Saturday, April 30, 2011

FBI MUSLIM YOUTH CONFERENCE

FBI Muslim Youth Conference
Saturday, May 14th, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.


Kingsborough Community College
2001 Oriental Boulevard, Brooklyn

To register, send an e-mail to Council of Peoples Organization:
copousa [at] copousa.org
http://www.copousa.org

CRAFT FAIR AND RAFFLE BY BARTEL-PRITCHARD SQUARE

Park Craft Fair
Saturday, May 7th, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (rain or shine)


The Park Craft Fair in the lot at Bartel-Pritchard Square will feature original work by local artists and crafters plus face painting and art and craft activities for kids.

P.S. 154 will be selling raffle tickets for select items made by the artists. All proceeds from the raffle will support P.S. 154's arts and enrichment programs.

Support local artists and crafts people, join others in the community in the great outdoors, and support P.S. 154!

LIVERY CAR PICKUP PLAN REJECTED

The proposal to establish a new category of livery cars that would be permitted to make on-street pickups outside of Manhattan has been rejected because of opposition by yellow cab owners and drivers and a lack of support from elected officials. The plan now being floated would create a class of yellow cabs that wouldn't be allowed to pick up passengers in most of Manhattan but could make pickups elsewhere in the city.

In the meantime,
  • the Taxi and Limousine Commission has been issuing more fines to livery car drivers who are illegally making on-street pickups,
  • the New York Taxi Workers Alliance is petitioning the city for a fare increase because of increases in gas prices and the cost of leasing a cab, and
  • more drivers are refusing to drive passengers from Manhattan to Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Queens because they usually end up driving back into Manhattan with an empty cab and don't make any money during that drive.

MORE INFO ABOUT WINDSOR TERRACE DRUG DEALERS

Some readers have asked for links to articles about the drug dealer arrests that we blogged about yesterday in WINDSOR TERRACE DRUG DEALERS ARRESTED. Here are links to three of the articles.

Friday, April 29, 2011

ALTERNATE SIDE PARKING DAYS CAN BE REDUCED

The City Council passed a bill yesterday that allows community boards to request a reduction in street cleaning to one day per week--if a community keeps its streets clean for two consecutive years and gets a ninety percent cleanliness grade. One less day per week of street cleaning will mean one less day per week of alternate side parking.

To determine the cleanliness grade, the Mayor’s Office of Operations inspects streets and sidewalks in order to measure and report on cleanliness. It uses a program called Operation Scorecard, which quantifies cleanliness through a cleanliness acceptability rating. For the two consecutive fiscal years prior to a community board’s request to reduce street cleaning, t
he rating must be equal to or greater than an average score of ninety percent.

The new law doesn't apply to metered streets or to streets that are cleaned between midnight and 6:00 a.m.
 

Car owners might like to discuss the possibility of moving their cars one less time per week with Alan Dubrow, chairperson of Community Board 12, when he is the guest speaker at the next meeting of the Albemarle Neighborhood Association. The meeting will be on Thursday, May 26th, at 7:00 p.m., at Flatbush Jewish Center, 327 E. 5th Street, at the corner of Church Avenue.

WINDSOR TERRACE DRUG DEALERS ARRESTED

Twelve drug dealers who were part of a loosely-linked network of drug rings have been arrested for selling heroin and cocaine openly and in broad daylight in Park Slope and Windsor Terrace. Four heroin dealers allegedly conducted about a dozen sales in Windsor Terrace. Some of the transactions were made in Joe’s Pizza and Peking Kitchen. Most of the suspects lived in Windsor Terrace or Sunset Park.

EATING, PLAYING, AND BARKING AT THE CHURCH AVENUE STREET FAIR

Join the Church Avenue BID for the Church Avenue Street Fair this Sunday, May 1st, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., from Coney Island Avenue to Argyle Road. Great shopping, food, and family activities.

EAT! Shayna's (Church Avenue at E. 10th Street) will provide outdoor seating for diners craving their yummy West Indian dishes. La Huasteca (Church between Westminster and Argyle roads) will serve brunch from 10:00 to 3:00. Find out about the Flatbush Farm Share. Plus roasted corn and other fair favorites!

PLAY!  Bring the family to visit the FDNY Smoke House (an interactive
fire safety exhibit), a police car that kids can go in, festival rides, and
  • 11 - 12: Free pony rides (sponsored by HoneyDew Drop)
  • 11 - 2: Free access to HoneyDew Drop indoor playground. Location: Church between Stratford and Westminster (sponsored by HoneyDew Drop)
  • 12 - 1: Home run hitting contest. Location:  Westminster off Church. (sponsored by Bonnie Youth Club)
  • 1:00 - 1:20: Turbo Kick class (sponsored by My Namaste Yoga of Kensington)
  • 1:30 - 1:50: Hip Hop Class  (sponsored by My Namaste Yoga of Kensington)
BARK!  Cuddle furry friends from Northshore Animal League who will bring animals in need of adoption, or bring your dog to Pawsitive Veterinary's booth for a free dental check-up, free dental kits, and a chance to win a free annual exam voucher.

The Church Avenue Street Fair has it all!

WINDSOR TERRACE GREENMARKET REOPENS THIS WEDNESDAY

The 2011 season for the Windsor Terrace Greenmarket starts next Wednesday, May 4th. This weekday greenmarket offers locally-grown fresh food, including vegetables, fruit, baked goods, plants, and flowers as well as fresh fish from American Seafood and organic baked goods by Bread Alone Bakery.

Participate in free cooking demonstrations, raffles, school tours, and family-friendly activities all season long while supporting regional farmers.

Schedule: Wednesdays, May 4th to November 23rd, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Farmers attending
  • American Seafood: wild-caught seafood from Suffolk County
  • Bread Alone: breads and pastries from Ulster County
  • J Glebocki Farms: vegetables from the black dirt region of Orange County
  • Williams Fruit Farm: orchard fruit, cider, and baked goods from Ulster County

Windsor Terrace Greenmarket
Prospect Park West and 15th Street

EBT/Food Stamps, Debit/Credit, and WIC & FMNP checks are accepted.

VANDERBILT PLAYGROUND NOT CLOSED TODAY

Change of plans: Vanderbilt Playground will NOT be closed for repairs today.

FICTION READING AT COMMUNITY GARDEN RESCHEDULED

Fiction Reading: Catina's Haircut
A Novel In Short Stories
by Paola Corso
Sunday, May 22nd, 4:00 p.m.

From the publisher, The University of Wisconsin Press: "Catina’s Haircut spans four generations of a peasant family in the brutal poverty of post-Unification southern Italy and in an immigrant’s United States. The women in these tales dare to cross boundaries by discovering magical leaps inherent in the landscape, in themselves, and in the stories they tell and retell of family tragedy at a time of political unrest. Through an oral tradition embedded in the stone of memory and the flow of its reinvention, their passionate tale of resistance and transformation courses forward into new generations in a new world."

This event was originally scheduled for Sunday, May 1st.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

FLEA MARKET AT COMMUNITY GARDEN

East Fourth Street Community Garden Flea Market
Saturday, April 30th, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Rain date: Sunday, May 1st, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Spring Yard Sale & Plant Sale Fundraiser
E. 4th Street, between Fort Hamilton Parkway and Caton Avenue



VANDERBILT PLAYGROUND CLOSED FRIDAY

Vanderbilt Playground will be closed this Friday, April 29th, from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. so that the minor repairs that were planned for two weeks ago can be made.

If you have questions or need additional information, contact Eric Landau, Director of Government and Community Affairs for Prospect Park.
phone: (718) 965-8953
fax: (718) 965-6950
e-mail: elandau [at] prospectpark.org

SPRING EXTRAVAGANZA AT IHM

Immaculate Heart of Mary School will hold its Spring Extravaganza on May 6th at 6:30 p.m. Details to follow!

Immaculate Heart of Mary School
3002 Fort Hamilton Parkway, between E. 2nd and E. 3rd streets
(718) 438-7373

HOUSING MATTERS: ISSUES AND ANSWERS FOR HOMEOWNERS, COOPERATORS, RENTERS AND HOME BUYERS

ASSEMBLYMEMBER JIM BRENNAN
INVITES YOU TO JOIN HIM AT

HOUSING MATTERS:
ISSUES AND ANSWERS FOR HOMEOWNERS,
COOPERATORS, RENTERS AND HOME BUYERS

THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2011 - 6:00-8:30 PM
AT DITMAS JR. HIGH SCHOOL
 700 CORTELYOU ROAD (ENTRANCE ON EAST 7TH STREET)

               THIS EVENT IS FREE.  COME FOR VALUABLE INFORMATION!

  • For homeowners: weatherization, tax abatement, low- or no-interest loans for home repairs, mortgage check ups, and foreclosure prevention;
  • For renters: tenants’ rights, eviction prevention, forming a tenants’ association, complaint enforcement, SCRIE and DRIE programs, and affordable housing options;
  • For cooperators: advice about building management, shareholder-board relations, and tax abatement programs;   
  • For home buyers: information regarding credit health, down payment grants and first-time homebuyer programs and assistance; and
  • For everyone: burglary/fire prevention, graffiti removal, bed bug tips & energy efficiency.
For any questions, call Shawn Campbell in Assemblymember Jim Brennan’s office at 718-940-0641.

Co-sponsors:  Assemblywoman Rhoda Jacobs, NYC Councilmembers Mathieu Eugene & Brad Lander, Community Boards 6, 7, 12 and 14, Brooklyn Housing & Family Services, CAMBA, Council of New York Cooperatives and Condominiums, Erasmus Neighborhood Federation, Fifth Avenue Committee,  Flatbush Development Corp., Housing Court Answers, Midwood Development Corp., Neighborhood Housing Services of East Flatbush, Neighbors Helping Neighbors, Ocean Parkway Community Development Corp., Self Help Kensington, South Brooklyn Legal Services and Sustainable Flatbush.  Additional Participants:  NYC Department of Finance, Department of Buildings, Housing Preservation and Development, NYPD, FDNY, NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal, Con Ed & National Grid.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

NEW SESSION OF FLYING TEASPOONS FOR BABIES

Flying Teaspoons for Babies, with Joanne Riel
Four Mondays in May (May 2nd, 9th, 16th, and 23rd),
4:00 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.

Encourage your child’s uniqueness and creativity from the very start of life. Songs emerge magically as your baby discovers, plays, and interacts in class. Musical connections nurture and deepen the relationship between the parent or caregiver and the baby and encourage the child's natural curiosity.

Joanne’s CD, The Flying Teapot, is also used, along with multicultural music. There's movement, instrument play, balls, scarves, connections, and fun. Joanne's vision is to create nurturing and joyful environments for babies and very young children.

The fee for four weeks is $50. This includes the Flying Teapot CD. If you already have the CD, the fee is $40. Siblings: $5 per class. Drop-ins: $12 per class, with a sibling rate of $8.

Recommended for babies and toddlers from birth through fourteen months. 

Sessions are held in the home of a class member near E.5th Street and Greenwood Playground. RSVP Joanne to find out the location: joafree1 [at] msn.com.

UPDATE ON F AND G TRAIN DISRUPTIONS

Short and sweet:
  • 15th Street-Prospect Park and Fort Hamilton Parkway stations: F and G train service to Manhattan will resume on Monday, May 23rd.
Long and not sweet:
  • 15th Street-Prospect Park and Fort Hamilton Parkway stations: Coney Island-bound F and Church Avenue-bound G trains will skip this station from late fall 2011 until spring 2012.
  • Church Avenue and 7th Avenue stations: All southbound trains will stop on the express track from late fall 2011 until spring 2012.
  • 4th Avenue-9th Street station: Access Coney Island-bound F and Church Avenue-bound G trains via a temporary platform from late fall 2011 until spring 2012.
  • Smith-9th Street station: The station will be closed for rehabilitation from late May 2011 until spring 2012. Coney Island-bound F trains will skip this station from spring 2012 until fall 2012. Access Church Avenue-bound G trains via a temporary platform.

THAI TONY'S WARM WEATHER BEVERAGES


Thai Tony's
3019 Fort Hamilton Parkway
between E. 2nd and E. 3rd streets
(718) 436-6932

COOK GOURMET INDIAN DISHES

Gourmet Indian Cooking Class
Sunday, May 1st, 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

From Mukti Banerjee of Mukti's Kitchen
Hi Friends of Indian food,

There are many people who love Indian food. They want to cook it and learn more about it. Sometimes it looks a little challenging to learn straight off the dishes you’ve ordered at the restaurant. But no worries: they’re not so daunting. I can teach you the diverse types of Indian dishes and spices. I will teach you the nuances and secrets, where to get the masalas, and how to keep the aroma intact.

You get to cook, have food, and bring your items back home for next day's Lunch. Bring your own containers, please.

Come, take the initiative into the mysteries of Indian cooking. Unravel the secrets of the mouthwatering spices.

Our Menu
  • Lamb korma with potatoes
  • Palak paneer( Spinach and Indian cheese with onion, ginger and other aromatic spices
  • Roti ( Indian hand made bread)
Cost: $40 per person

I know you're busy, but I'd much appreciate if you please confirm your RSVP by going to my meetup site: www.meetup.com/muktiskitchen. I need to make preparation based on the actual number of students coming.

Thank you, and I look forward to seeing you.

Mukti

Mukti’s Kitchen
Beverley Road, near E. 9th Street
e-mail muktiskitchen [at] gmail.com

MORE PROSPECT PARK GEESE MAY GET KILLED

WNYC News Blog reports that
The city Parks Department has signed on to a plan to reduce the geese population in Prospect Park with non-lethal means such as poisoning goose eggs, posting signs asking people not to feed them and getting ready to deploy dogs to shoo them away. But the city is reserving the right to kill geese if less aggressive approaches aren't working.
Click here to read the full post.

ANA GUEST SPEAKER: ASSEMBLYMEMBER JIM BRENNAN

To make the poster large enough to read, please click on it and then click again to enlarge it.

Monday, April 25, 2011

VISION-IMPAIRED KENSINGTON KITTENS NEED A HOME TOGETHER




A request from Bekah Wilcox to cat lovers:
VERY SPECIAL vision impaired kittens for adoption!
For Adoption: Bonnie and Clyde
5 Month Old Vision Impaired Kittens
Brooklyn, NY

Meet Bonnie and Clyde, the two most loving, gentle kittens you'll ever encounter. They were found living on the street with severe infections that caused irreversible damage to their eyes. Clyde's eyes were so bad that both had to be removed and he is 100% blind. Bonnie was luckier to keep both eyes, and some of her vision. Her eyes have improved since her rescue and may continue, to some extent, but she will always have cloudiness that affects her sight.

Some people may call these kittens "special needs" but they require no special care. Cats are highly adaptable and this pair does not know what it's like to have fully functioning eyes. Blind cats, like people, develop heightened senses of smell, sound and touch. They "see" not with their eyes but with their whiskers. Watching a blind cat navigate around a home is nothing short of awe inspiring as they wind their way around the couch and between the chair legs of the dining room table to their bowl of food, without taking so much as one wrong step!

Please consider opening your heart and home to these amazing creatures, they will change your outlook on life!

Bonnie and Clyde are about 5 months old, spayed/neutered, negative for Feline Leukemia and Feline AIDS, and free of parasites. Adoption application and fee apply, serious inquiries only!

For more information contact Bekah Wilcox at: bekah.w [at] gmail.com.

PROSPECT FARM PLOT MANAGERS MEETING RESCHEDULED

Prospect Farm's plot managers meeting has been rescheduled for Tuesday, April 26th, 7:00 p.m., at Brooklyn Commune.

Brooklyn Commune
601 Greenwood Avenue, corner of Prospect Avenue
(718) 686-1044

Saturday, April 23, 2011

VENDOR DEADLINE FOR GREENWOOD PLAYGROUND FLEA MARKET

The day after tomorrow (Monday, April 25th) is the deadline for food and merchandise vendors to register for the Greenwood Playground Flea Market.

registration fee
merchandise vendors: $30
homemade food vendors: $30
established businesses who have a permanent location (i.e., restaurants): $100

Each vendor gets a 10' x 10' space. For an additional $18, a six-foot-long table and two folding chairs will be provided.

Saturday, May 7th, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Rain date: Sunday, May 8th.

The Flea Market will be held in the baseball field at the corner of Fort Hamilton Parkway and E. 5th Street in Windsor Terrace.

CLOTHING BARGAINS AT WAREHOUSE OUTLET

Warehouse Outlet sells women's clothing, including famous brands, at marked-down prices. A Land's End short-sleeved t-shirt, for instance, was selling for $6.00.

Examine garments for flaws before you leave the store because clothing can't be returned.


     
  

 





Warehouse Outlet
217 Church Avenue, between E. 2nd and E. 3rd streets
(718) 854-2689

Friday, April 22, 2011

NOBODY WAS INJURED DURING THE ROBBERY AT MR. TONG


Last night at closing time, as two employees of Mr. Tong restaurant finished pulling down the security gates, two men armed with guns and with the bottoms of their faces covered emerged from the darkness where they had been waiting. One poked his gun into the side of one of the employees and hustled the two employees and a third one who was standing at the corner into the restaurant. Once all of the employees were sitting on the floor behind the counter, the thieves removed all of the cash from the register and took whatever cash was in the employees' pockets. The police were called and took a report.

The good news--and what's most important--is that nobody was injured during the robbery. Mr. Tong is on the corner of Fort Hamilton Parkway and E. 3rd Street.

MEXICAN COCA-COLA AT BRANCACCIO'S

Brancaccio's Food Shop is now selling Mexican Coca-Cola in 12-ounce bottles. The soda is sweetened with cane sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup, and the bottle is in the traditional contoured shape.

Brancaccio's Food Shop
3011 Fort Hamilton Parkway, between E. 2nd and E. 3rd streets
phone: (718) 435-1997
e-mail: info [at] brancacciosfoodshop.com

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CHURCH AVENUE STREET FAIR ON MAY 1ST

Highlights of the
Church Avenue Street Fair
Sunday, May 1st, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

  • Shayna's: Dine outdoors while you enjoy Shayna's West Indian dishes (907 Church Avenue by E. 10th Street).
  • La Huasteca: Have a delicious Mexican-style brunch, served from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (1217 Church Avenue, between Westminster and Argyle roads)
  • Bonnie Youth Club: At noon, try to win a prize in a home run hitting contest.
  • HoneyDew Drop: Romp in an indoor playground (free). At 11:00, ride a pony for free.
  • Sean Casey Animal Rescue and Northshore Animal League: Cuddle furry friends.
  • Namaste Yoga: Watch a live demonstration.
  • Pawsitive Veterinary: Bring your dog to their booth for a free dental check-up, a free dental kit with a toothbrush and toothpaste, and to win a free annual exam voucher that includes a physical exam, vaccines, and a fecal test.
  • New York Police Department: Explore the inside of a police car.
  • New York Fire Department: View the interactive Smoke House exhibit.
  • Enjoy festival rides.

The fair will be on Church Avenue between E. 10th Street and Argyle Road, just four blocks east of Ocean Parkway.
 
Vendors: spaces are still available. Print, fill out, and mail the vendor contract (page 2) and payment. Vendors must get the proper permits from city agencies, which are inexpensive.

For more information, contact the fair's producer by calling (718) 444-6028 or sending an e-mail to info [at] streetfairsny.com. 

Previous blog posts about the street fair

SEAN CASEY'S BLACK CATS


Some people are reluctant to adopt a black cat because of the myth about them bringing bad luck. But the five black cats at Sean Casey Animal Rescue--Terrance, Binky, Winky, Blackie, and Lilac (pictured above)--will bring someone immediate financial good luck: their adoption fee has been reduced from $100 to $50. The cats are spayed/neutered, up-to-date on shots, and microchipped. Your new cat will get one free exam at a participating vet, and you'll be given an offer for one free month of pet insurance.

SCAR is open every day of the week from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Sean Casey Animal Rescue
153 E. 3rd Street, Windsor Terrace/Kensington (between Fort Hamilton Parkway and Caton Avenue)
(718) 436-5163
http://scarnyc.org

PARADE GROUNDS PETITION BRINGS RESULTS

A petition to improve safety at the Parade Grounds has brought results. Ben Waltzer, who posted the petition, reports on KWT Neighbors that
two cameras were installed atop the rest room building. They surveil the playground, central corridor of the Parade Ground, and the intersection of Parade Place and Crooke Avenue.  Iron stanchions have been removed from the concrete at that intersection, allowing patrol cars, which we've seen with increasing frequency, into the park with greater ease.  A sign "Under NYPD Surveillance" has been affixed to the side of the rest room building. 

Previous blog posts on this topic:
Promises Made for Safety at the Parade Grounds

Thursday, April 21, 2011

VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN INDIAN COOKING CLASS

Vegetarian and Vegan Cooking Class
Saturday, April 30th, 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.


In this class, Mukti Banerjee will give you a lot of information about preparing vegetarian dishes that are delicious and healthy. Learn to cook dishes filled with flavor and nutrition that bring comfort and satisfaction to your kitchen.

Menu
  • Vegetable Samosa
  • Vegetable Cutlet
  • Cauliflower Curry
  • Fried rice with vegetables
Fee: $40 per person.

Reserve a spot on Mukti's meet-up site or call her at (917) 703-3998. She will make preparations based on the number of students participating.

Mukti’s Kitchen (run by Mukti Banerjee)
Beverley Road, near E. 9th Street in Kensington
phone: (917) 703-3998
e-mail: muktiskitchen [at] gmail.com

ALTERNATE SIDE PARKING SUSPENSION

Alternate side-of-the-street parking rules will continue to be suspended through Tuesday, April 26th, for Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the final two days of Passover. Parking meter rules aren't suspended, and all other regulations remain in effect.

BEGINNERS YOGA SERIES, CARDIO DANCE PARTY, AND KIDS SUMMER FITNESS SERIES AT NAMASTE YOGA


My Namaste Yoga of Kensington
482 Coney Island Avenue, 2nd floor
(347) 533-6226 or (347) 533-6227
Enter On Church Avenue. Use the red door/red stairs.
Info [at] mynamasteyoga.com

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

MANAGING WILDLIFE IN CITY PARKS

From Park Slope Patch
Last week, Councilmembers Brad Lander and Steve Levin introduced a city council bill that would establish a Wildlife Management Committee to oversee wildlife in city parks in hopes of preventing drastic methods of wildlife management, like the mass extermination of hundreds of park geese last summer.

The bill also calls for the board to draft a citywide wildlife management plan to promote humane treatment and “biological diversity” for park animals. If the legislation passes, the board would hear public input on how to more humanely manage wildlife in the city. 

HOLY NAME OF JESUS PARISH ON RECONCILIATION MONDAY

"Currents"--a daily Catholic news magazine that is broadcast on cable network NET in Windsor Terrace--interviewed Fr. James Cunningham and parishioners of Holy Name of Jesus Parish on Reconciliation Monday. Click here to watch the video.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

YELLOW SIGN OF SPRING

These and other daffodils on Church Avenue and some side streets were planted during KARMABrooklyn's Daffodil Day in October 2009.


PINK SIGN OF SPRING

FELONIES IN KENSINGTON REPORTED TO THE 66TH PRECINCT, APRIL 11TH THROUGH APRIL 17TH

Three felonies were reported to the 66th Precinct for Kensington during the week of April 11th through April 17th:
  • Assault: On April 12th, a man was jogging on Ocean Parkway when he was struck in the thigh by a BB that was shot from an unknown location. No arrest was made. The report we received from the precinct didn't state where on Ocean Parkway this crime occurred.
  • Burglary: On April 15th, an unknown person entered an apartment at 555 McDonald Avenue (between Church Avenue and Avenue C) through the front window fire escape and removed money. No arrest was made.
  • Robbery: On April 17th, an unknown man approached a twenty-three-year-old Asian man, displayed a firearm, and demanded his wallet. The victim wasn't injured. No arrest was made. The report didn't state the location of the crime.

PLANTING CROPS AT PROSPECT FARM

UPDATE: The plot managers meeting has been rescheduled for Tuesday, April 26th, 7:00 p.m., at Brooklyn Commune, 601 Greenwood Avenue, at the corner of Prospect Avenue. (718) 686-1044. http://brooklyncommune.com


From Prospect Farm:
Planting Crops and Sign Up April 23rd, 10 am
Do you want to help Prospect Farm grow vegetables, herbs, flowers and more? Sign up to be a plot manager for 2011. We will begin planning and planting on Saturday April 23rd (rain date April 24th) at 10 am, and are looking for 12-14 plot manager to dedicate 1-2 hours a week watering, weeding, and tending crops.

We plan to grow together as a group, which means no individual plots. Plot managers will be scheduled a day to water and tend crops. At the end of each week we will harvest together, weigh and record what we got, and divide up the produce to all members. In the future (this is the beginning of our second year) we hope to offer a CSA, and we feel this is a step towards that model.

Currently our steering committee has decided what to grow based on space, amount of members, and quality of soil. In the future we would love input from the dedicated plot managers. Our current list includes multiple varieties of: tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers, hot peppers, lettuce, spinach, herbs, zucchini, beans, eggplant, peas, squash and ornamentals: sunflowers, Seapink thrift, Ornamental Cabbage (Brassica oleracea), Pennycress (Thlaspi rotndifolium), Hemp Dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum).

All plot managers must become members of Prospect Farm, paying a fee of $25 (or $35 with tshirt) paid in cash or check and committing an hour a week to work at Prospect Farm. Details are here: http://prospectfarmbk.wordpress.com/support-us/membership/.

Please respond to by email with questions or bring them with you on Saturday the 23rd: prospectfarmbk [at] gmail.com.

If you can not make it there will be opportunites in the future to sign up.
About Prospect Farm
Prospect Farm is "a community group in Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn that is working together to grow food in a formerly vacant lot, with the mission toward creating a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Farm that can serve our community."

Prospect Farm
1194 Prospect Avenue, between Seeley and Vanderbilt streets
blog: http://prospectfarmbk.wordpress.com

VEHICULAR SIGN OF SPRING

CLOTHING STORE REPLACES BASMATI

A women's clothing store opened yesterday (Monday) at 221 Church Avenue, between E. 2nd and E. 3rd streets, the former location of Basmati restaurant. The shop was crowded with women and girls who were visibly pleased by the bargain prices.


FLEA MARKET AND BAZAAR ON MAY 22ND

Flea Market and Bazaar
Sunday, May 22nd, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.


clothing, bric a brac, housewares, surprises, and more
 
Flatbush and Shaare Torah Jewish Center
327 E. 5th Street, corner of Church Avenue 

(718) 871-5200

http://flatbushjewishcenter.org
http://www.facebook.com/FlatbushJewishCenter

Monday, April 18, 2011

A FEW KWT CRAFTWORK CLASSES ARE STILL OPEN FOR REGISTRATION

KWT Craftwork still has some openings for its May classes at Rory's room.

ages 8 - 11

Tuesdays, 4:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.
  • 5/17: introduction to macrame: friendship bracelets and key rings. Learn the ancient technique of decorative knotting. 
  • 5/24: decoupage picture frames: Create one-of-a-kind frames using decorative papers, magazine cutouts, glitter, and more.
ages 12-15
Thursdays, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • 5/19: decoupage picture frames: Create one-of-a-kind frames using decorative papers, magazine cutouts, glitter, and more.
  • 5/26: introduction to macrame: friendship bracelets and key rings. Learn the ancient technique of decorative knotting.
Classes cost $15 each, including materials. Registration is required. Send an e-mail to kwtcraftwork [at] gmail.com for more information.

Rory's Room
3003 Fort Hamilton Parkway, Windsor Terrace, a block from Kensington (Use the side entrance on E. 3rd Street between Fort Hamilton Parkway and Greenwood Avenue.)

SHARES STILL AVAILABLE IN THE KWT CSA

The KWT CSA (Kensington-Windsor Terrace Community Supported Agriculture) only has 12 shares left for Saturday pick-ups (10:30 a.m. to noon) and 20 for Wednesdays (4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.). The pick-up location is the East 4th Street Community Garden on E. 4th Street between Fort Hamilton Parkway and Caton Avenue. Pick-ups begin in June and end in November.

The types of shares are
  • full (every week)
  • half (every other week)
  • full combo (vegetables, fruit, eggs, and flowers every week with a discount over ordering these options individually)
  • half combo (vegetables, fruit, eggs, and flowers every other week with a discount over ordering these options individually).
Information about the CSA and details about signing up are on its blog. If you have any questions, send an e-mail to kwtcsa [at] gmail.com.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

LEARN TO COOK INDIAN DISHES

Indian Food Cooking Class
Saturday, April 23rd, 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.


Mukti Banerjee teaches Indian cooking in her teaching kitchen--a comfortable and relaxed setting designed to provide a forum for learning and exchanging thoughts and ideas. Learn about the diverse types of Indian dishes and spices. Cook, eat dinner, and bring your food home for the next day's lunch.
 
The menu for this Saturday is
  • Lamb korma with potatoes
  • Palak paneer: spinach, paneer (Indian cheese), onion, ginger, and other aromatic spices
  • Roti: Indian handmade bread
Cost: $40.00 per student.

RSVP on Mukti's meet-up site.  She can then make preparations based on the actual number of students participating.

Mukti’s Kitchen (run by Mukti Banerjee)
Beverley Road, near E. 9th Street in Kensington
phone: (917) 703-3998
e-mail: muktiskitchen [at] gmail.com

NEXT CONCERT AT DITMAS ACOUSTIC: APRIL 24TH

Megan Jerome, Jean Rohe Trio
Sunday, April 24th, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Ditmas Acoustic @ The Sanctuary Presents

with percussionist Mike Essoudry

and

music from North and South America
with guitarist Ilusha Tsinadze and violinist Skye Steele

Admission: $10 (for both sets of music).

For now, food and beverages aren't available for purchase.

The Sanctuary @ Temple Beth Emeth
83 Marlborough Road (corner of Church Avenue; take the Q train to Church Avenue)
www.facebook.com/ditmasacoustic
www.myspace.com/ditmasacoustic

929 AREA CODE FOR BROOKLYN

As of yesterday, Brooklyn has a fourth area code--929-- giving Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island a total of four: 718, 347, 917, and 929. Equipment that currently has a 718 or 347 area code is keeping that code. Most Brooklyn land line phones have a 718 code, but newer lines, including cell phones, have been getting a 347 or 917 area code assigned to them.

Verizon says 
"Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island customers requesting new service, an additional line, or in some cases, moving their service may be assigned a number in the new 929 area code. The 929 area code will co-exist everywhere in Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island with the 718, 347 and 917 area codes."
Verizon promises that "The price of a call, coverage area, or other rates and services will not change."

The Federal Communications Commission says that if you move within your geographic area, local number portability (LNP) allows you to switch telephone service providers--including switching from a wireless, land line, or interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) provider--and keep your existing phone number.

However, if you move outside your geographic area, your number may not be portable.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

WEIGH IN FOR THE SUMMER SIZZLE WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE

Summer Sizzle Weight Loss Challenge at Namaste Yoga of Kensington
Saturday, April 16th, 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Tuesday, April 26th, 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
 
or by appointment