Gnarley Vines: OPEN

A few of you have mentioned this in the comments, and I haven't yet stopped by. BUT, they're hosting a FREE wine tasting tonight! Please join Gnarly Vines for the first of many free winemaker tasting events: Wednesday, October 3rd from 6-8pm at Gnarly Vines, 350 Myrtle Avenue (between Carlton and Adelphi). Chrystal Clifton of Brewer-Clifton and Palmina Wineries will be pouring the following spectacular, handcrafted, small-production wines made by her, her husband Steve and their partner Greg Brewer:

2006 Palmina Malvasia Bianca, Larner Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley (187 cases produced) 2005 Palmina Dolcetto, Santa Barbara County 2005 Brewer-Clifton, Cargasacchi Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills (576 cases produced) 2005 Melville, Estate-Verna's Syrah, Santa Barbara County (2864 cases produced)

Their grand opening party is slated for November, and they hope to have several events lined up, including wine-food pairings with local restaurants. Welcome!

Myrtle Minutes has a great article about Gnarley Vines here.

Sports, Philanthropy and Networking

There's a new touch football league based at Brooklyn Tech in Fort Greene. Here's the info: ZogSports, the charity-focused, social, co-ed sports league for young professionals in their 20s and 30s, is coming to Brooklyn for the first time this fall and there is still room for people to sign up for our awesome co-ed Touch Football league!

ZogSports has spent the last four years helping young New Yorkers break the monotony of the typical day – work/gym/bar/home - by offering sports leagues, trips, social events, and volunteer opportunities. To date, they have brought together 33,000+ participants and given more than $290,000 to charity.

This fall, ZogSports expands to Brooklyn with Kickball in Prospect Park and Touch Football at Brooklyn Tech.

Participants can sign up as an entire team or as an individual/small group and we’ll place them on a team. Teammates get to know each other at the organized post-game happy hours at local bars.

As a philanthropy-focused organization, ZogSports donates a portion of all proceeds to charity, and helps all participants Play For Your Cause by making donations to winning teams’ charities of choice. Teams have the opportunity to win both on the field as well as off, with awards given for Best Team Name, Best Team Spirit, and Best Happy Hour Team. ZogSports also partners with local charitable organizations to promote/co-sponsor their events, and organizes charity events of its own.

If you are interested in posting some information about us, please feel free to check out our website at www.zogsports.org. We’re in the last few days of registration for the Brooklyn league, so people should sign up soon. If they want to come out and meet us, we’ll have a table at the Atlantic Antic this Sunday.

I suggested they start up a kickball league in FG Park, as that would be more my speed. My contact said she'll keep it in consideration.

New Fort Greene Blog!

Just found a new FG blog called Easy Being Greene.  Looking forward to seeing what they have in store.  Howdy, neighbors!

UPDATE: Restaurant on Waverly and Greene

A few weekends ago, I ran into Josie Smith-Malave, one-time Top Chef contestant and Clinton Hill regular, standing outside the in-the-works restaurant opening in the former bodega space on Waverly and Greene.  She told me the space was slated to serve "global comfort food," and was aiming to be "a real neighborhood place - one you'll eat at three times a week." Since then, there's been a lot of activity.  The newspapers are off the windows now, and I spotted some stuff being moved in on Friday night:

I'm going to do a little interview with Josie in early October to coordinate with the restaurant's opening.  Stay tuned...

Visit to Frank White

Wow. WOW. I stopped into Frank White last Friday and I have to say, I was blown away! The space inside is completely gorgeous. I'd kinda like the decorator to renovate my apartment. There's a lot of open space, gorgeous chandeliers, cool magazines to read. The space thing may prove awkward once they become busier, as there's not a whole lot of seating (right now, a table and chairs, plus the two chairs near the window and a window seat). They do have a large back garden area, however, that will tide them over until cold weather season. As readers have commented, the name IS a throwback to the Notorious B.I.G., and they'll soon have a permanent photo of him hung inside. Pretty awesome, seeing as he grew up just up the street. They plan on doing various art installations as well. I suspect the space would be amazing for private parties as well.

When I stopped in, I met the managers as well as another woman on staff. They were all super excited and very nice. The service was great! Props to them for opening such a gorgeous space. Be sure to stop by and check it out - we need to make sure they get enough foot traffic to stick around.

More:

Frank White cafe/gallery/social 936 Atlantic Ave. at St. James Pl. www.frankwhitenyc.com

Hours are currently 7am to 3pm, so it looks to be a coffee/pastry/hangout place for the time being.

Previous coverage here and here.

Frank White Photos

A friend and CHB reader was kind enough to snap some shots of Frank White outside and through the window on Atlantic last week:

Our pal Brownstoner's made note of this place, too.  Personally, I think it looks pretty cool.  Is it open yet?

Frank White 936 Atlantic Ave.

Manee Thai: Best Comment Ever

I haven't eaten at Manee yet, but reader Jessica has. Here's what she had to say: Yes. It is Thai. It is greasy. And it is damn good. And much better than Thai 101 and Myrtle Thai. Actually the interior looks like the two other places mated.

HA!

Tamboril: A Quickie Review

I dined at Tamboril last Friday!  I'm waiting for BrooklynJay to go and write up his traditional review, but I'll share some preliminary thoughts.

First, the space looks great.  Warm colors, nice furniture and a cool use of what could have been an awkward space.  The wait staff was exceptionally friendly and prompt as well.  I had a special coconut shrimp appetizer special with a fried chicken dish, plus shared the bread pudding for dessert.  Everything was really flavorful, and the place got pretty full later in the evening.  They'll start serving brunch this weekend- yay! Now, here are my gripes, which seem to apply to ALL new restaurants in the 'hood.  Tamboril does not have its liquor license yet, nor are they accepting credit cards.  I assume both of these conditions will change in the next few weeks, but it's still a major inconvenience to the customer!  The plus side to the BYOB is that is makes dinner exponentially cheaper, and Tamboril isn't charging any corking fee (ahem).  However, the credit card thing really pisses me off.  This likely means you must depart the restaurant for an ATM and then deal with getting change and splitting up small bills between friends later in the evening.  I just don't understand why these places can't wait another week or so to open until they have that stuff in place.  I've definitely walked away from a place I was about to dine at when learning they didn't take cards.  Yes, accepting credit cards is an expense for businesses, but when you have a huge space to fill with customers, it's necessary.  Dear restaurants yet to open: get your ducks in a row, and then open! Tamboril 527 Myrtle Ave.

New Cafe on Atlantic at St. James

A reader just sent me this interesting tip: as i was walking home last night, while crossing st. james at fulton, i picked up a flyer for a new cafe supposedly opening sometime next week. here's the info:

'frank white' - cafe/gallery/social

936 atlantic avenue @ st. james pl

- gourmet coffee - tasty treats - international news - gallery space - social lounge

'frank white utilizes fair trade, organic, green, & natural products whenever possible'

their website url is www.frankwhitenyc.com, but it doesn't appear to be up yet.

This is what I call a pioneer - opening on Atlantic! Must check it out.

'Cure BK

'Cure is open on Fulton at Clinton!  All I can say is: WOW.  The interior is lovely -- very West Elm-ish -- and the setup unique.  Manicures are done at a long, tall table instead of the usual low desk setup, and pedis take place on plush chairs near the back, utilizing huge blue glass bowls instead of the standard vibrating salon chairs. They sell candles and jewelry (the latter displayed artfully in a fish tank) and also do massages, waxing and threading. So far, I've been twice.  Hey, I need to check out the services so I can tell you about them, right?  On my first visit, a friendly, warm woman named Honey gave me a wonderfully indulgent pedicure.  She was even extra careful scrubbing my very ticklish feet.  Yesterday, I swung in at lunchtime to try the brow lady. Thumbs up.

Owner LaShunda has definitely incorporated the neighborhood into the spa's services -- the list of special pedicures includes a "Carol's Daughter" pedi using all products produced by the famous Fort Greene shop.

The only drawback?  Manhattan prices.  Still, worth it for the upscale facilities, friendly staff and high-end services on a relaxing afternoon now and then.  I love that Fulton has such a pretty new storefront!

'Cure Beauty Bar 921 Fulton St. (at Clinton) Brooklyn, NY 11238 718-622-7100 www.curebk.com

Opening Soon: A Recap

It's hard to keep up with all the stuff about to open in the 'hood, along with the stuff that's newly opened. Here's a recap: Recently-ish Opened:

1001 Affairs 1001 Fulton St. 718-398-2211 Teleflora vendor, potentially great selection of greeting cards, promising selection of fresh flowers, friendly staff

Bidonville 47 Willoughby Ave. 718-855-4515 Coffee and pastries from Choice Market, cozy space, friendly staff

Bittersweets 180 DeKalb Ave. 718-852-2556 Balthazar pastries and tasty coffee

Il Torchio 458 Myrtle Ave. 718-422-1122 JUST opened Monday! Italian tapas, large wine selection.

LOX 15 Putnam Ave. 718-622-5349 Large bar/event space with gorgeous back yard. Soon to be home to a second event space downstairs. Good for large groups.

Paws-n-Claws 448 Grand Ave. 718-622-0060 Mostly grooming services, but carries small selection of leashes, clothing and toys for dogs

Still Hip Brooklyn 283 Grand Ave. 718-398-0008 Gorgeous renovation of old Karrot space, gently used kids' clothing and toys, plus maternity; classes and activities for kids

Threading Place 262 Vanderbilt Ave. 718-662-0883 History of grammatically incorrect signage, but are good for well-priced brow threading and also offer facials and other treatments. May have already closed?

Little Piggy (Market) 64 Lafayette Ave. 718-797-1011 Soulful sides and desserts, to stay and to go Coming VERY Soon:

'Cure 921 Fulton 718-622-3100 Beauty treatments, natural products. Opens FRIDAY and looks gorgeous.

Manee Thai 372 Myrtle Ave. 718-222-9992 Third Thai restaurant on Myrtle in our area. Confusing sign. Owned by the guys who run Myrtle Thai.

Tamboril 527 Myrtle Ave. 718-622-5130 Nuevo Latino cuisine and lounge, bar, live performances

Upcoming:

Telos Apothecary Natural treatments

New Place by Choice Market Flowers, meats, cheeses

923 Fulton: THE SCOOP

This morning, I was working on a little Fulton Street photo session when I came across 923 Fulton (bt Clinton and Waverly), open and being renovated!  Many of you have asked WTF is going on, so I ran over and talked to the owner who was sweeping the sidewalk.  The answer?  Nothing, yet.  For now, the space is just being generally renovated and a realtor is working on finding an interested business tenant for the storefront.  The owner was really friendly, and asked me what I thought neighbors might want.  I, of course, mentioned a bakery and a book store.  Krumbs will be coming soon to CH North, but how nice would it be to have a bakery on Fulton?!  She wants to avoid a business that'll be doing "heavy cooking," but anything else is fair game.

So?  What do you want?  Leave comments and I'll report back to her.

More Thai on Myrtle: Marree? Mallee?

Yes, folks, the tips have been pouring in all week. There's a new Thai place opening on Myrtle, in the space formerly occupied by Pillow Cafe.

The sign is pretty nice overall, but that font is really misleading. Marree? Mallee?

It's actually Manee Thai, and the sign is a play on mixing Thai and English script.

Next question: Does Myrtle Ave need a third Thai restaurant? Interestingly enough, Manee is being opened by the son and current owners of Myrtle Thai. Perhaps we are witness to a Thai empire rising?

Manee should be opening early next week, but that's not yet set in stone. I've heard mixed reviews about both Thai 101 and Myrtle Thai, though myself have had nice dining-in experiences and slow-ass delivery service from both establishments. Wonder if Maree will offer something new? Send in your reviews when Manee opens its doors.

Manee 372 Myrtle Avenue Between Adelphi & Clermont 718-222-9992

Tamboril: Two Weeks and Counting!

Tamboril, the nuevo latino restaurant opening in the former porn shop on Myrtle is set to open in just two weeks! I got a sneak peak inside over the weekend.

It's amazing what one can do with an old porn shop. They have a sleek bar, cool lighting and table and bench areas throughout. They owners plan to start by serving brunch and dinner, and will offer live performances such as spoken word, stand-up comedy and live music.

Tamboril 527 Myrtle bt Grand and Steuben www.tamborilnyc.com 718-483-2152

Bittersweet

It seems like everywhere you look in the neighborhood now there's a new cafe/coffee shop. But that's cool with me as long as they're offering good service and tasty treats/coffee.

The latest is Bittersweet, in former home of Location-Location-Location (which has moved to S. Portland by Pequena in a very cute space), offers simple decor close to the park (this is key when walking home with the dog, right around the time you realize you need a coffee, badly). They also sell pastries from Balthazar. I've only stopped in once (the day I left for Poland), but damn, the berry scone I had was great. I also saw Keri Russell walk past me on the street that day, as an aside. A friend tells me the iced Americano is THE best coffee in the 'hood right now.

Per the Village Voice, they also offer some interesting ice cream flavors as well...

Bittersweet DeKalb Avenue between Carlton and Cumberland

New Spa on Fulton!

Looks like a new round of pioneers are setting out to jump-start the scene on Fulton. I caught a glimpse of this new awning over the weekend: A Google search provided this posting from craigslist:

'CURE BEAUTY BAR A Ultra Hip New Natural Nail Spa and Boutique seeking motivated, friendly, outgoing professionals, who take great pride in nail and skin care to join our team!

Manicurist/Pedicurist (waxing skills a plus) - Full time Massage Therapists Estheticians Waxer

Must be licensed. MUST BE RESPONSIBLE. Please send resumes to info@curebk.com

Looking forward to hearing from you!!

I just gave them a call and the owner, Lashunda, informed me that they'll be opening on August 22 24 and are really excited to be a part of the neighborhood. Wishing them luck! So far so good with the well-designed awning...

Located between Clinton and Waverly.

New Florist: 1001 Affairs

Last week, I mentioned that the florist on Fulton had closed. Commentors were correct about a NEW florist taking over -- they're already open! Called 1001 Affairs, they already have a case stocked with fresh flowers (though there are some fake flowers in the front windows...eh).

They participate with Teleflora, which means they should be stocked with all the essentials, plus be able to turn out some pretty nice arrangements.

I was pleasantly surprised to find a small, but nice selection of greeting cards as well. They have plenty of granny-style traditional cards, but have one section dedicated to cool, artsy cards. I picked up two of these:

The store owner's brother picked these up for him -- they're handmade, and I took the last ones (sorry!). But he's set to get more. Hopefully if enough of us shop there for cool cards, he'll keep a huge supply in stock.

1001 Affairs 1001 Fulton At. (at Cambridge) Brooklyn, NY 11238 718-398-2211 www.1001affairs.com

Smoke Joint: Not Quite an Expansion

Forgive me if this is old news, as I really didn't have time to read three weeks' worth of blogs while I was away. Looks like while the owners of Smoke Joint have indeed taken over the former Blimpie/Pan-m y Mas space, it won't be an expansion of the restaurant. Instead, it will be a separate market, called Little Piggy (Market). Per TimeOut:

Craig Samuel and Ben Grossman of Brooklyn’s Smoke Joint are back with this Southern country market and café next door to their Fort Greene ’cue house. Pop in for artisanal hams, Anson Mill grits and Greenmarket produce.

A Google search shows some coverage by the Brooklyn Paper as well. The new market will offer both desserts and air conditioning, both lacking at SJ.

Overall, I'm pleased with this. Smoke Joint offers really friendly service and mucho tasty food. Though the SJ is pretty cramped, and it might have been nice to offer more seating.

I peeked inside this morning, and it doesn't seem to be open yet. Also, no sign.

Still Hip: NOW OPEN

Should have posted this last week - was bogged down with finishing class in Krakow! Still Hip (clothing, toy and gear resale boutique) is set to open its new store location Tuesday, July 24! Along with children's and maternity clothing, toys and gear we will offer a wide array of kids' classes such as Sign-a-Song, Musica Para Mi, Private Picassos, Let's Dance Brooklyn!, Lego Mindstorm, and more. Audra Tsanos is teaching her summer session of Music for Aardvarks at the store already.

Our address is 283 Grand, between Lafayette Ave and Clifton Pl, in Clinton Hill. We are sandwiched between two great eateries, Grand 275 and Dakar, and around the corner from Choice Market. The store will be open Tuesday-Sunday 11am-6pm in the summer and will expand hours in the Fall to open at 10am.

Keep an eye out for info on our Grand Opening and ribbon cutting, arranged through Pratt Area Community Council, early this Fall! You can check us out at stillhipbrooklyn.com and sign up for our mailing list to receive updates on the store and info on classes.

Thanks so much for all the support! We are looking forward to showing off the new space and all that Still Hip has to offer.

See you soon! Best, Gabby and Marcie

il torchio

as suspected here, and confirmed here, a new italian eatery is coming soon to myrtle between washington and waverly. i was passing by today and saw an open door, so i stopped in, chatted with one of the owners, frank, and the manager, andrew, and got some pre-opening photos. as lesterhead mentioned in her earlier post, the place is looking gorgeous:

the wine rack and all of the shelving are made from wood from orginal beams that they took from the ceiling, as is the top of the bar. there's also an outdoor space that looks like it will be lovely:

it will be called il torchio, in honor of this:

which is, of course, a torchio, or old-fashioned hand pasta press.

but most exciting, to me anyway, is the concept for the place: italian wine bar and tapas restaurant. they will have bottles from all regions of italy, and instead of the traditional appetizer/pasta/main course menu, will serve tapas-style small plates.

frank owns this building and the two next to it—his business up until this point has been construction, this will be his first food & wine venture.

they hope to be open in the next few weeks, once all of their licenses have come through from the city. so keep your eyes open....

il torchio 458 myrtle ave. 718-422-1122 www.iltorchionyc.com [not up and running yet]