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VOLUME 44 | NUMBER 23
JUNE 15, 2017
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Pour the Core Fills North Brooklyn With High-End Apple Ciders Greenpoint’s Expo Center is Cider Ground Zero for A Traditional, Yet Much Varied Beverage Andy Katz
Greenpoint Gazette
For the third year in a row, Pour The Core schooled Brooklyn residents and aficionados of all things apple about cider. More than 40 vendors filled Greenpoint’s Brooklyn Expo Center to challenge taste buds with varieties of cider ranging from hard, fermented varieties—the consumption of which required the presence of I.D. and a designated driver— to more playful, flavored ciders. Some versions were carbonated enough to create delightful, foamy heads, while others were far denser, bottled with minimal processing and leaving fine sediment in the bottom of each glass.
The audience cheers in the background for their favorite donut‐eating contestant.
Brooklyn Eagle photo by Andy Katz
continued on p.2
Brooklyn Eagle photo by Andy Katz
10th Annual Gretsch Day Celebrates the Iconic Guitar Brand’s Brooklyn Roots: Rocky Schiano, left, holds up a guitar made by Stephen Stern from reclaimed Brooklyn wood. See Brooklyn Eagle insert page 6. Photo by Jimmy Coppola
Brooklyn Community Services Wraps 150th Anniversary in Grand Style: Gay Pride Swells in Park Slope Parade: From left: U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez, Public From left: BCS Exec Director Marla Simpson, Mistress of Ceremonies Debi Mazar Advocate Letitia James and Acting District Attorney Eric Gonzalez and his son proudly Brooklyn Eagle photo by Arthur De Gaeta and CNN broadcaster Michaela Angela Davis. See Brooklyn Eagle insert page 2. wave their flags of pride. See page 5.
Transport Worers Union Local 100 Endorses Brooklyn-Queens Connector | PG. 4
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Pour the Core Fills North Brooklyn With High End Apple Ciders continued from p. 1
“Cider’s a great anti-oxidant,” said organizer Lynda Calimano, “And it’s great for people with gluten intolerance, too.” Not surprisingly, most of the brands on hand were crafttype ciders from small-scale bottlers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and, of course, upstate New York. One of the best known European labels, Stella Artois, was on hand, filling a third of the expo center with a sleek Airstream-style trailer from which samples of Stella Cidre were handed out by friendly reps. As with any liquid tasting, dump buckets were set at the ends of each brand’s table, but these were used mainly to rinse the official sampling glass with a bit of water to avoid contaminating the next sample—most everyone drank whatever cider had been poured into his or her glass. Because hard ciders are typically closer to beer than wine in their alcohol content, guests managed to keep an even keel without wasting a single drop. Cider veteran Jessica Schwab persuaded her friends, Justin Klein and Breanna Kreztler, to make the trip from Long Island to attend their first official cider expo. “Delicious!” Kreztler admitted, as Klein stood behind her, nodding. Asked if the trio had found a favorite, they sorted through an impressive collection of pamphlets and cards before coming up with Rekorderlig’ Strawberry Cider from Sweden. Later in the afternoon, expo staff were seen hanging glazed donuts from strings dangling about five feet from the center floor. “There was supposed to be a pie-eating contest,” one organizer admitted, “but people were afraid they’d get too messy, so we’re going with donuts.” continued on p. 3
A trio of contestants compete in donut eating for best times.
A contestant faces off with a glazed donut.
The Rekorderlig Cider’s Jessica Schwab, Justin Klein and Breanna Kretzer’s favorite among the many.
Jamiah Mootry, left, with drawing of a friend, Marianne Alapeth, who was unable to attend this year’s Pour the Core, and Anne Schauger, from Westchester.
Passing out samples of Rootstock Ciders.
Brooklyn Eagle photos by Andy Katz
Left to right: Joseph Jose, Natalie Pettit and Sebastian Ramos with their Sparkling Ice crowns.
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Pour the Core Fills North Brooklyn With High End Apple Ciders
Contestant Anne Schauger closes in on her target.
Spectator Gabriel Katz reacts to the contest.
Contestant Anne Schauger with her thousand yard stare after competing in the donut‐eating contest. continued from p. 2
Nathalie Rodriguez and Daniel Gaines rep Taproot Organics: “If you wouldn’t put it in Brooklyn Eagle photos by Andy Katz Promoter Lynda Calimano at the Expo Center entrance. your mouth, you shouldn’t put it on your skin!”
Lisa Winn with her Thirst Quencher line of repurposed bottle caps and cider‐themed socks.
The event took place in five heats, with contestants trying to best the fastest recorded time. “If your donut falls off the string, you can decide to keep eating it on the floor, or withdraw,” the announcer assured the contestants. Because there was no prize aside from bragging rights, no one really kept track of who won, who placed, etc. A beverage long taken for granted, apple ciders and their artisanal variations have become increasingly popular in the past few years, with cider aficionados demanding more quality and variety than ever. Manufacturers have responded. The third week of October will be designated “Cider Week” here in New York City, to be capped by a “Cider Crawl” with what one imagines will be crews dressed as Johnny Appleseed making their way from one organic pub to the next.
Left to right: Juniela Bueno, Rafael Familia and Frances Alcantara, PhD with samples in front of a large number of cider cans. See more photos on page 8.
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Transport Workers Union Local 100 Endorses Brooklyn-Queens Connector Greenpoint Gazette
The 42,000-member strong Transport Workers Union Local 100 on Monday endorsed the Brooklyn-Queens Connector streetcar project. The streetcar will give a powerful boost to the city economy, create good union jobs that can sustain working families and provide mass transit to transit-starved neighborhoods, Local 100 and TWU of America International President John Samuelsen said. “Mass transit is the economic lifeblood of the city,” said Samuelsen. “A streetcar along the Brooklyn-Queens waterfront will attract more businesses to the area, including manufacturers, and increase job opportunities. We see this as a vitally important project.” Samuelsen said Local 100 would marshal its membership and political resources to lobby elected officials in support of building the BQX in order to achieve the following goals: • Expand NYC’s mass transit system with an integrated fare with MTA subway and buses. • Spur economic development, including a supply-chain of manufacturers producing equipment and parts for the streetcar. • Prioritize community hiring and provide job opportunities for high school students opting not to pursue a college degree immediately after graduation. “Too often the people who most need a reliable transit option are the same people who lack a voice, and for whom a shorter and easier commute can make the biggest difference,”
said Ya-Ting Liu, executive director of Friends of the BQX. “The men and women of the TWU know better than anyone how much of a difference transit can make in the lives of New Yorkers, and we’re so grateful for their support.” TWU made the announcement at NYCHA’s Red Hook Houses East to underscore the impact the BQX will have on low-income residents, many of whom have their job options limited because of a lack of public transportation. “There are 44,000 people who live in NYCHA housing along the BQX’s route, and many of us have lived most of
our lives far from good transit options,” said Frances Brown, president of Red Hook East Houses Residents Association. “I’m so excited that the TWU has joined me and my neighbors to help bring the BQX to our communities.” The BQX will run along the 14-mile corridor from Sunset Park to Astoria and serve the 400,000 people who live and 300,000 people who work along the BrooklynQueens waterfront, including 600 TWU members and 44,000 public housing residents. —Information from Friends of the BQX
International President of the Transport Workers Union John Samuelsen speaks while Executive Di‐ rector of Friends of the BQX Ya‐Ting Liu (left) looks on. Photos courtesy of Friends of the BQX
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Pride Swells in Park Slope Parade By Andy Katz Special to the *UHHQSRLQW *D]HWWH
Safe from both the brutal pre-summer sun and the swirling controversies about honoring terrorists versus satisfying an important constituency on Puerto Rico Day, elected officials marched behind multihued banners and waved rainbow flags in Brooklyn’s 21st Pride Parade
on Saturday evening. Sponsored by the Fifth Avenue BID and produced by Brooklyn Pride, Inc., Pride Parade is New York City’s only evening parade, kicking off at 7:30 p.m., after the sun has descended past the brownstones and classic storefront facades. There’s always a stealth aspect in the beginning, not seen in its Manhattan counterpart, where floats
and crews and bands assemble in side streets well in advance of the procession. NYPD starts barricading side streets that lead to Fifth Avenue from Lincoln Place to Ninth Street, but at first, it’s unclear why. People gradually fill the street, mainly around spots such as Ginger’s Bar between Fifth and Sixth Streets and further down by Brooklyn
Members of Sirens, a Brooklyn-based women’s motorcycle club, lead off the parade. Eagle photo by Andy Katz
Industries on Union Street and Fifth Avenue. It isn’t until the procession actually begins — led this year by NYC’s oldest and largest women’s motorcycle club, the Sirens MC, (which has also led off the larger, more storied NYC Pride March since 1987) — that humanity seems to explode onto Fifth Avenue. Families with small children whose faces are gaily painted stand alongside drag queens in gossamer finery or mingle with tattooed women wearing snug muscle-Tshirts and middle-aged samesex couples who stroll down holding hands from their Prospect Park-facing brownstones. Working stiffs just off shift perch on cement planters or squat along the curb, and hipster diners take advantage of restaurants and lounges that sport large open facades to fill tables near the entrance for a prime spot to watch the procession. In addition to the Sirens MC, grand marshal duties were shared by transgender activist Ron B., sporting her signature Tina Turner kit, and Michael Camacho, regional
A man and his dog wait for the parade begin.
Eagle photo by Andy Katz
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams holds a pride flag and Eagle photo by Arthur De Gaeta smiles for the crowd.
Mayor Bill de Blasio marches with first lady Chirlane McCray.
Members of City Council, from left: Corey Johnson, Daniel Dromm, Carlos Menchaca and Antonio Reynoso.
Eagle photo by Andy Katz
director of pharmacy sales at AIDS Healthcare Foundation. Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez was one of the first public officials in the line of march. In fact, with his campaign to remove "acting" from his title, collecting endorsements from across the board, Gonzalez seemed to be everywhere at once. Passing by one moment and then reap-
Eagle photo by Andy Katz
pearing in the procession to walk with another group, the candidate seemed full of happy energy. Mayor Bill de Blasio and first lady Chirlane McCray stayed well back, marching behind a City Council contingent consisting of Daniel Dromm, Corey Johnson, Carlos Menchaca and Antonio Reynoso. Either arriving too late to catch the City Council banner or just wanting some alone time, Councilmember Ydanis Rodriguez marched solo, with only his young son on his shoulders for company. Also marching were Public Advocate Letitia James and Comptroller Scott Stringer. State Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon and Brooklyn Democratic Chair Frank Seddio rode atop a float with a model of the Brooklyn Bridge's South Tower, both tossing plastic beaded necklaces to spectators. Without precise tallies, it’s hard to be certain, but each year Brooklyn Pride seems larger and happier than ever. And of course, Brooklyn’s Fifth Avenue is no match in size for its Manhattan counterpart — naturally, it fills quickly and requires fewer bodies to appear overwhelming — but with continued support from elected officials all over the five boroughs, it continues to surprise and delight the senses with unscripted pride and fun.
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Pour the Core Fills North Brooklyn With High End Apple Ciders ... Continued from page 3
Joseph Jose after the contest with donut traces still on his face.
Cider expo veteran Jessica Schwab, left, persuaded friends Justin Klein and Breanna Brooklyn Eagle photos by Andy Katz Kretzer to visit Pour the Core for the first time.
April Besing with contestant Nick Christ after the competition.
Adele McDonald and Austin Feight with cider samples.
Stella Artois on hand with its own brands of ciders, Stella Cidre.
Kids Need MORE: Motivational Outdoor Recovery Environments, Inc., benefit that provides outdoor summer camp experience for children afflicted with cancer.
Alison Urban with samples of Mr. & Mrs. Jerky organic dried meats.
BROOKLYN EAGLE
Eagle photo by Andy Katz
Massive Arts Weekend in Greenpoint SEE PAGES 4-5
Volume 17, No. 42
Two Sections
THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 2017
$1.00
Brooklyn Community Services Wraps Up 150th Anniversary Year in Grand Style Venerable Nonprofit Bestows Awards on Sports, Entertainment, Corporate and Education Leaders
Students, teachers and staff of Brooklyn High School for Leadership and Community Service. By Andy Katz
Special to Brooklyn Eagle
Brooklyn Community Services (BCS) celebrated the finale of its sesquicentennial anniversary year in the East River waterfront’s newest “eco-luxe” lodging, 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge. The June 5 gala, themed “For the Love of the Community,” bestowed honors to philanthropists Aaron and Deborah Dean, the Philips-Van Heusen Foundation, Vice Chairman Edward Gentner Jr. and the staff, students and administration of The Brooklyn High School for Leadership and Community Service. Emcee for the evening, actress and activist Debi Mazar, pulled no punches in her comments: “This evening is a community of love,” Mazar declared, before introducing Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams as a “true blue Brooklyn motherf——r.” “I’ve been called a lot of things,” Adams said moments later to laughter and applause. “But that one really hit home.” Adams continued: “I like to think of this as a Brooklyn Bridge moment — 16 years before that beautiful edifice made of steel and stone was built, BCS was doing its thing. It was the original bridge.” Recalling his own family’s struggle with poverty and homelessness — he used to sleep alongside a garbage bag to prevent his clothing from being taken — Adams reminded the audience, “There’s an Eric Adams out there waiting for his neighbor to come and say, ‘You matter … being destitute doesn’t mean you lose dignity and respect!’ Homelessness is not just Bill de Blasio’s problem. It’s all of New York’s problem!” “He keeps it real!” Mazar added after Adams concluded his remarks. “And we need to support his realness!” BCS provides a wide array of services to Brooklyn residents, including support for mental health services, after-school programs, early childhood education, employment training for disabled persons and advocates for affordable housing. The last is acutely needful as Brooklyn property values continue to rise and gentrification threatens to destabilize many long-established communities. Released earlier this year, “The Forgotten Farragut” is a BCSproduced documentary short focused on Farragut Houses, a 10building NYCHA property adjoining the more affluent DUMBO and Vinegar Hill neighborhoods. Most of the economic revitalization that has characterized its neighbors and also the nearby Brooklyn Navy Yard, bypassed Farragut, where, according to BCS documents, median income is one-tenth that of DUMBO 2 • Brooklyn Eagle • Thursday, June 15, 2017
and unemployment is more than 12 percent. Last year BCS, in cooperation with NYCHA, launched the BCS Farragut Cornerstone Community Center. On site in the complex, the center provides resources and support to Farragut residents. Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, the BCS Arts & Entertainment Leadership Award honoree, oversees operations for the Barclays Center as well as managing the NBA Brooklyn Nets. “People who don’t maybe eat together will go see a game together,” said BCS board member and CNN contributor Michaela Angela Davis, introducing a short film about Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment. “Barclays Center brings excitement and action to Brooklyn, but it doesn’t take anything away. It contributes.” “Some of my earliest memories are of BCS,” said 15-year-old Sydney Dean, introducing her parents Aaron and Deborah Dean as they accepted the BCS Philanthropic Leadership Award. After an impromptu shoutout to Jacob Riis for his work on behalf of immigrants, Mazar brought BCS Executive Director Marla Simpson to the stage to present the Outstanding Service Award to BCS Vice Chair Edward F. Gentner Jr. “Without Ed,” Simpson told the audience, “I don’t think I’d ever have had the chance to be here … He is essential to every part of BCS operations.” “On a fundamental level, I’m a Brooklyn guy,” Gentner acknowledged. “It’s certainly an honor to be awarded for doing something I feel privileged to be allowed to do anyway!” “This is a team of hope and hope builders!” exclaimed BCS Brooklyn High School for Leadership and Community Service Principal Georgia Serves while accepting the BCS Program Award on behalf of the students and teachers assembled behind her. The evening ran late, as such events often do, prompting BCS Executive Director Simpson to call for dinner to be served while the awards were still underway. While accepting the award for corporate leadership, Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation Foundation President Guy Vickers lamented, “I had a really great speech prepared, too. But dinner’s more important.”
INSET: BCS Executive Director Marla Simpson, Mistress of Ceremonies Debi Mazar and CNN broadcaster Michaela Angela Davis (left to right).
BCS board Chair David O’Connell participates in the silent auction to raise funds. Eagle photos by Andy Katz
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams addresses the audience.
Thursday, June 15, 2017 • Brooklyn Eagle • 3
Massive Arts Weekend in Greenpoint Highlights More Than 500 Emerging Artists & Designers Artist Magaly Vega stands behind her plastic canvas in her Java Studios studio.
Erik Jerloch (left) and Josa Goodlife with Dottie Moon. By Andy Katz
Special to Brooklyn Eagle
The line in Java Studios outdoor courtyard stretched all the way back to the rough brick exterior of the adjacent factory and continued on, curving to fill nearly the entire space — invitations to this night’s Greenpoint Open Studios Launch had referenced “free beer” after all. But low-cost libations were not the main subject of the night’s launch party. Sponsored by Greenpointers.com publisher Julia Moak, Greenpoint Open Studios, which took place over a recent weekend, is an annual event celebrating the one-time industrial core as a center of emerging art, design and craft. “Our people worked for months on this,” Moak explained. More than 400 artists were represented as potential patrons were given maps showing locations from the edge of the Newtown Creek at Greenpoint’s northern tip to Meeker Avenue and its southern border with Williamsburg, where working artists,
Outside Java Studios in Greenpoint. 4 • Brooklyn Eagle • Thursday, June 15, 2017
designers and crafters had their goods on display. In addition to individual collections, groups of artists created and displayed their work at Alter, Java Studios, The Lot Radio, Pencilworks, the Brooklyn Art Library and A/D/O. “We’re a relatively small area,” Moak went on, “compared to, say, Bushwick, which is far more spread out. This seemed like a great way to provide exposure to the art community, rather than try to gather everything into one single gallery or museum.” Nor are Julia Moak and Greenpointers.com alone in perceiving the utility of the neighborhood’s compact geography. Art and advertising giant Saatchi Art is staging its own forum for emerging artists called “The Other Art Fair” in Brooklyn for the first time ever. And what better part of Brooklyn than Greenpoint, specifically the Brooklyn Expo Center on Noble Street? After partaking of free beer and live music compliments of Teen Body, Jules & The Jinks, Ocho Ocho Ocho and others, guests were invited to begin their art tour within Java
Studios itself. Paintings, photographs and found-art displays lined the building’s narrow hallways. Lounges with sofas and vending machines were set at opposite ends of each floor, and each open doorway seemed to lead into an aesthetic universe that reflected the mind of the tenant. “This place is fantastic,” Ryan Rio exulted, showing visitors around his small, but very comfortable-looking Dukkha Tattoo Studio. “People here support one another. And there’s always inspiration a few feet away.” Painter Peggy Resnick’s studio resembles a comfortable study. One half is set on a wood riser where a desk and chair sit, along with a bed for what appears to be a medium-size dog. “I bring him most days,” Resnick said. “He really helps me focus.” Instead of her dog, Resnick’s husband Stewart Fishman is on hand, sitting at the desk while his wife discusses her work with attendees. Continued on page 5
INSET: Found-object artist Tammy Rose shows detail of one her hanging collages.
Eagle photos by Andy Katz
A Special Section of BROOKLYN EAGLE Publications
June 15-21, 2017
New Ferry Links Traditional, Trendy B’klyn Neighborhoods
THE NOTION OF SAILING INTO THE SUNSET HAS TAKEN ON A WHOLE NEW MEANING IN BAY RIDGE. NOW RESIDENTS CAN HOP ON THE NYC FERRY AND see the sun set over New York Harbor (top photo) as they sail to trendy neighborhoods. The boats stop at Atlantic Basin in Red Hook (above, left) and in DUMBO (above, right). See EYE ON REAL ESTATE, pages 9-11INB. INBrooklyn photos by Lore Croghan
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See answers on page 19.
2INB • INBROOKLYN — A Special Section of Brooklyn Daily Eagle/Heights Press/Brooklyn Record/Bay Ridge Eagle/Greenpoint Gazette • Week of June 15-21, 2017
Greek Festival Means Food & Fun!
Sts. Constantine And Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral Hosts Weeklong Celebration There was plenty of delicious food to be eaten at Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral’s 40th Annual Greek Festival, which took place all last week at 64 Schermerhorn St., between Court Street and Boerum Place. Festival goers got to enjoy traditional homemade Greek foods and pastries as well as dancing and shopping in the cathedral’s Flea Market. Volunteers like Soula, Angie and Connie (pictured at left) served visitors all week long. INBrooklyn photos by Bonnie Meeg
Week of June 15-21, 2017 • INBROOKLYN — A Special Section of Brooklyn Daily Eagle/Brooklyn Eagle/Heights Press/Brooklyn Record/Bay Ridge Eagle/Greenpoint Gazette • 3INB
4INB • INBROOKLYN — A Special Section of Brooklyn Daily Eagle/Brooklyn Eagle/Heights Press/Brooklyn Record/Bay Ridge Eagle/Greenpoint Gazette • Week of June 15-21, 2017
GREAT PHOTOS FROM AROUND THE CITY — AND AROUND THE WORLD — APPEAR EVERY BUSINESS DAY IN THE BROOKLYN DAILY EAGLE.
IN THIS SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 2017 PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE FLORIDA KEYS NEWS BUREAU, Kayla Hasbrook pours ingredients during the final round of the Stoli Key West Cocktail Classic contest in Key West, Florida. Hasbrook, a New York City bartender, concocted a libation titled “No Sleep Till Sunrise” to garner top honors among winners of 17 North American regional competitions. Photo by Carol Tedesco/Florida Keys News Bureau via AP
Week of June 15-21, 2017 • INBROOKLYN — A Special Section of Brooklyn Daily Eagle/Brooklyn Eagle/Heights Press/Brooklyn Record/Bay Ridge Eagle/Greenpoint Gazette • 5INB
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MYBROOKLYNCALENDAR.COM Week of June 15-21, 2017
Calendar Events June 15-21 Arts Sights in the City During the summer of 1980, under the direction of his photographer father, Jamel Shabazz armed himself with a Canon AE1 SLR camera and began to photograph the landscape of his native New York City. Composed of color and black-and-white photographs taken between 1980 and 2016, many of which have never been published, “Sights in the City” is the testament of Shabazz’s visual journey. When: Tuesday through Saturday, through June 17, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Where: DUMBO/United Photo Industries Gallery (111 Front St.) The View From Here A series of paintings referencing the historical and physical attributes of places visited by the artist, as well as the generations that have passed through them and the artist’s presence as a contemporary visitor. When: Thursday through Sunday, through June 16, 1-6 p.m Where: Prospect Heights/FiveMyles (558 St. Johns Place) This Land Is ... This show features work by 800 Brooklyn students and offers youthful artistic commentary on modern socio-economic and political issues, from immigration and health care to gun violence. When: Tuesday through Sunday, through June 18 (Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sunday, 12-6 p.m.) Where: Fort Greene/BRIC Arts (647 Fulton St.) Kajahl: Obscure Origins This exhibition presents a focused survey of Kajahl’s portraits, which combine iconography from African, Asian, European and pre-Columbian traditions. The fusion of these symbols results in the creation of enigmatic artworks that bring the forgotten past
into the foreground and reanimate minor artifacts of history into transformative assemblages. When: Thursday through Saturday, through June 18, 12-5 p.m. Where: Clinton Hill/Tillou Fine Art (59 Cambridge Place) S.B. Walker: Walden Walker’s photographs illustrate the way this once pristine landscape is now viewed and used. Using a large format camera, Walker captures both the grandeur and the cotidian 100 years after Thoreau. When: Tuesday through Saturday, through June 23, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Where: DUMBO/Janet Borden, Inc (91 Water St.) Multilocational See multilocational artworks by Natalia Nakazawa and Cecile Chong. Multilocational is defined as “of, pertaining to, or being present in more than one location.” It subtly plays on the words multicultural or multinational, or “of mixed ancestry or residence.” When: Fridays, through June 25, 3-6 p.m. Where: Park Slope/Old Stone House (336 Third St.) Andrew Snyder: 9 Meditations A performative installation, “9 Meditations” pays tribute to the tradition of demonstration by way of performance. There is a long history of demonstration in the crafts — whether weaving, smithing, or throwing — as a performance that shows the mastery of the craftsman’s skill. When: Wednesday through Sunday, through July 15, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Where: Park Slope/Open Source Gallery (306 17th St.) Georgia O’Keeffe: Living Modern This exhibit takes a new look at how the renowned modernist artist proclaimed her progressive, independent lifestyle through a self-crafted public persona, including her clothing and the way she posed for the camera. The exhibition expands our understanding of O’Keeffe by focusing on her wardrobe, shown for the first time alongside key paintings and photographs. It confirms and explores her determination to be in charge of how the world understood her identity and artistic values. When: Wednesday through Sunday, through July 23, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. (Thursdays, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.) Where: Prospect Heights/Brooklyn Museum (200 Eastern Parkway) Forged Worlds This outdoor photography exhibition showcases work by seven artists whose photographic practices revolve around the physical construction of fictional landscapes. Installed on a fence beneath the Manhattan Bridge, this photo installation invites viewers to take a closer look and perhaps allow themselves to be carried away — if even for a moment — in thoughts and lands so strange, yet so familiar, so close to home. When: Daily, through July 31, 2017 Where: DUMBO/Manhattan Bridge (Adams Street, Plymouth Street and Anchorage Place) Continued on page 7INB
6INB • INBROOKLYN — A Special Section of Brooklyn Daily Eagle/Brooklyn Eagle/Heights Press/Brooklyn Record/Bay Ridge Eagle/Greenpoint Gazette • Week of June 15-21, 2017
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MYBROOKLYNCALENDAR.COM Continued from page 6INB Truman Capote’s Brooklyn: The Lost Photographs of David Attie In the spring of 1958, a young photographer named David Attie was led through the streets of Brooklyn Heights and to the Brooklyn waterfront by an unexpected guide: 33-year-old Truman Capote. The images Attie took that day were to illustrate Capote’s essay for Holiday magazine about his life in Brooklyn. Decades later, these largely unseen photographs are being exhibited for the first time. When: Wednesday through Sunday, through July 31, 12-5 p.m. Where: Brooklyn Heights/Brooklyn Historical Society (128 Pierrepont St.)
ents Arundhati Roy, who returns to fiction with her second novel “The Ministry of Utmost Happiness.” When: Monday, June 19, 7:30 p.m. Where: Fort Greene/BAM Gilman Opera House (30 Lafayette Ave.)
Next Stop: Second Avenue Subway Tracing nearly 100 years of history, the New York Transit Museum’s newest exhibit explores how the Second Avenue line fits into New York’s past, present and future transportation landscapes. When: Tuesday through Sunday, through Sept. 3, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. (Saturday and Sunday hours, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.) Where: Downtown Brooklyn/New York Transit Museum (Corner of Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street)
NYC Book Launch: “Extraordinary Adventures” By Daniel Wallace — In Conversation w/ Elizabeth Strout “Extraordinary Adventures” is a smart, hilarious novel that reminds us to make the most out of our short and complex lives. Join Daniel Wallace for a reading and conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Elizabeth Strout. When: Wednesday, June 21, 7 p.m. Where: DUMBO/PowerHouse Arena (28 Adams St.)
Books & Readings Unbound: Arundhati Roy A book launch series with BAM and Greenlight Bookstore pres-
Family Fun
Fab Friday’s Kids’ Concert: Shake, Rattle and Roll “Shake, Rattle & Roll“ is a parent-child, folkloric drumming program and Roman Diaz Ogduardo is a master conga player. Ogduardo transports us to Cuba with rhythmic songs and storytelling. This event is perfect for children ages 12 months through 5 years to sing along, dance, play and enjoy being outdoors; it’s sure to be a FAB-ulous time When: Friday, June 16, 10-11 a.m. Where: Clinton Hill/Putnam Triangle Plaza (Fulton Street and Grand Avenue) Party on Wheels The New York Transit Museum’s Lo-V subway cars are turning Continued on page 8INB
Image courtesy of Union Hall
Infinite Blue The works of art in “Infinite Blue” feature blue in all its variety — a fascinating strand of visual poetry running from ancient times to the present day. In cultures dating back thousands of years, blue — the color of the skies — has often been associated with the spiritual, but also signifies power, status and beauty. The spiritual and material aspects of blue combine to tell us stories about global history, cultural values, technological innovation and international commerce. When: Wednesday through Sunday, through Nov. 5, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Thursdays, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Where: Prospect Heights/Brooklyn Museum (200 Eastern Parkway)
Summer Reading Storytime Join the Brooklyn Public Library for a rollicking good time listening to stories, singing songs and enjoying the breeze from the water. The Brooklyn Heights children’s librarian will read stories from the library’s summer reading list, plus a whole lot more. When: Wednesday, June 21, 11 a.m. Where: Brooklyn Bridge Park/Pier 3
Union Hall will host “Never Seen It” on Saturday, June 17.
Week of June 15-21, 2017 • INBROOKLYN — A Special Section of Brooklyn Daily Eagle/Brooklyn Eagle/Heights Press/Brooklyn Record/Bay Ridge Eagle/Greenpoint Gazette • 7INB
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MYBROOKLYNCALENDAR.COM Continued from page 7INB 100 and they’re having a “Party on Wheels” to celebrate. Bring the whole family to enjoy exclusive early access, breakfast and birthday cake, crafts and dancing, a conductor cab photo booth, model trains, face painting and shuttle rides on the museum’s 100-year-old train cars. When: Sunday, June 17, 9-11 a.m. Where: Downtown Brooklyn/New York Transit Museum (Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street)
family show. When: Sunday, June 18, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Where: Williamsburg/Brooklyn Bowl (61 Wythe Ave.)
Kids Drawing and Poetry Workshop Kids can join artist Jesse Chun for a workshop on drawing, poetry and combining the two. When: Saturday, June 17, 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Where: Brooklyn Bridge Park/99 Plymouth St.
School Lunchtime Concert Series Showcasing middle and high school students from throughout our borough offering live music and performances in Columbus Park at the steps of Brooklyn Borough Hall. When: Wednesday, June 21, 10 a.m. Where: Downtown Brooklyn/Brooklyn Borough Hall (209 Joralemon St.)
Dog Days of Summer This event is open to all dog lovers — trophies, music, food and drinks and dog adoption. When: Saturday, June 17, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Where: Gravesend/Ben Ma Chree Boat Club (1934 Shore Parkway)
Smorgasburg Prospect Park More than 100 local and regional food purveyors will gather on Breeze Hill to offer a range of cuisines. When: Sunday, June 18, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Where: Prospect Park
Health Yoga for Toddlers Toddlers have a chance to explore the exciting world of yoga under the supervision of an experienced and expert instructor (Age group: Birth to 5 years). When: Thursday, June 15, 10:30-11 a.m. Where: Williamsburg/Leonard Library (81 Devoe St.)
Father’s Day Family Concert: The Music of Bob Marley with David Langlois and the Brookliners Free admission for dads on Father’s Day. Each workshop is 60 minutes long and is specifically designed for children ages 7 and under, but all members of the family are welcome to this
Basketball Clinics Improve basic basketball skills with the Big and Little Skills Academy on Pier 2. Each clinic will include either yoga to enhance flexibility or flag football for agility training. Continued on page 17INB
Image courtesy of Kings Theatre
Block Parties “Shira & Friends,” an interactive extravaganza combining original tunes with classics for a sing-along, dance-along good time. When: Saturday, June 17, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Where: Downtown Brooklyn/Albee Square (Fulton and Bond streets)
The Isley Brothers will perform at Kings Theatre on Sunday, June 18.
8INB • INBROOKLYN — A Special Section of Brooklyn Daily Eagle/Brooklyn Eagle/Heights Press/Brooklyn Record/Bay Ridge Eagle/Greenpoint Gazette • Week of June 15-21, 2017
New Ferry Links Trendy and Traditional B’klyn Neighborhoods
A ferry on the new route from Bay Ridge sails into Atlantic Basin in Red Hook.
INBrooklyn photo by Lore Croghan
Bay Ridge Has Ferry Service for the First Time Since the 1990s By Lore Croghan INBrooklyn
Trendy and traditional. On the new NYC Ferry, they’re only 19 minutes apart. That’s how long it takes Bay Ridge residents to get to Pioneer Works, the Red Hook cultural center where all the cool people hang out. Or 42 minutes, which is how long the ferry trip takes from Bay Ridge to Pier 1 in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Right next to the dock there’s an art installation called “Descension,” which is a mysterious whirlpool designed by famed artist Anish Kapoor. NYC Ferry’s new Bay Ridge service, which launched on June 1, also stops at Sunset Park and Wall Street’s Pier 11 and goes to Governors Island on summer weekends. This is the first time since the 1990s that there has been ferry service from Bay Ridge’s 69th Street Pier. It’s a game changer for Bay Ridge residents who want to do trendy Brooklyn stuff without spending a fortune on Uber (taxis are hard to find in our neighborhood) or languishing on the R train. We live in Bay Ridge. We love Bay Ridge — every square inch of it, from the famed Gingerbread House to the deli where we buy our daily newspapers. But if we had to give our neighborhood a label, we would call it traditional. Now, when we want a touch of trendiness in our lives, it’s a fast $2.75 ferry ride away. Riding the subway from Bay Ridge to trendy neighborhoods
can be wearying, especially on the weekends when the R train is sooo slow. To get to Red Hook, besides the R train ride, there’s a switch to the F train plus a 20-minute walk to the shoreline. To get to DUMBO, besides an R train ride that theoretically takes 40 minutes but in reality often takes much longer, there’s either a long wait for the F train or a 15-minute walk to the neighborhood.
A Scenic Ride Before Sunset Of course when we want to spend the whole day doing entertaining things in Red Hook or DUMBO — see related stories — we’ll hop on the ferry in the morning. But the most photogenic time of day for a voyage along the Brooklyn shoreline is right before sunset. We tried out this scenic cruise the other day, when the weather was good. See brooklyneagle.com for additional pictures from our trip. The evening sunlight made Brooklyn Army Terminal’s goldhued facades glow as our ferry docked in Sunset Park. The boat followed the shoreline of Red Hook fairly closely, so we got an eyeful of iconic Civil War-era warehouses and Louis Valentino Jr. Park and Pier. Even a dark-bricked modern building whose tenant is a Snapple distributor looked picturesque. A mural painted on part of it cast a reflection on the water. BTW, as we recently reported, the building is part of a $105 million, multi-property purchase by Sitex Group, which specializes in industrial real estate.
The ferry glided past gantry cranes into Red Hook’s Atlantic Basin and docked near the Mary A. Whalen, a decommissioned oil tanker that’s now a museum and floating cultural center. When the ferry headed for the dock at Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 6 at the end of Atlantic Avenue, its wake was lit up with gold by the low-on-the-horizon sun. As we sailed along the shoreline of Brooklyn Bridge Park, flashes of sunshine reflected off the windows of condo building One Brooklyn Bridge Park and Brooklyn Heights apartment houses. Finally, as the ferry swung towards the dock at Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 1, to those of us on the boat’s upper deck, it looked like the sun was setting right behind the World Trade Center. That proud tower was such a fine sight to see.
Week of June 15-21, 2017 • INBROOKLYN — A Special Section of Brooklyn Daily Eagle/Brooklyn Eagle/Heights Press/Brooklyn Record/Bay Ridge Eagle/Greenpoint Gazette • 9INB
Destination Red Hook — On the Bay Ridge Ferry Warehouses, Whiskey and Wonderful Art By Lore Croghan INBrooklyn
Art. Whiskey. Key lime pie. What’s not to like? NYC Ferry’s newly launched South Brooklyn service has turned trendy Red Hook into a convenient weekend hangout spot — for folks who live in Bay Ridge. It’s just a 19-minute ride from Bay Ridge’s 69th Street Pier to the Atlantic Basin ferry dock in Red Hook. The ferry ticket costs $2.75, just like a subway ride. This is a quick list for our Bay Ridge neighbors of things to do in Red Hook — besides shopping at IKEA for furnishings for our kids’ college dorm rooms. Those of you who live elsewhere might find this helpful, too. • Pioneer Works: Practically the first building visitors see after stepping off the Red Hook ferry dock is a former ironworks building from the Civil War era at 159 Pioneer St. It’s a cultural center with art studios, gallery space and a great garden. It’s the creation of high-profile artist Dustin Yellin. Pioneer Works is open to the public on Wednesday through Sunday — plus it hosts monthly events called Second Sundays with open studios for artists in residence plus live music and exhibitions. (It’s obvious when these events take place because of their name.) BTW, the Jacqueline Yellin Trust — that’s his mother — bought the property for $3.7 million in 2011, city Finance Department records indicate. • The Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition art shows: BWAC, as it’s called, has a 25,000-square-foot gallery in a Civil War-era warehouse at 481 Van Brunt St. The space is donated by the O’Connell Organization, which is the building’s landlord. Across the street there’s another fab building, Red Hook
Stores, where Fairway Market is located. BWAC is presenting terrific art shows that run through June 18. One of them features art made of recycled materials. • Record shop: Vinyl records are trendy again. Ask your kids if you don’t believe us. There’s a record store at 360 Van Brunt St. that will make you kick yourself for getting rid of your old turntable, and possibly inspire you to buy a new one. It’s one of many intriguing shops, galleries, bars and restaurants on Van Brunt Street. Speaking of bars and restaurants, if you’re planning on staying out ’Til The Midnight Hour, as the Wilson Pickett song goes, to drink and listen to music at famed Sunny’s Bar or have seafood and booze at Brooklyn Crab, plan to summon Uber for a ride home. The ferry doesn’t run late at night. • Cacao Prieto and Widow Jane: One’s a chocolate factory, the other’s a whiskey distillery. Both are at 214-218 Conover St. There are weekend tours. You get to taste different types of whiskey. Need we say more? • Kayaking at Louis Valentino Jr. Park and Pier: The Red Hook Boaters offer free kayaking sessions on summer Thursdays and Sundays. The park is at the end of Coffey Street. Its beach has iconic concrete blocks with letters on them that (more or less) spell out the words “Red Hook.” • Shoreline sights: There are remnants of historic Todd Shipyard at Erie Basin Park behind IKEA, plus a boatload of other nifty spots for shoreline walks. See brooklyneagle.com for a full description of places to stroll. • A taste of Florida on Red Hook’s waterfront: The pies sold at Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pies at 185 Van Dyke St. are the real thing. They are a startling discovery for ex-Floridians, as if a flock of flamingos suddenly landed in New York Harbor. We know these pies are perfect from serious research. (As far as we’re concerned, dessert is a deeply serious subject.) Earlier in our career, we helped a major metropolitan newspaper’s food critic taste-test Key lime pies in the Florida Keys.
Long live art — in Red Hook. “MeconoMorph,” a work by Viktor Genel, is in a Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition show in the neighborhood. INBrooklyn photos by Lore Croghan
AT RIGHT: Pioneer Works, a cultural center created by artist Dustin Yellin, has a picturesque garden, INSET: A record shop on Van Brunt Street looks like a musician’s lair.
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Kayakers ply the waters off Louis Valentino Jr. Park and Pier in Red Hook.
10INB • INBROOKLYN — A Special Section of Brooklyn Daily Eagle/Brooklyn Eagle/Heights Press/Brooklyn Record/Bay Ridge Eagle/Greenpoint Gazette • Week of June 15-21, 2017
Destination DUMBO — On the Bay Ridge Ferry Savvy Sculptors’ Works, Flower-Filled Piers In a Peerless Park By Lore Croghan INBrooklyn
sculptures he is making — right at Usagi. • Klompching Gallery: An excellent show called “Vanitas” runs through June 30 at this gallery at 89 Water St. It features photographs by Jeanette May and Kimberly Witham. Both artists’ works were inspired by Dutch still-life paintings. • DUMBO Walls: There are lots of other galleries in the neighborhood. Plus there are murals that were painted in 2013 on the walls beneath the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. They can be found on and near York Street. • The Selfie Capital of Brooklyn: Everybody who visits DUMBO stops on the corner of Washington and Water streets to take photos. You should, too. Look closely at your pictures, and you’ll notice the Empire State Building is visible in the distance, framed by the supports of the Manhattan Bridge. See brooklyneagle.com for other photos we’ve snapped of this photogenic spot. • River Café: The famous River Café at 1 Water St. on the shoreline of the Fulton Ferry Historic District is a dazzling
option for dining and drinking. Another option is the rooftop bar that just opened at 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, which is at 60 Furman St. BTW, if you stay out until the wee hours, you’ll have to take a cab home. The ferry doesn’t run late at night.
ABOVE: Boats that belong to One°15 Brooklyn Sail Club hug the shoreline of Brooklyn Bridge Park. INSET: This flower on a tree in Brooklyn Bridge Park is so perfect, it almost looks fake.
INBrooklyn photo by Lore Croghan
A wild whirlpool, a sculptor who makes art out of your discarded stuff and the hottest spot in Brooklyn for selfie-snapping. What’s not to like? NYC Ferry’s newly launched South Brooklyn service has turned trendy DUMBO into a convenient weekend hangout spot — for folks who live in Bay Ridge. The ride up the Brooklyn shoreline is faster than the subway, and so scenic. It takes 42 minutes to get to the Pier 1 dock in Brooklyn Bridge Park, and costs $2.75, just like the train. This is a quick list for our Bay Ridge neighbors of things to do. Those of you who live elsewhere might find this helpful, too. • “Descension,” by British sculptor Anish Kapoor: Practically the first thing visitors see after stepping off the Pier 1 ferry dock is this mysterious whirlpool. It’s an art installation dug into the grass at Brooklyn Bridge Park. It will be on display through Sept. 10. See brooklyneagle.com for photos of other key things to see in the park, such as the newly opened public space on the rooftop of Empire Stores. • The Flower Field on Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 6: The flowers in the half-acre Flower Field started blooming for the first time last summer. There are vast expanses of green lawn, too — with views of Lower Manhattan’s skyscrapers. • Usagi Art Gallery: Bring a small toy or an unwanted scrap of electronics to this gallery at 163 Plymouth St. The artist whose work is being shown through Aug. 2, Shu Ohno, will incorporate your offering into
Debra Klomp Ching, co-owner of Klompching Gallery, shows us photos by Brooklyn artist Jeanette May. Week of June 15-21, 2017 • INBROOKLYN — A Special Section of Brooklyn Daily Eagle/Brooklyn Eagle/Heights Press/Brooklyn Record/Bay Ridge Eagle/Greenpoint Gazette • 11INB
Development Market in Williamsburg, Downtown Brooklyn Remain Popular Despite Borough’s Lull By Sean R. Kelly, Esq., director, investment sales and Katherine Speltz, analyst, investment research Special to INBrooklyn
Williamsburg, Downtown Brooklyn Draw Demand Williamsburg and Downtown Brooklyn have emerged as primary targets for institutional capital willing to cross the river. During the past 10 to 15 years, these areas have evolved into 24-hour mixed-use communities. However, along with their emergence has come the challenge of finding new development opportunities, particularly for rental housing. Williamsburg was one of the hottest neighborhoods for development last year, notching a sizable 21 percent, 20 percent and 19 percent of the entire borough’s dollar, transaction and property volume, respectively. Williamsburg’s vigor did not relent in the first quarter of 2017, with the region registering the highest transaction and dollar volume in Brooklyn, with six development trades totaling $64.7 million. The largest sale in the period took place at 187 Kent Ave. and 48 North Third Street, a 140,000-buildable-square-foot site that sold for $42.5 million, or $303 per buildable square foot, significantly above Brooklyn’s 2016 average of $262. The popularity of Williamsburg, both from a commercial and residential perspective, stems largely from its vibrant and eclectic atmosphere. The looming shutdown of the area’s Ltrain in 2019 could cause some migration out of the neighborhood, but its impact will likely be subdued as the neighborhood is deeply immersed in culture, with a well-known art community. Indeed, a massive amount of people from around the world trek to Williamsburg
Images courtesy of Ariel Property Advisors
Sales of development sites in Brooklyn continued to soften in the first quarter, a trend that can be attributed to a confluence of factors, including higher land and construction costs, the expiration of the 421-a tax abatement and an increasingly challenging financing environment. While Brooklyn’s development market will likely not reach the lofty levels seen in 2015, demand is poised to rebound given that “Affordable New York,“ 421-a’s replacement, is now in play. The expiration of the 421-a tax exemption on Dec. 31, 2015 is the most significant factor behind the slide in land sales, which is abundantly evident in data gauging construction permits. In 2015, 51,500 new units of housing were approved throughout New York City, with 45 percent, or 23,393 new units, accepted in Brooklyn. In 2016, a mere 4,535 units were approved in Brooklyn, according to The Real Deal data. In the first quarter, the borough saw total development dollar volume at just over $331 million, a 45 percent drop from the $619 million tallied during the same period in 2016, according to Ariel Property Advisors’ research. Moreover, only 54 transactions were recorded in the period, 40 percent and 32 percent below the same quarters in 2015 and 2016, respectively. In April, New York state lawmakers, as part of the state’s $163 billion budget, passed the Affordable New York bill, offering developers full property-tax exemption for as long as 35 years with varying levels of affordability. While Affordable New York will undoubtedly be a boon for development throughout Brooklyn — particularly in areas where land
costs allow for the construction of rental apartments, such as Bedford-Stuyvesant, Bushwick, Prospect-Lefferts Gardens and Flatbush — construction costs in New York City are the highest in the world and the current landscape for commercial lending is much tighter than in previous years.
Sean R. Kelly, Esq., director of investment sales for Ariel Property Advisors.
Katherine Speltz, investment research analyst for Ariel Property Advisors.
for its abundance of art, music venues, bars, restaurants and boutiques. Downtown Brooklyn, meanwhile, has become the housing and retail destination City Planning had envisioned with a rezoning that took hold in 2004. Notable development sales in 2016 include Rabsky’s purchase of 625 Fulton St. from Forest City for $158 million, and Brooklyn Law’s sale of 1 Boerum Place to Avery Hall for $76 million. Despite steep appreciation in recent years, Williamsburg and Downtown Brooklyn remain a much less expensive alternative to Manhattan, where development sites fetched an average $640 per buildable square foot last year. With more than 5,000 units under construction and another 7,000 in the pipeline in Downtown Brooklyn, there has been some concern over the absorption of rental units, but
rents have held steady, hovering in the low $60s per square foot. Meanwhile, there is a huge shortage of condominium product in and around Downtown Brooklyn. With land prices steadily rising, developers who have constructed condos have been able to capitalize on the scarcity, with sellouts ranging from $1,400 to $1,700 per square foot. Looking ahead, the outlook is more uncertain than it has been in recent years, but the Brooklyn development market remains positive as the borough continues to blossom into one of the most coveted areas for property investment in New York City. Affordable New York is undoubtedly positive for development, and the borough’s relative affordability versus Manhattan should continue to foster strong demand.
GET YOUR LISTING SEEN BY THOUSANDS OF LOCAL EYES! PLACE YOUR AD TODAY AND BE PART OF EYE ON REAL ESTATE EACH & EVERY WEEK! 12INB • INBROOKLYN — A Special Section of Brooklyn Daily Eagle/Brooklyn Eagle/Heights Press/Brooklyn Record/Bay Ridge Eagle/Greenpoint Gazette • Week of June 15-21, 2017
Bishop Kearney’s Top Grads Heading to Yale, Stony Brook By Paula Katinas INBrooklyn
The Class of 2017 at Bishop Kearney High School is headed by two students whose futures will include attending top schools like Yale and Stony Brook universities. Class Valedictorian Jasmine Chin will pursue her love of technology as a computer science major at Stony Brook University starting this fall, school officials announced. Salutatorian Danielle Esposito is heading to Yale University, where she plans to major in Global Affairs. The school’s graduation ceremony took place at Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church in Bay Ridge on June 3. Chin has a busy summer ahead before she enrolls at Stony Brook University. She will be attending the Google Summer Institute. Located at 2202 60th St. in Bensonhurst, Bishop Kearney is a high school for Catholic girls. The school is sponsored by the Sisters of Saint Joseph. In other news, the Board of Trustees recently appointed Margaret Lacey-Berman to serve as head of school. Lacey-Berman has a doctorate in educational leadership and a Master’s Degree in business management. A graduate of Our Lady of Perpetual Help High School in Brooklyn, she began her education career as a teacher and taught for three years at Bishop Kearney. She served as assistant principal at Fort Hamilton High School in Bay Ridge where she was responsible for training teachers who were seeking to become assistant principals. Lacey-Berman later became the youth development manager for Brooklyn and Staten Island schools, responsible for guidance and community-based partnerships. She was then appointed principal of the Brooklyn High School of the Arts, where she successfully worked to double the school’s enroll-
Salutatorian Danielle Esposito (left) will attend Yale University and study Global Affairs. Valedictorian Jasmine Chin (right) is enrolling in Stony Brook University. But first, she will attend the Google Summer Institute. Photos courtesy of Bishop Kearney High School
ment and instituted a program that led to the school being named a Tony Bennett Partner School. Prior to coming to Bishop Kearney, Lacey-Berman was a coaching fellow for the New York City Office of Leadership, serving as a mentor to first year principals and helping them access services for their schools. Sister Helen Kearney, president of Bishop Kearney High School, and Winifred Radigan, chairperson of the board of trustees, announced the appointment in an open letter to the Kearney community. “Margaret has a deep respect for Catholic education and its influence on the lives of young women. We are confident that she will bring her talents and experiences to build on the wonderful work of the current and past administration, faculty and staff to envision a strong future for Bishop Kearney,” the letter read.
June 15-21, 2017 • INBROOKLYN — A Special Section of Brooklyn Daily Eagle/Brooklyn Eagle/Heights Press/Brooklyn Record/Bay Ridge Eagle/Greenpoint Gazette • 13INB
Holy Angels Catholic Academy Congratulates Its Graduating Class of 2017
The Class of 2017 graduates Holy Angels Catholic Academy on June 16.
Photo courtesy of Holy Angels Catholic Academy
The principal, board, teachers and staff of Holy Angels Catholic Academy congratulate the Class of 2017! During their years at the academy, these students have experienced a challenging new curriculum and mastered many advanced learning techniques. They participated in such programs as the Duns Scotus Honors Program, National Junior Honor Society, Rosetta Stone Language Programs, the Aquinas Club and Performing Arts Theater classes. This small group of graduates earned more than $233,000 in scholarships, awarded by such outstanding high schools as Fontbonne Hall Academy, Fort Hamilton, St. Saviour, High School of Telecommunication Arts and Technology, Xaverian and Xavier. Prior to graduation, the students began their celebration with a graduation dinner-dance at the Bay Ridge Manor and a fun-filled day at the Woodloch Family Resort in the Poconos. On June 16, they begin the day with a graduation mass at Our Lady of Angels Church in the morning and the commencement ceremony later that afternoon. Holy Angels officials are very proud of all of them and wish them the best of luck!
Graduating Class of 2017
These students earned $233,000 in scholarship money and will attend the following High Schools in the fall: Fontbonne Hall Academy, Fort Hamilton, St. Saviour, Xaverian and Xavier 14INB • INBROOKLYN — A Special Section of Brooklyn Daily Eagle/Brooklyn Eagle/Heights Press/Brooklyn Record/Bay Ridge Eagle/Greenpoint Gazette • Week of June 15-21, 2017
Brooklyn College Feels the ‘Bern’ at 2017 Graduation By John Alexander INBrooklyn
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, a former presidential hopeful, returned to his Brooklyn roots to address the 2017 Brooklyn College graduating class at Barclays Center on Tuesday, May 30. Sanders was born and raised in Brooklyn and graduated from James Madison High School in 1959, before attending Brooklyn College, where he studied for one year before transferring to the University of Chicago. Sanders was invited to be the Keynote Speaker and named Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. He wished the graduating class luck in all of its future endeavors and said that on behalf of himself and his wife Jane, he prayed that all “live healthy and happy lives doing the work you enjoy, surrounded in love by family and friends.” He thanked Brooklyn College President Michelle Anderson, Chief of Staff to the President Nichole Haas and the Brooklyn College administration, faculty and staff for inviting him back to Brooklyn. Sanders received loud applause when he said, “I grew up in Flatbush and like Sen. Schumer graduated from James Madison High School. My wife Jane was also raised in Flatbush and Bedford-Stuyvesant and graduated from St. Saviour High School a few miles away from here. In 1959, as a first-generation college student, I attended Brooklyn College for a year, a year which had a major impact on my life.” Sanders explained why he made the decision to leave the borough. “After that year I left for the University of Chicago, where I eventually graduated,” Sanders said. “My mom had died the previous year and I felt it was time to leave the neighborhood and see what the rest of the world looked like.” Sanders explained that growing up in a financially strapped family helped shape his outlook on life. “We lived in a three-and-a-half-room rentcontrolled apartment,” Sanders said. “As with many of your families who don’t have a lot of money, financial pressure caused friction and tension within our household. From those expe-
riences of growing up without a lot of money, I have never forgotten that there are millions of people throughout this country who struggle to put food on the table, pay the electric bill, try to save for their kids’ education or for retirement. People who are fighting today to live in dignity.” The second thing that impacted Sanders’ life was knowing that his father had fled poverty and anti-Semitism in Poland at age 17 and emigrated to the U.S. to escape Hitler and the Holocaust. Many in his father’s family were not so lucky. From that experience, Sanders said
that what was indelibly stamped on his mind was “that we must never allow demagogues to divide us up by race, by religion, by national origin, by gender or sexual orientation.” Sanders implored the students to stand together and fight against racial, cultural and religious intolerance because “this country belongs to all of us.” In addition to Sanders honorary doctorate, the distinguished alumnus award was presented to ’96 graduate Fredy A. Peccerelli, a forensic anthropologist and human rights activist. This
Sen. Bernie Sanders is surrounded by graduates.
year’s valedictorian was Kevin LaMonte Jones and Salutatorian Michael A. Franco. Attending the ceremony were Brooklyn College alumni U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer and Councilmember Jumaane Williams. Also at the commencement were Public Advocate Letitia James and Borough President Eric Adams, who said, “There are two types of Americans: those who live in Brooklyn and those who wish they could.” Adams summed up the graduating class’ enthusiastic response to Sanders when he added, “If you feel the ‘Bern’ then it’s your turn.”
AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks at Brooklyn College commencement at Barclays Center. INBrooklyn photo by Samantha Alexander Week of June 15-21, 2017 • INBROOKLYN — A Special Section of Brooklyn Daily Eagle/Brooklyn Eagle/Heights Press/Brooklyn Record/Bay Ridge Eagle/Greenpoint Gazette • 15INB
16INB • INBROOKLYN — A Special Section of Brooklyn Daily Eagle/Brooklyn Eagle/Heights Press/Brooklyn Record/Bay Ridge Eagle/Greenpoint Gazette • Week of June 15-21, 2017
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
HIGHLIGHTS FROM
MYBROOKLYNCALENDAR.COM Continued from page 8INB When: Thursday, June 15, 4 p.m. Where: Brooklyn Bridge Park/Pier 2 Kayaking Glide along the water while kayaking with the Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse at the Pier 2 floating dock. Children under 18 must have an adult guardian present. When: Saturday, June 17, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Where: Brooklyn Bridge Park/Pier 2 Rooftop Yoga This one-hour class will overlook breathtaking views of the New York City skyline and will be led by everyone’s favorite yoga instructor, Kristin Calabria. Bring your own yoga mat and towel. When: Sunday, June 18, 9:30-10:30 a.m. Where: Greenpoint/Northern Territory (12 Franklin St.)
Nightlife Never Seen It Host Kyle Ayers has comedians rewrite the climactic scene to very famous movies they have never seen before. He then casts them and acts them out live on stage, complete with musicians scoring the scenes. Josh Gondelman rewrites “Avatar.” Jean Grae rewrites “Bambi.” Bowen Yang rewrites “Pretty Woman.” Ayers rewrites “Indiana Jones.” When: Saturday, June 17, 7:30p.m. Where: Williamsburg/Union Hall (702 Union St.)
were swoopy and getting a straight edge tattoo seemed like a good idea. As one of the few DJs that actually encourages requests, the ever gregarious O’Brien loves swapping stories that inspired each song selection. Emo. Pop-Punk. Post-Hardcore. All sub-genres, eras and scenes are welcome as long as you aren’t a poseur. When: Monday, June 19, 10p.m. Where: Bushwick/The Starliner (1446 Myrtle Ave.)
The Isley Brothers Hear the soulful legends that started it all. A not-to-be-missed night of classic soul and R&B from the Isley Brothers featuring their hit songs “Shout!,” “That Lady,” “Twist and Shout,” “It’s Your Thing,” “Fight the Power,” “I Wanna Be With You” and more. When: Sunday, June 18, 7 p.m. Where: Flatbush/Kings Theatre (1027 Flatbush Ave.)
Theatre & Music Live at the Archway An annual series of free performances and events taking place in the unique setting of the Manhattan Bridge in DUMBO, reflecting the neighborhood’s diversity and commitment to the arts and showcasing a broad variety of musical genres and dance programming. This week’s performance is Harlem-based singersongwriter Lynette Williams, who creates music that is at once tragic and joyful, quiet and mighty, reserved and abandoned. When: Thursday, June 15, 6 p.m. Where: DUMBO/The Archway (Water Street and Anchorage Place)
New Found Monday A night of shameless nostalgia. Join emo enthusiast Kevin O’Brien as he spins songs that remind you of the time when your bangs
Week of June 15-21, 2017 • INBROOKLYN — A Special Section of Brooklyn Daily Eagle/Brooklyn Eagle/Heights Press/Brooklyn Record/Bay Ridge Eagle/Greenpoint Gazette • 17INB
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BROOKLYN ROOKLYN’SS BEST EST GUIDE UIDE TO TO GOODS OODS & SERVICES ERVICES JOB OPPORTUNITY
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SUDOKU ANSWERS Continued from page 2
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JOIN BROOKLYN’S BEST GUIDE TO GOODS AND SERVICES. Week of June 15-21, 2017 • INBROOKLYN — A Special Section of Brooklyn Daily Eagle/Brooklyn Eagle/Heights Press/Brooklyn Record/Bay Ridge Eagle/Greenpoint Gazette • 19INB
20INB • INBROOKLYN — A Special Section of Brooklyn Daily Eagle/Heights Press/Brooklyn Record/Bay Ridge Eagle/Greenpoint Gazette • Week of June 15-21, 2017
Artist Harsha Biswajit (left) in his first-floor Java Studios studio with visitor Mike. Continued from page 4 Found-object artist Tammy Rose introduces herself as “The Mousetrap Girl,” and, indeed, her mousetrap collages and wall hangings line many halls in Java Studios. “They remind me of the iPhone,” she explained when asked about her choice of medium. “And I love the way they sound when they snap shut.” Impressive as it is, Java Studios is only one small hub of Greenpoint Open Studios, which ran through Sunday evening and ended with a wrap party at Magik City, a happening beer and performance space on Box Street. Artists have a lot of work to show and hopefully sell in the meantime. Some, in locations such as the Pencilworks, get regular foot traffic. “We’ve had maybe 40 or so people come by both days,” said Nathan Windsor, on hand to help his girlfriend Colleen Blackard show her intricate pen drawings. Riding the synergistic wave powered by Saatchi Art and Greenpointers.com, Windsor takes a moment to show off his own contribution — a chipset the size of a half-dollar piece that attaches to one corner of a work and pro-
vides reliable scanned data on its history, authorship and copyright status. Other spots aren’t as prime. Cruising along India Street toward the East River, a bronze statue set in the road suggests there’s something more to see. Sure enough, sculptor Vera Shulman has set up shop in Bedi Makky Art Foundry. Dating from 1931, Bedi Makky boasts an impressive client list, including the Marine Corps Iwo Jima Memorial and the Wall Street Bull. Owner and second-generation caster Bill Makky explained that his shop had been approached to help complete “Fearless Girl” the controversial feminist-inspired bronze now set opposite the bull, but declined out of loyalty to artist Arturo di Modica. Shulman’s bronzes are quirky and energetic. “They don’t have names,” she said when asked. “I’m not against names. It’s just that I don’t always know what to call them. They have to speak for themselves.”
INSET: Asia Sztencel shows her bags with printed Greenpoint studio maps.
Greenpointers.com publisher Julia Moak shows map of galleries and individual showings around Greenpoint for the weekend.
Eagle photos by Andy Katz
Tattoo artist Ryan Rio in his Dukkha Tattoo studio.
Patrick Petzel (center) of Jules & the Jinx eats pizza prior to performing in Java Studios courtyard. Thursday, June 15, 2017 • Brooklyn Eagle • 5
10th Annual Gretsch Day Celebrates Iconic Guitar Brand’s Brooklyn Roots More Than 300 People Enjoy Music, Entertainment at Bay Ridge Event By John Alexander
of Gretsch guitars starting in 1954. Joe Carducci, a record producer, author, A&R executive and For the past decade, Street Sounds in Bay Ridge has been cel- Gretsch’s current marketing director, served as master of cereebrating the legacy of Gretsch guitars. In fact, it’s become an monies. anticipated community event that appeals to musicians and The event began with a performance by Mercury Radio music lovers from all across the borough, and some from vari- Theater, who bill themselves as “Philadelphia’s only ous parts of the country. This year’s event took place on June 3 surf/punk/horror/sci-fi musical extravaganza!” and featured a full day of music, ranging from rock and rockaStandout performances of the day were Brooklyn’s own billy to bluegrass, jazz and the blues. There was free food and Extinguish, a band that includes Schiano’s daughter Kristina on drinks and numerous giveaways that included six drums, Canadian “Twang-Master” guitarist Paul Pigat Gretsch guitars. & Cousin Harley and banjo pickers Todd Sound Streets owner Rocky Taylor and Mike Moody. Taylor was Schiano welcomed the crowd named the fastest banjo player Extinguish, with Kristina Schiano on and offered a history of the by the Guiness World drums, performs at Street Sounds. Gretsch guitar brand. Records. Photo by Jimmy Coppola Schiano held up and A highlight of the described various event was Gretsch guitar models that Custom Shop guitar lined the walls of builder Stephen his store. Stern. Stern, a Schiano has woodcrafter, starbeen in the ted working at music business Fender guitars in since 1988, 1993. In 2005, he when he opened took over the Street Sounds as Gretsch Custom a CD store. He Shop. Stern showed eventually switched off guitars built soleover to selling instruly out of reclaimed ments and offering Brooklyn wood. music lessons. Located He credited Schiano for about 10 miles away from the the idea, telling the Brooklyn original Gretsch factory, Street Eagle, “In January, at the music Sounds is one of the largest authorized trade show NAMM, we were in a Gretsch dealers in the world and carries one meeting going over ideas for some new guiof the largest inventories of Gretsch guitars anywhere. tars. Rocky said, ‘Hey, how about we do a couple of guitars Renowned artists and musicians such as John Sebastian of the from reclaimed wood from Brooklyn?’ and that is how it began.” Lovin’ Spoonful and guitar legend Duane Eddy have come to According to Stern, the wood used was from a building at visit Schiano to check out his vast collection of Gretsch guitars. 135 Plymouth St. in DUMBO that was built in 1900. At the The Gretsch company was started by Freidrich Gretsch in time, the building was occupied by the E.W. Bliss machine fac1883. He opened a shop at 104 South Fourth St. in tory. Williamsburg. In 1916, he moved the company to a larger buildState Sen. Marty Golden attended the event and said that ing that he had built at 60 Broadway in Brooklyn. Today, the Schiano taught his son how to play guitar. He said, “Street company is represented by Fred Gretsch and his wife Dinah. Sounds is what it’s all about. It’s about giving our kids in our Fred is the great-grandson of Freidrich Gretsch. community the equipment, the ability to have music.” He credLegendary musicians, from Eddie Cochran and George ited Street Sounds with helping to teach kids how to play a musiHarrison to Tom Petty and Pete Townsend, have played Gretsch cal instrument, preparing them for high school and for some, to guitars. Country musician Chet Atkins endorsed a popular series ultimately achieve a career in music. Brooklyn Eagle
6 • Brooklyn Eagle • Thursday, June 15, 2017
Eagle photo by John Alexander
Rocky Schiano shows off one of the many Gretsch guitars lining the walls of Street Sounds. Photo by Jimmy Coppola
Gretsch Custom Shop guitar builder Stephen Stern holds a Gretsch guitar made from reclaimed Brooklyn wood. Schiano told the Eagle he wanted to thank Bay Ridge for the most successful Gretsch Day to date. “With over 300 in attendance to support live music and Street Sounds, it is a community like no other that is confirmed time and time again, as we have guests from all over the world who are amazed when they witness our neighborhood,” said Schiano. “We are already laying down plans for next year’s Gretsch Day that will celebrate Street Sounds’ 30th anniversary, and with some surprises to be announced.”
Gretsch guitar winner Johnny Alexander with Rocky Schiano, Eleanor Schiano and Joe Carducci. Eagle photo by John Alexander
Guests dance on the Amazon Fashion Studio dance floor.
Eagle photos by Andy Katz
Open Space Alliance’s Party4Parks Raises Funds for North B’klyn Parks Nonprofit Parks Agency Honors Friends of Bushwick Inlet Park By Andy Katz
Special to Brooklyn Eagle
Open Space Alliance recently held its Party4Parks in Williamsburg’s Amazon Fashion Studio, raising money to continue its efforts in supporting all park spaces in Community District 1. According to organizers, more than 300 people attended the gala that raised more than $200,000 for the organization’s efforts to maintain and improve parks. The honoree for the night’s gala was Friends of Bushwick Inlet Park, whose members had cause to celebrate as they finally attained the entire space for the promised, multiuse recreation space earlier this year.
The venue for the night’s celebration was Amazon’s Fashion Studio in Williamsburg, overlooking the East River. Bright posters and electronic screens filled the interior while celebrants moved over several levels, availing themselves at generously appointed beverage stations. The open roof afforded a gorgeous view across the East River until a light rain drove most of those attending back inside. Formed in 2003 as a nonprofit dedicated to improving park spaces in North Brooklyn, Open Space Alliance recently implemented its Greenpoint Parks Stewardship Program, which encourages community-based volunteers to maintain the parks, plant trees and flowers and clean up the grounds during the spring and summer seasons.
Greenpoint Parks Project Coordinator Konstancja Maleszynska.
Friends of Bushwick Inlet Park, from left: Kim Fraser, Steve Chessler and Katherine Conkling Thompson. Thursday, June 15, 2017 • Brooklyn Eagle • 7
8 • Brooklyn Eagle • Thursday, June 15, 2017