Archive for April, 2010

The Heights Makes the Big Screen

By , 7 April, 2010, 1 Comment

Well, that was quick. The rights to Peter Hedges novel The Heights, which just came out last month, have already been picked up by Focus Features, according to Entertainment Weekly.

The author of both the novel and screenplay of What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (and also the man behind Dan in Real Life and Pieces of April), Hedges is set to write, direct, and produce The Heights. The novel follows a married couple in Brooklyn whose marriage is tested in an “unthinkable yet delicious way,” according to Hedges. Hint: another woman enters the picture.

Of course, we should all be set to walk around the movie trucks for a few months–but it should be worth it to see a whole film set in the hood. No ideas about who will be cast, but please feel free to speculate.

Nice one, park developers

By , 7 April, 2010, No Comment

A word of warning to anyone going to the newly-opened Pier 1 at Brooklyn Bridge Park on a hot day such as this: The steel “climbing domes” get very hot. Like, burn-your-kids-and-make-them-cry hot. Oh, don’t worry, it’s not a permanent hazard — once the tree canopy fills in, the shade ought to keep the domes cool. So I’m just going to, you know, tell my four-year-old to wait for the trees to grow, I’m sure that will do the trick. He’s great with instructions, especially when it comes to giant shiny metal things.

I’d suggest a fence of some sort…

Island rhythms

By , 7 April, 2010, No Comment

I wasn’t totally comfortable taking a dig at Staten Island as I did yesterday in my post on the census. Manhattan — yeah, fair game, I’ll slight Manhattan any chance I get, but Staten Island? What did Staten Island ever do to me? (Well, other than charge me an arm and a leg to drive through, but that’s not Staten Islanders’ fault.) And then on this summer-like day I hear a wonderful song, a new-favorite-song kinda tune, if not a new-favorite-group kinda outfit.

This makes me want to mix up a gin drink and fire up the grill, now — and it’s barely 10 AM. This is what a cookout sounds like at my house, or should. It’s “Budos Rising,” by the Afro-funk 11-piece Budos Band, who are from, yes, Staten Island. (Here’s the iTunes link — and I’m only one year behind the curve!)

You’re ok, Staten Island.

Sazerac Tasting at Char No. 4

By , 6 April, 2010, No Comment

image courtesy of cocktailtimes.com

Looking for something to do on this warm, spring evening? Head to Char No. 4 (196 Smith Street) to celebrate the re-opening of its patio with a Sazerac whiskey tasting. There will be four whiskeys–Buffalo Trace White Dog, Buffalo Trace, Blanton’s and Eagle Rare 10 Year–each one paired with a taste of a different dish from their menu. There are 20 seats available so you might want to give them a call at 718-643-2106 to reserve a spot. The tasting begins at 9:30 and will be approximately an hour and a half long. The cost is $35 per person, not including tax and gratuity.

Hurray! More Yellow Cabs in Brooklyn

By , 6 April, 2010, No Comment

I’m one of the lucky ones. I live in Cobble Hill near Clinton Street, where a parade of yellow cabs can be found at almost any time of the day to happily whisk you to Manhattan or (against their wishes) somewhere else in Brooklyn. But most Brooklynites don’t have this luxury and have to rely on livery cabs for their non-public transportation. Not that there’s anything wrong with a black car, but you have to call them and wait and its just an added nuisance much of the time.
But things may be changing if David Yassky, the newly confirmed chairman of the Taxi and Limousine Commission, has his way. According to the NY Times, Yassky plans on spreading the love when it comes to yellow cabs in boroughs other than Manhattan.

Presumably, he also takes cabs — although a recent study suggested that very few taxis pick up passengers in Brooklyn Heights, Mr. Yassky’s home. In fact, Mr. Yassky said at his confirmation hearing that part of his charge was to “ensure the industry serves all parts of the city effectively.”

Will this make your life easier? And do you believe it will ever happen? I’m not so sure the cabbies are going to play nice (I have a friend who has to hide her child when she hails a yellow cab on Clinton because they know she’s going local and don’t want to pick her up). But let’s give the guy a chance, you never know.

Stand up and be, er…

By , 5 April, 2010, 2 Comments

If filling out the census is a contest, Brooklyn is losing. We’re last among the five boroughs, with just 34% of our forms turned in. Not filling out the census is a popular pastime every ten years, but people do it for different reasons; most, we think, due to laziness, while some consider it an invasion of privacy.

We’re 11 points behind Manhattan and 10 behind Staten Island. Yes, Staten Island is beating us in something. What’s your excuse — are you just lazy, or do you prefer not to aid Big Brother in his secret snoopy business?

Watch Your Back: Crime Up in Brooklyn

By , 5 April, 2010, 2 Comments

Suck it up Brooklynites, our Borough isn’t faring too well in the crime department. According to the Daily News, in the 84th District (which encompasses Brooklyn Heights, Boerum Hill, Vinegar Hill and the Farragut Residences), there was a 104% increase (from 24 to 49) in robberies through March 21. Grrrr.
So just take some extra caution if you’re walking home late–and you might want to keep those iPhones in your bag or pocket.

Recycle Those Old Electronics

By , 5 April, 2010, 2 Comments

This is a great event, so thank you Cobble Hill Association for setting it up. On Sunday 25 April, an electronics-recycling event with the Lower East Side Ecology Center will be held at the PS 29 schoolyard (Henry between Kane and Baltic). You’ll be able to safely get rid of all those old, annoying products in your technology graveyard without ruining the environment.

All of the following will be accepted in either working or non-working condition:

-Computers and monitors
-Printers, scanners, fax machines, copiers
-Network devices (routers, hubs, modems, etc.)
-Peripherals (keyboards, mice, cables, etc.)
-PC components (hard drives, cd-roms, circuit boards, power supplies, etc.)
-Television sets, VHS and DVD players
-Radios and stereos
-Phones of all sorts, answering machines, pagers
-PDAs and games
-Media (floppy disks, cd’s, VHS tapes)
-Batteries

PLEASE NOTE:
- They cannot accept any home appliances (microwaves, refrigerators, etc), or any materials from businesses and the event is for NYC residents only.

Another Reason to Get That iPad

By , 2 April, 2010, No Comment

Thinking about running out for the Apple iPad tomorrow ? Here’s one more reason to throw down your cash. Netflix has announced it will offer a free app that will allow Netflix subscribers to instantly stream content to their iPad. You’ll be able to watch movies or TV episodes with just the tap of a finger–and you can fast-forward or rewind just like a DVD. Of course, since this is the first generation iPad and only includes Wifi (not 3G, which gives you access to the Internet as long as it can connect to the network), you won’t be able to use it as much as you might like. But it’s good to know.

Mini Max Celebrates Earth Day

By , 2 April, 2010, No Comment

In addition to giving pretty darn good haircuts for kids, Mini Max at 152 Atlantic (near Clinton), is also a toy store. And to celebrate the greening of our Mother Earth (and Earth Day on 22 April), the owners are implementing a 10% discount on eco-friendly brands such as Plan Toys, Sprig, Green Toys and HaPe for the remainder of the month. Also, as a reminder, you can always catch a free puppet show on Sundays at 10am and storytimes in French on Tuesday and Thursdays–also at 10am.

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