“I think a lot,” laughed the artist Itziar Barrio, stationed at the desk in her fifth floor studio at CSV (Clemente Soto Velez) on Suffolk Street in Manhattan. “That’s my job!” We were discussing her past eight years working as a full time artist – six of them in New York …
May 16, 2013 Classic, Featured Artists, Film
Juxtaposed against the early artists of the Hudson Valley style, whose creative re-creation of the manifest-destiny era American landscape lacked substance if not beauty, these modern artists toil in the devastating industrial quandaries of our society.
December 7, 2012 Boroughing, Classic, New
As the temperature in Brooklyn inches closer and closer to 60 degrees and we begin to shed our layers of clothing once again, it’s time to emerge from our cold weather cocoons. Here’s to the rebirth of spring and the rituals that keep us sane: gardening, nurturing the mind and body and learning to live sustainably.
April 8, 2011 Boroughing, Culture, Food, Multi/Media, The People, Video
Crown Heights lies at the center of Brooklyn’s Caribbean community, home to one of the largest expatriate populations in the US with immigrants from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, Haiti, and elsewhere. Nostrand Avenue, running north-south through Crown Heights, is dotted with roti shops and groceries, making it an ideal place to shop for West Indian ingredients.
February 8, 2011 Boroughing, Food, Things to Do
LaunchPad is an arts-based community center in Crown Heights. Started by Mike Kunitzky last winter, the space transforms depending on what neighborhood groups want to use it for. “I wanted a place where people could exchange ideas and make things happen,” says Kunitzky, a constantly smiling 35-year-old. “There’s potential for magic in those unexpected talents and interactions.”
December 17, 2010 Art n' About, Boroughing, Culture, Multi/Media, Photo, The People
Signs advertising government food subsidy programs dot the awnings and windows of the small and decrepit mini-grocers that line poverty stricken streets throughout Brooklyn, where rotting produce and goods packed with corn syrup collect dust. With a new federal cut to food stamp subsidies signed into law this week, how can Brooklyn retailers provide better food to it’s most vulnerable citizens rather than just continue to cut corners?
August 13, 2010 City Politics, Classic, Food, State Politics
This vibrant and diverse community has just about anything you could want on a summer stroll. From great – and cheap! – food to spacious gardens, the city’s second largest museum, an abundance of specialty stores catering to Jewish and Caribbean residents, and vibrant nightlife, Crown Heights makes for a great day trip on the fly.
July 1, 2010 Things to DoThere was a crazy Nor’easter over the weekend, and we had to go to Jersey – an activity rarely on any Brooklynite’s top ten list, and especially not on a rainy Saturday night. But there was a family bar mitzvah, and we are nothing if not devoted to the family.
March 15, 2010 Boroughing, Classic, Guest Authors
How and why did Basque artist Itziar Barrio end up creating a public billboard art installation on the corner of Nostrand Avenue and Fulton Street in Bed-Stuy? Barrio spoke with us about the concept of her irreverently engaging piece, and why the ideas surrounding art and community are more universal than local.
December 1, 2009 Boroughing, Classic, Featured Artists, The Art
Last night Amy Sohn crossed Brooklyn’s psychic divider – Flatbush Avenue – into Crown Heights. At Franklin Park’s Reading Series, the Park Slope maven read from her book Prospect Park West, which has caused a stir among the swanky slope set.
After reading a passage from her novel that takes place at Southpaw – whose investors also own Franklin Park – she read a passage that references a character’s fixation on Roman Polanski, which was written and released before the 76 year-old director was jailed recently on a 30 year old charge of statutory rape. Sohn made sure the crowd knew she doesn’t share that fixation with her character. Watch the video after the jump.
November 17, 2009 Authors Speak, Boroughing, Classic, Multi/Media, The Read, VideoMark Winston Griffith, 45, a native New Yorker and long time resident of Bedford Stuyvesant, ran against Councilman Al Vann along with seven democratic party challengers during the primary season, and since losing sought the endorsement of the union-backed Working Families Party and will appear on the ballot on November 3. His third party candidacy has built momentum in a race that has historically been settled on primary day.
October 27, 2009 Boroughing, City Politics, Classic
At a local meeting on crime, the message was clear: citizens, engage your community and get involved or these tough times will only get worse.
October 21, 2009 Boroughing, City Politics, Classic, State Politics, The PeopleDespite the recession, business on Washington Avenue – the recognized border between Prospect Heights and Crown Heights – seems to be booming. Not sure the same could be said for its brand new condos, but if you build it, they might come (or not). Ahead of the October installment of First Saturdays at the Brooklyn Museum – a boon to local businesses who often pay their entire rent from first weekend festivities – here are some new offerings on Washington Avenue.
September 29, 2009 Bars, Boroughing, Classic, Restaurants, The Locals
What are the cops in your neighborhood up to? In the past 30 days, there have been 21 homicides in New York City – 29 less than the same period last year. Twelve of the homicides in the past 30 days took place in Brooklyn. Specifically Brownsville, East New York, Bedford-Stuyvesant and Clinton Hill – and it’s clear that more officers are on the streets of Crown Heights these days after a summer punctuated by the sound of gunshots.
September 28, 2009 Boroughing, City Politics, Classic, The Locals, The People
Residents, elected officials and family members gathered at the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church in Fort Greene this week to remember Shem Walker’s life – an innocent Clinton Hill resident fatally shot by an undercover police officer – and discuss the implications, policy and the prevention of tragedies like this one.
September 24, 2009 Boroughing, City Politics, Classic, State Politics
In light of the increasing number of newly painted bike lanes, and the cars who like to defile them, we’ve created a list of new road rules for everyone to help prevent catastrophic crashes between bikes and cars.
September 15, 2009 Classic, Culture, Environment, The Locals, The People
The 4th floor of 717 Prospect Place – in the heart of Crown Heights – has been transformed it into a gallery space for Brooklyn-based artists to show their work during the month of September.
September 12, 2009 Art Reviews, Boroughing, Classic, Real Estate, The Art
‘Tis the season for city elections, so in advance of the September 15 primary, Brooklyn The Borough has compiled a list of incumbents and challengers in this year’s contested City Council elections for Brooklyn. There are many challengers this year, and open seats in the 33rd and 39th districts have made for heated races. Issues surrounding sustainable development have driven many candidates out of the woodwork. The pro-development Brooklyn political machine is still alive but questions remain about whether candidates supported by the county’s party boss, Assemblyman Vito Lopez, will sustain themselves despite criticism for their ties to a machine that makes the money flow from Brooklyn based business interests. The term limits extension has also sparked a renewed political engagement in the borough. Many candidates who had planned on running for seats that would have been open before term limits were extended have chosen to challenge incumbents that voted for the extension. We’ve compiled detailed information on each race as well as fundraising totals as the candidates head into the final weekend of the campaign.
September 10, 2009 City Politics, The Locals
A shot was fired on Dean Street between Bedford and Nostrand Avenues in Crown Heights last night around 9pm, striking a victim in the chest. According to officers at the precinct reached by phone today, the victim survived and was taken to Kings County Hospital. The motive was unclear and an investigation is pending.
September 9, 2009 Boroughing, City Politics, Classic, The Locals, The People
The Red Hook Community Justice Center is housed in an old parochial school at 88 Visitation Place and at its core, is a courthouse with Judge Alex Calabrese presiding over cases involving civil, criminal and family law issues. It offers a holistic approach to criminal justice by attempting to redress the underlying cause of the crime and prevent recidivism through social services such as education workshops and mental health counseling. After ten years, why are the Justice Center’s successes still unique in the Borough?
August 18, 2009 Boroughing, City Politics, Classic, Culture, State Politics, The Locals, The People
In fiscal year 2009, 311 records indicate Brooklyn had 4,042 complaints of bed bugs and 1,729 violations. These numbers place Brooklyn first among all boroughs in number of complaints, with over 50% more complaints than the next closest borough, Manhattan. Dr. Louis Sorkin, a bed bug expert and entomologist at the American Museum of Natural History, thinks the City should offer its residents more education on preventing the spread of these tiny terrors. Here’s the scoop on what to do if you find yourself with these unwanted house guests.
August 9, 2009 Boroughing, City Politics, Culture, Real Estate, The Locals, The People
Dollar Van Demos, a YouTube upstart founded by Brooklynite Joe Revitte, seeks out and promotes local singers by filming them in the most local form of transportation: the dollar van. Brooklyn’s next generation of talent could be belting it out next to you on your way to work.
August 9, 2009 Boroughing, Brooklyn Beats, Classic, Multi/Media, Music Profiles, Video
Two men were shot at dinner time on July 30, at a restaurant on Franklin Avenue and Dean Street.
July 30, 2009 City Politics, Classic, The LocalsTracy Westmoreland called us with an update on his the ongoing saga of his bar, the Manhattans, in Prospect Heights.
July 18, 2009 Bars, Culture, Night/Life, The Locals, The PeopleIn spite of the menial attention garnered by Brooklyn’s violent and pervasive drug trade in the local news media, borough residents are making sure you’ve heard about their loved one, or even strangers, senselessly gunned down – but they’re not snitching.
July 13, 2009 City Politics, Classic, Culture, The Locals, The People
With the recent controversy over a condo development turned homeless shelter on East New York Avenue in mind, I looked up the city budget for homeless families on David Yassky’s new site ItsYourMoneyNYC.com. On average, according to the budget, the city pays $32,400 per year to house homeless families.
That’s about the same as what the city has offered per family to Avi Shriki and HQ Marketing Partners for housing 67 families in their failed condo development on East New York Avenue in Crown Heights.
June 18, 2009 Classic, Real Estate, The LocalsOne of the noticeable differences in Brooklyn since Democrats took over the state senate from Republicans last year, is the increase in discretionary funding doled out by each senator in their district.
The majority party – in control of everything down to the office supplies in each district office – carries more weight than just backroom dealings with the governor.
June 12, 2009 State Politics, The Locals
There was an elephant in the basement of Berean Baptist Church in Crown Heights on Monday, when Police Commissioner Ray Kelly spent an hour addressing the questions of residents concerned with violence, drugs and quality of life issues on the streets of the 77th precinct in Brooklyn.
That elephant came in the form of allegations that officers from the 77th assaulted two lesbian women outside of a local nightclub while spewing anti-gay remarks. The question never came up during the meeting and the commissioner gave a terse “no comment” when confronted with it on his way out the door.
June 9, 2009 City Politics, Classic, Queer News
Would you pay $2,700 per month to eat off granite counter tops on East New York Avenue? Mayor Bloomberg is.
June 8, 2009 City Politics, Classic, Real Estate, The LocalsAccording to a report, two lesbians were allegedly beaten in front of a nightclub on Nostrand Avenue in Crown Heights. Jeannette Grey and Tiffany Jimenez are alleging that NYPD officers used excessive force and hateful speech when they encountered the women outside of Ife Lounge on May 16.
June 8, 2009 City Politics, Queer News
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