Innovate Shakespeare Performance at Irondale

CHB is going to check this performance out tonight and will report back tomorrow- sounds pretty cool!

The Irondale Center presents

The Strike Anywhere Performance Ensemble & Anitya

in the world premiere of

MACBETH VARIATIONS II

@ Irondale

October 1 – 3, 2009

“An event that brings together musicians, puppeteers, dancers, and actors in an audacious version of Shakespeare's Macbeth. Shakespeare would have been proud of this modern take of his classic”

-Daniel Brown, Radio France

What: Macbeth Variations II: a Shakespeare Soundpainting (Performed in French & English)

Who: Strike Anywhere Performance Ensemble (NYC) & Anitya (Paris, France)

When: October 1, 2, 3 at 8pm

Where: Irondale Center, 85 South Oxford Street, Brooklyn, NYC. Directions: www.irondale.org

Cost: $20-$40 (Sliding Scale) Tickets can be purchased online: www.strikeanywhere.info

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, OCTOBER 1-3, 2009 - The Irondale Center, who are establishing themselves as one of Brooklyn’s leading performing arts laboratory and performance spaces, opens their 09/10 season with the critically acclaimed Strike Anywhere Performance Ensemble and their international collaborators Anitya in the world premiere of Macbeth Variations II, a dynamic performance event combining physical theater, improvised music, dance and a live-composing sign language called Soundpainting..

Macbeth Variations II is a set of improvised inter-disciplinary compositions exploring Shakespeare's play Macbeth. Just as jazz musicians improvise on jazz standards finding infinite variety within classic tunes, improvisers use Shakespeare's text as the melody from which they depart. The result is a highly-charged interdisciplinary performance event that is different every night. The piece is the perfect compliment to the mission of Irondale who strive to provide an enviroment where performance boundaries can be pushed and work with a social conciousness can be produced. This is the Irondale Center’s second season in their new space, and they are thrilled to host companies such as Strike Anywhere & Anitya who represent a new wave of experimental work today.

“Strike Anywhere Performance Ensemble merges music, theater, improvisation, and structured composition into a total multi-media experience – a ‘happening’ in which art leaps off the wall and into the seat next to us.” - Asbury Park Press

About Macbeth Variations II

Macbeth Variations II is the second stage of an international collaboration between NYC-based Strike Anywhere and Paris-based ANITYA. The performance features on-stage conductors who sculpt the improvisation through the complex language of Soundpainting. Soundpainting is the live composing sign language created by New York composer Walter Thompson for musicians, dancers, and actors. In May 2009, the Irondale Center hosted the pioneer of Soundpainting, Walter Thompson, in an incredible world premiere composition featuring acclaimed musician Anthony Braxton. Irondale is fast becoming the leading presenter of this type of performance work and both Strike Anywhere Performance Ensemble and ANITYA are the foremost practitioners of Soundpainting in their respective countries.

About Irondale

The Irondale Center is the permanent home of the Irondale Ensemble, a 26 year old Theater Company comprised of professional theater artists who have a commitment to creating theater and education programs that explore emerging themes in our society.  The Center is also a multi-discipline laboratory for the work of other artists and companies.  Ensemble members manage, and curate the Center, nurturing and presenting work that contributes to the cultural, social and educational life of the community. For more information please visit: www.irondale.org

About Strike Anywhere Performance Ensemble and ANITYA

STRIKE ANYWHERE was established in 1997 by founder and Artistic Director, Leese Walker. Strike Anywhere is a permanent ensemble of world class jazz musicians, modern dancers, and actors. Its work is guided by the words of Bertolt Brecht, “Art is not a mirror held up to reality, but a hammer with which to shape it.” Performers collaborate through an improvisational process to create politically-charged, original works that address socially-relevant issues. Strike Anywhere has toured extensively. Its critically acclaimed show, 10 BRECHT POEMS, toured nationally to over 40 venues and aired in full on local NYC television. Strike Anywhere has been featured on Radio France, NPR, WBAI and German Public Radio. The company has appeared at: B.A..M., American Airlines Theater, The Zipper Factory, P.S. 122, St. Clements, Theatre for the New City, Galapagos, and HERE Arts Center. For more information, please visit: www.strikeanywhere.info

ANITYA was created in January 2006 by French composer Christophe Cagnolari. The group is comprised of 20 artists—classical and jazz instrumentalists, actors, dancers, and lighting designers. The orchestra rehearses weekly to acquire a fluid mastery of Soundpainting. Christophe Cagnolari—soundpainter, composer, saxophone—graduated in musicology at Paris IV Sorbonne and in ethnomusicology at Paris X. He also earned a masters degree in gamelan in Bali and won first prize in harmony/counterpoint, awarded by the city of Paris. In addition to Cagnolari, three artists from the ANITYA company will participate in the Phase II collaboration on Macbeth Variations: Maxime Nourissat (actor/toured internationally with Marcel Marceau working with him until his death), Maud Ivanoff (actor), and Thierry Jozé (actor). For more information, please visit: www..anitya.fr

Myrtle Ave Wants Your Feedback!

The Myrtle Windows Gallery - displays of art in local businesses' windows - celebrates its first anniversary this weekend.  They'd like to hear from local residents about what worked and what didn't, and how to improve the program.  Here's some info from Myrtle Minutes: If you haven't had a chance to check out the fourth exhibition in the Myrtle Windows Gallery, make sure you do so this weekend! We'll be saying goodbye to this show, curated by Kennis Baptiste of The Rising Arts Gallery, next week. Come out to Tamboril (between Steuben and Grand) on Sunday from 4pm-9pm to celebrate this fantastic show that featured the works of ten Brooklyn artists in our MWG storefronts, as well as inside Pillow Cafe and Tamboril.

So, what did you think of MWG's first year? How did art in storefront windows impact your experience walking down Myrtle? We want to hear from you, so please send us your feedback! You can post comments here, or send them to meredith@myrtleavenue.org. Oh, and while you're touring this exhibition, remember to thank your Myrtle merchants who have generously donated their storefronts for the cause of promoting public art! I'm not sure if the holiday window painting was part of this program, but it was one of my favorite Myrtle Ave art projects!

First Friday at RePop: October 2

From RePop, hosting another fabulous First Friday: The seasons seem to have changed at the speed of light and autumn has arrived!  Thus a new First Friday is upon us where RePOP is proud to clear its walls and open its doors for another fantastic show.

This October we feature a viewing not to be missed by Scott Graeber.

Since the age of eighteen every job that Mr. Graeber has had centered around death and the disassembling of the human body.  Over twenty years of such work has pushed him into a permanent melancholy.  His art, however, has flourished under these circumstances, even as the rest of his life (and body) gradually dissolves.

Several years of figurative study have brought him to a point where he is satisfied these experiences can be translated to clay or canvas.

Why frescos?

"In a world where electronics are replacing our ears, eyes and skin, natural material has becoming critical.  As our souls fade people have started to cling to everything home made.  From farmers markets to hand knit socks we are searching for whatever seems fundamentally real.  The nuclear age has kicked our asses and left us feeling hollow.  Wood, copper, lime, sand and minerals, these things are all sound and real.  They are fresco.  When a fresco is started you only have a few hours to work before it's all over.  When the lime is fixed the mineral pigments are bound for as long as the wall stands.  No time to correct errors, no second thoughts, what's done is done - beautiful.  This is why I do fresco." ~ Scott Graeber

This particular collection offers a an entrance into the season with an adornment of renderings and unique musings.

The shop will be open for business on this special evening offering a first hand glimpse at Graeber's collection.

Join us at the shop on October 2nd and enjoy a wonderful evening of art and wine.

RePop

95% Recycled

68 Washington Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11205

http://www.repopny.com

30 Days of Yoga for $30! ENDS THURSDAY

Move With Grace's 30 days of yoga for $30 deal expired Wednesday... but she's willing to extend it ONE DAY ONLY FOR CHB READERS!  Readers must purchase the special online by 7pm, Thursday, October 1.

Today is the final day to sign up for the $30 for 30 days of Yoga!

After today new students can still try us out for for one month...now including ALL classes on the schedule for $49 for 30days.

The Fall special for membership at the studio is $79/month for your first 3 months and then $89 for the remaining months. One may cancel after 6 months.

Click HERE for the yoga special!

Move With Grace 469 Myrtle Ave

Fort Greene Park Conservancy Wine Tasting Fundraiser!

On Monday, October 5, 2009, the Fort Greene Park Conservancy will hold their third annual Portfolio Wine Tasting Fundraiser from 6-10pm at the Irondale Center, 85 South Oxford Street, in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.

The event will feature VIP Wine Tasting Classes led by Brooklyn-area wine experts and General Admission Tastings of over 100 wines from around the world. Accompanying the wines will be a variety of appetizers created by Rick's Picks, Plan B foods, as well as cheeses, charcuterie, hors d'oeuvres and fresh fruit and bread from Greene Grape Provisions. A local DJ will provide musical ambiance, with special surprises.

Admission to the event is through tax-deductible donations to the Conservancy. An $80 in advance/ $90 at the door donation includes general admission to the event from 8-10pm. A VIP donation of $150 features a wine tasting class from 6 to 7pm and priority access to the wines from 6 to 8pm as well as general admission to the tasting from 8 to 10pm. To purchase tickets visit the Conservancy website.  Tickets are also available at The Greene Grape, 765 Fulton St., between South Oxford and South Portland Ave in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, and at The Greene Grape Downtown, 55 Liberty St. at Nassau St. in the Financial District of Manhattan. We look forward to seeing you.

A New Bar for Fulton?

Recently, a reader tipped me off to a potential bar opening on Fulton next to Brooklyn Cares Vet: Hi! I think there might be a new bar going in around 946 or 948 Fulton St at Cambridge Place (next to the Brooklyn Cares vet clinic). It's under construction, but the door was open the other day and I saw what looked like a big long plywood counter going in. Do you know anything about it?

I walked past last week and only saw what looked like construction - but no one was around to ask.  Have the scoop?  This could be pretty cool, and a good way to link western Fulton (home to Olivino wine shop and bar and the new Just Taste It) with the eastern end (Outpost).  Maybe they'll even be open when the post office is.  I know I usually feel like a stiff drink after leaving that place.

Back from the Wedding

Thanks, readers, for all of your messages of congratulations!  Just thought you might want to see Mr. and Mrs. Lesterhead as the features Vows couple in the Times.  Click here to check it out! Flowers and cake were both amazing, and the fam loved Il Porto.  More photos to come.

Another recommendation outside the 'hood: the Nu Hotel on Smith and Atlantic.  Most of our guests stayed there, the staff was amazing and the hotel is fun and unique.

Bear with me while I get back into the swing of things.

CHB Interviews: Theresa King, Myrtle El Photographer

1. Where in Brooklyn did you grow up? Tell us a little about the Brooklyn childhood experience. Until I was seven years old, we lived in Bedford Stuyvesant as tenants in a brownstone. My father then took a position in Brighton Beach where we lived for many years and where I graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School. I then left Brighton and spent some years on Clinton Avenue, Franklin Avenue and Atlantic Avenue which was my last apartment in Brooklyn.

As a child and young adult, I recall the warmth of the different neighborhoods, the feeling of extended family, the variety of images, street games, schools, - the local candy stores where we were always made to feel welcome, the unique vistas from each neighborhood and most certainly the diversity of the population. Is there a Brooklynite of my generation who can ever forget the delicious smells from the local bakeries? Brooklyn is an awakening of the senses and a unique, diverse and special universe of its own and I am proud to have been raised there.

2. How was the El different from the subway? Did people prefer one or the other?

The elevated trains brought light, air and street life to those riding them. One was no longer on a subway under the ground where dark walls, fellow passengers and Ms. Subways and other ads were your only companions.  Indeed our subways take us quickly from one station to another while we read, doze, study, and often use the time in many productive ways.  We are still underground individuals waiting for our stop so that we can get out, go upstairs and see the light of day.

I found the El a different experience. Much like a painting or a poem simply looking out of the windows at the passing scenery - the small apartment buildings so close that you could see folks eating at the kitchen table, almost touch the oil cloth on the tables and linoleum on the floors and imagine yourself part of this unknown family.  Sometimes the profusion of television antennas on the roofs became a picture in itself. Then there were the distant views - office buildings large and small, and of course the people walking, the young girls and other family members looking out of a window for hours at a time. They always had a small pillow to lean on and I used to wonder, "what are they thinking, what are their dreams, who are they" - these strangers who live among us, but with the constant rumble of a train going past them. Do they even notice us as we notice them? Do they even hear the El anymore?  There are still some elevated portions of subway lines operating and I enjoy riding them. I still think of the people in those buildings and still think and visualize scenes and life around them. As for preference, I can only guess. The dreamers and visualizes among us, I imagine still love the elevated trains that remain. 3. What do you remember about Clinton Hill and Fort Greene during the days of the El? Have you been back to Myrtle Avenue recently? If so, has anything remained the same?

I haven't lived in Brooklyn since the 1970's. I still recall lovely brownstones on Clinton Avenue, businesses on Myrtle Avenue, and the struggles, successes and kindness of the people who lived there. In connection with the photo exhibit at the New York Transit Museum, Sunday, October 18, 2009, I will be leading a tour of my photographs in the exhibit. And on Saturday, November 7, 2009, I will lead another tour group of youngsters and their families down Myrtle Avenue. We will all take photographs and it certainly will be a learning experience for me as well as for the young photographers.

4. People were obviously very fond of the El.  Did anyone lobby to preserve it? My recollection is that a small group did attempt to save it to no avail. I've done a bit of searching recently on the internet, but haven't come up with anything in the archives. It would be wonderful if an interested reader of this article found some information and shared it with us. 5.  How does your Brooklyn background influence your artistic work? Brooklyn is a feast for the eyes, an ever-changing place, a home to a multitude of ethnicities, and a profoundly unique and incredible borough of New York. I've yet to meet someone from Brooklyn without a strong opinion, a willingness to "step up" when asked as well as a sense of belonging to a community. Brooklyn is ENERGY. How could I not be influenced by this place where I was raised and lived in different neighborhoods, met many people of different backgrounds, religions and beliefs? It opened my eyes to settings, people, interactions, styles of architecture, cultural differences and so much more. My photography is a product of these sensory and personal experiences- from riding the El, the subways, the trolleys, to walking to school - from the beach at Brighton to the Botanical Gardens to the cheesecake at Juniors, and the Cyclone at Coney Island - From the music in Prospect Park during the summer to the street corner A cappella groups on so many street corners. I credit my native borough with creating who I am and wherever I am, I always manage to let people know that I AM FROM BROOKLYN.

Last Day of the Myrtle Avenue El

The New York Transit Museum will feature a very cool photography exhibit documenting the last day of the Myrtle Ave El - the elevated train that ran down Myrtle Avenue from 1888 - 1969.  Go far enough down Myrtle, near Bushwick, and you can still see the El's structure, never fully taken down.  It's crazy to imagine so many NYC streets beneath elevated trains!

The press release includes some wonderful historical facts about the line and the exhibit:

Opening in 1888, the Myrtle Avenue el ran from downtown Brooklyn to Queens, passing through Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Bushwick, Ridgewood, and Middle Village.  After eighty years, to the dismay of many passengers, the Myrtle Avenue el closed in 1969 and was demolished the following year. Yet, in the mid-20th century, the el’s wooden train cars and antiquated stations still held fond memories for riders who grew up in those neighborhoods.

THE LAST DAY OF THE MYRTLE AVENUE EL: Photographs by Theresa King is a photo essay shot in a single day forty years ago. The photographer recalls, “At midnight on October 3, 1969 over a thousand people eagerly awaited a train – not just any train, but the final train to run on Brooklyn’s Myrtle Avenue elevated line.  These people were taking the last ride on this historic elevated train.  As soon as they crammed on, the train rolled along from Brooklyn’s Jay Street station to the Metropolitan Avenue station in Queens.  At the end of this sad journey, some passengers took artifacts to remember this very special old timer and bid a fond farewell. The pictures were taken during this last day at various stations along the Myrtle Avenue el in Brooklyn.  During my childhood, I rode this train daily and loved the look of the station stops and the train itself.  When I realized the line was due for demolition, I wanted to document a part of Brooklyn’s past that would be no more.”

Myrtle Avenue—named for the myrtle trees that once grew in the area – has been a major roadway since the early 1800’s. In the mid-nineteenth century, the Knickerbocker Stage Coach Line ran omnibus service on the avenue. In April 1888 the Myrtle Avenue elevated train began operation from downtown Brooklyn to Grand Avenue Junction, where Pratt Institute had opened one year earlier. That September, the line was extended west to Sands Street, where passengers could transfer to a cable car to cross the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan. In 1889 it was extended east to Wyckoff Avenue in Bushwick, and then to Metropolitan Avenue in Queens in 1906. When it first opened the neighborhoods along the western end of Myrtle Avenue – downtown Brooklyn, Fort Greene, and Clinton Hill, were already densely populated. The Brooklyn Bridge had been completed five years earlier and omnibus lines and railroads served the area. Beyond Grand Avenue Junction, however, the area was still mostly rural, and much of eastern Myrtle Avenue developed along with the el.  Bushwick’s housing and industry boomed in the late 1880’s, as German immigrants opened successful large-scale breweries, and Ridgewood developed just after the line was extended there in the prosperous years before World War I.  But beginning in the 1930s, with the decline of business along Brooklyn’s once vibrant waterfront and the opening of what is today the G subway line, ridership on the Myrtle Avenue el began a decline that would culminate with the closing of the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 1966.

The exhibit features color and black and white photographs by Theresa King, along with historic photographs, archival material, and station signage from the New York Transit Museum collection.

New York Transit Museum Located on the corner of Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street in Brooklyn Heights Hours: Tuesday - Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Admission: $5 Adults, $3 children (3-17) and Seniors (62+) Seniors admitted free every Wednesday

Lunchtime With Tillie: Myrtle Thai

The Tillie Exotic Experimentation Express keeps on rollin’! And lucky me, I get to go along for the ride!Hey there, Clinton Hillers, it’s Van, and that epicurean adventuress Tillie, with this week’s Lunchtime segment. For our latest neighborhood food stop, we decided to stroll on down to Myrtle Thai, located on Myrtle Avenue. (I didn’t really have to give any direction indicator there, did I?)

My own past with Myrtle Thai used to only consist of ordering pad Thai while I was hanging out across the street from it at Rope bar, back when Myrtle Thai was at its old location between Vanderbilt and Clinton. Tillie’s mom kind of changed my train of thought on the restaurant, though, with her serious Thai background. After college, she joined the Peace Corps and went to a village in Thailand for a couple of years. She still speaks Thai pretty good and makes some delicious dishes: not bad for a gal from Maine!

As I realized there was more to the menu than noodles with peanuts, I’ve grown to become appreciative of the wide variety Myrtle Thai has to offer. Probably now my favorite dishes are the red and green curries. And I always get chicken with the red and shrimp with the green: I don’t know, those options just work out for me, I guess!

Strolling by the new spot one particular day, I decided to stop in. And since I had Tillie with me, too, I figured she should come along as well! This was my first time going there for lunch and what really struck me was the menu: in particular, the price! The lunchtime deal is $5.95 for the entrée, a salad and a spring roll. In these days of joblessness, I don’t know how it could get much better than that!

We went in and were pointed to a seat by the window, which seemed to be the best spot in the new location for a high chair. This seemed to work well with Tillie as it appeared she was completely captivated by the people walking along the sidewalk. But I had to pull her back to attention: Didn’t she know she had Thai food to try?

The waitress came by to take my order, and I decided to go for the green curry with chicken. If you noticed earlier, I said I usually have the chicken with the red, but this time I decided to switch it up. What can I say? I’m a wild and crazy guy! Plus, in consultation with Tillie’s mom, we determined that the green was the milder of the two sauces. I asked if I could hold the salad and instead get an extra spring roll because I saw the salad of our table neighbor and it looked pretty unappetizing to me—just some iceberg lettuce, a couple of tomato chunks and a whole mess of thousand island dressing.

While I’m waiting for my food to come out, I broke out with Tillie’s. I packed her some pureed carrots and grapes—two great dishes that go great together as far as she’s concerned. By the time I gave her a couple of bites of the carrots, my food arrived: a pretty big bowl of the curry, a mound of steaming rice and two spring rolls with a spicy dipping sauce.

After taking a couple of bites for myself, I determined that the spice level was definitely low and enough for the Tillster to handle, so I set aside some of my rice and put the merest essence of curry upon it. Initially, I was worried about my own curry-to-rice ratio because it seems whenever we get delivery from Myrtle Thai, the amount of rice sent along is always skimpy. But I had plenty of grains to spare this go-around!

I paused in the carrot feeding and gave Tillie (who happens to love rice, by the way) a bite of her special treat and she really took to it. She first gives you that look of curiosity, like “What the…?” but if it’s not trickling out of her mouth after the first taste, then you know you’re good!

So after some rice, I was struck by a moment of inspiration and thought, “Why not put a little dab of curry in her carrots? You know, jazz them up Thai-style!” That was a hit, too. I held back from dipping her grapes in the sauce, but only just!

And thankfully for me, my curry-to-rice ratios held up despite Tillie putting a dent in the dish. The food was excellent: chicken and bamboo shoots galore, which I enjoy as it gives the food a nice textural contrast. Plus, the spring rolls were cooked to perfection and the dipping sauce was a nice complement.

Myrtle Thai ended up being a great choice for us. We were the only adult and stroller rider in the place, and it seemed to be a tight fit in this new spot. I’m sure if more people came, they would figure out a way to accommodate the extra load. With the amazing food, great prices and wonderful service, it’s worth trying!

CHB Mostly Off Until Monday

Lesterhead's getting hitched on Saturday, so we're taking a few days off. (Van will be here Friday for his latest with Tillie.)

For those of you who have emailed me info and announcements, I scheduled most of these last few weeks' posts in advance and have not had time to update much new stuff.

We'll be back on Monday, Sept. 28.  (Honeymooning in October!)

An Important Discussion about Shem Walker

In the CHB inbox: Remember Shem Walker Please join us for an important evening of conversation. Shem Walker was shot and killed on July 11, 2009 in front of his house at Lafayette Ave. near Classon Ave. by an NYPD undercover a cop.

Wednesday, September 23, 7pm Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church (At the corner of Lafayette Avenue & So. Oxford St., Brooklyn)

Program includes: Shavone Walker, Shem Walker’s Daughter Kirsten  Foy (Walker Family Spokesperson) Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries (57AD) One Hundred Blacks In Law Enforcement Who Care Question and Answer period included

Sponsors: Fort Greene Peace,   Families United for Racial and Economic Equality (FUREE),    Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries (57 AD)

For information email: fortgreenepeace@gmail.com This is a free event open to all. Thank you and peace, Fort Greene Peace.

Green Space at Grand - Fulton-Putnam

The intersection of Grand, Fulton and Putnam creates a small triangle with a fenced in NYC Greenspace.  I saw a few flowers amongst the overgrowth recently, but does anyone keep it up?

Has anyone ever tried to program that little space, open up the fenced in area or put some benches out?  The sidewalk (which looks great - was it redone during the Fulton repaving?) is plenty wide enough for seating.  With all of the restaurants nearby (Kush, Michael Sllen, Brown Betty, Samantha's Southern Cuisine), it might be a nice place to grab some food to go and sit outside.

Friday Photo

(Kent Ave)

SCH Meeting: Tonight

Society for Clinton Hill General Meeting

Thursday, September 17, 2009, 7-9:15 pm

Saint Angela Hall, St.Joseph’s College, 267 Waverly Avenue, (DeKalb/Willoughby)

AGENDA

7:00 pm                 Refreshments from KIF, the Middle Eastern restaurant located on DeKalb.

7:30                        Welcome & announcements: Dave Haberer, President, SCH

SCH is very busy. Find out what’s going on and how to get involved.

7:40                        Comments on film & theater: George Bartenieff, acclaimed actor & CH neighbor,                                  currently appearing in the film Julie and Julie, and also starring in The Bacchae,                                  currently at the    Delacorte Theater in Central Park.   Introduction by Brent Porter.

7:55                        A Conversation on Roses: Anne O’Neill, from the BBG, who has voluntarily                                   worked on the Pratt Rose Garden, and John Rattigan from Root Stock & Quade.

8:15                        New Business Introductions:

-Fulton Street Veterinarian

-Green in Brooklyn, Myrtle Ave., Elissa Olin,  “10 Ways to Go Green in Brooklyn”

8:25                        Development on Lefferts Place: John Katsos, update on proposed CNR building.

8:40                        Proposed Food Coop:  update from Lawrence Eichorn

8:45                        Myrtle Avenue Revitalization Project – 10th Anniversary Celebration:  Blaise                             Backer,  Exec. Dir. & Meredith Phillips Almeida, Dir., Community Development,  will tell you about the activities taking place on every Sunday in September on Myrtle Avenue and the coming new Myrtle Avenue Pedestrian Plaza.

9:00                        MillionTreesNYC: Ashley Willhite . trees for  Brooklyn.

9:10                        Open Mic – sign up at the door to make your one-minute announcement.

SCH will sponsor one block of the “Move About Myrtle,” on Sept. 20.  We will have a booth with  MillionTreesNYC and will be giving away free trees and also the NO FLYER signs.  Please stop by!

Halloween is coming up and promises to be bigger and better than ever.  There will be many homes offering trick or treats, decorations and entertainment.  Of course there will be the usual Spectacular at 313 Clinton Avenue.  T-Shirts and tote bags for Halloween will be available for sale at the meeting.  $15 and $20.

We have a gift for you…. free “NO FLYER” signs will be available at the meeting.  These really work and do reduce litter!  Be a good neighbor and take a sign for them as well.

CALL for VOLUNTEERS:  If you can help on Sunday at the MARP event, please sign-up at the meeting. We need help between 11 am and 5 pm.

NEXT MEETING:    Thursday, November 19, 2009, 7 pm, Saint Angela Hall

Call for Local Artists

With the overwhelmingly positive response to the four Tree Hugger Project sculptures that took up residence on the avenue for the past 11 months (and who have now moved on to Pratt’s Sculpture Garden in case you want to pay them a visit), we are anxious to bring more creative energy to the streets of Fort Greene and Clinton Hill. The RFP for Temporary Public Sculpture (PDF document) seeks existing and/or proposed artworks for temporary installation (up to 11 months) at various outdoor locations along Myrtle Avenue. A full list of sites is below, while a map of the avenue and each site’s location is within the RFP document. The submission deadline is October 1, 2009, at 5 PM.

Artists or teams of artists alike are invited to apply to have pieces installed at any or all of the proposed locations. All interested artists are STRONGLY encouraged to visit Myrtle Avenue to view all the sites in person before applying. Each site has its own character and context therefore a visit is important to truly understand and communicate the impact an artwork will have on the space.

The proposed public sculpture sites are located at: 1. Ingersoll Houses: Myrtle near Prince (adjacent to the Community Center) 2. Ingersoll Houses: Myrtle and Navy Street (west side of Navy) 3. Ingersoll Houses: Myrtle and Navy Street (east side of Navy) 4. Ingersoll Houses: Myrtle and St. Edwards 5. Whitman Houses: Myrtle near North Portland 6. Whitman Houses: Myrtle between North Portland and Carlton 7. Whitman Houses: Myrtle near Washington Park (adjacent to commercial building) 8. Northwest corner of Fort Greene Park at the intersection of Myrtle and St. Edwards 9. Northeast corner of Fort Greene Park at the intersection of Myrtle and Washington Park 10. Green Streets Triangle at the intersection of Carlton and Myrtle 11. Wide sidewalks at Clinton and Myrtle 12. Wide sidewalks at Hall and Myrtle

The basic qualities we are looking for in proposed artwork are ARTISTIC MERIT, SITE SUITABILITY, DESIGN AESTHETIC, DURABILITY, and LOCAL. Basically, we’re looking for work showing creative and technical talent that fit the proposed site while maintaining a strong visual impact. The artwork will be installed outside so it must be able to endure any and all weather, whether it be surprise 80 degree weather in April, snow storms in January or thunderstorms in March! And lastly, preference will be given to local Brooklyn-based artists.

For more information contact Meredith Phillips Almeida at (718) 230-2689 or meredith@myrtleavenue.org.

Fulton Commercial Rental Space

For the life of me, I cannot remember what was once in this space.  A community center?

What do you want to see open up here?  The space is pretty large - let your imaginations run wild. (Fulton nr Washington)

Don't Upzone Lefferts Place

It's important for communities to come together to protect the neighborhood and promote responsible development.  Currently, a developer is trying to pull some backhanded moves on Lefferts Place, where they are trying to upzone the street in order to build a large senior resident complex. More info, and a petition to support blocking the upzoning, follows from the Society for Clinton Hill:

Dear Friends:

Our neighbors on Lefferts Place and St. James are in need of help. They are concerned about the plans of a company called CNR which provides assisted care and housing for seniors. They want to build a new facility on Lefferts Place, which is a gorgeous street with beautiful brownstones, some free-standing mansions, and very old row houses.

The problem is that CNR wants to build a building larger than our R6B zoning allows. They do have options such as:

a) build a structure that conforms to the zoning regulations,

b) apply for a variance for that one building,

c) locate the building on Atlantic Avenue or Fulton Street which have the zoning they would need and those streets need development.

d) find another more appropriate location all together.

Unfortunately, what CNR apparently wants to do is to change the zoning on the entire block to be the same as that on Atlantic and Fulton. (As you know, when developers are pursuing your block, you have a hard time getting the full and accurate story in time to do anything. And, what you are told constantly changes. This situation is no different.)

Of course, the immediate community and we are extremely concerned about this. First, and obviously, what would this mean about our years of work to get the new zoning? Would every developer just go in and undo what years of work produced? And, if CNR really just wants to build one building and isn’t planning to do more on that beautiful street, why would they want the entire block up-zoned??

Consequently, our friends on Lefferts Place are circulating a petition to demonstrate that the community opposes the audacious proposal to change the zoning we all worked so hard for years to achieve. We don’t need or want giant structures within the brownstone buildings. The Planning Commission, City Council, CB2 and others agreed with and approved the down-zoning, so this planned request is a slap in the face to everyone, and specifically to all those who live on this quiet residential street.

Please support our Lefferts Place neighbors by signing the attached petition and forwarding it on to others who support keeping Clinton Hill at a Clinton Hill scale.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Dont_Upzone_Lefferts_Place

CHB Interviews: Jerome Chou of Branch

You may have noticed a curious table set up in front of CitiBank's parking lot at Move About Myrtle the last two Sundays.  The volunteer group, Branch, is dedicated to setting up a temporary public library to counteract library budgetary cuts and reduced operating hours.  I was curious as to how the group got started and how it works.  Branch volunteer Jerome Chou explained.

1. How did Branch come about?  How many people are involved? The project is a response to the recession and budget cuts that have affected all kinds of public spaces (parks, libraries, transit). Branch creates a low-cost temporary intervention to reclaim public space, in partnership with the people using it.

About a dozen volunteers are involved with the temporary Sunday library, but we really see this as a community-based project.  For instance, about 150 people signed up for library cards on opening day last week, and we asked them to recommend a book for our collection, and to write it down on a book cover (we have a lot of donated printer surplus covers). We installed over 100 of those covers on the fence along the parking lot. So visitors are basically curating the content and transforming the space collectively--that's the goal of the project. This week, we'll be asking people for their ideas about designing and programming the space.

2. Is the program directly affiliated with the Brooklyn Public Library?  If not, how have they responded to the project? We're not affiliated with the BPL, but we're all big supporters. We're thrilled that starting this weekend they're able to resume Sunday services and late-night hours at a number of branches throughout Brooklyn. We hope that our project gets people talking about how important libraries are, especially in a recession.

3. How does Branch work?  Where do you get the books from?  Do people need to get a library card? People sign up to get a library card, which is free to anyone, and Branch will be open 1-5pm every Sunday until the end of October. We're getting donations from publishing houses and individuals, but we definitely need more help with books--especially with the "wishlist" that visitors are generating (it's going up on our website, www.branchlibrary.org). At the end of September we'll begin loaning books, with a one-book-per-visit limit. In the meantime, we're providing a "reading room" complete with lawn chairs, free sunday papers, and earplugs.

4. How did you end up at the bank parking lot?  How long will Branch be operating there? Our original idea was to house the project in a vacant storefront, but we couldn't find landlords who were willing to rent space one day a week. One of our volunteers contacted MARP through an urban planners network, and MARP suggested hosting the project on the Citibank lot as part of their Move About Myrtle events in September. Citibank agreed to allow us to use the lot until the end of October.

5. What is your background, and how did you get involved with this project? I'd been going to the main branch of the Brooklyn Public Library almost every Sunday until it closed. It seemed like terrible timing--there were a lot of news reports about how people were using libraries more than ever in the recession. I talked to a group of friends--designers, artists, planners, librarians--and we all felt like we could use this time to start a community organizing and design project: work with local residents, pool our resources, use low-cost or donated materials, and create a temporary public space.

I've worked as a community organizer for Brooklyn ACORN, a city planner for Baltimore City, a project manager with the firm Field Operations on Freshkills Park, and with the Design Trust for Public Space. Branch combines a little of all of those things--organizing, public space, design, and a lot of logistics.

6. What do you foresee the future of public libraries to be? I'm not an expert, but it's pretty obvious if you visit the BPL main branch on Sundays that the library is an amazing resource, and will be for a long time--as long as there's adequate funding.

7. How can someone get involved with Branch?  Does Branch have several locations, or just in Clinton Hill? Anyone can get involved: just e-mail librarybranch@gmail.com or visit us every Sunday to volunteer, donate books, or just sit and read the Sunday New York Post. We're just in Clinton Hill this fall, but definitely this model could be replicated. We got an e-mail from someone in the Bronx asking about it.

8. What neighborhood do you live in?  What's your favorite thing about Clinton Hill? I live in Crown Heights, but I've lived in 3 different apartments in Clinton Hill. One great thing is we've talked to people from every kind of background--racial, economic, you name it.

9. Any favorite Move About Myrtle activities?  (aside from Branch, of course!) I'm dying to check out the Roller Rink.

10. If you were a flavor of ice cream, what would you be and why? Coffee Oreo--it's my favorite, might as well be it.

Wedding Vendors

I've been promising these for awhile - the local vendors I am using for my wedding, plus a few more for you brides-to-be looking for resources. Flowers - Root Stock & Quade Ever since John and Kerry opened their shop on Myrtle, I have loved their aesthetic.  The store is gorgeous and they have done a lovely job with arrangements I have had delivered or have had them put together for me on-site.  It was really fun to meet with Kerry and plan out the flower designs.

Cake - Desserts by Michael Allen Perhaps the friendliest business in the 'hood, and the sweets are amazing.  Michael and his wife Marvel sat down with Will and I to plan out a very unique and fun cake, which will include a fruitcake top that we can eat on our one-year anniversary.  No, I am not going to tell you what the design is, but I will post photos after the wedding!

Transportation - Myrtle Car Service Since we're not doing a church wedding and won't have to make any grand entrances or exits, I figured I wouldn't need any overpriced limo service with a minimum hourly requirement.  Myrtle always comes when I call.

Pre-pre wedding dinner - Il Porto I originally looked into Il Porto for our rehearsal dinner, but since our venue is in Park Slope we decided to choose something we could walk to after the rehearsal.  However, since a few close family members are arriving in town on Thursday afternoon, we figured an intimate local dinner would be perfect.  The brick oven pizzas are to die for and owner Joe and his staff always take care of me.

Pre-Wedding Mani-Pedi - Polish Bar The girly atmosphere and hottest polish colors are my go-to for fancy occasions.

OUTSIDE THE HOOD:

Venue : The Montauk Club, Park Slope Located on 8th and Lincoln right near Grand Army Plaza, the Montauk Club is an ornate old mansion and social club that we thought would make the perfect setting for a Brooklyn wedding.  It's a pretty good deal per person, and not too far from the hood.

Special Thanks To...

Fort Greene Park I originally met Will's sister at off-leash hours with our dogs a few years back.  She introduced me to her brother at a BBQ the two hosted in Bed-Stuy in 2007.  Thank you Marshmallow, Buttercup, Martha and off-leash hours!

Choice Market Where Will and I picked up lunch to go on our first date, before heading out to Rockaway beach for a picnic.