Ever wonder who paints all those trash bins at Coney Island every year? The answer is: people just like you. Be part of the fun this Saturday at the Barrels of Fun event, a one-day art competition from 10am to 2pm, which will place the winner’s garbage can paintings on the boardwalk all summer long. Everyone can participate, though the competition is in four categories: family (geared for younger kids and their parents), high school artists, college artists, and open (geared for adults). Special guest judges will look at originality, following theme, creativity, use of color, and pizazz. There will be a first place, runner-up and honorable mention winner in each of the categories. Bring clothes you don’t mind getting paint on and a great imagination. Sponsors will provide paint, brushes, mixing containers and barrels. All registered participants will get a free painters cap.
BococaLand
Archive for April, 2010
Cans of Fun at Coney Island
That Confounded Bridge
Congestion ahead. Beginning in June, the Brooklyn Bridge will undergo a four-year repainting/refurbishing project. Lanes will be closed at night, though we’ve been through that before with the ridiculous post-9/11 “security” measures that often cut traffic to one lane for no real reason. (Seriously, was there ever any point to that?) More concerning is the news that “the Manhattan-bound side of the bridge will be entirely off limits for up to 24 weekends.” Hmm, “up to” 24 weekends? What does that even mean? During bridge closings, traffic will be diverted to the Manhattan Bridge, which might come to look more like a parking lot than a bridge. Eh, who wants to go into Manhattan on the weekend anyway? You’re better off staying in Brooklyn.
Speak Brooklyn-ese? Get Paid for it.
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• Send resume and covering email to info@todaytranslations.com
Stamp Out Hunger
Do your share to help those in need by donating some canned goods or non-perishable items to the Stamp Out Hunger campaign. Throughout the week of 3 to 8 May, just make a delivery of non-perishable food items–like canned meats and fish, canned soup, juice, pasta, vegetables, cereal and rice, to your local post office. All food donations will be repacked by the Food Bank and redistributed to community and emergency food programs to help families in need. There are 300 emergency food programs in Brooklyn — approximately one-third of the 1,000 programs throughout New York City. You can also donate by the click of your mouse. Just log on to www.foodbanknyc.org.
Chow Down with Steve Edmunds
If you’re a fan of Rhone wines–especially those made in California–you won’t want to miss this dinner with Steve Edmunds, founder of Edmunds St John winery at Buttermilk Channel. On 12 May, the Court Street restaurant will host a four-course meal, with several wines that are otherwise unavailable in New York, including some older vintages. The dinner will start at 8:00pm and the price is $85 per person inclusive of tax and gratuity. Space is limited so please call 718 852 8490 or email doug@buttermilkchannelnyc.com to reserve your seats now.
No News is No News
As city parent, and a media professional facing a — how-you-say — challenging time for the industry, I find this really distressing: Just half of New York City schools have student newspapers. That’s just — that sucks. Working on my high school newspaper might have been the best time I had on the school grounds in all of high school. I don’t know that it instilled any love of journalism — churning out 800 words on the J.V. soccer team’s 8-6-2 season wasn’t itself fun. But the independence was. A handful of kids staying late, trying to make a deadline, wielding border tape, hot wax and X-Acto knives, creating something on our own with no adult supervision — that was cool. Who cared that the end product was untimely, amateurish, even boring? (Sample headline: “J.V. Soccer Team Achieves.”) We had made it with our own brains and hands, and we got to hand it out to the rest of the kids after the morning assembly, and that was reward enough.
Sigh.
Cherry Blossom Festival Goes on, Maybe Without Cherry Blossoms
Saukura Matsuri 2010 at Brooklyn Botanical Gardens
She said BBG schedules the planning-intensive Sakura Matsuri festival nearly a year in advance to happen sometime during cherry blossom season – but it’s tough to predict exactly when the blossoms will be at their peak. “We wait very enthusiastically for the cherries to reveal their own schedule year to year,” she said. “That is one of the still very beautiful and mystical things about nature – it does not operate on demand.” Blumm said the timing depends on the weather, and a stretch of hot days a few weeks ago could have caused them to bloom early. “That burst of warmth encouraged those blossoms to really pop,” she said.
But don’t let that stop you from enjoying the contemporary and traditional Japanese music and dance, taiko drumming, ikebana flower arranging, Japanese DJs, presentations on the art of manga, tea ceremonies, and workshops for all ages. Check here for the schedule of events.
Brooklyn Walmart Considered
image courtesy of Mideiabistro.com
Wal-Mart is reportedly eyeing a spot in East New York, pictured below, for its first New York City store. The land is empty now, but it’s set to become a shopping center — an expansion of the Gateway Center just next door.
If you haven’t guessed, opposition is fierce from local labor unions but Mayor Bloomberg doesn’t think it’s such a bad idea. Wal-Mart’s director of community affairs, Steven Restivo, says there’s no concrete plans to open the store here in NY, but he also claims the average wage for full-time associates in New York State is $12.03 an hour–which is certainly not slave labor. Thoughts?
Tree Fund Plant Sale Saturday
The Cobble Hill Tree Fund will hold its Spring Plant Sale this Saturday, May 1, from 10:30 AM to 3 PM at Cobble Hill Park. The organization’s web site promises “annuals, herbs, tomatoes, geraniums and an increased variety of perennials” — buy in the park and save yourself a trip to Home Depot or Lowe’s.
Smith & Vine Turns 6
Happy 6th birthday Smith & Vine! You’ve come a long way–though you’re still the sweet, smart, happy wine store we’ve always known and loved. And of course we’ll stop by to celebrate on 5 May! What? You’re offering 20% off all wine and Poloma ingredients all day long? AND you’ll be hosting our buddy, cocktail maestro Dave Wondrich, to mix up drinks for us on the house from 6-9pm? Groovy. Count us in.
Smith & Vine is located at 268 Smith Street between Degraw and Sackett.
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