Brooklyn Bugle » Cobble Hill

Is Brooklyn Heights What Manhattan Used To Be? Ethan Hawke Thinks So

Homer Fink — Fri, 02 Jan 2015 20:02:19 +0000

Actor/Brooklyn Heights (technically/really Boerum Hill but we’re on a roll) resident Ethan Hawke says that Brooklyn is what Manhattan used to be in a Manhattan Magazine profile.

Page Six quotes the actor as saying, “The whole city’s changing, while Brooklyn feels to me the way New York was a while ago.” (Oddly this quote is not included in Manhattan Magazine’s digital version of the story.)

Hawke stars in “Predestination”, the film adaptation of Robert Heinlein’s “-All You Zombies-”, opening January 9.

The actor also recently worked on the biopic about jazz legend Chet Baker called Born to be Blue.

“@PageSix: Longtime Manhattan resident Ethan Hawke made the leap to Brooklyn Heights http://t.co/hr3qMQ5B18” very alternative, bk heights
— Rachel Jacoby Zoldan (@rjacoby13) January 2, 2015

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/72489

The Story Behind the Long Island Bar and Restaurant from Emma Montero Sullivan

Homer Fink — Fri, 18 Apr 2014 14:46:37 +0000

Long Island Bar and Restaurant owner Emma Montero Sullivan spoke with NYC Media’s Neighborhood Slice recently. She discusses how she came to own the bar, how she met her husband (both served as bartenders) and eventually why she made the decision to rent it out to Toby Cecchini, and partner Joel Tompkins who have kept the place true to its history.

The video below is well worth watching:

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/66758

Not An April Fool Prank: Atlantic Avenue’s Last Exit Bar To Close This Month

Homer Fink — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 17:53:02 +0000

The owners of Last Exit Bar posted this dispatch on their Facebook page last night, announcing the bar would close at the end of the month:

It with with a very heavy heart that we are announcing that after 16 years Last Exit will be closing it’s doors at the end of April.
We can blame landlords and gentrification etc etc etc but all anyone really needs to know is this:
Once upon a time many years ago, three young people had a dream. We had no money but we knew how to have fun. We put our strengths together and created an amazing place. We have seen long lasting friendships formed, families created, and some crazy ass shit (I’m looking at you Last Exit bathrooms!). And best of all, we have TRULY been blessed to have had such incredible people working for us over the years that are absolutely considered family.
It has been quite the ride.
Thank you so much to everyone for taking this journey with us. We are incredibly lucky to have had this chance and opportunity to own our own business in NYC and we will never forget it. Last Exit is such a special place and the memories will last forever. Thankfully most of these memories took place before cell phones cameras.
The Vortex is peacing out. Hopefully we can make April all that it is meant to be.
Love,
Julie, John & Joe

Source: Cobble Hill Blog
http://cobblehillblog.com/archives/9411

A Night Out At The New Long Island Restaurant

Chris — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 02:08:37 +0000

The long-shuttered Long Island Restaurant has begun a soft opening, and is serving drinks from Wednesday to Sunday. Much of the historic infrastructure has been retained, including the Art Deco bar fixtures (and the cigarette burned bar), the formica tables at the booths and a section of the original decades-old wallpaper.

Despite its history as a longshoreman’s watering hole, the Long Island’s offerings are distinctly upscale, including a range of precision-made cocktails, a $13 red wine and a $10 white(plans are in place to expand the wine offerings), and nothing as lowly as a PBR on the beer list.

Currently the kitchen is closed while the staff works the kinks out of the the bar operation, but the plan is eventually to offer “bar snacks” to complement the drink offerings.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/63398

It’s The Last Year For ‘Impaled Pumpkins’ At Kane And Strong In Cobble Hill

Homer Fink — Sat, 05 Oct 2013 20:36:30 +0000

This just in from Jane Greengold – it’s the last year for Impaled Pumpkins at Kane and Strong. How can you be part of history? Read on:

For years, with the help of friends and family, I have impaled 100 pumpkins on the spikes of the iron fence on the corner of Kane and Strong in Cobble Hill for Halloween. Every pumpkin is unique. The impaled pumpkins are left for months, to age as nature commands, into gnarly remnants of themselves.
This will be my last version of Impalements at this location. Next year, it may appear at a new location.
Please join in for this final year, and help impale the most heads ever. Everyone can bring head. There are 274 spikes so there is room for a lot of participation.
To join in
choose the right size and kind of pumpkin – 4 ¾” – 5” inches in diameter, taller than it is
round, and soft enough to carve;
LEAVE THE TOP ON;
cut a 3/4” square hole in the middle of the bottom (for the spike);
carve a face;
remove the innards of the pumpkin through the facial features; and
Bring the carved pumpkin to the corner of Kane and Strong between 3 pm and 7 pm on October31, 2012. We will impale it!

Source: Cobble Hill Blog
http://cobblehillblog.com/archives/9137

#SaveLICH News: Judge Orders Accounting From SUNY; Mediator Appointed

Claude Scales — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 16:23:44 +0000

According to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle:

Brooklyn Supreme Court Judge Carolyn E. Demarest on Thursday ordered SUNY Downstate to present a full accounting of all LICH property, assets and funds transferred to Downstate, the income derived from the properties, details about the other LICH properties SUNY plans to dispose of and more, no later than August 5.

The Eagle article says “LICH’s money trail is murky at best.” It notes that LICH’s previous owner, Continuum Health Partners, with which SUNY contracted to handle LICH’s billing after the hospital’s sale, has been accused by LICH physicians and staff of failing to bill for many services performed after the sale. Judge Demarest’s order also requires SUNY to account for $15 million it withdrew from a fund last year that was supposed to be used exclusively to pay for LICH’s costs of operation.

In a related development, the Daily News reports that retired New York Supreme Court judge, former state senator, and city councilman William Thompson Sr., father of mayoral hopeful William Thompson, has been appointed by Judge Johnny Lee Baynes to act as a “mediator” in the dispute between LICH doctors and nurses and SUNY over SUNY’s attempt to close LICH.

Source: Cobble Hill Blog
http://cobblehillblog.com/archives/8892

Cobble Hill Resident’s Petition To Save Pacific Green Gourmet Tops 700 Signatures

Homer Fink — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:59:21 +0000

Cobble Hill resident Carl Foner’s Change.org petition asking J. Crew not to displace the Pacific Green Gourmet store at 151 Court Street has now reached over 700 signatures. He’s now launched a companion Facebook page to spread the work and to garner support.

Foner’s latest petition update reads:

The more people who sign the petition, the more influence we can have. So don’t forget to share the petition with your friends. Sharing personal stories (on Facebook, your blog, etc.) about what Pacific Green means to you is also a great way to spread the word.
Thanks for doing everything you can to get the word out.

Foner first informed the neighborhood about the petition in a Cobble Hill Blog comment on June 9, the night his quest began. The next day we received a passionate and compelling email from him detailing why he’s getting involved — “[When} I heard the news and my heart sank,” he wrote.

The Brooklyn Eagle picked up the story yesterday –

Brooklyn Eagle: As of Monday morning, more than 700 Pacific Green supporters had signed a petition at Change.org imploring J Crew to put their store elsewhere.
“When I heard the news that J.Crew was moving to the corner of Pacific and Court where my beloved grocer now lives I was heartbroken,” writes Alexis Anselmi. “This cannot happen and I will do everything I can to stop it! Pacific Green is a staple in this neighborhood.”
Elizabeth Fountain wrote that she moved to Cobble Hill ten years ago for the “mom and pop feel.”

Source: Cobble Hill Blog
http://cobblehillblog.com/archives/8845

Contact Cuomo to Save LICH

Claude Scales — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 23:43:07 +0000

The Brooklyn Heights Association urges us all to write, call, or e-mail (or all three) Governor Cuomo asking his help to save Long Island College Hospital. While acknowledging that there are allegedly seven suitors possibly interested in buying LICH, nevertheless:

SUNY Downstate has failed to turn over the LICH financial records parties have requested. Moreover, SUNY Downstate has made representations about LICH finances that are simply not true. Without open books, potential suitors cannot evaluate LICH’s economic viability — and there is no assurance that the disposition of LICH will be a fair one. SUNY Downstate’s actions have revived fears that its real goal is to sell the land to a real estate developer.

Instructions on how to contact the Governor are on the BHA website.

Source: Cobble Hill Blog
http://cobblehillblog.com/archives/8799

Pacific Green Gourmet Shop Rumored To Soon Be Replaced By J. Crew

Homer Fink — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 03:07:04 +0000

The Pacific Green Gourmet Shop at 151 Court Street appears to be losing its lease according to a report from The Real Deal. Clothing giant J. Crew is rumored to be taking the space as the area around Court Street and Atlantic Avenue continues to evolve into a shopping destination. Trader Joe’s and Barney’s have opened outlet in the vicinity in the last couple of years and the trend does not seem to be slowing down.

The Real Deal: As part of the further transformation of retail shopping in Brooklyn, the global apparel chain J. Crew is coming to a two-story building in Cobble Hill, according to two people familiar with the transaction.
The retailer signed a 10-year net lease last week for the building at 151 Court Street on the corner of Pacific Street, though some details still need to be ironed out, one person familiar with the deal said. J. Crew would take 2,349 square feet each on the ground floor, lower level and second floor.
J. Crew is not the only national retailer to move into the neighborhood. Trader Joe’s on Court Street and Barney’s Co-op, a lower cost unit of the designer department store, on Atlantic Avenue, are also nearby tenants.
The asking rent for the space was approximately $520,000 annually for a triple net lease, one source said.

Source: Cobble Hill Blog
http://cobblehillblog.com/archives/8663

SUNY Sustainability Plan: Sell or Close LICH

Claude Scales — Thu, 30 May 2013 04:06:48 +0000

SUNY has released its Sustainability Plan, which focuses on preserving its teaching function at University Hospital of Brooklyn while seeking to share or transfer health care responsibilities with or to other Brooklyn hospitals and clinics and to home health care, according to The Wall Street Journal:

The proposal doesn’t guarantee that LICH will remain open, although SUNY officials and a nurses union representative said potential operators had stepped up to take over the struggling Cobble Hill institution. A Wall Street Journal analysis of the plan estimates SUNY would need to spend nearly $130 million for the LICH transfer.

NY1 quotes SUNY Downstate President John Williams as saying they are “talking to…five institutions” that may have an interest in taking over management of LICH. According to an analysis of the Sustainability Plan prepared by the Cobble Hill Association, the first mention of LICH in the Plan occurs in a footnote that says:

SUNY will review all responses received to the request for information and determine the most expeditious and financially responsible course of action to enable Downstate to exit from the operation of the Long Island College Hospital facility.

The Plan must be reviewed by the State Department of Health, which may approve it or send it back for revision.

Update: Homer’s cousin/former Cobble Hill Ass’n prexy Jeff Strabone analyzes the plan here:

Breakdown of the Sustainability Plan

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/59561

Brooklyn Heights Montessori School’s New Head Begins July 1

Homer Fink — Wed, 29 May 2013 12:35:53 +0000

Brooklyn Heights Montessori School (BHMS) at 185 Court Street, announces the appointment of Martha Haakmat as the new Head of School, effective July 1. Haakmat currently serves as the Head of the Middle School at Brooklyn Friends School. She replaces Dane L. Peters, who will retire at the end of this school year.
Haakmat has been an educator and leader in New York City independent schools for 26 years. In her current role at BFS, Haakmat has led and participated in curriculum evaluation, improving inter-divisional transitions and retention, redevelopment of faculty/staff supervision and growth procedures, establishing and hiring for the position of a dedicated divisional learning specialist and serving on and leading development of several all-school committees, including academic affairs, diversity and guidance.
She previously spent 14 years at Packer Collegiate Institute in numerous administrative and teaching roles, including Middle School admissions, Education Leadership Council member, Diversity Coordinator and teacher of history, humanities, English and health. Haakmat is also the founder/director and former chief consultant to EDGE (Educators for Diversity, Growth and Empowerment), which designs and conducts workshops for boards, faculty, staff, and student training in educational institutions regionally and nationally through the NYC Board of Education, Interschool, NYSAIS and NAIS.
Haakmat served on the Brooklyn Heights Montessori School Board of Trustees from 2009-2012. She holds a BA from Wesleyan University and an MS Ed from the Bank Street College of Education.

Source: Cobble Hill Blog
http://cobblehillblog.com/archives/8621

Summer Cobble Hill Park Concert Series Dates Announced

Homer Fink — Sat, 25 May 2013 04:53:21 +0000

The Cobble Hill Association will sponsor its annual Summer Cobble Hill Park Concert series over the course of four weeks: July 18, July 25, August 1 and August 8. Musicians for the live event will be announced in the near future.
The park is located at Verandah Place and Clinton Street.

Source: Cobble Hill Blog
http://cobblehillblog.com/archives/8595

Cobble Hill’s Linden Tree Preschool Looking For Assistance In Relocating Facility

Homer Fink — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:21:56 +0000

Susan Kuhlmann, the Principal of Linden Tree Preschool in Cobble Hill, informs CHB that the facility it has used for the past nine years, Christ Church at 180 Kane Street, is being closed permanently after the building was struck by lightning and severely damaged last July.
At that time, Kuhlmann says, for safety reasons, the school had to immediately vacate, “being told by Christ Church we’d be back within weeks.” Since, it has been operating out of St. Stephen’s Church in Carroll Gardens. But now, “weeks and months have gone by and in January (2013), we were informed by Christ Church that they are closing Linden Tree Preschool as of June 30, sending families clamoring for alternate preschools and leaving nine dedicated staff members unemployed.”
Linden Tree Preschool is now searching for a new permanent home. Kuhlmann notes:
In order to continue to serve our families, staff and greater community by providing a beautiful preschool experience, myself and a colleague, Jennifer DeLuna, have formed our own LLC, Building Bridges. We require a minimum of 3,000 square feet but are willing to exceed that for the right opportunity. We are also willing to sign a long-term lease.
As you know rental space in our community is costly and difficult to come by. We have been searching for months and continue to. If anyone can help us please reach out, we need a home and can provide a nice income stream for a rental space. We appreciate any assistance.
Susan Kuhlmann: susan@lindentreepreschool.com
Jennifer DeLuna: jennifer@lindentreepreschool.com
lindentreepreschool.com
718-687-8141

Source: Cobble Hill Blog
http://cobblehillblog.com/archives/8426

Broker aptsandlofts Expands Purview In Cobble Hill Market

Homer Fink — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 19:10:10 +0000

Real estate broker aptsandlofts.com, which recently opened its second brick-and-mortar office in Cobble Hill at 236 Court Street, is making good on the burgeoning residential market in the neighborhood. The firm reports that within the last three months it has hired a dozen new agents—a rate of one new hire per week.
Founder & prez David Maundrell notes, “We are seeing a notable increase in interest from agents looking to join the team as a way to further expand their professional business in the Brooklyn area.” aptsandlofts.com was founded in 2002 with a focus on Brooklyn and Queens, and currently consults about 35 new residential developments (3,000+ units) rising in NYC. It plans to hire a total of 43 agents in Cobble Hill over the next year.

Source: Cobble Hill Blog
http://cobblehillblog.com/archives/8247

Cobble Hill’s BookCourt Hosts Author Thea Goodman March 18

Homer Fink — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 05:11:16 +0000

BookCourt at 163 Court Street in Cobble Hill will host Thea Goodman, author of “The Sunshine When She’s Gone,” with a reading, Q&A and signing on Monday, March 18 at 7 p.m. Drinks will be served!
“Her book is a fresh and funny debut novel about marriage and new parenting—about the love, longing and ambivalence exposed when a husband takes the baby on a highly unusual outing,” BookCourt tells CHB.
More about the book
When Veronica Reed wakes up one frigid January morning, two things are off—first of all, she has had a good night’s sleep, which hasn’t happened in months, and second, both her husband and her baby are gone. Grateful for the much-needed rest, Veronica doesn’t, at first, seriously question her husband’s trip out to breakfast with baby Clara. Little does she know, her spouse has fled lower Manhattan, with Clara, for some R&R in the Caribbean.
Told through alternating points of view, The Sunshine When She’s Gone explores the life-changing impact of parenthood on a couple as individuals and as partners. Thea Goodman brings us into intimacies made tense by sleep-deprivation and to losses and gains made more real by acknowledging them. Here is the story of a couple pushed to the edge and a desperate father’s attempt give them both space to breathe.
About the author
Thea Goodman has received the Columbia Fiction Award, a Pushcart Prize Special Mention and fellowships at Yaddo and Ragdale; her short stories have appeared in several journals, notably New England Review, Other Voices and Columbia. Born in New York City, she studied at Sarah Lawrence and earned her MFA from Brooklyn College, CUNY. She has taught writing at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago, and lives in Chicago with her husband and children.

Source: Cobble Hill Blog
http://cobblehillblog.com/archives/8212

Judge Rules SUNY Board Acted Illegally on LICH Closing

Claude Scales — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 02:40:40 +0000

The Times reports that New York Supreme Court Justice Johnny Baynes, who earlier extended a temporary restraining order against SUNY’s shutdown of Long Island College Hospital, has ruled that the SUNY board acted in violation of New York State’s open meetings law, and vacated the board’s decision to close LICH. According to the Times:
The trustees’ use of a vague notice, a “skeletal statement of purpose in the written agenda,” and the timing of a two-hour closed executive session on Feb. 7, the day before the public vote, “seems intentionally designed to shield the purpose of the meetings from the general public and obstruct the transparency required by the Open Meetings Law,” the decision said, noting that the trustees “are not unsophisticated.”
The story also quotes a SUNY spokesman as saying that “the ruling hinges on a procedural technicality” and that “the board Would move swiftly to fix the problem.” If, as expected, the board again votes to close LICH, the plan must then be submitted to the State Department of Health, which could refuse to approve the closure, as it did a plan by LICH’s former owner, Continuum Health Partners, to close LICH’s obstetrics and pediatrics departments just over four years ago.

Source: Cobble Hill Blog
http://cobblehillblog.com/archives/8216

Brooklyn Community Pride Center Hosts Founders Ball April 4

Homer Fink — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 15:55:21 +0000

The Brooklyn Community Pride Center, located in Boerum Hill at 310 Atlantic Avenue, is hosting its Founders Ball on Thursday, April 4 from 6-9 p.m. at Dumbo Loft, 155 Water Street. The Ball is the organization’s major, annual fundraising event commemorating its 2008 launch and Fifth Anniversary.
This year’s event includes a two-hour cocktail reception with hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction and the first ever Founders Ball Awards honoring Tom Smith, Reg Flowers and Suzanne St. Pierre. Preceding the event is a VIP cocktail hour with celebrity guests; and following is the Junior Board’s after party.
The Brooklyn Community Pride Center is the only community center in Brooklyn dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community, with a mission to provide support & services to the borough via original programming and partnerships with like-minded organizations.
For information about the Founders Ball, contact Development Director Todd W. Fliedner at 347-889-7719 or tfliedner@lgbtbrooklyn.org. Tickets may be purchased online. General admission is $125.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/56336

Court Puts Brakes On LICH Closure

Claude Scales — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 18:09:27 +0000

According to this NY1 story, a court has issued a temporary restraining order that blocks SUNY Downstate from implementing its just issued plan to close Long Island College Hospital. The judge who issued the order has scheduled a further hearing for March 7. Petitioners in this case are unions representing nurses and hospital workers; however, the NY1 story also quotes a “local resident” who recently used the LICH emergency room as saying the care provided there was “really good.” This is a developing story; we will monitor and keep you updated.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/55537

Denis Hamill on LICH: SUNY “is going to kill people.”

Claude Scales — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 20:33:29 +0000

In a Daily News piece, “Long Island College Hospital merged to death”, Denis Hamill retells an ambulance driver’s account, told to Hamill at Thursday evening’s community forum, about picking up a man in cardiac arrest on Hamilton Avenue, administering first aid, taking an EKG that was forwarded to LICH electronically, and getting the patient to LICH where the doctors were able to open an artery to save him, all in an elapsed time of seven minutes. Had the ambulance had to fight traffic to get to Methodist Hospital in Park Slope or Lutheran in Sunset Park, the driver said, “My opinion, add another 12-15 minutes, he wouldn’t have made it.”
In Hamill’s words: “Make no mistake: Close LICH, and people of Red Hook, Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn Heights will die.”
Photo: denishamill.com.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/55412

Daniel Squadron On LICH Closing: ‘Our Fight Isn’t Over’

Homer Fink — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 20:59:28 +0000

State Senator Daniel Squadron has put up his dukes over Friday morning’s confirmation that Long Island College Hospital will be shuttered by the SUNY Board of Trustees and sold for real estate development.
In a statement, he insists: “Our fight isn’t over. As I said yesterday, SUNY’s plan essentially turns a $63 million state grant into a subsidy for a massive real estate deal that will cut essential services without any community benefit. It should be no surprise that our community and Brooklyn will feel looted with this result. DOH has an opportunity to ensure the needs of this community and all of Brooklyn are met—and that’s precisely what we will urge it to do.”
Squadron testified at Thursday’s public hearing, in which community leaders and locals bemoaned the closing of the 155-year-old facility, at 339 Hicks Street in Cobble Hill.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/55066

Sparks Fly At Thursday’s LICH Public Hearing

Homer Fink — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 02:09:28 +0000

At Thursday’s public hearing with the SUNY board in Midtown Manhattan, sparks were flying over the closing of Long Island College Hospital in Cobble Hill, with contentious exchanges between Councilman Brad Lander, SUNY Chairman Carl McCall and state Sen. Eric Adams.
Among accusations: whether SUNY’s acquisition of Long Island College Hospital was a transaction driven by real estate rather than medical considerations. Lander: “Was there a good faith effort to integrate LICH into the [larger medical] system, or was there some attention being paid to several hundred million dollars, possibly 500 million dollars, in real estate?”
After the hearing Thursday afternoon, the board is expected to act on a recommendation that it close LICH in a closed door session. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle is reporting on today’s events.
Tweets about “#savelich”

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/55016

New Art Spaces Open On Cobble Hill’s Bergen Street

Homer Fink — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 13:24:43 +0000

Two cultural spaces are opening at 47 Bergen Street in Cobble Hill, next door to the Invisible Dog gallery: Recession Art, an affordable art gallery and store; and the Beam Center, a non-profit learning and youth arts development organization. Both organizations have held shows and events in the Invisible Dog space before, and will collaborate there again in the coming months.
Brownstoner reports that this is the first permanent location in Brooklyn for both organizations. The “Grand Re-Opening” of Recession Art is scheduled for March 9, with regular hours 1-7 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, and 1-5 p.m. on Sunday. (Photo: Brownstoner)

Source: Cobble Hill Blog
http://cobblehillblog.com/archives/8173

Chipotle Sets Up Shop In Cobble Hill

Homer Fink — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 17:10:04 +0000

Chipotle is preparing to open its Cobble Hill location at 140 Court Street. Brownstoner reports that the inside appears mostly complete, and the menu is up on the wall. The space between Pacific and Atlantic used to house pet shop Beastly Bite.

Source: Cobble Hill Blog
http://cobblehillblog.com/archives/8023

Chocolate Room To Donate 20% Of Wednesday Sales To Hurricane Relief

Homer Fink — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 01:41:01 +0000

The Chocolate Room in Cobble Hill and Park Slope will be donating 20% of its sales to the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City to benefit the hurricane relief effort this Wednesday, November 7th. This includes locations in Park Slope (86 Fifth Ave between St. Marks Pl and Warren St) and Cobble Hill (269 Court St between Butler St and Douglass St) as well as its online store. The stores are open from noon to 11 p.m. on Wednesday. More info is here. Or you may contact owners Naomi Josepher and Jon Payson at 718-246-2600.

Source: Cobble Hill Blog
http://cobblehillblog.com/archives/8010

Sanitation Collection: Nope, Not Yet

Homer Fink — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 13:06:52 +0000

As garbage collection crews try to catch up in Brooklyn Heights, it’s not only blue recycling bags and stacks of newspapers and magazines that continue to pile up along many of the residential streets of the neighborhood… Black garbages bags are lined up in equal numbers. Sanitation crews in Cobble Hill and Boerum Hill were scrambling to catch up in those nabes before tackling the Heights earlier this week.
Our last report Wednesday, October 31 from the Montague Street BID regarding sanitation collection: “It is expected garbage collections will resume either tonight or tomorrow morning. Recycling collections are suspended until further notice.” We’re standing by for a Friday update… (CT)

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/51033

So, What’s On This Weekend?

Claude Scales — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 03:05:42 +0000

Brooklyn Bridge Park is closed until further notice. The Brooklyn Historical Society will be closed through Tuesday, November 6. Fortunately, Bargemusic didn’t sustain any serious damage, but repairs to an outside sprinkler pipe will keep it closed through this weekend. However, Brooklyn Heights Cinema, 70 Henry Street (corner of Orange), which remained open through Sandy’s ravages thanks to the dedication of owner Kenn Lowy, will have its normal schedule of shows. Looking ahead to this coming Wednesday, November 7, the Cinema will present songs and a reading by Steve Witt from his new novel, The Street Singer. And there’s more…
The Troupers of St. Francis College will present three performances (Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m.; Sunday at 2:00 p.m.) of Yasmina Reza’s award winning play God of Carnage, about inter-domestic strife in Cobble Hill (image, taken from the Broadway production, from The New York Times. The performances will be at the College’s auditorium, 180 Remsen Street.
If you want to to help people who were affected badly by Sandy, our neighbors in Red Hook are taking donations of food and other essentials at 767 Hicks Street; for more information see here. Brooklyn Bridge Park may need additional cleanup help; watch the Park’s Facebook page for announcements. The Red Cross has other volunteer opportunities.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/50980

New York Marathon Is On… So Far

Homer Fink — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 16:06:03 +0000

New York City Marathon officials continue to check damage caused by Hurricane Sandy before deciding what impact the storm will have on the race, scheduled this Sunday, November 4.
Mayor Bloomberg said Tuesday the race will “go on as normal, as of now,” although he will continue to discuss logistics with city and marathon officials before a final decision. According to the Marathon website, “NYRR continues to move ahead with its planning and preparation. We will keep all options open with regard to making adjustments necessary to race day and race weekend events. We will provide an update and more detail as information becomes available.”
The 26.2-mile course begins in Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island and passes through Park Slope, Carroll Gardens, Prospect Heights and Boerum Hill, and into Manhattan over the Queensboro Bridge, finishing in Central Park. See the course route here.

Source: Cobble Hill Blog
http://cobblehillblog.com/archives/7991

Time Warner Cable Reports Outages In Brooklyn, Including Cobble Hill

Homer Fink — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 17:17:46 +0000

While most of Cobble Hill Blog’s covered neighborhoods were spared power outages, numerous residents noted frequent brownouts and light flickers throughout Monday evening’s Superstorm Sandy. Time Warner is reporting that cable and Internet service is out in parts of Cobble Hill, Brooklyn Heights and Williamsburg. TWC service updates are available here.

Source: Cobble Hill Blog
http://cobblehillblog.com/archives/7983

Renewed Hope For 364 Henry Street?

Homer Fink — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 17:05:45 +0000

John Quadrozzi, owner of the long-decaying Cobble Hill townhouse at 364 Henry Street & Congress Street, has scheduled a meeting with the Landmarks Preservation Commission for a major building upgrade. According to public records cited by Brownstoner, he’s been promising to repair the structure since 2010.
Proposed changes on the LPC agenda for both 364 Henry and 129 Congress Street—the adjoining building around the corner—call to alter the facades, construct new rooftop and rear yard additions, install a stoop, bay windows, light fixtures, roof deck, a metal fence, alter window openings on the stable and modify and add curb cuts.
The LPC filed a lawsuit for failure to maintain the historic structures two years ago. On the DOB end, the buildings have a long history of stop work orders, most recently this past July. (Photo: Brownstoner)

Source: Cobble Hill Blog
http://cobblehillblog.com/archives/7954

Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop Blog Espouses Her Favorite Area Brooklyn Eateries

Homer Fink — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 01:10:47 +0000

Gwyneth Paltrow’s GOOP blog, in which the actress oozes opinions about lifestyle & culture, offers a post on Brooklyn, in which she espouses: “Brooklyn has changed so much since I was a kid, and parts of it are probably unrecognizable from when my dad was born at Brooklyn Jewish hospital in 1943. A lot of this has been good change in the form of art, culture, neighborhood-defining restaurants, shops and more.”
Paltrow includes hot spots in Park Slope, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill and Gowanus. Read her reviews below.
Park Slope’s Al di Là, 248 5th Avenue
“A homey and casual neighborhood trattoria so popular it has Manhattanites lining out the door (reservations aren’t taken, but you can wait in their charming wine bar next door). The menu hasn’t changed much since opening in 1998, because it’s pretty much perfect Venetian fare, with particularly excellent pastas.”
Prospect Heights’ Franny’s, 295 Flatbush Avenue
“Franny’s churns out some of the best pizza and locally-sourced food in Brooklyn, maybe even NYC. Hit the original location while you can, as they will be moving to a larger space by the end of the year, keeping the old space for a new restaurant, Marco’s, to open in the spring of 2013.
Prospect Heights’ Ample Hills Creamery, 623 Vanderbilt Avenue
“Handcrafted ice cream and sorbet made in small batches, Ample Hills gets its cream and eggs from local farms upstate for the freshest (and most sustainable) product possible, in 24 flavors that change with the seasons. They also do really delicious and beautiful custom ice cream cakes, for any occasion.”
Cobble Hill’s Henry Public, 329 Henry Street
“This handsome, old-timey Brooklyn saloon, with a limited “Bill of Fare” of simple and homey food, including a great burger, is perfect for a late supper and whiskey cocktails with friends.”
Cobble Hill’s Pok Pok, 127 Columbia Street
“People are crazy for this Thai via Portland import to the BK, for good reason – the fresh takes on Thai classics are seriously good (and run on the hot side), from the signature charcoal roasted hen with lemongrass to the sweet, spicy salads and more, plus an awesome Thai-inspired cocktail menu (the Pok Pok Bloody Mary with Thai chilies is a serious kick in the ass.)”
Carroll Gardens’ The Grocery, 329 Henry Street
“Quality ingredients, imaginatively prepared from this superb market-driven menu keeps this tiny place on the top of the borough’s fine dining list year after year. It’s pricey, but for one of the best bargains in the borough, try the Green Plate Special – $40 for the four-course veggie tasting menu.”
Boerum Hill’s Mile End, 97A Hoyt Street
“Hearty, meaty sandwiches and Montreal-style deli food (think house-smoked meats, poutine, brisket and more) served deluxe. Make sure to get a pickle on the side and wash it all down with a good glass of wine.”
Gowanus’ The Pines, 284 3rd Avenue
“While this highly-anticipated Gowanus opening keeps the atmosphere casual, with an artfully shabby, worn in dining room and larger garden in the back, the menu is decidedly ambitious with an Italian bent (think cavatelli with duck heart) with lots of interesting seasonal salads and antipasti.”

Source: Cobble Hill Blog
http://cobblehillblog.com/archives/7941