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

Community Gardens Updates

I've received a few Community Garden updates since I posted the comprehensive list. First, here's a blog covering all three of the Brooklyn Bears gardens.

Next, the Hollenback Garden into posted on the NYC Green Thumb site is apparently outdated. The garden coordinators have sent me the latest information:

The Hollenback Community Garden Located at 460 Washington Avenue Between Gates and Greene Avenues Brooklyn, NY

Planting the Seeds of Hollenback The Hollenback Community Garden began in 1980, through the hard work and dedication of community members who saw possibility in a lot rendered empty by the fire that destroyed the Hollenback Mansion.

Brick by brick, and wheel barrow by wheel barrow they cleaned up the site and then seed by seed, they created beauty from destruction.

To learn more garden history, come in and ask to speak to Gertrude. She is one of the concerned citizens who started the garden, and she has been gardening at Hollenback ever since.

Who are we? We are currently about 40 gardeners, each working in individual plots as well as sharing responsibility for communal areas used by the garden membership and the larger community. Our garden is part of the Brooklyn Queens Land Trust, a coalition of 34 community gardens.

What do we do? ☼ We create a place for garden members from the community to produce locally grown food.

☼ We preserve a flourishing green oasis for the community to visit and enjoy, contributing to overall neighborhood beautification.

☼ We make all garden decisions democratically at monthly meetings.

☼ We offer several community events every season, including live music, movies, BBQs, garden workshops, tours

☼ We share our gardening knowledge and experience with the community

☼ Environmentally speaking, we harvest rainwater from a neighboring rooftop, and store it in a 700 gallon tank, reducing both our use of potable water and the amount of rainwater that goes into the city’s overworked sewer system. You can find more information on rainwater harvesting in the city at waterresourcegroup.org

☼ We are very proud of our compost system. We not only compost garden compostable materials, but we also process the food waste of over 50 community members, as well as for the Fort Greene Farmer’s Market. Compost collection lessens the amount of waste that ends up in landfills, and converts that waste into a valuable fertilizing material. The compost we produce is used in our garden and neighborhood tree pits, as well as by community members. Our compost piles have been used as a learning tool by New York City’s Master Composting Class from the Queens Botanical Garden, as well as by the Lower East Side Ecology Center and the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. It has even been featured on Japanese television. To learn more about our compost, come in and ask for Charlie Bayrer, our head composter.

Where are we going? ☼ We are currently involved in a project to install a composting toilet in our garden. This will allow us to provide restroom facilities for visitors and gardeners, without having to depend on the non-sustainable, chemical, and costly involvement of a rented port-o-potty. We feel that a composting toilet is safer and more environmentally friendly. We also hope that the presence of the composting toilet will serve as a further platform for our garden, and our community, to learn more ways to harness every resource we can when it comes to supporting our planet from the strain we place upon it.

What can you do? ☼ Any time the front gate is open, please come in for a visit. Stop in, smell and admire the flowers, talk to gardeners, sit and read or just relax in the shade. Bring your family and your sketchbook. Share your knowledge and your questions.

☼ Respect the hard work of all the gardeners by not picking any fruits, vegetables or flowers. Also make sure to let them know that their hard work is noticed and appreciated.

☼ To help you plan a visit, we have regular Garden Open Hours, which are: Wednesdays: 6pm to 8pm Saturdays: 3pm to 7pm Sundays: 10am to 12pm and 3pm to 7pm

☼ To get more information, inquire about membership, join our mailing list, find out how you can help, learn about community events, ask a question, or make a request, you can reach the garden coordinators at hollenbackcommunitygarden@yahoo.com Cara Perkins at 917-701-2875 Mark Trushkowsky at 917-804-0414

Telos Apothecary in Fort Greene

On Wordpress, I can check the sites that have linked to CHB. One of them simply says: Telos Apothecary coming to Fort Greene soon!

I can't find any info on them via Google, but maybe it'll be something cool, like a Bigelow Chemists-type store?

Ice Cream in the Hood

If it gets hot again while I'm away, I've earmarked a few places to get frozen treats:

• Java Dave's on Lafayette, which boasts several homemade flavors of ice cream
• Connecticut Muffin on Myrtle, offering a wide selection of frozen yogurt flavors, available in a cup or cone
• Cio Bella gelato cart outside of Choice (Grand Ave) -- I've noticed it once, and hope it's been returning!

• Mario's Pizza on DeKalb, selling cheap and tasty cups of Italian Ice

I have so many posts drafted up (to be published by my "webmaster") that you might not even know I'm away!

See you in a few weeks...

xo,

LH

Another New Salon

Noticed a new storefront on Waverly just north of Myrtle, sporting a vinyl sign that says, "Annetta's Beauty Salon." Didn't have my camera with me. Just a heads up!

Eastern CH Pet Services

There's a new yet-to-be-opened storefront on Grand, just north of Putnam, slated to become a pet grooming and supply store! They'll also offer day care and boarding.

Definitely needed for this corner, and I'm sure they'll provide some serious convenience.

Full phone number is 718-622-0060.

Bidonville on Willoughby

The corner of Willoughby that was once a dead end for businesses (between Adelphi and Clermont) is thriving. Joining the welcome pet store Who's Your Doggy, a new cafe has moved in right next door.

Called Bidonville, the cafe features fresh baked goods from Choice, as well as tasty coffee (your reviews on the coffee are welcome, as I don't drink it regularly enough to give an intellectual review on it). Such a good spot for Choice muffins and such for people who live west of Choice and don't want to backtrack in the morning.

The inside space doesn't look quite finished yet, but I like the rustic look it's going for. The owner's friend was working the day I dropped in, and he was incredibly friendly.

Fresh Flowers Coming to Greene and Grand!

Last week, Brownstoner reported that the folks behind Choice have leased the laundromat on Greene near Grand. In addition to cheeses and fresh produce, they're also slated to offer FRESH FLOWERS. I'm most excited about the flowers, to be honest. If they're as pretty as the dessert display at Choice, I'll be mighty satisfied. I wonder how pricing will be in the new shop. I think Choice's pricing is pretty reasonable, given the quality of the food and the portions. Let's hope the inside setup is more efficient.

Per a neighbor's tip, the new establishment will also have a charcuterie. Yeah, I had to Google it, too. From Wikipedia:

Charcuterie (from either the French chair cuite, cooked meat, or the French cuiseur de chair, cooker of meat) is the branch of cooking devoted to prepared meat products such as sausage and confit primarily from pork. The practice goes back to ancient times and can involve the chemical preservation of meats; it is also a means of using up various meat scraps. Hams, whether smoked, air-cured, salted, or treated by chemical means, are examples of charcuterie.

The French word for a person who prepares charcuterie is charcutier, and that is generally translated into English as "pork butcher." This has led to the mistaken belief that charcuterie can only involve pork. The Food Lover's Companion, however, says that "it refers to the products, particularly (but not limited to) pork specialties such as pâtés, rillettes, galantines, crépinettes, etc., which are made and sold in a delicatessen-style shop, also called a charcuterie." And the 1961 edition of Larousse Gastronomique defines it as: "The art of preparing various meats, in particular pork, in order to present them in the most diverse ways."

The word can also refer to a delicatessen, a meat shop that specializes in primarily pork products, or that part of a supermarket that specializes in meat products such as hams and sausages.

CSA: Week One

This summer, I decided to go in on a CSA share with a CHB reader. Last Thursday was the first week. Pickup was at the not-so-convenient school on Gates and Downing. Thankfully, everyone there was SO NICE.

Once you arrive, you sign in and then can go pick up your stuff. Each selection is labeled in a bin, telling you how much of everything you should take. The best surprise? Basil, cilantro and dill plants, ready for planting at home!

We also signed up for the fruit share, which was fresh strawberries this week. The berries were small, but very sweet.

The amount seemed perfect for sharing. I think it would have been too much for a single person. I already used most of the goods last night making dinner for a friend.

So far, so good.

Who's Your Doggy Grooming

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!

Salsa @ Move With Grace

Salsa & Merengue @ Move With Grace Prepare to be seduced by the rhythm of the drum and the spice of the latin soul of Cuba where salsa was birthed. This class is open to all levels and will be tailored to introduce not only the basics but also solo and couples choreography you can travel to the amazing night life and local clubs where Salsa lives. There is no such thing as two left feet in this class, only souls ready to join in the growing addiction of Salsa con Alma!

Singles & Couples Nights every 2nd Friday (Begins Friday July 13th) Salsa class begins at 7pm After Party (with refreshments) begins at 8pm (Party is FREE when you take the class at 7pm)

Partners are not required for the class! Dance experience is absolutely not required for this class!

$15/per class $140 for ten sessions $13 for your first class when you mention "The Clinton Hill Blog"

Community Gardens

Summer's more or less upon us, and many of us do not have our own yards or gardens. What to do? Find a community garden! Before I lived in CH, I spent two years in Hell's Kitchen. One of my favorite things in the neighborhood was the Clinton Community Garden. Residents just needed to show up on the appointed day with a utility bill and a small deposit and would get a key to the garden to enter at any time. Individual plots were also available for those looking to grow veggies or flowers.

It's taken me awhile to seek out the community gardens in our area, mainly because there are so many and because a lot of the info I found online is incorrect. I recently spent a sweaty Sunday hoofing around the hood to see what was available. I checked much of Fort Greene and Clinton Hill to just past Classon. I've coordinated with BedStuy Blog, who will be posting the Bed-Stuy gardens today as well.

(Most of my specific info on garden offerings was culled from OasisNYC.) Name: Brooklyn Bears Carlton Ave. Garden Address: 397-401 Carlton Avenue Cross Streets: Btwn. Greene and Fulton

Garden Description: Part of this garden is a productive farm, with giant boxes divided for multiple members and a huge planting oval for community vegetables. There's also beautifully landscaped flower beds all watched over by a colorful mural featuring a winged mantis. (The group gets its name from an abandoned teddy bear found on the site at an early clean-up day.)

Name: Greene Garden Address: 2 S. Portland Ave. Cross Streets: De Kalb Ave. and S. Elliot Hours: Tuesdays and Saturday

Waiting List: No Dues: no Host Volunteers: yes Membership Procedure: work a certain amount of hours Year Founded: 12/1/1985

Types of Events: music, bbqs Structures: tool shed, gazebo, picnic tables, seats Herbs: mint Donate Produce: no Ornamental Plantings: flowers

Garden Description: Mrs. Murry’s 2nd grade class from P.S. 287 has been working very hard to save their garden. Their efforts have not gone unrecognized- the class was featured in a Daily News article in March. The children have learned about community gardening through a cross- disciplinary approach. They have used math skills to measure and record the temperature in the garden, they have learned about city government through their campaign to save the garden, they have used their writing skills to write letters to their elected officials, and they have planned many science experiments to start this growing season. The garden was started in 1992. Name: Hollenback Garden Address: 460 Washington Ave. Cross Streets: Gates & Greene Hours: T,Th, Sat, Sun 4:00-7:00pm

Waiting List: yes Dues: yes Host Volunteers: yes Membership Procedure: Call Contact, Come to workday, Meet Contact at Garden, Year Founded: 4/1/1980 Types of Events: arts, culture, education and recreation Garden Description: Situated in the Clinton Hill section of Brooklyn, Hollenback is the only public green space in the neighborhood. The majority of the gardeners at this garden are senior citizens, three of which were involved with starting the garden 19 years ago. The garden is also used by children from P.S. 11 and P.S. 287. After the news about the May auction, the children from both schools wrote letters to City Council member Mary Pinkett and the mayor on behalf of their garden, attended the public hearings, and decorated the garden’s fence with ribbons and signs. Three classes from P.S. 11 are planning and designing their garden plot for this season. A second grade class from P.S. 287 have planned an experiment to study the effects of the sun on plant growth. For their experiment the class plans to grow the same plants at two different community gardens one with full sun and one with shade. The gardens they plan to use for the experiment are the Hollenback garden and the Children’s Garden (2099/43). The garden was started in 1980.

Name: Classon/Fulgate Block Association Address: 474 Classon Avenue Cross Streets: Putnam & Gates Ave. Hours: Thurs & Sat: 12-5PM

Waiting List: no Dues: yes Host Volunteers: yes Membership Procedure: attend a meeting and speak to contact person Year Founded: 7/1/1983 Types of Events: barbeques,Art/Music Activities, Community Activities, Block Parties, Religious Activities Structures: brick bbq pit, mural wall, archway, brick walkway/path

Amenities: mural, meeting area, artwork (paintings) Vegetables Grown: squash, tomatoes, red peppers, collards, string beans, watermelon, potato Donate Produce: yes Ornamental Plantings: yes Shade Trees: yes Composting: container Garden Description: Brick walkways divides garden into 2 parcels that yield numerous vegetation. Large wall mural across back wall depicts block resident history. Recreation area through archway with tables, benches, BBQ pit, tool shed and shelter.

Name: Greene Ave Cedar Tree Address: Classon and Greene Virtually no info on this garden online, but it looks both large and nice!

Name: Pratt Garden Address: DeKalb at Hall This garden was open on the CH house tour, but I've never seen it open or occupied otherwise, except for a few black cats. A shame, since there are some gorgeous flowers inside! Name: Clifton Place Block Association Address: 289 Grand Avenue

Cross Streets: Clifton Place & Greene Hours: Sat: 9-1PM Organization Member: TPL Waiting List: no Dues: yes Host Volunteers: yes Membership Procedure: Ask at Garden, Volunteer, Other Languages: Spanish, Chinese Year Founded: 8/1/1991 Types of Events: Youth Activities, Art/Music Activities, Community Activities Structures: seating area, tool shed Vegetables Grown: tomatoes, lettuce, peas, turnips, eggplant Herbs: basil, chives, parsley, sage, thyme Donate Produce: no Ornamental Plantings: violets, roses, lilies, peonies Shade Trees: apple, Southern Magnolia, evergreens, dogwood Composting: general yard waste, household waste Garden Description: A small garden behind the school boasts a mural and hopes the garden becomes a means for the community to work with the school.

Greene Room Lefferts bt St. James and Grand (I had a difficult time finding this one, so not sure if the photos are correct. They might be the wrong garden, further down Lefferts. Also, the web did not have info!)

For garden contact info, call the city at 212-788-8070. The people at Green Thumb are extremely friendly, and can look up the info right away!

ZIPCAR!

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.

Garages for Rent on Vanderbilt

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:

Local Firehouse

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.

Henna Tatto(o)?

Has anyone checked out the brow threading place yet? It was open this weekend, and someone kinda fixed the sign...

I'm trying to grow my brows out so I can test them out and report.

Henna and Brows on Vanderbilt

Looks like the Rastafarian shop/hangout on Vanderbilt just north of DeKalb has closed its doors for good. I never stopped in, but the friend I was walking with immediately started lamenting the difficulty he will experience finding sugarcane. I'm definitely intrigued. If this place provides good brow threading, it'll be a godsend.

I just called the phone number, and it sounds like a man's voicemail... weird.

May Events!

Some of the neighborhood's coolest events are happening in May. Mark your calendars! May 5: Gigantic Clinton Ave Sidewalk Sale SpringFest at PS 11

May 6: Society for Clinton Hill 30th Anniversary House Tour! A unique opportunity to see 12 marvelous private homes, apartments, and private spaces in several public institutions. Learn more about the neighborhood, its architectural history, and surprising interiors. Get ideas for your own projects and appreciate the blending of art, architecture, interior design, and creative genius. See the exhibit of posters from the last 30 years of house tours and other events sponsored by the Society for Clinton Hill.

Sunday, May 6, 2007, noon to 5:00 pm

Tour starts at St. Luke’s Church, 259 Washington Avenue, between DeKalb and Willoughby Avenues. Buy or pick up tickets here.

Tickets: Advance $20, Day of tour $25

Purchase tickets now by clicking the Paypal button on the upper-left. Or pick up tickets at the following neighborhood locations: Outpost, Pillow Café, Sister’s Hardware, Tillie’s Coffee Shop, YU Interiors. May 10: Second Annual Brooklyn Blog Fest The Second Annual Brooklyn Blogfest will be on Thursday May 10th at 8 p.m. at the Old Stone House located on Fifth Avenue between 3rd and 4th Streets in Park Slope. Theme: The Impact of Brooklyn Blogging There will be special speakers, photo bloggers, an open mic (sign up soon), refreshments from a top notch Brooklyn eatery. Lots of time to meet and greet. Donation (Tip Jar): $5.00 (to defray costs).

OK, so it takes place in Park Slope, but this event is what inspired me to start CHB last year. It's a really cool opportunity to meet your favorite Brooklyn bloggers. I plan on attending and hopefully speaking, but it's my last night of class so I'll be late. Please say hi if you see me there.

May 12: Habana Outpost reopens for summer

May 20-21: SONYA Stroll Noon - 6:00pm both days. Rain or shine. (718) 789-2545 Over 100 artists and their work at locations throughout Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, and the western edge of Bed-Stuy. Free and open to the public.

This is one of my favorite events in the neighborhood! It's a great way to see more of the neighborhood, walk around all day, check out some cool and largely affordable art, fashion, jewelry and best of all, see the inside of hundreds of art studios. You won't believe how many warehouses in Wallabout are a maze of artist spaces inside.

Another Salon!

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.)

Spaces for Rent?

Just received this reader email: So I'm having an event this summer -- about 50-75 family and friends. We'd like to do cocktails, some music, a low key thing. But I'm having trouble finding a good space in the neighborhood. There is grandspace across Atlantic in Prospect Heights, but I was hoping for something even more local (and, to be honest, affordable). You can rent out Outpost and Pillow Room -- but what other event space, warehouse, art space options are there in Clinton Hill? Can you rent out the Paul Robeson? Anyone know any secrets?

I once posted about this awhile back, but it never hurts to ask for recommendations.

In addition to the above, there's the group space at iCi where Sodafine used to be, and Brown Betty can also be rented (but can't accommodate that many people). I wonder if the empty Karrot space on Grand is available for rent? You'd have to bring in all of your services, but it could be awesome if done correctly.

It would also be cool to do something up in Wallabout, between the Navy Yard and Park Ave. I know there are a LOT of artist spaces up there. There's also be a fancy event space IN the Navy Yard, called Abigail Kirsch Stage 6. Or, maybe the 1110 Gallery at 1110 Fulton, between Classon and Franklin?

I'd also check with SONYA, an organization of local artists. Maybe they can direct you to some rentable spaces?

(Speaking of SONYA, their annual art stroll is slated for May 19-20. I'll do a big post on that soon.)