to see country, rockabilly, blues, 60s pop and whatever else she and they may play. And I’ll add that not only are Li’l Mo and The Monicats terrific musically, they are just plain fun to watch. More details for this show are over at Now I’ve Heard Everything.
–Eliot Wagner
No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford
Only the Blog Knows Block Island…
…and I’m taking it slow for a few days. I promise a few posts this morning. Thank goodness for OTBKB Music and Eliot…
OTBKB Music: The Boss Makes An Appearance; The Wailin’ Jennys and Amy Speace Tonight
A few days after Alejandro Escovedo played The Bowery Electric in New York City last week, he played The Stone Pony in Asbury Park. And as you might have suspected, Bruce Springsteen showed up at that show and joined Alejandro on a few songs. You can find a video of Always A Friend from that night here at Now I’ve Heard Everything.
Tonight, The Wailin’ Jennys show up at Madison Square Park. Their sound is described as including folk, classical and pop and the focus of the group is on their harmonies. Later in the evening check out singer-songwriter Amy Speace at The Living Room. Amy’s in town with a trio featuring two guitars and an accordion. Full details are over at Now I’ve Heard Everything.
–Eliot Wagner
No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford
No Mad Men on Block Island and Bar 4
Seems I made a little mistake yesterday and I apologize. I got a tip from someone in the neighborhood that they were screening the 4th season premiere of Mad Men at Bar 4. Turns out that was wrong, wrong, wrong.
Maybe he meant Bar Reis. I learned of my mistake just as I was trying trying to find a place to view Mad Men on Block Island…
OTBKB Music: Kathleen Edwards and Sister Sparrow Photos
Last week was a great week for live music and I was able to capture two of the shows I saw photographically to share with you. On Thursday, Kathleen Edwards and her band played on a Rockin’ the River cruise. You’ll find lots of pictures from that show here at Now I’ve Heard Everything. Kathleen still remembers playing the Celebrate Brooklyn Canada Day show back in 2002 fondly and would love playing Celebrate Brooklyn again.
The wonderfully brassy, both in terms of instrumentation (the band has four horns) and personality (of lead singer Arleigh Kincheloe) Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds packed them into the new Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2 on Saturday night and had the whole place up and dancing. You can see pictures of the band here at Now I’ve Heard Everything.
–Eliot Wagner
No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford
The Sunday List: Mad Men, Django Experiment, Hamlet
Today is SUNDAY and it’s hot. I’m off to Block Island but you’re still here in need of things to do. Tonight, of course, you’ll be watching Mad Men on AMC at 10 PM. But if you don’t have cable there are things you can do…
Continue reading The Sunday List: Mad Men, Django Experiment, Hamlet
Watching Mad Men in Park Slope, Times Square, Block Island
Season 4 of Mad Men premieres tonight and I think I’m going to miss it unless I can find a bar that’s showing it on Block Island.
If you’re in Park Slope (and you don’t have cable) you can watch the latest adventures of Don Draper, Roger Sterling, Pete Campbell, Peggy Olson and all the rest at Bar 4 (444 Seventh Avenue in Park Slope), where they’re having a Mad Men viewing party. There are other ways to get your fix on Mad Men tonight…
Continue reading Watching Mad Men in Park Slope, Times Square, Block Island
Current Weather in Park Slope: HOT
Brought to you from the Feldman Family weather tower in Park Slope.
No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford
Raccoons Run Amok in Park Slope
Toby Williams, a Park Slope, mom, music therapist and jazz singer, recently discovered a dead raccoon in her kitchen. A few nights ago, she thought her apartment was being robbed but it turned out that a raccoon snuck in, scurried about her kitchen in search of food and died in one of her cabinet drawers…
Tonight: Swedish Documentary Up On The Roof
Tonight, Rooftop films presents Greetings from the Woods, a documentary about the town of Varberg, a beautiful little hamlet located deep within the Swedish forest. You can watch this film while sitting on the roof of the Old American Can Factory on Third Street and Third Avenue in Park Slope…
Continue reading Tonight: Swedish Documentary Up On The Roof
Starbucks: No Air Conditioning, Free Coffee
The Park Slope Starbucks had to close down for the day because their air conditioning is on the blink and, according to one employee, “It’s. like. 102 degrees in there.” So what were two employees doing standing out on Seventh Avenue???
Continue reading Starbucks: No Air Conditioning, Free Coffee
The Saturday List: The Book of Liz, Celebrate Bklyn, reRun Gastropub
Today is SATURDAY and it’s hot. Whatcha wanna do today? I spend hours each week scouring the listings to find great stuff for you to do. Below you will find info about a new movie theater in Dumbo and find out about Celebrate Brooklyn’s “DIY world’s fair.” Whatever you do, remember to drink water and stay cool…
Continue reading The Saturday List: The Book of Liz, Celebrate Bklyn, reRun Gastropub
No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford
Verizon Cell Phone Tower Ontop of Park Slope Church
it seems that the Greenwood Baptist Church, on Sixth Street and Seventh Avenue in Park Slope, has discovered an interesting, new source of revenue. They’re letting Verizon install a cell phone antennas on their roof.
Why not?
The money will pay for the upkeep of the church, Verizon cell phone users get better service. Sounds like a win win. Unless you believe that those towers are a health risk…
Continue reading Verizon Cell Phone Tower Ontop of Park Slope Church
The Friday List: Audrey the Trainwreck, The Big Lebowski, Nocturnes
Today is Friday and you’re probably beginning to plan your weekend. That’s why I spend hours scouring the listings to find great stuff for you to do. This weekend check out the new movie theater in Dumbo and Celebrate Brooklyn’s “DIY world’s fair.” Lots to do, there is truly lots to do this weekend…
Continue reading The Friday List: Audrey the Trainwreck, The Big Lebowski, Nocturnes
Bklyn Bloggage: Arts & Culture
Artist Cynthia Sparrenberger (painting above) : Art in Brooklyn
Without truth you are the looser: Truth & Rocket Science
Pictures of African Festival: Brooklyn Vegan
Rembering Barbara Stanwyck: Self-Absorbed Boomer
People of the corn: Brooklynometry
Otto Dix at the Neue Gallery: The Spiral Staircase
Henri Matisse as radical inventor at MOMA: Deep in the Heart of Brooklyn