So you plopped the cash down for the newest iPad/iPhone huh? I won’t argue that they are both media masterpieces that keep you in touch and entertained with the sophistication of Apple. But if your kids are anything like mine, they don’t quite understand that these are not like their Fisher-price computer or Nintendo DS. Hence, tiny little fingerprints, grime and germs invading our pristine gadgets. And lets face it, I’m not above handing my four year old my iPhone at a restaurant to mess with the child-friendly apps while we finish our meal. So it was nice to find out about this new CleanTouch kit from Monster, which promises to help keep iPad and iPhone screens shiny and new. I especially like that the one-two punch of cleaning formula and antimicrobial cloth promises to get rid of the build-up of fingerprints on the iPad–which tend to drive me mad. The kit is made to be portable and the bottle of cleaning fluid is 20ML, which means you can easily take it through screening at the airport. The press materials talk about protecting against “potentially dangerous disease-causing microbes,” but I’m not too worried about death by iPad. A clean screen is a good enough reason to scoop up this product for just $20.
BococaLand
Archive for August, 2010
Clean Those Little Fingerprints Off Your iPad
Doomed Danny’s Getting Rotisserie Chicken Spot
Remember Danny’s Diner?. Chances are, you never made it in the door because the restaurant, at 119 Court St. (formerly F. Martinella deli), was open for approximately 15 minutes back in May. Now, in a move to make this well-placed space a hit in the hood, this sign recently appeared on the window (above). Tio Pio looks to be a very informal, yet tasty, rotisserie chicken joint with a sibling at 78 Willoughby St and Bridge St. The comments on Menupages.com seem to be upbeat and it looks like you’ll be able to get breakfast and lunch for quite a nice price (omelets start at $3.75, chicken lunch specials at $5). If you can order dinner before they close at 5pm, you’re in good shape. Let’s hope this place doesn’t have the Court Street curse of its predecessors.
Nobody’s Getting into Pre-K-Like You Didn’t Know
If you’ve got a four-year-old without an older sibling in one of the public schools in District 15 (which includes Park Slope, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill and Boerum Hill), you probably already know that spots for preschool this year were hard to come by. To my knowledge, most of these parents in Bococa are either sending their kids to PS 38 at 450 Pacific St. or sticking with private schools. And just to make us all feel better, The Daily News did a story on exactly how many parents got denied from free preschool this year.
Parents filed 6,568 applications for 1,097 pre-K seats in District 15. Last year, there were 5,528 applicants for 1,133 spots. The most popular schools admitted just a fraction of pre-K kids at the same time there were dramatic increases in the number of applicants: PS 321 in Park Slope had space for just 12 of 475 applicants this year; last school year there were 292 applicants for 48 slots. At PS 39 on Sixth Ave., there were 406 applicants for 36 slots this school year; last year 236 kids applied.
Awesome news! The biggest question on the playground is this: do we have to worry about getting our kids in kindergarten next year if the numbers for public schools in the district are this high? Are there enough classes in zoned schools? And if not, what happens? This morning a mom at the playground told me a private school advised her not to “act anxious” about getting her child into school. Good luck with that. Got answers? Please let us know so we can stop wringing our hands.
Man Cave Decor in DUMBO
Think man-cave minus the testosterone. That’s the kool-aid new DUMBO shop and showcase Modern Anthology is serving up at 68 Jay Street (in silver goblets, of course). The Facebook page has this to say on the subject: Recognizing that men’s taste have evolved beyond “one-size-fits-all”, the new Brooklyn store and design studio Modern Anthology has curated a selection of unique, authentic furniture, home 
accessories and clothing to give men what they really want – sophisticated pieces that reflect an experienced but masculine lifestyle. And this kind of sophistication don’t come cheap–with tufted leather seating starting at $2450. But feel free to join the ranks of celeb clients like Snoop Dogg, Rainn Wilson and Dan Patrick enjoying the antique globes resting on vintage wood-and-wrought-iron worktables. The store has been attracting customers for about two weeks with a soft launch but plans on a grand opening on 2 September. Bring your mates and your credit card, but leave your Bud Light at home.
Final Pieces of the PS 29 Schoolyard Puzzle
Lisa of the PS 29 PTA has dropped us a note in response to our post on the schoolyard plan. Here’s an image of the play structure that will occupy the blank white space in the southeast corner:
And the garden, built by Teich Garden Systems, will look a little (though not exactly) like this:
Free Music on Friday — Cobble Hill’s Sean Bones
More on this Sean Bones chap — who is, according to one source, “Brooklyn’s best white-boy reggae musician.”
His real name is Sean Sullivan, and prior to becoming Mr. Bones he was known to the Brooklyn indie rock cognoscenti as a guitarist in a band called Sam Champion (yes, like the weather guy).
A couple of years ago, he and his girlfriend Sarah started a niche clothing line, S/S Friends canvas trunks, headquartered in Cobble Hill. And not Atlantic Avenue or Court Street — the mailing address listed on the site is Cheever Place.
Right now, though, he’s an actor and a solo musician — and rather than describe the music he makes I’ll just recommend you listen. Below is the video for “Dancehall;” visit Sean’s RCRDLBL page for the free mp3 and six others.
Beautifying the Ditch
As we reported back in July, everyone’s trying to find a way to “fix the ditch,” which allows the BQE to ferry lots and lots o’ traffic through the heart of Cobble Hill (underneath Hicks St.). So today, I saw some workmen doing a little fixing up. I guess they figure if we have to look at it everyday, at least it can be prettier. Eh, ok. But I’d rather see some real action to cover it up rather than painting the nasty old railings emerald green.
Breuckelen to Open Early September
After many months of construction and hard work, new restaurant, Breuckelen (268 Clinton Street at Cobble Hill Park), is getting ready for its big debut. Taking the place of old-school Clinton Cafe, which closed last winter, this market-driven restaurant is just waiting for its final permits and plans on opening doors early September–dinner only at first, brunch coming soon. The eatery has 44 seats (plus 12 seats on the new patio in the back garden and 9 at the bar) and the space features many excavated items, like reclaimed hard woods from the Adirondacks, Bendheim architectural glass, original tin ceiling & brick walls, holophane lights dating back to the machine age and two original truing cables from the building of the Brooklyn Bridge hanging on the walls. The menu will change daily, though chef/owner Andrew Karasz–born and bred in the neighborhood–promises to feature the same number of dishes daily (five in each category: firsts, pastas, seconds and desserts) and there will be a full bar of wine, beer and cocktails. Here’s a menu I was given earlier this week, though I was told it may change by the time the restaurant opens. Brooklyn Heights mom, friend and food bloggger Andrea Strong attended the pre-opening party last week so check out her thoughts here. I for one can’t wait to head over. Cafe Clinton was such a comfy spot in a great location–though the food could have been better. Let’s hope Breuckelen is here to stay.
Bike N’ Honey
Yup, Brooklyn does honey. Seems Meg Paska, an urban gardening and livestock enthusiast, maintains a little under a dozen hives in the neighborhood–making these Italian honeybees the hippest around. And to give us all a little peek into their world, Brooklyn Honey is offering the Brooklyn Harvest Bike Tour, where you’ll get to see the bees and experience a honey harvest. For $50, you’ll begin in Carroll Gardens and head to Crown Heights, then on to the hives in Greenpoint. Enjoy the included lunch at Brooklyn Standard Deli before it’s time to cut and package the comb honey. The next tour is this Sunday, 29 August. And if you do go, let us know if the bees are sporting facial hair and tiny tattoos. Here’s a little more info in case you’re interested:
Veils will be provided, but please wear a brimmed hat and bring a light colored windbreaker or oxford shirt just in case. You will be asked to sign a waiver in the case that you are stung or otherwise injured. Please consider that this is a possibility and if you are ok with the idea of a sting or two (or most likely none…) then by all means get in touch.
The cost of the tour is $50 (Cost of tour, lunch and drinks, honey to take home)There is only room for 10 people on this tour, so first come first served!
Creative Parking in CG
It’s one of those arguments that can go either way. If you own a house in Carroll Gardens, should you be able to park your car in the court yard? CBS News went fishing for comments on this dilemma over on 4th Place between Court and Smith, where many folks have made their front space into driveways. Seems those that make an effort to keep their areas green and blooming don’t want to see vehicles sullying their handiwork. I get it–I think I’d probably choose a parking spot over a front garden–especially if I had a backyard as well. Parking seriously sucks. BUT, I also understand those who want to keep the hood pretty. The real question is: Is it legal?
CBS 2 reached out to the city’s Buildings Department. A spokeswoman said inspectors are investigating any possible violations. Zoning laws change periodically, and while the current regulations bar parking in front yards, some driveways might be legal, depending on when they were built.
Right. With the bureaucracy in this city, we’ll hear back from them in about five years.
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