From Fort Greene PUPS: Just wanted to pass along an invitation to the grand opening of the Who's Your Doggy dog grooming and washing shop (I think Tracy should call it the Laundra-Mutt). Who's Your Doggy is located at the corner of Adelphi and Willoughby, and the grooming shop is right next door. The party will be this Sunday, June 24 from 2:00-5:00. There will be people treats, doggy treats, and a keg o' beer.
Tracy says to come on down and help her celebrate!
Received this note from a reader: Last night, I had a non-violent encounter at S Oxford and Lafayette. A young kid was jogging by and tried to snag my cell phone. Broad daylight, tons of people around. He didn't get it but he did manage to snap it in half and make off. I filed a police report and the office told me it happens often and that there are a number of these incidents in our neighborhood.
I myself know of two such instances, though they took place at least a year ago. First, a teen grabbed a friend's iPod as he exited the G train, also in broad daylight. Two joggers stopped the kid, retrieved the iPod and convinced my friend to just let the kid go. Two winters ago, another friend was mugged in broad daylight in Fort Greene, on the afternoon of a snowstorm. The culprits, a male and female, took off with some credit cards and a cell phone, after punching my friend in the face.
I know we live in a big city, and that crime can take place anywhere and anytime. Though it's unnerving to hear about stuff that happens in the middle of the day when other people are around. Just a note to be aware of your surroundings.
tonight was the first meeting of the new "green fort greene and clinton hill" initiative. it's being spearheaded by jed marcus, a local attorney, longtime fort greene resident, and board member of the fort greene association, which, along with the socity for clinton hill, is lending its support. so what exactly is this initiative, you say? basically, it's aim is to make our neighborhood—our homes, our streets, our local businesses—as environmentally friendly and forward-thinking as possible. which will be good for us, of course, and also serve as a model to other neighborhoods/towns.
the initial goals are:
"1) encouraging the purchase of electricity from renewable sources that do not contribute to global warming; 2) adding many trees and other greenery to our streets; 3) flooding our neighborhood with energy efficient light bulbs; 4) increasing recycling and reducing refuse; and 5) assembling a green map, showing the area's environmental strengths and challenges, for publication this fall in the hill" (which, if you haven't seen it around, is our free local quarterly, available at many local businesses).
the meeting tonigh was attended by about thirty people, including representatives from marp and st. joseph's. a general introduction to the project and it's goals was given and a few committees were put together.
one group will begin work on the tree project—the first step will be walking the local streets, locating spots on the sidewalks where more trees could be planted. this survey will then be submitted to the city, and hopefully they will begin planting next spring. the tree progam is going to be carried out in partnership with the local elementary schools, so that part of the planning—coordinating efforts with the teachers, providing materials to the schools—was also discussed.
another group is going to be talking to con ed about helping to get the word out in the neighborhood about switching to green power, and making it easy for people to do so, possibly by hosting a sign-up event in the neighborhood. they'll also be pushing con ed to offer incentives (e.g. a discount on your bill) if a large enough percentage of people and/or businesses in the neighborhood change over to the green power.
if you're interested in taking part or hearing more, you can email jed marcus, at marcus@marcusattorneys.com. the next meeting will take place sometime in july.
p.s. a call was specifically put out for some volunteers from wallabout, as there wasn't anybody from that part of the hood at the meeting....
This morning, I noticed some bright green Zipcar flags outside the Clinton-Washington G station. Two jovial guys stood by the entrance in front of the church handing out postcards, and told me they now have cars in the Armory on Vanderbilt and at DMK on Waverly! They said they were highly motivated by the Fort Greene Zipcar site. Nice.
Awhile back when I posted about parking, someone commented and asked me for the contact info on the individual garages for rent on Vanderbilt. Here you go:
I've often wondered where our local firehouse was located. Is this it?
This firehouse is on Carlton just south of Myrtle. I tried searching nyc.gov to find a list of firehouses and the areas they serve, but no dice. Are there any other firehouses in the area? Hopefully none of us will need their services, but it would be nice to interview whoever fights fires in Clinton Hill.
June Events at Tillie’s Music
Saturday, June 9th Yonat Avi Fox-Rosen and friends 8 p.m. Two accomplished young New York-based singer/songwriters present an intimate evening of music, with intelligent lyrics, widespread musical influences, and riveting hooks. For a sample, click here and here. Cover: $5
Friday, June 15th Those Pesky Starlings 8 p.m. Indie folk from three singer/songwriters based in Easthampton, Massachusetts Matthew Larsen, piano and vocals Steve Biegner, vocals, guitar and banjo, drums Aric Bieganek, bass, vocals, guitar, glockenspiel, drums Their music features distinct melodies as well as quiet percussion, lush vocal harmonies, and a hushed, forthright approach to songwriting. Click here for more into. Cover: $5
Friday, June 22nd Elasticity Festival Check out accomplished, unexpected and exploratory music by some of New York’s brightest young talents
7 p.m. Jeremiah Cymerman’s Exploitation Project Jeremiah Cymerman, clarinet Matthew Welch, saxophone Tom Blancarte, bass Gil Selinger, cello
8 p.m. The New York Sound Painting Orchestra, directed by Evan Mazinuk
9:30 p.m. Rest/Unrest Lily Maase, guitar Matt Aranoff, bass Brian Adler, drums Cover: $5
Friday, June 29th Elasticity Festival
8:00 p.m. Jeremy Udden
9:30 p.m. Owen Stuart-Robertson, from Montreal Cover: $5 For more information about Brooklyn’s only ongoing new music festival, curated by Lily Maase, click here.
Art
Paintings by Taylor Fox June 18th – July 21st 2007 Newly arrived in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, Taylor Fox grew up on Cape Cod, a place famous for its unique light and those who try to capture it. He graduated from Pitzer College in Los Angeles with a fine arts degree and a different perspective from which to paint. He began, along with many others no doubt, to question the importance of painting in the midst of a camera-dominated era, with its endless array of technological devices that translate our world for us.
Statement
"I am a painter who creates context within existing framed borders. I borrow and take my own photos. I collect ordinary images that seem to come together accidentally and from these I create. It is this process of transforming that is the important thing in the practice of art, the place from which meaning emerges. I choose art as a response to being in the world."
Taylor Fox has shown his work at Jo Mama’s NY Bagels and El Dia Cafe in Orleans, MA and is currently exhibited in The Nicholas Harrison Gallery in Wellfleet, MA, Etherington Fine Art in Martha’s Vineyard, MA, and Clinton Hill Gallery in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. His work has also been featured in TKO online and Nylon Magazine. His next show will be at Snow Library in Orleans, MA this July.
For more information see www.taylorfoxart.com Reception: Thursday, June 21st 7 – 9 p.m.
Reminder to all garden lovers: Tillie’s is selling tickets for the annual Garden Tour
Sunday, June 3rd from 11a.m. – 5 p.m. $15 in advance, $20 on 6/3/07
A self-guided tour showcasing gardens in Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, and Prospect Heights
Come to Tillie’s to hand in your ticket and receive a map on the day of the tour. For more information about the garden tour, call 718 707-1277.
For more information about any of these events, call Patricia Mulcahy at 718 783-6140.
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!
1. A movie titled 100 Feet is filming this morning on South Oxford just south of DeKalb. Walking past, I saw Bobby Cannavale made up and being filmed inside a car. 2. I've heard some rumors that Keri Russell has moved to the hood. A friend of mine saw her the other day in Fort Greene Park, walking with her husband. His description? "She looks just like herself!"
A reader confirmed the immediate shuttering of Pan/m y Mas today (was it ever even operational?), and sent me this photo from a camera phone of the space being reworked again. He hopes it's a Smoke Joint expansion. I concur- more seating would make the place even more kick-ass.
(Seriously, wtf was up with Pan/m y Mas? Who would only give themselves a few days to try out a new business??)
Wonder what it will be... Work permits say it's going to be a restaurant.
May 07 Events at Tillie’s of Brooklyn248 DeKalb Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11205 (718) 783-6140
Open Mic
5/10 5/24
Hosted by Conquest Cover: $2
Art
Music and Me Photographs by Jennie Baptiste
May 14th – June 16th 2007
Jennie Baptiste was born in London, where she still lives. Hailing from the Caribbean island of St Lucia, her parents came to London in the sixties. She attended the London College of Communication and received a B.A. with Honors in Photography at the University of Westminster.
As a photographer, her work is inspired by youth culture and music in relation to her identity. She has documented the music phenomenon dancehall, as well as the rise and influence of hip-hop and tattoos -- the latest fashion accessory within the hip- hop culture. Artists she has photographed include Nas, Mary J. Blige, Mos Def, and De La Soul, for clients that ranged from Nike to Virgin Airways to Sony Music.
“Music and Me” is about her influences and the subject matter that has helped define her photography within portraiture overall.
“I continue to be fascinated by the influence of black youth culture in London. I wish to use my work to inform and educate people beyond the stereotypes, so that our history is also their history, creating a greater understanding of the different cultural diversities that makes up British society, here and beyond.”
Her photographs have been exhibited widely in Paris, Berlin, and London, including the show “Black British Style” at the Victoria and Albert Museum. In addition, her work is included in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery in London. Jennie is also curator of a photographic exhibition on the Maroon People of Jamaica, which will tour London and Jamaica.
Reception: Friday, May 18th 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Music
Friday, 5/11/07 Cyminology 8 p.m. An exciting and eclectic Berlin-based ensemble that seamlessly blends mesmerizing vocals by Iranian-born Cymin Samawatie, who is inspired by 11th century Persian poetry, and modern European jazz. With: Benedikt Jahnel, piano (from France) Ralf Schwarz, bass (from Germany) Ketan Bhatti, drums (from India)
Cyminology has shared stages all over Europe with the likes of Herbie Hancock and Bobby McFerrin and has recorded three CDS, all to warm acclaim. Said one German critic: “Cyminology shows that it is possible to glow without exploding.” Tillie’s is a Brooklyn stop on a tour that includes an appearance at Joe’s Pub in Manhattan. Cover: $5
For more information, click here.
Saturday, 5/19/07 8 p.m. Indoda Entsha Percussion Ensemble Directed by Preston Riddick A terrific crew of local talent raises the roof with drumming, singing, and sometimes dancing inspired by African rhythms -- always a delightful evening. Donation: $6
Friday, 5/25/07 ElastiCity Festival Brooklyn’s only ongoing new music festival
7 p.m. Shimmer Rob Mosher, saxophone Zach Brock, violin Evan Mazunike, accordion Matt Wigton, bass www.mattwigton.com
8:15 p.m. UBUNTU! Rick Stone, saxophone Evan Mazunik, keyboard Alex Foote, guitar Jay Foote, bass Jason Nazary, drums www.jayfoote.com
9:30 p.m. The Adventure Club Justin Wood, saxophone Adam Schneit, saxophone Tyler Wood, keyboards Devin Gray, drums
Cover for all shows: $5
An Addtract Inititative www.rules-of-addraction.org
For more information about events at Tillie’s, please call Patricia Mulcahy at 718 783-6140, or email her at mail@tilliesofbrooklyn.com. See our website for location, hours, etc.
I love this tiny house on Adelphi just north of Lafayette.
i just received word that the latest batches of devil's doodad are in the bottles and ready for distribution.
you can read all about the doodad and its creator here.
and you can find him at the fort greene farmer's market, until the stock runs out.....
I love the Myrtle Minutes blog, so thanks to them for all the good scoops! Per their post today, there is another new salon in the area on Carlton just north of Myrtle.
(photo from MM)
It looks adorable! Anyone been yet?
Just Because: Hair Therapy Salon 141 Carlton Avenue.
Hours are Tue-Fri 11-7 and Sat 9-3 Phone number is (718) 722-7810
(How did I miss this?? Answer: because it's the end of my grad school semester and I am swamped with academia.)
The Paul Robeson Theater on Greene Ave in Fort Greene is one of the few all-black owned theaters in the country. It's housed in a former church. I can't seem to find a website for them, but next week they will be hosting a series of live shows. Check it out- seems like there will be something for everybody.
****THE PAUL ROBESON THEATER SERIES**** A MeanRed Production
See past the stain glass windows into this historic church turned theater, located in the heart of Fort Greene. MeanRed Productions invites you for a week of rock puppet opera, electric fusion jazz orchestras, spirited experimental world music, and a child's fantastical kaleidoscope concert.
Paul Robeson Theater // 40 Greene Ave, Brooklyn, NY Advance Tickets Available at ticketweb.com and at Halcyon www.halcyonline.com
April 10 7:30pm Earthdriver 10pm Essie Jain and Friends
April 11 7:30pm Crabquistador
April 12 7:30pm Landau Orchestra and Burnt Sugar
April 13 7:30pm Olde English Comedy Troupe 10pm Sun Ra Arkestra and Nublu Orchestra with Butch Morris
April 14 1pm Family show with Alex and the Kaleidoscope Band 10pm El Michel¹s Affair and Budos Band
Details:
***APRIL 10th***
EARTHDRIVER 7:30 Doors Paul Robeson Tribute Set Earthdriver is a high powered New York City based mothership comprised of some of the hottest musicians on the scene. From this diverse collective comes an intense hybrid of funk, rock, soul, hip-hop, drum & bass, world music, and experimental genres. Beginning as an organic meeting ground where musicians of all backgrounds were free to explore their own creativity, what has resulted is an uncensored explosion of art and music overflowing with the liberating spirit of 'harmonious subjectivity'. Since Earthdriver is just as much a movement as it is a band, there is a common understanding of the importance of free thinking and creativity to the larger struggle in the United States and to peoples' movements around the world. Admission $12 // www.myspace.com/earthdriver
ESSIE JAIN & Friends 10pm Doors "Essie Jain is a totally new voice. Her debut album, We Made This Ourselves, manages to impress on the strength of its maturity first and foremost. The arrangements are extremely minimal, utilizing piano, slide guitar, and strings to create a stark sound as coherent as it is fragile. The same can be said of the lyrics, which eschew whimsy in favor of life experience every time." Artist Direct: February 2007 Admission $10 // www.essiejain.com
***APRIL 11th***
JOLLYSHIP THE WHIZ-BANG'S "CRABQUISTADOR" 7:30 Doors Brooklyn¹s nautical rock wunderkind Jollyship the Whiz-Bang is a puppet troupe, rock band, and theater production company. They have performed in festivals worldwide, invited on the renown of their legendary live shows, which incorporate music, puppetry, video and comedy in elaborate spectacles.
Fresh from their Galapagos run of Little Building, Jollyship the Whiz-Bang presents a rewritten version of Crabquistador, their seminal 2005 puppet rock opera. Featuring a five piece rock band, sword fighting puppets, powerpoint presentations, video projected backgrounds, fire, brimstone, and eight original songs, Crabquistador is a Christian puppet show like you've never seen before - hilarious, edgy, & relentless! Admission $15 // www.thewhizbang.org
***APRIL 12th ***
BURNT SUGAR & LANDAU ORCHESTRA 7:30 Doors Burnt Sugar, described by the Village Voice as "electric Miles with soul, Maggot Brain with a PHD, the Hendrix Evans band of dreams, the underwater funk some hear in A.R. Kane," was conceived as the contemporary version of the Miles Davis Bitches Brew Band, exploring the connecting tissue binding jazz, rock, funk, twentieth century composition, and African music in a lyrical, improvisational manner.
The Landau Orchestra combines acoustic brass, piano, strings, wind instruments and electronics to recreate a melodic mix of jazz, classical music and modern electronic production. Admission $12 // www.burntsugarindex.com www.netlandau.com
*** APRIL 13***
OLDE ENGLISH COMEDY TROUPE 7:30 Doors In four years of performing, they have produced over a hundred short videos, and have performed at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, the Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival, and the San Francisco Sketchfest. Their work has been featured on Good Morning America, MSNBC, and Entertainment Weekly's "Must List." Olde English is Caleb Bark, Ben Popik, David Segal, Adam Conover, and Raphael Bob-Waksberg. Admission $7 // Sponsored by Re: Up Magazine www.oldeenglish.org
SUN RA ARKESTRA & NUBLU ORCHESTRA CONDUCTED BY BUTCH MORRIS 10pm Doors From its inception, Sun Ra Arkestra's music was infused with Sun Ra's unique philosophy, an unexpected hybrid of space-age science fiction and ancient Egyptian cosmo religious trappings. This philosophy gained a visual manifestation in the colorful robes, mock-metallic capes, and space headgear worn by the band (it's the only jazz orchestra that brings a tailor on tour), and in a stage presentation that usually features several dancers, a number of group chants ("We travel the spaceways/From planet to planet"), and at least one instance of the entire band juking its way, single-file, through the audience.
"Nublu Orchestra is made up of, but not limited to, musicians from many different camps: jazz, funk, pop, fusion, Brazilian, R&B, classical, but the music we make is none of these... If Nublu means anything it means "inclusive nature" (rather than exclusive). It means we will find the center of balance and cosmology no matter whom is in the band, Nublu reflects the music and the music reflects Nublu. It's a total encounter in the moment." -Butch Morris The Nublu Orchestra¹s music is an amalgamation of sounds from free jazz to techno just as the club and label¹s sound as a whole is the same. www.elrarecords.com www.myspace.com/nubluorchestra Admission $15 Advanced/ $20 at door
***APRIL 14th *** Family Show!!! ALEX & THE KALEIDOSCOPE BAND 1pm Doors Alex & the Kaleidoscope Band offer lively and engaging musical concerts for children. Concerts are based on music from the award winning CD series Kaleidoscope Songs. Alex Mitnick and his five-piece band bring children and adults together on a fantastic musical journey. Audiences sing along, clap, dance and participate in spontaneous musical improvisations with the band. "It was an hour of music from the heart, for the heart," Sharon Orlando, Youth Services Librarian. Alex sings and plays guitar and is joined by Natalie Merritt singing and dancing, Sean Dixon on bass, Sebastian Guerrero on drum set and Jon Thompson playing the sax and electric guitar. Admission $12 // www.kaleidoscopesongs.com
EL MICHELS AFFAIR and BUDOS BAND 10pm Doors The sound of El Michel's Affair, a seven member instrumental ensemble is described as a set of "cinematic soul, vampy numbers with quick changes in tempo and mood." Opening for the likes of Mos Def and playing regularly as the back up band for Raekwon, the members of this Brooklyn based ensemble are also the founders of Truth & Soul Records. They carry an easygoing style that's as much 70s jazz as it is 60s funk, tunes that allow more room for instrumental interplay, unusual rhythm and instrumental flair, echoing the 70's soundtracks, Latin albums and funky 45s that sparked the initial inspiration.
The Budos Band has erupted onto the Funk and Soul scene with a malicious sound that all but commands you to burn down the dance floor. This eleven piece group offers up nasty cuts of cosmic afro-influenced psychedelic funk that haunt your head long after the music stops. Admission $12 adv/ $15 Day of Show
**Advanced tickets can be purchased at TicketWeb and at Halcyon: 57 Pearl St. at the corner of Water & Pearl Sts. in Dumbo, Brooklyn
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 bitch and moan about the lack of a nice flower shop in the area. Greene Farm, on Greene near Fulton, is the closest I've found to acceptable flowers. The selection is small, but they always have a nice in-season collection. Last weekend, I bought two bouquets of hyacinths, but then promptly left them behind at Who's Your Doggy while buying wee wee pads. Bah!
The courts in Fort Greene Park are usually packed on summer days, but I've discovered a small hidden gem on Cumberland just south of Fulton, in that development of modern-ish townhouses!
There are two tennis courts tucked in there, as well as a small but very green and well-kept park.
This is such an odd little area (nice, but seems isolated).
Anyway, in case you want to play some tennis today...
Looks like someone's neon sign got fucked up. PAN y Mas opens tomorrow morning, and is offering cheap coffee:
If you go, please report back.
UPDATE: I walked by this morning and they were definitely NOT ready for opening. Employees were inside, but all the cases were empty and it looked like they were cleaning.
Clinton Hill Blog published from 2006 - 2010. Please enjoy these archives - a love letter to the neighborhood.
