Monday, February 28, 2011

Walking in the rain after school.3 Pm in the afternoon on Court Street°°°°°°°°°°°°°...
In some ways, I wish I had never heard of Film Biz Prop Shop, because after one visit, I may very well already be addicted to this place.For those who have not yet heard about this great new addition in Gowanus, "Film Biz Prop Shop," is a not-for-profit business that recycles props and set decorations donated by motion picture, TV or commercial production companies. It moved into the basement of 540 President Street between 3rd and 4th Avenue this...
Want to have a voice in your community? Councilman Brad Lander has just issued a call for local residents to apply to the boards in his district. As a board member, you can advocate for issues important to our community, including land use, zoning, and municipal service delivery.Councilman Brad Lander writes:I hope you'll consider applying for a seat on one of our neighborhood community boards. There will likely be a few vacancies on our local boards,...
photo credit: Jessica BruderReader Jessica Bruder was sitting at her desk in Carroll Gardens over the week-end, when she looked up just as a red-tailed hawk "swooped past the window." She was able to take a few photos of the raptor just as he flew away.It would seem that such sightings are becoming more frequent in the neighborhood. Just a few weeks ago, my son was able to photograph a hawk on Carroll Street. And of course, who can forget the...

Sunday, February 27, 2011

From Park Slope, to Gowanus and to Caroll Gardens, the one subject on everyone's mind over the week-end was the sexual assault of a young woman in the Gowanus area. The attack on the 22-year-old happened at 9 AM on Friday in a bakery where she works.On Third Avenue, between Carroll and President Streets, a group of local residents were standing in front of a social club, discussing the matter, while two police women taped "Reward" posters on street...

Friday, February 25, 2011

On a rainy day on Atlantic Avenue and Court Street.I first noticed the bright green truckand then the umbrella in the same shade,before almost getting run over while taking this picture.°°°°°°°°°...
You will love "Braciole," a wonderful little video by Brooklyn filmmaker Mark Hayes. It is a tribute to his funny, feisty, young-at-heart Sicilian grandmother Marie DeSantis, who talks about family history and her Staten Island childhood while preparing Braciole, a traditional Sicilian recipe, in her cozy little kitchen. It is just lovely. Thanks for sharing it, Mark. And please pass my greetings along to Nonna Marie. Nonna, would you please...
Anonymous has left a new comment on the post "EPA To Community At Last Night's Meeting: "Your Canal Is In Good Hands":And did anyone notice that the day following the EPA presentation of both the RI and Risk Assessment--made less than a year after the Superfund designation, the NY Times runs a big story on the City Flushing Tunnel project?Could someone, maybe from city hall, have asked for such an article with this exact timing to try to steel the...

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Great old sign hanging in the window of Sam's on Court Street°°°°°°°°°°...
The jumble of telephone wires in my Brooklyn back yard, as in most I am sure, is rather amazing. They come from every direction, snake over fences and through trees and merge into a box, which is suspended from a wooden pole. The system looks anything but high tech. One wonders how calls gets through at all. And when someone needs to add a line, a 'technician' from the telephone company, like the one above, needs to climb the pole and make sense...

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

EPA Region 2 Administrator Judith EnckWalter Mugdan, EPA Region 2's Director of the Division of Environmental Planning and ProtectionChristos Tsiamis, EPA Region 2 Project Manager for the Gowanus CanalNatalie Loney, EPA's Region 2 community involvement coordinatorSince the Environmental Protection Agency placed the Gowanus Canal on the National Priorities List in March 2010, Christos Tsiamis, EPA Region 2 Project Manager, and his team have been extremely...
Late afternoon on Smith Street.Waiting for the dinner crowd.°°°°°°°°°°...
photo credit: Jose GaytanNobody has spent more time walking along the shores of the Gowanus Canal than photographer and friend Jose Gaytan. His images capture the area's unique beauty and open sky. Most importantly, his work documents the canal's industrial past as well as the inevitable changes along the waterway.With his permission, I am posting one of his latest Gowanus photographs. You can see his entire Gowanus Project series here. Related...
Test your knowledge of all things Brooklyn at this great event hosted by the Brooklyn Historical Society. There will be beer, food and prizes. Looks like a great evening.Trivial and Convivial: Brooklyn Historical Society Pub Trivia NightBrooklyn Historical Society128 Pierrepont Street7:00-10:00pmDoors open at 6:30pmHave you ever played trivia in a 19th-century landmark building in Brooklyn Heights? It's probably time you did. Join veteran trivia...
Mom has left the following comment on the post "Despite Stop-Work Order, Vinzee's Magic Fountain, Court Streets Newest Hamburger Joint, Inching Closer To Grand Opening":"These comments are cracking me up. it WAS such a weird place! she always shuffled around in the most dumpy clothes and looked like she hadn't seen the light of day in years. they would reuse the same trash bag in the laundromat until it was shreds! i bet they have piles of $100 bills...

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Charles and Ray Eamesfrom Toccata for Toy TrainsBig Kids For Little Kids continues to introduce Brooklyn kids to some wonderful movies. The next screening will be highlighting the short films by American designers Charles and Ray Eames. And you thought they only designed chairs...Read on:THE FILMS OF CHARLES AND RAY EAMESBIG MOVIES FOR LITTLE KIDSat Cobble Hill Cinemas 265 Court Street @ Butler Street, BrooklynMonday, February 28th at 4pmAges:...
See, I told you it would be spring soon!And as proof, I present:a small forsythia bush in bloomat the corner of Smith and Carroll.°°°°°°°°°°°°...
Anonymous has left a new comment on the post "Is Legendary Monte's Venetian Room Getting A Make-Over?":My family ate here for over 50 years. Grandparents came every Sunday night till they died.I agree the food went downhill, but the cheesecake of course remained the best.It would be nice if they re-opened and re-vamped the food and chef! °°°°°°°°°°°°...
Gerrymandering is a practice of political corruption that attempts to establish a political advantage for a particular party or group by manipulating geographic boundaries to create partisan, incumbent-protected, and neutral districts. (wikipedia) Why should this concern us here in Carroll Gardens? Because the New York State Senate is getting ready to redraw district lines and because this process should be transparent and free of corruption. ...

Monday, February 21, 2011

Though a stop work order involving the side courtyard has yet to be lifted by the NYC D.o.B, the new owner of the restaurant at 412 Court Street, on the corner of First Place, obviously feels confident that he will be able to open soon.Vinzee's Magic Fountain, as the new burger joint will be called, already has a web site, a Facebook page and a Twitter account.And according to a flier which appeared in the window recently, the eatery is now hiring.Better...