Have a happy, safe Halloween. We hope to see you around–and save some candy for the kids!
-Bococaland Fam
BococaLand
It's your neighborhood
Archive for October, 2010
Happy Halloween!
Busted!
Discovered while searching for wireless near the corner of Smith and Dean. For context, see this earlier post.
(Do try to keep it down, sir. So to speak.)
Sosta Opens on Atlantic
Well, that was quick. From an empty storefront on Atlantic Ave between Henry and Clinton rises Sosta, an Italian eatery that promises to be both a restaurant and a bar. It wasn’t open when I walked by this morning but the menu out front written in script announces its intentions fairly well. With appetizers, salads, panini (lunch only), and a long list of gourmet pizzas–should be worth a pop in. Looks like a list of beers as well but I didn’t see any wine. Also not sure about delivery. Let us know if you get in before we do.
Halloween Addendum
Just a few more things to add to your Halloween lists.
Brooklyn Wine Exchange: Saturday the 30th, go on in and grab some candy with your vino from 4pm to 6pm.
Families First: Get an early start on the day’s Halloween festivities at FAMILIES FIRST’S ANNUAL HALLOWEEN PARTY. Sunday, October 31st from 9:30am – 12:30pm at 250 Baltic Street in the auditorium. A morning of frightfully good fun awaits with: games, Halloween crafts, pumpkin decorating, snacks, baked goods and drinks, sing along at 10:30 with Ted Stafford, and professional, take-home photos with Steve Brickles (only $10). Goodie bags and balloons for all kids.
BookCourt: Bring the kids, the dog, or a hot date to BookCourt (163 Court St.) this Sunday at 11am for a fun, free, and freaky time. Stop by and make a Beastie of your very own, with special guest Diana Schoenbrun, author of “How to Make 22 Mischievous Monsters that Go Bump in the Night.”
Pronto Pizza Makes its Big Debut
The new pizza joint at 139 Court St. is open and ready for business. Pronto Pizza looks all shiny and pretty, and along with your usual Neapolitan pizza, you’ll also be able to pick up pan pizzas in a few different flavors (Buffalo Chicken anyone?), soups, salads, wraps, pasta, heroes and dinners like eggplant rollantini and sausage and peppers. Prices aren’t super cheap, but probably match up to other places in the hood. They deliver until 11pm seven days a week, which is nice for any late night orders.
Shhhh…Be Very Quiet, I’m Hunting Chili
Though it’s been, like, 75 degrees out for the past few days, we all know the weather’s going to change on us–and quick. Looking for some comfort? Go no further than Char No. 4, our wood paneled whiskey den at 196 Smith St., which is declaring November as the opening of Chili Season–which will run through February. Got this from them today:
Every Tuesday night for those 4 months, we will serve a bowl of our Texas style smoked short rib and pork shoulder chili with a side of bacon-jalapeno corn bread and honey butter accompanied by a bottled craft beer and a 1oz taste of one of our favorite bourbons, all for $22. Each week will feature a different beer and whiskey selection, which will be posted on our Facebook page every Monday. The kick-off night is next Tuesday, November 2nd and we will offer Lake Placid Ubu Ale and Blanton’s Single Barrel bourbon.
The Chili will be served either in the dining room or at the bar, beginning at 6pm until the kitchen closes at midnight.
Additionally, we will make our chili available for purchase at the restaurant during these months. It will be sold by the quart for $20 and serves approximately 4 people. It lasts for up to a week in the fridge and freezes nicely.
Armed Robbers Hit Bklyn Heights
More than a little disturbing for our little neck of the woods, the Brooklyn Eagle reported that the Radio Shack at 110 Montague St. was hit by two armed robbers disguised as UPS workers on Tuesday morning around 8:30 am. The thieves held the clerk up at gunpoint and took cash as well as some iPods. As also reported recently, crime in the 84th precinct (which encompasses Brooklyn Heights, Boerum Hill, Vinegar Hill and the Farragut Residences) has been up significantly–due mostly to iPhone nabbers. Thankfully, nobody was hurt, but just a reminder to watch your back and hold onto your Apple products for dear life. What, nobody wants my StarTAC?
MMMMMMMMM…Crepes
Have a hankering for fresh, warm crepes? Time to hit up the new Fresh Café Bar, a sandwich bar that specializes in these luscious French pancakes, now open in the lobby of the Clark Street subway station at the St. George Hotel. According to the Brooklyn Eagle, Moscow native Maria Dobrovolskiy is at the helm of the cafe and manages a staff of four–though she is the chief crepe-maker.
Dobrovolskiy insists on high-quality, organic ingredients for her crêpes — from peppers, mushrooms and olives to free-range chicken, wild tuna, five different kinds of cheese and fresh salad. If you’re not interested in a crêpe, Dobrovolskiy and her staff also offer organic coffee and espresso, a fresh salad bar, organic sandwiches, wraps, soups and frozen yogurt.
“I use organic ingredients,” she said. “It’s all good stuff — everything’s homemade and handmade.”
Can We Do BBP Without Housing?
Can Brooklyn Bridge Park go forward without new housing to fund it? Though there have been plenty of meetings dedicated to this burning question–no answers have been forthcoming. We know most folks in the community would prefer more park–less condos, but where exactly is the money coming from? In order to help find alternative sources of cash, a consultant has been hired by the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corp., according to the NY Post.
The subcommittee tapped Bay Area Economics, which has offices in New York and California, to evaluate over the next few months if other sources can be relied upon to help finance the planned 85-acre park’s anticipated $16.1 million maintenance budget besides housing set for John Street in DUMBO and by Pier 6 in Brooklyn Heights. This evaluation will include public hearings to be held later in the fall.
Because the city has total control of the park, rather than the state, it will allow up to $100,000 to be spent on this service. Cross your fingers, let’s hope that kind of cash buys us a new swimming pool.
Halloween List!
Didn’t get much help from you dear readers, but I did my homework best I could. This is what I gots for you–please click on the links for more info. If I couldn’t find one, I tried to include everything I know about the event. Boo!
23-24 October
Harvest Festival at Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 6
New York Aquarium: Halloween at the A-Scarium
Brooklyn Botanical Garden: Ghouls and Gourds
27 October
Dodge YMCA Halloween Family Fright Fest!! Stop in from 5:30pm to 7:30pm for an evening of free family fun. Enjoy healthy treats, scary stories, arts & crafts, face painting and take your picture in the Harvest Patch.
29 October
P.S. 58 is having a Costume Carnival in its schoolyard from 4pm-6:30pm. It’s a fundraiser for the PTA so admission is $6 (under 2 years is free). Includes music, crafts, games and food.
30 October
Brooklyn Heights Halloween Parade starts at 10am at the Pierrepont Playground
All Hallows Eve Bash at One Brooklyn Bridge Park
Costume Karaoke Party in Carroll Park
8th Annual Brooklyn Howl-o-Ween Doggie Costume Parade/Contest on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, 1pm to 3pm. If you want to be part of this bow-wow, the pre-registration is at Perfect Paws, 102 Hicks St, for $25.00 per dog–however it is free to watch. Parade participants will gather by the Brooklyn Heights Promenade’s Remsen Street entrance at 12:45pm and starting at 1pm promenade to the costume judging table, which this year for the first time will be at the circular north end of the Promenade. Local area celebrity judges will be charged with selecting the best dog costume ensembles.
The Brazen Head, 228 Atlantic Ave, will celebrate from 8pm onward with Halloween Punch, three Great Halloween Beers (Post Road Pumpkin, Young’s Double Chocalate St & Coney Island Sword Swallower), complimentary sweets & treats and $50.00 Bar Tab for Best Costume at Midnight.
Doggie Costume Parade in Cobble Hill
An abundance of Halloween activities at Prospect Park. You can find them all listed here.
31 October
Per usual, the Halloween Parade in Cobble Hill Park starts at 4pm!
Carroll Gardens Halloween Parade begins at 12:30
Halloween Bash at Mother Cabrini Park
Hairy Scary Tales from around the world with Tammy Hall takes place at GUMBO (493 Atlantic Avenue) from noon to 12:45pm.
DPO’s annual Halloween Party at the Archway Under The Manhattan Bridge includes free craft activities and games. Lunch will also be sold in case your goblins get hungry. Goes from 1pm to 3pm.
Festivities at Garden Place-I know there’s some great activities here but don’t have the info. If you know what’s doin’–give me a yell.
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