Brooklyn Designs Event

From May 10 to May 12, the 16^th annual Brooklyn Designs Expo was held at Brooklyn Navy Yard.  For local designers and business proprietors in the region, this provided a great opportunity to display their work, network and get recognition.

This year over 60 representatives from various industries in Brooklyn ended up displaying their wares, in architecture, art and more, offering something for everyone.  It was also a family event since there were activities for children, workshops, demonstrations and more. 

The event – founded in 2003 by the Brooklyn Chamber – has now become the main design event for local and up-and-coming designers.

Traveling Around Brooklyn

In this video (sponsored by Cyber Ghost VPN), The Traveling Clatt takes us on a tour of one of the five NYC boroughs – Brooklyn which he describes as “incredible.”  Here, he details everything you need to know having lived in the Williamsburg neighborhood for four months following his transfer from Miami.

Out and About in Brooklyn

Five days ago on Earth Day 2019, Eric L. Adams, President of Brooklyn Borough, held a Bike-to-Work ride.  Now in its fifth year, the annual event was the first of the celebrations for Earth Day for Brooklyn. 

The Tour de Brooklyn cyclists were accompanied by Alicia Ampry-Samuel (a member of the Council) Latrice Walker (a member of the Assembly) and Zellnor Myrie (a Senator). Community groups that participated included: The Brown Bike Girl; Ptkin Avenue Business Improvement District; Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Corporation and Transportation Alternatives.

As Adams noted:

“Earth Day is a reminder of the steps we can all take every single day to reduce our impact on the flora and fauna around us. That includes increasing our use of pedal power. Not only is biking a great way to commute and a therapeutic exercise, it also provides a chance to really see the crevices of our communities.”

For those interested in finding a great outdoors area to bike, they will be happy to know that NYC’s largest state park is going to be getting a $20 million investment from Gov. Andrew Cuomo.  The money will be used to build community gardens, recreational centers and a green space – perfect for local cyclists.

Local Events – with a Difference

There is a lot to do in Kensington, Brooklyn and new activities  coming up all the time.  Here we look at a couple of events that are slightly outside the box that locals can enjoy.

The first one is a plant class. In a recent article by Rebecca Fishbein on ‘The 10 best spots for plant classes in NYC,’ Kensington’s “Twig Terrariums” was ranked in second place.  Set up by good friends Michelle Inciarrano and Katy Maslow, the open studio and store offers a whole range of terrariums, DIY kits, pots and plants and unusual gifts. While there you can also learn how to set up your own plant and terrarium collection.  All materials are provided for the workshops and one can also choose a romantic date night option there. 

The second is a venture set up back in 2014 by Eleanor Rodgers who, at the time hosted informal LEGO classes for her son and some friends at home.  But after a while it developed into one of New York City’s really cool after-school programs.  The program since then has joined up with the Wingspan Afterschool Program at PS130 and is now called the Rodgers’ Kensington LEGO Class.  Featuring a STEM experience for little LEGO builders from Kindergarten to third grade.  From third to fifth grade, kids can make their own LEGO movie through this venture too.

Given that Kensington boasted the highest birth rate in New York City (in 2017) at 12 percent, this really is becoming a great place to set up kid-friendly businesses.

Kensington Entertainment

Two days ago BK Style and Partners hosted a fundraising event for Projext Culture – Save the Muse Brooklyn.  In celebration of Stevie’s BOI 100^th Anniversary, the featured artist was C Boogie and the event took place at 350 Moffat Street. 

The creative community that comprises the Muse Brooklyn provides a common space for international artists, celebrating all forms of circus.  circus can be used in a therapeutic background; for fitness; play and high quality entertainment. 

On 11^th April, Fashion Week Brooklyn showcased five brands at 630 Flushing Avenue “regaling fashion enthusiasts with their diverse and inclusive display [in order to present] the diversity of talent, spaces, art and fashion.”  one particularly outstanding show was Catherine Schuller’s Runway the Real Way (RTRW) and the entire event was an opportunity for the public at large to connect to a variety of fashions and brands.

Is this Brooklyn’s Most Legendary Pizza?

Check it out for yourself on thisvideo.  Lucali - located at 575 Henry Street – is “arguably the most famous pizza in Brooklyn.”  Here, INSIDER’s Herrine Ro takes a look at Marc Lacano’s eatery.

The Sketchbook Project

The Sketchbook Project, located in The Brooklyn Art Library, houses a unique collection of art: a collaborative library of sketches.

Open to visitors, each sketchbook is cataloged and has a unique barcode that makes browsing easy. The Sketchbook Project is home to over 30,000 sketchbooks from over 70,000 contributors from 135 countries.

People who are interested in contributing to the project can sign up on the library’s website.

For those who can’t visit the physical library, digital copies of many sketchbooks are available online. The Brooklyn Art Library also offers a traveling version of their library collection.