Archives

Brooklyn Heights, Food

Gothamist Weighs In On Atlantic Avenue’s Red Gravy Restaurant

January 12, 2013

Saul Bolton’s new eatery, Red Gravy, which opened at 151 Atlantic Avenue in December, got props from the Zagat Blog earlier this week. Now Gothamist weighs in, also offering some keen pics and the dinner menu.

Gothamist: “Chef Saul Bolton, the talented toque who runs Saul, one of the first Michelin-starred restaurant in Brooklyn, has opened a new joint in Brooklyn Heights called Red Gravy. The 75-seat trattoria is located in the space formerly occupied by Mezcal at 151 Atlantic Avenue, and it’s not a flashy affair. Exposed brick walls and wooden ceiling beams, simple chandeliers and a modest bar layout create a casual framework for Bolton’s seasonal Italian menu. Considering Bolton’s impeccable reputation and the lack of competition on this stretch of Atlantic, we’re not surprised to hear Red Gravy’s been mobbed.”


Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/53867

From the Web

Brooklyn Nets, Sports

@Knicklyn: Knicks/Nets Rivalry Escalates into Guerrilla Marketing Campaign

January 11, 2013

Brokelyn spotted a sign that the NY Knicks/Brooklyn Nets rivalry is heating up inside the Barclay’s Center subway stop. The budget-minded blog snapped a photo of a “Knicklyn” sticker, a play on the Nets logo featuring Knicks colors that was affixed by someone (marketing guy, crazed fan?) to the station wall.

Brokelyn: Somebody alert Marty Markowitz! Some enterprising trickster has struck a blow for Knickerbocker supremacy with the above “Knicklyn” sticker. Not only is this an attempt to put a Knick foothold back in Kings County, but they were even able to slap it in the Barclays Center subway stop. Who are you, mysterious sticker bandit, and where else have you tagged up in an attempt to take back the borough for basketball fans with taste?

For folks using the power of the Google, they’ll know it’s to plug a dude’s Twitter feed and Facebook page.

And of course he’s got some merch to pimp out:

via Knicklyn Facebook page

Update: Yup, Knicklyn has an online store.

From the Web

Brooklyn Nets

Brooklyn Net Kris Humphries Gets Tour of Borough from DJ Clark Kent

January 10, 2013

Hip Hop legend, DJ, sneaker enthusiast/designer and Jay-Z pal DJ Clark Kent shows Brooklyn Net Kris Humphries around the borough in a new YouTube video.

The duo’s first stop on their tour is Flatbush’s legendary sports apparel shop Get Set.

“Will they know you in here?” Humphries, who was famously married for to reality star/now Kanye West galpal Kim Kardashian for 72 days, asks Kent as they walk in.

“They key is for them to get to know you,” Kent replies.

After strolling around the store, signing autographs and checking out sneakers the pair end up at the Family Affair barbershop on Utica Avenue. Humphries agrees to get a little shape up from barber Tiki, who is clearly a good sport judging by the fact that he’s wearing a Nets cap in the video.

The 7 minute plus video has about 1500 views on YouTube as of this writing, but that’s enough to generate some truly biting comments from the peanut gallery, including some serious chin music from this guy:

Formatique
if you listen closely you can hear everyone on the internet try to think of kanye joke

From the Web

News

Councilmember, TV’s Chris Burke Look to Strike “Mentally Retarded” from City Documents

January 10, 2013

NYC Councilmember David Greenfield, who represents Midwood, Boro Park and Bensonhurst announced yesterday his opposition to the use of the description “mentally retarded” in all city documents, the Bensonhurst Bean reports.

Greenfield will officially introduce the legislation to the City Council.  The state and federal governments already have such a rule in place.

The Councilmember was joined at his City Hall press conference by National Down Syndrome Society Goodwill Ambassador Chris Burke,  an actor with Down Syndrome who rose to stardom as star of the ABC drama Life Goes On.

From the Web

Brooklyn Heights

Sen. Daniel Squadron Calls For Year-Round Pier 6 Ferry Service

January 10, 2013

Sen. Daniel Squadron established a petition on Wednesday, January 8, calling for the East River Ferry service to stop at Pier 6 at the foot of Atlantic Avenue year round. This follows an official request from the New York City Economic Development Corp. that seeks proposals from ferry operators when the current contract expires in June 2014.

Squadron implores in a letter to the corporation: “Although not included in the RFP’s requirements for ‘core service,’ we wish to highlight the incredible demand for year-round service to and from the Atlantic Avenue/Pier 6 landing at the southern end of Brooklyn Bridge Park. This expanded service would serve residents, local businesses and our city alike.”

The letter is also signed by Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez, BK Borough Prez Marty Markowitz, State Assembly Member Joan Millman and Council Members Brad Lander and Stephen Levin.

The petition—which Brooklyn Heights residents are encouraged to sign—mandates: “We, the undersigned, urge NYCEDC to encourage respondents to the RFP for an East River Ferry operator to include year-round service to and from Atlantic Avenue/Pier 6 in their proposals and only award a contract to an operator that includes this service.”


Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/53751

From the Web

Arts and Entertainment

Opinion: Linda Stasi Has It Wrong About Lena Dunham

January 10, 2013

While Linda Stasi offers the sophomore season of HBO’s “Girls” three stars “if you’re 26 and live in Brooklyn,” the New York Post TV critic can’t quite seem to make up her mind about the hit “cult” series, guided by creator, star, writer, producer and Brooklyn Heights resident Lena Dunham.

Stasi calls the show compelling—and revolting—deeming 26-year-old Dunham “a pathological exhibitionist.” She also sniffs: “’Girls’ is sort of like ‘Sex and the City,’ if (it) had featured unsuccessful women having a huge amount of bad and sad sex who live in the city, but not Manhattan.”

But frankly, where Stasi crosses the line is in getting personal against Dunham, because she apparently doesn’t meet the reporter’s standards of femininity. She writes, “It’s not every day in the TV world of anorexic actresses with fake boobs
that a woman with giant thighs, a sloppy backside and small breasts is compelled to show it all. It’s a boon for the out-of-shape, and perhaps a giant economic loss for high-end gyms, especially in Brooklyn.”

I am a 30-something year-old woman who is proud of her curves, and who, any given day, would prefer to order up a platter of Tandoori chicken over a scrap of salad with olive oil. Come to think of it, I wouldn’t mind drumming Stasi over the head with a dozen crisp celery stalks for perpetuating the very stereotype of women she at first seems to condemn.

“Girls” may not be for everyone, Ms. Stasi, but it certainly is reaching its target audience. It debuted last April with 3.8 million viewers (including encores and DVR viewings), and saw steady growth throughout its freshman season, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Its overall gross was 4.1 million viewers. It’s my guess that not every one of those viewers is 26, living in our Brooklyn borough. Linda, honestly, why don’t you just keep it to yourself next time? Your review was hardly constructive—and if anything, utterly destructive to all women.

Season two of “Girls” premieres Sunday night at 9 p.m.

From the Web

Arts and Entertainment, Brooklyn Heights

Brooklyn Bridge Park Looking For The Most Fetching BK Pooch

January 10, 2013

Run! Catch! Post! Brooklyn Bridge Park is accepting submissions for its “Cutest Dog at the Dog Run” contest, for those who bring their pooches to the BBP dog runs at Main Street and/or Pier 6. One winner at each location will receive a $50 gift certificate to Wag Club.

To enter, submit a jpeg pic of your pup playing at either of the Brooklyn Bridge Park dog runs by Tuesday, January 22 (info@brooklynbridgepark.org with the subject “Cutest Dog at the Dog Run”). Include dog’s name and age in the email, as well as which dog run. Please, one submission per dog, per owner. All entries will be posted on BBP’s Facebook page, and winners will be announced February 5, 2013.


Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/53628

From the Web

Events, News

Say No to Improv Everywhere’s No Pants Subway Ride

January 9, 2013

This Sunday marks Improv Everywhere’s 12th Annnual No Pants Subway Ride. It’s time to just say NO to it. Besides, isn’t announcing and planning an event like this the exact opposite of IMPROV, which is short for IMPROVISATION.

We love pranks. One of our heroes is legendary prankster Joey Skaggs. But he, unlike Improv Everywhere, knows when the joke is over. And this joke is soooo over.

If you agree, comment below.

From the Web

Food

Cheeses Christ!! Waitress Gets Naked at Roberta’s, the Internet Reacts

January 9, 2013

A waitress at Roberta’s in Bushwick said farewell to the eatery on Friday by doing her shift almost naked. Twitter user @VickyOyomba ‏tweeted a photo of the incident showing the employee’s back with the words “Peace Out” scrawled across it. Yes, she was wearing fishnets.

The tweet has inspired the usual press lemming run:

Gawker led the pack yesterday asking the question, “Does the Fact That No One Is Talking About the Naked Waitress at Roberta’s Mean That Bushwick Is ‘Over’?” :

Bushwick is “the coolest place on the planet,” according to the Times, and yet no one seems to care about the naked woman waiting tables at its coolest restaurant — the sprawling, ramshackle pizza joint Roberta’s — on Friday night. I was there and I didn’t really care, though she wasn’t serving our table, and we were in a kind of post-traumatic stress situation after the two-hour wait and the Venusian heat of the wood stove-heated tent out back and the woman who called my friend a “whore” in the aforementioned tent bar for trying to sit down at a table on which she (the woman) claimed to have dibs. And anyway we only caught the waitress, surrounded by customers taking photos, while walking out, stuffed with pizza and duck and pork, and when we asked we were told that Friday was her last day, and the nudity did seem to be a kind of farewell gesture; she, or someone, had written “PEACE OUT” on her back.

Eater NY, Village Voice, Fox 5, Grubstreet all piled on.

Brokelyn’s David Colon adds:

As a former employee of the place, I can tell you the stunt was deemed awesome and the waitress is enough of a pro to not have ended up with food all over her crotch. Our only question is whether the Outdoor Topless Co-ed Pulp Fiction Appreciation Society is going to try to one-up her.

From Gothamist:

A Roberta’s source confirms that Friday was in fact the server’s last night, and that she has been working at the restaurant “since its inception.” Roberta’s opened in 2008, so after four long years of waiting tables, who among us wouldn’t want to rip off all our clothes and scrawl “PEACE OUT” in magic marker on our naked flesh? If anything, you’ve got to admire this young lady’s restraint.
Of course, the Never Nude buzzkills at Grub Street point out the NYC health code states that “employees who prepare or serve food products, or wash and sanitize equipment and utensils must wear clean outer garments.” Those fishnets look clean enough to us, so it’s unclear if the Health Department is going to take any action against Roberta’s. (And what about body sushi servers?) We called Roberta’s scantily-clad server several times today to find out more about her unusual choice of uniform, but so far the most famous naked waitress in Bushwick remains tight-lipped.

And BK Mag’s Virginia Smith is NOT amused:

Get it together, Roberta’s. Think of the first dates that could have been made excruciating by this! Not to mention the “hey mom and dad, here’s my neighborhood, I promise it is not a terrible joke of a place” dinners! Jesus. I shudder to think of it. But, then again, I don’t necessarily have all the answers. I guess it was her last day working, and that’s funny enough, and no one seems to have left in a huff or contracted food poisoning by virtue of a bare human ass in proximity to their expensive food. It all seems to have gone reasonably ok, other than the woman, who, per Max Read’s account of the evening over at Gawker, got all riled up about table space in the waiting area and called a member of his party a “whore,” which seems like sort of a blip.

And from around the Twitter thingy:

Waitress Gets Naked in Bushwick, the Internets React

Storified by Brooklyn Bugle· Tue, Jan 08 2013 18:41:34

So there definitely is a 95% naked waitress serving patrons at Roberta’s in #BK right now!!! http://pic.twitter.com/1MCumD9gVicky Oyomba
Yep, there was a naked waitress at Roberta’s http://bit.ly/XJ875hBrokelyn
Naked Waitress At Roberta’s!: Pizza, craft beer, T&A! Now’s there’s one more reason to go to our favorite Bushwi… http://bit.ly/ZmDT3KNYCRocks
Wow big shocker! A "hipster" type from Bushwick tried to shock people by serving food at Roberta’s nude. Those Bushwick hipster types!Amy Grimm
I’ve been wanting to try Roberta’s in Bushwick, but this is a little too bizarre for me (via @grubstreetny): http://bit.ly/ZCCkTXChristian Mendonca
are you telling me a waitress went naked in roberta’s and that’s the only photo? that seems odd.Kyle Dean Reinford
[Mildly NSFWish?] Roberta’s Naked Waitress Shrouded In Mystery, Fishnet http://gothamist.com/2013/01/08/robertas_naked_waitress_shrouded_in.phpGothamist
Apparently Roberta’s has gone clothing optional – Waitress at Roberta’s Forgets to Wear Clothes, Serves Food http://shar.es/45Mmt via @NYmagYancy S. Strickland
Roberta’s Waitress Gets Naked, Serves Pizza on Last Day http://bit.ly/10ckQipVillage Voice
Naked Roberta’s Waitress says Peace Out #bushwick http://gothamist.com/2013/01/08/robertas_naked_waitress_shrouded_in.phpmarianlorraine
I Will (Probably) Never Eat at Roberta’s Again http://www.bkmag.com/BKFood/archives/2013/01/08/i-will-probably-never-eat-at-robertas-again via @brooklynmagScott Beauchamp
I am so glad I didn’t take my mom to roberta’s the day that naked waitress was working! #tinyvictoriesLaura Wynn
A waitress at Roberta’s forgot to wear clothes while serving food. http://nym.ag/Wr1a2nNew York Magazine
Waitress at Roberta’s goes naked http://soc.li/UCyFhEK #PieceOfPizza #WhatASlice!Mike Puerto
[Mildly NSFWish?] Roberta’s Naked Waitress Shrouded In Mystery, Fishnet http://gothamist.com/2013/01/08/robertas_naked_waitress_shrouded_in.php via @gothamistDiane drudge
[Mildly NSFWish?] Roberta’s Naked Waitress Shrouded In Mystery, Fishnet (Gothamist): Share With Friends: | | L… http://bit.ly/WL11qOArlou Kier S. Motas
Does the Fact That No One Is Talking About the Naked Waitress at Roberta’s Mean That Bushwick Is ‘Over’? – @Gawker http://gawker.com/5973953/does-the-fact-that-no-one-is-talking-about-the-naked-waitress-at-robertas-mean-that-bushwick-is-overagmarshall
Yes, there was a naked waitress at Roberta’s http://bit.ly/VJwu00What’s up BKLYN?
Feast Your Eyes! Waitress At Roberta’s In Brooklyn Goes Naked To Celebrate Last Night On The Job http://soc.li/UCyFhEKJames Piccoli
Dirty Harkies“@NYMag: A waitress at Roberta’s forgot to wear clothes while serving food. http://nym.ag/Wr1a2n”Gothammom

From the Web

Downtown Brooklyn, History

BK History: Downtown’s Pepper & Potter Nash Auto Dealership

January 9, 2013

Following the January 4 BHB post that a Hampton Inn is coming to 125 Flatbush Avenue Extension (near Tillary Street) in Downtown Brooklyn, we relished McBrooklyn’s take on the biz that once occupied the space: Pepper & Potter Nash car dealership.

McB notes, “While we remember the old car dealership as a rundown wreck of a building, from photos available, it seems Lester Potter and Frank Pepper had quite the life back in the day.” Its 1946 slogan was, uh, “Picky People Pick Pepper & Potter.”

Sigh, however, a decade later, Pepper & Potter’s relationship began to crumble. The biz lived on until 2003, albeit as Metech. The whole story is covered—with photos—in a lengthy 2006 NYTimes story.


Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/53650

From the Web