Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn

No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford

My Friend Henry Lowengard

I think Henry Lowengard deserves to be an occasional column on OTBKB. No Words Daily Lowengard? Postcard from Henry Lowengard? Smartlowengard?

He's just such an interesting guy. He told me about this show on radio station WFMU: 51 Versions of the Inaugural Poem Remix. There's one by Henry on there. Listen.

Leon Freilich, Verse Responder: Clockster

Complaints are piling up about lawyers/ billable hours.  --news item.

                       Clockster

If forced by Recession to give up his billable,

Which enables the lawyer to have his fillable,

He can always retain a by-the-hour fee

By punching a time clock in a factory.

Cupid's Arrow: Writers on Love at Brooklyn Reading Works on Feb 12

Brooklyn Reading Works presents Cupid's Arrow: Writers on Love curated by Marian Fontana. Another on eof the great themed readings at Brooklyn Reading Works curated by interesting writers.

Marian  Fontana, author of The Widow's Walk; A Memoir of 9/11 and the upcoming from Simon and Schuster,  The Middle of the Bed, has gathered together some wonderful writers, including  Elissa Schappell author of Use Me and the upcoming Blueprints for Better Girls; Novelist, poet and editor of Teachers and Writers Collaborative magazine, Susan Karwoska; and Poets Ellen Ferguson and Ira Goldstein and memoirist, Mila Drumke. Marian will be reading an excerpt from her upcoming book.

It should, as always, be a great night. These themed group readings are fascinating as you see the subject matter shift, the approach, and the language shift from author to author.

Alison, the owner of Paper Love, the new card and stationery shop on Lincoln Place, is thinking of selling letter press Valentine's cards at the show. She happens to be a fiction writer and was very excited to be part of this event.

The Where and When:

February 12th at 8 p.m.
Brooklyn Reading Works at the Old Stone House
Fifth Avenue between 3rd and 4th Streets (in Washington Park)
A $5 suggested donation includes light refreshments and wine.
There will probably be candy hearts and chocolate as well.

No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford

25-Year-Old-Park Slope Marine Dies in Afghanistan

I just heard a story on WNYC about Marine Lance Cpl. Julian T. Brennan, 25, who  when a roadside bomb exploded during a combat operation in Afghanistan.

If the war in Afghanistan seems far away, it's not. The family moved to Park Slope in 2003. They learned of their son's death when Marine officials showed up at their Park Slope door. Just like in the movies.

His parents also learned that he'd secretly married his girlfriend, Bettina Beard-Brennan, before he went to Afghanistan, so that if he should die, she would receive widow's benefits. A very loving gesture.

Julian, a handsome Brooklyn youth, was a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and an employee of the Martha Stewart show. As reported by Tom Witt on Your  Nabe, Julian, a singer/songwriterm often played at the open mic at Bar 47, 444 7th Avenue,

But it was his grandfather, James Brennan, a Marine who fought in Iwo Jima, who was Julian's hero. And he was the reason Julian wanted to become a marine.

Like many Park Slopers, Julian voted for Barack Obama and called his parents on Inauguration Day from Afghanistan. Here is the announcement that arrived in my inbox from Marty Markowitz:

“Brooklyn extends its deepest condolences to the family, friends and fellow Marines of Lance Cpl. Julian T. Brennan, who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation while serving in Afghanistan. We grieve with Lance Cpl. Brennan’s loved ones and hope they will be comforted by the prayers and thoughts of millions of Brooklynites, New Yorkers and Americans grateful for his valiant service.”

Survivors include Julian Brennan’s wife, Bettina Beard-Brennan, his father Billy Brennan, mother Thya Merz, a brother James, and sister Shannon.

Julian will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia next to his grandfather.

Write a Letter To President Obama at Lion in the Sun

Speaking of windows (see story about Urban Alchemist below), there's an Obama tree in the window of Lion in the Sun on Seventh Avenue at 4th Street in Park Slope and an invitation to write a letter to President Obama.

I haven't gone in yet. I'm not sure if they're sponsoring an event of if it's an ongoing idea. I plan on going in and finding out.

Anyone know?

By the way, the shop is carrying Brenda Becker's "A Year in the Park" calendar for 2009.

We are exclusively carrying the lovely, full-color "Prospect: A Year in the Park" calendar featuring 12 months of lush and evocative images from Brenda Becker's adventures in Prospect Park as featured on her blog ayearinthepark.typepad.com.

Deep Dark Secrets in the Window at Urban Alchemist

I noticed hand written notes on the window of Urban Alchemist, the charming jewelry and craft cooperative on Fifth Street just east of Fifth Avenue in Park Slope, and made a mental note to go back and find out more.

Alas, I didn't make it back in time. And now I see that the Brooklyn Paper has the story.  Turns out that the store is inviting customers and passerbys to put their secrets on the window. And guess what? The Daily Intel ran the story, too with a link back to BP.

Got a deep dark secret? Why not post it on the front of a Park Slope vintage jewelry and clothing store?

50 hand-written mysteries adorn the front window. Some are innocuous (“I still sleep with my teddy bear” or “My resume is a sham”), some are scandalous (“I once had sex with my teacher for an A on a test”), some are just embarrassing (“I have a crush on Joey Fatone”).

Others are just plain horrifying (“I voted for McCain”).

“The idea is to let people reveal their secret,” said co-owner Rebecca Shepherd. “You have no idea how much better you feel when you let it out, even anonymously.”

Shepherd said her favorite was the secret of the lowly worker at a Soho gallery who felt so put upon by his bosses that when they went on vacation, he urinated in their Snapple bottles and then watched in glee when the bosses drank from them days later.

“It’s so delightfully devious and awful,” she said.

Hearts and Crafts for Parents and Kids on Valentine's Day at Get Fresh

Get Fresh, the restaurant, take-out, cafe on Fifth Avenue between 5th and 6th  Street, has a new identity, which is a good thing because I don't think the first concept, a place to buy ready-to-cook organic ingredients to make at home was working for them.

The space, while very attractive, wasn't being used to its best advantage. Now they've put tables and chairs in the front of the store and it's an inviting space to grab a coffee and a meal. So props to the owners for making the necessary changes. In this economy, it is important to be flexible and fast on your feet. If it isn't working, fix it and move on.

Hence, Get Fresh has morphed in to Get Fresh Table and Market, the newly expanded restaurant in Park Slope that’s dedicated to preparing delicious meals from the freshest sustainably-sourced ingredients, .

And they've devised a way to help parents relax and to celebrate Valentine’s Day, too. The idea is this: provide food in a romantic setting for the parents, and arts and crafts activities for the kids. They're doing it for brunch and early supper on Valentine's Day.

Smart.

The restaurant is offering two ways for parents to enjoy elegant dinners — in the restaurant with “Hearts and Crafts,” a special event featuring activities designed to entertain the children while parents enjoy their meals; and at home, with a special take-home dinner that’s perfect for new parents!  
 

“Hearts and Crafts” activities are being offered by Kid Create, and will be available for the children during both brunch and dinner service. Children will be invited to create paper Valentine’s cards, mobiles and other crafts from 12-2pm during brunch, and for an early dinner from 5-6pm. Reservations are not necessary for brunch, but are recommended for dinner. Get Fresh Table and Market is currently BYOB.
 
The in-restaurant dinner menu, prepared by chef and co-owner Juventino Avila (Double Crown, Bonita, Institute of Culinary Education), who celebrates food by turning  his fresh ingredients by preparing them into delicious gourmet meals, will include such items as wild caught shrimp ceviche with roasted sweet potato and raw honey, , beef tenderloin with house-made blue cheese ravioli, and a ginger demi glace, and chocolate cake with berry compote. Full menu and price details below.
 
In addition to the on-site activities and dinner menu, a take-home three-course dinner is available to anyone (parents and others) who prefers to stay in on Valentine’s Day. Dinner options include mushroom soup with truffle oil and leeks, roasted Giannone chicken breast with garlic-scented potatoes and truffle au jus, and grilled Lancaster Farm mushrooms with sweet potato ravioli and Flora Farm tomato-olive chutney. Full menu and price details below.

 

Craig Hammerman Rolls Out His City Council Campaign at Magnolia

I am just now beginning to pay attention to the city council race. The primary is nine months away and the campaigns of an excellent group of candidates for Bill deBlasio's seat are beginning to heat up.

Thursday night, Hepcat and I attended Craig Hammerman's roll-out party at Magnolia, a cozy restaurant and bar on Sixth Avenue and 12th Street. It was billed as a Meet- the-Candidate event and it was a good chance to meet Hammerman supporters and those who were just taking a look/see.

Heck, the smart guy that works at the Community Bookstore was manning the door.

There was a pay-as-you-drink-bar and free shish kebobs, pizza, chicken wings and stuffed mushrooms that were tasty. Full discolure: I had one kebob and a stuffed mushroom.

At the friendly, small gathering on an icy cold winter night, Hepcat and I had the opportunity to grill Craig on the path that led him to city politics.

Craig has been District Manager of Community Board 6 for the last 19 years. Before that he was born in Brooklyn in 1965, attended Midwood High School and studied chemical engineering and history at Rutgers University. After college he taught high school science in Brooklyn. He told us that he was hired to teach biology at one school even though he hadn't studied biology since high school. Fortunately, his father, a professor of life science at Long Island University, was able to help keep Craig a  week or two ahead of the students.

He also worked for a small manufacturing firm, a valuable experience that convinced him that he was meant to work for the public good.

In 2001 Craig ran against Bill deBlasio. Well, that race didn't turn out the way he wanted. But he's at it again with plans to pound the pavements, ring the doorbells and meet the citizens one-on-one in his district which includes a large swath of Park Slope, Windsor Terrace and Kensington.

I've gotten to know Craig a little bit of late because he shops at the Community Bookstore and we're often in there at the same time. Before Christmas he came in looking for a book to buy his mother or father for the holidays.

Catherine recommended The Economist Book of Obituaries because it's really a great collection of biographies of the famous and the unusual. It was an odd choice for elderly parents but Craig thought that once his parents got passed the title they'd really enjoy the book.

Later he told me that they did.

He was at the Community Bookstore on the night of Obama's inauguration and participated in the festive read-in  that was going on (Frederick Douglas, Thomas Jefferson) by reading excerpts from The Tempest. That's what I hear anyway.

A member of the Park Slope Track Club, Craig is an avid runner and has completed 7 marathons.

"I ran the Brooklyn Half," I told him proudly."

"Half-marathons are my favorite race," Craig told me.

So the guy knows how to run. But can he win?

Now don't take this for an endorsement. It's too early for that. And don't think I won't be running other stump speeches on this blog. It's just that I was there last night and was impressed with the words that Craig strung  together to get his message across.

"We're taking it back" is his campaign mantra. The phrase appears on his website, which is still being developed and is the 4-word refrain of much of his stump speech. So what is Craig taking back?

For the community activists who take time away from their family, their friends and their hobbies to get involved, people I’ve spent two decades of my life supporting, organizing, leading and admiring…we’re taking it back.

For the people who dare to speak out, whose views may be unpopular with the powers-that-be, who see things as they are and aren’t afraid to call the Emperor naked, who scare the establishment with their honesty and openness, you have my undying admiration for your commitment to the most basic democratic principles…we’re taking it back.

For the teachers and administrators entrusted with the education of our children, stuck between a community of frustrated and disempowered parents and students who care, and a centralized bureaucracy that never seems to care enough…we’re taking it back.

For our neighbors who want to enjoy an occasional visit to Prospect Park, bring their dog for an early morning run, picnic or barbeque with family and friends, bring their kids to little league or soccer, or perhaps even train for a marathon there, without fear or threat of being mugged or killed by a car…we’re taking it back.

For the pedestrians who would rather keep their gazes fixed upward taking in our beautiful brownstones, tree-lined streets and open sky, but instead must focus on the cracks in the sidewalk and the buzzing traffic in our congested streets…we’re taking it back.

For the butchers, the bakers, the candle-stick makers, and the restauranteurs, bookstore owners, and all the merchants we know by name – the people who make our shopping a pleasant experience with their street fairs, Christmas tree lightings, Halloween candy and Snow Flake festivals – things that Starbucks and Barnes & Noble would never do…we’re taking it back.

For the shoulders of giants we stand on today, the people who had dedicated an important piece of their life to building the communities we get to enjoy as their legacy – the Bob Acito’s, Ed Rogowsky’s, Peggy Buffalano’s, Stephen Foster’s, Anita DeMartini’s, Jackie Connor’s, Frank Verderame’s, Mary Allman’s, and Ernest Migliaccio’s…we’re taking it back.

For the average middle-class New Yorker, tired of seeing tax dollars wasted on projects, programs and policies that don’t work, aren’t needed, or can be done more efficiently and effectively, people who are worried about keeping their jobs, their home, and their lives in tact, people who are increasingly thinking that government must be part of the solution, not the problem itself – my friends and neighbors who despite their cynicism want something to believe in, are motivated to work for change, and have not given up…we’re taking it back.

We’re taking it back!

We’re taking back our community – building by building, block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood.

We’re taking back our voice from those who have tried to silence us – the small-minded, scared politicians who fear what they do not understand and what they cannot control.

We’re taking back our government from the big-monied special interests who hijack public land for private use and create jobs for those with access instead of those with need.

We’re taking back our inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness so that we can take care of each other and live in the kind of communities we get to design.

We’re taking it all back.

The pendulum is swinging.  Our new President cannot do it alone.  We must answer his call for communities to organize, mobilize, stand up and be counted.  This is our mission.  This is our campaign.  It starts right here and right now.

In 2010 we will have an incumbent City Council.  A City Council filled with third-term veterans who have been around for 8 years.  People who know how to get projects, programs and policies funded.  People who know how to activate City government.  People whom I’ve worked closely with – some I’ve even taught a thing or two.

This is no time to send an untested person to the City Council to represent our communities.  The situation demands an experienced person possessing not only an eagerness to do the right thing, but the knowledge and know-how to do it.  The situation demands strong, proven leadership.  The situation demands that we put our energies into getting this message out there to every single one of our friends and neighbors.  They must know what is at stake here and it’s our job to inform them.  We have 9 months to get this done.

In 2008 we took back our nation.  In 2009, we’re taking back our community.  And together – we will!

What he does know how to do is write a good speech. I appreciated his words tonight and am glad to be able to post them here.

Just because I'm running Craig's speech doesn't mean I won't run your's if you're campaigning for City Council. Try me. I just might.

He knows how government works and believes that this community needs strong, experienced representation at a time when the City Council will be filled with veteran politicans.

Leon Freilich, Verse Responder: A Man's Home is His Hassle

A Man's Home is his Hassle

"No Chinese Menus" sign is gone,

No longer on the door, withdrawn,

And if you've been inside, you've seen

Pasted to the computer screen

A sign that spits out, like a curse:

"No More of That Constant Lighthead Verse!"

And it's worked, proof positive that when you

Speak out--it's goodbye Chinese menu.

No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford

Leon Freilich, Verse Responder: Payback

Payback

We have a suggestion for the Wall Streeter

That’s sure to impel him to phone us:

In light of your company’s vast losses,

How about a negative bonus?

New Performance Venue in Bushwick: Cafe Orwell

Amelia Lukas, a fan of OTBKB, wrote in to tell me about a new performance venue in Bushwick. 
Cafe Orwell opened at 247 Varet St. one month ago. "We are dedicated to freedom, justice, equality, and coffee," she writes. 

Their goal is to provide Bushwick with a cultural center where locals can tap into cutting-edge art, literary and music scenes.  All events are free and begin at 7pm.

I was impressed with how much they've got going on already. And I love the name. 

Sunday Night Film Series: 
1st Sunday of the month - Documentaries
2nd Sunday - From Across the Pond
3rd Sunday - George's Picks
4th Sunday - The History of Cinema
The rare 5th Sunday - Pandering to the Masses

crowd (reading series): hosted by Douglas Piccinnini – 1st Saturday of each month
A community-based project to connect innovative artists, performers, and writers in the emerging creative hub of Bushwick, Brooklyn.www.crowdyourself.blogspot.com

Live Sound: hosted by Amelia Lukas – 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month
Concerts of contemporary and classical music featuring the city's most talented young performers.

New Sound: hosted by Nicholas DeMaison – 4th Saturday of each month
A new music forum where composers will present their work through recordings and live performance with the opportunity for questions and discussion. 

Open Mic: the 2nd Thursday of each month
All are welcome – the more original, the better!

Book Club: hosted by Taier Perlman – 3rd Thursday of each month
Please contact cafeorwell.bookclub@gmail.com for the book list.

FEBRUARY CALENDAR

--Sunday Film Nights:
Feb 1: Harlan County USA
Feb 8:  Ladri di Biciclette (The Bicycle Thief)
Feb 15:  Fargo
Feb 22:  Man with a Movie Camera & Duck Soup

--Thursday evenings:
5th: Script Workshop
12th: Open Mic
19th: Book Club

--Saturday evenings:
7th: double-bill
           crowd: readings by Joanna Furhman, Amy King, Chris Martin & Ana Božičević
           Live Sound: Kobe van Cauwenberghe, guitar
21st: Live Sound: Victor Lowrie, viola
28th: New Sound: Reiko Fueting

Sweet Cookie Company at Paper Love for Valentines!

More news from Paper Love, the little card, stationery, paper and MORE shop on Lincoln Place:  

Along with loads of Valentine's cards and the usual selection of tasteful paper items,  they will be hosting Allison Micarelli of Brooklyn's own Sweet Cookie Company, who will be in the shop on Saturday, January 31st and Saturday, February 7th to take cookie orders for Valentine's Day! 

Stop in between noon and 2 to catch her.

Paper Love is also introducing a new line of letterpress business and calling cards. All you have to do is choose a template, switch a color if you like, and you'll have 175 perfect little pieces of

personal information for all of your meeting and greeting needs!

No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford

Discount Tickets for Feb 7th BAM Family Program About the Blues!

Helen Frank over at BAM just wrote in with this great news:

I just wanted to let you know that we’re now offering a special discount to you and your community for Stories and Songs of the Blues, featuring the Guy Davis Trio.  BAM is offering you $10 tickets but you must use the code 10211

Guy Davis' easy nature and accessible delivery gives kids a gentle introduction into the significance of Black History Month. 

Using charming storytelling and contagious music, Davis invites children to explore African American history, providing a starting point for an essential conversation, to be continued at home with family and at school with teachers and friends.

 I also encourage you to visit our website for more information: http://www.bam.org/view.aspx?pid=750.

You can order online, by phone or in person.

 

Who's the Hottie on This Week's Brooklyn Based Tip Sheet?

ha Once again the Brooklyn Based Tip Sheet arrives in the old inbox and we can all relax because BB has a host of suggestions for interesting things to do in the coming days. Phew.

This caught my eye right off the bat. The picture of handsome Sufjan Stevens, of course. Go to BB for more. Better yet, subscribe! Tell 'em I told you to do it.

• Sufjan Stevens has a brand new song so far heard only by his closest friends — and one lucky Brooklynite. Alec Duffy of the Hoi Polloi theater company was awarded exclusive rights to “The Lonely Man of Winter.” In an effort to combat the impersonal experience of internet-leaked tracks, Duffy is inviting fans to his home for a unique listening party, complete with tea and cookies. Three sessions (limited to four people) each Wednesday until Feburary 25. Email to reserve a spot, and bring your own headphones if you have good ones.

Onward and Upward for The Brooklyn Flea

Just got this missive from Eric Demby of the Brooklyn Flea. Just because it's the dead of winter don't think the Brooklyn Flea is closed. No, no, no. They seem to pop up everywhere.

Following a successful opening month of its Antiques Market in Dumbo, Brooklyn Flea is expanding its Winter Pop-Up to a second empty storefront directly across the street, at 81 Front St. The details are the same as the antiques market: Saturdays and Sundays, 11am to 6pm, through March 29. 

The 6100sf loft-like space will feature 35 (mostly) non-vintage vendors of clothes, jewelry, art, handmade/crafts, and best of all, food! This weekend, Jan. 31/Feb. 1, will be a soft launch for the new space, with the full grand opening Feb. 7/8. 

Onboard so far are silkscreeners Loyalty + Blood, Brooklyn Junior, and Flux Productions. Jewelers Birdhouse, Bonbon Oiseau, Jessica De Carlo, and Blint Design. Upcyclers Reclaimed Home and Un Jour, Georges. Handmade mavens Heartisans, Perch Design, A.S.I.S., and Hortensia Handmade. Vintage finds from FDR to JFK and Sew Moni. Fabulous greenery and garden design from Groundworks. Plus guest DJs including the Dumbo record shop Halcyon, special guest curators, and more.

Flea food-vendor staples Kumquat Cupcakery, McClure's Pickles, Hot Blondies Bakery, and Choice Market will all be at 81 Front St. Fine + Raw Chocolate will debut their insane raw hot cocoa. Consider Bardwell, the 140-year-old Vermont cheese farm, will be selling their award-winning goat and cow cheeses starting Feb. 8. For the 81 Front launch this weekend, Chris and his Kings County BBQ truck will be parked out front. 

Did we mention pupusas? They're back too! Red Hook and Brooklyn Flea Food Vendor Rafael Soler will have his renowned pupusas available at 81 Front St. starting this weekend.

Winter Pop-Up will also feature the debut of the "Curated Corner," where the Flea will partner with guest curators to bring in their favorite designer/shop/artist/dealer to hold a one-time-only show/sample sale/trunk show. Curators include: Daily Candy (Feb. 7/8, Feb. 28/March 1, March 28/29), Refinery29 (Feb. 21/22), Cool Hunting (March 7/8), and Fred Flare (date TBA). (More curators to be announced soon.) Guest curators will create their own environments inside the market where visitors can shop and meet the creatives behind their favorite brands. 

Pulled pork, a handmade t-shirt, some earrings, a vintage side table, and some classic Dior sunglasses--the Winter Pop-Up is a Brooklyn winter wonderland.

Parents: Share Your Stories About the NYC School System

Here's a post from Robin Warren of Learn NY. She posted on OTBKB last month about mayoral control of the schools.

I hope you all have had a wonderful beginning to the New Year. Since I posted about the issue of Mayoral Control here last month, parents from across the city have written to Learn NY, asking questions, sharing their stories and getting involved.

As the state legislature gets to work, I was eager to come back again, hoping to share some additional information and address some of the questions we have received. 

Many of the comments that we received were about Mayor Bloomberg's impact on the school system. These are fair discussions, but I would like to state that I am not here to champion or defend specific policy decisions that the mayor has made. But the fact that parents are holding the mayor directly accountable for the changes in our schools highlights the key issue for those advocating for the renewal of the law-- for the first time, we have a line of responsibility:  the schools are accountable to the mayor, and the mayor is accountable to us.

We are all, now, education voters.  Just as much as our next mayor is responsible for keeping the streets safe and providing city social services, the mayor's job description now includes education and there is a clear obligation to insure that our schools improve. 

With the law coming up for renewal, now is the time for discussion and improvements, particularly when it comes to increasing transparency and ensuring more parental engagement.

That is why parents from across the city are getting involved with Learn NY.  By coming together to share our stories, our experiences, and our ideas for the future, we will ensure that parent voices are well-represented as state legislators debate renewing mayoral control this spring.

To that end, the New York State Assembly Standing Committee on Education wants to hear from you about the Governance of the New York City School System, and they are holding hearings all over the city to give you that opportunity. The first of the hearings is taking place this Thursday at 10 A.M in Kew Gardens. Please click here for more details.

Already, concerned parents in your community have signed up to attend the hearings. Click here to join them and to make sure that your voice is heard.

Additionally on the site, you will find resources specifically for parents like links to school progress reports, grade-by-grade guides and a parent's bill of rights, as well as other ways for you to get involved.

I look forward to working with you all. Please email me if you have any questions.

Robin Warren

Prospect Park Bench and Plaque for Beloved Teacher Who Died in November

Andrew Fried, the husband of Karen Rothman-Fried, the PS 321 teacher who died in November is "adopting a bench" in Prospect Park in Karen's memory. The bench will have a commemorative plaque.

For those who might not already know, the Prospect Park Alliance has a program through which people can adopt benches in the park.  Since the park has been and remains a place of comfort to me during this difficult, as well as a place Karen and I used to walk frequently, I've decided to adopt a bench in memory of her and James.

Yesterday I went to the park with the Director of Individual Giving to select the exact bench to adopt.  I chose one that is on the path the circles Long Meadow, near the Garfield Place entrance.  It is in a very popular location, close to where Karen used to go with her classes for field trips, and where we would enter the park on our walks.  The bench is oriented roughly south-west, providing anyone sitting there with a absolutely spectacular view of the open fields of Long Meadow without any glimpse of buildings or other structures beyond the park.  It is in a spot that exemplifies for me what Prospect Park is.

Once the process is complete and the donation requirement reached, the bench will be touched up with paint (it is in perfectly fine repair now, but the Alliance does this to insure it looks its best) and a brass plaque affixed commemorating her and James.  The plaque will read:

In loving memory of

Karen Stephanie Rothman-Fried

Dec 23 1971 – Nov 16 2008

James Alex Fried, Nov 16 208

Forever with each other,

forever in our hearts.

I know that many of you may have already made contributions to Foundation Rwanda or another philanthropy in Karen's name, for which I am very grateful, but I wanted to pass along this information in case you were interested in supporting this memorial.  Donations can be made three ways:

- Online at: http://www.prospectpark.org/support/donate (click the second link on this page, and enter Karen's name in the "Comments" field). by mailing (with a note referencing Karen); 

- Phone by calling John Langan, Director of Individual Giving, at (718) 965-8994; or

- Mail by sending a check, payable to the Prospect Park Alliance, with a note identifying it as in Karen's name, to:

Commemorative Bench Program
Prospect Park Alliance
95 Prospect Park West
Brooklyn, NY 11215

I am very excited to have this tangible, lasting tribute to the memory of Karen's and James' lives, however short or cut short they were.  It is my sincere hope that I, and everyone else touched by this tragedy, will continue to find some solace by visiting the park, sitting on the bench, and remembering their lives for a very long time to come.  If you have any questions or want to forward this email to someone you think might be interested please feel free to do so.

Thanks for all your continued well wishes and support.
Love,
Andrew

Learn About Park Slope Architecture on Save the Slope

Learn about the architectural history of Park Slope at Save the Slope, which has lots of information and photographs. Gowanus Lounge says that the blog is connected with the Park Slope Civic Council and its efforts to expand the Park Slope historic district. At STS, you can read about:

--St. Matthew's English Lutheran Church on 6th Avenue and 2nd Street:

A slight air of neglect surrounds the church at 6th Avenue and 2nd Street in Park Slope. The cornerstone has crumbled away and is no longer readable. However, it is possible to make out the words "Matthew's" and "Lutheran Church", carved on stone plaques mounted onto the tower AND

--The limestone buildings on Third Street between 6th and 7th Avenue AND

--4-Family Flats:

Do you ever start to notice odd patterns, certain repeating motifs, in your surroundings?

Consider the early apartment buildings pictured below. These are "4-family flats", each built to house one family per floor. There are 4-family apartment houses all over Park Slope, often with full-height, 3-sided bays. These apartments were frequently built in series, several buildings in a row, with continuous facade banding and cornices.

Fun reading.

No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford

Feb 8: Brooklyn for Barack "Continue the Change Service Fair"

I thought this sounded like a cool idea.

Brooklyn – Change in Washington may have begun in the voting booth, but hundreds of Brooklynites who volunteered for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign are determined to make sure change comes right to their own backyard, too.

On Feb. 8, more than 65 local nonprofits, charities and advocacy groups will join together for the first-ever “Continue the Change Service Fair.” Organized by the grassroots Brooklyn for Barack and the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats, the volunteer fair will seek to harness the incredible energy sparked by the Obama campaign.

From stocking shelves at a local food bank to sewing new clothes for women at domestic violence shelters, from working with abused animals to mentoring a child, the volunteer fair will provide former campaign volunteers with countless opportunities to make a positive difference close to home.

“The election was just the beginning,” Brooklyn for Barack co-founder Jordan Thomas said. “This campaign was not just about bringing change to Washington, but bringing it to Brooklyn, too. It is up to us to make the change real.”

What: Continue the Change Service Fair

When: Sunday, Feb. 8, 2 to 6 p.m.
Where: Union Temple, 17 Eastern Parkway (at Grand Army Plaza) 3rd Floor ballroom
Cost: Free, but a box of dried pasta for Union Temple’s food drive would be appreciated

To RSVP, please email continuethechange@gmail.com or call 718-757-8572

Participating organizations include the Arab-American Family Support Center, Bed-Stuy Campaign Against Hunger, HousingWorks, Marriage Equality New York, New York Aquarium, Sue Rock Originals Everyone, Transportation Alternatives, Oxfam, the Women's Prison Association and more than 50 others. The fair will also include roundtables on Local Environmental Activism, Using Technology to Monitor and Influence the Legislative Process, Health Care, Voting Rights and Food Justice. In addition, parents are encouraged to bring their kids for a “make-and-take” craft table, sponsored by Materials for the Arts.

Wed: What Parents Really Need To Know About College Admissions!

On Wednesday January 28th at 7:30 p.m. at Beth Elohim: What Parents and Students Really Need to Know: The College Admissions Process

An informal discussion led by Deena Maerowitz:

--What really goes on inside the admissions office
--How to make the best decisions about high school courses and extra-
curricular activities
--Test taking and application preparation.
--Writing the strongest application essays
--Creating the best college lis

ALSO: At the start of the meeting a representative from New York's 529 College
Savings Program Direct Plan will give a 15 minute overview of the program:
tax advantages, the investment portfolios, its key features, Upromise
Rewards, and important disclosure information. She will stay until after
Deena's seminar to answer questions, as well.

If you are not interested in the college admission seminar and want to
hear about this important savings plan for your child's education, feel
free to stop by and leave early.

WHERE : Congregation Beth Elohim, 274 Garfield Place @ 8th Avenue,
Social Hall
WHEN : January 28, 2009 @ 7:30pm
COST : Free
RSVP : parentsofnyteens@gmail.com

Have a teen and want to join the discussion? Sign up by sending an
email to <parentsofnyteens-subscribe@yahoogroups.com>

Jewelry by Sheva Fruitman for Valentines Day

  Many of you are probably starting to think about a Valentine's gift for your Valentine.

Well, I recommend simply gorgeous wearable minimalist art by my friend  Sheva Fruitman. Perfect for the Valentine in your life.

Shhhhhh. I happen to know that I am getting one of her rings from my Valentine. And I am very excited about that.

Actually he told me. Still. It's a surprise.

Check out her website. You can buy directly from the artist, who is located in NYC.

Greenjeans: The Shop is Closed but the Webshop and Blog Continues...

Remember Greenjeans, the sustainable craft and home design shop on Seventh Avenue near 16th Street? That lovely shop, which featured wooden toys, ceramics, furniture, jewelry and sculpture has been closed for a while now but owners Amy and Jae, who were on the 2007 Park Slope 100,  (pictured left) continue to keep their webshop and blog going.

Due to the economic climate, they've decided not to open a new location. And, they're both looking for day jobs. If you can help let them know:

With the holidays long over, here we are, deep in the home-and-hibernation phase of winter. The days ARE getting a little longer, you might have noticed, which means we're on the downhill side of winter, but it's still mighty cold out. That clammy feeling cast by the recession of course isn't helping things either.

So how nice was it, at least for 53% of us Americans, to bask in last week's toasty Inaugural glow? Warmed me right up, and maybe it did you, too.

As our country enters a new chapter, and tries to embrace change, we too are changing: We have decided not to open a new location this year, but instead to rekindle old professional interests and find outside employment. We will weather the recession, and then find a space for our shop and gallery, but it's too much of a gamble to reopen in the current economic climate.

Some things won't change: We will continue Greenjeans Blog. We will keep the Webshop open, and have plans to expand it (more on that in the coming months). And we continue to plan our new location, which will have more space and a fabulous selection of locally made furniture.

In the meantime, we are job hunting. I'm looking for something in development, communications, marketing, or public relations with a non-profit organization supporting the arts (visual or performing), the environment, or social justice. (I haven't always been a shop owner...) And Jae is looking for something in graphic design or art handling and gallery management. Please feel free to ask us questions or send us leads!

It is an extraordinary time in American history. Obama is President. The economy has gone down Titanic style. We are in the midst of enormous change. These times are both exciting and anxious, optimisitc and wary, wonderful and terrifying. We wish you well as you navigate these rapid, rocky waters. And we'll be in touch again next month.

Come to the NY Writers Coalition Valentine's Party/Fundraiser

I'm going. Are you?

Monday, February 9, 2009

Galapagos Art Space
16 Main Street, DUMBO Brooklyn

7 PM

Come celebrate love’s two-faced heart!

Featuring tales/poems of love, loneliness, lust and loss.

Funds raised from the Red and Black Benefit will benefit New York Writers Coalition creative writing programs.

Featuring tales/poems of love, loneliness, lust and loss by:

--Staceyann Chin (co-writer/performer on Def Poetry Jam, The Other Side of Paradise)
--Michael Cirelli (Lobster with Ol' Dirty Bastard)
--Nicholas Dawidoff (The Crowd Sounds Happy)
--Ben Greenman (A Circle is a Balloon and Compass Both: Stories About Human Love)
--Kathleen Horan (Relationship Obits)
--Joan Larkin (My Body: New and Selected Poems)
--Patricia Smith (Two-time national poetry slam champion, 2008 National Book Award Finalist for Blood Dazzler)

Spread the love—by supporting NYWC’s unique and powerful creative writing workshops!

Ticket Prices:

$25 advance purchase/$35 at the door-- General Admission

$100 -- VIP seating, includes open bar from 7-8 PM

$50 -- Homebody (For those of you who want to support NYWC from the comfort of your own home.)

Brooklyn Based: Best Dim Sum is in Bensonhurst

Brooklyn Based  consulted Midtown Lunch about the best dim sum in the city. Just in time for  the Year of the Ox celebrations. He picked World Ton in Bensonhurst.

Picking one dim sum place and calling it the best is a silly exercise, especially when the most popular forms of this weekend Chinese staple come in so many shapes and sizes. There are the giant caverns, where you sacrifice quality for quantity, and your Sunday morning becomes an exercise in Darwinism (i.e. the weak don’t eat). There are the smaller places that don’t have too many items, but what little they do focus on is top notch. Then, of course, there are the places that forgo the carts in favor of made-to-order dim sum from a menu. (These places shouldn’t even be considered as far as I’m concerned. After all, half the enjoyment of dim sum is diving into the unknown waters of off-the-cart selections.)

Silly exercise or not, I’m still going to do it: World Tong is the best dim sum in New York City. And it’s not in Manhattan’s Chinatown, or Flushing or even in Sunset Park, Brooklyn’s under-appreciated Chinatown. It’s in Bensonhurst, and despite being an overly crowded, small-scale dim sum parlor, the quantity of food that flies out of their kitchen is more astounding then some places five times its size.

No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford

Tom Martinez, Witness: Sunday in the Park with Hawk

photo by Tom Martinez

Dreamy Park Slope

Early this morning I got the call from a producer at News 12 Brooklyn. "Have you heard the news?" she said. "Park Slope has been picked as one of the top ten dreamy places to live in the US by HGTV."

Funny. I WAS dreaming. In fact I was sleeping when she called. But I was supposed to be working and I'd dozed off. So it was a good thing. And a good thing to hear about. She wanted to know when a reporter could come by to interview me.

Just as soon as I'm up and showered I said to myself.

Then she wanted ideas about places to shoot. Visions of Park Slope's dreamy vistas danced in my head.The Montauk Club. Third Street between 8th Avenue and the Park. Carroll Street and PPW. Prospect Park.

But I also thought about Park Slope's more down to earth side. How about Union Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, what I call the Park Slope Triangle: The Food Coop, Squad One and the Tea Lounge

That seems to say all you need to know about Park Slope then and now.

I told her to meet me in front of my building. "Third Street's nice." I said thinking that we don't need to whitewash Park Slope for the story or just show its pretty side.

So Stacey Delikat, a reporter from News 12 interviewed me in front of my building's recycling bins (what's dreamier than those blue recycling bins?).

She asked if I was surprised about Park Slope's inclusion on the list. Not really. "This is a gorgeous neighborhood with historic buildings, a very human scale, a fabulous park, lots of trees, a world class museum and great community spirit."

Doesn't surprise me at all.

"There are plenty of historical places in the US but it's the community spirit that puts us over the top," I said sounding like a real Park Slope booster.

She asked me what I thought the economic downturn would do to the nabe. I told her I am bracing for the troubles to come. But maybe in the future, this neighborhood will be less about affluence and more about some of the core values that made it such a great place to begin with.

Now don't ask me to elaborate. I'm going back to bed.

Park Slope One of HGTV's Top Ten Dreamiest Places to Live

Here's the story from HGTV:

January 26, 2009-In honor of HGTV’s 13th Dream Home Giveaway, FrontDoor explores 10 of the dreamiest places to live in the United States. Whether it’s lush acreage, majestic views or exclusivity that you crave, each of these neighborhoods offers all that and more. Perhaps that’s why they’re in high demand, with buyers willing to pay millions to call them home. Find out what makes them so irresistible.

1. Sonoma, California. What’s not to love about Sonoma? The wine country’s rolling hills and sandy beaches make it an all-inclusive place to live. While the median home price is more than $500,000, acreage is in high demand here and buyers pay millions for it. Architecture ranges from Mediterranean to Victorian to Craftsman, and houses come in all sizes, from stunning estates to modest bungalows. No wonder HGTV chose this quaint northern California town to be the site of this year’s Dream Home. Don’t forget to sign up for a chance to win it.

2. Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia. This trendy district north of Atlanta is a fascinating blend of old-money mansions and new-money nightlife. Whether it’s a cozy cottage in Peachtree Hills or a magnificent estate in Tuxedo Park, you’ll find Southern charm on every corner. Buckhead is a shopper’s paradise, with two major shopping areas-Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza-that offer high-end retailers and great people-watching. The district also boasts the best dining and nightlife in the region, with more than 300 restaurants, bars and nightclubs.

3. Gold Coast, Chicago, Illinois. Old money and stunning lake views characterize this hot neighborhood that runs contrary to the Chicago phrase, “cooler by the lake.” Oprah lives on the border of this high-priced community, where home buyers can pay millions for a two-bedroom condo. The neighborhood offers world-class shopping, dining and entertainment as well convenient proximity to the lake and business district.

4. Scottsdale, Arizona. With upscale shopping, an active nightlife scene and a number of high-end residential golf communities, Scottsdale is the “it” place to be in the Phoenix area. The average home price is $2 million to $3 million, but homes can easily sell for a lot more. Home to more than 70 resorts and hotels, the city has designed itself to be a big tourist draw, creating a high demand for land in this area and raising property values.

5. Coral Gables, Florida. Just eight miles south of Miami, Coral Gables is quintessential old South Florida, featuring historic architecture, good schools and the Miracle Mile, a lively street lined with restaurants, bars and high-end boutiques. Expect to see lush landscaping and charming 1920s stucco homes with red tile roofs, archways and private courtyards.

6. Mercer Island, Washington. Location plays a key part in the high-end real estate market on Mercer Island. Connected to Seattle by two bridges, the island offers incredible views of the city’s skyline without the hustle and bustle of urban life. Tranquility and convenience come at a price: a luxury home on Mercer Island can cost up to $40 million.

7. Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York. This neighborhood’s historic charm, top-notch restaurants and shopping, and proximity to Prospect Park make it an attractive alternative to Manhattan for families and professionals. Seventh and Fifth avenues are Park Slope’s main commercial areas, while other streets are occupied by renovated brownstones, which can sell for millions of dollars.

8. Lower Downtown (LoDo), Denver, Colorado. Looking for a Rocky Mountain getaway? Lower Downtown Denver is perfect for urbanites who love the mountains. The neighborhood is filled with old brick buildings converted into lofts, new condo towers, and a density of restaurants, bars and shops. The Riverfront Park, a rolling, meandering grassy swatch of real estate fronting the Platte River, offers great mountain views, places to barbecue and plenty of space to enjoy the fresh air of the Mile High City. Colorado boasts excellent skiing, world class dining and majestic views, which made Winter Park a great Dream Home location in 2007. And ski havens Aspen and Telluride are within driving distance.

9. Atherton, California. Located on the San Francisco peninsula, this high-end California neighborhood is home to computer company execs and venture capitalists. By preserving the area’s wooded scenery and rural charm, Atherton is able to offer a quieter lifestyle than its neighbor, San Francisco. As of December 2008, the median home price in Atherton settles in at more than $4 million.

10. Back Bay, Boston, Massachusetts. One of Boston’s priciest neighborhoods, Back Bay is both a residential and commercial area, featuring Victorian brownstones on its northern end and some of Boston’s tallest skyscrapers on its southern end. The neighborhood’s historic Newbury and Boylston streets offer trendy cafes and upscale shopping, and Copley Square boasts several 19th century landmarks.

Delicious on the Slope Full of Bloggers on Sunday

It was a full house at Sunday's Blogade at Delicious on the Slope, a very hospitable restaurant located at 641 President Street (between 5th and 4th Avenues) in Park Slope.

The Brooklyn Blogade is a montlhy get-together of bloggers, blog readers and those interested in becoming bloggers.

There were 30 people there, including City Councilmember David Yassky, who is a blog reader and is  running for City Comptroller.

The following are the bloggers who joined the festivities. And check out their cool blogs.

hipslopemama.blogspot.com
artinbrooklyn.com
bluebarnpictures.com/blog
fallinglight.wordpress.com
sheepheadbites.com
saucytart.typepad.com
twobitsofstring.com
ttstone.com
thisbarsucks.com
Luna Park Gazette
spacecadetgirl.com
newtoyork.com
seeinggreen.typepad.com
washingtonsquarepark.wordpress.com
midnightcowgirls.blogspot.com
rosemariehester.com
womenandhollywood.com

otbkb.com

Cute Apartment for Rent in South Slope: $1,750

My friend is vacating a small one bedroom apartment and would like to get the word out about its availability.

She says, "It's a sunny, cute one bedroom with lots of windows and charming details. The owners live downstairs and are wonderful people. Very nice and not at all intrusive.

The rent is $1,750 and the apartment is located on a nice South Slope street. Available as early as February 1st. If you know of anyone looking . . .

Email me if you are interested and I will forward to my friend: louise_crawford(at)yahoo(dot)com.

Leon Freilich, Verse Responder: Dead Letters Dept.

DEAD LETTERS DEPT.

It's bad enough when your hair's falling out,

Leading to middle-age rage,

But if you're a writer, how worse it is

When your words fall off the page.

illustration from http://www.artsjournal.com/herman/
 
  

Leon Freilich, Verse Responder: Green Grow the Regs

  GREEN GROW THE REGS

Obama's doing more in a week

To lessen fears

Than the Bush administration did

In eight dark years.

NY Writers Coalition Reading at Community Bookstore and More

There's a very interesting event on Tuesday January 27th @ 7 p.m. at the Community Bookstore: The Hidden Chorus from The NY Writers Coalition.

What would Grandma Moses's poetry have been like? Or a Minnie Evans short story?  Join us for a night in recognition of "outsider authors" whose writings appear in the NYWC  second anthology.

The NYWC introduces a varied body of voices to literary discourse by providing free writing courses around the city for authors in seldom-published demographics (senior citizens, the formerly incarcerated, and the homeless, to name a few).

They tell us that fifteen of their workshop participants (six of whom are under 18) are coming to read from the collection. Wow!  Join us for an evening of Only In New York stories delivered in non-traditional literary style.

For more information, please go to: www.nywriterscoalition.org 

Wednesday January 28th at 7:30 pm: What a month! Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday on the 19th, the inauguration of Barack Obama on the 20th, and our Modernist Book Club meeting to discuss Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man on the fourth Wednesday, January 28th. Join us at the back of the Community Bookstore at 7:30 p.m. to engage in a lively discussion over this American classic. As always, the book is available for puchase near the cash register. Do visit the store to get your copy today.
 
And in February:

Monday, February 2nd at 7:00 p.m.: Rosemarie Hester, a local learning specialists, answers your parenting questions

Tuesday, February 3rd at 7:30 p.m.: Diana Spechler reads from Who By Fire

Wednesday, February 4th at 7:00 p.m.: Community Bookstore Knit Night!

Tuesday, February 10th at 7:00 p.m.: An evening of short fiction from the Community Bookstore's Resident Writers' Group

Wednesday, February 11th at 7:30 p.m.: Books Without Borders discusses A Mind At Peace

see the bookstore's website for more details!     www.communitybookst ore.net

Tom Martinez, Witness: Jogging Banana

Tom Martinez writes: "Don't know quite what to make of the jogging banana but was out shooting hawks and couldn't resist.  It's a little blurry, but that only puts it in the "did this really happen" category, along with Bigfoot sightings, etc.  Never a dull moment in Prospect Park."

No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford

Photography by Rodolph Vernaz-Colas: Double Dogs

     Photograph by Rodolph Vernaz-Colas

Rosemarie Hester, Learning Specialist: Empty Reading Vs. Active Reading

Here's the latest entry from Rosemarie Hester, who is a learning specialist in Brooklyn. If you want to get in touch with Rosemarie you can email her here; rosemariehester(at)mac(dot)com.

“My child can read the words perfectly, but doesn’t know what they mean!”

Many children are empty readers.  They decode beautifully, but do not derive meaning from what they read. 

This problem can be effectively addressed through active reading strategies.  Here’s what to do:

Choose a short passage at your child’s level.  Two or three paragraphs will do, and non-fiction usually works better than fiction. 

Ask your child to read one sentence at a time.  Then, ask him/her to choose the most important words in the sentence.  Have him/her underline, highlight or circle those “key words.”  Discuss any questions that might arise.  For example, if a pronoun is used (they, he, she…), ask what the word might be referring to. 

If a child is confused about anything in the sentence, give him/her time to reflect and ask questions.  Learning to pause and ask questions often takes time.  It is an important, separate skill. 

When the child is ready, go on to the next sentence, highlighting and discussing. 

The point is that the child should be doing two things—visualizing the sentence in his/her mind’s eye and discriminating information by answering what’s important, what’s “key.”
These two habits contribute greatly to comprehension.  (For an early reader, I would suggest he/she be encouraged to draw each sentence.)

As with everything, active reading needs to be practiced.  But be sure to break sessions down into small, kid-sized time slots--thoroughness and depth is more important than volume--and never get started when a child is already tired! 

There are other active reading strategies to add over time.  If you have questions or would like to discuss your child’s reading, please e-mail me:  rosemariehester@mac.com
I’ll be happy to share what I know.  

Leon Freilich, Verse Responder: Discounting the Recession

Discounting the Recession

Recession?  Don't even think about it.  If notthinking's not your thing, though, you might consider exploiting it.  Why not--plenty of merchants are doing that already:

Met Opera--half-price if you bring your own chair

Met Museum--free to everyone splashing out upwards of $75 in the gift shop

Movie theater--50% reduction for companion if both of you sit in the front row

Bowling alley--down six beers, choose your gratis lane

Employment agency--hired?  We'll pick up your subway tab.

Real estate agency--fee-back guarantee if house explodes or sinks.

Driving school--two students for the price of one when that one brings his/her own steering wheel

Grocery--yesterday's bread at day-before-yesterday's price

Gas--clean the car windows of customers taking premium and changing oil

Shoemaker--three shoes fixed for the price of two

Pediatrician--twins count as one patient; triplets, one and a half

Family doctor: will pay you the minimum wage for time waited beyond three hours

Lawyer--first lawsuit free; second, standard price; failure to pay that, we sue you..

Divorce lawyer--group rates for polygamists

Bookshop--buy one Stephen King, next published within one year at 1/3 off, the following at 2/3 off; any King novel before year's end, no cost.

Computer--vow to post no smart aleck postings, 35 percent reduction

Theater--see first or second act of pricey musical free; if satisfied, pay full price for next Wednesday matinee

Drugstore--all the aspirin you can heft, $5

Restaurant--bar/bat mitzvah reception free for anyone putting down a healthy deposit for kid's wedding

Car dealership--Take it, take it.

Meet the Bloggers: Today at Delicious on the Slope

TODAY I am hosting the January Brooklyn Blogade at Delicious on the Slope (641 President Street between 5th and 4th Avenues) from 1-3 p.m

These monthly events are for bloggers of all stripes, blog readers, and those who are interested in becoming bloggers.

We will spend some time discussing the upcoming Brooklyn Blogfest, an annual gathering of Brooklyn bloggers in May. But these blogades are also a great chance to share information, network, and get to know interesting people.

So come on out:

The Where and When

Brooklyn Blogade hosted by OTBKB
January 25th from 1-3 p.m.
Delicious on the Slope
You can order brunch or lunch or just have a beverage
641 President Street between 5th and 4th Aves.
Question: louise_crawford(at)yahoo(dot)com

Smartmom's Kids Hate the Column

Here's this weeks Smartmom from the Brooklyn Paper:

Smartmom’s kids hate her Brooklyn Paper column and they want her to stop writing about them. Now. Cease and desist.

The Oh So Feisty One and Teen Spirit have had it: They don’t want their lives plastered across the pages The Brooklyn Paper anymore.

Teen Spirit has hated the column for ages.

“Lies, all lies,” he has said from time to time. Now, he doesn’t even read it. Smartmom overheard him on the phone recently telling a friend: “Please do not mention my mother’s column to me. Ever.”

For a long time, OSFO has enjoyed being mentioned in the column. She loved the one about her Build-a-Bears and the pictures of her and her friends with their Build-a-Bears in the playground at PS 321.

But more recently she was miffed about the Turquoise Turmoil column — and the fact that her picture was on the front page didn’t help matters. OSFO was so mad that she wrote a comment to the Brooklyn Paper’s online edition: “THIS IS NOT HOW IT WENT AT ALL!!!!!!!!!”

That was nine exclamation points!

Later, she asked Smartmom why she wrote about her without asking her permission. But she didn’t stop there.

She wondered why Smartmom wrote about the time Diaper Diva changed Ducky’s diaper at the Cocoa Bar without asking her.

Then she asked her why she wrote about Teen Spirit’s smoking when Teen Spirit asked her not to write about it. It was like she was building a case against Smartmom and her penchant for using family members as fodder for her stories.

“That’s why I said it was about a friend of mine whose son was a smoker,” Smartmom confided guiltily.

“But you still wrote about it,” she said.

Yes, she still wrote about it. And she didn’t really have a good excuse. Why didn’t she just write about something else? Why did she have to do the smoking piece? Was it really necessary?

These difficult thoughts percolated in Smartmom’s mind. Maybe she was using her family and friends for the sake of her columns. Maybe she was being presumptuous thinking that her family wouldn’t mind being characters in the sit-com of her mind.

Like many writers, Smartmom uses her world as inspiration. But if it’s a story about OSFO or Teen Spirit, who’s story is it? Who does it belong to? Is it Smartmom’s story or does it belong to them?

These are interesting questions. Perhaps Melville wondered whether he had the right to write about Moby Dick or was it Moby Dick’s tale to tell.

Wait, that was fiction.

But what about “Mommy Dearest?” Did Christina Crawford have the right to tell-all about her mother?

Well, of course she had the right to write about her childhood — especially if she was raised by an abusive celebrity mom.

Buddha knows, Smartmom is not an abusive celebrity mom. But she does believe that it’s kosher to write about the parts of her life that include Teen Spirit and OSFO just as long as she’s thoughtful and fair.

Besides, you can’t be a writer if you have to censor your imagination. It just doesn’t work if you have to leave too much out.

On the other hand, Teen Spirit and OSFO have reached an age when privacy is very important. It’s everything. And it’s just not right for their mom to be such a blabberpuss.

Frankly, Teen Spirit never tells Smartmom anything anymore. In fact, when she asks innocent questions about school and friends, he accuses her of prying.

OSFO shares a lot more. But there are plenty of times when she simply answers one of Smartmom’s queries with, “That’s none of your business.” It’s not the nicest way to say it, but it does get the point across. And frankly, it’s probably true.

Dang. There she goes writing about her kids again. How can you be a writer when you have a gag order from your kids about what you can write about?

And yet, as a parent Smartmom must respect their wishes and not compromise their privacy in any way. It’s a tough place for a writer to be.

So what is Smartmom going to write about now? The snow on her window ledge?

If she can’t write about her kids, she’s a goner. She’ll get fired from The Brooklyn Paper. Her agent won’t want to represent her. Nobody will read her blog anymore. She’ll be done for. Finished. So what’s a Smartmom to do?

Well, it’s this writer’s job to explain her world to the world. And if that world includes her children, her husband, her friends and neighbors, then that’s the story she has to tell. It’s all about the way she writes it, the words she uses, and balance of honesty, fairness and love that she brings to the mix.

It her story — and she’s sticking to it.

No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford

No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford

Paterson Picks US Representative Gillibrand For Senate

From WNYC:

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- Gov. David Paterson has picked Democratic U.S. Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand to fill New York's vacant U.S. Senate seat, an aide to the governor said early Friday, a day after Caroline Kennedy abruptly withdrew from consideration.

Gillibrand, a second-term lawmaker from upstate New York, will be named to fill the seat vacated when Hillary Rodham Clinton resigned to become secretary of state in the Obama administration, the aide said, speaking on condition of anonymity because an announcement hadn't been made. An announcement was scheduled for later Friday.

Slope Sports: Looking Forward to the Next Five Years

Slope Sports has been in business for 5 years this month! It's hard to believe it was 5 years ago that I walked into that shop and started chatting with Kirsten and we've been chatting ever since.

We chat about running and running shoes, jackets and pants. She knows all about my feet and which brand of shoes work best for them. I even told her about the way my right toe hurts if my socks are too tight.

We chatted when her web site was in the process of being designed. We chat about OTBKB. Kirsten was an early reader—and advertiser—and still keeps up with it.

We chat about various races in Prospect Park and around town. We chatted recently about the fact that I put her on the Park Slope 100. I'm not sure she's looked at that yet as she finds the whole thing embarrassing.

We chatted when she was pregnant with her little boy who is almost...

I've lost track. But I'm guessing 3 because she was without children when the store first opened and for quite a while after.

She told me that they're going to be having a great 5 year anniversary sale. From January 24 to February 1^st, they will be marking down all winter apparel 25% off.

Sale items include:

·         All down jackets

·         Winter running jackets & tights

·         Thermal midlayers

·         Baselayers

·         All hats & gloves!

 

In a nice email from Kirsten today she wrote: We appreciate your continued business thus far and are looking forward to the next 5 years!

This Weekend: Brooklyn Israel Film Festival at Kane Street

This weekend check out the Brooklyn Israel Film Festival at Kane Street Synagogue. I just got this email form the co-director of the festival.

  I thought that your readers may want to know about this very popular festival.  We just had a huge crowd tonight for the opening night, but there are still 2 wonderful nights left for award-winning and thought-provoking Israeli films with discussion with film experts including the director for Saturday night. 

·       
--On Saturday, January 24^th at 8:00PM, the festival continues with the award-winning comic drama Noodle with an after-film discussion with Ayelet Menahemi, Noodle’s director. 

·       

--The festival concludes on January 25^th at 7:00PM with the 2008 Israel Academy Award for Best Documentary, Children of the Sun, an eye-opening look at the kibbutz movement with an after-film discussion with Kane Streeter Hai Knafo, an artist and former kibbutznik.  

                                          
     --Tickets are $10 per film. Kane Street Synagogue is located at 236 Kane Street off of Court Street in Cobble HIll.  For more information, go to www.kanestreetIFF.org.