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
The New Brooklyn Cookbook, out last week from William Morrow, was written by Melissa and Brendan Vaughan, recipe developer and magazine editor, respectively, who are sensitive to the idea that “New Brooklyn” is both difficult to define and somewhat polarizing.
October 12, 2010 Classic, Food, Shared Content
From pie weights to Pyrex, each of us considers a different set of elements to be crucial to our cooking, and we often have strong opinions as to why. In this column, we ask chefs, foodies, and restaurateurs from across the borough for the top ten necessities—both edible and utensil—that they keep stocked in their home kitchens. In this installment, Sarah Peck of Ortine in Prospect Heights shares her top ten list.
September 20, 2010 Classic, Food, Restaurants
Amaranth was brought to the New World by West African slaves, and is a staple of Caribbean cuisine, appearing in Callaloo and also as a juice, in soups, and in places elsewhere occupied by spinach. I used mine in a frittata with goat cheese; for the recipe, read on.
September 8, 2010 Classic, Recipes
Back when it was still supposed to be as chilly as it has been these last few days, this reporter took a trip to the studios of Shameless Photography, where owner – and we think part time magician – Sophie Spinelle gave me a full makeover for a photo session as my usually-hidden alter ego: the pin up girl.
May 13, 2010 Fashion, Multi/Media, VideoOn Thursday April 29 at Freddy’s Bar, small magnetic LCD lights ascended rapidly from the hands of patrons, fixing themselves to the historic tin ceiling – a glowing, colorful metaphor for how this 70 year old establishment might soon be moving on.
April 30, 2010 Bars, Boroughing, Brooklyn Beats, Classic, Music Profiles
Every third Wednesday, in the middle of the afternoon, the ghost of my Great Grandfather stops into to my favorite bar in Prospect Heights. Inconveniently for everyone, he always sits at the center stool, creating gaps on either side of him as nobody likes getting wet from the splashing beer falling through his translucent body.
April 28, 2010 Boroughing, Classic, Fiction, Guest AuthorsOur homes are often a reflection of our relationships and in this edition of Brooklyn Interiors we’ve got a real queer romance and two straight boys in a serious bromance. Both charming apartments are in Prospect Heights and offer a very zen design. Peak inside your neighbor’s homes with another installment of modern apartment porn!
February 3, 2010 Queer Space, Queerespondence, Real EstateIn his third edition of a speech almost unheard of on a district level, Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries took on the federal government, the banking and real estate industries and the criminal justice system.
February 2, 2010 Boroughing, City Politics, Classic, Multi/Media, Real Estate, State Politics, Video“Violent Soho live = a make out session with the devil’s daughter. In other words: good times!” is the Thurston Moore-approved blurb about this Australian born grunge revival where long hair and flannel reign once again. Luckily for you they’re playing the Mercury Lounge this Thursday, January 28. Video and an interview with drummer Michael Richards, after the jump.
January 25, 2010 Boroughing, Brooklyn Beats, Classic, Multi/Media, Music Profiles, Video
Brooklyn The Borough felt it was about time to send a Vanderbilt to Vanderbilt Avenue. And what better place to kick-off this adventure in gentrification, family history, and neighborhood love than with dinner and drinks at The Vanderbilt in Prospect Heights.
November 30, 2009 Bars, Boroughing, Classic, Culture, Restaurants
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, Video
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 PeopleDid you know that Brooklyn is the only borough of this great city that does not have a gay pride center? On Thursday, the steps of Borough Hall played host to a collection of Brooklyn heavy hitters to talk about plans to change that.
October 9, 2009 Boroughing, City Politics, Queer NewsThe new HBO series Bored To Death, based on the life of Brooklyn author Jonathan Ames, has a lot to offer in contrasts between Manhattan and Brooklyn.
October 5, 2009 Classic, Film, The LocalsDespite 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 PeopleBruce Ratner, the mastermind behind the Atlantic Yards Project and part-owner of the New Jersey Nets signed a $200 million deal today to give Russion oligarch Mikhail Prokhorov an 80% stake in the basketball team. Mr. Prokhorov wrote on his LiveJournal blog (translated from Russian by Google) that “participation in [this deal] was made possible by the world crisis (never in the history of foreigners owned NBA).”
September 23, 2009 Real Estate, The Locals
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
A tipster sends in an email, with pictures, regarding the 35th City Council district race, where incumbent Letitia James is being challenged by Delia Hunley-Adossa. Ms. Hunley Adossa is in favor of the Atlantic Yards project and it’s been speculated that her campaign is funded by developers who want to challenge Ms. James’ opposition to the controversial project. The full email after the jump.
September 4, 2009 City Politics, Real Estate, The Locals
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 PeopleThe Empire State Development Corporation recently held a public hearing on the Atlantic Yards project in a New York City College of Technology auditorium on Jay Street Downtown. Both supporters and opponents of the program made strong showings, although the pro-Yards contingent — a varied collection of Union workers along with members of ACORN or BUILD — vastly outnumbered opponents of the plan, including many members of Develop, Don’t Destroy Brooklyn. After six long years of public hearings and court fights, both camps had plenty to say about each other: supporters of the project tarring opponents as effete elites and opponents claiming supporters were either paid for their participation or naïve. Hear from both sides after the jump.
August 9, 2009 City Politics, Real Estate, The Locals
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 PeopleMust all good things come to an end? The English proverb, it seems, should not apply to dive bar aficionado Tracy Westmoreland yet again. With the economy in shambles, the main investor in Mr. Westmoreland’s Prospect Heights bar, the Manhattans, has started to get cold feet.
July 9, 2009 Bars, Night/Life, Real Estate, The Locals
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 Locals
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