Quincy Ave Block Association Sale

Whoops! I've been so busy today I forgot to post. Anyway, the Quincy Ave. Block Assoc. is having a killer stoop sale this weekend. Looks like a good one. Cheap iPods!!!

We have a limited number of 40GB iPods - YES MORE THAN ONE - in mint condition at our annual STOOP SALE on Quincy Street in Bed Stuy. We’ve also got iPod accessories, a Playstation 2 with dozens of games, DVDs, books, artwork, jewelry, rugs, household items and more gadgets and electronics than you would believe. Where: 778 Quincy St Between Malcolm X & Patchen Ave 11221

When: 10am-5pm Saturday 9/22 & Sunday 9/23 (Rain Date 10/6-10/7)

Subway - J/Z to Gates, walk three blocks up Quincy Bus - B46 to Quincy or B52 to Gates

Check our inventory online here.

Friday Photo

(Fulton Street near Bedford, Bed-Stuy)

Party Cake

Many of you have commented on the photo of the cake from the RePop/CHB Anniversary party. It was a custom design by Shannon Pridgen of Heavenly Crumbs! The cake was shaped like a computer screen and was sitting on a Clinton Hill Monopoly board. It was chocolate, with raspberry and vanilla filling. If you haven't been over to Franklin to sample their sweets, you MUST go now.

Collecther Sale This Weekend!

Gearing Up for 2008

The next Presidential election is coming sooner than later (thank GOD), and our neighbors in Bed-Stuy are organizing some events to watch the Democratic candidate debates. It's a good reason to motivate: not only make sure you keep abreast of the issues, but also an excellent excuse to visit some of Bed-Stuy's most talked-about hangouts:What: Two simultaneous parties starting at 8:30 pm June 28 to watch the Democratic Debate (hosted by Tavis Smiley, live from Howard University, focused largely on African-American issues).

Where: Common Grounds coffee shop, 376 Tompkins (b/t Jefferson & Putnam) and Bread-Stuy, 403 Lewis Ave (@ Decatur). Both locations are close to the C train.

The events are hosted by Bed-Stuy for Obama, though they'd love to have anybody interested in listening to all the candidates. RSVPs can be sent to bedstuy@brooklynforbarack.org.

Everyone is welcome!

Chocolaty

I constantly hear reference to two separate buildings in the area being called The Chocolate Factory. Are they both former chocolate factories? The first contender sits on the corner of Washington and Park. I think it's pricey rentals.

OK, yes, it is. Here's the building's website. Looks like large 1br apartments (1k square feet) rent for around $2100, and the building used to be a tootsie roll factory. I've also heard rumors of there being a bar nearby called The Chocolate Bar (Google lists its address as 45 Waverly Ave.), and that it may or may not be a gay bar. Where the hell is this place, and why haven't I ever seen it? It does seem to have a MySpace page. (More on this tomorrow.) Then, we have what I think is the original "Chocolate Factory" residence, on Spencer and Myrtle. This place is condos. Here's more info from Corcoran.

Now that I've lived in the area for awhile, I'd probably live in this place. But if I was checking it out for the first time? Man, this area is desolate and crappy.

So, which is it? Which one is THE Chocolate Factory?

An intensive Google search reveals that our area was once the second biggest chocolate-making area in the country. No wonder I feel right at home here.

SONYA STROLL: THIS WKND

The SONYA Stroll is by far one of my favorite events in the neighborhood. Tons of local artists open up their homes and workspaces to display and sell their creations. This will be my fourth year doing the self-guided walk and I can't wait.

More info on SONYA:

Who is SONYA? South Of the Navy Yard Artists, (SONYA) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization of visual artists living, creating, and exhibiting in the Ft. Greene, Clinton Hill, Wallabout, and Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhoods of Brooklyn. We are as diverse and dynamic as the community we serve. Our mission is to recognize, support, and celebrate the visual art and artists within our community.

Where is SONYA? Our artists live, create, and/or exhibit within the boundaries of Flatbush, Atlantic, Bedford and Flushing Avenues (including the Navy Yard) of Brooklyn. Our home base is ElevenTen Gallery at 1110 Fulton St. There we meet, plan, learn, exhibit, reach out to our community and celebrate.

When is SONYA? The South Of the Navy Yard Artists are creating and exhibiting all the time! And every 3rd weekend in May the SONYA Studio Stroll is an opportunity for you to become part of this experience. Be there!

For more info and to download a better map, go here.  I highly recommend the large buildings near Wallabout that host lots of artist spaces.  Cool to go inside, and you can see a lot of creations at one locale!

collecther Clothing Swap!

Cool vintage store collecther (I first checked it out here) is hosting a clothing swap! A great excuse to clean out your closets before summer kicks in...friends.. fam... collecthers...

SUNDAY MAY 20TH 4PM collecther clothing swap @ collecther - 306 Franklin Avenue (at Lafayette) http://www.collecther.com/ sponsored by STOLI VODKA

clean out your closet bring 20 FAB ITEMS YOU KNOW YOU DONT WEAR ANYMORE Get 80 FAKE BUCKS Bring (1) Item for donation benefiting DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OUTREACH... BID! DRINK! EAT! SWAP!

PLEASE RSVP @ anasha1@gmail.com

Hammered: Season Two

Season Two of Hammered starts April 4, and will air every Wednesday night at 11:30 pm on HGTV.

Make sure to check it out! The show is filmed on Waverly and the guys are super nice. The window on the top left was made for a bed and breakfast in Bed-Stuy, and the lamps on the lower right were made for Outpost Lounge on Fulton! (I've written about the show here and here.)

Click here to see a commercial for the new season filmed in the hood.

Friday Photo

(Franklin at Lexington)

Bed-Stuy Blog

New Brooklyn neighborhood blog alert!  Bed-Stuy finally has its own blog.  I hope the writers will update regularly.  Bed-Stuy is such a mystery to me, beyond the CH/BS borders.  Hoping to see lots of photos, stories and other intriguing tidbits.

NYC Condoms: Available in our Hood!

Gowanus Lounge informed us that the new NYC Subway free condoms are completely unavailable in some Brooklyn zip codes! So, I've compiled a list of where to get your own in our nabe. I am pleased to find they are available in all three area zip codes!

11238:

Aphrika Hair Braiding 1259 Fulton St (bt Bedford and Nostrand)

Dominican Style Hair Salon 914-A Fulton St (bt Washington and St. James)

Kings/Queens Unisex Parlor 920 Fulton St (bt Washington and St. James)

Mega Dry Cleaners 916 Fulton St (bt Washington and St. James)

Respect for Life 932 Fulton St (bt Waverly and Washington)

11205:

Five Spot Soul Food 459 Myrtle Ave (at Washington)

Floyd 131 Atlantic Ave (near Henry St)

Luigi Pizzeria 326 DeKalb Ave (at Mary Pinkett Ave)

Mojito 275 Park Ave (on Washington bt Park and Flushing)

Pena 505 DeKalb Ave (bt Skillman and Franklin)

Reign 46 Washington Ave (bt Park and Flushing)

Sputnik 262 Taaffe Pl (bt DeKaln and Willoughby)

Tillie's 248 DeKalb Ave (at Vanderbilt)

11217:

Brawta Cafe 347 Atlantic Ave (at Hoyt)

Changing Faces Barber Salon 692 Fulton St (bt S Portland and S Oxford)

Greene Community Pharmacy 702 Fulton St (bt S Portland and S Oxford)

Moe's 80 Lafayette Ave (at S Portland)

Moshood African Clothing 698 Fulton St (bt S Portland and S Oxford)

New Directions Alcoholism and Substance Abuse 202-206 Flatbush Ave (bt Bergen and Dean)

Stonehome Wine Bar 87 Lafayette Ave (at S Portland)

11238 def wins the Weirdest Condom Venues Award -- a bunch of salons, something that sounds like a Pro-Life church and a dry cleaner.

Cool Stuff at Sputnik on Thursday

This just in - an event at Sputnik in association with BAM featuring local artists, musicians, etc!Multi-faceted arts/music venue, SPUTNIK, proudly presents BROOKLYN NEXT, presented in association with BAM and generously supported by the NYS MUSIC FUND.

OPENING FESTIVITES:

THURS. FEB. 22nd: FREE before 11pm. $7 after.

SPUTNIK proudly presents our opening festivities showcasing great local talent with a multi-faceted evening of art and performance:

8PM: GALLERY EXHIBITION: SPUTNIK welcomes the return of South Brooklyn-Based Artist Collective, URBAN FOLK ART STUDIOS (UFA©)WITH WORKS BY ADAM $UERTE, WILLY PAREDES, OMAR SANCHEZ and KEITH THOMSON.

At 10PM: LIVE PERFORMANCE by PAGODA:

At 11PM: legendary Hip Hop DJ, PREMIER works the tables into the wee hours.

SPUTNIK: 262 Taaffe Pl. (bet. DeKalb and Willoughby) G train to Classon Ave. walk 1 Bl. To DeKalb, turn right, 1 bl. To Taaffe Pl. For info: www.barsputnik.com

***

Truth be told, I don't get over to Sputnik nearly enough. The space is so cool, and there's always a lot going on there. When I first moved to the hood, they also started serving brunch. Anyone know if that's still on?

Head Over Heels Cafe: Does It Actually Exist??

Back in September, Jay and I attempted to try out a new cafe in Bed-Stuy called Head Over Heels Cafe. When we arrived at the alleged location, we couldn't find it. Now five months later, we found ourselves wandering one morning and decided to see if it was actually there. This is what we saw:

This "cafe" is allegedly located where that gate is pulled down and there is NO SIGN. The website's still up, and claims that they open at 10am. This photo was taken around 11:30 am on a Sunday morning.

Seriously, this is SO unprofessional! Even opening 10 minutes late isn't cool. That was my second attempt to check them out. NOT good business practice.

(Allegedly located at 525 DeKalb Ave.)

Heavenly Crumbs: Yes, Indeed

heymama recently posted about a new bakery she discovered on Franklin called Heavenly Crumbs.  Being a sucker for sweets, I needed to try it myself. She. Was. Right.

Actually, Jay and I had planned on doing a little baked-goods-tasting-comparison in the area, and we started at Cake Man Raven. They had nothing out, and the woman at the register was less than engaging.  So after rolling our eyes, off we went to HC.

I really don't think I've ever had a tastier cupcake.  Seriously.  I've already eaten a chocolate with coconut frosting and the signature "passion fruit" cupcake.  The cake is supermoist, and the frosting is PERFECT.  I'm personally not a fan of ultra sweet, texture-y frosting, and Shannon's frosting is just perfect.

I have the red velvet and the triple-berry left.  They're enormous, so I am saving two for tomorrow :)

The info, once again:

heavenly crumbs 355 franklin ave. @ greene and lexington 718-623-6271 heavenlycrumbs.com

Photography in the Nabe

Just received word on TWO photography events presented by local artists in the area: 1. Fort Greene Photography Org:

On display will be a variety of photographic interpretations of how humans relate to each other and the environment. Images will showcase the talent of these artists by presenting images that are imaginative, emotional, as well as thought provoking. The dedication demonstrated by the photographers in this exhibit continues to show that FPGO is one of the premier community based artists organizations. Fort Greene Photography Organization is a photography-inspired membership organization that was founded in January of 2001. With a membership of thirty individuals, FGPO’s mission is to advance public interest in photography, to expose the public to the works of emerging photographers through exhibitions and other events, and to provide emerging photographers with a forum to expose their work to the public. FGPO aims to organize, sponsor, and present exhibitions, forums, lectures and discussions related to photography in order to foster a greater appreciation and understanding of photography by the general public to make it accessible to all. For further information, please contact: The Washington Carver Gallery at The Magnolia Tree Earth Center 677 Lafayette Avenue Brooklyn, NY Empress Modupe Olufunmi 347-351-3882 or Pavan Carter 718-986-9496

2. Celebrating Black History Month:

The Seventies and the Eighties: A Digital Presentation of Photographs by Marilyn Nance

Saturday February 17, 2007 at 7:30 PM

85 S. Oxford Street at Lafayette Avenue, Fort Greene, Brooklyn, NY

$5 Admission

A benefit for Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, a neighborhood landmark whose legacy of community service & activism stretches from the Underground Railroad to today’s social justice issues. www.lapcbrooklyn.org

friday photo

greene ave. at franklin ave.

"Affordable" Haunted House

One of my fav Haunted Houses in the neighborhood has been undergoing a gut renovation the last several weeks. Brownstoner has the scoop -- it's being renovated by the PACC and sold "affordably." (600k) Looks like the PACC has several houses for sale with the same situation, many of which will be sold in the 400k range (!!!).

I find this tremendously frustrating, as it's for first-time home buyers only. I understand that, but the only way I personally might afford one of these deals would be to sell my co-op and put the profit towards one of these deals. Without that financial gain, I could never afford one of these places.

Maybe YOU can, and you're a first-time buyer. If so, let me know how it goes.

***

Otherwise on Waverly, the house Haunted by Bad Taste is on the market now (the owner passed away recently).

I wonder if the ornamental SpongeBob is included in the deal:

Then there's this renovated house, FSBO:

LOTS of action on this block (between Lafayette and Greene Greene and Gates).

heavenly crumbs

when is a stack of luxurious boxes not a stack of luxurious boxes? when it's a cake. shannon pridgen has been doing custom cakes out of a rented kitchen in bed-stuy for the past 8 years. want a cake shaped like a coach handbag? she's done it. a pair of adidas? done it.

but now she's expanded and taken her operation retail, and her newer offerings look more like this:

which, to my eyes, is just as, if not more, beautiful.... this is, of course, the red velvet cupcake, with cream cheese frosting. now, i'll be up front here: i've never had red velvet cake before, not cake man raven's, not anybody's, so i was judging this cupcake purely on it's own merits. and the verdict is: it's a great cupcake. it was moist, not overly sweet, and the frosting was delicious, smooth and creamy. i also had a small sample of some of shannon's other goods: oatmeal cookie, vanilla cupcake with chocolate frosting, carrot cupcake, and buttermilk biscuit. the cookie was great, very dense. the chocolate frosting on the vanilla cupcake was perfect, with the kind of cocoa-y flavor that i really love in chocolate frosting. the carrot cake i can't speak to, since the bite i had had a big raisin in it, which is just not my thing...so you'll have to go in and try that one yourself. and the biscuit was fine, and i suspect that if i'd had a whole one from the serving case instead of the piece that had been sitting out on the sample plate losing moisture, it would have been great. some of the other varieties in the case that i didn't get to taste are: vanilla cupcake with passion fruit frosting, yellow cupcake with triple berry frosting, spice cupcake with rum frosting, and chocolate cupcake with coconut frosting.

the space is tiny, with most of the room taken up by the kitchen. but there's a little table in the front, with a few chairs, two small benches, and a little pink stool for the kiddos that my kiddo at least was completely enamored of. there's also a tea and coffee station, with a drawer full of tea bags (herbal and black) to choose from.

shannon, who grew up in the bronx but has lived in brooklyn for the last 10 years, was working the counter, answering phones, reading cookbooks, and generally looking like a small business owner when i got there. she told me that she thinks of her desserts as "refined american", or "well-done comfort food".

which is exactly what a cupcake should be.

heavenly crumbs 355 franklin ave. @ greene and lexington 718-623-6271 heavenlycrumbs.com

Clinton Hill CSA

When I first moved to the Hill in 2004, I came across the Clinton Hill CSA's website during a Google search. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Participants purchase a "share," which enables them weekly summer deliveries of fresh veggies from Windflower Farms in Valley Falls, NY (food has to be picked up on Gates Ave in the summer, and Washington Ave in the winter). Participants must subscribe for the veggie shares, and then may add on other subscriptions as well, including fruit, flowers, eggs and meat. The winter share is delivered once a month. They charge on a sliding scale based on income, and also accept food stamps.Sounds like a super idea to me. The problem is, the site only lists the costs for families of two or more! What about families of ONE, like myself? I emailed them back in '04 to see if they offered shares for singles, but never received a response. I was kinda miffed, which is why I ignored them until now. Last weekend, friends of mine who have a share were out of town and asked me to pick up their goods (and also allowed me to take a few items for myself). It was a pretty good mix: potatoes, carrots, beets, greens, garlic and more. Sounds like a fun surprise to see what you'll get.

At this point, I know enough people in the 'nabe to go in on a share, so I might do that for the summer. But DO they offer single-people shares?

Anyone care to give some feedback on the CHCSA? Their website is here, and it looks pretty good (though I hope they'll update it more often in the summer- what's up with people who don't keep their sites updated??). They also appear to provide recipes occasionally, which incorporate current share items. Cool. The CHCSA serves Clinton Hill, Fort Greene and Bed-Stuy.