Views of a born and bred Brooklynite. (umbrooklynborn@gmail.com) This blog satisfies my need to hear and air feelings of B'klyn from the people whose life experience were born here. Hopefully it'll balance to some of the revisionist historical musings I've seen as if Bklyn barely existed before the 90's. Brooklyn as Tabula Rasa. If we can all live as best possible while appreciating the past and neighbors we've inherited that would be great too.
This Saturday June 4th on the rooftop of the Brooklyn Children's Museum will host the Brooklyn Creative Market and you should stop by.
Why and What's this?
It's a gathering of youth entrepreneurs, new and emerging young people from their teens up, who are being granted an opportunity to bring their Fashion, Music, Photography and art in general, to the public and gain valuable business and marketing experience. The event will feature a youth lead pop up shop for young creative entrepreneurs to showcase their products and services to the world. 50+ creatives will display their work in Art, Fashion, Food, Photography, Music and more.
Live performances
Two DJ's
50+ vendors
INteractive activities
Pitch competition where one business will win $1,000 for their startup.
For some it will be the first time they're bringing their creativity to the public and for all it will be an incredible boost to confidence and self-determination.
I'm proud to say I helped support this event and as a result 6 of the best entrepreneur's business plans will receive $1000 to act on their ideas. It's exactly the type of thing many of us talk about, giving real world business opportunity and experience to creative young native Brooklynites in a way that helps them focus and build their future careers. Here's where you can receive your (free) ticket: Here's a link with more details on registering as a vendor https://www.eventbrite.com/e/brooklyn-creative-market-registration-25135392636
Grove Alley a heavily promoted street that dead end's behind part of Downtown Brooklyn no one knew existed was given a party, a dose of hip and college try. The food trucks were faves, the crowd was young, trepidatious with notes of lascivious and the vendors showed their goodies. I wasn't moved but I did get this great shot:
Definitely a lot of potenial for the space and I'm sure the powers that be in real estate will make another swing since the alley is in the nexus of several literally up and coming condos downtown.
For my tastes I'd need a little less Hooser
Meanwhile Studio BPM avoided the whimper choosing instead to go with the musical bang ala jam session.
It was crowded, cozy, loud, rapturous a little drunken and everything else the hole in the wall music venue has been for ten years, if it had to close it went out hard.
Spring brings blossoms and none more cherry that the Brooklyn Botanic Garden's.
Sakura Matsuri translates to Cherry Blossom Festival (but you knew that all ready) and the weekend event features all day events. You can witness and participate in everything from Japanese Tea Services, a custom of the Cherry Blossom festivals, to music and botanical presentations.
Sakura Matsuri at BBG is a great melange of nature lovers taking in the spring blossoms, expat spouses uplifting their traditional culture for their kids while adorable to over the top Costplayers ignore the tea and go straight for living out their Dragon Ball, Naruto, Bleached, Little Monstered fantasies.
The Cherry Trees have been in bloom for little more than a week now (as you'll see in the slide show below)
and right on time for this weekends mega Sakura Matsuri Festival.
It's also a great opportunity to see all the additions the BBG has made in the past few years like the new, beautifully designed modern entrance and visitor's center pictured above.
One of three entrances is at 200
Washington Avenue, accessible by the Prospect Park Q,B,S station and
from the Eastern Parkway 2,3 (The Franklin ave 2,3,4,5 will also get you
to the Botanic Garden but it adds an extra block of walking)
Decided to check out the Smorg in person and against my better judgement I came here hungry.
I can report that as of 2:45p it's beautiful out, and packed with foodie and sun-lovers
But of the well known and desired food tents, most have serious lines.
Also I won't call anybody out but $4 Croissants & $7 tamales are not my thing.
3:10p finally scored!! Takoyake Balls!! and they are tasty! I'm used to the traditional method of a fried dough ball with a bit of octopus in the center, topped with ginger and bonito flakes. These from "Teriyaki Balls" have three styles: filled with Shrimp, Country Sausage and one I can't remember because I didn't try it.
The shrimp was very good but the country sausage turned a familiar favorite of mine into a delicious new experience which sounds corny but it's true they had optional toppings of corn and almond flakes which were surprisingly good. I ate it so fast I took no pictures.
3:40 about to get my lamb-burger on from "Landhaus" along with a mint lemonade.
Got the burger, very good! Nice bit of feta shiracha and a medium rare lamb patty. Very nice.
Also I guess people are getting their fill
(or food is running down?) cause the lines are running shorter.
Also can anyone in here say "excuse me" rather pushing their way through a crowd? Yeesh.
I wanted to try the "people's pops" but I was full up on mint lemonade, next time...
Rhubarb seems like an easy sell, few can really say what it's supposed
to taste like so if its sweet and refreshing you're golden.
Hipster styling in full effect (remember this year knit hats are to be worn like Smurfs, or like you're a Be-Boy from 1982
Maple Bacon on a Stick!!! Courtesy of Landhau. I really wanted some of this, Landhau will shall meat again.
Yes there's alot of Landhau picks, cause there's a lot I loved.
I admit it, the name and its turn on a phrase, turned me off. Though I love big ribs and I can not lie.
As I recall Handsome Hanks was the fish stand everyone was waiting in line for.
How green is grilling again?
Great name, plus points for the country table cloth pattern. Next time my soon to be friends....
Another proud Wolverine.
So all in all I now see why Smorgasburg is the event it is. If you've got a squad of friends it's definitely worth hitting it off if for no other reason than to extend your comfort foodie zone. And with offerings like Rhubarb, Cornflakes on Country Sausage stuffed Teriyaki Balls and more there's definitely room to expand mind and body.
I'll be back next week with more full mouthed opinions.
Tomorrow my eyes and ears will be fixed on the Brooklyn Museum & Targét's 1st Saturday!
There was a moment back in the Fall when it seemed some sort of local grinchery had conspired to end the 1st Saturday's citing too much foot traffic. Ironic since a major goal of 1st Saturdays when they were started was to draw foot traffic to the Museum. Anywhoo. It seems smarter heads prevailed.
Film Screening, Music, Dance Party, Curator Talks (not necessarily in that order) will be going.
Check Brooklyn Museum for details.
I confess I spent most of last year missing it and rueing the delicious stories I heard from friends and the bloggie-verse. But I plans to rectify that tomorrow. And you should too if you like food and acting out Portlandia skits. Sat in Williamsburg, Sun in D.U.M.B.O. 11a-6p Details at http://www.smorgasburg.com
Throw your arms around foodie-ism and artisanl everything! Take a bite out of gentrification!
This is by no means a complete list of what's happening this weekend. If you have an event you'd like to post here, feel free to leave a comment or email me direct at umbrooklynborn @ gmail.
Whooooo-a-Wheee! Busy Weekend, I got to do lots, hope you did too...but nuff about me, let's talk about you! Did you have a full weekend around Brooklyn?
Then this "Maybe you missed it Monday" is for you. Wknd of 7/11-7/12 Edition
First stop was marked on the calendar 7/11! as in Free Slurpees at 7-Eleven! I shot over to the Bed-Stuy boarder 7-Eleven grabbed the biggest cup and then had a moment of reality. I asked the dude behind the counter which was the free size. He handed me a cup like the one pictured to the left.
That cup is almost life-sized. Sheesh! But free is free!
And too much of that Slurpee mix ain't good for me, even though in my life I've probably had three total Slurpees. Of course I had something Blue to celebrate the rare occasion.
After wandering through Restoration on Fulton St. in a hypoglycemic stupor, I made my way to Crown Heights just in time to see Council Member Letitia James (Tish to friends) doing her best to drum up business for the Franklin Av/Sterling Pl Flea Market. Councilmember Letitia James "Tish" (center) enticing passersby to check the nascent Franklin Av/Sterling Pl. Flea Market. Below she seems to be happily product testing. The Council Member was pushing for the Smoothies being made by the ladies of Bristens at 715 Franklin Av (next door). According to Tish her toughest competition were a bunch of locale kids hawking water. For me, the idea of natural banana and mango purifying my blue tongue made for an easy sale. Fresh banana/Mango/Honey Smoothie by Bristen's (over exposed poor photography by yours truly)
I had never heard of Bristen's Eatery (I've actually been meaning to write that Franklin (imho) needs more diverse businesses) but if that smoothie and the cool ladies who made it are any indication, I'd say a good meal is to be had at Bristen's. I'll check them properly and let you know soon.
Councilmember Letitia James "Tish" with a soon to be flea market customer.
While the blender whirled and the ladies and I chatted a smoothie little line had formed before I knew it. I gotta tell ya Ms. James has a pretty effective sales pitch. Smoothie in hand, cool sweet natured in belly, I made the rounds of the Franklin/Sterling Flea. It's a modest entrepreneurial encampment as Fleas go but filled with a variety of goodies, like the mobile below there were all variety of crafts.
Next things got saucy! (I'm so corny. I know) I met up with chef Jason Hait and Marketing Director Ayelet Prizant of the "Pour Gourmet"(below). Jason's a local Chef currently hard at work bringing his sauces to market. He said the Franklin Av/Sterling Place flea market is perfect for him because it's nearby, and provides him an opportunity to get direct feedback from the public plus make some sales. I declined to taste the sauces, explaining to Jason, that my reason was the Smoothie, and not a lack of confidence in his culinary skills. Scott then demonstrated he's as skilled with the pitch as he is with the sauces, he pointed out a Plantain based barbeque sauce which he assured me would blend nicely with my then taste sensations. It did. It was delicious, for real though. I coulda ate a whole bottle of that stuff without a meal.
Next I met this duo whose table of jewelry and accessories shimmered in the warm July SUN (Capitalized because after a month like this, we need to be capitalizing on the SUN) And they'd like you know their website is: http://925ikonz.com/
I enjoyed my trip to the Franklin Av/Sterling Pl. Flea but there was more to do so I broke out and headed for the subway (the long way) which led me to run into this sister at my fave Fort Greene Triangle; Cuyler Gore Park.Here's her clip:
This was an organized event with signage and everything. Seemed to be similar to those neighborhood blood pressure testings that happens at community events. But I was in a hurry and this wasn't a planned stop, so after this clip I kept it moving. The vibe was cool though, no hypertension there.
After that I was off to (gasp) Manhattan, "The City". You may ask yourself (or me) Why oh Why would ANYONE choose to go to Manhattan when they could be in Brooklyn?!? And my answer is Central Park, and specifically one of the things I like as a Born and Bred (CityBoy) is the looming presence of the city as a location reminder. Sometimes I draw comfort from the geometric confines that the city provides. And unlike in Prospect Park, it's easier in Central Park to be reminded how much in a city you still are. I like the contrast.
It's even more interesting when you look at what goes on inside and think of the hard fast city being home to these activities... Which led me to the Skate Dancer's Circle near the Band shell in Central Park that has been going strong for over 30 years. Did you know that your boy "Brooklyn Born" spent most of the 90's going in circles out here trying to pick up women in a space heavily enlivened by gay men? Took me years to figure that out. No wonder the women couldn't understand why I was interested.
Cooley I ran into several characters I hadn't seen in ten years and a circular pleasure ensued. Here's a skate level view, (not for the faint of heart or easy to dizzy)
Then came Sunday 7/12 late in the day I got over to what is fast becoming the ritual end of each season's Afro Punk festival, the AfroPunk Block Party. I did just enough housework Sunday to miss all the concert performances. Sad. I really wanted to see John Forte, after all how many Hip-Hop acts get a presidental pardon, from a white republican President at that! Yeh inflammatory, I know.
Anyway maybe you missed it or maybe you'll enjoy reliving but here's some sights, some sounds and lots a motions from (warning shaky camera) from the day:
Wanna see more? Here's a video clip from the block party:
And as if all that weren't enough I got an earful from damn-near everyone that the Soul Summit, the party in the park (specifically Fort Greene Park) was back and celebrating it's first jam of the summer. I sped on over and got there while it was still light enough out to notice a lot more people were there than I'd ever seen. The Soul Summit has grown from an outdoor dance party to a nexus for meet-ups, picnics and general socializing. What's additionally cool, and I noticed this as I entered the park, is how well the event works with all the other activities of the park. Tennis was still being played on all courts, bike wheels and soccer balls continued to spin all overlapping each other's energy. beautiful thing.
Wanna see a shakey clip? Here we go!:
And it keep on an on and on, even after the sun got tired and went down, the dancers and drummers stayed up.
Now let's get this Monday over so we can get back to the weekend!
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