Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Oak & Iris Cafe

How are people liking the new hours and new menus? When we walked by on Saturday or Sunday mornings the place has been crowded. Opinions?
Rain date for 31-35 Church Avenue Mural project rescheduled to Saturday Oct 4th (because of the rain last Sat. and Sun!)
From a reader: Our local CB description from the "About" section. Do you think it represents the mix we have here in Kensington?

About Community Board 12 Brooklyn
Community Board 12 Neighborhoods: Borough Park, Mapleton, Kensington, Ocean Parkway, and Midwood Borough Park is a formidable Jewish melting pot of immigrants from Israel, Russia and Europe, plus members of more than 20 Hasidic sects, such as the Satmar, Bobov and Belz. The air is filled with a babel of English, Yiddish, Hebrew, Russian and various Eastern European languages. This is no accident -- Borough Park is reputed to have the highest concentration of Orthodox Jews outside Israel. The focus here, where four or more children per family is the norm rather than the exception, is on family life. Numerous hat and wig shops reflect the Orthodox requirement that Jewish men and their wives cover their heads. In the weeks before Passover you can watch a centuries-old matzoh baking tradition being carried out at the Shmura Matzoh Bakery (36th Street, end of 13th Avenue). There is even a small hotel, the Park House Hotel (1206 48th Street), that caters to the orthodox visitor. If you want to feel the pace of the Orthodox Jewish lifestyle, visit Borough Park early on a Friday afternoon. During this pre-Sabbath rush hour, bearded men in black coats wait in line to buy foot-long challahs. Women with seven or eight children in tow rush to finish their food shopping. From the start of the Sabbath on Friday evening until its completion on Saturday evening, this community does not drive, turn on electricity, carry or use money, or conduct business. What does all this mean for the visitor to Borough Park? Don't even think of coming here on Friday night or Saturday, because nothing is open. On Sunday, on the other hand, welcome to discount paradise, where you'll find everything from clothing to electronics to jewelry to stuff you didn't know you needed but end up buying because the price is right. Come early, because parking along 13th Avenue between 39th and 54th streets -- that's where the majority of stores are located -- is difficult. And don't forget to put money in the meter: Sunday is very much a normal business day in Borough Park. Even the post office, the Blythebourne Station is open on Sunday -- which is good to know if you don't want to trek to the main post office. Borough Park is also host to the small neighborhood of Kensington, which extends along Ocean Parkway from Caton Avenue to Avenue H and was originally part of the Dutch township of Flatbush.
Meetings: Fourth Tuesday of the month, 7:30 pm 5901 13th Avenue, 3rd floor

Saturday, September 27, 2008

WKCAG - Mural Painting TOMORROW!

RAINDATE
Mural Painting TOMORROW at 11 am.
Please stop by!
We would really appreciate your support today 11-3 p.m.
31-35 Church Avenue, between Story and Chester Ave.
West Kensington Community Action Group


Church Avenue Beautification Project
September 28th, 11-3 p.m.
31-35 Church Avenue, Brooklyn (3 blocks west of McDonald)
West Kensington Community Action Group is a group of concerned citizens that live in (or the vicinity of) the area just below Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn, NY. Our mission is to unite as a community and address issues together to improve our neighborhood.Many of us have voiced complaints to 311, the Dept of Sanitation, and Greiner-Maltz (broker of lot) for years about the filthy lot at 31-35 Church Avenue to no avail. We are now ready to take matters into our own hands and invite you to come partake in the fun!On Saturday, September 27th from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. we will be making a beautiful mural, "Kensington Gardens", to hang on the front of the locked lot and hopefully grab some attention from the media. Our ultimate goal is to get that lot cleaned up. It is time for us to take back our community and not let the absentee owners allow the RATS and GARBAGE to continue to multiply. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! Please bring all of your family, friends, and neighbors by and paint a flower or two. It will be a great way to get to know some neighbors, do something good for your community, and have fun!!! Refreshments and paint provided!!!!!
P.S. 230 is having their fall festival fundraiser on Sunday, October 19th

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Local Community Board Meetings

CB 12 (Kensington) meetings are held most often at the AMICO center (5901 13th ave, 3rd floor) which is across the street from the CB office. The entrance is on 59th street.
Meetings are usually the 4th Tuesday of the month from Sept to June
718.851.0800

Community Board 14 (Kensington)
Meetings are the Second Monday
810 East 16th Street
718.859.6357
Where the Bobos Now Buy In Brooklyn
Take the train to savings! Sheepshead Bay, Bay Ridge, Kensington—the first-time buyers are flocking there

For first-time buyers, the trade-off between convenience and environmentoften leads to longer commutes but quieter home living. Julie Seltzer, a33-year-old transportation planner, and her husband bought a house inKensington in 2004. Ms. Seltzer travels 45 minutes to and from midtownManhattan every day.
After renting a house with her husband in Bensonhurst for four years, Ms.Seltzer knew she wanted to buy a home in a similarly quiet Brooklynneighborhood.
She and her husband live in a three-bedroom postwar co-op, and it tookthem two years and countless trips to Bay Ridge, Fort Greene and CarrollGardens to find it. They paid $313,000 for their apartment back in 2004,and similar units in the neighborhood are now on the market for over$500,000.
“We like the neighborhood a lot,” Ms. Seltzer said. “We like that it issafe, close to the train and a five-minute walk to Prospect Park.”
Back in her postcollege years, Ms. Seltzer, who was born and raised inQueens, thought about living in Manhattan, but she’s happy where she isnow. “It’s nice not to have 100 people running outside your door everyday. It’s quiet and more relaxing in Brooklyn and it feels moreneighborhoody here than in Manhattan.”

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Oak & Iris - Extended Hours plus Dinner

The Oak & The Iris, on Ft. Hamilton & E. 4th is now open on Saturdays! They're also starting with a limited weekend dinner menu. We hear there are four pre-fixe dinners (beef, chicken, pasta,and fish) plus their thypical salads. Dinner hours are from 6-10pm although we're not sure if this includes Sat.

Just an FYI... There is children's play corner that and free Wi-Fi is in the works.
Rosesman says,

How about we stop focusing on what is not here in Kensington, for a moment.
What's everyone's opinion on:
The best Chinese place in Kensington/or maybe even best on Church?
Best Italian?
Best Thai?
Best "other ethnic" i.e. Faros, Falafel Fusion...?
Which is better Denny's or Shenanigan's?
Who loves Old Brick?
Why.... we have a lot of newbies who may not even know these exist...

ANA Meeting - Sept. 25th

The fall meetings of the Albemarle Neighborhood Association will be held on Thursday, September 25; Thursday, October 23rd; and Thursday, November 20th.

All meetings are scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m. Currently, all meetings will be held at the Flatbush &Shaare Torah Jewish Center, 327 E. 5th Street (corner Church Avenue) but may be subject to change. Foodtown will supply refreshments.

Richard Chin, Manager of the Kensington Post Office, will be the guest speaker. He will discuss programs that have been and will be implemented to make this branch more community friendly. The By-laws Committee met during the summer and will present a new document to the membership at the September meeting. The Communications Committee met during the summer to bring the ANA onto the "information superhighway" and will report at the September meeting.

Church Ave Bonanza

Kensington Merchants Association Church Avenue Bonanza
Sunday, October 5th, 10 am-6 pm
Church Avenue from McDonald Avenue to Ocean Parkway
Rides! Food! Bargains!
For more information, call 718-444-6028

Traingle Below Greenwood - Sept. 27th

Triangle-Below-Greenwood (Tri-Be-Green) had its very first meeting yesterday. We are a group of concerned citizens that live in (or the vicinity of) the area just below Greenwood Cemetery. Our mission is to unite as a community and address issues together to improve our neighborhood.

As you know, many of us have voiced complaints to 311, the Dept of Sanitation, and Greiner-Maltz for years about the filthy lot at 31-35 CHurch Avenue to no avail. We are now ready to take matters into our own hands and invite you to come partake in the fun!

On Saturday, September 27th from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.we will be making a beautiful mural, "Kensington Gardens", to hang on the front of the lot and hopefully grab some attention from the media. Our ultimate goal is to get that lot cleaned up. It is time for us to take back our community and not let the owners allow the RATS and GARBAGE to continue to multiply. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

Please bring all of your family, friends, and neighbors by and paint a flower or two. It will be a great way to get to know some neighbors, do something good for your community, and have fun!!! Refreshments and paint provided!!!!!

Where: In front of the lot at 31-35 Church Avenue (between Story Ct. and Chester Ave)
When: Saturday, September 27th, 11-3 p.m.
- Triangle Below Greenwood

Please feel free to pass this on!

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Oak & Iris OPEN!

What are the reviews of our new cafe?

Church Ave Retail

Recent Additions/ Changes:

Joe & Joe's to be a 99 cent store
Furiniture Store (that lasted approx. 2 months) to be a nail salon

Discuss

VV reviews AM Thai

Going Coco-Nuts at Am-Thai Chili Basil Kitchen
Brilliant Brooklyn Thai is awash in the thick white stuff
Sometimes, the smaller the place, the bigger the menu. Such is the case at Am-Thai, where the elephantine bill of fare extends to 130 dishes in 11 categories—and that's not counting the options multiplier, by which any dish can be made with shrimp, fried tofu, chicken, beef, whole or filleted fish, duck, or even mock duck, making over 1,000 choices in all.
UPCOMING EVENTS AT CYNTHIA KING DANCE STUDIO
1256 Prospect Avenue (bet. Reeve and Greenwood)
718.437-0101

New Toddler Dance and Adult Ballroom, Salsa, Swing & Tap!
Visit www.cynthiakingdance.com for a Full Schedule or call 718.437.0101 for more details.

Open House
Saturday, September 6th 10am-2pm
Followed by a Special Performance at 2pm!
COMPLIMENTARY HOODIE WHEN YOU REGISTER AT THE OPEN HOUSE!
CKDS presents an innovative curriculum that embraces traditional to emerging styles, inspiring dancers to strive for both technical excellence and meaningful artistry. Teachers are deeply in tune with children's perspectives, creating dances that capture their enthusiasm, depth and humor.

Nearby Yoga Options

YogaSole to Open Yoga Studio in Early September Windsor Terrace
Brooklyn is about to get a lot more flexible with the opening of YogaSole. The Yoga studio will be opening its door early September and will be welcoming the entire community with wide-open arms! YogaSole will strive to be different and make Yoga an accessible and enjoyable experience for everyone of all age groups and expertise.

OTHER OPTIONS
1. House of Yoga with Elyce, on Ditmas
2. Yoga w/ Lauren, in lower WT (very near Kensington)