Fingers crossed for good weather Friday night, because I wouldn’t want to miss the outdoor screening of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (Gene Wilder, not Johnny Depp). The film will run in the PS 29 schoolyard, 17 June at 8:30 pm, courtesy of Big Movies for Little Kids and sponsored by Joy Hudecz D.D.S., The Cobble Hill Association and The PS29 PTA. Come early and enjoy hotdogs, hamburgers, popcorn, candy and beverages (for purchase)–and snag a plumb spot to view the main feature and four audience favorites (two films tied for third place) from the BMFLK first-ever student film festival. Children of all ages welcome.
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PS 29 Outdoor Movie Screening
Weekend Links and Stuff to Do
Almost weekend. And hot. Damn-it. Anyhow, here’s some stuff to plan for if you’re not heading out of town.
Brooklyn Folk Festival- Come check out the lineup of over 30 bands from all over the world. Tickets are $20 per day or $55 for the weekend. Film screenings are included in the admission price. Workshops are included with the weekend pass.
Last weekend for the Sanatorium by Pedro Reyes at 345 Jay Street (across from the NY City Transit building, between WC Arts & Drafting Supply store and Metro Cafe). From the website, “artist Pedro Reyes combines the best of New York’s existing therapy landscape with unexpected, short, experimental treatments. In two-hour windows, Sanatorium visitors experience up to three sessions from a roster of sixteen special “urban therapies.” Upon arrival, visitors will meet a receptionist who will assign the “therapies.” Balancing reality and parody, Sanatorium draws from Gestalt psychology, theater warm-up exercises, Fluxus events, conflict resolution techniques, trust-building games, corporate coaching, psychodrama, and hypnosis. While some of the sessions should be experienced alone, others are specifically catered to couples and larger groups.”
Brooklyn Historical Society (128 Pierrepont Street): ‘Baseball, Nationalism and the Civil War’ will be open to baseball and historical lovers alike. Sports historian George B. Kirsch will be speaking and the event coincides with Home Base: Memories of the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field,” an exhibition on view through 14 August. Takes place 12 June at 2pm.
Whether you want to join in the fun–or make sure not to drive to Prospect Park–take note of Saturday’s Brooklyn Pride Festival. Check here for event times and locations.
Opa! Greek Festival Hits Schermerhorn St.
Walking home from the subway this afternoon I was thrilled to see the annual Grecian Festival at Sts. Constantine and Helen Cathedral in full swing. The fun will run through Sunday, 12 June on Schermerhorn St. right off Court, and in addition to the outrageously yummy gyros, plump with seasoned lamb, you’ll also find other Greek food and pastries, music, kids activities, dancers (Thursday and Friday at noon and on Saturday night) and a gift shop sale. It will begin at 11am until Friday and at 1pm Saturday and Sunday.
Don’t Miss Red Hook Jazz Fest
The next two weekends, you can enjoy the cool sounds and local talent of the 4th Annual Red Hook Jazz Festival. Taking over the Urban Meadow (at President and Van Brunt Streets) from 1pm to 6pm, it begins this Sunday with folks like the Marco Capelli Project, The Wee Trio and Jedd Newlett’s New Trad. Next Sunday, 18 June, you can expect to groove to the tunes of Renku, Jeff Davis Band and the Ingrid Laubrock Trio. Come for the music–stay for the laid back, family-friendly vibe. Tickets are $5 for adults, kids are free.
And, in other jazz news, the NY Transit Museum will be hosting a night of music, art, and mingling on Thursday, 23 June from 6pm to 8pm. NY Saxophonist Roy Nathanson and Sotto Voce will beperforming tunes from their aptly titled second album, Subway Moon and Nathanson’s wife, Charna Meyers, will show photographs from her latest project, The Subway Photos. Refreshments provided by Brooklyn Brewery. You can purchase tickets here for $10 each.
Monte’s Old-School Gowanus Italian Given Rebirth
image via Brooklyn Paper
That means updated interiors that resist kitsch with sage green and exposed brick walls — and the gigantic murals of Venice have been replaced with vintage Brooklyn street maps, wrought iron sconces, and the occasional pizza paddle.
“We kept what we could, like the old bar,” said Castelvetre. “We just gave it a new marble countertop. The tables got a new base. The red booths aren’t original, but we kept the look the same. Everything else needed to be gutted — it was all rotted through.”
The most striking aspect of the renovation is an entirely open kitchen, where patrons can watch pizzaiolo John Censullo shuttle thin crusted pies from a massive wood-burning pizza oven.
The chef, Christian Sbordi, formerly of The Rainbow Room/Cipriani’s and Le Caprice, is promising modern grub with an affordable price tag. Think lamb meatballs with ricotta, sherry onions, cauliflower and sesame cream; pasta with wild boar ragu and parmagiano foam; and sesame-crusted tuna with caponata and saba. So go on, check it out at 451 Carroll St. between Third Avenue and Nevins Street. This ain’t your uncle’s Gowanus.
Brooklyn Gets Its Own TV & Movie Tours
Remember when the “real” Kramer from Seinfeld started doing tours of the TV show’s locations in Manhattan? Or women from all over the world came to NYC to drink cosmos at the same bars as Carrie and the gals? Well now Brooklyn has its very own kitschy movie tour. The approximately four hour tour by On Location Tours takes place every Saturday and will run you $42 for adults and $24 for kids aged 6 to 9. It touts up-close views of over 40 bridges, bistros and brownstones featured on the big and small screen, including the French café used in Julie & Julia, the bakery from Moonstruck, the bar that stood in for a Boston pub in The Departed, the casino in Boardwalk Empire, the bookstore from Eat, Pray, Love, and the firehouse from I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (god help us all).
Of course, anyone living here, especially in good old Bococa, knows we have no shortage of movie and TV shoots to choose from (hello Men in Black III). Those huge, white trucks are taking up our parking spaces more than we’d like to admit. But heck, if it brings the borough a little extra cash, I can’t complain. No, you won’t see the spot where Mr. Big bought bought his sushi, but thank goodness the poor kids in Gossip Girl are slumming it in DUMBO.
Could Kardashian Crash Cobble Hill?
Sadly, my husband broke the news that Kim Kardashian is engaged. Yes, his time on SportsCenter elicited a better update on the country’s favorite porn/reality/sports-loving gal than my fleeting ten minutes of BBC News. And guess what? Her hubby-to-be is a current NJ Net–and will be moving to our borough come 2012 to become a Brooklyn, um, New Yorker? Yes, Kris Humphries will be heading to our neck of the woods, and I appreciated the Wall Street Journal’s take on it.
And because this is Brooklyn, the baby watch will be on. Maybe they will have two babies, pushed in a diamond-encrusted Bugaboo. The Cobble Hill playground will be on high alert, with jealous parents clucking over lattes from Ted & Honey. Are the Humphries-Kardashian kids really having a birthday party at Carmelo the Science Fellow? Where will they go to school? St. Ann’s? Packer? Berkeley-Carroll? 321? Are Khloe and Lamar coming in for the weekend?
Kim will be everyone’s new best friend, the newest smug name drop. “Oh, you saw Jonathan Safran Foer at BAM? Well, I just went shopping at Bird with Kim Kardashian and then I took her to the Red Hook soccer field.”
Of course, we all know she’s no Michelle Williams. If you’re celebrating your engagement party with glitter-covered miniature horses (oh yes she DID), you are firmly staying in the land of Manhattan. Though I’m pretty sure I saw a diamond-encrusted Bugaboo parked outside Barney’s just last week…
Governor’s Island Food & Beer Fest
As we mentioned yesterday, free ferries start running from Pier 6 to Governor’s Island this Saturday, 28 May. So why not take full advantage and get in on the Brewer’s PicNyc, a two-day celebration of street food, craft beer and music on Colonels’ Row. The festival runs 29-30 May and includes food vendors like Asia Dog, The Bistro Truck, Cup Cake Stop, East Village Meat Market, Gotham Artisinal Sodas, Kimchi Taco Truck and Luke’s Lobster. Beer will be provided by Brooklyn Brewery, Goose Island, Sixpoint and Two Brother’s. You can buy tickets here and kids 12 and under go free. Obviously, the vendors will charge separately for their food, which will run from $2 to $15.
One Last Brooklyn Bridge Park Update-Pier 6 Expanded
Wow, it’s been a big week for Brooklyn Bridge Park. I was just informed that this Saturday will also mark the opening of a new, 1.8-acre area at Pier 6 featuring three regulation-sized sand volleyball courts, two 15,000 square-foot lawns, and an expanded network of lighted pathways planted with an array of native plants and trees. In addition to Bark Hot Dogs, other concessions at the pier include Milk Truck, best known for its grilled cheese sandwiches and milkshakes, Blue Marble Ice Cream and Uncle Louie G’s Italian Ices. And, lo and behold! The free ferry service to Governor’s Island also starts on 28 May and will operate on Saturdays, Sundays and holiday Mondays through 25 September 25.
Party On at Brooklyn Bridge Park Sunset Fundraiser
Better save the date, the party of the season is approaching fast. Called Sunset Soca, this is Brooklyn Bridge Conservancy’s time to kick off their shoes and party hard with the community. Plus they get to show off what an awesome park we have–and collect some money to make it even more awesome-er. We’re talking Caribbean tunes, children’s activities, island-inspired eats & specialty cocktails — plus a silent auction featuring steals, deals, and one-of-a-kind opportunities. Think tickets to baseball games (Cyclones, Yankees and Mets), meals at local restaurants, even tix to Shakespeare in the Park. Tickets start at $25 for kids and $125 for general admission. A Family Pack will run you $500 and up to 20 tickets is a measly $5,000. The event takes place at Pier 1 on 2 June and goes from 6pm to 9pm so buy your tix now and show your support.
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