From NYT: Galapagos Moves to DUMBO

A NYT article caught by Brooklyn Record reports that the Galapagos Art Space is moving to a DUMBO venue next year -- a 102-year-old, 10,000 square-foot former horse stable at 16 Main Street that is owned by Two Trees. For more information, visit here.

This Day in History

In 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge, linking two New York City boroughs, Brooklyn and Manhattan, was opened to traffic. (Red Bluff Daily News).

Nannies Diaries: Brooklyn Heights

From the Brooklyn Eagle:

Photographer John Barnard's work is on exhibit at the Callahan Center, St. Francis College, Remsen Street, Brooklyn Heights.

But what's really interesting is the subject of his photos: Brooklyn Heights nannies.

“I’ve lived in Brooklyn Heights since 1971, and I never noticed the nannies,” he said. “They’re here all the time, yet I never noticed them. All of a sudden I saw nannies at Starbucks, picking up their kids at school, taking them to the playground. I started to see that nannies are a pretty important part of Brooklyn Heights.”

Lady Sovereign Lets Brooklyn Fans Down

Female UK rapper Lady Sovereign, who is opening for Gwen Stefanie on tour, was supposed to do a 1:30 am set in Brooklyn at venue Studio B but her bus broke down and didn't arrive until 3:30 am. Apparently, upon arrival she made some nasty remarks about the small crowd.

She has since apologized in a statement, saying "I know how stupid i must have looked on Friday, I was tired and not in the mood, having a bad day. But that's no excuse for letting fans down, I'm sorry to those that were at Studio B to see me."

I really like Lady Sovereign, so I hope she was just having an "off night."

Williamsburg's Aurora Opens in SOHO

Aurora SoHo
Crispy artichokes with mint, lobster with porcini and truffles, fennel pollen panna cotta, and sparkling malvasia.
510 Broome St., b/t Thompson St. & W. Broadway
212-334-9020
From dailycandy

Or stick with the Williamburg venue.

Random Rant: Curb Your Dog!

I was walking out of my building yesterday in DUMBO to see this woman walking her two little norfolk terriers. Nothing against terriers, my family has a cairn, but what she was doing really pissed me off.

She was pulling one of them by the neck to jump over the little gate around the tree outside my building so he could go urinate on the tree. While I don't like to see people yanking their dogs by the neck, I was so irratated that she was dragging her dog over the little gate -- which is clearly to keep dogs from going to the bathroom in that area. The dog didn't seem too enthusiastic about jumping over anyway.

So I asked our doorman if she lived in the building, cause this is an issue the residents have discussed, and the guy standing next to me in the lobby said "we need to put curb your dog signs up." I was like seriously, are you kidding me? You're telling me this lady doesn't know that the gates aren't there for a reason?

Well, I told her I would appreciate if she didn't let her dogs pee on our trees and in case she didn't realize, the gates are there for a reason. She apologized, smiled and walked away. But it really made me angry. I realize people don't have much of a choice as to where their animals go to the bathroom in the city, but when someone has clearly made an effort to keep pets out, why must people just ignore it?

Woman bitten after helping sick squirrel

Note to self: squirrels are just rats with furry tails. Would you help a sick rat? Yeah, thought so.

Photo: Brooklyn Bridge

Brooklyn HDR
Originally uploaded by Douglaslevy Photography.

Really liked this picture from Flickr and thought I'd share.

Upcoming Events: Uncommon Grounds BK

• Sunday, 5/20: Make your own Bloody Mary, with uncommon garnishes like Lobster-stuffed olives. Runs from 11 am-6pm. Mention my blog and get your first round at half price.
• Thursday, 5/24: Comedy Night next. No cover, click here for more info.

Brooklyn Industries "Top Dog Contest"

Brooklyn Industries is hosting an open casting call for dogs. If you think your pooch is the best in Brooklyn, take your pup to one of these three open casting calls!

Sat. 6/2, 11am - 3pm (Raindate Sun. 6/3)
PARK SLOPE STORE, 206 5th Ave, Brooklyn

Sat. 6/16, 11am - 3pm (Raindate Sun. 6/17)
WILLIAMSBURG, 162 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn

Sat. 6/30, 11am - 3pm (Raindate Sun. 7/1)
SMITH STREET, 100 Smith St, Brooklyn

Hope for Fourth Ave Section of Park Slope

Yes, my rhyme wasn't that cool but at 5 pm on a Friday what do you expect? Just saw this article from the NY Post about the beautification of Fourth Avenue.

We've all strolled down the boutique and restaurant filled Fifth Street and the treelined side streets, but I would have to agree that I've never thought much of Fourth Street. In fact, the only time I really go there is to find parking for Al Di La or with my husband to get the car fixed, washed or gassed up.

The article discusses and offers pics of the new real estate developments and retail establishments in the area. Looks very nice, actually.

Hampton Jitney to Stop in DUMBO

Hampton Jitney will now make stops in Brooklyn, one of which will be on Cadman Plaza and Clark Street. The new Brooklyn route begins on Friday, May 18.

Note that the Brooklyn Jitneys won't run on the Westhampton and Sag Harbor lines, but service will be available on the North Fork and Montauk lines (East, South, Bridgehampton).

Summer is almost here!

Event Tonight: DUMBO Town Meeting & Mixer

From dumbonyc, check out the event tonight for the DUMBO business and residential communites. It begins tonight at 6:30PM at Powerhouse Arena, which is on the corner of Main St. and Water St.

Old Factory on Henry Street: Lots of Potential

I was walking around Brooklyn Heights last weekend and I passed by 22 Henry (or maybe it was 20?), the what seems like an abandoned residential building/used-to-be Peaks Mason Mints candy factory. The windows are all knocked out but you can see old air conditioners and built-ins in some of the apartments. It seems that there may have been some bad history with this building and forced evictions.

Given the location - especially the proximity to P.S. 8 - and demand to live in the area, I am so surprised that a developer has yet to snatch up this property. I did a few Web searches but couldn't find any public information (perhaps I'm just looking in the wrong places). Plus, who wouldn't want to live a block from Noodle Pudding and Henry's End?

After some different searches on 20 Henry, I found some information on Brooklyn Heights Blog about the failed attempts to refurbish this property into condos, but seems it has been stalled. Based on all the information about 20 Henry, it's likely I read the number on the building incorrectly ... then after reading this notice by the Brooklyn Heights Association it looks like there may be two separate projects on the same property.

If anyone has any info on this property, please leave a comment.

Brooklyn Blog Fest

Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to attend this year's event (it was my husband's birthday), but Brooklyn Record offers a nice post on the festivities and a visual. Gowanus Lounge also reported on the event and posted some photos as well.

Round-up: Events This Weekend

• Uncommon Grounds is doing a wine tasting this weekend on both Saturday and Sunday between 6 - 8 p.m. The theme on the wines will be a comparison of Old & New World styles of the same varietal.
• Pigfest kicks off today at Brooklyn Bridge Park @ 1 pm. Read original post for more info.
• Brooklyn Heights House Tour is also this weekend. Read more at Brooklyn Heights Blog.
  

Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition Open Studio Weekend

A press release announced that on Saturday June 9 and Sunday June 10, the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition (BWAC) will host its Open Studio Weekend with self-guided tours in Red Hook and Carroll Gardens. There will be more than 100 participating artists and opening their studios to the public. The Red Hook/Carroll Gardens Open Studio Weekend (www.BWAC.org) and the Atlantic Avenue Art Walk (www.atlanticavenueartwalk.com) will run simultaneously.

$7.5 Million Penthouse at 1 Brooklyn Bridge Park

The New York Post reports on the planned $7.5 Million penthouse at 1 Brooklyn Bridge Park, along the Brooklyn Heights waterfront, that will offer 4,638-square-feet over three floors, with panoramic views of the Manhattan and Brooklyn skylines from inside a state-planned public park.

Then there's more on the DUMBO side of Brooklyn Bridge Park from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.

Uber Trendy Coming to DUMBO? Or near by ...

According to Brooklyn Record, Urban Outfitters is seriously considering opening a few Brooklyn locations. Target areas include Atlantic Ave. in DUMBO (I didn't know DUMBO extended this far?) and another in Williamsburg to-be-determined.

I do like Urban Outfitters, but I don't think we need one in Dumbo, or Brooklyn Heights for that matter. I prefer our little Dumbo boutiques, however expensive they maybe, to having chains in our hood.

NYT: Splitting the Bill

So glad that finally someone tackled this topic (and here).

Mmmm... donuts

I was reading up on donuts in Gothamist, which offers a nice overview of good donut places in Brooklyn and Manhattan. The list was in response to a recent world domination plot by Dunkin Donuts in Boston, as reported by Bostonist. I haven't been to The Plant, but have been wanting to go ever since I saw Food Network cover the store. They have these blueberry striped donuts in honor of the Yankees. Gothamist also notes a piece on Indie Donut Shops from the Fall edition of Edible Brooklyn.

Review: Uncommon Grounds in BK Heights

I finally had the chance to go here on Friday night. My husband joined me and we had an amazing time. My overall review is that this place has enormous potential. It's got coffee, casual comfy seating, art, awesome entertainment of all genres, good food and great wine.

The drink: We had a bottle of the Shiraz they are serving, which was nice and smooth. They also had a nice selection of wines by the glass and half bottles, which they nicely recognize on the menu as "cute, but pricey."

Nibbles: Then we tried the seafood dip, which was similar to an artichoke dip but with seafood. Not overpoweringly fishy, just nice and light. That was served with flat bread and crispy pita chips. We also had their "slyders," a very scaled up version of the White Castle favorite. There were three mini burgers with some homemade accoutrements including ketchup. My only feedback there is that they weren't served hot. They were still tasty though.

Dessert: Always in its own category, dessert was a nice slice of pecan pie with ice cream (think from The Blue Pig, who may also be supporting the team at Uncommon Grounds...). The pie was really, really good and the chef, who is also the chef at Busy Chef, brought out his student who cooked up the Pecan Pie earlier that day.

The entertainment: There was a really cool chica called Drum Girl (aka Amanda Homi) who played an assortment of world music. It was fun and lively, the kind of music you can't keep still in your seat when you listen to, but still relaxed and quiet enough to carry a conversation. She was joined by a drummer and guitarist (so sorry, I skipped a day and blogged about John Valeri being there on Friday, but he was actually booked for Saturday). I liked her music, as did my husband, so we bought her CD. Our favorite was her song "Thin Ice."

The vibe: There were about 15 people there including us and the people who work at Uncommon Grounds. Everyone is really friendly and brings a special set of talents to the table. There were a few people who were hanging out in the doorway, intrigued by the music, but ultimately continued on their way. Others stopped in and gave a little shake to the music.

All in all, it was a great time and something you don't get to experience every day. Uncommon Grounds brings a unique atmosphere to Brooklyn Heights.

Cinco De Mayo

Fellow blogger dumbonyc has posted a great round-up of Cinco De Mayo activities in DUMBO.

Citysearch has also a page dedicated to local Cinco De Mayo festivities.

I'll be in Central Park for the Revlon/Run Walk, and then back to Brooklyn for a few drinks.

BKLYN Designs

From Brooklyn Daily Eagle: The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce is gearing up for the fifth edition of BKLYN Designs on May 11, 12 and 13 in DUMBO that coincides with NY Design Week citywide.

Domino's Will Never Equate to Brooklyn Style Pizza

The whole idea of Domino's claiming to have "Brooklyn style pizza" is just an oxymoron in itself.

I must admit I lived on Domino's in college, but only because it was essentially free (I could order these "points" through school and then my parents got charged). It was OK. I am by no means a pizza snob, but I have had some good pizza. I think I may have blogged about pizza several months back, but I was recently reminded of the topic when I saw this.

A new Domino's marketing campaign seeks to answer the Domino's 'Great Debate': Philly Cheese Steak vs. Brooklyn Style pizza. I have never had a Philly Cheese Steak from Philly, but I watched that Bobby Flay throw down episode and I can say without a doubt that I would choose a Philly Cheese Steak over a slice of Domino's pizza. Oh, and don't even get me started on those horrible ads with supposed Brooklynites talking about Brooklyn style pizza.

Kenny Wallace picked Philly and even talked sports with his pizza.
Dale Jarrett, a devout Yankees fan, went with Brooklyn.
David Reutimann also went with Brooklyn.
And Michael Waltrip...well...he just said, "I just like Domino's."

Considering I work in PR, I have a little insight into how these "campaigns" work. Molto Mario knew what he was doing branching out into NASCAR with his tailgate cookbook. This is a huge marketing opportunity.

I am guessing that these drivers have probably had better pizza at some point in their lives. But, for now, let me know what you think Domino's touting BK Style Pizza?

Zoe DUMBO Store Opening Party

I must admit I love Zoe, but I'm afraid only from afar as I've yet to find something there in my price range or size for that matter.

They are having a DUMBO store opening party (a few months too late, but who am I to complain!) and are offering free champagne and a 15% off coupon here this Sunday, May 6 between 4-6 pm.

So, browse and make your wish list with some bubbly.

Second Annual Brooklyn Blogfest on 5/10

I would totally have gone to this but it's my husband's birthday. Anyone who goes please let me know what it's all about.

WHAT: 2007 Brooklyn Blogfest
WHERE: Old Stone House (3^rd Ave and 4^th Street)
WHEN: Thursday, May 10^th, 8:00 PM

From Dope on the Slope.

Event this Friday 5/4 @ unCOMMon GRounDS

Anyone interested in some FREE music and wine this Friday in Brooklyn?

If so, come to unCOMMon GRounDs in Brooklyn Heights this Friday, May 4 for an open wine bar from 7:30-8:30 before the live music show.

The music will be upbeat, mostly guitar, the kind that can be in the background, or on which you can focus. The artist is John Valeri, a professionally trained Jazz guitar artist who has toured around the globe.

Anyone who RSVPs to rsvp (at) uncommonbrooklyn (dot) com and mentions brooklyn enthusiast will get in for free.

Also, if you are a musician, Chris at unCOMMon GRounDs is offering to play your music during the day at the venue and sell CDs at the counter (he's not interested in commission).

What are you waiting for?

Jehovah’s Make Bank

As a DUMBO resident, I am always on the lookout for news of property sales.

Just read in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle that Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (a.k.a. Jehovah’s Witnesses) will sell several six Brooklyn Heights properties, citing a decrease in Brooklyn staff.

Three properties are being sold as a portfolio:
• The Standish
• 183 Columbia Heights
• 161 Columbia Heights

Then, the three being sold separately are:
• 165 Columbia Heights
• 105 Willow St.
• 34 Orange St.

Brownstoner has some images up of the properties. One of the commenters on Brownstoner estimates the market price for 165 Columbia Heights would be about $3.5M. The views must be amazing.