Calling all volunteers!

Yesterday we blogged about our role in GO Brooklyn.  We found out today that you can become involved too!  They need volunteers that weekend to help run the Neighborhood Information Table.  Basically what you'd be doing is hanging at a table at 61 local "surrounded by good food, drink, and local folks... giving out maps, helping people to register to vote, etc.  And handing out free Tattly (temp) tattoos!"  Does that sound like something you'd be interested in.  Then read more below about times and contact info.


* 4 people to work 12:00-2:30 on Saturday, Sept. 8
* 4 people to work 2:30 -5:00 on Saturday, Sept. 8
* 4 people to work 12-2:30 on Sunday, Sept. 9
* 4 people to work 2:30-5:00 on Sunday, Sept. 9

When you find folks who are available to help, please have them contact me
directly at ETraubman@gmail.com

GO Brooklyn Tour.

We recently blogged about the GO Brooklyn, which is a "community curated open studio project", but didn't know at the time that we'd be participating.  We we are proud to announce that we are!  Check this out.


Tour Given by Victoria Hagman and Edith Bellinghausen.  Come on a historic tour of Red Hook and Gowanus artist studios during GoBrooklyn and see not only amazing local artists' spaces but learn about the buildings they work in. Many artist studios in Brooklyn today are located in buildings that previously were used for other forms of production. The adaptive reuse of these buildings has created great spaces for the artist as well as retained the urban fabric. Learn more about these buildings on our tour.

The GO project is will be on the weekend of September 8th and 9th and this particular tour is on Sunday the 9th.  You can meet us at The Brooklyn Ice House, 318 Van Brunt Street, at 1:30pm and we will begin the tour at 2pm moving to our first stop FLOOD ZONE (107 Pioneer Street).  We're so excited to be a part of this.  For more info on GO click here.

Opening at 305 Van Brunt!

We've got some breaking news here.  Brooklyn Slate will taking over the space at 305 Van Brunt Street.  The company is exactly what it sounds like, a Brooklyn based business producing various slate products such as coasters, cheese boards and more.  They already have a studio in Red Hook on Bay Street and they are currently shipping their goods out.  Now they'll have a storefront on Van Brunt!  You can learn more about them here.

Dry Dock and Good Fork Dinner

Spots for this dinner may go quickly so if it interests you reserve soon.  Dry Dock has teamed up with The Good Fork to put together this dinner and wine pairing.  It's an evening with winemaker Robert Eden of Chateau Maris, his wines (of course) and a special menu from The Good Fork, one of our favorite restaurants in Red Hook!  The info is below.

Mon 9/17 Robert Eden/Chateau Maris Winemaker dinner @ The Good Fork 7pm includes:

• 4 Courses paired with wines
• Special "pre-dinner" tasting at dry dock at 6:30pm
• Exclusive deals on Chateau Maris wines. 

Cost: $65 per person (tax and tip not included).  

For more info call Dry Dock at 718-852-3625. 

To reserve a space call The Good Fork at 718-643-6636. 

PortSide New York is still auctioning.

Please show your support for PortSide New York.  Their pop-up museum at will be vacated on the 31st of August so you only have until the 30th to buy their waterfront artifacts and local art.  They are looking for a home for the MARY A. WHALEN,  the only oil tanker in the world hosting public programs. For a preview of what they have for sale or to get more information about them click here.


Selling is underway!
until Thurs 8/30 8pm
PortSide SOS Pop-Up
145 Columbia Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231

Follow Up on Brooklyn Bridge Park Pool.

We blogged about the opening of the public pool at Brooklyn Bridge Park and then about the pros and cons we saw trending on local blogs and such.  Now we have an insiders opinion.  A couple of friends went with their children a couple of weeks ago and here's what one of them had to say.

It was definitely clean and inviting.  We went on a weekday and it was crowded but not overcrowded.  The lifeguard told us it gets crazy on weekends.  The sandy area was nice, the food stand, albeit very pricey, was good.  Here's my complaint.  We heard that they give out wristbands to avoid long lines.  We thought 'perfect!'  We figured we could go grab a wristband and wander around the park and let the kids run around until our time slot came up.  Unfortunately the way they have it set up is that you still have to wait in line for a wristband.  At 1:30 they give wristbands for the 2pm slot.  So, we waited in line until 1:30 (we got there at 12:45 and they had run out of the 1pm slot).  The kids were restless and there wasn't a shady spot or any chairs available so we waited in the sun for nearly 45 minutes.  Then we still had 30 minutes until it was time to swim.  Not really enough time to go wander.  The set up doesn't make sense.  Why can't you just walk up and get a wristband for whatever the next time they have available is?  What's the point of the wristbands if you still have to wait in a line?  I hope they fix this for next year.  It was a nice pool but they've made it too difficult.

Library Reopening Soon?

After passing by the Carroll Gardens Library daily since June 15th, when they shut their doors for renovations, we've gotten used to seeing them working on the roof.  Today, no workers and the roof looks to be cleared off.  Are they reopening soon?  We were told they'd be closed for 2 months and, since it's been a little over that, we assumed it was give or take (mostly give) a week or two.  There is nothing on their website that announces a reopening date.  Has anyone heard anything?  If so, please share!

Fireballs in Gowanus.

If you hear some loud explosions in the area tomorrow, don't be alarmed.  We received this notification yesterday.

Notification issued 8/21/12 at 1:00 PM. Tomorrow, August 22nd, the filming of a movie will simulate an explosion with a fireball effect on private property near Columbia Street and Gowanus Bay in Brooklyn. The stunt will happen once during the hours of 2-4pm; FDNY will be on site. 
 
I hope these notifications are reaching the masses though.  A few people who we talked to hadn't heard anything about it and it would a pretty scary thing to hear...and even worse to see from afar.  So, we're spreading the word.  Please share this!

The Children's Garden!

We reported back in May that the lot at Sackett and Columbia is set to be turned into a children's garden.  We were very excited when we found out and couldn't wait to see the eyesore of an empty lot be transformed into something great for the community.  We don't have to wait any longer! Alright, well, maybe a little bit longer.  But,  as you can see in the pic above, the transformation has begun and folks were working on it last weekend.  A lot of people came to help out.  Man, we love our hood!  The Columbia Street Children's Garden is on it's way!

Zero Guys.

 Photo: Hugh Merwin

It looks as though the Five Guys Burgers and Fries that opened on Court Street not too long ago is no longer.  We've heard that the place is now closed, gutted, and has a sign on the door thanking people for their patronage and asking us to please visit their Montague location.  This is both surprising and not so surprising at the same time.  Given the excellent location right a cross from the Cobble Hill movie theater (perfect spot to grab a quick meal when you're running late for a flick), it's very family friendly and has a good reputation for being pretty delicious, it's strange that they only lasted a little over a year.  The place, however, never seemed that crowded and with all the competing burgers in the area, made with better quality ingredients, it's not too surprising.  Oh well.  Grubstreet also wrote about the closing (above pic) and seemed a little shocked too.  We've got enough burgers, now we can only hope for a really delicious Indian restaurant!

Citi Bike Celebration!

We've blogged about Citi Bike a couple of times with updates.  Can you tell we're psyched about this bike share program?  Next week they're having a party and auction.  Still raising money to get things moving and expanding.  There will be drinks and dancing as well.  Below are some auction and event details. 

Auction sneak peak: All proceeds for the evening support T.A.’s advocacy campaigns. Here's just a sampling of what will be available for bidding during the auction:

• 3-speed Linus Bike
• Chef’s Tasting for Two at Anella (Greenpoint)
• Case of 2008 Helix Cabernet Sauvignon from Walla Walla, Washington
• Pair of Learn the Ropes Classes from Brooklyn Boulders

Event Details Roulette 509 Atlantic Avenue at 3rd  Thursday, August 23, 7-10 pm For more information, please e-mail membership@transalt.org or call 646 873-6036  Buy your tickets.

164 Court Street

There is a new bloom on Court street.  Heh heh.  Yep it's a floral shop, or floral atelier to use their words.  It's called Edelwiess and it's truly beautiful.  It was a little hard to capture the gorgeous window display in these photos, mainly because the reflection was so bright.  The photo above shows the whole display with their antique looking sign and vines growing up the two columns in front.  The photo below is a closer up pic of the hydrangeas.  We weren't the only ones checking out their windows.  They seemed to be stopping walkers-by if not for just a second or two.  Nice job!

Summer Wines!

To many wine drinkers, more specifically white wine drinkers, summer means Riesling.  And since the season is almost over Dry Dock Wine + Spirits has decided to get the word out and suggest a handful of this perfect summery wine.  Here's the list they are sharing.  Enjoy!

Heinz Nicolai Riesling Kabinett Erbacher Honingsber 2010
$16 750 ml

Medium dry with residual sweetness; succulent nose; sweet fruit basket palate; perfect on its own or with tangy foods like spicy chutney.

Lucashof Pfalz Riesling 2011
$12 750 ml
Delicious, affordable with lively acidity, ripe green apple palate and just the right amount of sweetness.

Sawtooth Skyline Riesling
$14 750 ml
Idaho's premier winery. Crisp citrus fruity nose; lush palate of peach and pineapple; leads to a beautiful acidic finish.

August Kessler Rudensheimer Bischofsberg Riesling Kabinett Trocken 2003
$29 750 ml
A heady nose of dried apricot and nuts with just a touch of botrytis; creamy palate of tropical fruits; elegant and refined with enough concentration to make it a wine to take seriously.

Anthony Nappa Luminous Riesling
$19 750 ml.
Small production wine from the Finger Lakes region. A bright wine with residual sugar; nose of honeysuckle and citrus blossoms; palate of golden apples and guava; a sweet round middle with a crisp, dry, acidic finish.

Dassara Hot Opening

Last week Dassara, the new Japanese noodle place on Smith Street, was featured in TimeOut Magazine's "Hot Opening" section.  And it is, indeed, a hot opening.  As we passed by the restaurant this past weekend the dining room was busy at a very early dinner hour and people kept stopping in to check out the menu.  The main photo in TimeOut was of their "Deli Ramen", which is a chicken broth base with matzoh balls and Mile End smoked meat.  Another noodle dish they have on the menu that is just as unique has clams and salted chilis.  Those and a mushroom ramen are actually the only three ramen dishes they have for now.  The menu is their soft opening menu  and has a handful of "not ramen" selections also, including fried chicken buns, broiled oysters with miso-glazed bacon, and a tomato salad also with miso-glazed bacon.  Sounds mmmmm.  We can't wait to try it.  If you have let us know how it was!

Martin Amis in Brooklyn Tonight

British novelist, Martin Amis, will be at Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 1 tonight at 7pm.  BookCourt will present this installment of "Book Beneath the Bridge".  You may know a couple of Amis's better known books, Money (1984) and London Fields (1989).  He'll be bringing his new novel, Lionel Asbo: State of England with him tonight.  It's a very cool event and here's what Zack Zook of BookCourt had to say about it. 

Books Beneath the Bridge has created the exciting, uncompromised summer necessity of waterfront literary glory with a series supporting my belief that Brooklyn is very much the sincerest and most productive of boroughs when it comes to literature and art.  BookCourt is very proud to be part of this lineup, consisting of authors appointed by many fantastic Brooklyn bookstores. Martin Amis is one of our nicest (and newest) neighbors, and we were dying to have a peek at his new book

Will Houdini Escape Brooklyn?

There is a very cool exhibition coming to Gallery Brooklyn, one of the newer additions to Red Hook ever growing art scene at 351 Van Brunt. It's called "Houdini" and it's a monthly traveling exhibition by Bráulio Amado. For the past year it's already travled to cities throughout the US and overseas and on August 25th, until September 16th, it'll be in Brooklyn. The show itself is best described by this excerpt from the gallery's website.

Inspired by the greatest magician that ever lived, the series alludes to abstract universes and fantasies, exploring mind tricks and the possibilities of the impossible. The pieces invoke the unexpected and draw from raging sounds, like those of the Melvin’s Houdini record. Expect weird stuff.

NYPD National Night Out Pics.

The NYPD National Night Out was this past Tuesday.  For anyone who doesn't know what that is there is a little explanation from nyc.gov below.  We were in Carroll Park, which represented Transit District 30.  There was dancing (below), food for all, balloons for the kids, and games as well.  Everyone had a great time and the weather couldn't have been better.  Well, maybe ten degrees cooler.  But other than that it was a hit.  Enjoy the pics.


National Night Out is an annual summer event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watches in which precincts organize anti-crime rallies with the participation of local business and civic organizations. Various Police Department units present displays, and other City, State and Federal agencies also take part. National Night Out has proven to be an effective and enjoyable police/community partnership. It is held on the first Tuesday of August every year.

Runnin' Wild on Court Street

Taking over the south half of the space that used to be Sweet Melissa's is Runnin' Wild Kids Shoes.  As you can see from the photo above we couldn't really see inside to check on their progress but the last status update on their facebook page said "A bit behind ! But soon, very soon. Working day and night to open next week."  That was posted on August 2nd so we assume they plan on opening day being set for this week sometime.  The photo below was also on their facebook and it's a drawing of what we can expect the store to look like.  It's a narrow space but goes pretty far back.  Plenty of room for kids to run around and see if their shoes fit.

Zombieland Tonight!

Just a quick reminder that tonight you can watch Zombieland for free at Valentino Pier.  A beautiful location for an outdoor viewing of a very awesome movie.   We are presenting this one, along with Pok Pok, and you can check out their sponsors page for more on all the sponsors involved with Red Hook Flicks.  So, bring your blankets, snacks, and bevs and come hang!

Nine Cakes on Columbia.

We stopped by the specialty cake shop at 155 Columbia Street the other day to see how they were doing and they looked hard at work.  They have been in the space for a couple of years now and they seem to be doing very well.  They get really good reviews on yelp.  Customers talk about the cake being delicious and beautiful (one said "The cake was the star of the party!").  Most also comment on how wonderful owner, Betsy Thorleifson, was throughout the whole process.  One thing we didn't know about the shop is that they not only make cakes for special occasions, like weddings and whatnot, but they have everyday cakes as well that are pretty decently priced.  So, if you're interested in a cake for a special occasion or just a cake to celebrate it being a Monday you can check out their website at http://www.ninecakes.com/.

RHI Block Party!

The Red Hook Initiative is having a block party tomorrow, Saturday August 4th, to celebrate their 10th anniversary.  The party is at 767 Hicks, between W9 and Huntington from 3-7.  They'll have DJs, food, double dutch, dancing and a cooking contest!  For those of you who aren't familiar with RHI here's an excerpt from their website about their history.


In 2002 the Red Hook Health Initiative began as a program of a local hospital, in response to the severity of health and social issues in Red Hook. Over the last decade we have developed into a well-regarded community-based institution. In 2006 we formed the Red Hook Initiative (RHI), an independent 501(c)3, in order to expand our scope to better meet community needs. In February 2010, RHI moved into a brand new community center. It is a green building, representing our commitment to social justice and sustainability. This year, 2012, RHI is celebrating our 10th Anniversary and is moving forward with a renewed commitment to the people and community of Red Hook.

Save the Date for Delicious Dining.

The Third Annual Tony DiDio Selections, or TDS, Portfolio Tasting/Wine Dinner will be held at Frankies 457 this year.  We received a save the date email an although the event is on their website, there isn't too much information about it yet.  We do know that they will have a special guest, winemaker Peter Zemmer from Alto Adige and the festivities will begin at 6:30.  You can keep checking out their website for updates.

Art of Brooklyn Film Fest

The 2012 Art of Brooklyn Film Festival kicks off this weekend, August 4th, and runs until the 12th.  You can check out their schedule here.  It should be fun.  We went to their website to learn a little more about it  and here's what we found out.

The Art of Brooklyn is a nonprofit dedicated to the art and culture of the borough of Brooklyn.

We curate a conversation between the new, Brooklyn-based art community, immigrants, transplants and those born and raised in the borough through our programs: A live performance series, gallery exhibitions, and an annual film festival that focuses on Brooklyn-centric art and artists.

We partner with elementary and secondary schools in the borough to improve the cultural literacy of the next generation with arts education programs. And we celebrate the best of the borough with our annual Art of Brooklyn Awards. 

We also really like their tag line.  "Independent film. Art. Food. Parties. A match made in Brooklyn."  Go check it out. St. Francis College Theater at 180 Remsen St.