Island Escape at Trendy Brooklyn Bar

If the Brooklyn heat is getting you down, you don’t need to look far for an island respite. A Tropical Bar called the Diamond Reef is making a splash in NYC with an outdoor Island-themed patio complete with tiki torches, fairy lights and cocktails. Opened by the owners of cocktail lounge Attaboy in March, this downplayed venue is easy to go to and easy to like. 

Island getaway

Decorated with tropical print wallpaper, wood panels, glass bricks and teal accents, the bar sets a true contrast to its surroundings: the Bedford-Stuyvesant industrial zone. Background music, patio furniture and a wide selection of craft beers successfully provide an immediate getaway without much effort.

All mixed up

Throughout the day the Diamond Reef offers a fun family experience with space for children to run around, while at night the pace winds down to compliment the Reef’s famous drinks, which include the frozen slushy ‘Penichillin’, the ‘Booze and Juice’ and the ‘Spicy Flamingo’. The crowd is mixed, a healthy combo of hipsters and suits all there to enjoy the summer-y atmosphere.

Dome Park Entering Phase II of Planned Upgrade

Infamously known as one of “Brooklyn’s worst basketball courts,” the court, located in Dome Playground between Kensington and Williamsburg, is about to lose its negative title.

As Phase II of the park’s renovations gets underway, both the basketball and handball courts on the eastern side of the park are getting complete makeovers.

The Parks Department timeline expects the work to be done by April 2018. The park’s eastern side is near the intersection of Dahill and Courtelyou Roads.

The decrepit nature of the basketball court was first revealed citywide when Wall Street Journal reporter Stu Woo biked around town for two weeks in 2015 checking out the state of Brooklyn’s courts. Ranking them best to worst, Dome Park’s courts came in number 143 out of 172 total courts in the borough, known for its rapid gentrification and general improvement of facilities.

"This triangular-shaped park has a full court and two half courts, all filled with bad paint and worse cracks," wrote Woo in his article.

Phase II, which is also the last phase of the renovations, also includes the addition of accessible ramps, an adult fitness zone, a rebuilt park entrance, new benches, better lighting, improved gardens, and an easy to reach water fountain.

Dog Run Coming to Prospect Park

Border Collie Enjoying Freedom to Run

After years of discussions and requests by neighborhood dog-owners, it looks like Kensington will be finally getting a dog run in Prospect Park.

Activists and members of the Kensington Dog Run Association were pleased to hear that their dreams will soon be a reality after only a few more hurdles to overcome.

"There’s really no areas for dogs to run around and be off leash," Sal Garro, president of the association, said. "We’ve got off leash hours at PP, and those are pretty limited and a lot of people can’t make it to those."

Garro said that his organization is happy with the design for the run, which has two areas, one for smaller dogs, and another for larger. Dog owners will also be supplied with benches to watch their pets run free.

"The designs are incredible," Garro said. "They’re exactly what we wanted. I feel like they really listened to us when we first sat down. They clearly saw our vision."

The run was designed by the Prospect Park Alliance, and will be funded by money which will come through a partnership between two districts; that of Councilmen Mathieu Eugene and Brad Lander. 

The borough of Brooklyn, through the office of Borough President Aric Adams, will also chip in.

Before the actual construction can commence the project will need to be approved by Community Board 14’s Community Environment Committee, which will be meeting on April 19 at 7pm to vote on the issue. If the vote is in favor, dogs and their owners can expect to see a dog run in Prospect Park within about two years.

No Horsing Around: Kensington Stables Looking for Highest Bidder

Good news for horse lovers. The historic Kensington Stables, the last horse stable next to Prospect Park, still has a good chance to remain a stable despite the hard times it has fallen on.

First opened in 1930, the stable is for sale as part of a bankruptcy process by owner Walker Blankinship. He is looking to sell off the property in order to pay off debts accrued by his father, who passed away.

The property is being auctioned by Marc Yaverbaum, whose services were retained by Blankinship’s mother, Edna. The original date for the auction had been set for February 21st, but has since been postponed. The hope is that the extra time will allow for a greater possibility that a buyer will come along who will commit to maintaining the property as a horse stable.

Windsor Terrace Councilman Brad Lander has been lobbying on behalf of a stable on the site, stating that:

 “…the community strongly supports the preservation of a horse stable at this location, and that bidders should be clear about this expectation. I would not support a rezoning of this property that did not commit to preservation of a horse stables," Lander wrote.

Rents Rising at Ridiculous Rates on Bedford Avenue

Bedford Avenue, Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Photo courtesy of LWYang

According to an annual real estate report published by CPEX Real Estate, rents on Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn have skyrocketed faster than any other retail corridor in all of Brooklyn. In the past ten years shops on Bedford Avenue have experience rent hikes averaging 477 percent.

The CPEX report states that the going rate for retail space on Bedford between North 3rd Street and North 8th Street is over $300 per square foot. CPEX is a brokerage that focuses on commercial business. The area in question now is home to Whole Foods, Apple, Equinox and WeWork, among others. The extreme rental rise has rendered that 5 block stretch the single most desired, and expensive, shopping area in Brooklyn, says the report.

Not far away on Bedford Avenue, just a few blocks south between Metropolitan Avenue and South 5th Street, rents are now up to $149 per square foot. Ten years ago the cost to rent was about $40.
Ryan Condren, a managing director at CPEX who helped create the report explained that the north section of Bedford is “way more prime.”

"The train obviously allowed it to be what it is. The retail has only gotten stronger and stronger," he said, referring to the L train stop on Bedford and North 7th Street.

Condren says the trend is going to continue, since people will "go far out of their way to go to Apple or to that Whole Foods. All of a sudden, other retailers want to be there because they'll feed off of that."

The report goes on to point out other areas that are on the brink of a rent cost explosion. He said to look for rapid growth on: Fulton and Lafayette in Fort Greene, Franklin Street in Greenpoint, Nostrand Avenue in Crown Heights, Flatbush Avenue and Church Avenue in Flatbush, Wyckoff Avenue in Bushwick and Fourth Avenue in Sunset Park.

Excelsior Scholarship Plan Announced by Governor Cuomo

Andrew Cuomo by Pat Arnow

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced an astounding new plan that will help poor and middle class families receive higher education. Called the Excelsior Scholarship Plan, this game-changing plan will allow almost one million students enrolled in any of New York State’s public colleges and universities to send the tuition bill to the state.  The plan was announced this past Tuesday by the Governor at a press conference with Vermont State Senator Bernie Sanders standing beside him.

"The American Dream lives in the state of New York and nobody is taking it away," Cuomo said. "And that's what this program is about."

The plan will still need to pass through the state legislature, but if it does it will allow students to go to State University of New York (SUNY) campuses, City University of New York (CUNY) campuses and two-year community colleges completely free, as long as their parents are earning under $125,000 annually. Once the plan is fully implemented it will cost the state about $163 million per year.

The plan will be phased in beginning this year when the cut-off for eligibility will be set at $100,000 annual income. In the fall of 2018 the cut-off will rise to $110,000, and by 2019 Excelsior will reach its upper limit of $125,000.

"I applaud Governor Cuomo for this bold move to educate our youth and keep them in New York," said Democratic State Senator Todd Kaminsky of Rockville Centre. "We need to think big and give our young people the opportunities to excel without crippling debt."

Der Pioneer Bringing Strudel to Ditmas Park

If strudel is your thing, then you are about to have a reason to rejoice. Any day now Der Pioneer is set to open at 737 Church Avenue. This restaurant/bakery is the brainchild of German pastry chef Björn Böttcher, and savory pastry chef Greg Barbiero.

Böttcher, who is originally from Hamburg, has been living in Kensington for 14 years. Barbiero makes his home in Bay Ridge.

Štrůdl. by Che

The pair met in 2010 when they were working at the same restaurant, Ciano NYC. Since then they have worked at different restaurants, but have continued to stay in touch and discuss their dream of opening a specialty bake shop-restaurant together. Finally, their dream is becoming reality.

They plan to keep the store open seven days a week, from 7am to 6pm.

Barbiero will do breakfast, brunch, and the lunch menu. He hopes to put sandwiches, soups, salads, quiches, burgers and other traditional American cuisine up for sale. Böttcher will take charge of the bakery items, all of which will be made by him in the shop.

What can we expect to see from the bakery? Traditional offerings will include: oatmeal cookies, brownies, muffins and scones. On the more exotic side we are looking forward French macaroons, German-style apple strudel, stollen (a German classic: like panettone bread with dried fruits and nuts inside), house-made bon-bons, and franz bröchen, which translates literally to a "French roll."

How does the pair feel about their new adventure? Of course, they are thrilled, saying that when you work for other people “you're learning a lot, but you're being taken advantage of," Barbiero said, mentioning 16 hour days and working during holidays. "This is our thing."

Lander Expands Hours to Assist Bangladeshi Residents of Kensington

In order to accommodate the growing community of Bangladeshi immigrants to Kensington, Councilman Brad Lander has expanded his office hours.

The announcement was made at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the councilman’s new office located at 486 McDonald Avenue, on October 21st, right after Friday prayers, called jumah, which take place at local mosques.

In addition to the expanded hours, Lander has appointed a community liaison, Ruby Abdul, a Bengali speaker, to assist with the community.

Brad Lander

“I’m very excited to expand my office’s availability to serve as a resource for the Bangladeshi community in Kensington and to finally offer Bengali assistance,” Lander (D-Park Slope-Kensington-Borough Park) said. “The Bangladeshi community is an essential part of the broader community in Kensington, but one with its own particular needs. I’m excited to have Ruby work together with so many of Kensington’s leaders to serve this incredibly special neighborhood as best we can.”

Brooklyn Democratic Club Empowers Muslim Voters

The Muslim Democratic Club of New York is the vehicle through which many Muslim New Yorkers are getting their voices heard.

The goal of the club is to educate and motivate Muslim voters to support causes important to them and candidates that will fight for their issues. Murad Awawdeh is the president of the MDCNY, which boasts a few hundred dues paying members all over New York, but mostly in Queens and Brooklyn. Although most of the members are Arab or South Asian, there are also members hailing from Africa and Asia, with a smattering of whites, too.

This year the club is focusing its energies on the 44th and 46th Districts in Brooklyn. In the 44th District, which consists of Windsor Terrace, Park Slope, and Kensington, the club is endorsing Robert “Bobby” Carroll. In the 46th District, Coney Island, Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, they are behind Pamela Harris in the Primary scheduled for September 13th. The MDCNY will support these candidates with phone calls, canvasing, and especially targeting Muslim neighborhoods in those Districts, working to get Muslims to come out and vote in the primary.

“We are trying to engage and integrate as many people (Muslims) into this democratic process as possible. That they not only come out and vote but they understand what they are voting for. So they understand what a City Councilman does, what a Mayor does, what a Public Advocate does,” said Awawdeh.

Eleven New Yorkers Heading for Rio for Summer Olympics

You might think more New Yorkers would qualify as Olympic athletes, considering the intense training we get every day just by living here. Running for the train, jumping over pot holes, throwing groceries in the cart at the crowded supermarket, could almost be their own Olympic sports.

Nevertheless, there are eleven enormously talented (and hard-working) young people from the Big Apple that are off to join in the festivities and competition that has been a dream come true for them.

The athletes will participate in five popular events: basketball, fencing, gymnastics, swimming, and track and field. Here is a sample of just three of our eleven stars:

• Carmelo Anthony is a star basketball player. This is his fourth visit to the Olympics, and he already has two gold medals at home. Here in New York he spends his spare time as the franchise player of the New York Knicks.

• Tina Charles is also a basketball hero. Here at home she is the center for the New York Liberty women’s basketball team. She also took home the gold once before, four years ago. She is a native of Queens where she played high school basketball.

• Miles Chamley-Watson is a swordsmen of amazing prowess. He was born in London, but that hasn’t stopped him from representing the USA in fencing for the second time. He proved his determination by being the first US fencer to win a gold medal at the 2013 world championships.

Co-work Space Opens on Church Avenue

Flatbush Jewish Center

As co-working spaces, or hubs, continue to grow in popularity, we see them popping up in some more unusual places. For instance, right here in Windsor Terrace-Kensington, one such business is open. Called “Space at the Center,” located at 327 East 5th Street, in the Flatbush Jewish Center, several different options are available for those seeking a comfortable place to work.

Included in the rental fees are Wi-Fi, private offices or shared spaces with comfortable chairs and roomy desks. The space is entirely wheelchair accessible with an elevator to the second floor where the hub is located.

Space at the Center is open Monday through Thursday from 9am to 5pm and Friday from 9am to 1pm on Fridays. Clients can rent space on a daily basis, or at reduced rates for 10 days/month and 20 days/month. One day costs $25; 10 days for $200; and 20 days for $300.

For more information call: 718-871-5200 or email: office@flatbushjewishcenter.org.

Expect Express Trains Next Year on F Train Line

The MTA is recommending that beginning next year half of the F trains running through central Brooklyn run as express trains during the busiest times of day.

The express line would run between the Jay Street MetroTech station in Downtown Brooklyn and the Church Avenue station in Kensington. The express line will stop once at 7^th Avenue in Park Slope during morning and evening rush hours. The other half of the trains will continue to make all the stops between Jay Street and Church Avenue.

If the recommendation is accepted it would be implemented by the fall of 2017.

The recommendation was made in a feasibility study released this week by the MTA and made at “the request of F train riders and elected officials in Brooklyn.”

The study was able to precisely quantify the benefit of introducing the express line. The researchers found that each express passenger would save on average 3-4 minutes on their commute, while those taking the local would lose 1.3 minutes. Multiplying by the expected number of passengers yields a “net travel time benefit of 27,000 minutes.”

"F express trains would be slightly more crowded than current F trains," the MTA said, "although still within NYC Transit's loading guidelines, while the F locals would be less crowded. There would also be increased stair crowding at a couple of local stations due to larger PM exit surges per train."

State Senators Gather to Push for Passage of Anti-Bullying Law

A group of activists, including State Senator Kevin Parker and State Assemblywoman Roxanne Persaud, joined together to persuade state lawmakers to pass the E-Impersonation Prevention Act (S5871-A), which would impose harsher sentences on those who engage in cyber-bullying.

The Act will enlarge the definition of cyber-bullying, and will make what is now a misdemeanor into a felony charge. The maximum sentence for those found guilty will be up to seven years in prison.
Parker, who sponsored the bill, said,

“Momentum is building. But, we all need to make a major push so this much needed legislation becomes law. Cyberbullies operating in the shadows must be unmasked, unplugged and punished. They are ruining reputations and ruining lives. They need to be stopped.”

Parker would like to see the bill cleared out of committee and head to a full Senate vote soon.
Manhattan Assemblywoman Linda B. Rosenthal introduced a sister bill in the state Assembly.

“The E-Impersonation Prevention Act will help victims of internet-based impersonation get the justice they deserve by making it easier for law enforcement to secure convictions,” she said.

The proposed law makes it a felony to act under “false pretenses.” It will be felonious to impersonate someone online in order to hurt, threaten, intimidate of defraud someone. The law is going after predators who take on the identity of their victim and then post online untrue, hurtful, scandalous or inflammatory information in their victim’s name.

“The E-Impersonation Prevention Act is a proactive way to deter cyber-bullying,” said

Assemblywoman Persaud said,

“Cyber-bullying is a form of violence that affects over fifty-percent of our teen and adolescent population in New   York. These criminals are often identified but never appropriately punished because of antiquated or non-existent laws. It is time that we increase and enforce the penalties for these harmful acts. As a society we will no longer allow these digital bullies to ruin the lives of others without fear of a just penalty.”

Brooklyn and Queens: Defining the Border

If you've always been confused as to the precise location of the dividing line between the two boroughs lies (Brooklyn and Queens), then you’re not alone. Many people have posed the same question.  Indeed, Brownstoner Queens did recently in Queens.Brownstoner.  He asked, “what actually divides Queens and Brooklyn?” It’s not like there’s a huge wall or border patrol that marks a line between the two boroughs.”  In fact, Brownstoner points out:   “The Queens-Brooklyn border issue has been confounding the two boroughs, especially residents of Ridgewood and Bushwick, for hundreds of years.”

One way of possibly doing it is looking at different institutions and seeing what their address is.  For example, we know that Dry Harbor Nursing Home in Middle Village is definitely in Queens, while Park Slope CrossFit is in Gowanus and thus in the Brooklyn borough.

But other than going through each actual physical location, is there another way of figuring this apparently age-old question out?

Well, an official line was more-or-less documented back in 2005.  A claim was made by Brownstoner back then which attested to this fact:  “the border runs down Eldert Lane in Jamaica; the west side is Brooklyn and east is Queens.”  A Quora response posited that “the line starts at the East River, continues down Newtown Creek, Cypress Ave, Wyckoff Ave, through Highland Park, and into Jamaica Bay.

Google Maps was then approached and the boundary was confirmed.  So that’s probably it then.  Borough distinction made.

Street Sweeper Takes Police on Wild Car Chase Through Brooklyn

After police were called to the scene where Roman Protas was observed throwing objects at a statue of Jesus, the New York Department of Sanitation

 A compact streetsweeper.
Photo by Ponchitos at English Wikipedia

worker climbed into his street sweeper and “floored it!”

The police followed Protas from St. Francis De Chantal Roman Catholic Church in Borough Park, where the chase began at 8:30am, for several blocks, until they finally caught up with him.

“We observed this individual in full DSNY uniform, fleeing the scene in a street sweeper — a Department of Sanitation machine,” a police spokesman said.

Charges were brought against Protas for the chase: reckless endangerment, fleeing an officer in a motor vehicle, reckless driving, and going through a red light. For his actions against the church’s statue of Jesus: criminal tampering and reckless endangerment of property. In addition, when the police apprehended Protas they found prescription drugs on his person for which he had no prescription. For that offense he has been charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance.

A DSNY spokeswoman said that Protas is a sanitation worker who has worked at the department since October 2004. He is now suspended from his job at the Brooklyn South 12 garage until the NYPD complete their investigation.

Russ & Daughters to Anchor Food Court in Navy Yard

The grand grandfather of appetizing, Russ & Daughters, will have the honor of being the anchor restaurant in the newly developed Building 77 of the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The ground floors of this space is undergoing transformation into a community space housing an ambitious food court, and Russ & Daughters will be its heart.

Photo by Jeffrey Bary

Russ & Daughters was established in 1914. Over the 102 years of its existence on the Lower East Side it became famous for its signature smoked fish, caviar, bagels, bialys and other baked goods. Today the restaurant is owned by Niki Russ Federman and Josh Tupper, fourth generation descendants of the original owners.

The new store in the Navy Yard will be Russ & Daughters’ first venture into the wild ‘burbs of Brooklyn. The store will fill 14,000 square feet with a food manufacturing center as well as a retail outlet and a bagel restaurant. The store is also planning on running baking workshops.

“When we visited [the site] for the first time, we were amazed by the spectacular and vast space,” commented Russ Tupper. “Building 77 will open up this previously hidden gem to the public. The excitement that will be generated from the intersection of food production and enjoyment in Building 77 will help solidify the Navy Yard’s place as a vibrant and unique location in New York to work and visit.”

Nargis Café Makes it to Top 100 of Brooklyn Restaurants

Azərbaycanca: Salyan çörəyi. Photo by Dronqqo

The popular Nargis Café has caught the attention of not just the critics at the New York Times and the Village Voice, but the people voted favorably on Yelp, hurling it into the prestigious top 100 places to eat in Brooklyn.

The Nargis Café has been serving Uzbek food since 2007 at the corner of Coney Island Avenue and Kathleen Place in Sheepshead Bay. Yelp discovered the top 100 restaurants by searching Brooklyn restaurants who obtained the highest star ratings over the past year. The Nargis Café turned out to be one of the most well-liked and popular of Brooklyn’s restaurants.

A glance at Yelp shows a large number of glowing five-star reviews. Here is one such praise for the eatery:

A wonderful restaurant in the heart of Russian Brooklyn that I somehow never thought to try. Several people talked it up in the last few years, so on a recent weekend I guided the parents and the gf over for some Uzbek comfort food. Buzzing with families and friends at 2 pm on Sunday, they were still able to get us a table within minutes.

Another Yelper loved that it is “Cheap.” And has a “Great blend of spices in meat.”

MCU Now Accepting Applications for 2016 Scholarship Program

Eligible high school seniors are invited to fill-in applications for the 2016 Scholarship Program sponsored by the Municipal Credit Union. MCU will award a total of $66,000 in scholarship money to college-bound high school graduates. There will be eight memorial scholarships for $5,000 each, and 13 grants of $2,000 each.

In order to be eligible for these scholarships the student must be either a child or grandchild of an MCU member in good standing. The selection process will judge the applicants on their academic performance, extracurricular and community activities, references, and an essay describing the student’s goals. Applicants will also automatically be eligible for a $500 statewide Public Relations and Marketing Council Scholarship.

“MCU is deeply committed to supporting the youth throughout the communities our members work and live. Our Scholarship Program is one way we achieve this by recognizing and rewarding young people for their outstanding academic performance and community service,” said MCU President/CEO Kam Wong. “We hope our scholarships will enable these students to achieve their goals and succeed in their future endeavors.”

A student from Windsor Terrace was the recipient of the James McKeon Memorial Scholarship. Katherine O’Donnell used her $5,000 scholarship from MCU to pursue studies in biomedical engineering at Binghamton University.

Applications are now available at the following Brooklyn branches of MCU:

• 350 Jay Street
• 1560 Flatbush Avenue
• 2142 Ralph Avenue
• 1904 Surf Avenue

They are also available at any MCU branch as well as on-line on the MCU website: www.nymcu.org. The deadline to submit applications in January 15, 2016.

Sonny Fox Raises Funds for His Alma Mater PS 217

Sonny Fox at 90 years old

Perhaps you remember Sonny Fox, the host of the award-winning children’s television program “Wonderama” which aired from 1959 to 1967? Whether you do or don’t remember, it is worth knowing a little something about Irwin “Sonny” Fox.

Fox grew up in a Jewish family on East 9th Street between Foster Avenue and Avenue H. He had his bar mitzvah in the Young Israel of Flatbush, and went to PS 217, where he has not set foot since 1938.

Fox lives in Los Angeles now, but last year he went on a “Farewell Tour” and visited many of his old stomping grounds, including PS 217. He says a lot has changed in the intervening 80 years:

“The most striking difference is that when I went to P.S. 217 the neighborhood was half Irish and half Jewish,” he said. Fox’s old neighborhood, now called Kensington, hosts large populations of immigrants from South Asia and the Former Soviet Union as well as a growing contingent of charedi Jews moving over from nearby Borough Park. At P.S. 217, notices are printed in English, Spanish, Urdu, Bengali, Tajiki and Uzbek; more than 30 languages are spoken in the students’ homes. 

“That’s what’s so wonderful about New York. I was a child of immigrants, these are new children of immigrants in the same situation. I think of schools as laundromats taking them through the cycles of education and making them American. It keeps regenerating,” he said.

During that visit Fox offered to do a performance to raise money for the school. Calling his show “From Brooklyn to Broadway,” Fox shared many personal stories about his work with some of show-business’s most famous songwriters and others.

Composting Grows in Brooklyn

This coming month the number of people in Brooklyn participating in the newly launched composting program will be doubling.

More composting means less landfilling.
GARBAGE SCOWS BRING SOLID WASTE, FOR USE AS LANDFILL, TO FRESH KILLS ON STATEN ISLAND, JUST EAST OF CARTERET, NJ

In the fall of 2013 Windsor Terrace became the first Brooklyn neighborhood to receive special composting trash receptacles. About six months later, in the spring of 2014, several neighborhoods were added to the pilot program: Sunset Park, Greenwood Heights, South Slope, Park Slope, and parts of Gowanus.

Now it’s time for Red Hook, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill and the Columbia Street Waterfront District to join up. The parts of Park Slope and Gowanus that were not included before will also be included. To see if you are part of this new stage in trash collecting, go to the website of the NYC Department of Sanitation where you can find a PDF with a map of the newly expanded area.

All households participating in this composting program will receive compost bins to place on the street next to their trash and recycling bins. Curbside collection is due to begin during the week of October 5, except for the added areas in Gowanus and Park Slope. In those areas collection of compost will begin the week of October 26.

Brunching in Brooklyn

For those looking for the perfect place to Brunch, Brooklyn seems to have it all. According to Anna Gustafson, who has been authoring the series ‘Brooklyn Staycation’ for Sheepshead Bites, there are some great places in the Kensington area to go grab a bite.

Steeplechase, located at Fort Hamilton Parkway has actually be named one of the top 10 coffee shops by Gothamist so it’s really worth checking out.  There is also Hot Bagels, Elk Café and Lark Café that bring in a bunch of happy Kensingtoners.

In general, Kensington is a great place for food, and international cuisine at that.   There are many expats living in the area so the neighborhood caters to that. But for those looking for some real traditional food, check out El Mirador’s karaoke nights, tacos, cold beer and other classical Mexican eats.

Of course, one mustn’t forget Hunger Pang. Named the fourth hottest restaurants in Kensington by New York Eater last year, both the grilled hanger steak with miso butter fries, and the frisee shiitake salad are something out of this world. 

There’s lots to eat from brunch to midnight in Kensington.  And many of them have received international acclaim.

Lost Wallet with $2200 Returned to Rightful Owner

In an act of pure honesty 62-year-old Michael Marino returned a wallet containing about $2200 to its owner.

Marino found the wallet on Tuesday, and together with his friend Sam Kogon, tracked the owner by Wednesday. All they knew about the man who lost his wallet was his last name, Hernandez, and that his truck had recently broken down and he had the cash so he could buy a replacement truck.

After finally finding the owner, Hernandez gave Marino a big hug.

Marino received a $120 reward for his honesty, and immediately spent the money on food. By Saturday he was once again broke, but he says he has no regrets about returning the money.

He explained that he hopes his son, who is 27-years-old, will find out about his good deed so that, “my son would know I’m a hero.”

“I’ve been honest all my life,” he said, and giving back the money was “an easy decision.”

Brooklyn Bargains Fading as Windsor Terrace Becomes Unaffordable

A few years ago someone priced out of Park Slope could turn to the quieter, and less expensive Windsor Terrace as a viable alternative. Today, however, as Windsor becomes livelier, it is also experiencing skyrocketing real estate costs.

“It’s not really considered a bargain anymore, like it was a few years ago,” said Abigail Palanca, a broker with Town Residential who grew up in Windsor Terrace and lives there now. “There’s been incredible, incredible change, but there are so many families who are still here and so many new families who have moved in, the dynamic is still really nice. You still step outside and everybody says hello. When my kids run too close to the street, I hear five people calling their names.”

Windsor Terrace Brooklyn Public Libaray. Courtesy  Jim.henderson

Windsor Terrace, well-place between Park Slope, Kensington, Prospect Park and the Green-Wood Cemetery, was a well-kept secret that is no more. Subway access is decent. Commuters can expect a 45 minute trip to Midtown Manhattan on the F train. Parking in Windsor is also a bit easier than in its adjacent neighborhoods.

“When I first bought my house here, there were a lot of older people, not a lot of kids—my kids didn’t have friends in the neighborhood,” said 20-year veteran resident of Windsor Terrace, Mary LaRosa Lederer, who owns neighborhood realtor Brooklyn Real. “There were a lot of retired cops and firefighters. I’m seeing a lot of change.”

The changing demography of the neighborhood has not changed the feel of the neighborhood as much as what had been expected.

“I think the fact that we don’t have a Fifth Avenue or a Seventh Avenue or a Smith Street probably saves it a little, because the person who wants to live here has a family or wants quiet,” Ms. Lederer said. “I think that grounds Windsor Terrace a little more.”

News Flash: New York Rents are High, and are Rising

Rents Climb as Neighborhoods Gentrify

It’s no secret that rents have been skyrocketing over the past six or so years all over New York. Rents in Brooklyn reached historic highs as of April, and Manhattan has faced a steady climb in rental prices over the past year. The rent rise is one of the fallouts of gentrification, which has also been a hot topic in these parts.

To help us get our heads around the situation Curbed created a map which shows the median rents in many Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn neighborhoods since 2009.

The data used to create the map comes from StreetEasy, which started tracking rents in NYC in 2008. That means that although the data does reflect an accurate picture of the rental situation, it does not represent every single rental listing.

Tribeca comes out as New York’s most expensive area for rentals, as it was also in 2009. The least expensive areas are in the heart of Brooklyn, Queens, and the northern reaches of Manhattan, such as Washington Heights and Inwood. However, there is not even one neighborhood that is less expensive now than it was in 2009.

Our part of Brooklyn has maintained affordability relative to most other areas. Rents in Kensington, Greenwood, Flatbush, Forest Hills, and Prospect-Lefferts Gardens have all gone up, but only on average of about $200.

Crown Heights Butcher Seeking Assembly Seat

Menachem Raitport, resident of Crown Heights, Brooklyn, is making his third bid for a seat in the New York State Assembly as a representative from the 43rd Assembly District. Raitport ran as a Republican and Conservative, despite Brooklyn’s reputation as an overwhelmingly liberal

Democratic region. Therefore it is not a surprise that his first two attempts for office ended badly. In 2010 he received a bit over 7 percent of the vote for the 43rd Assembly District, and about 6 percent in the race for the 20th Senate District last autumn.

This race, however, could end quite differently for Raitport. Due to a filing error in April, the three Democratic challengers who are competing for the seat left open by Karim Camara this spring will have to run on third party lines.

Raitport waxes hopeful due to this glitch, admitting that, “In a way, it gives me a better chance.”
The Brooklyn butcher feels strongly about many issues, including bike lanes, taxes, subsidized housing and what it means to be a Republican. Here is an example of just one of his views:

“People have a misconception. They say ‘Oh, you’re a Republican, you’re conservative, that means you’re going to cut food stamps, you’re going to cut subsidized housing, you’re going to cut this.’ That’s wrong. America has to help those who cannot help themselves. That’s what this country was built on, that’s what makes it great. The thing I don’t like is fraud and I don’t like people cheating and I don’t like people taking advantage. I believe very strongly in helping the downtrodden.”

The polls open at 6am on Tuesday, May 5. They will close at 9pm. Voters can only vote at their designated polling site.

Bright Lights of Brooklyn Freaking Out Residents

Brooklyn residents are not happy with the new lights recently installed into streetlamps in the Windsor Terrace neighborhood of Brooklyn.

Jolanta Benal expressed her distaste for the new illumination this way:

“It feels like I’m in a strip mall in outer space. I don’t want to come off as melodramatic, but it really is horrible,” she said.

Street lights in the snow, the old-fashioned way

Even after she had changed her sheer curtains for dark velvet drapes light still flowed into her living room.

“Each day that goes by, there are more of them,” she added. “There is nowhere to run and hide.”

Other residents describe the experience of being in the glow of the new lights as like being in a construction site or a set for a movie in which the film crew is shooting at night. Some even say they feel like the lights would work well in a prison yard, or as good lighting for alien abductions.

The new lights are environmentally friendly LEDs, which can save the city lots of energy, but are known to be optically harsh.

“The old lights made everybody look bad,” said architect Christopher Stoddard, who lives at the corner of Fuller Place. “But these are so cold and blue, it’s like ‘Night of the Living Dead’ out there.”

“We’re all for saving energy,” added his wife, Aida Stoddard, also an architect. “But the city can do so much better.”

The change over began in October 2013 and will eventually replace all 250,000 of the city’s lights with these LEDs. The city has a goal of reducing its overall carbon footprint by 30 percent by the year 2030. The cost of replacing the old lights with the new is estimated to be about $75 million. Savings will run about $6 million on energy costs, and $8 million on maintenance, annually. Since the bulbs last on average 20 years, about two to four times as long as sodium-vapor lamps.

“To the degree you can make the city’s operations more sustainable, it just pays so many dividends,” said Margaret Newman, the LED leader during the Bloomberg administration, .

(More than One) Scent Grows in Brooklyn

One of the "flavors" of Brooklyn

In 2006 Kensington resident Sophia Sylvester set out to solve her children’s “dry skin issue.” What happened next was the birth of Sylvester’s all-natural body care products business called “Brooklyn Flavors.”

The former medical assistant thought of a great way to have prospective customers take notice of her products: she created a special scent from each of about one dozen neighborhoods in Brooklyn and connected each to one of her products.

“I wasn't born here, but I was raised here and I realized that Brooklyn has so much flavor. It’s a mosaic of cultures and colors,” Sylvester said. 

In order to achieve authenticity Sylvester did some research into the history of each neighborhood, coming up with unique and yet descriptive essences to reflect on the special “aroma” of each neighborhood.

For instance, the “soft floral blend of cherry, jasmine and gardenia” of the Prospect Heights flavor refers to the famous Brooklyn Botanic Gardens found there.

“‘Church Avenue’ is a fruit blend of mango, papaya and jasmine because there are a lot of West Indians that live in the area,” she added.

Sylvester opened her store in 2013 at 820 Washington Avenue in Prospect Heights. She makes every product by hand right there in her store. Not every Brooklyn neighborhood has its own scent, but some that do include: Red Hook, Bed-Stuy, Park Slope and other very Brooklyn-ish things, like “Brownstone.”

Prices range from $7 or $8 for lip balm or shea butter soap to $30 for sea salt scrub.

We can expect to continue to see more scents and more products from this creative entrepreneur who has products for sale as far away as Jackson, Mississippi. Although now many of her ingredients come from all over the world, Sylvestor hopes that one day soon she will be able to get all her materials locally.

“Brooklyn is all I know,” she said. “It’s a beautiful city and it’s got so much history.”

Forecasters Take the Brunt of Historic Blizzard

Mayor Bill de Blasio; photo credt: The office of Public Advocate for the City of New York

After city and state officials took the maximum position to protect the safety and well-being of citizens, the anticipated “Blizzard of the Century” turned into more like the blizzard of the week. On Tuesday New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said that he does not regret closing schools and ordering all traffic off the streets beginning at 11pm, just ahead of the storm. Closure of the subway, however, was not mandated by the mayor’s office.

"We found out just as it was being announced," the mayor said, only 15 minutes before Governor Cuomo made the announcement on TV on Monday afternoon that for the first time in the 110-year history of the subway it would be closed for snow.

"I think it was a very big move, and certainly something we would have liked to have had some more dialogue on," said de Blasio. He did not say whether he agreed with the decision or not.

The Mayor explained that New Yorkers should consider themselves lucky that we received only 10 to 12 inches of snow on Monday night, a half to a third of what was forecast.

"Just 20, 30 miles east of the city's border, in Long Island, they got exactly what was originally projected for here," de Blasio said.

The traffic ban imposed by City Hall went into effect at 11pm and was lifted at 7:30am on Tuesday morning. The Mayor said, based on the snow predictions at the time, the closing of schools and traffic for Tuesday was a “no-brainer.”

"These were the right precautions to take. They worked," de Blasio said. "I will always err on the side of safety and caution," he said.