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!
Should you decide at the last minute that you'd like to celebrate Seder or Holy Thursday, or can't find access to the proper ritual items, St. Joseph's College is offering this cool service: If you are not ready for Passover, go to St. Joseph's College at 245 Clinton Avenue on Monday, April 2 between 12:00-1:30p.m. You can purchase for $1 "Seder in a box." Included are all the ritual items and printed prayers for your own home Seder. The Seder in a Box is also applicable to the Christian Holy Thursday ritual.
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...
(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.
This is my only post today, as I am home sick after a nasty bout of food poisoning/stomach flu. You know you're a NYer when you find yourself vomiting in a nasty MTA trash can on the subway platform. Twice.Anyway, I've recently thinking that a bike shop/bike repair would make a killing on Myrtle. The closest place I know of is on Vanderbilt south of Atlantic, and last spring there was a line down the street on the first warm day for tuneups.
Go to it, people.
The former Karrot's locale on Grand Ave has yet to be filled. Too bad, since it's located right in the cool hubbub of Grand, near Choice, Grand 275 and Dakar. A friend and neighbor of mine has big dreams of turning the space into a gallery and/or an artist' market, where local artists can rent tables to sell paintings, jewelry, clothing, etc. I think that sounds great. Anyone else have similar thoughts?
Plus, won't it be "nice" to be right across the street from "Mirror's on Grand?" (Which, btw, is still sitting dormant.)
Friends of mine in BK Hts are moving, and enlisted my help in driving them to a storage place to purchase boxes. They told me there was a box place in Ft. Greene, so I pocked them up at the G train and drove up to Carlton and Flushing to visit Lockaway Storage. This is what it looks like on a sunny day (aka sketchy), so you can imagine what it looked like after dark:
We had to head around back to get inside, and were greeted by a tranquil fountain by the door! Inside, things got even better. The place is gorgeous inside, done up like an antique post office. It was inviting and cozy (you know, the opposite of the REAL post offices in the neighborhood). If they served beer or food, it might be a nice date place.
And, you can even have your fortune told inside (not sure if this machine is in working order):
How weird is it that all this stuff is tucked inside a shady-looking storage facility?
A reader has just brought it to my attention that Zipcar does not actually service Ft Greene/Clinton Hill. Picking up a car requires a 15+ minute walk to the south or west. Find out more here, and help make it easter to get the Zip!
I really like the map they've provided highlighting the lack of Zipcar pods.
/>When I inherited a car this past summer, I tried to park it in the Armory garage on Vanderbilt. Despite a sign outside saying they had monthly spots available, I was told that wasn't so when I actually drove the car over there. The sign's still up, and prices have gone UP from around $170:
WTF? Other area garages include DMK on Waverly between Myrtle and Park for $190/mo, Central Parking garage near that Applebee's off the DeKalb subway stop (which I hear is slightly cheaper and offers the first month free), and some guy who owns a bunch of private garages on Vanderbilt between Greene and Gates and is asking almost $300 a month per garage.
I seem to recall this place being open when I first moved to the area, but it kinda looks closed now:
What's up with this place? Was it ever a decent grocery store? This is along that weirdly quiet stretch of Fulton near Adelphi.
Contributor MizBrooklyn is faced with a visit from her folks, and they need a place to stay. Since many of us in NYC are faced with accommodating guests, she's done some research on the best options in and near CH. ***
My mom and dad are about to pay a visit to our little urban oasis -- and while I was born in Chicago, IL, for the last 25 years, my parents have been entrenched suburbanites. It's not to say they're not worldly - they've been all over the globe, both have been to New York countless times. But they haven't WANDERED much -- I mean, they hadn't been to the upper west side until they came to my office. Brooklyn is kind of a novelty for them. (When I first moved here, my dad made some kind of comment to the effect of "Do cabs even go there?") So, this upcoming weekend is all about introducing Brooklyn to them (and vice versa), and convincing them that our little slice of the rock is Worth It.
The PR campaign is in full effect: I'm sending off a little bound copy of "Brooklyn Is" today -- that was James Agee's ode to our fair borough, published in 1968 in Esquire. And it's important that they be comfortable when they spend their weekend here. They'd ruled out staying in our apartment (1000 square feet feels claustrophobic for those un-used-to it), so the quest is on for the best place for them to stay.
My first choice was Debbie Dangerfield's famed "Saddle Down" B+B. It's only $150 for two people to spend the night just down the street from all Clinton Hill has to offer. The reviews on Trip Advisor are pretty great. The good news is that Debbie was beyond friendly when I called, quizzing me on what building I lived in and how I'd heard about her and even trying to recruit me to volunteer with the Clinton Hill House Tour. The bad news is my parents are just not about sharing bathrooms. And it looks like Debbie is in the process of moving into a brownstone (the original B+B is in an apartment) -- the B+B is halfway shut down temporarily. So, it was on to...
Akwaaba, a mansion in Stuyvesant Heights. This would be a good option for moms and dads who are more adventurous than mine, and are willing to stay a couple of miles away for what looks to be a pretty amazing Brooklyn experience. Unfortunately, my parents would be freaked out by the whole "Bed Stuy" label, so I took a look at...
Bed and Breakfast on the Park, which is really in Park Slope, but, hey -- it's near the park, and the museum, and the botanical garden, and the library...and Justice Ginsburg recommends it! They offered me their "winter rate" of $225/night (that's less than normal), but it still seemed a bit steep, since there was a "service charge" and also sales tax to account for. So, since my parents would rather stuff money into their 401K than give it to a Bed and Breakfast, we settled on...
The Marriott down by the Brooklyn Bridge. Ugh. It's chief advantage is that it's near Junior's Cheesecake, which both parents will enjoy. It's disadvantages are obvious. The last time I was there they were having a toddler beauty contest and the scent of hairspray could barely mask the desperation of the Jon Benet-style stage moms. Eesh.
What Clinton Hill really needs (well, after it gets a grocery store): an apartment-swap website where people can volunteer apartments they won't be in to those who want to house-sit. I know, it's fraught with danger, but it could be done. (Word is that some of the Ft. Greene Parents list-servs are truly useful when the grandparents need a place to stay...an email to other moms and moms-to-be can churn up some empty apartments that need house-sitting...so much cheaper than a hotel.) What do you think? Workable?
Gowanus Lounge informed us that the new NYC Subway free condoms are completely unavailable in some Brooklyn zip codes! So, I've compiled a list of where to get your own in our nabe. I am pleased to find they are available in all three area zip codes!
11238:
Aphrika Hair Braiding 1259 Fulton St (bt Bedford and Nostrand)
Dominican Style Hair Salon 914-A Fulton St (bt Washington and St. James)
Kings/Queens Unisex Parlor 920 Fulton St (bt Washington and St. James)
Mega Dry Cleaners 916 Fulton St (bt Washington and St. James)
Respect for Life 932 Fulton St (bt Waverly and Washington)
11205:
Five Spot Soul Food 459 Myrtle Ave (at Washington)
Floyd 131 Atlantic Ave (near Henry St)
Luigi Pizzeria 326 DeKalb Ave (at Mary Pinkett Ave)
Mojito 275 Park Ave (on Washington bt Park and Flushing)
Pena 505 DeKalb Ave (bt Skillman and Franklin)
Reign 46 Washington Ave (bt Park and Flushing)
Sputnik 262 Taaffe Pl (bt DeKaln and Willoughby)
Tillie's 248 DeKalb Ave (at Vanderbilt)
11217:
Brawta Cafe 347 Atlantic Ave (at Hoyt)
Changing Faces Barber Salon 692 Fulton St (bt S Portland and S Oxford)
Greene Community Pharmacy 702 Fulton St (bt S Portland and S Oxford)
Moe's 80 Lafayette Ave (at S Portland)
Moshood African Clothing 698 Fulton St (bt S Portland and S Oxford)
New Directions Alcoholism and Substance Abuse 202-206 Flatbush Ave (bt Bergen and Dean)
Stonehome Wine Bar 87 Lafayette Ave (at S Portland)
11238 def wins the Weirdest Condom Venues Award -- a bunch of salons, something that sounds like a Pro-Life church and a dry cleaner.
From the MARP blog, V-Day specials from some of our favorite places: Yes, we all know it’s a Hallmark Holiday that’s just a tad bit on the consumerist side of things, but if you’re going to spend it, feel good by spending it close to home. Valentine's Day specials are available up and down the avenue, so bring your honey out to Myrtle Avenue to enjoy a very special, local Valentine’s Day. Shop, dine, and pamper at your favorite area businesses.
SHOP
Karen’s Body Beautiful, 436 Myrtle, (718) 797-4808 Beautiful Valentine’s Day gift baskets — available in all price ranges.
Kiini Ibura Jewelry, 388 Myrtle, (718) 858-5195 10% off of all red jewelry (includes corals and garnets) 10% off of all candles
RePOP 95% Recycled, 68 Washington, (718) 260-8032 10% discounts off of all jewelry and dresses in shop for Valentine's Day.
Frosted Moon Emporium, 154 Vanderbilt, (718) 858-3161 Frosted Moon has valentine cards, valentine-themed picture frames and gift ideas for under $40 (silk purses, satin travel slippers and scented candles in keep sake glass holders).
Sarafina Art & Gift Gallery, 411 Myrtle, (718) 522-1083 10-50% off a number of selected items: -15% off Caswell-Massey aromatherapy -20% off sterling silver and amber jewelry -10-50% off contemporary art -25% off hand painted fragrance lamps and tea light holders -25% off Votive candles (Flower collection) -Also, chocolate heart-shaped lollipops in for the season
Head Over Heels, 366 Myrtle, (718) 237-8880 20% clearance on all boots, now thru Valentine’s Day.
PAMPER
Polish Bar of Brooklyn, 470 Myrtle, (718) 622-5363 Chocolate Paraffin manicure service ($20) Also, PBB is offering special V-day gift sets, starting at $30: -pampering gift set ($30) -manicure/ pedicure set ($60) -luxe manicure/pedicure gift set ($80) All sets include: gift card enclosure; PBB mint candy foot polish; PBB hand and foot repair; luxe terry cloth PBB slippers.
PBB recommends the $60 or $80 sets. Also, there will be an in-store Valentine’s Day celebration. Details here
Body By Brooklyn, 275 Park, (718) 923-9400
Enjoy LIVE JAZZ in the Lounge Wednesday, February 14th, 6:00pm to 9:00pm
February 14th – 18th: Book a Couple’s Massage for you and your special someone and save $20
B3 Signature Chocolate Massage—10% off B3 Signature Chocolate Massage $175/ 90 minutes
Melt away stress, indulge your senses and warm your soul with a decadent chocolate massage. When absorbed through the skin, the natural antioxidants of pure cocoa help to flush out impurities, reduce cellulite, improve circulation and help stimulate cell regeneration. The aromas encourage serenity and mental wellness while the cocoa will soften, tone, nourish, moisturize and protect your delicate skin.
Book a chocolate massage now through February 15th and try a complimentary chocolate martini!
DINE
Luz, 177 Vanderbilt, (718) 246-4000 Special five course menu plus one drink $55.00 per person. RSVP recommended
Mojito Cuban Cuisine, 82 Washington, (718) 797-3100 Special prix fix dinner: $35/ per person; $30/ if you mention that you received e-mail from the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership. Choice of champagne or white sangria and including salmon croquette appetizers, and rice and beans. Sautéed chicken in white sauce topped w/a bacon mélange. Strawberry parfait. May choose selected appetizer, entrée and dessert substitutions. RSVP recommended
Chez Lola, 387 Myrtle, (718) 858-1484 Special prix fix dinner: $35/ per person Menu: harrisa fennel soup, grilled shrimp salad, endive and watercress salad; pan roasted blue snapper, wiener schnitzel, guitarra pasta, free range chicken; w/ Lola’s ‘Be My Valentine’ chocolate crème brulee are on this special lovers’ menu. RSVP recommended
Maggie Brown, 455 Myrtle, (718) 643-7001 Special prix fix dinner: $35/ per person (Special menu still in the works) RSVP recommended
A tipster tells me that Joseph Tyler Salon will open TUESDAY...
Said tipster says the inside is "gorgeous" and that the phone number on their flier is 718.802.9200. (No, the tipster is NOT the owner!
heymama recently posted about a new bakery she discovered on Franklin called Heavenly Crumbs. Being a sucker for sweets, I needed to try it myself. She. Was. Right.
Actually, Jay and I had planned on doing a little baked-goods-tasting-comparison in the area, and we started at Cake Man Raven. They had nothing out, and the woman at the register was less than engaging. So after rolling our eyes, off we went to HC.
I really don't think I've ever had a tastier cupcake. Seriously. I've already eaten a chocolate with coconut frosting and the signature "passion fruit" cupcake. The cake is supermoist, and the frosting is PERFECT. I'm personally not a fan of ultra sweet, texture-y frosting, and Shannon's frosting is just perfect.
I have the red velvet and the triple-berry left. They're enormous, so I am saving two for tomorrow :)
The info, once again:
heavenly crumbs 355 franklin ave. @ greene and lexington 718-623-6271 heavenlycrumbs.com
I have a few things to say about this:
1. LOVE the idea for the new campaign. Hopefully MARP will provide info on the "18 local merchants" featured so I can post it here. I see Karen on the bottom right! Some of you recently posted on wanting a fish market. There's a guy on the bottom holding a fish! Let's find out what his deal is.
2. How exactly does a chain bank tie in with this campaign? Hey, I'm all for more banks nearby (though I'm annoyed at the lack of an HSBC), but just wondering.
3. Why do all these community events have to be on a weekday afternoon? It was the same with the CH Co-Ops co-generation celebration-thing. I know it's good to have local politicians on-hand and maybe it's harder to schedule them on the weekends. But if this stuff is for the community...well, it would be nice to be able to attend, that's all.
4. Tish James is scheduled to appear. I have to give her props for seemingly being everywhere at all times. I've never had a local politician be so visible.
The MARP blog just posted a call for new businesses on Myrtle, especially the services identified as being the most desired: bakery
florist
butcher
book store
cheese shop
organic grocer
gourmet grocer
ice cream parlor
MARP secures city grants to help renovate or upgrade retail space! Let this be your call to action. The demand for the things we're lacking will only grow.
Check their website for contact info.
When I first moved to the Hill in 2004, I came across the Clinton Hill CSA's website during a Google search. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Participants purchase a "share," which enables them weekly summer deliveries of fresh veggies from Windflower Farms in Valley Falls, NY (food has to be picked up on Gates Ave in the summer, and Washington Ave in the winter). Participants must subscribe for the veggie shares, and then may add on other subscriptions as well, including fruit, flowers, eggs and meat. The winter share is delivered once a month. They charge on a sliding scale based on income, and also accept food stamps.Sounds like a super idea to me. The problem is, the site only lists the costs for families of two or more! What about families of ONE, like myself? I emailed them back in '04 to see if they offered shares for singles, but never received a response. I was kinda miffed, which is why I ignored them until now. Last weekend, friends of mine who have a share were out of town and asked me to pick up their goods (and also allowed me to take a few items for myself). It was a pretty good mix: potatoes, carrots, beets, greens, garlic and more. Sounds like a fun surprise to see what you'll get.
At this point, I know enough people in the 'nabe to go in on a share, so I might do that for the summer. But DO they offer single-people shares?
Anyone care to give some feedback on the CHCSA? Their website is here, and it looks pretty good (though I hope they'll update it more often in the summer- what's up with people who don't keep their sites updated??). They also appear to provide recipes occasionally, which incorporate current share items. Cool. The CHCSA serves Clinton Hill, Fort Greene and Bed-Stuy.
All the praise for (burzh-wa) sounded too good to be true, so I decided I needed to try it for myself. I made myself an 8am appt on Saturday morning with the insanely-lauded Kim.
First, Kim gave me a tour of the salon. The main room is quite expansive, and there's a washing station in the back (which will eventually become the spa space). Kim was superfriendly, and we gabbed the entire time I was there. She showed me some pics of the space before she moved in. If you go, ask her to see them so you can truly appreciate the renovation.
I was a little nervous, so I asked for just a trim. I have odd hair. It's curly around my face, frizzy in the back and perfectly straight and smooth underneath. I am VERY picky when it comes to hair salons. A bad cut for me could spell disaster!
When my cut was almost finished, Kim convinced me to let her cut the sides short. I waffled at first, but I gave in. I wanted to see what she could really do. The result? A really hip look, cut efficiently, and which cost me a mere $35!!!! Pratt Students, get thee to Kim.
She cuts all kinds of hair! My cut:
The Myrtle Ave Revitalization Project (MARP/Myrtle BID), has done a great job on Myrtle. They also run a really well-designed website, making it easy to support local businesses there.They've just launched a blog called Myrtle Minutes. So far, they've listed info on a Grand Opening Party @ Bank of America (Jan 30), and info on Vesper. I'm hoping the blog stays up-to-date, since the last "local happenings" event listed on the regular site was back in October!
Clinton Hill Blog published from 2006 - 2010. Please enjoy these archives - a love letter to the neighborhood.
