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Mala Yoga Opens at 162 Court/Amity on Nov 1
Josh Guttman | October 31, 2007
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Accomplished local yogis, Angela Clark, Stephanie Creaturo and Christina Hatgis - formerly instructors at Area Yoga - have partnered to launch Mala Yoga, a new studio at 162 Court Street @ Amity on the second floor. The mala (prayer) beads that we wear around our wrists inspired the studio’s name. Mala means rosary or garland in Sanskrit. Their vision is to create a studio where one can comfortably practice throughout all stages of life. The practice serves as a mala, one that threads together the different aspects of our lives, both on the yoga mat and off. Classes begin on November 1 and they’ll launch with 30 classes per week of varying degrees of difficulty, soon expanding to 45, I’m told. The new space is beautiful with fresh bamboo floors and all new equipment and furniture. Personally, I’m super excited about this. For the uninitiated, Angela, Stephanie and Christina are the best instructors in the neighborhood, and to have them teaching in this new space is awesome. Good luck guys!!
The Window Grates Come Off
Josh Guttman | October 30, 2007
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As the neighborhood continues to show signs of improvement/gentrification/safety, workers were seen cutting off window grates from a house on Warren Street Monday evening.
Gravy’s Gone Fishin’, Trout Takes Over
Josh Guttman | October 30, 2007
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This news is a tad dated by now, but Trout has expanded into the space next-door where diner cum swanky homestyle dig, Gravy, once lived. My sources tell me the owner (of both) was making more money at Trout so he turned the entire corner into a kitchy crab shack. The new menu is comprehensive with a heavy emphasis on seafood. Early reports indicate the food is “Okay, but a little pricey for what you get.” Though, this isn’t surprising from the expansion of an operation whose previous culinary endeavors consisted of hamburgers and hot dogs on paper plates. I think the expansion is a smart move. Gravy was a restaurant without a soul and a larger Trout adds more character to the neighborhood. And now, with a complete menu, it’s an even better place to drink.
Cobble Hill Halloween Parade - 4pm Wednesday 10/31
Josh Guttman | October 29, 2007
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This Wednesday is the annual Cobble Hill Halloween Parade in Cobble Hill Park. Festivities will begin at 4pm. This is always one of the year’s best events and great for the kids. The event is sponsored by the Cobble Hill Park Association and Friends of Cobble Hill Park. Neighborhood trick or treating will follow.
Prophetical neighborhood intersection
Josh Guttman | October 24, 2007
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Has anyone noticed that we have an intersection in the neighborhood that may foretell our next U.S. president (and our previous president, as the case may be)? Kudos to Gian Trotta for pointing this out to me a few weeks ago.
Blue Marble brings eco-friendly ice cream to Boerum Hill
Jessica Clegg | October 24, 2007
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It seems slightly strange to decide to open an ice cream parlor open at the end of September, though stranger still that eating ice cream outside in the middle of October would seem like a refreshing way to beat the heat. Blue Marble, the eco-friendly ice cream and coffee shop, first offered previews of its locally-sourced ice cream at the Atlantic Antic festival a month ago. Now fully open, there’s a much larger selection and comfortable seating to enjoy it in, even a back-room area for the kids to play in (brilliant!). Examining the menu board, I was surprised to see “balsamic vinegar” on the topping list. This inclusion, the very well-informed scooper informed me, is not leftover from a previous incarnation as a salad bar; balsamic vinegar is actually a great counterpoint to vanilla or strawberry. I had to try it with strawberry and, I can’t insist enough, you do too! Another more adult-themed choice is “culture”, the shop’s answer to the Pinkberry frozen yogurt craze, which is subtly sweet with a Greek yogurt richness.
One quibble is that the prices seem pretty steep, assumedly for the high-quality ingredients. Expect $4 for a scoop in a cup or cone, anything else is extra. I was happy enough to part with my $6 for the novelty alone, but then I’m someone who will travel 5 bodegas at 2am in search of a particular flavor; in other words, someone willing to put in overtime for their ice cream. Others may not be so keen, especially when supporting, say, a whole little league’s team worth of ice cream eaters.
Blue Marble is located on 420 Atlantic Avenue between Hoyt and Bond Streets.
Local film-maker screens documentary "Golden Gloves" this Thursday
Josh Guttman | October 23, 2007
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Leyla Leidecker, a local film-maker living in Carroll Gardens is screening her documentary - "Golden Gloves" - this Thursday night, October 25th. The film traces the history of women boxers and the Golden Gloves boxing competition, America’s oldest amateur boxing tournament dating back to 1928. Women have been vying to get into the competition for many years, but not until 1994 was the case for women given real attention when a boxing novice from Brooklyn, Dee Hamaguchi, also a civil action worker, teamed up with the ACLU to threaten USA Boxing with a civil lawsuit. Finally, in 1995, women were let in for the first time. As of today, boxing is the only sport in the Olympic Games exclusively for men. The film follows eight women in the 2005 tournament, from the quarter finals in the Brooklyn suburbs to the championship in Madison Square Garden.
The Golden Gloves screening will take place Thursday, October 25 at 7:30p in the warehouse space at 450 Union Street, between Bond and Nevins. A Q&A session with the film-makers will follow the screening. Free drinks will be served.
Vegetarian Week Kicks Off with Red Hook Harvest Festival
Jessica Clegg | October 22, 2007
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Fall is prime time for trying out new things, be it quitting your corporate job to pursue a potentially more lucrative career in dog-walking or simply adding a new show to the DVR. If you think vegetarianism may be your path to self-renewal, consider this week your orientation. October 21st-27th, As previously announced, Brooklyn Goes Veg! is holding seminars and a special restaurant week at meat-free venues throughout the borough.
I went to the first Brooklyn event on the calendar, a harvest festival at the Red Hook Community Farm run by Added Value, an organization which promotes sustainable development by supporting urban farms. I perused the local goodies from restaurants like Ici and the Good Fork, but decided to unload my cash on fresh local produce, which seemed in keeping with the event’s theme of living as close to nature as possible. After deciding against a lovely farm-grown pumpkin because of the hassle of toting it over the BQE overpass, the smell of fresh herbs drew me to a demonstration called ‘Cooking and Poetry’, under the main tent. Here, the ebullient ‘performance-art food educator’ Ludie Minaya showed us the simple, finger-sparing way to unlock a garlic’s cloves (tap it firmly on its ‘head’ with a long, flat knife) and created two literally green dishes: swiss chard sautéed with red pepper flakes and a local green salad tossed with agave-garlic vinaigrette. As advertised, Ludie gave us a poetic finale, giving a convincing case for eating organic in spoken-word form as we munched on peppery greens grown 20 feet from where we sat.
Walking out the gate crunching my organic apple, seasonal appropriate recipes in hand, I had a vision of my own greener future: my fridge becoming a forest of locally grown produce from which I will whip up delicious healthy salads and root-vegetable soups in reusable containers. As soon as I clear my freezer of all the Amy’s burritos stored therein, I should have the space to make my dream come true.
The Red Hook Community Farm, located on Columbia and Beard Streets, has a regular farmer’s market on Saturdays right up until the Saturday before Thanksgiving.
Brooklyn Vegetarian Week begins this Sunday, runs 10/21-10/28
Josh Guttman | October 19, 2007
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Exciting news for all of us veggies: The 1st Annual Brooklyn Vegetarian Week begins Sunday. Seven area restaurants and one online restaurant (a new concept) are participating, offering special price fixe menus and deals all week. There is also a full calendar of events, including teachings, lectures and group info sessions. Highlights of the participant list, in my opinion, include Jill’s in Park Slope, Red Bamboo in Fort Greene and a special dinner on Saturday, Oct 27 with 4 Course Vegan in Willyburg. From the website:
"Vegetarianism means different things to different people…
…making ethical consumer choices
…creating a health-supportive diet
…practicing Ahimsa, a Sanskrit term meaning non-violence
…feeling deprived, hungry, and bored
This October, Brooklyn Goes Veg! invites you to discover for yourself what it means to dine at a restaurant offering new and exciting ways to eat your veggies. For the Vegetarians, Omnivores, and the Veg-Curious, we think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Bon Appétit!"
Urban Outfitters coming to Atlantic Avenue
Josh Guttman | October 18, 2007
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As the onslaught of national chain retailers on Bergen Carroll-country continues, I understand that Urban Outfitters recently signed a lease on a 10,000 square foot space at 164 Atlantic Ave at Clinton Street. Rumors have been flying about this for the past few months and The Brooklyn Eagle broke details of the story last month. BK11201 also photo-blogged construction on the site recently. Some thoughts:
- Is our neighborhood quickly becoming the most McDonald-ized in Brooklyn? (even though earlier McDonald’s on Court rumors were unfounded)
- While I like Urban Outfitters at 14th and 6th when I get off the F-train there, I’m not sure I like it as much around the corner from my house. Thoughts?
- As The Brooklyn Eagle aptly points out, are there enough teenagers in the neighborhood to support a store like this? Especially considering smaller businesses that haven’t been able to succeed on Atlantic….like Ben and Jerry’s.
