Carroll Gardens Cookie Kids Hold First Bake Sale Of The Season

(photo credit: Cookie Kids)

The Cookie Kids, an incredible group started by Georgia Fumusa and her friends, of 4th Graders from PS 58, have been fundraising for various causes for a few months now. It all started when they organized a bake sale for their school. This first fundraiser was such a success that they were encouraged to keep going, raising funds for worthwhile causes.

This week-end, they are back for the first time this season.  Make sure you stop by to support them.

Carroll Gardens Cookie Kids are back with their first Bake Sale of 2013:

Sunday 3/15, corner of Smith & President Streets, starting at Noon!

These cute little leprechauns are "Thinking Green" in honor of St. Patty's Day and will be offering the luck o' the Irish with treats including Rainbow Cupcakes, gold coins, Shamrock Whoopie Pies, Green Krispie Treats, Macaroons and much more sugar and spice and everything nice. The kids will even have biscuits for our four-legged friends! All proceeds go directly to charity.Little Kids with Big Hearts:Cookie Kids began in the PS 58 schoolyard as an idea shared by a bunch of 4th Grade pals. Last Fall, the Cookie Kids Bake Sales raised thousands of dollars in donations given to a variety of non-profit organizations (including the Red Hook Initiative, Autism Speaks, and Pediatric Cancer Research).Look for these fundraising bake sales in the neighborhood on weekends throughout the Spring and give what you can. For updates, please check out CK founder (and one smart cookie) Georgia Fumusa's blog:  http://58bakes.blogspot.comThank you, in advance, for your continued support. Together we can make the world a better place ~ or a least a little sweeter ~ one cookie at a time.

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Great News For Neighborhood Gardeners: Gowanus Nursery To Re-Open March 23rd

(photo credit: Gowanus Nursery)

Best news for all neighborhood gardeners and certain proof that spring is most definitely around the corner. After their yearly winter hiatus, the Gowanus Nursery is re-opening next week-end. I can hardly wait.
From their Facebook page:

With many projects still under way, it is with sweat on our brow that we mention our opening date, March 23rd, 2013March hours: Saturday and Sunday 11-5 Early April Hours: 10-6 Thursday through Sunday.

Gowanus Nursery

9 Carroll Street, Brooklyn, NY.

(718) 852-3116

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Meet The NYC Mayoral Candidates And Let Them Hear Your Brooklyn-Specific Concerns

The Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats along with other member organizations of the Brooklyn Reform Coalition are holding a NYC Mayoral Forum featuring the leading Democratic candidates on April 3rd, 2013 at St. Francis College, 180 Remsen Street at 6:30 PM.

All info can be found here.

This is a  perfect opportunity to ask the candidates questions and to address issues specific to Brooklyn and to our neighborhood.  So plan to attend.

Just out of curiosity, what would you ask these five candidates?  What should be brought up as the most pressing concerns?  Development? Education? Infrastructure?  Quality of life?  Have you already decided who you will vote for?

Let's hear it.

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"The Glory Of Brooklyn": An Evening Of Art And Literature At The Carroll Gardens Library

(photo credit: Thomas Rupolo)

Friends of the Carroll Gardens Library(FCGL), a group that supports, fundraises and brings programming to our local library branch, is hosting yet another interesting event that brings literature and art together this coming Tuesday.

THE GLORY OF BROOKLYN: AN ARTISTIC AND LITERARY EVENING

AT THE CARROLL GARDENS LIBRARY

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Transcendent photographs. Evocative essays. Haunting watercolor paintings. No matter the medium, the sentiment of respect clearly shines through in the art and writings of a talented trio – Thomas Rupolo; Joan MaransDim; and Antonio Masi, who will present their works in an entertaining evening at the Carroll Gardens Library, March 19, 7 to 9 p.m.

Carroll Gardens resident Joan Marans Dim, an essayist and historian, and New York City artist Antonio Masi will discuss their book New York's Golden Age of Bridges. With a visual presentation focused on the four bridges of Brooklyn – the Brooklyn, Manhattan Bridge Williamsburg and the Verrazano-Narrows --the discussion will“span” the bridges’ artistic and cultural underpinnings, and their impact nationally as well as worldwide.

Bridges form connections over water, and many area residents feel a strong connection to the nearby waterfront community of Red Hook. Photographer Thomas Rupolo will explore the “lost continent” of Red Hook, where “even cabbies can’t find their way” in a presentation of photos as bright and vibrant as the people who live there, as featured in his book Images of Red Hook.

This event is the latest in a series of artistic and literary evenings hosted by the Friends of the Carroll Gardens Library, offeringfree refreshments of wine and cheese. Signed books will be available for purchase. Auditorium (basement) of the Carroll Gardens Library, 396 Clinton Street at the corner of Union Street.Free and Open to the Public.

ABOUT ANTONIO MASI: Antonio Masi, fascinated by bridges since childhood, began painting them a decade ago. He is drawn particularly to the 59th Street (the recently renamed Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, which his grandfather Francesco Masi helped build. Masi has won national and global acclaim for his paintings of New York City bridges.

ABOUT JOAN MARANS DIM: Joan Dim is co-author of The Miracle on Washington Square: New York University and the author of the novel Recollections of a Rotten Kid. She has traveled the bridges of New York City all her life and is a proud Carroll Gardens resident.

ABOUT THOMAS RUPOLO: Tom Rupolo has been living in and around Red Hook for 15 years. Formerly a nature photographer, he found that moving to Brooklyn provided new subjects such as industrial sites, architectural oddities, street life and close-ups of urban details.

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Get Rid Of Potentially Harmful Household Products At Sanitation Department Event In Brooklyn

Spring 2013 NYC SAFE Disposal Events

(Solvents, Automotive, Flammable, Electronics)

Don't know what to do about those old paint cans that you have accumulated during various home improvement projects?  Do you have some old electronics that you want to get rid of?  How about old household cleaning products that you don't use any more?
Community Board 6 just sent around news of a NYC Department of Sanitation SAFE event, at which you will be able to dispose of some of these more dangerous.
One of these events will be held in Brooklyn.

Brooklyn SAFE Disposal Event

Sunday, April 7

10am-4pm Prospect Park, 

Park Circle corner of Parkside Ave & Prospect Park SW

 (cars approach from Ocean Ave & Lincoln Rd)

The NYC Department of Sanitation is holding five SAFE Disposal Events this spring (one in each borough) to provide NYC residents with a one-stop method to get rid of potentially harmful household products. If you cannot attend any of the events, see harmful household products.
The blue and green recycling bin mascots will make appearances at all the SAFE disposal events.

Commonly used household products can be harmful to you, your family, your pets, city workers, and the environment if improperly stored, used, or discarded.

when & where
who can participate
what to bring
how to package materials
what happens to this stuff
poison help hotline
SAFE events go social
event organizers
public notification

ALSO SEE:
harmful household products
electronics recycling

For more information, click here

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More Fios Finally Coming To Carroll Gardens?

Verizon crew working on utility box yesterday on President Street

Newly installed pole at Union Street and Smith Street

Fios utility box at Sackett at Court Street

It's been quite a bit frustrating as a Verizon customer, and especially as a blogger, that Fios service has been very limited in Carroll Gardens.  Since the company rolled out its broadband service in 2004, only a few blocks in the neighborhood have been able to enjoy faster internet.
Considering the fact that for almost 10 years,  Verizon has gotten tax breaks in return for bringing broad band to every customer and business, as well as schools and hospital in its service territories, it is actually a bit infuriating.
Just recently, Verizon crews have been installing more utility boxes and Fios service is expanding throughout the neighborhood, especially on the blocks west of Court Street.
I stopped by to speak to a Verizon crew that was installing new equipment on President Street at the corner of Court Street.  They confirmed that  more Fios is coming.  To those of us who are still waiting, they suggested connecting to neighbors together to call Verizon. Apparently, if several neighbors start calling the company, Verizon may make their block a priority.

I also asked the crew about a story that I had heard a few times before from local residents and also from other Verizon workers: that one block here in Carroll Gardens* got Fios years ago, because a Verizon executive lived on the block and this was part of his/her employment contract.

The workers yesterday all seemed to know about it and confirmed it was one of the blocks on Carroll Street, either between Smith and Hoyt or the block from Hoyt to Bond.

* The block in question is the one framed between Smith and Hoyt Street and Carroll and 2nd Street.

I would love to get a better idea of which blocks in the neighborhood have Fios and those who don't.  I would very much appreciate it you could let me know about yours by adding a comment below.  Thanks.

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Red Paint Splattered All Over Court Street Law Office

Sometime over the week-end, someone splattered quite a bit of paint on the storefront at 351 Court Street, located between Union Street and President Street. And not just any paint. It would appear that it is oil based paint, which will be very difficult to remove.
This is the office of Ira Levine and  Domenick Napoletano, two lawyers who have been at this location for many years now.
Any idea who did this and why?

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