WA-GREENE Block Association Street Fair

The WA-GREENE Block Association, on Washington Avenue between Greene and Gates, will hold its first ever street fair on Saturday, September 18 from noon to 6pm. The active block association, which has been in existence since 1973, is hosting the fair to celebrate some of its recent accomplishments - working with the DOT, the block now boasts a new speed bump in front of the PS 11 entrance on Washington Avenue, and new truck route signs to prevent trucks from illegally using Washington Avenue. The Association will be including merchants from Fulton Ave between Vanderbilt and Classon at the fair, to help residents learn more about new local businesses and support businesses on that stretch of Fulton. The Greene Hill Food Co-op to have a representative on hand to register new members.

If you're around, stop by to meet your neighbors and celebrate the strength of community. And if you live on or near the block, find out how you can get involved!

Beny's Delice Opens on Fulton nr Clinton

Welcome to another new business on Fulton!  A new bakery's opened on Fulton between Vanderbilt and Clinton, on the same strip with Chance, Olivino, Bar livino, Just Taste It, etc.  I think this might fill a big void for folks on the way to the C train at Clinton-Washington.  Have you been in early yet? I stopped in quickly after work for a chocolate croissant ($2.25, smaller and non-greasy, bready), but I'm due for a longer visit in the morning when the selection's fresh and full.

The hours are (I think) 7am-10pm.  Props for the open early - open late.

Area Antiques: Mercantile Gallery

Received this email from a reader awhile back and realized  I never posted it: I did a little walking around in the rain today and came across an amazing store of antiques - full of quality RESTORED antiques. I spent some time talking to the owner, a very nice man, Ken. He's been in Clinton Hill/Bed Stuy for a long time but doesn't advertise. He certainly had some beautiful pieces and very fairly priced (a tall 5 drawer, curved front, oak dresser - $300!).

Just wanted to point out another resource! -g

Mercantile Gallery 1055 Fulton Street (Near Bedford)

Google street view shows them closed, but it's not clear if they were just closed at that time.

Have you been?  How's the selection?

Wasabi: OPEN

Wasabi, the new Japanese place on Fulton at Waverly, is open for business!  For now, they're offering 10% off of a meal to celebrate grand opening.

Sorry I didn't get better shots, but it was a snap decision to dine when I saw the flags heralding the open doors.

Mr. Lesterhead and I enjoyed sushi there last night.  First impressions: very friendly service, good prices, some tasty special rolls.  We split the spicy roll combo and two special rolls (Birthday roll and Christmas roll). Wasabi offers several roll combos- 3 rolls with soup AND salad for around ten bucks (this is a lot of food for $10!  Who else gives both soup AND salad?).  The combo rolls were on the small side, but tasty nonetheless.  The Christmas roll was fine, but the Birthday roll was excellent (shrimp tempura with some other delicious ingredients).

The space is small but nice- maybe 3-4 booths and a few small tables.  For both of us who left stuffed - sushi and green tea - the bill was under $30.

I was surprised more people weren't there, but I wonder if being in between the two C train exits means not as many people walk past?  Maybe it just opened last night?

If you happen to live down this way, definitely check it out.

(I did not look closely at the check to see if they had taken 10% off.)

Chocolate Croissants: Desserts by Michael Allen

I stand firmly by Michael Allen, (Fulton nr Grand) who made my wedding cake.  This guy's a pro and his pastries and sweets are amazing. Chocolate Croissant:

Price: $2.17

Chocolate Distribution: The entire croissant was filled with soft chocolate!

Outside Appearance: The largest of the bunch; smooth

Description: The best part about this croissant was the chocolate, which filled the entire pastry.  The chocolate also tastes a bit like Nutella.  It wasn't greasy at all, but it tasted heavy and wasn't very fluffy.  It earns points for it unique flavor, but loses a bit since I was looking for a "traditional" croissant experience.

Score: 7

REMINDER: CHB at Greenlight Tonight!

Just a reminder that we'll be discussing Perfect Reader with Maggie Pouncey tonight at Greenlight Bookstore.  Hope to see you there!

Chocolate Croissants: Outpost

Outpost Lounge on Fulton near Grand has been a favorite of mine for years now.  Great decor and a nice outdoor space make it a great coffee homebase for people in eastern Clinton Hill.  They also offer cute coffee drinks named after streets in the 'hood. Croissant:

Price: $2.72

Chocolate Distribution: One row of chocolate, but the chocolate was soft and blended nicely with the bread.

Outside Appearance: Smaller than the others and on the greasy side.

Description: This croissant was a little greasy, but the croissant itself was flaky and light.  Despite being the smallest of the bunch, the flavor was great. Service took longer than expected.

Score: 8

Chocolate Croissants: Provisions

Provisions offers a lovely variety of goods on Fulton at S. Portland in Fort Greene.  I love them for party meats and cheeses (delicious selection and great, helpful staff), but full on grocery shopping will break the bank.  In the front at the register, they also sell pastries and coffee. Chocolate Croissant:

Price: $2.50

Chocolate Distribution: Two rows of firm chocolate

Outside Appearance: Textured and matte

Description: I enjoy the double rows of chocolate, but the croissant is a little bit heavy.  Consistency is "bready." This is well-suited for someone who is looking for a heartier taste.

Score: 7.5

CHB Visits Chance II

Cleaning out our drafted post queue, I realized I never published this short review of Chance II on Fulton near Clinton.  Back in December, we stopped in at PACC's holiday party, held at the then brand-new Chance II on Fulton!  While it was a private event and not a regular night at the bar -- and so I can't attest to a regular night -- the staff was strikingly friendly and the light up bar is pretty cool (see above).  The space will be great for parties, and has a small upstairs area as well.

Have you been?  What did you think?

FABfest Schedule for June 27

FABfest Sunday, June 27, 12noon–6pm:• Salsa Dance Party & Dance Lessons • BK Misses MJ: On the anniversary of his passing, Brooklyn remembers the life and legacy of the King of Pop Michael Jackson with an all-day music tribute and community dance party featuring DJ Reborn • Readings and prizes from Brooklyn literary magazines A Public Space, Armchair/Shotgun, BOMB, and Electric Literature hosted by Greenlight Bookstore • Literary trivia contest • Dogs on Parade presented by Fort Greene PUPS and Brooklyn Cares Veterinary Clinic, plus Pet CPR and First Aid classes and Ask the Trainer sessions for pet owners • Crafts, activities and giveaways for kids all day • Streetside Mad Libs game for all ages • 3-on-3 Soccer Games for Kids hosted by Ft. Greene Soccer • SONYA Collaborative Action Mural with Ellie Balk - participatory painting allowing residents to make their mark on a collective community image • Environmental demos and activities presented by Habana Outpost (Schedules subject to change. To get updates, visit faballiance.org)

CHB at Greenlight Bookstore

Fulton Street's Greenlight Bookstore has been hosting a blogger / author pairing once a month that pairs a local blogger with an author whose subject matter or writing style matches nicely for a discussion.  I've been invited to lead a discussion with Maggie Pouncey, Fort Greene resident and author of Perfect Reader on Monday, July 12.  We'll be discussing literary fandom, urban “small town” life, and Brooklyn’s writing culture. I'm very excited to be a part of this event, especially since I so admire Greenlight's friendly staff, great selection and customer-friendly hours.  Hope you'll join us!

More info available on Facebook.

Sushi for Fulton

I just noticed a new sushi restaurant opening on Fulton and Waverly called Wasabi 1.  I wonder how they'll stack up to our other nearby raw fish haunts.  (For the record, my favorite is still Sushi D - D ROLL = YUMMY)

Things seem to be taking off down on Fulton - maybe a result of FAB?

Also, I thought I had seen a post on this on another local blog but now I can't find it.  So apologies to an original poster! Here it is on Brownstoner!

Just called the number on the awning and no answer, which I'm taking to mean it's not yet open.

FABfest Schedule for June 20

FABfest Sunday, June 20, 12noon–6pm:• Salsa Dance Party & Dance Lessons • Performances on the mainstage presented by Greenlight Bookstore, all with a focus on local artists and organizations including - Performance poetry by URBAN WORD - Stand-up comedy from the STEAM BOAT series - Readings by authors such as VICTOR LaVALLE, TOURE & NELSON GEORGE and more • Environmental demos and activities presented by Habana Outpost • Walking tour of historic Fort Greene with Adrienne Onofri, author of WALKING BROOKLYN (3rd of 3 different tours during FABfest) • SONYA Collaborative Action Mural with Ellie Balk - participatory painting allowing residents to make their mark on a collective community image • Crafts, activities and giveaways for kids all day • Streetside Mad Libs game for all ages • 3-on-3 Soccer Games for Kids hosted by Ft. Greene Soccer

FABfest Schedule for June 13

An awesome foodie-based lineup this wknd at FABfest!  My personal picks- the mozzarella and jam-making sessions. Cooking demos, food tastings, moonshine sipping and a chilled organic soup pureed making — with the aid of a human-powered bike-blender are all part of the line-up for second weekend of FABfest — a month-long three-block street festival EVERY SUNDAY IN JUNE on Fulton Street between Lafayette Avenue and South Oxford Street, in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.

A schedule of demos and tastings is below.

Also at FABfest on Sunday June 13, from 12noon-6pm:

• 12noon-1:30pm:  Salsa Dance Party & Dance Lessons featuring Brooklyn Salsa Party (everyone is welcome to join in!)

• 1:30-2:00:  Live Gospel Concert featuring the Lafayette Inspirational Ensemble (performing as they make their way down Fulton Street to the stage!)

• 2:00-6:00:  Toasters Delight: a Reggae Party featuring DJs Geko Jones and Matt Shadetek of Dutty Artz, Jahdan Blakkamore, Cool Places Soundsystem, Gael Dubourg, DJ Gravy, and special guests. Toasters Delight celebrates the June 15^th BAMcinemaFEST screening of the Brooklyn indie film Wah Do Dem.

http://www.duttyartz.com/2010/wah-do-dem-bam-block-party/ Visit BAM.org for screening info

Plus games, crafts, balloons and activities and.... 3-on-3 soccer on the street... all afternoon!

Schedule for 'A Taste of Fulton'… at FABfest 2010

12 noon - Louisa Shafia, author of LUCID FOODS shows how vegetarian food is both delicious and healthy - creating a chilled cucumber soup from organic produce from Fulton Street's MetFoods (985 Fulton @ St. James) with the aid of the Bike Blender from Habana Outpost (757 Fulton @ S. Portland), and powered by.... spectators at FABfest.

- Mozzarella-making at Greene Grape Provisions (753 Fulton @ S. Portland)

1:00 - Buka (946 Fulton @ Cambridge Place), Nigerian restaurant

2:00 - Jam-making by Anarchy in a Jar, available at Greene Grape Provisions

3:00 - Chef Michael Allen of Desserts by Michael Allen (1015 Fulton @ Grand) shares his secrets on sugar and decorating an elaborate cake - a demo you don't want to miss!

- Max Watman, the author of Chasing the White Dog will be in conversation with Gable Erenzo, son of the founder of Tuthilltown Distillery, the first (legal!) distillery in NY since Prohibition, at Greenlight Greenlight Bookstore (686 Fulton @ S. Portland). Tasting to follow at 4:00 at The Greene Grape

4:00 - Pickling by Rick's Picks, also available at Provisions

- Comparative tasting of white whiskies at The Greene Grape (765 Fulton @ S. Portland)

5:00 - Deniz (662 Fulton @ S. Elliott),Turkish cuisine

PLUS: In front of Bati Restaurant (747 Fulton @ S. Portland) samples and an introduction on Ethiopian food and Smoke Joint (87 S. Elliott Place @ Fulton) will be offering samples of house-made grilled sausages.

For updates on the list of activities and schedules visit faballiance.org or facebook at fab fulton

About The FAB Alliance The Fulton Area Business (FAB) Alliance is a newly formed Business Improvement District working on behalf of property owners, merchants, residents and stakeholders along Fulton Street in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill—from Rockwell Place to Classon Avenue (plus adjacent blocks of Lafayette, Greene and Putnam Avenues). Goals are to retain current businesses and improve the atmosphere to make this area of Fulton Street a clean, safe and retail diverse environment that is a destination for people work, shop, dine and play. For more information, visit: faballiance.org

Credits

FABfest is presented by the FAB Alliance, the newly formed Fulton Street Business Improvement District in Clinton Hill and Fort Greene. FABfest is part of the Weekend Walks Program of the New York City Department of Transportation.

FABfest Schedule for June 6

FABfest Sunday, June 6, 12noon–6pm: • Salsa Dance Party & Dance Lessons • Children's Clothing Swap • Fashion Show featuring designers along Fulton Street, including Courtney Washington, Moshood, Michael Shane Bridal, Jacob's Garden, Tribal Truths, Raif Atelier, Super Nova, Swagga 360, B2 Gear and Senagelese Fashion Center • StoryCorps Listening Sessions at Greenlight Bookstore • Crafts, activities and giveaways for kids all day • 3-on-3 Soccer Games for Kids hosted by Ft. Greene Soccer • Streetside Mad Libs game for all ages • Environmental demos and activities presented by Habana Outpost • Pet CPR and First Aid classes presented by Brooklyn Cares Veterinary Clinic • Fitness evaluations and information from Crunch • Walking tour of historic Fort Greene with Adrienne Onofri, author of WALKING BROOKLYN (a different tour to be given on each day of FABfest)

Jacob's Garden

Mr. L noticed this little market on Fulton last week and I'm intrigued.

It's called Jacob's Garden, and it reminds me of that shop that used to be on DeKalb.  Bet it's the same owner. I need to check this out.

A Creperie for the former Brown Betty

I'm not sure exactly when Brown Betty closed shop, but I'm bummed.  Their dinners were amazing (and with only a few small tables inside, you were lucky to partake) and they made a mean thai iced coffee (see one of our posts from 2006 here).  At least Cynthia's bringing her tasty food over to Black Swan (mentioned yesterday).  And, I hear that the space will soon be home to a creperie! I'm psyched, as it'll be something totally new and different.

Hours for Customers: Greenlight Bookstore

Last week, I made most amazing discovery ever:  A LOCAL (NON GROCERY) SHOP THAT IS OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK FROM 10AM-10PM.  I have been in to Greenlight Bookstore before, but I never realized just how accommodating they were. In addition to offering a great selection (best sellers and NYC-centric books) and a beautiful space, they also host regular readings and author events.  And are actually open after work.  Wayyy after work.

I try to patronize as many local businesses as I can, and I know as a small business owner it's difficult to keep early and late hours every day.  But it is frustrating to come home and need something, try to pick it up from a local shop and then realize they've all closed at 6 or 7pm.  Greenlight makes it easy for me to keep it local.

To show my appreciation, I will be spending my 3/50 local spending money this month at Greenlight, buying at least one book a week at 9:45 pm (because I can!).  First up, City Kid by Nelson George.

Coffee for Fulton; Fashion for Myrtle

The Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) is working with FAB, Myrtle Ave BK Partnership and PACC to bring new businesses to Fulton and Myrtle.  They have asked that as many neighbors as possible take the following surveys to help better assess the needs and shopping habits of neighborhood residents.  Here's a chance to weigh in on new local services- jump on it! Dear Friends,

BEDC (Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation) along with Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership, FAB (Fulton Area Business) Alliance, and PACC (Pratt Area Community Council) have partnered up to attract several new businesses to your area.

But we cannot do so alone - WE NEED YOUR HELP!

This week we have launched a survey of Fort Greene and Clinton Hill residents about their coffee drinking and clothes buying habits. We are committed to finding business that will complement the existing retail character and provide a much-needed amenity for the neighborhood.

It would be EXTREMELY helpful if you took 2 minutes to fill out the following surveys:

Coffee For Fulton:

www.surveymonkey.com/coffeeforfulton

Fashion for Myrtle:

www.surveymonkey.com/FashionforMyrtle

Tree Giveaway a HUGE Success!

  Bravo to FAB and their partners MillionTrees NYC. Mr. Lesterhead and I arrived around 10 in the hopes of getting a cherry tree and there must have been 100 people in line already.  Due to the fact that the cherry trees were way too big to fit in the car and we couldn't wait, I snapped some pics and we were on our way.  It was great to finally meet FAB Director Philip Kellogg in person and say hi to neighbors waiting for their trees.  Great location for it, too.

Here's hoping I can snag a tree next time.

Did you go?  What kind of tree did you choose?