478 Myrtle (bt Washington and Hall) has been under renovation for awhile. Looks like the space will be home to a selection of homeopathy (apparently they're affiliated with the BIH). Despite the Grand Opening signs, shelves inside are completely empty.
Apartment Therapy (one of my favorite blogs!) has some additional info on the opening of Root Stock & Quade on Myrtle Ave (my original post here). Looks like they're facing a mad rush to open as scheduled, but they plan on maintaining the historic feel of the storefront.
The Freshness of Philly Celebrated in BrooklynThe Takeover - A Monthly Music/Art Series Launches
On Friday, February 22, 2008 Frank White, the hip Brooklyn cafe/gallery/lounge presents "The Takeover“ Philly Invades Brooklyn a monthly event celebrating Philadelphia music, artists and all things fresh-- made in Philly (i.e. Sly Fox Beer, Tastykake). The event is co-sponsored by two.one.five magazine, a new publication covering the scene in Philly and beyond.
The launch event will be hosted by, Cee Knowledge, a Philadelphia native and former member of the Grammy Award winning hip hop group, Digable Planets and Nikki Jean lead singer for band, Nouveau Riche. An art exhibition will be on display by visual artist Soul One.
Muhammida El Muhajir and William Collick, the co-owners of Frank White are both Philadelphia transplants living in Brooklyn. "Historically, Philadelphia has had a huge impact on music and culture and that continues today," says Collick. "As Philadelphians- we are proud of both our 'Philly-ness' and our 'Brooklyn-ness' that is also shared by so many in the creative community in Brooklyn and New York City at large. It is this duality that will be celebrated at 'The Takeover'™," adds El Muhajir.
'The Takeover - Philly Invades Brooklyn'™ launches on Friday, February 22, 2008 and continues throughout the spring. This is a free event but RSVP is required for admittance (philly@frankwhitenyc.com). A 'Brooklyn Invades Philly'™ event is also in the works!
The Takeover -“ Philly Invades Brooklyn"™ Friday, 2/22/08 8p - midnite RSVP - philly@frankwhitenyc.com
frank white cafe | gallery | social 936 atlantic avenue @ st. james brooklyn, nyc 11238 718.622.0840 www.frankwhitenyc.com
weekdays 8-4 | weekends 9-5 evenings for private engagements
Received this early sneak peak last week: Just sending an email about the new store Green Planet on Fulton St. I walked by there today and they were loading in stocks of vitamins & supplements. I peeked in and there does not really look like space for fresh produce or any other fresh goods. Seems to be all packaged stuff, vitamins, drink mixes, cold remedies, etc. I for one am a big consumer of vitamins so I vow to patronize this place. HOWEVER, I am disappointed there will be no fresh veggies! *keeps fingers crossed*
A reader g-chatted me last night with this info:
just wanted to let you know that green planet is open (not fully stocked yet) but it looks great in there!
I hear they also have bulk granola!! I'll stop by after work to snap some pics.
Welcome to General Greene, who's been posting a lot lately! They even attended the co-op meeting - check them out! Props to their use of that gorgeous historical rendering of the park in their template.
I stopped into NYC Pet on Myrtle last weekend (at Washington), and was tre impressed with their stock!
First, they have a really nice selection of cat posts. As someone who owns a large cat who likes to scratch things, I can attest that it can be almost impossible to find an aesthetically pleasing cat post.
Plus, there's plenty of food and pet toys:
I must say, they seem to offer the most comprehensive selection in the hood right now. I didn't look at prices, but I'm sure I'll be back to look more closely.
The bakery at 154 Vanderbilt (between Willoughby and Myrtle) is now open! The name's not yet official, since a bakery called "Crumbs" is protesting to the establishment's use of the name "Krumbs." (This explains the temporary spray paint job over the old "Frosted Moon" sign.)
Owner Adrienne Braxton has been a Clinton Hill resident for years. She's become famous for her peach cobbler, often sold on the street, but always longed for her own storefront.
I picked up some mini carrot cakes ($2.50 each) for a dinner party, and they were a huge hit. Braxton's goods are mostly of the dessert variety (ie. no fresh bread), but if you need a fox box of fresh, buttery goodness, this is your place.
Looks nice inside, and I'm looking forward to see how the place develops!
From the Greene Grape:
Fresh Fish and Meat . . . Finally.
If you've walked by the new Greene Grape Provisions store at the corner of South Portland and Fulton, you know we are serving fresh coffee and espresso drinks and are getting daily deliveries of fresh pastries from Balthazar and bread from Il Forno. We also have pantry essentials like olive oil, vinegar, spices and dry pasta.
As of January 22, our fish and meat counters are open. The fish counter will have organic Atlantic salmon, shrimp, scallops, swordfish, yellowfin tuna, escolar, tilapia, arctic char, mahi-mahi and skate, all from Wild Edibles. Rob our fishmonger will be available to advise on your fish purchase, suggest preparations and clean your shrimp. The meat counter will feature filet mignon, New York strip steak, rib eye steak, organic Bell & Evans chicken, pork chops, ground meat and sausages. Come and meet Paul the butcher and let him know what else you'd like to see.
At the wine store we'll be pouring a fish-friendly white AND red and you'll receive 5% off your wine purchase by bringing in a Provisions receipt for $10 or more.
We apologize for the slow roll-out but we want to perfect each aspect of the store one department at a time. You've waited this long, Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, and you deserve the best. We have a lot more service-oriented surprises in store so hang in there . . . we promise it will be worth it.
Cheers! FFGG (The Fine Folks @ The Greene Grape)
(photos by Melanie Flood)
Holy crap. Look at that bread. And salmon. OMG. (drool)
Starting in just 3 minutes! Square Root Cafe on Myrtle (at Classon) is offering a FREE New Year's brunch from 1-5 pm!
I finally had the chance to peek in on the new restaurant on Fulton at Grand. It's now open, and here's the menu:
Not sure if this is permanent, but it looked pretty dead inside and there's no signage outside:
I like that a few brave folks are trying to take the plunge on Fulton, but with a limited menu, no signage and all that horrible construction there, I don't know if this place has a very favorable outlook.
Anyone been?
Thankfully, the Starbucks rumors were wrong. They will NOT be moving into the storefront on Myrtle across from Kum Kau (at Washington). Instead, NYCPet.com will be moving in.
(photo by David Velez)
They already operate two stores in Park Slope and offer delivery and online ordering. Word has it that they will also be offering veterinary services!
We do have a few vets in the area already (at Kiki's on DeKalb and Brooklyn Vet Hospital on Vanderbilt), but anyone who has had to lug an overweight cat to the vet in an unwieldy carrier will surely appreciate the convenience of additional services in the area.
Speakeasy is now doing brunch Saturdays and Sundays. Personally, I'm psyched. It's right down the street from me, and they're just in time for the winter weather. I fully expect to slither over most weekends for some coffee and french toast in sweats and a scarf!
So far, I've been twice. On my first jaunt, I tried the Ackee & Salt Fish. It was really tasty and unique, and service was friendly. Yesterday, though, I had the omlette. It was very good, but the service was atrocious. The waiter wouldn't give me a mimosa as part of the brunch deal (and the omlette is marked as such), and then charged me extra for a coffee (I had tea, but the menu clearly states you get coffee/tea AND a booze drink). Let's hope that guy was just a blip on the radar.
As I've said about the dinner menu, I kind of think everything should be $2-$3 cheaper. But it's still tasty overall, and nice to have nearby.
(Speakeasy is located at the corner of Waverly and Greene.)
With absolutely no fanfare or warning, Autour du Monde -- the new restaurant opening in the old Bodega's space -- is open!
Autout de Monde opened last Thursday. Jay and I checked it out Friday for lunch.
Inside, it still looks like Bodegas (RIP!!!!), aside from having painted the walls. I had the chicken panini, and Jay had the burger. Service was friendly, but SLOW (just like Bodegas). There were a few other diners inside, which surprised me since they don't have a sign and that huge construction arrow on Fulton is blocking much of the storefront.
They're serving breakfast, lunch and dinner and are cash only and BYOB for now.
Here are some menu shots:
I predict it'll be a good place to stop in for a croissant and coffee before hopping on the C! Autour du Monde SE corner of Clinton and Fulton
Informants have told me that there's a new fashion shop on Myrtle next to Polish Bar called Barking Brown. I'll check it out this week. Is the leather goods store opened by Pratt grads that was mentioned on Myrtle Minutes? Ah, yes, and it seems the store will be fully up and running as of Friday!
(Word has it there are some cute knit hats in the window.)
Our wonderful community is now home to another new blog - Clinton Hill Foodie. Looking forward to news and reviews!
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!
Our neighbor Brownstoner has just announced that he will run a weekly flea market in the school yard of Bishop Loughlin High School starting next spring! I'm hoping for a variety of good stuff, like wares from local artists and reasonably priced antiques... Official site is here!
I dined at Speakeasy last night with two friends. Apologies for not having my camera -- it was late (around 9 pm), and I had just returned home from a stressful grad class, and I forgot to bring it. For 9 pm on a Monday night, the place was pretty full. There were a large number of people there who were just chilling at the bar, and most tables were full. The atmosphere inside was quite nice, and I personally thought the decor looked great. The chandelier is gorgeous! The crowd was also very diverse. My friends also spotted a famous actor there dining (but I didn't know who he was). Food: we started with spicy wings as an appetizer. They came with a sort of sweet-spicy glaze and were topped with fresh cilantro. Excellent, I thought. Between us for dinner, we tried the roast chicken, the miso-glazed salmon and the... short rib? All were really great -- flavorful and well-seasoned -- and there really is something to the idea of "comfort food." Suddenly, we all felt kind of snuggly and content (seriously, we did). We waited a really long time between our wings and the entrees, which was really the only problem we encountered during the evening. Also, a few "key" items were not yet available, namely the lamb and the steak. Will have to go back for those another time.
Not bad for opening night.
The prices, as noted by several readers, are a little too high. If the entrees were all $3 less, I'd probably go for dinner there quite often. Also, my Heinekin was $6 (!!!). I'm really looking forward to them serving brunch, especially on a snowy morning, since I live close by.
Anyone else go last night? I know this place has received a lot of flack in the comments, but do go check it out before hating on it! I thought it was lovely overall.
At long last, Chef Josie's Speakeasy opens tonight at 5pm.
Menu shots:
A little pricier than I'd have liked, but looks like it could be pretty tasty.
132 Greene Ave @ Waverly
www.thespeakeasybrooklyn.com
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
Clinton Hill Blog published from 2006 - 2010. Please enjoy these archives - a love letter to the neighborhood.
