PS 11 is preparing for its first SpringFest 2007 on Saturday May 5th. This event celebrates our students and community. This year's festival will feature lots of great food & drinks, local dance & musical performances, student-made carnival games, face painting, caricature drawing by Edgar, pony rides and Moonbounce. Tickets for raffle items from local business will be also be on hand. Join us for a fun-filled, musical afternoon!P.S. 11 is located at 419 Waverly Ave.
Some of the neighborhood's coolest events are happening in May. Mark your calendars! May 5: Gigantic Clinton Ave Sidewalk Sale SpringFest at PS 11
May 6: Society for Clinton Hill 30th Anniversary House Tour! A unique opportunity to see 12 marvelous private homes, apartments, and private spaces in several public institutions. Learn more about the neighborhood, its architectural history, and surprising interiors. Get ideas for your own projects and appreciate the blending of art, architecture, interior design, and creative genius. See the exhibit of posters from the last 30 years of house tours and other events sponsored by the Society for Clinton Hill.
Sunday, May 6, 2007, noon to 5:00 pm
Tour starts at St. Luke’s Church, 259 Washington Avenue, between DeKalb and Willoughby Avenues. Buy or pick up tickets here.
Tickets: Advance $20, Day of tour $25
Purchase tickets now by clicking the Paypal button on the upper-left. Or pick up tickets at the following neighborhood locations: Outpost, Pillow Café, Sister’s Hardware, Tillie’s Coffee Shop, YU Interiors. May 10: Second Annual Brooklyn Blog Fest The Second Annual Brooklyn Blogfest will be on Thursday May 10th at 8 p.m. at the Old Stone House located on Fifth Avenue between 3rd and 4th Streets in Park Slope. Theme: The Impact of Brooklyn Blogging There will be special speakers, photo bloggers, an open mic (sign up soon), refreshments from a top notch Brooklyn eatery. Lots of time to meet and greet. Donation (Tip Jar): $5.00 (to defray costs).
OK, so it takes place in Park Slope, but this event is what inspired me to start CHB last year. It's a really cool opportunity to meet your favorite Brooklyn bloggers. I plan on attending and hopefully speaking, but it's my last night of class so I'll be late. Please say hi if you see me there.
May 12: Habana Outpost reopens for summer
May 20-21: SONYA Stroll Noon - 6:00pm both days. Rain or shine. (718) 789-2545 Over 100 artists and their work at locations throughout Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, and the western edge of Bed-Stuy. Free and open to the public.
This is one of my favorite events in the neighborhood! It's a great way to see more of the neighborhood, walk around all day, check out some cool and largely affordable art, fashion, jewelry and best of all, see the inside of hundreds of art studios. You won't believe how many warehouses in Wallabout are a maze of artist spaces inside.
Just received this reader email: So I'm having an event this summer -- about 50-75 family and friends. We'd like to do cocktails, some music, a low key thing. But I'm having trouble finding a good space in the neighborhood. There is grandspace across Atlantic in Prospect Heights, but I was hoping for something even more local (and, to be honest, affordable). You can rent out Outpost and Pillow Room -- but what other event space, warehouse, art space options are there in Clinton Hill? Can you rent out the Paul Robeson? Anyone know any secrets?
I once posted about this awhile back, but it never hurts to ask for recommendations.
In addition to the above, there's the group space at iCi where Sodafine used to be, and Brown Betty can also be rented (but can't accommodate that many people). I wonder if the empty Karrot space on Grand is available for rent? You'd have to bring in all of your services, but it could be awesome if done correctly.
It would also be cool to do something up in Wallabout, between the Navy Yard and Park Ave. I know there are a LOT of artist spaces up there. There's also be a fancy event space IN the Navy Yard, called Abigail Kirsch Stage 6. Or, maybe the 1110 Gallery at 1110 Fulton, between Classon and Franklin?
I'd also check with SONYA, an organization of local artists. Maybe they can direct you to some rentable spaces?
(Speaking of SONYA, their annual art stroll is slated for May 19-20. I'll do a big post on that soon.)
Mark your calendars, and attend if you can: 1. 88th Precinct Meeting with Police Commissioner Ray Kelly
Tues., 4/17/07, 7:30 pm, St. Luke's Church, Washington Ave. between DeKalb/Willoughby
Everyone welcome. Your opportunity to raise questions about crime, safety, etc.
2. Rally against demolition of historic buildings for contractor parking
Wed., 4/18/07, 8:00 am, Flatbush/Atlantic Ave.
Everyone invited. Show the powers that be that demolition should be prevented until the law suits are settled.
3. Town Hall Meeting with Councilperson, Letitia James
Wed., 4/18,07, 7:30 pm, St. Luke's Church, Washington Ave. between DeKalb/Willoughby
Learn about the 16 story building proposed for Washington Avenue behind Kum Kau Restaurant. This building would extend from Washington to Hall. The proposed building is out of scale for this 3-4 story brownstone block and not compatible with the proposed Wallabout Historic District or the proposed zoning change.
4. Huge side-walk sale on Clinton Avenue between Myrtle and Greene Ave., Sat., 4/21/07.
5. Society for Clinton Hill House Tour Tickets: available at the Farmer's Market, Tillie's, Outpost, Pillow Café, Sister's Hardware, YU Interiors, Choice. $20 advance sale.
5. Brooklyn Friends of Chamber Music Recital
Sun., 4/22/07, 3 pm, Lafayette Presbyterian Church, Lafayette/So.Oxford St., $15 at the door. Information and advanced tickets: 718-855-3053
It's that time of year- the gigantic Clinton Ave sidewalk sales are about to begin. Interested in setting up a table?
April General Meeting Monday, April 16, 2007
Paul Robeson Theater, 40 Greene Ave. (Carlton/Adelphi)
7:00 pm refreshments/7:30 pm meeting AGENDA
7:30 pm Andrew Dolkart, Historic District Expansions in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill. Dr. Dolkart is a nationally recognized architectural historian. He wrote the reports for the original landmark designations for these two neighborhoods and is working on the reports required for the proposed extensions. He is in high demand and we are very fortunate to have him working with us and making this presentation including maps and slides. Don't miss it!
8:30 pm Residential Parking Permits- As our neighborhoods experience intense development, parking is becoming even more difficult. One of the proposals is residential parking permits for those who actually live in the neighborhood. Those without permits would not be able to park in specific locations during certain hours. This idea is being proposed for all the downtown neighborhoods surrounding the proposed Atlantic Yards site. Learn a little more about what people like and DOT doesn't like about this idea.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Sunday, May 6, 2007, 12 to 5 pm. The Society for Clinton Hill House Tour
VOLUNTEER: We need a lot of helpers for the day of the tour. We need people to help with the clean-up, set-up, ticket sales, and house sitting. These are very important tasks and are critical to the success of the event.
WHY SHOULD I VOLUNTEER? …you might ask? Well, it is a community- friendly thing to do. You will get to buy a House Tour ticket for half price ($10.) You will get an invitation to the very private and fabulous party afterwards. And, you will meet a lot of new friends who share your love of Clinton Hill.
HOW DO I VOLUNTEER? Send an email to the address below and someone will contact you. Tell us your preference for task and shift. Of course clean-up and set-up will occur early on Sunday. The ticket sales and house sitter shifts are 11:45 to 2:30 and 2:15-5 pm. So, volunteer, please. We're counting on you!
Email: housetours@societyforclintonhill.org
Web: www.societyforclintonhill.org
Please note: This meeting is not on the normal SCH meeting day. It is on MONDAY. See you there.
Chapel Players will be presenting Steve Martin's comedy: "Picasso at the Lapin Agile"
Directed by Tom Hoefner '00
Thursday, April 26 - 7:30pm Friday, April 27 - 8:00 pm Saturday, April 28 - 7:00 pm - Catered Dinner/8:00 pm Show
Tickets
SJC Students - $5 Faculty/Staff Price - $8 Community/Guest Price in advance- $10 Community/Guest Price at the door - $12 All Dinner Show Tickets in Advance - $15 All Dinner Show Tickets at the Door - $20
Contact Adam Mace amm0996@student.sjcny.edu for advance purchase information
I'm pleased to announce a new interview series here at CHB, called Clinton Hill: Personal Profiles. Each month, I'll speak with a CH resident at length about his or her history in the neighborhood and what his or her life in the Hill is like. I'll still continue to do my traditional interviews where I post questions and answers, but this series is for CH residents ONLY, to highlight some of the interesting people who live here. Interviews will take place at Polish Bar Brooklyn, and interview subjects will enjoy wine courtesy of the Greene Grape and a fancy pedicure while we chat about life in Clinton Hill.
The series kicked off last night with Aissatou Minthe, owner of Tessan Boutique. The profile will be posted in the next few days.
If you're interested in being profiled, just email me at clintonhillblog- at -gmail- dot -com. Guys, don't be shy! There are always plenty of men getting pedicures in the neighborhood.
Hi Everybody, Rudy Eilers will be here this Friday evening April 6th, with a delicious sampling of wines from Italy. We are going to have a lovely collection of three new whites to get you ready for all your spring and summer celebrations -- crisp, clean, zingy and refreshing, all.
And we'll be tasting a gorgeous red from a Piedmontese wine maker Bruno Porro-- A Dolcetto, graced with the image of an old, lumbering tree, is rich and fruity with a bright, mineraly finish.
We're experiencing a collective mouth-watering just thinking about these wines!
Come by, between 6:30 and 9:30, and taste for yourself. As always, we look forward to seeing you there.
Cheers!
Olivino 905 Fulton Street(bet. Clinton and Vanderbilt) 718/857-7952
I just learned that an enviro-group called Step it Up has organized something called the "National Day of Climate Action" on April 14th. All around the country, various groups will be doing creative things to express the same thing: "Step it up Congress! Cut Carbon by 80% by 2050." Based on the Supreme Ct. decision yesterday that the EPA better start regulating CO2 emissions, like auto emissions, I bet Congress will get tough. But a little activism never hurts. In Battery Park City, for instance, tons of people dressed in blue will create a "Sea of People" to show in concrete terms what lower manhattan will look like under 10 feet of water, which is what climatologists predict for us if we don't change our ways. That's the biggest event of the day (there are 800 in all nationwide!) but here, in our very own Ft. Greene Park, Urban Spring has organized a festival called "Spring into Greene" from 1 to 6 pm that will include "live music by local artists, inspirational speakers, practical green business and lifestyle solutions, an artwork display from local students concerned about climate change, and the weekly Saturday morning farmer's market." There's tons more info here, but kudos to Urban Spring for taking part in this very cool day.
I STILL haven't tried this place, but they have a lot of cool events, live music, etc. Just received this schedule for next week:
(sorry I didn't post this sooner- I am just now feeling better!) Don't forget to take advantage of BK Restaurant Week, which runs through March 30. Until then, Zagat's is offering free online access to reviews of the participating restaurants!
Click here to check it out.
I always participate in the Zagat surveys, and I love to see if they've used any of my "witty phrases" when the new editions come out.
got kids? know somebody who's got kids? or expecting a kid? you should check out still hip, a just-getting-off-the-ground local kids-and-maternity resale shop run by two local mothers. they're still running presale events out of marcie's house for now, so you have to go their website and fill out an invite form to get the location info. but it takes all of two seconds, and then you get to go check out all of the great merch they have. we went last week and made out with a whole summer wardrobe for $20.... sunday, march 25th 11pm-5pm stillhipbrooklyn.com
Hello everybody, This Friday the 16th, Olivino wines is hosting another of our favorite wine guys...Spencer from Winebow.
He'll be pouring 2 whites and 2 reds. First is an Alsatian riesling which I promise you is a perfect example of how a wine can be fruity but dry. The second is a white from the Languedoc, which has some similar characteristics to a white bordeaux but completely different grape varieties.
The first of the two reds is a cabernet from Stag Leap's second label, Hawk Crest that is more bordeaux in style than typical big Californian. And last but not least is a delicious malbec from Catena winery in Argentina.
Hope to see you here,
As always, we're at 905 Fulton Street, bet. Clinton and Vanderbilt. Tel. 718/857-7952
Cheers, Olivino
Clinton Hill is home to many, many feral kitties, and Slope Street Cats, a volunteer organization, has helped several of them through their Trap-Neuter-Return program. They're having a seminar, so please attend if you have a feral colony nearby you'd like to help: Slope Street Cats Trap-Neuter-Return Workshop March 24, 2007 Be Part of the Humane Alternative
Ever wonder how you can best help the feral cats on your streets, in empty lots and backyards?
Slope Street Cats is hosting a comprehensive workshop, sponsored by Neighborhood Cats, on trap-neuter-return—the healthiest and most humane alternative for feral cats. We'll cover the trap-neuter-return process, feral nutrition, advocacy, socialization, spay/neuter options, and cold-weather caretaking tips.
WHEN Saturday, March 24, 1:00-4:00 p.m.
WHERE Park Slope Food Coop 782 Union Street (betw 6th & 7th Avenues) Brooklyn, NY 11215
WHO Slope Street Cats is a nonprofit, volunteer collective dedicated to reducing feline overpopulation in Brooklyn through trap-neuter-return.
The workshop will be led by Jesse Oldham, founder and board member of Slope Street Cats and a member of the NYC Feral Cat Council. She has been an animal welfare advocate for 14 years. HOW This event is free and open to the public. Please RSVP to slopestreetcats@yahoo.com.
Website: www.slopestreetcats.com Blog: slopestreetcats.blogspot.com Email: slopestreetcats@yahoo.com
It's that time of year again -- the perfect excuse to check out some of the many awesome restaurants in the area. Go back to your favorite place, or try something new. The price is $21.12 per person (not including drinks, tax and tip) Here's a list of all the establishments participating in our area:L = lunch D = dinner Chez Lola (D) 387 Myrtle Avenue 718-858-1484
Chez Oskar (D) 211 DeKalb Avenue 718-852-6250
Five Spot (D) 459 Myrtle Avenue 718-852-0202
iCi (L/D) 246 Dekalb Avenue 718-789-2778
June Restaurant (D) 229 Dekalb Avenue 718-222-1510
Junior's Restaurant (D) 386 Flatbush Avenue Extension 718-852-5257
Le Grand - Dakar Restaurant (L/D) 285 Grand Avenue 718-398-8900
Los Pollitos III (L/D) 499 Myrtle Avenue 718-636-6125
Loulou Restaurant (D) 222 DeKalb Avenue 718-246-0633
Luz Restaurant (D) 177 Vanderbilt Avenue 718-246-4000
Madiba Restaurant (L/D) 195 Dekalb Avenue 718-855-9190
Maggie Brown Restaurant (D) 455 Myrtle Avenue 718-643-7001
Mojito Cuban Cuisine (L/D) 82 Washington Avenue 718-797-3100
Mullanes (D) 71 Lafayette Avenue 718-797-7606
Olea Mediterranean Taverna (D) 171 Lafayette Avenue 718-643-7003
Scopello Ristorante Bar (D) 63 Lafayette Avenue 718-852-1100
Soule Restaurant (D) 920 Fulton Street 718-399-7200
Thomas Beisl (L) 25 Lafayette Avenue 718-222-5800
Veliis 773 Fulton Street 718-596-9070
...and 2 for $21.12 at:
RICE (2 for 1 L/D) 166 Dekalb Avenue 718-858-2700
The Smoke Joint (2 for 1 L/D) 87 South Elliot Place 718-797-1011
(The full list of participating Brooklyn restaurants is here.)
I'm working on doing a general post on St. Joeseph's College, but in the meantime I'm going to start posting some of their cool, free community events. They seem to host a LOT of high-profile authors as well as provide interesting art exhibits. Here's some stuff going on there this month:READING St. Joseph's College is pleased to announce that Emily Barton will be the featured author for the spring 2007 installation of the McEntegart Hall Library Author Series. On March 29th, Ms. Barton will read an excerpt from her latest work, Brookland, and participate in a discussion with the audience. The event will be held at 12:40 p.m. in the library's second floor lounge at McEntegart Hall, located on 222 Clinton Avenue. The event is free and open to the public.
Brookland is the story of a determined and intelligent woman in 18th-century Brooklyn who is consumed by a vision of creating a bridge that crosses the East River to Manhattan. Told mostly through letters to the protagonist's daughter, Brookland imagines a world where personal drama, romance, family relationships, and tragedy play out against the construction of a fictional bridge.
Emily Barton earned her B.A. summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard College, where she concentrated in English literature; she went on to earn an M.F.A. from the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Her first novel, The Testament of Yves Gundron (2000) was named a New York Times Notable Book of the Year and a San Francisco Chronicle Book of the Month, and won the Bard Fiction Prize. Her second novel Brookland (2006) was also named a New York Times Notable Book, as well as one of the twenty-five best 2006 works of fiction and poetry by the Los Angeles Times.
Her work has appeared in numerous publications, including Story magazine, American Short Fiction, Conjunctions, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times Book Review, the Washington Post Book World, Poetry magazine, the VLS, and Bookforum. Emily Barton has taught writing and humanities at Bard and at Eugene Lang College of the New School. She is currently a fellow of the Guggenheim Foundation, and she received a 2006 literature grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
PHOTOGRAPHY St. Joseph's College Council for the Arts is pleased to announce that it will present Transformations: Works by Kristin Holcomb from March 26 to April 26 in the Alumni Room Gallery at Tuohy Hall, 245 Clinton Avenue. The 4th event in the College's Nature’s Lasting Impression, Our Environmental Footprint series, Transformations will open on March 29th with a reception at 5:30 p.m., and there will be a gallery talk with the artist on April 10 at 12:40 p.m. All are free and open to the general public. Regular gallery hours are Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. and on Saturday from 12 to 3 p.m.
This exhibit features nature-inspired photographs that remind viewers how nature surrounds us and inspires beautiful art. In the artist’s words, "Transformations is a series of photographs of walls whose surfaces, after years of being changed by weather, paint, rust and algae, are becoming complex, organic paintings with the passing of time. The Transformations photographs are about rebirth; about the possibility of beauty in destruction or death.”
A working artist and educator, Kristin Holcomb received her BA from Cornell University and her Masters of Fine Arts from Pratt Institute. Her photography has been seen in numerous exhibitions locally in the New York City and Long Island area, nationally from Chicago to Arizona and recently extending globally to Gangneung, Korea. A Brooklyn resident, she currently teaches at the International Center for Photography, New York University and Nassau Community College.
Founded by Sister Elizabeth A. Hill, CSJ, J.D., president, the St. Joseph’s College Council for the Arts is a coalition of students, faculty members and staff who serve as a focal point for St. Joseph’s College’s educational and community outreach programming in the arts. By expanding and integrating campus arts activities, the Council seeks to enhance the public image of the College as a cultural center in Brooklyn and aims to make arts and cultural events more accessible to its students and area neighbors. For more information about this exhibit or other upcoming cultural events at the College's Brooklyn campus, please call (718) 399-6755.
I'm sad to report that 313 Clinton Ave (the Halloween House) will NOT be on the house tour this year. However, owner Janna is having a Parlor Sale "almost every Sunday" until June. It's the perfect excuse to see the inside of this gorgeous mansion while you shop for: Airbrush Digest magazines, airbrush equipment, Luma dyes, portfolio cases, art books, fabric, lace, trims, glass beads, wood beads, misc beads, metal trims, belt buckles and buttons, vintage jewelry, comic books, records, clothing, vintage toys, discounted handbags and chihuahua knick-knacks.
It's really quite something.
And since it's almost Stoop Sale time, I'll gladly post info on readers' sales every Friday, as long as you send me the location, time and info by Thursday at 5pm before the wknd of the sale. Please include a description of what you'll have.
Society for Clinton HillMarch General Meeting St. Luke's Parish House 259 Washington Ave., (between DeKalb/Willoughby) Wed., March 21, 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Refreshments at 7 pm
AGENDA
The meeting will be devoted to committee meetings for the House Tour. This is a huge undertaking by SCH. It is our main fundraiser and supports our activities for the next two years. Come and join a committee and work on the planning phase. You will have fun and do good. Committees will include:
*Fundraising
*House Sitting
*After Party
*Clean-Up
*Set Up
*Ticket Sales
*Misc.
*Publicity/PR
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
-April Meeting, Monday, 4/16/07, 7 pm, location to be announced. Joint meeting with FGA about the historic district expansion and the Residential Parking Permit program.
-May Meeting, Wednesday, 5/16/07, 7 pm, St. Luke's Parish House. Photographs by Clinton Irving Jones, Bklyn Photographer of the early 1900's, and Spring Gardening Plans.
-Support the DDDB Legal Fund which is representing SCH, FGA and many other community groups filing suit about the inadequate Environmental Impact Study done by the Ratner consultants for Atlantic Yards. The Legal Fund is also representing owners and tenants who are being subjected to the questionable use of eminent domain. Please make your tax deductible contributions to: DDDB Legal Fund, 89 Fifth Ave., Brooklyn, 11217.
-Annual Historic Districts Council Preservation Conference, Fri.-Sun., Mar.9-11, 2007. Everyone welcome to this nationally recognized conference. See www.hdc.org for details.
-House Tour Journal Ads – Help us fill the journal with ads for local businesses and supporters. Ads cost $100 to $1200 and involve various levels of benefits in addition to the ad. Contact House Tour Chair, Linda Scher, for details: Wash308@aol.com
-Visit our new website, www.societyforclintonhill.org and buy house tour tickets
The deadline is approaching for people/businesses who'd like to advertise in the CH House Tour program. Funds go towards tree planting, business grants, local school grants, exterior property renovations, expansion of the landmark district and more. If you'd like to help out or buy an ad, contact:
Linda Scher- 718-638-2978
Jim Barnes- 718-230-4695
Clinton Hill Blog published from 2006 - 2010. Please enjoy these archives - a love letter to the neighborhood.
