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Plans for Tonight?

Plans for Tonight? published on

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Two awesome events taking place tonight and yes, you can fit both in if you hurry off to the second one.

First off, The English Beat is playing in the backyard of City Winery. FOR FREE. It’s an after work concert that begins at 5:00 pm.

TBP invitation Final

Afterwards, you can head on over to Fourth Arts Block soiree. The annual event is a fundraiser for the 4th Street Cultural District. There’s a fancy pants party up in the penthouse and on the roof of The Standard. Enjoy some cocktails, hors d’oeurves and desserts while dancing, checking out the view and joining in on the silent auction. All for a good cause! Tickets here.

Festivals Other Than Googa Mooga

Festivals Other Than Googa Mooga published on

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Who needs to deal with the insanity at Googa Mooga when there are other great festivals going on this weekend?

The Ninth Avenue International Food Festival has been going on for 40 years. By now, they have their act together, unlike some other overly hyped bullcrap artisinal festival that shall not be named here (except above). May 18th and 19th from 47th-57th Streets down ….you guessed it….9th Avenue.

The Big Bay Fest claims to be Brooklyn’s largest waterfront celebration. The Sheepshead Bay fair not only offers food and performances but will have Sandy recovery info on hand. Sheepshead was hit hard during the hurricane so you should go and support them! Sunday, May 19th: noon-6pm.

Party like a Gypsy at the Bohemian Festival in Ridgewood, Queens. May 17th-19th and you can even camp out! Apart from the performances, there will be body painting, a belly dancing competition and workshops.

Dance Fest and Parade is Saturday, May 18th. The parade starts at 1pm at 21st and Broadway and ends up in Tompkins Square Park where the festival begins at 3pm. Three stages with performances plus dance lessons.

Save the Mermaids!

Save the Mermaids! published on

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The annual Coney Island Mermaid Parade has morphed into a huge event since the first stroll down Surf Avenue in 1983. Now personally, having lived on Surf Avenue back in ’83, I thought the small freak and geek fest was awesome. These days, it seems like everyone in Brooklyn shows up and it’s too crowded for my grumpy middle aged ass.

But anyhoo, that doesn’t mean the show shouldn’t go on. The mermaids are in danger this year, my friends. Yeah, Sandy. After spending over $100k to restore their headquarters, they need to raise some clams to pay for cops and toilets for Coney’s unofficial start of summer.

Here, let the Kickstarter video speak for itself.

Some Summer Concerts

Some Summer Concerts published on

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It ain’t summer until they announce the Coney Island free concerts series, so it ain’t summer yet but here’s a taste of some shows at various other venues this season…

Williamsburg Park

The Shins, May 26
New Order, July 24
Cake, August 10
Jane’s Addiction, August 17

Celebrate Brooklyn

@ Brooklyn Bridge Park

Old School Funk and Hip Hop Dance Party, May 23

@ Prospect Park

Belle & Sebastian/Yo La Tengo, July 11
Barenaked Ladies/Ben Folds Five,  July 30

Jones Beach

Sublime, July 14
Dylan/Wilco/My Morning Jacket, July 27
Depeche Mode, September 8

Central Park

Sinatra in the Park (various artists), June 11

Disposable Dishes

Disposable Dishes published on

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Forget Spring. Summer is here. And with summer comes backyard barbeques and poolside entertaining. (If you have a pool, invite me.) Since this is a green blog, the use of disposable anything should not be promoted. However, some of these products are biodegradable or can take a good few uses before crapping out.

The VerTerra palm leaf plates above are made from fallen leaves. They are biodegradable and chemical free as well as microwave safe. The 6×6 plates as shown run about $152 for a 300 count. The company makes matching cutlery as well.

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Wasara makes some beautiful products from bamboo and recycled paper. Love the cutlery! A party kit as shown would run $249 for service for 50 people.

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Non-eco friendly plastics can look nice too. The 9″ wavy plate from EMI Yoshi costs 68 bucks for 120 plates over at Wasserstrom Restaurant Supplies.

As for the bargains, check out Amazing Savings and National Wholesale Liquidators first. Also, never forget your local dollar store! And of course, y’all know that Ikea and Target have fun outdoor dining option. Oh, and you can always buy inexpensive vintage wares at any second hand thrift shop. I know, I know. Then you have to wash it.

Broken Angel Dog (and Block Party)

Broken Angel Dog (and Block Party) published on

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This is Simba. He lived in the most famous building in Clinton Hill, Arthur Hill’s Broken Angel. The 84 year old Arthur was evicted after years of struggling to hang onto his house-as-art project. Now Arthur needs to find a new place and Simba needs fostering. Can you help? If so, please contact shannonkernerATgmailDOTcom.

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Perhaps you can meet Simba and Arthur at the Broken Angel Block Party on March 15th. If it looks familiar, yes, it was the backdrop of Dave Chappelle’s Block Party. The event takes place all day and night, so stop on by, y’all!

Bed Stuy Landmarks Public Hearing

Bed Stuy Landmarks Public Hearing published on

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Got some time to spare tomorrow, January 15th? Well, then come on down to the Landmarks Preservation hearing at One Centre Street in Manhattan. The meeting is to be held on the 9th floor from 10:30-12:00.

It should prove to be interesting as preacher Johnny Ray Youngblood is set to protest. Word around the neighborhood is that he’ll be busing people in who do not live in Bed Stuy, just to make his voice heard.

Why protest something that is in the best interest of the neighborhood and the city? Money. There are some old timers who are under the impression that having to go by Landmarks rules and doing things in a historically correct manner will be unaffordable. Yeah, there are grants to be had from Landmarks. No, they don’t force you to spend money you don’t have. Perhaps these folks will actually listen to the truth at the meeting. Or perhaps they just want to stir the pot.

Anyway, Team Landmark can use your help. No, you do not have to live in Bed Stuy to show your support. If Johnny Ray can bring people in from other areas, we only want to keep it fair by doing the same.

So, see you tomorrow?

2012 Images in the News

2012 Images in the News published on 1 Comment on 2012 Images in the News

January. Gabby Giffords resigns from congress a year after she was shot in Arizona. Six people died in the attack.

February. California overturns ban on gay marriage as Washington becomes the seventh state to legalize it.

March. US soldier goes on a shooting rampage in Afghanistan and kills 16 civilians.

April. Secret service agents get caught with their pants down in Columbia.

May. For the first time in modern American history, white births are no longer the majority.

June. The Supreme Court upholds Obamacare. Justice Roberts becomes a hero to liberals for the first time in his life.

July. Gunman opens fire in a Batman screening in Aurora, CO. 12 people die, 70 wounded by bullets.

August. Russian punk band Pussy Riot sentenced to 2 years in prison for hooliganism.

September. Four are killed in an attack on the US Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, including Ambassador Chris Stevens.

October. Hurricane Sandy hits just days before Halloween.

November. President Obama is re-elected.

December. 28 dead in CT school shooting. This finally starts the ball rolling on gun control conversation.

Playing Politics? Hell Yes.

Playing Politics? Hell Yes. published on

It’s time to stop letting the NRA and gun enthusiasts get away with murder. It’s beyond upsetting. It’s infuriating that this has become a common occurrence in the USA. Yes, video games are violent. Yes, we need to look at mental health issues. 22 kids were attacked at knife point in China the same week. Guess how many died? Zero.

It’s time to get rid of the fuckin guns! Second Amendment my ass. Things have changed since our forefathers wrote that up. Let’s get it done before the next tragedy.

Please visit Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and do what you can. Just because stricter gun laws may not work 100% does not mean it shouldn’t be tried as part of the solution.

Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday published on

You’ve gotten through Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. Wait. It’s not over yet. What about Giving Tuesday? Yeah, it’s a new thing, but it’s the next big thing.

What is Giving Tuesday? Well, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you give some money to charity, although that’s totally acceptable. You can give back to society in the form of volunteer work, raising funds for others or spreading the word about giving. The only thing you need to remember is that although it starts today on Tuesday, November 27th, it’s something you can do all year long.

Again…

Easy way out: Donate money.

Almost as easy: Spread the word via Facebook and Twitter or earn points for a blog post. (I was too lazy to sign up for points.)

Take some time: Find more ideas here. Hold a bake sale or cook a meal for others. Go through your pantries and closets and give away the items you don’t need. Teach your skill to others or volunteer it for the day.

It’s a beautiful thing, no?

Reasons to be Thankful. Part I

Reasons to be Thankful. Part I published on 2 Comments on Reasons to be Thankful. Part I

1. I’m alive.
2. I haven’t lost any loved ones recently who were too young to die.
3. I have a place to live.
4. I’m among friends and family.
5. I have food on the table.
6. I’m in good health.
7. I live in the best city in the world.
8. I have a sane, competent President.
9. We’re not at war on US soil.
10. I live in a first world country.

Do you have a job? Are you low on funds? Don’t have heat at the moment? Were your belongings trashed? Yes, it’s terrible if you’re feeling discomfort at the moment, but please see numbers 1 and 2 on the list and count your blessings this Thanksgiving. I know I am!

And pardon the turkeys! Go veg! Have a great Thanksgiving weekend!

Tell Me About it, Stud.

Tell Me About it, Stud. published on

Once again, the East Coast is preparing to deal with another slap in the face from Mother Nature. Can’t say I blame her, what  with the way we treat her and all. Seems like only a year and two months ago we were worrying about Irene. This is supposed to be worse but so far she hasn’t showed up on my doorstep here in Bed Stuy yet.

The Rockaway house, well that one worries me. The Rockaways were evacuated yesterday, along with parts of lower Manhattan, Coney Island and other Zone A areas. My basement is ok to flood now as everything has been put on higher ground but I didn’t board up windows so I’m more concerned about the wind.

New Yorkers, myself included, seem to be freaking out about not having enough wine and coffee. The Brooklyn Fairway sold out of kale. No word yet on whether or not collard greens were still available.

Personally, I’m not too concerned about us here in the Big Apple. There may be riots in the streets if we can’t get Chinese food delivery but our allies would never lets us down.

The hurricane took the lives of 65 people so far, most of them in Haiti. It’s those folks we need to think about, not some schmucks in a high rise in Battery Park City.

Stay safe, my friends!

Bed Stuy House Tour

Bed Stuy House Tour published on

Bed Stuy has some of the most beautiful brownstones in Brooklyn. You can walk around and see for yourself any day of the year or you can have a peek into some of these glorious homes tomorrow during the 34th Annual Brownstoners of Bed Stuy House Tour.

The self guided tour starts at 11am sharp. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 tomorrow. Click here to find out more details. Meet at the Old Boy’s High School on Marcy and Putnam. It’s simple to get to. The A or C train to Nostrand. Walk north a few blocks to Putnam, hang a right.

Have fun!

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