Requiem for Rocketship

by Homer Fink on 29. Jul, 2010 in Neighborhoods

Daily Crosshatch photo

Rocketship the 5 year old comic book store at 208 Smith Street closed for good today.  Owner Alex Cox made a simple business decision according to The Daily Crosshatch:

“Our lease came up,” Cox tells me, “and we realized that we were either going to do this another five to 10 years, at which point it becomes a CAREER, in big letters, or not sign on again and do something different. That’s basically it. Of course, there are a thousand variables in there, all of which would be very boring and involved. In the end, the store was great to do for five years, but not something we wanted to be doing until we retired. So it was time to move on.”

Were you a regular at Rocketship? Are comics still relevant?

(via NYP and Brownstoner)

Read full story • Comments { 8 }

Big Takeover at the Bell House

by Homer Fink on 27. Jul, 2010 in Arts and Entertainment, Events

My old college pal Jack Rabid celebrates 30 years(!) of his fanzine The Big Takeover at the Bell House this weekend:

Brooklyn Paper: “This is my dream to do something like this,” said Rabid. “I just got frustrated that a number of my favorite bands were never going to play here unless I made them, and I’m deeply honored they’d come on an occasion like this.”

Indeed, the festival has some acts playing their first U.S. show ever, including New Zealand’s ex-Mutton Birds member Don McGlashan and Newtown Neurotics frontman Steve Drewett (both on July 31). Others are reuniting just for the show, including the post-punk band Flower, playing its first show in 16 years on July 30.

Rabid’s own band, Springhouse, is playing its first show in nearly 10 years with its original lineup, performing its 1993 shoegaze classic, “Postcards From the Arctic” in its entirety on July 31.

Other post-punk acts playing the fest include The Avengers on July 30, and Mark Burgess, For Against and Paul Collins on July 31.

The shows are Friday (7/30) and Saturday (7/31) at the Bell House 149 7th Street.  Tickets available here.

Read full story • Comments { 1 }

CHB Reader “James” and Pal “Dave” Yelp About Strong Place

by Homer Fink on 27. Jul, 2010 in Bars, Food

Strong Place original tipster “James” was joined by his pal “Dave” at the opening of Strong Place (270 Court Street) last night.  ”Dave” files this report on Yelp:

The food was probably in 4-4.5 star territory, but the beer was truly uncommon and remarkable and pushes SP to 5 stars. Allagash Curieux, DFH’s Palo Santo Maron, Sixpoint Gorilla Warfare? These I had sampled at taps only once or twice in my lifetime. Some solid standards were also there including Prohibition Speakeasy, DFH’s 60 Minute, and Allagash White. Of course, I’m also forgetting the other 18 beers, most of which I wasn’t familiar with (no small task!). Bar Great Harry, your neighborhood lockdown on off-the-beaten-path craft beer is over, I’d say. Only minor quibble of the entire experience: Your $5 beer purchase will not be a full pint – 12 ounces, I’d wager.

The owner came by afterward to check in with us and my three buddies got right to it: “We live upstairs. We’ll be here all the time. ALL the time.” I live about 7 blocks away and distance is no object when food & drink this good is involved.

Read full story • Comments { 0 }

Boerum Hill Corn: The True Story

by Homer Fink on 27. Jul, 2010 in Boerum Hill, Neighborhoods

Photo: Keith Olsen/The Brooklyn Ink

Brooklyn Ink dives deep into the story of that corn at the corner of Smith and Bergen created by artist Christina Kelly:

Brooklyn Ink: Nestled just steps away from the Bergen subway stop, across the street from a Dunkin’ Donuts and adjacent to a Domino’s, the raised-bed garden has become home to what Native Americans called the three sisters: corn, beans and squash.   The term is derived from how all three plants grow by complementing one other: the beans fix nitrogen for the corn and soil, and the squash keeps the soil moist.

After participating in similar gardening activities at the Lefferts House in Prospect Park last year, and at P.S. 115 in Canarsie, Kelly crafted a grant proposal to fund the project.  She chose the Smith and Bergen location after the city expanded the sidewalk significantly.   The larger sidewalk would allow for visitors to look at the corn, as well as maintain regular walking traffic.

(via Brooklyn Bugle Around Brooklyn)

Read full story • Comments { 3 }

Strong Place: The Photos

by Homer Fink on 27. Jul, 2010 in Food

Stong Place photo by Drinking Brooklyn

The new effort from the folks at Bocca Lupo, Strong Place (270 Court Street),  opened yesterday at 4pm (CHB tipster “James” broke the news over the weekend).  Drinking Brooklyn bellied up to the bar last night and reports back with photos and:

Drinking Brooklyn: The decor is pleasant and fits the neighborhood’s vibe (exposed brick, hardwood floors, dim lighting). But small, eclectic touches — like tiny placards hanging from clothesline pins in place of large, gaudy beer taps identifying the brews on tap — add a little je ne sais quoi.

And what’s on tap is quite impressive: 24 different beers to choose from, including Captain Lawrence Freshchester, Dog Fish Head Palo Santo Marron, Allagash Curieux, Six Point Gorilla Warfare, Speakeasy Prohibition Ale and Ommegang Rare Vos. (Bar Great Harry, watch out, you have some competition …) Strong Place also has a solid wine menu.

The food menu tilts heavily toward fish and meat. Fish entrees include seared diver scallops, sauteed skate wing and “Ipswich style” fried oysters. Among the meat entrees are steak tartare, porter braised beef brisket and a grilled lamb burger. Prices seem to be very reasonable, but (just speculating here, since Strong Place is reportedly run by the people behind the Italian “small plates” dynamo Bocca Lupo) that could have something to do with small portions.

Read full story • Comments { 0 }

CHB Reader Tip: Strong Place at 270 Court to Open Monday

by Homer Fink on 24. Jul, 2010 in Food

Strong Place, the new restaurant at 270 Court Street from the owners of Bocca Lupo will open Monday at 4pm according to CHB reader “James”.  He got the scoop the old fashioned way – he asked.

The owners had hoped to open on May 1.   What can we expect? Co-owner Kenny Tufo filled in the Village Voice back in March:

Village Voice: When Strong Place, named for a nearby street that Tufo calls “one of the prettiest streets in Brooklyn,” opens at 270 Court Street, customers can expect what the chef describes as a “modern American bistro” menu, with “medium-sized plates” all priced under $20. “I hate the term ‘gastropub,’ but you could kind of put it in that term,” Tufo says. “It’s upscale from pub food but definitely casual as far as the style of the food. I love re-working Betty Crocker-style recipes.” His market-driven food will include brisket and savory bread pudding, as well as a raw bar. Although his style is “definitely heavy Mediterranean in general” and his background is in French and Italian fine-dining, doing a modern American menu, Tufo explains, “just means I can use soy sauce.”

Read full story • Comments { 0 }

The Invisible Dog to Host Season-Closing Party This Sunday

by Jonah on 21. Jul, 2010 in Arts and Entertainment

Everyone’s favorite neighborhood gallery/performance space/art studio The Invisible Dog at 51 Bergen Street is hosting a party this Sunday from 11 am to 7 pm to celebrate the end of their successful first season. This, straight from the dog’s mouth:

We will provide free wine as a thank you for your generous ongoing support.  You are invited to bring anything you please!  Food to grill in our newly opened garden, instruments to play and sing for our friends (yes, singers and musicians are more than welcome!), whatever you would like. The building will be open to all, including the exhibition space on the 3rd floor as well as the 1st floor space and the garden.

Additionally, as a very special one-day-event, the Recession Art Show will inaugurate their new program of solo shows by presenting a piece by Recession Art Alumni Alison Wilder.  To be performed in The Invisible Dog’s elevator shaft, Wilder’s piece “Why neutral” conflates kitchen implements and celebration signage while doppelgangers provoke each other in the back yard. The installation includes sculpture by Alison Wilder, and video by Rachel Schragis and Alison Wilder.

Emmanuel Bernardoux, recent artist-in-residence at the Invisible Dog, just finished his experimental film thE cagE (E), shot entirely on location at the art center. Check it out!

Read full story • Comments { 0 }

Local Banh Mi on This American Life

by Jonah on 21. Jul, 2010 in Food, Park Slope

My friends all know that I love a good banh mi (aka Vietnamese sandwich). When I lived on Atlantic Avenue I was particularly partial to Nicky’s at 311 Atlantic, though Hanco’s at 85 Bergen was always a close second.

Hanco’s Park Slope location was featured this week on hipster haven This American Life, which tells the story of the identical menus at Hanco’s and Henry’s, a banh mi shop just blocks away. The Brooklyn Paper reported last year on the similarities between the two sandwich shops, calling it a “war” in which “the collateral damage is delicious.”

This American Life’s newest episode is available for streaming here.

Flickr Photo by consumedithis

Read full story • Comments { 1 }

Open Thread 7/21/10

by Homer Fink on 21. Jul, 2010 in Uncategorized

Reader photo by Steve Julie

What’s on your mind? Have an event to plug? News tip? Something on your chest that needs to jump off? Comment away!

Read full story • Comments { 5 }

Alan Harding’s Food Truck Good to Go Friday

by Homer Fink on 21. Jul, 2010 in Food, Fort Greene, Neighborhoods


Brooklyn’s original cheflebrity Alan Harding is ready to serve up some vittles from his new food truck starting this Friday.  After months of preparation – getting a mobile vendor license, building the truck and stuff – he’s ready to dish out this menu from his parking spot at 825 Atlantic Avenue : (more…)

Read full story • Comments { 0 }
Older Entries »