Thanksgiving Pairing Wine Tastings @ Olivino

Friday 6:30-8:30:Scott of Barterhouse wines (and former Olivino employee we adore) will be tasting us on some magnificent wines perfect for the upcoming holiday. We will be sampling a totally lovely Pinot Blanc from Canada, a smooth berried Cote du Provence, A spicy Uruguayan Tannat, and a Cote du Rhone blanc that resembles the revered baby Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc.

Saturday 5:00- 7:30 Elizabeth from Michael Skurnick will be introducing us to this year's Beaujolais Nouveau!  Just in time and a perfect wine for Thanksgiving dinner.  Elizabeth will also be uncorking a sophisticated Gruner Veltliner, a flavorful Riesling Kabinett, and an Australian Cabernet Sauvignon.

We look forward to seeing you!

Olivino Wines 905 Fulton Street btwn Clinton Avenue & Vanderbilt (718)857-7952

Community Design Workshop: TONIGHT

This sounds cool! MYRTLE AVENUE STREET FURNITURE INITIATIVE TO HOLD FIRST COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP AT PRATT INSTITUTE

Project is a collaboration between the Pratt Design Incubator and the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership

BROOKLYN, N.Y., November 13, 2007 – The Pratt Design Incubator for Sustainable Innovation, Pratt industrial design students, and the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership will hold a community design workshop tonight, Tuesday, November 13 from 6 to 8 p.m. in Pratt Institute’s Higgins Hall as part of the Myrtle Avenue Street Furniture Design Initiative. The workshop, during which designers will present preliminary concepts for seating, bike racks, tree guards, and other possible street elements, is open to the public and members of the community are encouraged to attend.

The Pratt Design Incubator, Pratt industrial design students, and the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership are working together to design innovative and artistic street furniture elements for Myrtle Avenue. The workshop will introduce the background, goals, process, and timeline of the project, share preliminary design concepts, and invite participants to join topic tables to discuss and/or sketch concrete ideas as well as general topics. The goal is to create street furniture concepts over the next year that ultimately will lead to prototypes of off-the-shelf designs for artistic, sturdy, multipurpose, and cost-effective streetscape furniture and amenities. Prospective participants are asked to pay close attention to design elements in New York City streets, particularly Myrtle Avenue, in order to provide specific information in describing what works and what does not.

The Pratt Design Incubator is a cooperative of interdisciplinary designers committed to creative products and services that respect the environment and humanity. It is run by Deb Johnson, academic director of sustainability at Pratt, who organized a team of industrial design students to survey and study Myrtle Avenue’s existing conditions. The team is being led by research coordinator Samantha Razook-Murphy. The initiative started in September when the Myrtle Avenue Revitalization Project LDC hired the Pratt Design Incubator to develop street furniture designs. Funding for this initiative comes from an award from the New York State Council on the Arts and the Myrtle Avenue Business Improvement District. The workshop will be held at Higgins Hall on the southeast corner of Lafayette at 61 St. James Place. Informational signs will direct participants to the workshop room. Please RSVP to Mr. Vaidila Kungys at vkungys@myrtleavenue.org or by phone at 718.230.1689

SCH Meeting: Thursday

Society for Clinton HillGENERAL MEETING Thursday, Nov. 15, 2007, 7-9 pm St. Luke's Church Parish House, 259 Washington Ave. (DeKalb/Willoughby)

7:00    Reception:  Come meet and greet your neighbors. Wine by Gnarley Vines, 350 Myrtle Ave., Carlton/Adelphi Appetizers by Choice, Lafayette/Grand

7:30    A Conversation about Traffic Issues in Clinton Hill

*Congestion Pricing (CP) – how will it affect us?

*Residential Permit Parking (RPP) – what, why & when?

*Street cleaning and alternate side parking –can it be reduced?

*Illegal truck traffic – what can be done?

Speakers include: Jane McGroarty, community activist and transportation expert. John Dew, CB2 member and chair of the Transportation Committee. Linda Scher, SCH Board Member, and Washington Ave. resident. Frances Rodriguez, Clinton Hill resident living on Washington Ave.

Please note:

1. Membership: Renew your membership at the meeting. Bring your check book.

2. Landmark Reports: Purchase the new report on the Proposed Additions to the Clinton Hill Historic District and the original Landmarks Report.  $15 each. These are important reference works that everyone ought to have.

www.societyforclintonhill.org

More Thanksgiving Fare

(Was out of town yesterday -- sorry!) The Greene Grape and Jive Turkey are teaming up to offer a complete Thanksgiving package, delivered to your door! They're hosting a free tasting this Thursday:

Click, Uncork and Gobble!

The Greene Grape and Jive Turkey are excited to host their Third Annual Thanksgiving tasting on Thursday, November 15th from 5 to 7pm at The Greene Grape at 765 Fulton Street between South Oxford and South Portland and at The Greene Grape Downtown, 55 Liberty at Nassau in the Financial District of Manhattan. We’ll be pouring six American wines recommended to go with Thanksgiving dinner and serving a Jive Turkey with all the fixings. The event is FREE and is a great way to try before you buy! For more information, please visit www.greenegrape.com.

The Greene Grape and Jive Turkey are also proud to continue a New York Thanksgiving tradition by offering a full Thanksgiving meal – a deep-fried Jive Turkey and all the fixings – plus a Six Pack of American wines specially selected by The Greene Grape to complement the Thanksgiving meal. The total package is $249.95 plus tax and includes delivery any day the week of Thanksgiving – November 19-22. Quantities are limited and orders must be placed by Friday, November 16. This offer created an absolute frenzy last year – it’s never too soon to sign up! For more information or to order, please visit www.thejiveturkey.com or call (718) 797-1688.

The Greene Grape features offers from individual producers with integrity, skill and pride. For more information, please contact Amy Bennett at amy@greenegrape.com, by calling (917) 412-5901.

Jive Turkey features deep-fried turkey that has been called “a tender, juicy bird so perfectly cooked, with skin so crisp and tasty, you might never roast again.” For more information, please contact Aricka Westbrooks at westbrooksa@aol.com or (718) 797-1688.

Gnarly Vines: Grand Opening Party!

I admit, it's taken me awhile to get over to Gnarly Vines. But man, is it NICE in there! The space is enormous -- much bigger than I anticipated -- but is long and narrow, giving the store a cozy feel. Store owner Brian was ultra-friendly and recommended some great bottles for me.

Check out their Grand Opening party this Thursday from 6-10pm!

Also note: CSA members receive 10% off purchases!

Marathon!

If you're new to the 'hood, you might not know that the NYC Marathon runs straight down Lafayette Avenue.  Check it out this Sunday, and get inspired by all the brave souls running.  Plus, join in with your neighbors to cheer them on!

The Great PUPkin: Recap

This year's PUPkin was great! I was fortunate enough to be a judge, which meant that for the first time ever I was able to see ALL the costumes. Lots of great homemade costumes this year. I wasn't able to take as many photos as I'd have liked, but here are a few of my favorites:

Prizes:

First: Astronaut (This is the same guy who did the flying monkey in 2005. How he got his dog to wear the plastic bubble on his head is the question of the century.)

Second: The Three Tenors (Three gigantic slow-moving dogs dressed in human tuxedos with a banner and an entourage)

Third: Nipper, the RCA Dog (Complete with gramophone that was actually playing music on the dog's back)

Honorable Mentions: Albus Dumbledore (wonderful homemade wig and spectacles made of tin foil), Sunflower (TINY Chi dressed as a sunflower bigger than her head, made out of recycled materials), and Gilligan (complete with red shirt, life vest and sailor hat).

Other favorites of mine (and close finishers) included Carol Burnette dressed as Scarlet O'Hara, a tiny Chi dressed as a devil (his ears were his horns, pictured above!), a Frenchie in pajamas and slippers, and a Boston Terrier as the G train.

Thanks to my fellow judges, Ellie Balk and Carl Graur!

Great PUPkin: MOVED TO SUNDAY

Hello PUPS, Due to a forecast for rain and thunderstorms tomorrow, we will be moving the 9th Annual Great PUPkin Dog Costume Contest to this Sunday, October 28. The registration time will still be 11:30 am at the top of the hill. Judging will start at noon. PUPS asks for a suggested donation of $5.00 per dog.

Sorry to have to move the event, but it does give you one extra day to work on your dog's costume! I hope you will be able to join us on Sunday, and if you would, please spread the word about us moving the contest. I am not sure, but I think the Fort Greene Park Conservancy may also be moving their Halloween Festival to Sunday (try checking their website later today).

Sunday looks to be sunny and warm, so I'll see you on Sunday with dogs in costume!

Move With Grace - New Classes!

James Sanders to Speak at St. Joseph's College

Emmy-Award Winning Writer and Renowned Architect James Sanders to Speak at St. Joseph's College Annual Founders Day Lecture BROOKLYN, N.Y - October 11, 2007 - St. Joseph's College is pleased to announce that Mr. James Sanders will serve as the guest lecturer for the College's annual Founders Day lecture. On Monday, October 22, 2007, he will deliver a talk entitled, "Ever-Changing City: New York Past, Present and Future," at 4:30 p.m. at the Tuohy Hall Auditorium on 245 Clinton Avenue. The event is free and open to the public.

With Ric Burns, Mr. Sanders co-conceived and co-wrote the 172-hour, eight-part PBS series, “New York: A Documentary Film,” and co-authored its companion volume, New York: An Illustrated History. Widely viewed and critically acclaimed across the country, the series received six Emmy nominations, two Emmy Awards, and the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Award. Mr. Sanders and Mr. Burns also co-wrote “Andy Warhol: A Documentary Film,” which received a George Foster Peabody Award in 2007.

Mr. Sanders is a regular contributor to the New York Times, and has written articles for the Los Angeles Times, Vanity Fair, and Architectural Record. As the principal of the architecture and urban design firm James Sanders & Associates, his projects include public work for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the Pershing Square Management Association in Los Angeles, and the Parks Council, where he co-designed and implemented an innovative series of urban amenities and improvements for Bryant Park in Manhattan. In addition, his book, Celluloid Skyline: New York and the Movies, an exploration of the century-long relationship of the city and film, became the basis for a major multimedia exhibit in Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall, sponsored by Turner Classic Movies and Time Warner Cable.

Costume Exchange at Still Hip

GEAR UP FOR HALLOWEEN!!! Saturday, October 20th | 1-4pm • costume swap [$5 to participate, $10 without a costume] • story telling • face painting • raffle with prizes from all of our classes!

LOOKING FOR CRAFTERS Still Hip is hosting a small holiday craft fair in our class area on Saturday and Sunday, December 1 and 2. If you are interested in being a vendor please send us some pictures of your work. Spaces are $35 per day before November 2nd and $40 after.

10/21 PRESSING FOOD ISSUES WORKSHOP 1:30 10/31 HALLOWEEN EVE PHOTOS 3-6 11/10 FREE BABYWEARING WORKSHOP 1:30 (children welcome) 12/1-2 CRAFT FAIR 12/15-16 PICTURES WITH SANTA

DROP OFF HOURS Wednesdays 2-5pm or call to find out if we accepting drop offs on Saturday. We are not accepting items Sat, Oct 20 or Sat, Oct 27.

Thanks as always, gabby & marcie

http://stillhipbrooklyn.com | clothing and toy resale boutique (kids & maternity) 283 Grand Avenue | Clinton Hill | 718.398.0008 Tuesday-Saturday 10-6 Sunday 11-6

October Blogade

Since this past summer's second annual Brooklyn Blogade, we BK bloggers have been meeting monthly to, well, see one another in human form. The events are open to all (bloggers and blog appreciators). Here's the info on this month's event: This Sunday, October 21st, Rob from the Luna Park Gazette will be hosting the October Blogade Roadshow.

The Blogade is a great way to meet new people, interact with fellow bloggers and have a good time. You don’t have to be a blogger to come–if you’re thinking about starting a blog or if you just want to know what all of us bloggers are like in person, then come on down! It’ll be fun!

The Blogade will be held at Omonia Cafe, 7612 Third Avenue, Brooklyn from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. The cost is $8. Please RSVP as soon as possible so that Rob can get a head count. You can contact Rob by visiting Luna Park Gazette and following the instructions there. Make sure that when you RSVP you send him your name (your real name and online name if they are different), where you’re from in Brooklyn, your blog’s name (if you have one), the blog’s URL, and a line or two about you and your blog.

9th ANNUAL GREAT PUPKIN DOG COSTUME CONTEST

An important reminder to get your dogs ready! Plus, I'll be a judge this year!

Voted “Best Halloween Dog Costume Contest” in 2005 by the Village Voice, Fort Greene PUPS will host the 9th Annual “Great PUPkin” Dog Costume Contest in Fort Greene Park on Saturday, October 27, 2007 (rain date Sunday, October 28). The contest will be held from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. at the top of the hill, near the monument in Fort Greene Park.

As in previous years, the 2007 contest will feature dogs competing for prizes in front of three judges. This year's judges are Robin Lester (founder, Clinton Hill Blog), Ellie Balk (fine artist and muralist), and Carl Grauer (co-owner, RePop). Contest sponsors, including ScooterFood, Thirst Wine Shop, Jill Seitz Custom Dog Portraits, and Who’s Your Doggy, will be donating prizes. Prize winners will also be awarded custom rosettes.

A suggested donation of $5.00 per entrant will help defray event costs. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m.; judging begins promptly at 12 noon.

Green Fort Greene + Clinton Hill

Looks like this group is ready to kick it into high gear, and it sounds like a cool way to get involved in the neighborhood. Personally, I'm in for a "tres chic reusable shopping bag." One of my neighbors bought one at Trader Joe's, but I just can't stand the long-ass lines to get one: Dear Neighbors:

Green Fort Greene and Clinton Hill is a project of neighbors making our communities even more environmentally friendly. The initiative is sponsored by the Fort Greene Association with the support of the Society for Clinton Hill.

After lots of work getting organized, Green Fort Greene & Clinton Hill is ready to hit the streets. We are ready to begin selling energy efficient light bulbs, signing people up for electric accounts that do not contribute to global warming and selling tres chic reusable shopping bags. The other projects we have been pursuing -- for instance, tree planting and new bike racks -- are beginning to show results. Others in the works and additional ideas welcome.

We will be at the Green Market, at other community events, at churches and schools, and in building lobbies. Merchants will help distribute information to our neighbors.

Our web site is about to be launched. Beautiful leaflets, decals for participating merchants and posters featuring our strikingly handsome logo are going to print.

Con Ed Solutions is doing an 11,000 piece mailing on Green Power jointly with us.

So, we need you to come and see how you can do your part.

Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church 85 South Oxford Street 7:00 pm, Thursday October 18.

This Just In: Transportation Meeting!

This looks like it could be great. I know that Hakeem Jeffries held a meeting regarding some electric meter problems in the CH Co-ops, and those who went were impressed. Town Hall Community Speak Out

Sponsored by State Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries

Mass Transportation – problems and more problems

Need more rush hour service??

*Problems with the A,C,G lines??

*Buses got you down??

*Congestion pricing??

*Residential Permit Parking??

Featuring speakers from MTA & DOT

Wednesday, October 17, 2007, 6:30 pm

Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church (corner Lafayette Ave/So. Oxford St.)

718-596-0100 for more information

Fulton Street Halloween Fest

FULTON STREET HALLOWEEN FEST Downtown Brooklyn Craft Event

EVENT NOTICE

Event Name: Fulton Street Halloween Fest

What: Free Crafts & Fun Event for Kids

Venue: Albee Square at DeKalb Avenue between Flatbush Avenue Ext. and Albee Square West

Price: Free

Organization Hosting Event: The Fulton Mall Improvement Association (FMIA)

Phone: 718-403-1643

Website: www.fultonstreet.org

Date: Saturday, October 27, 2007

Time: 12 pm - 5 pm

Rain Date: Sunday, October 28, 2007

Description: Children can enjoy Halloween in Downtown Brooklyn as Fulton Street welcomes kids of all ages with face painting, candy and toy giveaways, arts and crafts, and clowns. It will be a true day of fun for the entire family in the borough’s major shopping destination. The event begins at 12:00 PM and ends at 5:00 PM. For more information, visit www.fultonstreet.org or call 718-403-1643.

DDDB Walkathon Info

From the Society for Clinton Hill: Dear Clinton Hillers:

The DDDB 2007 Walkathon is one week away - Oct. 14, Sunday. Won't you support the effort to protect Clinton Hill from massive over-development? The development of Atlantic Yards doesn't have to be so huge and so environmentally disastrous! Right now, the only thing standing between reasonable development and massive over-development there are the eminent domain and environmental lawsuits. It is a David and Goliath thing – we 26 community groups against Ratner and his political cronies.

The time is short to get our walkers together and to find sponsors for everyone. Tish James, our hero who has lead the community on this lengthy fight, is our team leader this year. We need to show our support for her, help DDDB help us, and show that Fort Greene and Clinton Hill will again this year be one of the top producing teams.

Please consider being a walker and asking family and friends to sponsor you. If that isn't your thing, check out our team, sponsor Tish or someone else by making a donation on their behalf. Or, you can contribute to the team in general. You can also set up your own team, if you are so motivated. Remember, all contributions are tax-deductible!

This is really important and it is a fun and exciting day as well. The walk is short and easy with entertainment on both ends. So, please, go to the web site below and sign up. WE NEED YOU!

www.dddb.net/walkathon Our team is the Fort Greene – Clinton Hill Tish Team. Go to the site, see the list of teams on the right, scroll down to find our team, and join as a walker or be a sponsor of one of the walkers listed there. It is such a worthy cause …the scale and character of our neighborhood... our quality of life.

If you should have any problem making a credit card contribution, which is tax-deductible, you can:

1. Drop a check off to 138 Lafayette Ave. (corner of Carlton) and put in a note indicating you want it attributed to the Fort Greene – Clinton Hill Tish Team, or another team, and listing the walker you want to sponsor.

2. Mail a check to DDDB, 121 Fifth Ave., #150, Bklyn 11217 (include same note as above.)

3. Or, call Lucy at 718-938-3935 for help.

Make checks payable to DDDB-Legal Fund.

Walk with us…we need your help!

Society for Clinton Hill

Third Annual Bed-Stuy Alive!

Just received this info about an awesome week-long Bed-Stuy event! THIRD ANNUAL BED STUY ALIVE! TASTE, STRUT, TOUR, KNOW Festive Celebration Honoring Brooklyn’s Culturally Enriched Neighborhood Village Wide Affair Encourages Economic Empowerment & Community Pride

In the spirit of Kwanza principle Ujaama (cooperative economics), Community Board 3 in association with the Brownstoners of Bedford Stuyvesant Inc., Bedford Stuyvesant Artists’ Association (BeSaa), Bridge Street Development Corporation and Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation encourages New York to support the 3rd Annual Bed Stuy Alive! Taste, Strut, Tour Know. This festive event, which runs from Saturday, October 13 – Saturday, October 20, celebrates Bedford Stuyvesant’s vibrant business, cultural and artistic communities while promoting pride among its residents.

Tomorrow: Ribbon-Cutting at Frank White!

Council Member Letitia James and State Senator Kevin Parker to Cut Ribbon on Upscale Brooklyn Café That’s Transforming Atlantic AvenueCouncil Member Letitia James and State Senator Kevin Parker will cut the ribbon on FRANK WHITE, a new upscale café/lounge that’s single handedly pioneering the industrial stretch of Atlantic Avenue that is aligned with auto shops and warehouses to a social destination for progressive and global Brooklynites. Serving gourmet coffee and a menu featuring vegetarian, organic and fair trade selections, fresh juices, smoothies, and teas, Frank White serves up a healthy alternative for this Clinton Hill neighborhood. The swanky venue doubles as a news/reading/screening room and gallery space exhibiting works of local, national and international emerging and established artists.

The indoor/outdoor space is reminiscent of an old world formal dining room complete with distinctive Damask print wallpaper, dark hardwood floors, crystal chandeliers, and antique wood and brocade furniture. The 1200sf garden/patio is designed with a wood deck for outdoor entertaining. For those in the know, Frank White was an alias of the late rapper Notorious BIG who grew up a block away from where the café is located. Students from Sankofa Academy, an independent private school will perform in honor of the opening. Coffee and refreshments will be served. WHEN:            Friday, October 5, 2007 TIME:              10:00AM WHERE:          936 Atlantic Avenue and St. James Place

Crown Heights North House Tour

The Crown Heights North Association (CHNA) is sponsoring our first Annual House and Garden Tour, this Saturday, October 6th, from 12 – 5. We are celebrating the beauty and culture of our neighborhood, and our recent designation as the first new Historic District in Brooklyn in over 10 years. This inaugural year, we are showing 10 houses, 2 historic churches and one community garden. There will be a celebratory kick off at 10:30. Mayor Bloomberg, Marty Markowitz, LPC Commissioner Tierney, and local officials have been invited. We will also be thanking sponsors and committee members. Because of our new HD status, and possible appearance by the above, there will be media coverage.

Celebration and first stop/ticket location: St. Gregory’s RC Church, 991 St. Johns Place at Brooklyn Ave. By subway: 3 train to Nostrand or Kingston Ave. Brooklyn Ave is between the two stops. Go north on Brooklyn Ave 3 blocks to St. Johns Place. Church is on corner. Other subway stops: A train to Nostrand Ave. or 2/5 train to President St.

Tickets are $25, and are available via the website, or at St. Gregory’s day of tour. Self guided tour begins promptly at noon, and no tickets will be sold after 3:30 pm. Houses close at 5 pm sharp. Tour will take place rain or shine.