Tag Archives: Celebrate Brooklyn

arts and culture

My Brooklyn: Big City’s Lauren Ruff

For fun, I decided to interview Lauren Ruff, whose web comedy series Big City was featured on OTBKB yesterday. She lives and works in the South Slope and films her web series all over the borough.

Fave Food:

“Hands down, Lot 2. (and no, not just because I worked there for two years). Because, the food there is like being in mom’s kitchen. Small menu, all prepared with care and love. Fantastic drinks. Definitely a staple for me.

“I also love Giuseppina’s for Pizza. They are the sister to Lucali in Carroll Gardens. Fonda for Mexican is fantastic, especially for outside dining in the summer. If you want a beer, Beer Table is also a staple. so freaking cute and every beer you could imagine. Also the popular Talde is becoming a favorite, on off nights when the wait is less crazy.”

Fave stores:

Hmmm, well there really aren’t too many stores for shopping in South Slope, sadly. But there is a new little shoe store I found that I really like called A Shoe Grows in Brooklyn. I recently splurged and bought two pair there. (Unheard of for me.)

There is a great cheese and wine shop on 7th that used to be called Grab and is now called The Ploughman. Also Big Nose Full Body and Slope Cellars are two awesome wine stores.

Fave books:

Books. My roommate handed me this great book called Penelope by Rebecca Harrington. I loved it! It’s about a girl who goes to Harvard and doesn’t seem to “fit in” but we quickly learn that she is normal and everyone she meets at Harvard is bat shit crazy. (truth? I wouldn’t know. I went to liberal arts school…..)

 Fave weeknight activity:

Lately my favorite weeknight activities are the movies down in Dumbo on Thursdays. Those are reallllly fun. Also Nitehawk in Williamsburg is fantastic for movie watching and food eating.

 Fave weekend activity:

Weekends I love picnicking in Prospect Park with friends and sitting right outside of the Celebrate Brooklyn Bandshell. It’s a great spot to hear the music and watch fireflies without dealing with the masses of people. Heading out to Rockaway for some Tacos and beach action is on the top of my list if I can get away. Also the taco trucks in Red Hook at the ballfields on weekends are bomb. I like tacos a lot.

Face Place to film:

Favorite filming spot? Hmm, I think filming under the BQE was pretty neat. Dodging cars and all. I also filmed something once on South 6th in Williamsburg, which was really neat because of the views of the bridge.

Fave secret spot:

Best secret spot for being alone. I like to sit on the bench outside of Southside Coffee. Its perfect for sunning, texting, talking on the phone and saying hello to neighbors like an old lady would. Also the dumbo waterfront is great for quiet time. And honestly, I also enjoy riding my bike around the loop in Prospect park. Nothing better on a quiet morning.

 

arts and culture

Machel Montano: Spirit of Trinidad Carnival at Celebrate Brooklyn

On Friday, July 20, Machel Montano brings the wild and steamy spirit of Trinidad Carnival to Celebrate Brooklyn’s bandshell in Prospect Park. Doors open at 6:30 PM.

Born in 1974 in Port of Spain, Trinidad, Montano’s career began in 1982 at age seven; at age nine he formed his band, Pranasonic Express. His 1985 debut album Too Young to Soca was an instant hit and at the age of 12, he was the winner of the Caribbean Song Festival

The night begins with an opening set by the socially conscious Creole singer-songwriter Bélo, who has been called Haiti’s musical ambassador to the world.

arts and culture

What I Read & Watched: Cool Culture Blog

Photo by Dijkstra Rineke

I just discovered What I Read And Watched (notes on what I read and watched and saw). It is a cool NYC blog about arts and culture that’s been around since 2007. The blog is almost like an annotated list of the things that interest the blogger, a she, written as a way to keep track of it all.

I notice that she frequents Celebrate Brooklyn and writes about the shows which is another plus. She seems like a really interesting person and she has excellent and expanisve taste in books, movies and art shows. She’s someone to “follow.” Here are some examples.

WIRW on Keith Haring: “One thing that I really enjoyed, this exhibition completely brought me back to NYC in the early 80s. I could FEEL the city, what it was like back then. It was a special time, a special creative moment, and in that way it made sense to focus on those four years of his work.”

WIRW on The IHOP Papers (a novel): “A wry and amusing voice, very self aware. Great story about a terribly nervous/neurotic young lesbian in San Francisco back in the days where people left messages on each others answering machines.”

WIRW on Dijkstra Rineke show, which is soon coming to the Guggenheim Musuem: “These large, bold, dramatic portraits simultaneously suggested emotional intensities and human frailties.  Photographed in the US and Europe, they depict young subjects. Large-seeming heads and soulful eyes look out over lanky awkwardness and precise stillness.

Bookmark What I Read & Watched. Now.

arts and culture

OTBKB Music: Choices for Tuesday, Both in The Slope

There are two great choices before your for your entertainment tomorrow night and both are located right here in Park Slope.  The first, is Still Bill, the movie about Bill Withers, with a discussion about the movie with Bill Withers participating in person to follow.  That’s happening at The Pavilion.

The other is the pairing of Robbie Fulks and Jenny Scheinman at Barbes. Last year, when Robbie was temporarily living over in Windsor Terrace, this was a common event.  Not so now.

And don’t forget that tonight, Monday, is the last of the four of the Haitian Benefit Concerts at City Winery.

Details for all these events are over at Now I’ve Heard Everything.