Monday, November 2, 2009

Before We Get to Seattle (We shoot in Brooklyn)

Before We Get To Seattle is a new short film shot on location in Brooklyn. “You could call it a coming of age story, but I personally never liked that term.” April Mosqus, who co-wrote and directed the film with her award-winning filmmaker partner Adam Linn, explains. “It came from a feature-length script I wrote called Heartbreaker.” The short film follows the same premise, set in the 1990s and featuring a character trying to leave New Jersey to go to Seattle at the height of the grunge era to start a band. Check it out on facebook

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Protests, Counter Protests in Brooklyn


Protestors came out in Brooklyn yesterday to counter the efforts of the Westboro Baptist Church at Beth Elohim. Rabbi Andy Bachman gave an inspiring speech to the assembled crowd. Photo by Shawn C. Roggenkamp

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Back from the Brooklyn Book Festival


...and I'm uploading some clips to The New Colonist's Facebook page. Just search for The New Colonist on Facebook.

Tim Horton's Now in Brooklyn


I tried the iced cappuccino. Quite nice!

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Barking about Hot Dogs


I'm not sure a recession is the best time to launch a gourmet hot dog shop. I wasn't even sure a hot dog could be worth $6. I'm not going to judge value, but say that this was an eceptionally tasting hot dog. Bark is on Bergen Street near Flatbush.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Tree cut at the entrance of Prospect Park


The entrance of Prospect Park near Grand Army Plaza was flanked by two pavilions. Yesterday, a group of people were cutting branches on the left side (Flatbush side). But to my surprise, it was the tree that was trimmed. The tree was beautiful and tall, I have even taken a picture of it.

Does anyone know what was going on there?

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Lady Liberty is Missing


This replica of the lady in the harbor has gone missing from the popular Brooklyn coffee shop, Vox Pop in Ditmas Park.

Grand Reflections


MORE BROOKLYN PHOTOS

Friday, May 29, 2009

A Word on The Collecting of Clocks


Listen to an interview with David Sokosh, clock collector, repairer and a staple at the Brooklyn Flea. http://www.urbanartantiques.com/2009/a-conversation-about-clocks/

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

New Dollar Store on Flatbush


There are lots of $2 things that could be $5 elsewhere. 333 Flatbush. Check it out!

Red Hook Open Sudio Tour This Weekend


Saturday, May 23, 2009

Made in Brooklyn


This sofa in the Philadelphia Museum of Art was made in Brooklyn by Thomas Brooks and Company

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

San Francisco Fog in Brooklyn


Saturday morning fog brought a bit of San Francisco to

Grand Army Plaza. MORE PHOTOS

Friday, May 15, 2009

Night on the Plaza

Welcome back to warm summer evenings!

Monday, May 4, 2009

It is House Tour Season!



When: 1PM - 5PM Saturday, May 9
Where: Starting Point: St.Ann's School Lobby, 129 Pierrepont Street
$30 reservation

Park Slope House Tour

When: 12:00 PM - 5:30 PM SUNDAY, MAY 17
Where: Starting Point: Poly Prep Lower School
Prospect Park West and 1st Street
$20 advance and $25 onsite

When: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM SUNDAY, MAY 31
$20 advance and $25 onsite

When: 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM SUNDAY, June 14
Where: Starting Point: Temple Beth Emeth, 83 Marlborough Rd
$20 advance and $25 onsite

Vox Pop Reopening Saturday


Vox Pop will be holding its Grand Re-Opening party on May 9th from 5 p.m. until 2 a.m. Stop by to help celebrate, listen to great music, enjoy fine fair trade coffee and check out the new selection of microbrews.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Trees Are in Bloom on the Plaza


The trees are in Bloom in Prospect Park and Grand Army Plaza. The moment is fleeting, so take a breather and smell (and see) the flowers. MORE PHOTOS

Sponge Bob Attacks Burger King


This was the scene Sunday night in Sunset Park... The Be In Brooklyn Cameras were on the scene.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Cherrys Are in Blossom at BBG


Spring is probably the best time to visit the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. These photos of the cherry blossoms are from yesterday!

A Swim at BBG

the fish in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden nearly lift a poor duck out of the water!

Monday, April 13, 2009

Brooklyn Eagle


You may have noticed this hansome eagle as you walk out of the Central Library. It was once over the doorway at the newspaper offices of the Brooklyn Eagle. You can see it in a photo here.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

You think you know well Grand Army Plaza?

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Oops!


I wonder if the motorist owning this oops will get a bill?

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

First Saturday at Brooklyn Museum


On Saturday, April 4, from 5 to 11 p.m., the Brooklyn Museum presents a free night of music, dance, and art-making classes in celebration of spring and the special exhibitions Gustave Caillebotte: Impressionist Paintings from Paris to the Sea and Hernan Bas: Works from the Rubell Family Collection. Highlights include a swing music performance by The Blue Vipers of Brooklyn; Nicole Renaud, a French singer, who will perform arias and accompany herself with her accordion in the galleries; and a Miami bass dance party hosted by DJ Michna. I hear there's a killer tour of the Egyptian Collection at 2 p.m. if you happen to be around earlier.

Brooklyn's Longest Happy Hour


SODA on Vanderbilt claims Brooklyn's longest happy hour. Is this an indication of the state of things or just another day on Vandy?

Monday, March 30, 2009

Go, Go, Gowanus

Explore the wide banks of Brooklyn’s most famous canal. Before crossing one of the oldest retractile bridges in the United States, we’ll visit the Carroll Gardens Historic District, a singular brownstone enclave distinguished by a remarkable street plan. Learn the history of the canal and the surrounding, though faded, industrial zone. Leader: Matt Postal, architectural historian.

Meet at Smith and President streets, outside the drug store. (Transit: F, G trains to Carroll St.) $15, $10 MAS members.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Litchfield Villa


Visiting Litchfield Villa is something you have to do during the week. Inside it's used as park offices, but there's still enough architectural splendor to make it a point to stop by. There's a magnificent rotunda opening to the second floor in the entryway, Minton tiles and an attractive (and completely level after 150 years) iron staircase. The home was designed by Alexander Jackson Davis or Edwin Litchfield, a railroad magnate.

Munchinette


Home of simple, good food in Sheepshead Bay. Try the salmon burger.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

From Brooklyn?

Old Brooklynites (and neighboring areas) Understand
If you ain't from Brooklyn, just forget this; you wouldn't understand.


You're truly from Brooklyn if you can relate to any of the following:

1.Alternate side of the street parking.

2.Ate at Chock Full O' Nuts Shops (date nut bread and powdered donuts that were crunchy).

3.Ate dinner every Sunday night at Fong Fongs on Church Avenue.

4.Ate Italian food at Collaro's on Coney Island Ave.

5.Bought bobka at the original Ebingers on Flatbush Avenue. Or AT Butterbun on Nostrand Ave.

6.Bought Ebinger's Black-Out Cake (and didn't count the calories)

7.Bought knishes from Mrs. Stahls in Brighton, or Ruby the Kinish Man.

8.Bought knishes on the beach and didn't mind the sand.

9.Bought pickles out of a barrel. The salt made you pucker.

10.Can name all the Brooklyn High Schools. Just try and do that today (impossible).

11.Don't speak with an accent - everybody else does.

12.Drove over the Marine Park Bridge for a 10-cent toll, and Brooklyn Battery Tunnel for 35 cents.

13.Everybody knows somebody from the neighborhood, even if it is your mother's cousin's son-in-law's sister's boyfriend.

14.Got a "Kitchen Sink" at Jahn's.

15.Got a J.D. card and feeling like Al Capone.

16.Had a prom date at the Club Elegante.

17.Had roller skates with keys.

18.Hand ball in the park.

19.Hit two sewers in punch ball.

20.It's not the "shore", its the "beach" idiot.

21.Kings Plaza.... how come we get the crappy mall?

22.Knew who the neighborhood wise guy was, but you'd never tell the cops.

23.Know that NBC's main production studio is on Avenue M.

24.Know what the F.W.I.L. on the Lundy's Restaurant in "The Bay" stands for(It's the brothers, Frederick, William, Irving and Louis).

25.Know, or at least your hips do, what a Charlotte Russe is.

26.Owned a pair of pumps from Miles or National's.

27.Played at ( Eddy) Faber's Fascination and Skeeball - saved tickets for junk gifts

28.Played hide and go seek at dusk.

29.Played Hit The Penny, Stoop Ball, Skelly, and Potsy.

30.Private beach? What's that?

31.Remember a time when the Greeks didn't own ALL the diners and the Koreans didn't own ALL fruit stands. Except the Greeks on Utica and Church, where you just said going to the Greeks for lunch.

32.Remember Bohack's, Packer's, and Smilen Brothers fruit stand.

33.Remember Coney Island fireworks every Tuesday night in the summer. Watching from your roof.

34.Remember submarine race watching at Plumb Beach. Heck, if you even know where Plumb Beach is.

35.Sheepshead Bay is for fishing and seafood.

36.Shopped on Fulton Street and Pitkin Ave. before the mall.

37.Swear that Grabstein's Deli had the l-e-a-n-e-s-t pastrami.

38.The first bar that you hung out in when you were 15.

39.There is a bagel bakery a few blocks away.

40.There is at least one pizzeria within 1 block of your house and a candy store on the corner.

41.Thought "Buddy's Fairyland Kiddie Park" on Utica Ave. was a major amusement park.

42.Thought going "away to college" means NYU, Pace, or Pratt.

43.Waited for the Good Humor or Bungalow Bar guy to come around your block.

44.Walked along the Coney Island Boardwalk, with a Shatzkins knish.

45.Washed it down with a Sunny Boy orange drink.

46.Went to a Bar Mitzvah at the Colonial Mansion, sometimes two on a weekend.

47.Went to Big Daddy's on Coney lsand Avenue as a change from Nathan's.

48.Went to Brennan and Carr for a double dip roast beef that dripped all over you.

49.Went to Murray the K rock concerts at the Brooklyn Fox or the Brooklyn Paramount. Went the night before for good seats.

50.Went to Saturday matinees at the Boro Park, The 46th St, Oriental, Canars=ie, Kingsway, Avalon, Rugby, Sheepshead, Mayfair or Marlboro theaters.

51.You ate at the Horn and Hardart Automat.

52.You can correctly pronounce places like Long I-land, but aren't exactly sure where it begins.

53.You curse A lot. Or can at least out curse anyone from anywhere else.

54.You don't go to Manhattan, you go to "The City."

55.You have no reason to go to Queens, except for Met games.

56.You know and go to the REAL Nathan's - Coney Island.

57.You know someone with mob ties.

58.You know the difference between going with, seeing, fooling around with and going out with someone.

59.You know what a "johnny pump" is.

60.You love "Welcome Back Kotter" (and not because of the crisp writing or great acting).

61.You made a scooter from orange crates and an old skate.

62.You made carpet guns that shot old linoleum projectiles.

63.You never realize you have an accent until you leave.

64.You waited for the rides on a truck to come to your neighborhood for 10 cents a ride.

65.You walk down "The Avenue" and see at least a handful of the people you knew growing up.

66.Your friends came over to hang out on the stoop.

67.You've had a pigeon crap on your car and/or your head.

68. Went roller skating at Park Circle, Bay Ridge Roller Rink, Empire Rollerdrome or Rollerama.

And the most important reason that you are a Brooklynite, or at least have the soul of one, is that You're still angry that the Dodgers left

Friday, March 20, 2009

New York's Best German Restaurant


When I went online looking for New York's best German restaurant, I thought Manhattan was in my future. Instead, Schnitzel House was to be found in the Brooklyn Neighborhood of Bay Ridge. I suggest the Rouladen and an Optimator on tap!

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

ASPCA offers SPAY and NEUTER


The ASPCA Mobile clinic will be at the Central Library at the corner of Eastern Parkway and Flatbush Ave on Saturday April 4 and April 11 to SPAY and NEUTER your pet. In-take begins at 7:00AM and surgeries will be completed the same day. A fee of $75.00 will be required from pet owners not on Public Assistance.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Historic Photos of Brooklyn


Professor John B. Manbeck was on hand at the Central Library to give a talk on his history books about Brooklyn including Historic Photos of Brookyn. I think I noticed from a photo of the old Brooklyn Eagle newspaper building that the eagle in the library lobby (above the doors) is from the Brooklyn Eagle. I should have headed back in to ask, but the sunset was enticing. Link to the book

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Art Outdoors


The sculpture in front of a home on 2nd Street in Brooklyn’s Park Slope neighborhood may be an exception to having personal public sculpture. It blends in so well it looks to be part of the living green, rather than an object of art–especially now that the trees are bare. I’m not sure who created it, or the idea behind it, but I did find it to be a tasteful whimsical addition to the landscape. READ MORE

So This Is Brooklyn


John Manbeck, former borough historian, gives an illustrated talk on the history of the borough and signs copies of his books: Brooklyn: Historically Speaking, Historical Photos of Brooklyn and Neighborhoods of Brooklyn.

Brooklyn Collection Reserve Room at Brooklyn Public Library (central). March 11, 7 p.m.

Friday, March 6, 2009

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Catch a Flick in Brooklyn

I was on a walk past the Pavilion on my way to Cafe Steinhof. It seemed like just as good of an idea to stop in for a flick. Check shows and times

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Greenest Block in Brooklyn


In 2009 Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Greenest Block in Brooklyn contest celebrates its 15th anniversary. BBG is offering a workshop is for new participants or those who want tips for improvement. We discuss street trees, front-area gardens, containers, and window boxes, with examples that will inspire you. Thursday, March 26 6–8 p.m.

Monday, March 2, 2009

A Snowy Monday


It wasn't the Storm of the Century, but it was enough to make Monday Morning a bit problematic for many of us. Once in a while, you have to shovel in March.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Wyckoff on Facebook


The oldest house in the city seems to be up to date with a Facebook page. You can follow the house and its events by following on Facebook. ClickHere

Friday, February 27, 2009

Appellate Division: Yes to Atlantic Yards

Today the New York State Appellate Division ruled in favor of the Atlantic Yards project in a lawsuit that challenged the project's environmental review process.

“Once again, the court has ruled favorably and the numerous public benefits of the Atlantic Yards project for Brooklyn have been reaffirmed," said Borough President in a statement.

"More than ever, in this economy, Brooklyn needs the thousands of units of affordable housing and most of all, the good, solid union jobs that Atlantic Yards will create—as well as the permanent jobs that will be created to meet the demands of new residents and visitors to Barclays Center, home to the soon-to-be Brooklyn Nets. Brooklyn’s shovels are ready. Let’s pick them up and get to work!”

Mayor Bloomberg said: “The Atlantic Yards project will create thousands of jobs and generate badly-needed tax revenue. The court’s unanimous affirmation today that the review and approvals processes were comprehensive and properly completed is a big step towards the start of construction.”

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Brooklyn Museum Calendar Update


The calendar of the Brooklyn Museum now can be viewed by either date or event type.

For example, guided tour can be found at here. Or each weekend's events can be seen here.

Based on a study, 75% of the museum visitors now visit the website to see what will be offered beforehand. Thus the searchable database, exhibition information and event calendar are crucial.  If you cannot remember the link, here is the easy way:

Subscribe the event calendar from here



Peeping at Peeing Under the Post Box


Irene Kaoru sent this interesting shot from Sheepshead Bay. It makes you wonder who's watching. You might also think twice about touching the mail. photo credit

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Experience Early American Life at the Lefferts House


Every week at Lefferts, kids engage in arts, crafts, and games just like they did in 19-century Brooklyn. Bring history to life! Using your hands and your skills, make arts and crafts the old-fashioned way and play games that were popular 150 years ago.
Every Saturday & Sunday, 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Flushing in Grand Army Plaza


No, the neighborhood in Queens is not setting up an annex, but a public toilet may soon grace the landscape in Grand Army Plaza with its presence. Not discounting the need for public toilets, these self-cleaning mechanisms are commonly used as shelters by the homeless in San Francisco. Will they be used for their intended purpose here?

Sunday, February 22, 2009

The Transformation of Grand Army Plaza Through Viewing Vintage Postcards


A lot of early postcards of GAP dated between 1892 and 1902. The relative abundance from this period indicates that Broolynites’ pride and joy in the grandeur of the park entrance and the arch designed by McKim, Mead and White. Devoid of automobile traffic, the plaza is reminiscent of European neoclassicism; yet the large empty space around the arch declared it American: Here, with enormous growth in wealth and confidence of the late Gilded Age, the order, dignity, and harmony of the old civilization still hold, but on a bigger and more ambitious scale. READ MORE Join the Grand Army Plaza Group on LinkedIn

Friday, February 20, 2009

Walking in Brooklyn


Brooklyn is relatively walker-friendly as far as American communities go, but it isn't all equally walkable. One web site gives Brooklyn Heights a walk score of 98. Park Slope gets a 95. Williamsburg gets a 92. Bay Ridge Gets an 88 and Manhattan Beach gets a 69. Check out the walk score for your neighborhood.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Plane Crashes in Park Slope

If you have ever noticed a corner on 7th Avenue in Park Slope with two newer buildings, you might wonder why. I was asked this same question and the only answer I could think of was that perhaps there had been gas stations there. The correct answer would have been a plane crash in 1960. The recent crash of the Conair plane into a house in Buffalo brought this to mind. The long ago event was more horrific, however. It was the result of a mid-air collision, following which a crippled United DC-8 careened into brownstone apartment buildings, the Pillar of Fire Church, the McCaddin Funeral Home, a Chinese laundry and a delicatessen. Wreckage was spewed over the Seventh Avenue at Sterling Place intersection, killing six people on the ground, including a sanitation worker shoveling snow and a man selling Christmas trees.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

New Restaurant - Shitake


A new Japanese restaurant opened in the busy section of Flatbush (at Sterling) Ave.

I was attracted by a big "Grand Opening" sign yesterday and went in to get the menu. Geo and I decided to try the dinner considering there was 15% discount.

The food was plenty and delicious. We both ordered bento with four shumais, 6 sushis, seaweeds, salad, rice and meat. I ordered scallop which was abundant and tender. Geo was equally happy with his teriyaki salmon. We were even treated with a free potion of light salted edamame. Probably it was not very authentic (the dialect between waiters were not Japanese), but good food is good food. I always follow my stomach and nose, not the ear.

The deco has some room to improve, especially it needs more decorative objects on the shelf and wall arts. But the service is good (maybe too many around). But overall it was a very good experience.

Shitake Japanese Restaurant, 385 Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn, NY