Author Archives: Chad Purkey

What are you doing New Years Eve?

Still undecided on your New Years Eve plans? Theres something here for every kind of party, from fam to glam. Check em out.

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New Years Eve Party at Touche Lounge

Touche Lounge invites you to bring in the new year with them at their New Years Eve Party. Taking place on 12/31 (doors open at 9pm), the night will include the sounds of world renowned DJ, champagne toast, live New Years Eve countdown and festive holiday favors. Click here for additional detail. Come out and have a real good time as you welcome in the new.

Touche is located at 46 Washington Avenue between Park and Flushing. Contact them at 718.643.6500 or 917.208.0641

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First Annual New Years Eve Ball at Soco

Socos First Annual New Years Eve Ball kicks off on December 31st at 9pm. This black carpet, black tie event will feature a complimentary champagne bar, passed hors doeuvres by Chef Kingsley John, a cigar room and Brooklyn best DJs. Table and party packages are available. Limited space is available so please make your reservations today!

Soco, short for Southern Comfort has a menu of delectable southern fusion fare and a full bar with drinks and cocktails created by mixologist George Duvall. For more details about the New Years Event, please click here. Soco is located at 509 Myrtle Avenue. Soco can be reached at 718.783.1936.

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Ring in the New Year at Putnams Pub & Cooker

Ring in the New Year at Putnams Pub & Cooker! This free New Years Eve Party will feature DJs Max Power and Troy at the turntables. Great music, party favors and free champagne toast at midnight. Free entry. The party is from 10p until 4a. For more info, click here. Putnam's offers 24 quality draft beers, 40 quality bottled beers, 2 highly unique Cask Ales, an extensive wine menu and delicious assortment of small plates, salads and large plates for dinner.

Putnams Pub & Cooker is located at 419 Myrtle, nw corner of Clinton Avenue and can be reached by telephone at: 347.799.2382.

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Thar She Blows: Pratt Institutes New Years Eve Steam Whistle Blow

Usher the New Year in at Pratt Institutes Annual Steam Whistle Blow. The Steam Whistle Blow, which takes place every New Years Eve on the Pratt Main campus at 200 Willoughby Avenue, was nominated in 2008 to the Municipal Art Society of New York (MAS NYC) Census of Places That Matter. It was cited as being a literal New Years Eve blast. Pulling the lever on the whistle from the U.S.S. Normandy and being enveloped in steam is an experience not to be missed, stated the MAS article.

Check out this video of the steam whistle blow its a sight to behold.
Photo credit: Frank Bonomo: http://mas.org/featured-place-that-matters-pratts-new-years-eve-steam-whistle-blow/

Some holiday celebrations may call for a designated driver…

…and NYC Department of Transportation has an app for that! Check out You The Man, DOT's campaign to combat drunk driving which includes a free app where you can calculate Blood Alcohol content, and a handy feature for finding a car service. If youre drinking this Holiday Season, dont get behind the wheel. Use one of New York Citys 10,000 designated drivers, also known as cab drivers. Or, take public transit, which runs 24-7 in NYC. If youre here in Fort Greene or Clinton Hill, add these car service numbers to your phone just in case: Myrtle Car 718-230-4499 and Pratt Car 718-789-4900.

Be safe this holiday season!

Brooklyn Junior – holiday fashion for little tykes

Visit Brooklyn Junior to make sure your tyke is fashion forward. All of the colorful designs are created and sewn by biz owner, Nadia Georgiou. Also, toys and accessories are whimsical and oh so cute. Youll have to catch Brooklyn Junior at the Brooklyn Flea (from 2p-9p at 1 Hanson Place [at Ashland Place]) this Thursday, 12/22 but stop in at the shop or call with questions anytime.

The NY Daily News recently featured Brooklyn Junior in its holiday gift guide. Check it out here (image 4). The Brooklyn Heart onesie at Brooklyn Junior was listed as Best for Kids with it style and baby-safe dyes. Check out the Brooklyn Junior website to see THE CUTEST onesies, dresses, tees, winter gear and other clothing at Brooklyn Junior.

Brooklyn Junior is located at 150 Clinton Avenue, just north of Myrtle–across from Connecticut Muffin. Stop in or order online! The store is closed on Mondays. Telephone: 347.742.2623

Let Klevor Liquors Help with Your Holiday Event

Klevor Liquors (also known as 'The Liq'), located at 343 Myrtle Avenue between Carlton and Adelphi, is a one-stop liquor shop for your holiday events! Add a personal touch to your gathering by choosing a signature cocktail. Pick a drink that stars your favorite liquor, matches your color scheme, or just sounds delicious. In addition to the myriad libations on Klevors shelves, Brooklyn Sangria and Brookyn Rum Punch are also available.

If you need to order liquor, Brooklyn Sangria or Rum Punch, get suggestions, arrange deliveries or have a signature drink created, please give them a call at 718.875.3991.

Last minute gift ideas on Myrtle: Pushkin Creperie, Kiini Ibura, and Green Pets!

Are you a last-minute shopper looking for unique gift ideas? Check out these ideas for foodies, fashionistas and furry friends!

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Holiday Gourmet Gifts Available at Pushkin Creperie Bakery

Pushkin Creperie Bakery has put together holiday gourmet gift ideas for the foodies among us. In addition to gift certificates for the delicious sweet and savory crepes, boxes of organic loose teas from SerendipiTeas and bags of organic coffee beans from Brooklyn Roasting Company coffee are also available. Tins or bags of homemade cookies are also available in a variety of flavors, such as:

Pushkin Creperie Bakery is located in the Absolute Building at 541 Myrtle Avenue between Grand and Steuben. Contact them at 718.783.0033.

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Get Byron Lars Barbie Doll and More at Kiini Ibura Jewelry

Kiini Ibura Jewelryis definitely a go-to store for beautiful and unique gift items. Owner, Melody Burns is noted for her jewelry making skillscreating pieces that are 100% handmade and which feature precious and semi-precious stones, including turquoise, Ghanaian glass, Austrian crystals, African amber and fresh water pearls. Melody's work has been seen on the likes of Whoopi Goldberg, who donned a gorgeous Kiini Ibura necklace on an episode of The View late last year and singers, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott and Angie Stone.

Kiini Ibura is also a great place for other fashion accessories such as hats, scarves and gloves. And Barbie loversKiini Ibura is also a place to purchase Barbie dolls by esteemed fashion designer, Byron Lars. In the picture above, Barbie Gold Label/Pepper Diva by Byron Lars, the 3rd doll in his Chapeaux Collection for Mattel. Released in 2008, there were only a limited number of units of this doll made. The doll dons a couture coat with high fashion accents including high collar and dramatic bow that turns into a train in the back, stylish tan pants and gloves, fishnet stockings, high heels and faux pearl necklace, updo hairstyle with stylish hat perched atop: Pow!

Kiini Ibura Jewelry is located at 388 Myrtle Avenue between Vanderbilt and Clermont. Call the shop at 718.858.5195 with questions.

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Green Pets Store Renovation + Holiday Gifts for our 4-Legged Friends

Green Pets Spa & Boutique (572 Myrtle) offers daycare, boarding, grooming and a large separate play area, with eco-friendly products and services. There have accessories like leashes, collars and toys made from recycled materials and natural shampoos. Some pet food is also available.

Green Pets is located at 572 Myrtle Avenue, between Emerson Place and Classon Avenue and can be reached at 718.230.8300.

Cielo Bar to open in February

Cielo Bar is planning a February opening. For now–the shingle has been hung. The nearly 2000sf bar with shades of light gray and patches of lovely tilework will feature a concise menu of delicious Latin American plates, excellent cocktails and great ice cold beer. Flat screens, private and semi-private rooms in back, 78 chairs (at the bar and around) and special events are a few things to look forward.

Connect to Cielo Bar on Facebook for up-to-date information on the bar's opening.

Cielo Bar is located at 474 Myrtle Avenue between Washington Avenue and Hall Street.

Groupon Alert: Karen's Body Beautiful Spa Special

Groupon Alert: $149 Spa Day for 2 with champagne at Karen's Body Beautiful

Buy NOW and use by Sept. 26th means buy now and use NOW or as a holiday gift or on New Year's Eve or on Valentine's Day with the honey or a treat for the job promotion or big account or graduation or … There's absolutely never a wrong time to indulge.

This Groupon Alert includes two 50-minute Swedish massages, two 5-star finger manicures, two runway beauty pedicures, a choice of two vichy showers w/aromatherapy steam massages or bath soaks, and two complimentary glasses of champagne.

Here's the Groupon ad. Hurry!

Karen's Body Beautiful is located at 436 Myrtle Avenue between Clinton and Waverly Avenues. The spa can be reached at 718.797.4808.

Energy Fuel: lean and mean and yummy–and it's open!

Energy Fuel Restaurant and Juice Bar opened two weeks ago to lots of buzz. The new restaurant and juice bar, which specializes in delicious food that is lower in fat and cholesterol, uses the slogan, 'never fried or cooked in oil…always grilled and baked,' specializes in goooood, lean cooking and healthy juices.

Just a sampling of yummy deciousness on the menu: gourmet wraps such as egg whites and steak, chicken and spinach and tilapia; energy plates such as the 'energy terminator (chicken breast w/choice of chili or lentil beans, organic pasta or organic brown rice), and 'taste of Italy' (chicken or eggplant, tomato sauce and low-fat mozzarella over organic wheat pasta); low-carb energy plates such as fresh tilapia, sirloin steak, 'Popeye Junior' (chicken served with cooked spinach). Fresh juices include fruit and juice combos like papaya, blueberry, banana, mango, pineapple, carrot and also include those that help with ailments like the cold buster (carrot, beets, cucumber, spinach) and juice combos for hypertension (carrot, spinach, pineapple and banana) and those that help with what you'd like to achieve like the liver cleanse (carrot and celery) and the fat burner (spinach, grapefruit and apple). And of course there's bison and ostrich.

Check out the complete menu here!

Energy Fuel on Myrtle is the eatery's 4th location. Energy Fuel is located at 386 Myrtle Avenue and can be reached at 347.889.6990/1. It's open 7 days a week.

2011 Holiday Windows Contest Winners!

Congratulations to our 2011 Holiday Windows Contest Winners! Drum roll, please….
First Place: Holiday Hookah at Zaytoons, by Natalia Zuckerman
Second Place: Notes at Thai 101 by Leola Bermanzohn
Third Place: Cheers at Anima by Natalia Zuckerman

A very special thanks to all the artists and merchants who participated this season! And, thanks to YOU for voting on our Facebook page. May the rest of your 2011 days be merry and bright!

Utrecht Art Supply Store is Open for Biz!

Utrecht Art Supply Store, located at 536 Myrtle Avenue between Steuben and Grand in the LEED-certified Myrtle Hall, is open for business. Soft opening yesterday afternoon and grand opening planned soon.

This is sort of a return to its roots for Utrecht as the company website outlines that that the company was founded in 1949 by two brothers from Brooklyn, one an artist and the other a chemist. Welcome to Myrtle Avenue and back to Brooklyn, Utrecht!

The store can be reached at 718.789.0308.

Brooklyn Stone Boutique: Holiday Blowout Sale

If you are looking for that just right dress for the holidays, stop in at Brooklyn Stone Boutique. On countdown to the holidays–storewide discounts range from 20%-50% off. What's more, as a store philosophy, Brooklyn Stone Boutique only carries a few pieces of each design in the store, ensuring that your look and style remain as unique as you'd like.

Here are a few dresses, accessories and just in items at Brooklyn Stone Boutique: click here!

Brooklyn Stone Boutique is located at 366 Myrtle Avenue between Chermont and Adelphi and can be reached at 347.763.2041.

photo: Brooklyn Stone Boutique holiday dresses

A new tradition in Fort Greene: Tree Lighting at Ingersoll

Last Friday's tree lighting ceremony at the Ingersoll Garden of Eden was wonderful! University Settlement did a great job organizing the event  there were all kinds of activity stations, including cookie decorating, letter writing to the troops, and holiday stocking decorating. There also was hot chocolate and cider, photos with Santa, a dance performance by the Centers dance squad, and the McKinney marching band!

Gardeners from the Ingersoll Garden of Eden were also instrumental in making the event possible, even helping to to hoist the tree and put the lights on it themselves! They definitely deserve recognition for their hard work and commitment to the community, and hosting the holiday tree in the garden was a continuation of their efforts. Everyone in attendance was really proud to be part of this historic event!

MARP provided a small sponsorship to cover hot chocolate, cider and various supplies. It was an absolute pleasure to be able to support an event that brought people together in this way. There truly was holiday spirit in the air. Everyone felt it.

Tree Lighting @ the Ingersoll Garden of Eden > Tonight!

Come out and celebrate the beginning of a new holiday tradition – a tree lighting at the Ingersoll Garden of Eden! The lighting of the tree takes place at 5:30pn today (Friday), with all kinds of fun activities and crafts at the Ingersoll Community Center afterward including cookie decorating, a visit from Santa, free hot chocolate and cider, and christmas crafts!

Karen's Body Beautiful in latest issue of <i>Essence Magazine</i>!

Karen, owner of Karen's Body Beautiful is highlighted in the January issue of Essence Magazine. In the article titled, 'How She Does It!' in the new Work & Wealth/Minding Your Business column, columnist Monique Greenwood describes how Karen turned her personal mission of healthier and more natural living into a successful business model. “Once I realized that I couldn't pronounce half the ingredients in the lotions and hair products I was using, I started to experiment by creating hair growth serums and shea body butter using all natural ingredients such as jojoba oil and argan oil,” shares the article.

Karen's Body Beautiful is known for its spa and all natural yummy-smelling, feeling and good for you hair, bath and body products made on premises.

The article further discusses Karen's motivation for starting the business, strategy for continued success, biz finance and future plans, which include 17 new products in development.

Karen's Body Beautiful is located at 436 Myrtle Avenue and can be reached 718.797.4808.

Myrtle Avenue Welcomes New Public Recycling Bins

Public recycling bins now stand at four busy intersections on Myrtle Avenue in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill. The following locations have a bin for paper and a bin for bottles and cans: Ashland and Myrtle (Southwest corner), Adelphi and Myrtle (Northeast corner), Clinton and Myrtle (Southeast corner), Hall and Myrtle (Southeast corner). Each pair is adjacent to a regular trash bin, so pedestrians will have the ability to properly dispose of all items.

Recycling bins and clear liners are provided by the New York City Department of Sanitation through their Public Space Recycling Program. On Tuesdays, The Doe Fund will move bags of recyclables to the curb and Sanitation will remove them overnight. However, if a recycling bin becomes full before the pick-up day, The Doe Fund will transport the full bag to the Red Apple Supermarket on Myrtle Avenue and Ashland Place to store until collection. We will evaluate public space recycling on Myrtle over the next year, and depending on the publics response, may expand to more locations in the future.

Please help keep Myrtle clean!

Complimentary Cocktail Tasting Tonight @ Soco

Join Soco for a complimentary cocktail tasting tonight, 12/7 from 7:30p-9:30p during Soco's Wednesday Night Social. Master Mixologist George Duvall mixing up delicious, knock-your-socks-off drinks for all. Stop in.

Soco is located at 509 Myrtle Avenue. Soco can be reached at 718.783.1936.

Get Fresh! Provides a Snapshot of the Local Food Environment and Generates Actions for Change

We are pleased to announce the release of the Fort Greene / Clinton Hill Community Food Assessment (CFA) titled Get Fresh! Food access, food justice and collective action in Fort Greene & Clinton Hill, a report researched and created in collaboration with local residents and food advocates. The report serves as a snapshot of the local food environment in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, and will inform community-led efforts to improve access to fresh food, create opportunities for nutritional awareness and education, and strengthen advocacy efforts. Click here for the full Get Fresh! report.

Among several findings, the report concludes that access to quality, affordable fresh food is limited; SNAP/EBT acceptance by higher-quality retailers is low; and residents are ready and eager to learn more about ways of improving their own nutrition through education. For more detailed information you can read the Press Release by clicking here.

This holiday season, hopefully youll be gathering with friends, family and neighbors around a bountiful table filled with your favorite holiday dishes. If you can, take just a few minutes to talk about some of the findings from the Get Fresh! Report, and consider getting involved in community-led projects to transform our local food environment into a more just and robust system for all!

Three projects that are starting right now are: 1) help to increase the number of food retailers that accept EBT 2) participate in grocery shopping tours to help consumers make healthier choices and 3) help to close the loop on holiday food donations. The latter project is already under way and involves encouraging those who are collecting food donations (and toys and coats) to deliver them to local pantries and churches for local distribution. Several merchants have already volunteered to serve as donation drop-off sites including: Five Spot (459 Myrtle), Maggie Brown (455 Myrtle), Green in BKLYN (432 Myrtle), Kiini Ibura (388 Myrtle), Brooklyn Stone Boutique (366 Myrtle), Cake Joy (364 Myrtle), Fort Greene SNAP (324 Myrtle) and St. Josephs College Tuohy Hall (245 Clinton). St. Josephs College will be donating farm-fresh produce to area pantries as well. If you have a location youd like to add as a drop-off location or would like to help coordinate the efforts of this project please contact Kassy Nystrom at kassy@myrtleavenue.org or 718-230-1689.

Bill Lee Peforming at MARP's Holiday Fundraiser – this Wednesday!

Update: Just confirmed! Local bassist Bill Lee and The New York Bass Violin Choir will be performing bass duets and quartets at Wednesday's holiday fundraiser!

It's time to come to Myrtle Avenue for the holidays, from Small Business Saturday on November 26th, to the start of the Holiday Windows Contest on December 3rd, to the annual holiday fundraiser on December 7th. This year's holiday fundraiser is at Putnam's Pub & Cooker (419 Myrtle), from 5:30 to 7:30pm, where you'll have open bar and your favorite holiday cocktails, live music sponsored by our friends at ConEdison, and lots of great food from Putnam's menu. We really hope all of our friends and neighbors can join us this year to take in the holiday cheer.

Tickets are only $30/person or $50/couple (all drinks, food, and music included!) if bought by December 6th at HelpersUnite.com or at http://tinyurl.com/MyrtleHolidays2011. (It's $35/person on December 7th or at the door)

Hope to see you there! And happy holidays!

Holiday Trees and Wreaths on Myrtle!

Did you get your holiday tree yet? Well, no need to go far because Santos and his family have been selling holiday trees on Myrtle Avenue for many years. Where and when: the northwest corner of Myrtle and Hall, from 12noon until about 9pm each day. They have quite a selection of trees, starting from $25. They also have a broad assortment of wreaths, starting at $10.

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way…

First Fridays @ RePOP: Furniture Sale + Free Parking Group Exhibit, Dec. 2

RePOP 95% Recycled presents FREE PARKING, a group drawing and painting show. Artist reception is Friday, December 2nd, 7:30p-11p.

You are cordially invited to RePOP this Friday, December 2 from 7 – 11 pm to view the works of 16 extremely talented artists exhibiting impressive drawings and paintings. Curated by Sean Alexander, the artists include: Ian Faden, Chrissy Angliker, David M. Cook, Caleb Engstrom, Spencer Anderson, Caitlin Reller, Anthony Cudahy, Rin Lack, Paul Dally, Chris Nosenzo, Annie Pendergrass, John P. Dessereau, Matt Maher and RePOP's own Carl Grauer, Jimmy McBride and Sean Alexander.

The walls of the shop will be graced with these amazing works up and through the holiday season. Perfect for gift giving or to round off that room in your home in need of that ultimate design finish.

Come out for an evening of meeting the artists, mingling with objects and enjoying the night in a fabulously unique setting.

Save 15% on all merchandise on Free Parking opening exhibit evening only with mention of this post (with exception of the fine art and Ellie jewels). Fabulous furniture, including new acquisitions, rustic industrial storage, Danish arm chairs and credenzas and a Paul Cobb collection.

REPOP is located at 68 Washington Avenue between Park and Flushing Avenues. They can be reached at 718.260.8032.

Fun Ride + Celebrate the Cyclist Community at Red Lantern Bicycles, Dec. 3

Bikers!! Join the Toys for Tots Fun Ride. Meet fellow bikers at Tompkins Square Park at 2pm.

After the ride, come out to Red Lantern Bicycles for a celebration of the Urban Cyclist Community in NYC. Golden Bike 2 Awards and holiday party. Live music by the Coast Kids, drinks and food available. Here are the details.

Come out and have a good time!

Contact urbancyclistworldwide.com or nybmf.org for further information.

Red Lantern is located at 345 Myrtle between Carlton and Adelphi. They can be reached at 347.889.5338.

Anima's Pizza is Sooo Good!

Van Sias' article in the Fort Greene/Clinton Hill Local features some of the most DE-licious, hot from the oven, pizza in the neighborhood. The article describes Anima Italian Bistro's
 hot, brick oven, Diavola, topped with sopressata, mozzarella, caramelized red onion, olives….yummmmmm. Okay, step back, no salivating with face ON the computer screen (note to selves really).

The article also gives a big two thumbs up to the brick oven deliciousness at Il Porto on Washington between Park and Flushing and Graziella's on Vanderbilt between Willoughby and DeKalb.

Check out the Fort Greene/Clinton Hill Local article here.

Anima Italian Bistro is located at 458 Myrtle Avenue between Waverly and Washington. Please call Anima at 718.855.9455.

photo credit: Van Sias, Fort Greene/Clinton Hill Local