Where the cool kids go

Rumor has it there's a hot new bar in the Kensington area called "Jerbar." Yelpers are talking about it but we haven't heard from any of you. I get the feeling like it has sort of a speakeasy vibe going. Maybe you need to know a password to get in. Have any readers been there? Let us know. We can't abide other people having fun and excluding us.

Local Author writes novel on F-Train

Commuting reeks. Yet amid conditions where I personally find it difficult to do much of anything other than sob into my neighbor's armpit, sufficiently determined people are able to create. Such a person is Kensington author Peter V. Brett, a man so hellbent on killing time between Church Avenue and Times Square every morning that he managed to churn out a 400 page fantasy novel. On a Smartphone.

From AM New York:

It was slow going at first as Brett became accustomed to writing on the portable device. The process started out as Brett jotting down notes and ideas so he wouldn’t forget them. Eventually, he was able to type faster and faster.

“It reached a point where I had gotten so used to it that I’d get on the subway and just put my headphones on and just get in the zone,” he says. “Epic fantasy books are so long that ... you have to break it up into tiny little chunks or else you’ll never finish. I just trained myself to have those chunks be at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. every day.” (read more)

Now, from time to time we all find ourselves in situations where we have to type something more substantial than "Be there in 5" or "the cat is on fire" into our phones. It's an arduous process and fraught with errors. I'm sure many of you agree that it's not something you'd want to do on a regular basis. At 250 words per page over 400 pages, Peter V. Brett has typed over 100,000 words into his phone. The sheer enormity alone is impressive enough, but to string these 100,000 words into a novel that has garnered a 4.5 star rating on Amazon is another story altogether.

Luckily for me, Peter's publisher has done the smart thing and released this book on the Kindle. We'll see if reading it on the train is as hard as writing it was.

MTA/DOT keep on keepin on

We've received a few emails this past week referencing these new bus shelters on lines that are on the chopping block. As most of you know, the B23 has been scheduled for termination with extreme prejudice, but that has not stopped the MTA from building shiny new structures for people to wait for soon-to-be-deceased busses in.

From The Times:

Two bus shelters on Cortelyou Road in Brooklyn — one at Ocean Parkway, the other at East Fifth Street — were replaced this week with shiny new steel-and-glass structures that can keep passengers on the B23 bus line dry on rainy days and unmussed on windy ones.

But the B23 is one of six bus lines in Brooklyn that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority says it will eliminate unless it gets a financial lifeline from the State Legislature.

Asked why new shelters were being installed along a line that could soon disappear, Seth Solomonow, a spokesman for the Transportation Department, noted that the proposed service changes were not definite. “But we will postpone any further installations on affected routes until the situation is clarified,” he said. (read more)

It seems a shame to waste that time and money on something that will soon be as useless as a bucket under a bull. Any proposals for what can be done with the shelters once the routes get the axe? I don't think we could fit a craps table in there.

Scenes from the Church Avenue fair

Yesterday, as most of you probably noticed, was the Church Avenue fair. It was a perfect day for all of us to emerge from our caves and shake the shackles of winter with a little help from some corn. Once I got past the sheer lunacy of being charged $7 for a hot dog, I managed to snap a few pictures. Unfortunately only one of them came out. The other we got from an associate.

It was good to see everyone out and enjoying themselves. The fleetness of foot required to dodge all the kids throwing Nitro Snappers at your bare legs was outweighed by the deliciousness of the roast corn and the amusement derived from realizing that the King Kong ride is operated manually. Children climb aboard something that looks like a modern ride but, in the end, a burly Baltic gentleman just swings them back and forth, looking bored.

Awkward...

Well our bid seems to have fallen through so it looks like we're stuck here with the rest of you. We might as well make the best of it. Blerg...

Bigger and better!

So we've finally managed to score that sweet brownstone on 3rd street. We're really happy about our new place and think we should adjust our blog here too... hopefully you'll come with us. Well, everyone but Chris. The folks at our new food co-op already told us he's not welcome. Maybe you can all come visit our new home. It's even got a ramp to accommodate strollers and organic grocery carts. We're psyched.

The Confined Nomad arrives in Bangladesh

The Confined Nomad, a local blog dedicated to, as they put it, "Eating the UN, A-Z, without ever leaving NYC" have made their alphabetical way through various national cuisines all the way to Bangladesh. They seem to try to stay local when possible, and this time around they hit Jhinuk and Abdullah Sweets and Restaurant on McDonald Ave.

The Confined Nomad writes:

Us: Excuse us, Mr. Proprietor, what is this delicious stuff?
Mr. Proprietor: Yohgart.
Us: Yohgart? How do you spell that?
Mr. Proprietor (Beaming): You spell it yohgart! (read more)

Keep those reviews coming, folks!

Matt Marks' The Little Death Vol. 1

Local musician Matt Marks has made us aware that he is putting on an opera this weekend

"Someone walking with someone, going somewhere, feeling something." -

We meet two characters, Boy and Girl. Boy then shoots Girl, and she sings an erotic Christian pop anthem through her pain.

Welcome to The Little Death Vol. 1, a new opera by Matt Marks that blends the avant-garde, Christian pop, and classic breakbeats into a show that will leave you singing his twisted pop creations in your head for days. Using decidedly limited, hypnotic lyrics, The Little Death Vol.1 tells the story of two clichéd, yet bizarre, teenagers, their journey through the world of Fundamentalist Evangelism, and their attempts to keep their relationship pure in the eyes of the LORD.

Featuring Matt Marks and Mellissa Hughes as "Boy" and "Girl".

and The Lil Death Band:

Caleb Burhans - Vocals
Wil Smith - Organ, Keys
Nathan Koci - Accordion
James Moore - Guitar
Peter Wise - Drums

Performances are:

March 20th and 21st @ 9:30PM
@ The Tank - 354 West 45th Street (in between 8th and 9th Ave.)
Tickets are $10

Listen to songs from The Little Death here:

http://www.myspace.com/mattmarksmusic

Sounds pretty compelling. The name itself is open to interpretation... it may be a reference to the Litany Against Fear, but since I doubt anyone has time to write operas about dopey 60s Sci-Fi, I must conclude that he is referring to La petite mort.

Good luck Matt... we hope to see you out there!

Ambrosia out; Zaffran in.

I walk past this place every day, but tonight is the first time I felt comfortable poking my head in the new Zaffran restaurant (located in what used to be Ambrosia). Ambrosia was a pretty nice place considering its location between a 99 cents store and a fish market and I'm really sorry to see it go. Somehow it seems the new restaurant that opened up this week seems to have actually done some sort of reverse renovation and actually made the place look worse, or is that just me? They serve Bangladesh, Indian & Pakistani cuisine for eat-in, takeout and delivery. They claim to have great hours and the prices seem okay. I decided to ask for a menu and was greeted with a smile by the woman closest to the door. The other person, not so much of a smile but the food smelled delicious so I'm willing to give it a shot this weekend. Has anyone actually tried the food at Zaffran yet?

If you're brave enough to order without a menu, the number is 718-686-6517. They're located at 90 Church Ave near McDonald.

Tired of the trash?

Local Kensingtoner Debbie is, and I don't blame her. She tipped us off to this site: www.stoplawnlitter.org.

You sign up and they put your name on a "do not distribute" list. It seems to be legit - somehow connected with a new local law aimed at stopping pollution in Queens.
I know my block is always covered with flyers and garbage from these advertisements which get blown all over the place. Thought it might be of interest to my neighbors.

Thanks for the tip! I know I'd love it if the corner at the Church F stop wasn't such a trash storm on a windy night.

I think our dogs deserve a run too...

...even if some of their owners do not. Orion tipped us off to a petition Sean Casey and the gang are working on to get the Kensington/WT area its own place for pups to hang with one another. Dogs like Frank here apparently feel the need to dress up like... well, something other than a dog in order to fit in around the 'hood. Perhaps a dog run would give him somewhere to feel more comfortable in his furry birthday suit. Word is you have to head over to the Animal Rescue to sign the petition. Sounds good, but if anyone knows of a nifty online version of that, we'd love to post a link.

Publishing classes for everyone... even you!

Local Kensingtonian Kris Waldherr will be offering workshops at her gallery, along with exhibitions and other events. Starting this spring, Kris Waldherr Art and Words will be adding arts and publishing workshops to the mix. The studio-gallery is located near Newkirk Plaza on Marlborough Road. Class sizes are small, so each participant receives individualized attention.

Here are summaries of the workshops:

1. Children's Bookmaking. Saturday, March 28 and April 4, 2 - 3 pm.
Recommended for age 6 to 9. This two session creative art workshop teaches kids how to make a picture book. They'll learn how to take a simple story and transform it into a book utilizing collage, drawing,
and writing.

2. Publishing 101. Saturday, March 21, 2 - 4:30 pm.
Ever wondered what it takes to get published? Or what makes a publisher decide to buy a manuscript? Here's your chance to find out! This entry level workshop covers everything: manuscript submissions, book proposals, literary agents, self-publishing, book acquisitions, marketing. No prior publishing experience necessary.

3. Bookmaking Bootcamp: Children's Picture Books, Gift Books, and Art Books.
Tuesdays, April 7, 14, 21, 28; 7 - 9:00 pm.
This hands-on workshop is for fine artists, illustrators, photographers, and children's picture book creators -- anyone who has ever wanted to transform their art and words into a professional book. By the end of this workshop, you'll be on your way toward creating a book that can be submitted to a publisher or self-published. Bootcamp early bird special: Register by March 9 and receive a free half-hour follow up consultation with Kris ($50 value).

These workshops will be personally taught by Kris Waldherr, a publishing professional with twenty-plus years of experience. Kris began her publishing career as a children's book designer. As an author, illustrator, and designer, she's created Doomed Queens, The Book of Goddesses and numerous other illustrated books for children and adults. Kris has been published by Harry N. Abrams Books, Random House, HarperCollins and other major publishing houses.

To learn more or register for these workshops, visit ArtandWords.com/events.html
or e-mail kris@kriswaldherr.com.

Hey Kris, maybe you could add a class for blog publishing next time. We could probably use the help.

Kensington Blog State of the Union

Well, it's been a while since our last post. We're really happy with the way the blog and the Facebook group (over 1000 members now!) has been received since we took over and I feel an explanation for the lack action recently is owed to all of you. As I'm sure you've noticed, the economy and all that goes with it is managing to get its grip on everything these days. We're no different. We've found ourselves busy trying to keep a business afloat and draining more energy out of our personal lives and hobbies than it has in the past. I think there's a light at the end of this tunnel though, and we're moving forward in hopes that everything will reach it in strength, including the Kensington Blog. Our business project is progressing and we think we'll be able to get back in the swing of more regular updates soon enough. In the meantime, keep our RSS feed somewhere close and we'll reach out to you when we can. We plan on having a party to celebrate the start of something bigger here, and it looks like that will be this Spring.

If you have some content to share, please keep sending it in. We're still here. We may not be able to write a clever post every morning right now, but we still want to keep things moving, even if it's at slow pace. We hope you'll be patient with us and that you'll share our enthusiasm to get things back in step when the time comes.

Trivia at Visions

Time to dust off your thinking caps and... ugh, I'm too tired to be clever.

Thursday, Feb 19th - TEAM TRIVIA NIGHT

Please Note the NEW TIME.... *
*8:00 *pm Sign-Up – Play begins a*t 8:30* pm SHARP
Team Trivia – 2-6 people Per Team
Prizes for 1st and 2nd Place
New Drink Specials
2 for 1 Martinis All Night
20 % off Wings and Fingers

See you there.

Sean Casey Animal Rescue rescues animals, lonely hearts

Sean Casey Animal Rescue has posted some impressive adoption numbers for 2008! Take a look at this:

In 2007 we adopted out
Cats 273
Dogs 274
Total 547
+ over an estimated 1453 small animals, reptiles and wildlife for a
Grand total of over 2,000 animals

In 2008 we adopted out
Cats 325- increased by 52 from 2007
Dogs 434- increased by 160 from 2007
Total 759- increased by 212 from 2007
+ about an estimated 1500 small animals, reptiles and wildlife for a
Grand total of over 2,000 animals.

This is some pretty great stuff happening right here in our backyard to help out our furry friends. Give them a visit if you haven't already.

Ambrosia finito?

Walking by Ambrosia today it looks like they're either renovating or packing up shop. It was already pretty nice in there so I'm not sure what they'd be fixing. Anyone have the scoop on what is happening at one of Kensington's only fine dining establishments?

IHM merger delayed indefinitely

Our original post on this topic sparked a lively debate that had almost nothing to do with the actual issue, but hey, at least it got us all talking about something.

Brenda writes:

Here's an account of the news that Immaculate Heart of Mary parochial school will NOT be merging with Holy Name of Jesus School in Windsor Terrace, at least not this year: www.crazystable.squarespace.com

This is certainly good news in the short term for parents of IHM students, as well as IHM families who donated money over the past few years to help build up parish facilities.

CB7 Meeting regarding Park Circle

This isn't within our borders but it still affects many if not most of us. Park Circle, also occasionally referred to by residents as "Swirling Maelstrom of Death", is up for discussion at this meeting and if you are a concerned citizen tired of playing the most intense game of frogger ever created, you should try and make it to this meeting. (click for larger)

An Ode to Kensington

Shevi writes:

I'm writing because my sister penned this poem about Kensington when she came to visit this summer, and I thought it needed to be sent to the blog. Since Festivus, I moved, just as the blog was getting off the ground, but I still had to send this poem in. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope all is well in the 'hood.

Ode to Kensington
by Gabi Anna

Kensington—
how do I love thee?
Let me count the ways.
I love your Russian-kosher-
organic-fruit-vegetable-
Asian-halal-Polish-Turkish
corner markets that play
good music.
I love your 99c stores
that I enter and the
multiple owners standing
in front of the counter say,
"Long time no see, friend!"
when I've never been in
before.
I love that in the Church
Ave. F stop you can't hear
the train approaching for
more than a second
before it suddenly rushes
before your eyes.
I love that you get a
second chance at communication
when the train
goes above ground again!
I love shopping carts as
walking companions and
I love standing on the
sidewalks as a social
activity,
I love the shape of the
intersections and the
widths of the streets.
I love that you live
in Kensington!

Thanks for sending this in, and we're sorry to see you go! It seems that the talents of Kensingtonians and their relatives know no bounds. This poem leaves me beaming with pride. I challenge all of you in the comments area to supply your own haiku about Kensington. I'll start us off:

Kensington Brooklyn
Seventeen syllables can't
describe how great it

Your turn!

Community Meeting regarding 23 Caton Place

A reader writes:

I just want to extend the invitation to attend this meeting to all of
our neighbors to the south. The hulking skeleton of a building near the
horse stables is being foreclosed upon and the community is being
pro-active about trying to make sure something (good) is done with it.
If you'd like to be involved, please come to the meeting this Thursday,
Feb. 5th.

Details below and at http://www.stablebrooklyn.com

Thanks!

Thursday, February 5, 2009
7:00 pm-9:00 pm
International Baptist Church
312 Coney Island Ave Link to Map (Caton Place entrance)

The meeting is sponsored by:

* Assemblymember Jim Brennan
* Councilmember Bill de Blasio
* Community Board 7
* The Pratt Center for Community Development

We will discuss 23 Caton Place, the 7-story, 107-unit condo building
that is currently an unfinished skeleton. We will discuss neighbors'
concerns about the site as well as the possibility of finding a
responsible developer who could complete the project. We will be joined
by representatives from the NYC Departments of Housing, Preservation and
Development, Transportation, Sanitation, and the Housing Development
Corporation.

Questions? Call Ann Schaetzel at 718-788-7221 (AM Brennan's office)

If you live in the shadow of this half-finished monstrosity, this may be of interest to you.