I happened to walk past Brooklyn Cares Vet on both Saturday and Sunday and noticed the gates were down. I was worried that they had already closed shop!
Not to worry, though. I checked the website at home and Dr. Mann, the clinic's vet, got married this weekend and was off. The clinic will reopen on Tuesday, Sept 1.
So. Did you go to Michael Jackson's birthday party on Saturday? (I got caught up running wedding errands, and was still a bit put out about the location change. The rain didn't help my motivation.) If you went, tell us how it was.
(Myrtle near Classon)
If only I’d gone for the burger… Hey everyone! It’s the lord of lamenting, the ruler of regretting, the head of hindsight is 20/20 Van, alongside the highness of high-chair fun, the doyenne of dad-doubting and the guru of great-time-having Tillie, here to tell you about our different experiences at The General Greene, located on the corner of Clermont and Dekalb.
Before I go further, though, let me just make this clear: I am a huge fan of GG and could eat dinner there every night of the week. On some of their dinner-time dishes, it gets kind of hard for me to share with Tillie’s mom sometimes because I want the whole plate to myself. But I manage to overcome my selfishness for the good of the team!
That being said, I had never gone there for lunch because it was hard for me to find something on the menu I thought I would really enjoy. It seems there’s always some ingredient that didn’t fall under my taste-o-meter, and I’d hate to ask for that aioli or pickle to be held because I trust the place to know what they’re putting together — my pickiness be darned.
Anyway, whenever Tillie and I walked by the place, we noticed it was full of people, baby and adult alike, so I thought, “Man, what am I missing?” I said to Tillie, “You know that place on the corner of Clermont where your mom and I take you for dinner sometimes? You know, that place we’re always raving about the steak and macaroni and cheese and collard greens? Well, that’s where we’re going for lunch! I’m going to give it a go!”
I didn’t get an answer back, so I figured it was good by her!
On our way to the restaurant, I stopped and picked up a newspaper. A little LWT fact for you: I always bring a paper when T and I go out, just hoping for that one day when I’ll be able to glance at the headlines to catch up on some current events.
We got to the restaurant and the place was pretty empty, which I was shocked about because usually from the sidewalk view, it’s jam-packed; I guess we caught it at the proverbial calm before the storm. We were greeted warmly and I was asked if I needed a high chair. The waitress grabbed one for us, and while I was setting Tillie up, she wheeled the stroller off to the side, which was most appreciated. I hooked Tillie’s little stuffed elephant up to the high chair, then took my seat.
A funny thing happened then: Tillie was content playing with the toy! I thought I was grasping at straws placing it in front of her, but that – combined with her being totally into the waitresses and other people walking around the restaurant – allowed me to actually get some newspaper reading in! I was pretty stunned and almost too distracted to read because I was starting to feel a little ignored. I felt like I was bothering her when I was trying to get her attention!
While Tillie was busy enjoying her surroundings, I placed my order and went for the pressed pork sandwich, with ham, pulled pork, gruyere cheese, pickles and a spicy aioli for fixins. Going in, I figured I was three out of five on those ingredients, so it might be my best bet. I asked them to hold the pickles and go light on the aioli. I then asked if the sandwich came with a salad or something and was told it didn’t. I felt like I needed something to go with it, so I got a side order of the house whites: chopped Idaho potatoes with chorizo and parsley. A lot of pork on the plates, I know, but I decided I could handle it.
As I was waiting for the food to come out, I still wasn’t getting much Tillie love, so I looked at the paper a little more. I brought some food along for her and was trying to figure out if I should feed her now before my meal came out and risk her being bored while I ate, or try to feed both of us simultaneously. I went for the former, and broke out with her little macaroni and cheese. She’s been pretty insistent on trying to feed herself lately, which is awesome, but isn’t exactly the speediest process. So, I decided to try to feed her and she was completely fine with it, which made my job easier. And she did great, eating most of it with no fuss at all.
Then my food came out, and I wasn’t that captivated upon seeing it. On the menu, it says it’s a “pressed” sandwich, which to me implies the sandwich is going to be stuck together by melted cheese, which I really like. This looked like a little bit of ham, a smidgen of pulled pork, one half-melted piece of cheese and the aioli – in other words, pretty skimpy. It definitely suffered from the too-much bread syndrome. I wouldn’t tell someone not to get this sandwich, but it just didn’t meet the expectations I have of something from the kitchen. The potatoes were better, and plentiful, too, but I wasn’t blown away by them, either.
But Tillie was having a great dining experience. She was satisfied with her mac and cheese, and I had grapes for an after-dinner treat for her. I didn’t cut them tiny enough at home, so while I set my half a sandwich and some of my potatoes to the side to be wrapped and waited for the check, I went back and cut them into smaller pieces. She enjoyed those, and things continued to go according to her plans. Lucky her!
My check came and my bill was $14, which added a little insult to my injury. I guess I couldn’t complain too much about that, though. Tillie had an excellent time, I got to read the paper and the staff was extremely friendly. And it seems you don’t need me to tell you to go as the place filled up as we were leaving. However, I planned on making up for my sandwich experience with some of the best ice cream in town at the Greene Ice Cream stand right outside the door.
I know you’ve seen it: the little cart right outside the door. If you haven’t partaken of it yet, though, please do yourself a favor and get some! I recently kicked a five-times-a-week habit going there, but I know I can lapse back into it any minute. I ordered my usual, a scoop of honey vanilla and one of salty caramel pretzel on a sugar cone. This combination is the best in the business. As I was ordering, a friend spotted us around the corner, came over with her son, who’s Tillie’s age, and ended up getting some ice cream, too. We all headed home in the same direction, enjoying some nice conversation and a pretty sweet treat. It made for a really good summer afternoon.
It could’ve been perfect if I had just gotten the burger!
Last summer, the DOT initiated an exciting new program that shut down a major Manhattan thoroughfare to automobiles, creating safe street space for people to walk, bike and play.
Through September, 14 street locales will play host to a Summer Streets event, including an event right here in Clinton Hill!
Move About Myrtle will be held Sunday September 6th, 13th, 20th, and 27th, 11 a.m.- 7 p.m. on Myrtle Avenue between Clinton Avenue and Emerson Place, and is sponsored by Myrtle Ave Partnership.
Pretty great, especially since September is one of the most beautiful months in the city.
So far, there are several really creative activities planned, including a roller rink in the street!
Here's a block-by-block summary of the activities planned for September 6th:
Emerson-Grand The Brooklyn Urban Arts Market returns! This annual open-air market anchored by live music, DIY fashion, and local creative culture. Rock out with youth band School of Rock All Stars at noon, or dance to the old-school jams of DJs Soul Summit at 3pm. A temporary roller rink will bring some additional throw back flavor to this year's events. Get your trendy back-to-school shopping done too. Brought to you by MARP, Rebel Music Management, BAM, Deutsche Bank.
Hall-Ryerson Celebrate local farmers, local restaurants and local food initiatives with your neighbors on Myrtle between Hall and Ryerson, a block dedicated entirely to a delicious topic: food.
12pm -3pm CSA Potluck Picnics -With blankets and home-cooked food in tow, the Fort Greene CSA will be taking over a plot of the food block each week to host potluck picnics open to all. The first potluck will be an eat-in to raise awareness and take action for real food in our schools, and initiative championed by Slow Food USA.
12pm 2pm Teen Iron Chefs - Every Sunday, a small crew of local teens will be hosting interactive cooking demonstrations with seasonal, locally grown produce donated by Greenmarket farmers.
4pm 6pm Local Chef Cooking Demonstrations-Chefs from newly-opened Myrtle restaurant SanSouci will showcase their tasty Caribbean fare.
All day: Raised Garden Bed Construction - Local food activist Tree Williams from LiveSip will host an all day interactive event constructing and planting a mobile raised bed garden to be donated at the end of the day.
Washington Hall Brought to you by local yoga and dance studio Move with Grace , this block will feature free yoga, dance, and themed dance parties on each of the four Sundays. The first Sunday includes:
11am Mom and Me Yoga Bring your mat! 1pm African Dance with drummers s Bring your rhythm! 4pm Caribbean Celebration Bring your flag!
Waverly Clinton For kids (and the inner child in all of us), this block will be devoted to good old-fashioned fun! Street games (think: four square), hula hoops, jump ropes, and sidewalk chalk will be on hand for open use throughout the day.
1pm-3pm Hoopdancing Class- Join Fitnotic trainer Sheryl Wilson, CPT, for a free beginners' class in hoopdancing - the latest fitness craze sweeping NYC! Class is appropriate for children and adults of all ages. In addition to hoopdancing instruction, Fitnotic specializes in prenatal, postnatal and mommy & me group fitness classes and personal training programs. Learn a few tricks and get a great workout!
Merchant Specials + Promotions
Five Spot is hosting an eating competition (food category still TBD) and music throughout the day outside the restaurant to celebrate their 13th Anniversary (Myrtle at Washington)
Enjoy free smoothie samples at Karrot (Myrtle between Clinton and Waverly)
Come to Green in BKLYN to recycle your batteries and cell phones (Myrtle between Clinton and Waverly)
Learn how to make your own pesto at Anima (Myrtle between Washington and Waverly)
NYCPet.com is providing a treats and a pet pool so that your animal friends can enjoy themselves too (Myrtle at Washington)
Myrtle Windows Gallery - New Works
4pm-8pm Opening Reception at Pillow Cafe (Myrtle between Ryerson and Grand? Celebrate the opening of the fourth Myrtle Windows Gallery installation, which brings the works of local artists to storefront windows on Myrtle between Hall and Clinton. This exhibition is curated by Kennis Baptiste of The Rising Arts Gallery, and includes photography, paintings and multi-media works.
Interested in helping out? Myrtle Avenue Partnership need a small army of volunteers to make this happen, and they're lucky to have partnered with NY Cares for all four events. If you're interested in helping out give Meredith a shout at Meredith@myrtleavenue.org.
See you there! (Well, not on the 27th, which is the day after my wedding!)
I recently sat down in Tillie’s with Clinton Hill resident Alex Sniderman, member of The Nu-Sonics, to talk about Wayne Kramer, the neighborhood and being a musician in NYC.
A: So, what can I tell you first?
G: Well, I definitely want to hear the MC5/Wayne Kramer story.
A: Everybody wants to hear that one. I grew up mostly in Tennessee, outside Nashville and, this is all ancient history now, but there used to be a record store called Tower Records—remember that? They had a magazine, Tower Pulse, and I had a band at the time called the Tone Def White Boys. We were sort of flailing around, trying to get shows and do things. A friend of mine volunteered to play drums and he was not really a drummer, but he was having some success as a singer-songwriter. Through a weird series of coincidences, he had a really great gig at the hip spot at the time in Nashville on a Friday night. His opening band bailed and he didn't have anybody.
Anyway, we read in Tower Pulse that Wayne Kramer from the MC5 had moved to Nashville and we thought that was kind of weird.
We were rehearsing for this gig and we were terribly nervous because there was going to be a crowd there and it's a small town. My feeling was that if you suck...
G: ...You have to start over?
A: Yeah. So, we were all just totally nervous and rehearsing like crazy. The more we rehearsed, the worse we got. And so, to break the tension, we started joking, “we should call Wayne Kramer and get him to be our guitar player. Haha, wouldn't that be a laugh?” We kept goading each other and finally I said, “I'm calling information and if he's listed, you have to call him,” pointing to the bass player, Josh. I called and he was in there, so Josh had to call him. He called him up and he (Wayne Kramer) thought the name was hilarious. It was the Tone Def White boys, D-E-F, which was kind of a mistake because everyone thought we were a rap group...
G: Or mistook you for something like Def Leopard?
A: Right, that too. He thought that the band name was hilarious and thought that we were spunky and we just happened to have this good gig on a Friday night in a nice club, and there was a little story in the paper about us, so I think that may have convinced him. “We'll put you on the guest list!,” like that's going to impress him—I'm sure he'd never been on a guest list before.
So, it was a big laugh and we didn't expect anything from it. Secretly, of course, maybe. I don't even know if I'd ever heard the MC5 at that point.
The time came to do the gig and I remember standing upstairs in the dressing room and being like, “this is it. I'm going to have to move after this gig.” We came down and from the first note it was just magical. We all felt it. There was this synergy and it was very palpable with the audience. Everybody went crazy. I stood up on stage and felt like, “this is where I'm supposed to be and everything makes sense.” I was totally overwhelmed by the fact that we were any good, much less the fact that we were stomping and cheering.
I had forgotten all about our little phone call earlier in the week, but Josh was like, “is there a Wayne Kramer in the audience?” And a guy at the bar raised his hand! We went over to talk to him and he was like, “you guys were great. Who wrote those songs? We have to make a record!”
G: So have you found that he's just helped you along with way?
A: Yeah, he's been a real mentor and a real sounding board. He's very gracious and he's a good guy.
G: The Nu-Sonics: why?
A: We wanted a name we could all agree on. I liked it because it was stolen from Edwin Collins, the guy from Orange Juice.
G: And how long have you lived in Clinton Hill?
A: Since 1998.
G: How do you feel about the changes the neighborhood has gone through? Do you feel nostalgic for the way that it was or do you think there are good things and bad things?
A: I think it's a combination of both. I have a new song called “Mr. Brooklyn,” which talks about all these different neighborhoods. There's a line “Hey Mr. Clinton Hill/big changes down on Murder Avenue/dear Fort Greene folks/get out of the way of that double decker double stroller.”
I think the changes have been mostly good. I don't like the fact that rent-wise it's gotten so crazily expensive. We couldn't afford to live here anymore if we had moved here now.
It's like anything else; good and bad. I don't know how you feel about the flea market, but I'm not crazy about that. It turns the neighborhood into such a crazy thing on Saturdays and it used to be so nice to just hang out.
G: Well, all of the sudden you have to wait in line to have brunch.
A: I dunno. I don't really go for brunch, but I bet you do.
G: Yeah! I love brunch.
A: It was such a quiet, beautiful place, and I don't think it's been overrun or ruined or anything, but it's just a lot more crowded. It's good and bad. Don't move to your car on Saturdays, my advice to you!
G: Well, I don't have a car, but if I did...
Do you think this neighborhood is particularly good to live in as an artist or a musician?
A: I think there's a lot of inspiration around. I think NYC is a great place to be if you're a musician.
G: Do you have any favorite local bands or any advice to local musicians trying to get their stuff out in the scene?
A: I would say the important thing is just to find a scene you can be part of, but more than that, just do it because you want to do it. And nothing is personal, even if it has your name on it. Don't take anything personally, because if you do, you're done. You've got to realize that you are not your music.
You can hear songs and learn more about the Nu-Sonics at their website.
Are you a hipster looking to buy real estate? A hipster broker from Corcoran (is that possible?) will tell you how at local watering hole Rope: Home Buying for Hipsters
ROPE (415 Myrtle bet. Vanderbilt/Clinton)
G to Clinton/Washington, C to Clinton/Washington
Tuesday, August 25th
6:30-8pm
FREE!
homebuyingforhipsters@gmail.com
347-526-1383
Featuring the old crew:
Eve Levine, residential real estate broker, The Corcoran Group
Matt Rogers, real estate attorney
Rob Slifer, residential mortgage specialist, Professional Advantage Financial Group
AND, to answer renovation questions:
Darrick Borowski, architect, Jordan Parnass Digital Architecture
Take advantage of the 2009 prices, historically low interest rates and first-time homebuyer tax credit…get in the game!
Thanks to neighbor Kath for sending me this story via the HuffPost: NEW YORK — A New York City lawmaker wants to see Michael Jackson honored at a subway station where the star made the music video for "Bad."
Councilwoman Letitia James wants a plaque placed at Brooklyn's Hoyt-Schermerhorn station – or to have "Jackson" added to the station's name.
Metropolitan Transportation Authority spokesman Kevin Ortiz said Monday it's unlikely. James, undeterred, plans a petition drive.
I know that station is not in our neighborhood, but many of us use it every day on the way to and from work. I was just asking my fiance where he thought Bad was filmed last time we saw it on TV.
On Saturday, I checked out Clinton Hill Day. CHC invited me to hang with his family for some BBQ, dinner and dancing, and I was not disappointed. The PS11 playground was full of people reminiscing, reuniting and celebrating. A DJ spun crowd-pleasing jams and kids played in bouncy castles. It was the kind of vibe that brought me to this neighborhood, and I wish I had experienced this kind of community gathering growing up.
Since I don't have any family in the city, it was awesome to be "adopted" for the day. Next year, bring a grill and come on out.
Here's one explanation why block parties like this are so important in communities!
Until the end of last week, Spike Lee planned on throwing a birthday bash in memory of Michael Jackson in Fort Greene Park. Then, Abby Weissman wrote a piece on the Local questioning the implications of the party and the impact it would have on the neighborhood. Within hours, it was announced that the party would be moved to Prospect Park. Weissman made several comments about expected turnout, cleanup and park capacity, citing the frenzy that took place in LA for the official memorial. He also claimed the party was being "forced upon him." Mostly, he seemed concerned that the public and local organizations were not consulted or even informed in advance of the party. (Mr. Weissman was also the author who initiatiated the anti-soccer Fort Greene Park post on the Local.) Several neighbors I've spoken to are disappointed in the turn of events. In fact, I haven't spoken to one person who's said, "Thank god that party's moving out of our neighborhood!" A Gothamist post about the situation was titled, "Locals Want Spike Lee to Beat It." But was it Locals, plural? (See an opposing commentary on Brooklyn Born here.)
The fact is, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Did you think the party would be safe, fine, and awesome? Call the local precinct, Marty Markowitz's office, 40 Acres and a Mule. Contact the Local and ask if you can run your own Op-Ed. The park is for everyone and not just one person.
Would the party have been a blight on our neighborhood? We'll never know. But I for one am mourning the loss.
I’m Van. She’s Tillie. Together, we do lunch. Hey out there, neighborhood! It’s another edition of “Lunchtime With Tillie” and for this trip, we ended up at Myrtle Avenue mainstay Zaytoon’s for a nice Middle Eastern meal. And we even had a special guest with us this go-around: Tillie’s mom, who was working from home and broke away to join us!
Zaytoon’s crept up on my lunch radar a couple of weeks ago when I noticed its menu posted on the window and saw a special burger section. Among the varieties was something called a “turkey royale,” which was said to be made with apples, and special herbs and spices. Turkey burgers never seem to have enough zing or zest to them for me, so I thought this was something I had to eventually try.
The day we went to Zaytoon’s was a pretty full one already for Baby T. She had a doctor’s appointment that morning, then we had a meeting at the playground with this neighborhood dads’ group I started. After we got back from the doctor’s, she went down for a nap, during which time I spent psyching myself up for the playground/lunch trip, and packing up her little lunch I was bringing along: blueberries, formula and a jar of “spring vegetables with pasta,” an organic baby food dish I picked up that I was hoping she wouldn’t hate and spit in my face!
When she woke up, we said our goodbyes to mom and made our way down to the playground on DeKalb and Carlton. We ended up staying out there a little longer than I thought we would, which then led me to think that maybe we should just grab something close by since she could be crashing soon. But that little voice inside of me that had been thinking about that turkey burger told me to press onward, so-Zaytoon’s-bound we were! On the way there, I called Tillie’s mom and told her we were on our way. She said she would join us for a snack.
We got to Zaytoon’s and the place was super-cool, which was nice having come out of the hot sun. When we walked in, we immediately received one of the warmest greetings I’ve gotten going to a restaurant. Our waitress grabbed a high chair for us right away, and then actually set Tillie up in it for me. She hung around for a minute playing with Tillie, getting big smiles from her. The manager came over and also played with Tillie, who must have felt like she died and had gone to restaurant heaven at this point! The waitress left to get Tillie some crayons and a drawing to color, then tried to show T what to do with it all, which I thought was really thoughtful. Tillie later tried to eat the crayons, but still, it’s the thought that counts!
We were sitting by the front window, so we were able to see Tillie’s mom come up. She entered and as always, Tillie was very happy to see her. As I mentioned, TM was just going for a snack and I thought that maybe I should order a platter, then give her the pita and hummus it came with. But I didn’t want to commit to a platter, plus that turkey burger idea was still lurking in my head. She decided to go with a small order of baba ghanoush. When it was time to place my order, I went in a completely different direction than from what I had been thinking about for days and got a merguez sandwich with a side order of fries. I don’t know what happened, maybe it was the thought the turkey burger wouldn’t live up to how I built it up in my head. Who knows?
Anyway, the baba ghanoush came out first, and it definitely looked intriguing. I never had it before and Tillie’s mom offered me some. I asked her if it was hot and she said no. So I said, “sorry, no dice.” (I have some food issues that would take up a million LWT’s to run down!) Tillie, fortunately, doesn’t have any of my hang-ups and made an eager recipient for the offer, and after the first bite was hooked! I still wanted her to get in some of my scary-looking jar of food I brought along, though. She had some bites, but was all about the eggplant!
My food arrived, and it was a plentiful amount, but I was up for the challenge. I took a bite of the sandwich, and then had to reach for the water right away! It was good, but a lot spicier than I had prepared myself for. The fries came piled to the brim in a basket and Tillie’s mom was able to help herself to as many as she wanted. (I’m always complaining about her throwing off my sandwich-to-fries ratios!)
In between bites of her food, Tillie was busy looking around the rest of the place for someone to give her some extra attention or smiles. The waitress played with T a little more when she came around, and after Tillie was finished with the savory portion of lunch, mom broke out the blueberries I packed along. I have to tell you, it was nice to have a blueberry cutter/distributor along: I was able to battle with my tasty, yet ultra-spicy sandwich!
By the time the blueberries were gone, I was finished, so we decided to call it a day in there. We got the check, which was $20, including the tip. Tillie’s mom picked up the bill, which made the trip even more of a success! I definitely recommend going to Zaytoon’s for lunch: Good food, great service and even greater company made it a perfect afternoon.
(pic by Clinton Hill Chill)
Clinton Hill Day, a neighbor-organized celebration, takes place tomorrow in the PS11 park. I asked Clinton Hill Chill, one of the event's founders, to tell me more about the event's history and what will be going on this weekend (the 11th annual event).
1. What is Clinton Hill Day and how did it start?
- Clinton Hill Day is a Community, family and friends BBQ/Park Jam. It started 11 years ago by a group of us, teens to early twenties, initially for one of their birthdays. We pooled our monies together, for a dj, tables & chairs, cotton candy & snowcone machine plus enough food to feed the whole hood. In the 70's to early 80's this kind of thing was commonplace, but there's a whole era, that missed out on this. Seeing so many people, from elders to kids, having a good time, we decided to have it every year thereafter as a day to celebrate the neighborhood and community we come from.
2. What kinds of activities usually take place?
-There's usually some games for the kids. Every year there's also a dance routine put on by some of the neighborhood kids. For me as an adult its just a day to grill out, kick it with family, friends, neighbors, listen to music and absorb everything I love about the hood.
3. If a neighbor wants to drop by and share in the fun, what can we bring? Food? Games?
-Everyone is welcome! Unless your coming to challenge someone to a throwdown ala Bobby Flay I don't think bringing food is a necessity. A lot of people bring there own grills-myself included but there's also a community grill to feed everyone...if you want to bring something feel free. Also make sure to bring positive energy and good vibes, there can never be enough of that!
4. Who comes up with the cool t-shirt ideas? [the 'Clinton Hill Chill' t-shirts originated at this event a few years back]
My friend Twin who's been a key organizer of Clinton Hill Day from day and Guz Designs located on Putnam betw. & Grand ave & Cambridge place. The first few years it would have the date and year but since he stopped doing that shirts have become some what of a hood staple.
See you there!
(Irving and Putnam)
Photo by Powell Burns
On Tuesday night, I was finally able to check out the free yoga in Fort Greene Park. Held at the top of the hill near the monument every Tuesday from 7-8 pm, almost 30 students (a handful of whom had never done yoga before) gathered to sweat it out in 90 degree heat.
Teacher Lindsay Sage started out with the very basic moves, and eventually moved to more advanced poses (half moon, anyone?). Students at all levels definitely got something out of the session (though I'd suggest beginners take a few very basic classes on their own to learn the breathing techniques and body positioning). The pacing and the poses were perfect for me (a few years ago, I did yoga regularly but haven't been practicing as of late).
Technique aside, it was an amazing experience. It was hot as a sauna, but we were surrounded by nature sounds (cicadas buzzing, birds singing), and were treated to the occasional breeze. Children played nearby, and a few people practiced juggling. A young couple sat and watched our class, nuring their baby. Lying on our backs and looking up at the clouds -- as well as the illumintaed monument once the sun set -- was very meditative.
Sage hopes to continue her free Tuesday classes into October. Bring your mat and check it out!
(We were briefly interrupted by a fully naked man lying on the grass shouting obscenities, until 5 cop cars drove up onto the grass and took him away. Ahh, Brooklyn.)
Recently I met with Pratt Area Community Council (PACC) Executive Director Deb Howard in her office on Dekalb Avenue.
Hi Deb. Do you live in the neighborhood? How long have you lived here? She said she lives on Adelphi Street and has lived in the neighborhood since 1974.
Where were you educated? Please describe your career path. How did you get involved in housing advocacy work? Deb has a B.A. in Urban Studies from Knox College. During her senior year she participated in an urban studies project in Chicago. After that she became a VISTA volunteer for two years at “The Voice of the People,” where she got involved in tenant organizing and helped manage apartment buildings. But she says that it was primarily music that brought her to New York City. In 1974 she and a bunch of friends rented a triplex apartment on Clermont for $300 a month and started auditioning for different rock operas. Two of them got into “Hair.” In the mid-1970s Deb ended up traveling all around the country performing in both “Hair” and “Jesus Christ Superstar.” After her daughter was born in 1984, Deb became a stay-at-home mom. She remembers coming across a job ad for a housing advocate in the window of PACC’s office on Dekalb Avenue and thinking this was something she could clearly do. On January 2, 1990, she started working at PACC. At the time, the organization only had three employees and a bookkeeper. Now the community development corporation (CDC) boasts almost 60 employees and four offices.
What other community-based groups are you involved with? I know that you sing with the wonderful Lafayette Inspirational Ensemble which is based at the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church. Could you talk a bit about the latter and what it means to you? Deb was a founding member of the Lafayette Inspirational Ensemble 14 years ago. Unfortunately her busy schedule often conflicts with the group’s concert and rehearsal schedule, so she no longer sings with them regularly. As a member of Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, she sings in the main choir every Sunday. She’s had a passion for singing since at least the age of 5. At the church she’s the chair of the capital campaign and has overseen the roof and church tower renovation as well as the restoration of seven stained-glass windows. In addition to being active at the church, Deb serves on two boards: South Brooklyn Legal Services and as treasurer of the Association of Neighborhood Housing Developers. She also mentioned that she was the president of Friends of the Clinton Hill Library for 17 years organizing their fundraising events but had to give it up when she became the executive director of PACC. She regrets that the organization was not as active after her departure and hopes that it’ll somehow be revived, perhaps by a local young mother who can find time for the commitment.
What are some of your favorite places in the neighborhood? Deb loves the Irondale Theater Center, which found a great space as its home in Ft. Greene. She also spoke enthusiastically about Jamel Gaines’ Creative Outlet Dance Theatre of Brooklyn which has Saturday classes at The Ronald Edmonds Learning Center MS113 on Adelphi. As for local restaurants, she said she frequents Chez Oscar and the Black Iris, especially because she often works late, and they’re convenient to the office. Deb also mentioned Yu Interiors as a great place for Christmas gifts. In general, Deb loves architecture and looking at historic buildings. A couple of the buildings she’s been obsessed with are 418-422 Classon Avenue between Quincy and Gates, one of PACC’s recently completed projects, and the old Brooklyn Fire Dept. Headquarters on Jay Street.
The Pratt Area Community Council (PACC) is celebrating its 45th anniversary and will hold a big party on October 21st at the Irondale Center. I asked Deb to talk about some of their current projects and to tell me about some of the work they do that CHB readers may not be aware of. Deb highlighted four major areas in which PACC is active and stressed that one of its key functions is to link individuals to other groups and to engage in coalition building.
* Advocacy issues: PACC focuses on issues that affect the community such as affordable housing and economic justice and works in partnership with other organizations to effect legislative change in Albany. * Issue of predatory equity: This refers to private equity funds and developers who purchased rent-stabilized buildings at untenable prices during the recent real estate boom. Many of these buildings are now in jeopardy and tenants in danger of possible foreclosure. For example, PACC worked hard to get the Anti-Harassment Act passed in City Council in May 2008 and this spring in Albany to strengthen vacancy de-control laws which were weakened in 2004. This piece of legislation protects older tenants from landlords who try to harass them out of their rent-stabilized apartments so that they can raise the rent above $2,000. As an example, she names Dermot Realty, which bought up 25 buildings in Downtown Brooklyn and has been notorious in harassing older tenants. PACC is instrumental in helping tenants to organize against such tactics by aggressive developers. * Home foreclosure: They have three counselors on staff to help people struggling with possible home loss. PACC helps people stay in their homes. She notes how Central Brooklyn (thru Jamaica, Queens) was targeted by subprime lenders. Due to Obama’s housing legislation, more loan modifications are now possible. Last year, they saved 146 homes, and they hope to save 190 this year. Her organization is very active in the state-wide coalition “New Yorkers for Responsible Lending,” which promotes community economic justice and works to eliminate discriminatory economic practices. PACC also offers practical homebuyer workshops on an ongoing basis. The cost for attending all five workshops is $50, at the end of which you receive a certificate enabling you to get access to affordable mortgages and free counseling. * Commercial revitalization/economic development: The goal being “targeted attention” to the revitalization of commercial corridors. They recently received a $200,000 grant from the Main Street program for façade improvements on Fulton Street between Grand and Bedford Avenues. Another achievement she mentioned is PACC’s initiative and persistence in encouraging Capital One Bank to open a new branch on the corner of Clinton Avenue and Fulton Street. Before it opened a few weeks ago there were no banks in a 23-block stretch of the street. Capital One has a strong small-business lending policy. She also pointed to the Fulton Street Business Improvement District (BID), which PACC was instrumental in helping get signed into law last December. Fulton Street business owners’ monthly assessments of $80 per 20 ft of storefront will begin in October, and the BID board expects to launch their program in September.
At their June 24th Annual Meeting, which was held at Gibb Mansion on Gates Avenue, they elected three new members to their Board of Directors: Tom Eastman, Lincoln Restler, and Jabir Suluki. The election of the new Board was followed by a lively discussion by Benjamin Dulchin, Executive Director of the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development (ANHD), and Keith Getter, management consultant at Neighborworks America, about the role nonprofits have today in preserving affordable housing. Though both acknowledged that these are tough times, the consensus seemed to be that PACC is in better shape than most nonprofits because it is fiscally sound. Additionally, PACC believes in and has built partnerships and coalitions which play a role in navigating successfully through stressful economic times.
Would you like to comment on the current status of the Fulton Street BID? Deb believes that the BID will be beneficial to merchants and is convinced that there’s a real benefit for it to be associated with a community development corporation. One of the chief aims of the BID is to provide targeted marketing for businesses, something which has been proven to bring new business to commercial corridors. In the case of the Fulton Street BID, particular emphasis will be placed on sanitation, security, and marketing. Among the items slated for the program’s launch this fall are a new website, a holiday marketing campaign, better street cleaning, security personnel and holiday lighting. Deb said the BID will enable them to attract capital dollars for the street so that it can be spruced up even more. In fact, Councilwoman Letitia James has just awarded the BID a $400,000 grant for new benches, banners, flower pots and garbage cans on 23 blocks of Fulton Street.
Which new projects are you particularly excited about? One of PACC’s key roles in the community is as an asset and property manager to maintain the affordable housing it has developed. PACC acquires and develops properties coordinating construction and long-term financing and applying for various types of subsidies to make them affordable. Typically this requires a commitment of 30 years or more. The organization currently manages 57 buildings comprising a total of 550 residential and commercial units, but this year they’ll add about 300 new units. They anticipate launching a property management business in February 2010 as a new income stream that will help ensure organizational sustainability. Their new office at 900 Fulton Street was opened explicitly for this purpose.
Finally, I asked how people in the neighborhood can support her organization and get more involved in the important work it’s doing. Deb said that they can become a member of PACC and start attending their quarterly breakfasts to gather info and see how to become involved in community housing work. One way would be to start by joining the PACC Leadership Group or Young Friends of PACC, the housing or economic development committees which advise the PACC Board. And of course people can always make donations. For more information, please visit their website at www.prattarea.org. You can also follow them on Facebook.
Welcome to the new and improved Clinton Hill Blog! We've implemented a new design and added some new features for your browsing enjoyment:
1. Forums - this is the place to sell stuff, discuss your own content, etc. The forums WILL be monitored, and if they are being abused will be removed. Please be respectful (and please keep sending your tips to us and not just posting them in the forum!).
2. Recently in Clinton Hill - this section collects the titles of the most recent five posts, and includes the number of comments on each. It will allow users a one-glance overview of the latest posts.
3. Restaurant Spotlight - this will change regularly to feature a post about a local business (not necessarily a restaurant, but it is for now).
4. Word on the Hill - we'll pick the most interesting comments to feature here regularly
5. Stay in Touch - shows you all the ways to keep in touch with CHB
6. CHB Store - we've set up a CafePress store for all of your CHB merch needs. (NOTE: I just ordered some products a few days ago to make sure the logo printing is OK - waiting for order to arrive!)
7. Friday Photo - will appear in the posts, but will also remain up in a separate column for the week
You will notice that the photo headers change upon refresh! Each photo was submitted by a CHB reader. The full photos and photographers will be featured in a future post (and are also listed on the "About" page).
Unfortunately, the blogroll listings did not transfer over perfectly and many ended up in the wrong category. I'll have it fixed shortly.
A GIANT thanks to ThinkSo Creative, headed by Fort Greene resident Elizabeth Amorose. She and her team designed our awesome new logo and site. Another GIANT thanks to Joey Cruz, my web programmer and designer for many years.
Hello, fair readers! We've been using this blog template for a few years now, and have been working on a redesign for the last several months. The plan is to flip the switch overnight. Bear with us if there are any problems. See you on the other side!
xoxo,
CHB
Congrats to the Myrtle Avenue Partnership on their recognition of the "Home Grown and Locally Owned" campaign. We look forward to checking out the vendors highlighted in the upcoming Fall 2009 campaign! (Also looking forward to the loyalty program- read below!)
FORT GREENE and CLINTON HILL, BROOKLYN, July 23, 2009—The Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership (the Partnership) received the ‘Placemaking Award’ honor during the NYC Department of Small Business Services’ annual Neighborhood Achievement Awards ceremony at Gracie Mansion last week. The Partnership was chosen from over 100 city-wide nominations for this honor, which recognized its Home Grown & Locally Owned campaign for the Myrtle Avenue retail corridor in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, Brooklyn. According to the city’s criteria for ‘Placemaking’, the award “honors a completed project by an individual or organization which increases the visibility, stature and overall identity of a neighborhood, resulting in greater visitation and economic activity.”
Initially launched in January 2007, the Home Grown & Locally Owned branding campaign was created by the Partnership to showcase the Myrtle Avenue merchants in postcards, print and electronic advertising, and streetlight banners, in an effort to promote the neighborhood commercial strip and encourage nearby residents to support the local economy. The campaign leverages the historic “Mom and Pop” character of Myrtle Avenue and strives to distinguish its mix of over 150 individual retailers by featuring the personal stories of entrepreneurs who have invested their time, energy and money in building their small business, and therefore the neighborhood, reminding shoppers of the familiar face and the personalized service they experience at a locally-owned business. The campaign also serves as a call to local shoppers to invest in urban neighborhoods, helping to prevent the displacement of locally-owned businesses while ensuring continued opportunities for first-time entrepreneurs.
“The Home Grown & Locally Owned campaign reinforces the reality that the success of our small businesses and the vitality of our neighborhoods are closely intertwined,” commented Michael Blaise Backer, Executive Director of the Myrtle Avenue Partnership, who accepted the award at Gracie Mansion on Monday. The campaign has increased local awareness of new business openings on Myrtle Avenue, broadened residents’ familiarity with local business owners, and increased daytime and evening foot traffic on the Avenue. A new phase of the Home Grown & Locally Owned campaign will be rolled out in September 2009, during a month-long celebration of the Myrtle Avenue Revitalization Project’s 10th anniversary. In tandem, the Partnership plans to launch Myrtle Miles, an Avenue-wide loyalty card program, where shoppers will receive points and bonuses for their local Myrtle purchases.
(Myrtle Ave nr Bedford)
Clinton Hill Blog readers, how are you? It’s Van and his midday-meal companion Tillie, here to tell you about our latest epicurean adventure, this time to pizza joint and all-around Italian restaurant The 3 Luigis on Lafayette and Grand. This spot is a spinoff of the Luigi’s on DeKalb next to Mike’s Coffee Shop, where Tillie and I have a near-daily residency going on. You see, people, I love pizza – I mean REALLY love it! I even find the merits in some frozen pizza, like DiGiorno’s, or some of the big franchises, like Papa John’s. This has pretty much been the case my whole life, and when I moved to New York and found that you can buy pizza by the slice, I thought I had died and gone to heaven.
Months before Tillie came on the scene, I decided that we were going to establish a weekly ritual, “Pizza Saturdays,” where we roll up to Luigi’s and grab a slice or two. As she’s started to eat a wider variety of food, I’ve been breaking off tiny pieces of my pizza, and I think she’s taking to it. After all, how could she not? She has those Sias pizza-eating genes coursing through her, and in my humble opinion, Luigi’s is far and away the best place in the neighborhood to grab a slice, so it all works out.
On this particular lunchtime jaunt, I had a taste for some pizza and instead of going to our usual spot, I thought we could go to the new place. I’ve had a slice or two there before, but oddly enough, it doesn’t measure up to the original locale to me, even though it’s the same guys going between the two shops. Also, at The 3 Luigi’s, they’re a little more, how shall I say it, adventurous with their pies, as seen by putting Ranch dressing or mustard on certain varieties, which is something I’m never going to try. But I was confident I’d be able to find something there to eat, so after I packed up a little food for Tillie (she did have pizza munching to do), off we went.
Upon arrival, we had to wrangle our way in there because the entrance is a little steep and there’s no ramp for strollers. We made it in, though, with a little assist from someone who was walking out. I grabbed a menu because none of the pies on display were holding any appeal to me. So I ordered a mini pie with tomatoes, which works out to be about a little more than a couple of slices worth, and some garlic knots, thinking that might be an interesting treat for Tillie to try.
I took a seat at a table and kept Tillie in her stroller. (I don’t think there were any high chairs around: I didn’t see any and I didn’t ask, so I can’t give you the definite scoop on whether you have to worry about that or not. Sorry!) T was pretty chill, regardless, taking the time to stuff her shoe in her mouth.
While she was doing that, her mom had actually given me a reading assignment to do, marking off the eating section in “What to Expect the First Year” for 9-month-olds. I skimmed through it and didn’t see anything about pizza or garlic knots, so I figured we were good to go!
The place had a steady stream of business and from where we sat, we could catch all the interactions between the customers and one of the restaurant’s owners. Everyone seemed to have a good rapport with each other, which I think is a pleasant thing to witness. There was even a special guest appearance by Gabby of Still Hip fame, who came over to chat with Tillie and me after placing her lunch order. She figured we were there casing the joint, but I told her we were a covert operation and couldn’t talk about that!
Anyway, Tillie had some cereal to snack on, but all I could think about were the garlic knots. I was starving and wanted something to eat, too: Why should Tillie have all the fun? Just when I was about to grab some Cheerios, the pizza showed up. The guy who took our order told us it takes a while for the dough to rise to make the knots, so I told him that’s OK since it looked like I was going to have my hands full with this pie!
And let me tell you, I definitely did! It was a nice sight to see: plenty of tomatoes among the bubbling cheese and a dark crust, just the way I like it. I was going to be hard-pressed to share some with Tillie, but I managed. And just like me, Tillie loved it. I would give her a little piece of crust with some cheese and that worked for her. I thought there could be the possibility of taking some of it home, but I guess we had other plans.
After the pizza was all gone, I packed us up and we were off. The bill for this pizza and a soda was only $7, which was a bargain beyond belief for what we just had. Sure, some garlic knots would’ve been nice, but the quality of the pie more than made up for it. It’s a tight squeeze to get in and out of the place with a stroller, but if you don’t mind that, and want some great pizza in a great atmosphere, The 3 Luigi’s is worth it. And now Tillie and I have another stop on our pizza tour!
Clinton Hill Blog readers, how are you? It’s Van and his midday-meal companion Tillie, here to tell you about our latest epicurean adventure, this time to pizza joint and all-around Italian restaurant The 3 Luigis on Lafayette and Grand.
This spot is a spinoff of the Luigi’s on DeKalb next to Mike’s Coffee Shop, where Tillie and I have a near-daily residency going on. You see, people, I love pizza – I mean REALLY love it! I even find the merits in some frozen pizza, like DiGiorno’s, or some of the big franchises, like Papa John’s. This has pretty much been the case my whole life, and when I moved to New York and found that you can buy pizza by the slice, I thought I had died and gone to heaven.
Months before Tillie came on the scene, I decided that we were going to establish a weekly ritual, “Pizza Saturdays,” where we roll up to Luigi’s and grab a slice or two. As she’s started to eat a wider variety of food, I’ve been breaking off tiny pieces of my pizza, and I think she’s taking to it. After all, how could she not? She has those Sias pizza-eating genes coursing through her, and in my humble opinion, Luigi’s is far and away the best place in the neighborhood to grab a slice, so it all works out.
On this particular lunchtime jaunt, I had a taste for some pizza and instead of going to our usual spot, I thought we could go to the new place. I’ve had a slice or two there before, but oddly enough, it doesn’t measure up to the original locale to me, even though it’s the same guys going between the two shops. Also, at The 3 Luigi’s, they’re a little more, how shall I say it, adventurous with their pies, as seen by putting Ranch dressing or mustard on certain varieties, which is something I’m never going to try. But I was confident I’d be able to find something there to eat, so after I packed up a little food for Tillie (she did have pizza munching to do), off we went.
Upon arrival, we had to wrangle our way in there because the entrance is a little steep and there’s no ramp for strollers. We made it in, though, with a little assist from someone who was walking out. I grabbed a menu because none of the pies on display were holding any appeal to me. So I ordered a mini pie with tomatoes, which works out to be about a little more than a couple of slices worth, and some garlic knots, thinking that might be an interesting treat for Tillie to try.
I took a seat at a table and kept Tillie in her stroller. (I don’t think there were any high chairs around: I didn’t see any and I didn’t ask, so I can’t give you the definite scoop on whether you have to worry about that or not. Sorry!) T was pretty chill, regardless, taking the time to stuff her shoe in her mouth.
While she was doing that, her mom had actually given me a reading assignment to do, marking off the eating section in “What to Expect the First Year” for 9-month-olds. I skimmed through it and didn’t see anything about pizza or garlic knots, so I figured we were good to go!
The place had a steady stream of business and from where we sat, we could catch all the interactions between the customers and one of the restaurant’s owners. Everyone seemed to have a good rapport with each other, which I think is a pleasant thing to witness. There was even a special guest appearance by Gabby of Still Hip fame, who came over to chat with Tillie and me after placing her lunch order. She figured we were there casing the joint, but I told her we were a covert operation and couldn’t talk about that!
Anyway, Tillie had some cereal to snack on, but all I could think about were the garlic knots. I was starving and wanted something to eat, too: Why should Tillie have all the fun? Just when I was about to grab some Cheerios, the pizza showed up. The guy who took our order told us it takes a while for the dough to rise to make the knots, so I told him that’s OK since it looked like I was going to have my hands full with this pie!
And let me tell you, I definitely did! It was a nice sight to see: plenty of tomatoes among the bubbling cheese and a dark crust, just the way I like it. I was going to be hard-pressed to share some with Tillie, but I managed. And just like me, Tillie loved it. I would give her a little piece of crust with some cheese and that worked for her. I thought there could be the possibility of taking some of it home, but I guess we had other plans.
After the pizza was all gone, I packed us up and we were off. The bill for this pizza and a soda was only $7, which was a bargain beyond belief for what we just had. Sure, some garlic knots would’ve been nice, but the quality of the pie more than made up for it. It’s a tight squeeze to get in and out of the place with a stroller, but if you don’t mind that, and want some great pizza in a great atmosphere, The 3 Luigi’s is worth it. And now Tillie and I have another stop on our pizza tour!
Clinton Hill Blog published from 2006 - 2010. Please enjoy these archives - a love letter to the neighborhood.
