More self serve yogurt in the hood

Just passed this sign for icrave last week on Court Street. It's right across from the movie theater between Schermerhorn and State Streets, which seems like an ideal location but the Yogo Monster that was in this space previously, closed.  This place has a schtick, though.  It's self serve with 21 flavors and even more toppings to mix in yourself.  Pretty much exactly like 16 handles, which recently opened in Carroll Gardens.  It's the new trend in yogurt.  But how long will it last?

Carroll Park Fair!

This Saturday, or Sunday if the weather doesn't cooperate, you can head down to Carroll Park for the annual summer fair.  From 10-5 will fill up the ballpark and sell their goods.  Unfortunately their will be no food or drinks sold, only items like jewelry, clothes, crafts, etc.  There are plenty of places around the park to get food though (tip: Smith Canteen across the street is delicious!)  If you have any questions you can call 917-574-0745.  Maybe they could still fit a vendor in if you're interested, who knows?  Hopefully it's a beautiful day and all the local vendors do well.  Go out and support them!

Buying into Brooklyn Class!

 
Come hang with us at Brooklyn Brewery on June 12th for the Brooklyn Based sponsored event "Buying into Brooklyn".  Basically it's a crash course for the first-time home buyer.  The flyer is pictured but here's more info from brooklynbased.net:

From 7:30pm to 9:30pm at Brooklyn Brewery, you’ll hear from four experts in the field–Realty Collective founder Victoria Hagman and Realty Collective agent Tina Fallon; real estate attorney and partner Michael Moshan of Gold Scollar Moshan, PLLC, and private mortgage banker Janet Younkman of Wells Fargo–who will explain what it takes to find the right home, make the right offer, get into contract, secure the right financing, and close, all without having a nervous breakdown.

 It's only five bucks and there will be brooklyn brewery beer and meat hook hot dogs....and us!!! 

Event Link: http://www.facebook.com/events/431915346833132/

BBQ at PortSide PopUP

The grand opening of PortSide's PopUp mini-museum and gallery is this weekend, which coincides perfectly with fleet week.  They're having a backyard BBQ to celebrate and the neighborhood is invited.  Here's what they had to say about it:

We'd like to celebrate with a small circle of friends in BBQ party in the backyard of 145 Columbia Street on Monday 5/28 around 6:30pm and would like to invite you!

 

We'll cover the beer and wine. Please bring something for the grill, a side dish, or a dessert.

Please RSVP to portsidenewyork@gmail.com if you'd like to attend!

Your Googa Mooga Experience.

We've been hearing mixed reviews about The Great Googa Mooga Festival, the enormous food and music festival last weekend at Prospect Park.  Some people loved it but most of the people we talked to had an array of complaints.  The prices apparently were higher than expected for many.  It was the long lines for food and drinks, though, that we heard over and over and being unbearable.  There were tens of thousands slated to attend so we knew there would be lines but a lot were saying there just weren't enough vendors to accommodate.  We'd love to hear what you have to add, whether good or bad.  Please comment and share your experience!

Watch some birds..not angry ones.

We're always amazed, though not too surprised, at how many cool events and happenings go on in our wonderful borough of Brooklyn.  Here's one for you animal, particularly the feathered kind, lovers.  This Saturday, May 26th, head over to the Audubon Center at Prospect Park for an introduction to bird watching tour.  There are 250 species of birds at the park and you can learn about them all, though maybe not in one day.  Good thing this event happens every Saturday between 12pm and 1:30pm!

Memorial Day at Carroll Park.

As you can see by this sign, Memorial Day Monday you can head down to Carroll Park for ceremony at the war memorial monument.  We wanted to learn more about the monument itself and would like to share our findings.  It's been around since 1921 and was made by the Brooklyn-born sculptor Eugene H. Morahan.  This particular monument memorializes soldiers from the surrounding 8th Assembly District who fought and lost their lives in the first World War.  There is a picture from nycgovparks.org of the monument below.

Karloff Under Renovation

We blogged about Karloff, an Eastern European eatery on Court Street, when it first opened only a year and a half ago.  We noticed recently that they had brown paper in their windows and thought they had closed.  We then saw the sign (below) stating that they are getting a facelift, kitchen upgrades and changing their menu as well.  It seems so soon to be making all of these changes.  We really liked this place, they had a very unique menu and great ice cream, and hope the changes they make will bring in the customers while keeping the good aspects of the old Karloff in tact. No word on when they will reopen but we'll keep you posted.

Table 87 on Atlantic

Out with the old in with the new...sort of.  I guess there's nothing new about an Italian restaurant in this neighborhood, but we've caught wind that that's what's going to open up at 87 Atlantic Avenue.  It'll be called Table 87 and, as you may or may not be able to tell from our photo, it still needs a lot of work inside.  The space used to be Dallas Jones BBQ, which had really good food and we're sad to see that place go, especially since we could use more BBQ in that area.  The space itself is pretty small and wasn't very welcoming for dine-in customers, though.  Hopefully Table 87 will change that.  We'll see when renovation have finished.

Brooklyn Bridge Park Pool!

We'd heard about the pool opening up in Brooklyn Bridge Park this summer and were extremely excited about the prospects.  We learned more after reading a recent write-up in Time Out.  We love our neighborhood pools.  If you've never been to the Red Hook pool you should give it a try.  It's a bit of a hassle getting in (make sure you bring a lock!) but the pool itself is really big.  Brooklyn Bridge Park is such a beautiful setting, though, and even though the pool itself will be....well...cozy, the fact that you can go swimming and then hang out in the park after or before makes it all the more enticing.  Here's what we learned.   The 1,500 square foot pool is only 3.5 feet deep (great for kids!), free,and will be opening in early July on Pier 2. 

Brooklyn Studio Tours

Brooklyn Studio Tours, which is an art walk for Red Hook and Carroll Gardens, is this weekend and it's looking like the weather will be very welcoming for anyone who chooses to participate!  It's May 19th and 20th between 12pm and 6pm.  There are dozens of participating artists, galleries and art spaces with a few restaurants sprinkled in for when you need to nosh.  For more info and a larger sized map check out this link.  We'll see you there!

Today for Kids! Tomorrow for You!

If you happened to be hanging out with your or someone else's children today and need an idea for an activity, we've come across one.  The Rock Shop, 249 Fourth Ave between President and Carroll, hosts Mil's Trills Music and Stories today at 3:30pm.  This is an interactive music series for 0-4 year olds and entrance is a suggested donation of $15.  So, get the kids out today and do something educational.  Then you won't feel guilty leaving them with the sitter to go dancing tomorrow night at the Brooklyn Bridge Dance Party!  This is a Brazilian dance party with Djs and food trucks from 7-10pm on Pier1 of the park.  Music for everyone!

Snack Shop Transformed...finally.

In the blink of an eye a new shop has opened in place of Snack Shop.  It seems like ages ago that Snack Shop closed it's doors and every time we'd walk by a see the brown paper in the windows but no work being done inside we'd wonder "what's going to become of this space?" and "why hasn't it happened yet?".  Well, it's happened.  It's now First Place Provisions has specialty coffees, craft beers and local teas, as well as snacks cigarettes, and grocery items.  So, basically a fancy bodega equipped with an espresso bar and elegant new signage.  We like coffee, we like beer.  We'll check this place out.

Realty Collective to Open Red Hook “Shared Space” Office

Residential & Commercial Brokerage to Promote Local Business; Shared Space Mission with Artists’ Gallery

Realty Collective announced it will be opening its third office May 19^th at 351 Van Brunt Street in Red Hook, Brooklyn. In keeping with its mission of promoting local business and sustainable practices, the residential and commercial real estate brokerage will engage in a shared space model with Gallery Brooklyn, designed to add value to the community, increase street traffic and showcase artists from Brooklyn.

The 351 Van Brunt Street gallery and business space, Gallery Brooklyn and RC Red Hook will open with group exhibition “Lightness, Being,” curated by Trong Nguyen, showcasing three NYC-based artists - painter Jon Elliot, photographer Rebecca Reeve and sculptor Judith Braun - that will run May 19^th through June 30^th.

"We are passionate about Red Hook. I live here, and Realty Collective works with many clients looking to buy, sell and rent homes and business spaces in Red Hook. We’ve been looking for a storefront location that would meet both our goals of easy accessibility to those in the area, and would fit our business model of community engagement and sustainability,” said Victoria Hagman, Founder, Realty Collective. 

The 1,400-square-foot, ground level storefront, is located on a main thoroughfare of Brooklyn’s Red Hook neighborhood, and enjoys high foot traffic year-round. It is steps away from celebrated eateries and shops, including Baked, Fort Defiance, The Good Fork, Metal and Thread, Erie Basin, Foxy & Winston and also neighboring art galleries such as The Kentler International Drawing Space and The Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition. A local dog-walking firm uses a portion of the rear office area, while RC Red Hook will have an agent/client work and meeting section in the main, white-walled gallery space, as well as a window display showcasing Realty Collective listings.

About Realty Collective

Brooklyn-based real estate brokerage Realty Collective, http://realtycollective.com/, was founded in 2005 by agents who believed that dedicated professionals can have a creative life outside of their residential and commercial real estate careers, and that brokers with this kind of connection to their own creativity can, in turn, better serve their clientele. Like many Brooklynites, Realty Collective's agents are also sculptors, dancers, producers, photographers, musicians, filmmakers, and writers. In an increasingly automated world, the Realty Collective team maintains a hands-on approach, creating a personalized experience for each client. As a result, many of the Realty Collective clients are repeat customers, or arrive through referrals. Realty Collective teams with Brooklyn-based agencies and charities to help build a better Brooklyn for all.

About Gallery Brooklyn

Departing from the traditional gallery model, Gallery Brooklyn is the latest addition to Red Hook’s burgeoning art scene. How are we different – It’s all about partnerships! We do not directly represent artists. Whether you’re a great artist seeking space to show your work; a maverick curator wanting to realize your vision; or an artist based collective or organization seeking a prime exhibition venue, Gallery Brooklyn wants to share with you our 800 square-foot, high profile, storefront space in the heart of Red Hook, Brooklyn.

Bon Appetit Grub Crawl

                                        

"Brooklyn is experiencing a food and culture revolution – it's a hotbed of creative people doing new things."  That's a quote from the Bon Appetit Grub Crawl website.  Although we didn't say it we wholeheartedly agree and are so proud that they chose our borough as one of the locations of this event, which is explained best in their own words.

The Bon Appétit Grub Crawl is revolutionizing the food experience. It's an on-the-move, pub crawl-inspired, neighborhood food fare that celebrates the most buzzed-about chefs, restaurants, music, and local fare in three Great American foodie cities.

 It's June1st-3rd and will hit Carroll Gardens, Williamsburg, and Red Hook.  For more info and tickets check out their website here.

Mile End in Red Hook

Mile End Owner Noah Bernamoff told grubstreet back in September that their production space would be moving to Red Hook and added that "in addition to using the space for production, we will have a small retail store on the pier selling Mile End meats by the pound, loaves of bread, and a selection of pickled vegetables and mustards. We hope the residents and visitors to Red Hook can have an alternative to Fairway for certain basic, yet high-quality pantry items, all of which will be produced within the space."  We were excited then and even more psyched now that the retail store should be opening soon.  Last we heard it should be opening by the end of May or beginning of June.  The kitchen is already set up and producing at Pier 41 now bring on the retail!

Meet Lidia Bastianich at Fairway.

Not only will you be able to meet Lidia, television chef and restauranteur, at Fairway this Saturday May 12th, but you can taste her food as well!  She be in the Red Hook store between 12pm and 2pm signing copies of her new cookbook, Lidia's Italy in America, whihc will also be sold at the store.  In addition to the signing Fairway will be giving samples of some of her pasta and sauces. This event is also a benefit as 10% of all sales on Saturday from 12PM-2PM will be donated to WNET New York Public Radio.  So if you're foodie or just someone who loves free samps, head down to Fairway May 12th and do some tasting.

Ahoy Young Pirates!

This is the coolest sounding event held at the library yet.  It's all about pirates.  In case you can't read the flyer, here's the info.  It's this Friday, May 11th between 4 and 5pm in the basement of the Carroll Gardens Library at Union and Clinton.  Kids 6 and up can participate in a treasure hunt and work on crafts like making pirate hats and decorating treasure chests.  Sounds like fun.  Head on down with your kids, nieces, nephews, or neighbors kids on Friday.

J Mascis at Prema Yoga

We came across a very interesting flyer the other day, as you can see above.  Apparently J Mascis is performing his album, Sing and Chant for Amma.  We found some info on Wikepedia about this album.  "The CD consists of several devotional songs composed and/or adapted by Mascis and dedicated to Hindu religious leader Mata Amritanandamayi, or Ammachi, whom Mascis is a devoted follower of."  So, where better to perform than Prema Yoga?  And where better to see J Mascis and Friends, who consist of Devadas and Tony Jarvis, than in a nice cozy yoga studio.  Interested?  The performance in May19th at 8pm and tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door.  Go to premayogabrooklyn.com for more info.

The Total Red Hook Immersion

We are sponsoring a day in the Hook!

Any trip to Red Hook feels like a little vacation from the rest of Brooklyn, right? Get away from it all in this sweet harborfront town on Saturday, May 12, when we spend the day drinking, brunching, shopping and exploring with Brooklyn Brewery during our second Immersion of the season. Starting at noon, pick up a special, free Immersion postcard at Rocky Sullivan’s or Brooklyn Ice House (one card per person–first come, first served!) that will entitle you to these awesome deals:

-Complimentary Brooklyn Brewery beers and beer specials at Brooklyn Ice House, Rocky Sullivan’s, Botanica, and Fort Defiance
-Complimentary glasses of Local One when you brunch at The Good Fork or Home/Made
-$12(+tax) lobster rolls from the Red Hook Lobster Pound (normally $16!)
-$3 Swingles (normally $5) and $2 Key Lime tarts (normally $4) from Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pies
-Special deals when you shop at Tiburon, Foxy & Winston, Metal and Thread and more
-Fab prizes including treats from Baked and loot from Brooklyn Brewery when you snap all our clues on our Instagram photo safari
-$5 off tickets to the Bayou n’ Brooklyn Cajun music festival at Jalopy Theatre–just call (718-395-3214) to purchase when you snag a postcard, they could sell out by the evening
-$3 beers for everyone–postcard holders or not!--at the after party at Jalopy Tavern from 4 to 7pm
And when the Immersion is done, you can head to the Cajun festival for music and a $5 plate of gumbo or continue your Red Hook adventure with dinner (anyone wanna brave the wait at Pok Pok with us?), a stroll along the water, or trip to Fairway for Sunday brunch supplies.
All of the stops are mapped out here. We’ll be adding more info on prizes, deals and participants over the next week. RSVP on Facebook and follow us @BrooklynBased and @BrooklynBrewery for updates.




 Neighborhood business sponsor, Realty Collective

Columbia Street Children's Garden Coming Soon!

The proposal to turn the large empty lot on the corner of Sackett and Columbia, 161 Sackett to be exact, into the Columbia Street Children's Garden has apparently been approved!  Today we saw a sign announcing the plans.  Construction will begin soon to transform this lot into an educational outdoor space for kids.  The plans consist of a greenhouse, a barn coop, compost bins, and more.  We also found a great article about this on Brownstoner if you'd like to hear more about it.  We can't wait! This will definitely add to the Columbia Waterfront District.

Come One, Come All to the Carroll Gardens Book Sale

Whether you need some more room on your shelves or just want to add a few new titles to your home library, our friends at the Carroll Gardens branch are preparing to hold their 2nd annual book sale on May 19th from 10am - 4pm.   

Want to make a donation?  You'd better start packing those boxes now since they will only be accepting them until May 9th.
Even if you're not looking to buy any books, CD's or DVD's the book sale event might entice with its bake sale offerings, live entertainment, storytelling, arts and crafts and more.

"Found in Red Hook" Silent Auction: Get Your Bids in Now

The Kentler International Drawing Space on Van Brunt St. in Red Hook is gearing up for a big benefit on May 19th.  They are now holding two silent auctions that will end on the day of their benefit event.  According to their website one of the auctions features artworks by various artists and the other, called "Found in Brooklyn", will offer gift certificates and unique items from some of our favorite neighborhood artisans.  Baked, A Better Dog, Home/Made, Pier-Glass, and Ft. Defiance are just a few of the many local spots offering goodies for the lucky winning bidders.
Go to the Kentler International Drawing Space website to purchase tickets to the May 19th benefit event or to find out more info on how to place a bid.

Head Over to the LES For Leftover Luxuries

If you're looking for a deal or have some gently used items to sell you should trek over to the LES and visit our friends at Leftover Luxuries.  They are having a major sale from April 27th to May 6th at 134 Orchard St. (between Delancey and Rivington). 
Leftover Luxuries puts a spin on consignment shopping since all of the gently used products they offer have been hand picked and incorporated with other items to create a whole new look.  They specialize in home furnishings, accessories but also offer some designer vintage clothing, handbags and shoes.
Sign up for their mailing list for more info or to know where and when to find them.

The People of Alma Bring Brooklyn Crab to Red Hook

The next time you have a craving for fresh crab you won't have to go far to find it.  The people who brought you mouth watering Mexican fare at Alma now have a delicious new project in the hood.  Brooklyn Crab is located in Red Hook on Reed St. and is built on two decks overlooking magnificent views of the harbor.  Their website promises a tempting menu with something for everyone whether you want fresh sea food, salads, soups, steaks or sandwiches.  This may also become your kid's favorite spot, as a banner outside says there are plans to build an 18-hole mini golf course.  Though the restaurant is currently under construction, they expect their grand opening to come just in time for summer.