Williamspoint Photos du Jour: A Splash Of Color For Black Friday

November 28, 2008 ·
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg 

From Ainslie Street.

From Manhattan Avenue.

Miss Heather

Stocking Stuffers Of The Fur Kind!

November 27, 2008 ·
Filed under: Crazy Cat Lady, Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg 

’nuff said!

Miss Heather

Curious Happenings At Ichiran

November 26, 2008 ·
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg 

On Tuesday, August 12th, 2008 at 11:45 a.m. I wrote:

After serving up free samples of soup last year and months of inactivity, something appears to be happening at 1013 Manhattan Avenue. Will Ichiran be opening for business soon? If so, will it be a ramen shop? I do not know. But this storefront has been open the last three days and signs of human activity have been noted…

Check out this post on Williamsburg Is Dead. It looks like Ichiran will be gracing us with its presence. And soon!

Well it’s three months later and it would appear they have taken another (albeit odd) baby step towards opening.


It just gets curiouser and curiouser. In any case anyone interested in registering should make their way down to 1013 Manhattan Avenue without delay and fill out a registration form.

Ichiran
1013 Manhattan Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11222

Miss Heather

A Little Holiday Shopping

November 26, 2008 ·
Filed under: Bushwick, Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg 

After spending at least five hours in the kitchen yesterday and knowing full well I will be doing the same today suffice it to say yours truly is more than a little unmotivated. In any case follows are few upcoming holiday shopping events which might be of interest.

I have been long remiss in giving Tommy and Roy (AKA: the Alter boys) a shout out. Today I wish to correct this egregious oversight on my part by passing along the deets about their upcoming “Thanksgiving Weekend Sale”. And oh yeah, pointing out that I am totally in love with this item which I found on their web site. Check it out!

20% Off Sale At Alter
November 28-30th, 2008
140 Franklin Street
Brooklyn, New York 11222

This item comes courtesy of Bitchcakes. Cafe Grumpy will be hosting another “Hearts & Crafts” affair this holiday season. Hopefully I’ll make it to this one. If the wares for sale are even a fraction as nifty as their flier I am certain I will NOT be disappointed!

Hearts & Crafts Affair
December 6 & 7, 2008, Noon – 6:00 p.m.
Cafe Grumpy

193 Meserole Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11222

theheartsandcraftsaffair (at) hotmail (dot) com

But back to events I have attended in previous years.

I purchased some incredibly fun items last year’s holiday craft fair. I will probably do so again this year. Take my word for it: this event is worth schlepping over to 195 Morgan Avenue.

Handmade Holiday Craft Fair
December 7, 2008, Noon-7:00 p.m.
3rd Ward
195 Morgan Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11237

Last up, the Gift On Grand will be throwing another giftstravaganza at Secret Project Robot. My advice about this event: ARRIVE EARLY. It gets packed.

Secret Santa Project
December 13, 2008, 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Secret Project Robot
210 Kent Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11211

Now back to the kitchen I go…

Miss Heather

Ah, Greenpoint!

November 25, 2008 ·
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg 

Earlier today I made a rather fascinating discovery; when you run the search terms “drunk” and “Greenpoint” some mighty interesting things pop up on YouTube. The following are three of my more “choice” finds. Enjoy!

You know, inasmuch as people are angry at the prospect of doling out $2.50 to ride our fine city’s subways and buses I really do not mind. With “in flight” entertainment like this dude I have no qualms whatsoever with ponying up an extra fifty cents. As a matter of fact I consider money well spent.

Miss Heather

Williamspoint Photos du Jour: It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like X-Mas!

November 25, 2008 ·
Filed under: Bed-Stuy, Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg 

Kent Avenue, Williamsburg.

Lorimer Street, Greenpoint.

I would like to advise my fellow north Brooklynites not to overindulge this upcoming turkey day. The eyes in the Stuy will be watching us.

Miss Heather

TOMORROW: Portraits From The Soup Kitchen

November 25, 2008 ·
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg 

For those of you who are staying in the Garden Spot this upcoming Tofurky Day there are plenty of ways to get your fix of thankfulness. As I mentioned before, there will be an interfaith service at Ahavas Israel starting at 7:30 p.m. Volunteers are always welcome at the Greenpoint Reformed Church’s food pantry and soup kitchen. Especially tomorrow when they’ll be serving up an early Thanksgiving dinner. Ann Kansfield wrote (in her press release):

The Greenpoint Reformed Church Soup Kitchen will host a special Thanksgiving turkey dinner on Wednesday, November 25 from 6-7pm. The event will mark the opening of a new art exhibit featuring portraits of the soup kitchen’s patrons and volunteers painted by Janice Bridgers.

The soup kitchen has found innovative ways to help feed increasing numbers of homeless and low-income individuals. The kichen manages to feed a hot meal to 80-100 people each week on a shoestring budget.  We expect even more people to come for the pre-Thanksgiving meal on Wednesday night. The meal will consist of turkey and other traditional Thanksgiving trimmings.

Adding to the evening is the opening of an art show featuring portraits of the soup kitchen’s clients and volunteers. The artwork is meant to increase self-esteem and pride among individuals who are often demoralized and hopeless. The artwork is displayed with gallery lighting in the same room where the soup kitchen meals take place…

Founded in 2007, the Greenpoint Reformed Church Soup Kitchen is a non-sectarian program that provides a weekly hot meal for homeless and low income people in North Brooklyn.  The number of people served by the soup kitchen has risen signficiantly due to the downturn in the economy.

Janice Bridgers began painting portraits of people associated with soup kitchen after she began volunteering with the program. She holds an MFA from Columbia University and makes a great tasting pot of soup.

Here are a few works by Ms. Bridgers (which I have to admit as a painter who defected to sculpture I rather like. They are strikingly reminiscent of Alice Neel.) you’ll see tomorrow night at the soup kitchen. Each painting will be for sale (they’re $300 each) and all proceeds will go towards the soup kitchen.

You can see more of Ms. Bridger’s work by clicking here. In closing I’d like to mention that the soup kitchen and food pantry needs our help now more than ever:

Each day there’s a new story about how the decline in our economy is leading to an increase in demand for food pantries and soup kitchens. We’ve seen a huge increase in the number of people coming through the doors of the Greenpoint Reformed Church’s soup kitchen and food pantry. As you might guess, the funds needed to help feed so many hungry people haven’t kept pace with the demand. In fact, our city funding got cut this summer.  Our pantry is empty right now, otherwise I wouldn’t be writing to you.

We need your help, and we’re asking you to do two things. Please make a Thanksgiving donation to Greenpoint’s pantry and kitchen. No gift is too small – we can do a lot with just $5 or $10.  We’re able to buy food at a reduced cost from the NY Food Bank, so we leverage every dollar donated to us. Second, please help spread the word and forward this message to five friends asking them to donate a few bucks.  If everyone gives a little, we can do so much.

We’re aren’t a large non-profit.  We don’t have a fancy building or shiny equipment. You can be assured that your donation goes directly to help people who would otherwise fall through the cracks of our society.  Along with helping people, you also have the benefit of your donation being tax-deductable.

You can send a check to:

Greenpoint Church Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry
136 Milton St.
Brooklyn, NY 11222

Or make an online donation by clicking here.

Miss Heather

Williamsburg Photo du Jour: Grand Street

November 24, 2008 ·
Filed under: Abjectecture, Dung of the Day, Other Shit, Williamsburg 

I knew something was up when the Mister and I were walking down Grand Street (to dine at Santorini).

I spied this work of art gracing a construction fence, so I took a photograph of it. As we progressed further down the block I noticed more. Being hungry— VERY HUNGRY— I paid them no mind. Thankfully I bumped into Bitchcakes afterward and she told me the good news about this.

Speaking as someone who has taught art (and have seen one too many “projects” utilizing doll parts in my day) I found this utterly hilarious.

The fact it graces the construction fence of this derelict property where a fifteen story behemoth designed by North Brooklyn’s gift that keeps on giving— none other than Karl Fischer— was slated to be erected makes it all the more amusing. The downzone (and fetid economy) pretty much kiboshed that from happening. Now we have this instead.

Shit happens.

Miss Heather

Miscellaneous Foodstuffs

November 24, 2008 ·
Filed under: Bushwick, Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg 

I spied this menu in the window of a laundromat yesterday. Thinking this was a new restaurant in/near the ‘hood I grabbed a menu. It isn’t. Here’s the scoop.

ANYTIME is a website: www.anytimeny.com. This site (which appears to be in development) not only offers to deliver food, but smokes and beer as well. Their hours are 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 a.m. daily and their delivery zone (as culled from their web site) is as follows:

It should also be noted that they accept credit cards (VISA, AmEx, Mastercard and Discover): $15.00 minimum for delivery.

If and/or when any of you, dear readers, give this business a whirl let me know. I’m quite curious to say the least! And oh yeah, you get a free soft drink with your first “web purchase”.

ANYTIME: Late night food, booze & smokes
www.anytimeny.com

Next up, (and a note of somewhat well-substantiated intelligence), the mastermind(s) behind the Endless Summer taco truck which graces the intersection of North 7th Street and Bedford Avenue is going to expand to some more permanent digs…

IN GREENPOINT.

Tacos & More is the name.
668 Manhattan Avenue is the address.
And (718) 346-2626 will be their phone number.

It is slated to open “next year”. Given that that our current one is almost over I imagine the wait will not be too long.

Last up, my buddy Larry da Junkman loves all things cheap. Especially coffee. I love wine (a hearty glass of claret on a cold day is noting short of sheer bliss). So you can imagine my delight when I checked out the new Porto Rico coffee shop he tipped me off to only find a new(ish) wine shop to boot!

Porto Rico, regrettably, was closed. But I did take a looksee at blue angel.

All in all, it was pretty neat. They had an interesting selection, much of their stock was quite affordable (READ: At/under $15.00 a bottle) and a very handsome chap named “Dude” mans the premises.

Had there not been a screaming child * on the premises I would have stuck around and made a purchase. Methinks I might take them up on delivery instead: blue angel delivers “throughout Williamsburg, Bushwick and Greenpoint” daily from noon to 9:00 p.m. One bottle up to TWO CASES. You know, for those extra special occasions.

Porto Rico Coffee & Tea
636 Grand Street
Brooklyn, New York 11211

blue angel wines
638 Grand Street
Brooklyn, New York 11211
(718) 388-2210

To close on a somewhat related note, X-tra Discount is back! Their new store will be located just across the street from their old digs (which is now WaMu). Seekers of affordable housewares in Greenpoint rejoice.

Hallelujah!

Miss Heather

UPDATE, 4:18 p.m.: I just received a very nice email from one of the peeps behind ANYTIME. Jessica writes:

Hello Miss Heather.  I hope you are having a lovely Monday.  It’s nice that it warmed up a little today.  I LOVE what you do and I’m a very avid reader of your posts, thus I was overcome with excitement to see that today you wrote about my restaurant, Anytime, and so I figured I should tell you a little bit more about us.

The original owners opened shop in ‘99 and were on North 6th Street until my partners and I built a sparkling new kitchen on Skillman Ave in August.  We are working on making a spectacular eat-in restaurant and are delivering to all of Greenpoint and Williamsburg until 5 am every night, though we are closed f’ Thanksgiv’n and Christmas.  The sad news..L.. is that we are still awaiting our new liquor license for the new space, so there won’t be any beer deliveries until early next year. The good news however, is that we just started an amazing new menu last week (which you saw) and which I am very excited about.  Our chef, Berty Richter (previously of Lamb & Jaffy) makes delicious hummus daily from scratch and we have added some real gems to the menu.  My favorites are the Soy Honey Ginger Wings, Cuban Toasted Sandwich and Pumpkin Cheesecake!

I really do hope that you and Mister Heather will give us a try, and let me know how you like it.

Thanks for posting about us and have a great Thanksgiving!

As “Chip” would say to “Dale”:

No, Thank YOU! 😉

*It should be noted that said child belonged to a client, not the proprietors.

Photo Credit: Endless Summer Tacomobile; www.offmanhattan.com

THIS WEEK: Williamsburg-Greenpoint Thanksgiving Interfaith Service

November 23, 2008 ·
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg 

In addition to the numerous volunteer opportunities at the Greenpoint Reformed Church* those of you who want to put the “thanks” back into Thanksgiving might be interested in attending the Thanksgiving Interfaith Service at Congregation Ahavas Israel right here in Greenpoint! This year’s service (a yearly joint collaboration of Congregation Ahavas Israel, the Greenpoint Reformed Church, the Greenpoint Islamic Center, the Church of the Ascension, St. Anthony’s, St. Stanislaw’s and the St. John’s Lutheran Church) will feature a sermon by Rabbi Avi Weiss, Dean of the Open Orthodox Yeshiva Chovoveih Torah*. Refreshments will follow.

Thanksgiving Interfaith Service
Wednesday, November 26, 2008, 7:30 p.m.
Congregation Ahavas Israel
108 Noble Street
Brooklyn, New York 11222

In closing I feel compelled to pass along another albeit highly secular reason to attend this event: I have it on good word the interior of this otherwise ordinary looking synagogue is absolutely breathtaking. Check it out!

Miss Heather

*Whose Christmas wishlist you can see here.

**Who apparently is ranked one of “America’s Top 50 Rabbis” by Newsweek

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