Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn

No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford

NY Magazine: How Brooklyn Became America's Music Capital

NY Magazine's cover story about how Brooklyn became America's music capital.

The borough of Kings has produced the most fertile music environment seen in New York since CBGB in the seventies, and the scene’s newest hero is David Longstreth of Dirty Projectors: a Wagner-loving taskmaster not afraid to mix strains of folk, hip-hop, classical, jazz, and African pop.

And here's what they're calling the Top 40 songs of the Brooklyn sound right now.

http://nymag.com/arts/popmusic/features/61878/?imw=Y&f=most-viewed-24h10

Jerry Fuchs, Brooklyn Drummer, Dies in Elevator Shaft

Gerhardt (Jerry) Fuchs, 34, a drummer popular in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and highly respected by fellow musicians died in an elevator shaft accident in Bushwick.

From the New York Times: 

“His passing puts an enormous hold on the Brooklyn music scene,” said Jon Fine, a friend of Mr. Fuchs’s and a columnist for Business Week. “The world of independent music has sustained a really significant loss.”

 Brooklyn Vegan also has the story.

NY Times: Free Range Chickens in Prospect Park?

From the Metropolitan Diary in the New York Times:

Dear Diary:

Walking in Prospect Park a few weeks ago, I come upon a snow-white chicken, pacing a frantic furrow in the dirt a few feet from West Drive. I stare, fascinated, as she grooms her feathered rump and yanks up weeds in her beak.

“How did a chicken find its way to Prospect Park?” I ask a passing jogger.

He stops to watch. “You going to call it in, parks department, maybe?”

“No, I think I’ll just let it roam.”

“Know what they call that?” he says. “Free-range chicken!”

Jessica Max Stein

OTBKB Music: Norah Jones in Transition

The past couple of years have been ones of change for Norah Jones.  She dissolved her band, worked on her guitar playing, cut her hair, split up with her boyfriend and moved back from Manhattan to Brooklyn.  So with all that going on in her life, its no wonder that her new album, The Fall, finds Norah's music in transition as well.

With The Handsome Band no longer backing up Norah, this record features an entirely different musical team.  Jacquire King, the producer this time out, has produced Tom Waits, The Kings of Leon and Modest Mouse.  The musicians include including drummers Joey Waronker and James Gadson, keyboardist James Poyser, and guitarists and Brooklynites Marc Ribot and Smokey Hormel.

What Jones, King and company have done is to edge away from the sound of Norah's previous albums toward one which is more guitar based,  has electronic elements and is mixed to be edgier.  But when all is said and done, the record is still recognizable as a Norah Jones record.

The first track to be released from The Fall is Chasing Pirates, a very infectiously poppy sounding song with an electric piano hook.  It will probably equally at home on WLTW, WPLJ and WFUV, even though it clearly different from Norah's previous work.  Fans of that previous work will like I Wouldn't Need You, December and Back to Manhattan.  Other standout tracks include Young Blood, Stuck, Tell Yer Mama and Man of the Hour.  The subject of that last song appears on the cover of The Fall along with Norah.

But the song to which I keep returning is Back to Manhattan.  It chronicles what seems to be an affair. It is melancholy and honest, and for that it ends up being the emotional heart of  The Fall.

Not everyone who has followed Norah to this point will be willing to see Norah move out of her comfort zone.  But those who do will be rewarded with hearing some good music and seeing an artist grow before their eyes.

The Fall will be released on November 17th.  NPR is currently streaming the whole album here. 

  --Eliot Wagner

Nov 19: Brooklyn Reading Works Presents Young Writers

Brooklyn Reading Works presents Young Writers Night, an evening of fiction, poetry and songs from young writers from across the city. The Old Stone House. Third Street and Fifth Avenue in Park Slope at 7 PM. $5 SUGGESTED donation includes refreshments.

Hannah Frishberg
Maria Robbins Somerville
Ben Waldman
Avery Whitted
Lily Konigsberg
Henry Crawford
Lucio Westmoreland
Eli Greenhoe
Heather Boo

Nov 12: Simon Dinnerstein Giclee Prints For Sale at Loupe Digital Studio

November Events at the Community Bookstore

Lots going on at the Community Bookstore in the month of November. The bookstore is located at 143 Seventh Avenue between Garfield and Carroll Streets. The readings and book groups are free.

--Tuesday November 17 @ 7pm

Matthea Harvey reads from

The Little General and the Giant Snowflake

Matthea Harvey –professor of poetry at Sarah Lawrence, Kingsly Tufts Poetry Prize-winner, and poetic inspiration/intellectual heartthrob of several members of our staff—will be reading from her allegorical children’s book, published by Tin House (again, be still my heart), and illustrated by Elizabeth Zechel (Is There A Mouse in the Baby’s Room?).  The book is suitable for all ages, but the free wine is just for grown-ups.  

--Thursday November 19

Jonathan Safran Foer reads from

Eating Animals

Suggested $10 donation.

Reading @ 6:30pm, Old First Reformed Church (729 Carroll St, Brooklyn, NY 11215-2101, 718.638.8300, www.oldfirstbrooklyn.org)

Wine & cheese reception @ 8:00pm at Community Bookstore

--Monday November 23 @ 7:30pm

The Modernist Book Club discusses The Invention of Morel by Adolfo Bioy Casares with a special guest: the editor of the NYRB Classics series, Edwin Frank

About the book:

“Jorge Luis Borges declared The Invention of Morel a masterpiece of plotting, comparable to The Turn of the Screw.  This fantastic exploration of virtual realities also bears comparison with the sharpest work of Philip K. Dick.  It is both a story of suspense and a bizarre romance, in which every detail is at once crystal clear and deeply mysterious.” –Publisher review

 About the book club:

The Modernist Book Club is a lively group of people who delight in a “modern” book and await the opportunity to discuss it in an informal setting at the back of the store, near the garden. Sometimes 8, other times 18, hardy readers gather to discuss the latest selection.   Newcomers and drop-ins are always welcome! No reservations necessary.

 About the celebrity guest lecturer:

Edwin Frank was born in Boulder, Colorado and studied at Harvard College and Columbia University. He is the author of two small books of poetry, The Further Adventures of Pinocchio and Stack, and has been the editor of the NYRB Classics series since its beginning ten years ago.

 --

Wednesday December 2 @ 7pm

100 New York Photographers, book party

Edited by Cynthia Dantzic

“An extensive review of the great range of contemporary New York photographers and their widely diverse, surprisingly divergent, images…  Included are such iconic figures as Annie Liebovitz, Jay Maisel, Amy Arbus, Hugh Bell, Arnold Crane, Bruce Davidson, Carrie Mae Weems, Elliott Erwitt, Helen Levitt, David Gahr, Lee Friedlander, Arthur Leipzig, Builder Levy, Duane Michals, Joel Meyerowitz, Jamel Shabazz, John Loengard, Tony Vaccaro, Mary Ellen Mark, Pete Turner, Burke Uzzle, Deborah Willis, and others, as well as many less familiar but no less brilliant photographers.” –Publisher review

 

 

Tom Martinez, Witness: The Prigs at Vox Pop Birthday

The Prigs played at the Vox Pop birthday party. Photo by Tom Martinez.

Leon Freilich, Verse Responder: New & Improved!

NEW & IMPROVED!

At first I laughed and thought

It had to be a gaffe

But dear dairy, it's true--

Half & Half & Half.

Tom Martinez, Witness: Vox Pop Turns Five

A good time was had by all at Vox Pop's celebration of its 5th year anniversary.  Excerpts from a forthcoming self-published compilation of remembrances were read aloud and several local musicians (including Rene Collins, The Prigs--or some of them, Tom Peters, Holley Anderson and others) pitched in to make the party a rocking success.  Pictured above is Vox Pop's manager/leader/savior, Debi Ryan.  After much chanting from a rather inebriated audience she got up and thanked everyone for pitching in to keep the place going.

No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford

Panel Discussion Monday: Surviving the Downturn in Cobble Hill

On Monday: Cobble Hill Fall Meeting to Feature Panel Discussion:
 "Surviving the Economic Downturn in Cobble Hill"

The Cobble Hill Association's Fall meeting, Monday, November 9, at 7:30 pm, will feature a panel discussion on coping strategies for this difficult economic environment. With New York City's unemployment rate at a reported 8.9% and with under-employment estimated at 17%, many Cobble Hill residents have been affected by the economic downturn , especially with so many working in the fields of finance, media, and law that have been hard-hit.
Panelists:
William S. Ross, Director of Development Marketing, Halstead Property;
Henry Zook of BookCourt at 161-163 Court Street
Michelle Mannix of Ted & Honey cafe at 264 Clinton Street at Verandah Place;
and Lauren Young, Personal Finance Editor of BusinessWeek

--Meeting will be at Long Island College Hospital,
339 Hicks Street (at Atlantic Avenue),Avram Conference Room A. This meeting is open to the public and is free of charge. Refreshments will be served

Tom Martinez, Witness: Great Blue Heron in Prospect Park

Got to the Park to take a stroll and some pics and this beautiful creature took flight within the first five minutes I was there. Photo by Tom Martinez

Good, True & Beautiful: An Interview with Peter Loffredo

I just found a link to  this video on Full Permission Living, which is always full of interesting ideas. This video about FPL blogger Peter Loffredo was directed by Scott Colthorp, a Brooklyn filmmaker. You can find more of his work on Vimeo.

"Good, True, and Beautiful" -- Peter Loffredo from Scott Colthorp on Vimeo.

Good, True & Beautiful: Brooklyn Free School

I discovered this video after looking at an interview with Peter Loffredo. This one is about the Brooklyn Free School, an experimental school founded by Alan Berger. You can find other Good, True & Beautiful videos directed by  Scott Colthorp at Vimeo.

President O: The House Passed the Health Insurance Reform Bill

A note from President O about the health care vote in the House. He has good news! I love getting these personal notes from the president.

Louise: This evening, at 11:15 p.m., the House of Representatives voted to pass their health insurance reform bill. Despite countless attempts over nearly a century, no chamber of Congress has ever before passed comprehensive health reform. This is history.

But you and millions of your fellow Organizing for America supporters didn't just witness history tonight -- you helped make it. Each "yes" vote was a brave stand, backed up by countless hours of knocking on doors, outreach in town halls and town squares, millions of signatures, and hundreds of thousands of calls. You stood up. You spoke up. And you were heard.

So this is a night to celebrate -- but not to rest. Those who voted for reform deserve our thanks, and the next phase of this fight has already begun.

The final Senate bill hasn't even been released yet, but the insurance companies are already pressing hard for a filibuster to bury it. OFA has built a massive neighborhood-by-neighborhood operation to bring people's voices to Congress, and tonight we saw the results. But the coming days will put our efforts to the ultimate test. Winning will require each of us to give everything we can, starting right now.

No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford

100 Things a Restaurant Staffer Should Never Do (Pts 1 & 2)

There are two parts to this comprehensive list featured in the New York Times of things a restaurant staffer should never do compiled by Bruce Buschel, who runs a restaurant in Bridgehampton, New York.

It's a really great list. If only all restaurants used it.

Nov 19: Young Writers Night at Brooklyn Reading Works

Young Writers Night at Brooklyn Reading Works

Make your way to Park Slope for a night of original work—fiction, poetry, and music—from teenagers across the city.

Thursday, November 19, 7 PM at the Old Stone House, Fifth Avenue and Third Street

OTBKB Film by Pops Corn: The Baffling Mr. Fox Release Plan

I am baffled by the release plan for the highly anticipated stop-action animation version of Fantastic Mr. Fox.  I don’t get why Fox Searchlight has opted for a limited release two weeks (New York gets it this Friday) prior to opening nationwide on November 25? A family movie with names like Clooney and Streep – treat as a potential blockbuster. Picturehouse/New Line did this with Kit Kittridge: An American Girl Movie, but no one paid heed to the warnings of that marketing mishandling or the success of the national release of the somewhat elusive Where The Wild Things Are.

These indie companies are trying to earn big $$ by putting out pictures with bigger appeal, so why treat them like indies?  Maybe they’d have some profits and cushion for  risky projects.

Why Wes Anderson’s pictures are released as arthouse fare escapes me. His populist appeal should result in attempts at a big opening weekend.  I thought a big national opening would have done wonders for Rushmore’s box office and Oscar chances.  Instead, I remember waiting until February of a cold Chicago winter for this film to hit two screens, after the Oscar push two months earlier.

 But Anderson’s passion indicates he isn’t in it for the money (the Oscars – maybe).    His films radiate exuberance, but I find the passion to be within, reserved for loving the work itself and the characters that inhabit his world.  I keep anticipating that he’ll break from that and offer something with greater depth sometime soon.  While I don’t hold him in the high esteem that many of my contemporaries do, but I will say that the working relationship between director and music supervisor (Randall Poster) makes for a consistently perfect pairing.  Despite my limited-release of love for Anderson, I still am eager for a family outing to Fantastic Mr. Fox.  Certain to be one of the two best talking fox movies of the year, along with Antichrist. The YouTube mash-ups are already up.

-Pops Corn

Cheap or Free Things To Do This Weekend

Friday, November 6th, 2009

From Wendy Ponte, the Brooklyn Frugal Family Examiner, here are all the free (or really cheap) things to do in Brooklyn the weekend of November 6th through November 8th: Friday, November 6th...
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Tonight: Michele Madigan Somerville and Nava Renek at KGB

My friend and Brooklyn Reading Works co-conspirator Michele Madigan Somerville is launching her new book of poetry, Black Irish (from Plain View Press) at KGB, probably the coolest literary bar in New York City.

I am so psyched. I am intimately acquainted with Somerville's new book and I love it. I am so thrilled that it is finally available for all to see.

KGB Bar, 85 East 4th StreetNew York City, NY

Also launching a new book is the wonderful Nava Renek, who  writes experimental fiction and poetry. 

TONIGHT: Saturday, November 7, 2009 from 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM make it your business to catch these two poets as they send their brand new books out into the world. Come listen and celebrate at KGB: 85 East 4th Street in Manhattan.

Brooklyn poet Michele Madigan Somerville is the author of the book-length poem WISEGAL (Ten Pell Books 2001) and Black Irish, her first collection of verse, forthcoming this fall (2009) from Plainview Press.  Her work has appeared in many literary journals.  Her essay “Born Again Catholic in Brooklyn” recently appeared in the New York Times online Happy Days series.  Somerville’s poems have has won a number of poetry awards: an Honorable Mention in Dublin’s Ireland’s Eason Books Poetry Competition in 2003, first place in the W.B. Yeats Society poetry competition in 2000, a MacArthur scholarship for poetry at Brooklyn College in 1987, and the Louise B. Goodman Award for Women-Centered writing at Brooklyn College.  She has run reading series at The Old Stone House in Park Slope, Ceol Bar in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn and Cornelia Street Café in Manhattan, and has given many public performances of her work. Somerville recently completed two collections of verse: Glamourous Life, and Stations of Light, and is currently working on two books of prose: a novel, SUCKER PUNCH and a memoir (yet untitled) about being Catholic. She worked for 14 years s a teacher in New York City elementary and high schools, and as a lecturer in creative and expository writing at CUNY and SUNY, Purchase. She posts her verse on Fresh Poetry: www.michelemadigansomerville.com.

Nava Renek is author of SPIRITLAND (Spuyten Duyvil 2002)and NO PERFECT WORDS (2009).  She is also the editor of WRECKAGE OF REASON: XXPERIMENTAL PROSE BY CONTEMPORARY WOMEN WRITERS.  Her short stories and essays have appeared in a number of literary magazines and websites.  She is currently program coordinator of the Women’s Center at Brooklyn College.

The Weekend List: Comics, Chamber Music, Dogs, Goats & Tintypes

POETRY: Writers Michele Madigan Somerville and Nava Renek launch their new books at KGB: 85 East 4th Street in Manhattan on Saturday night from 7 PM - 9 PM. 

CLASSICAL MUSIC FOR KIDS: Chocolate Chip Chamber Music  at the Brooklyn Public Library (Grand Army Plaza) at 1 PM in the Stevan Dweck auditorium. Note: There are no performances at Old First Church on Saturday and Sunday as erroeiously mentioned yesterday. My mistake.

COMICS: Comic Book Convention with big name artists and fans gather at the first King Con at the Brooklyn Lyceum.  227 Fourth Ave. at President Street. All day Saturday and Sunday. 718) 857-48

DANCE: At BAM: Itutu, choreographer Karole Armintage's collaboration with Burkina Electric, an African pop band.

FILM: At the BAMcinematek on Friday the fabulous Jules and Jim directed by the fabulous Francois Truffaut  is on the bill. Godard's Sauve qui peut (la vie) (AKA Every Man for Himself) is there on Sunday. 

--At BAM Rose Cinema: Men Who Stare at Goats.

FORAGING: Join Wildman Steve Brill to learn what you can eat in our city parks at 11:45 AM meet at Grand Army Plaza

MUSIC: Glenn Tilbrook, founder of the British band, The Squeeze, will be at Union Hall [702 Union St. at Fifth Avenue in Park Slope, (718) 638-4400]. Tickets $25 at the door.

MUSEUM AT NIGHT: This month’s “First Saturdays” at the Brooklyn Museum there's a gallery walk with the curator of “Who Shot Rock & Roll” and Jen DeNike will present a site-specific dance piece, “Twirl.” It’s all free free free.5 pm–midnight. Target First Saturday at the Brooklyn Museum [200 Eastern Pkwy. at Washington Avenue in Prospect Heights, (718) 638-5000].

PHOTOGRAPHY: Modern tintypes by Melitte Buchman at Swallow Gallery [361 Smith St. in Carroll Gardens, (718) 222-8201] through Jan. 22.

--Opening on Friday: The Dogs of Park Slope by Susan Deford and Dennis Riley at Ozzie's on 7th Avenue at 7 PM

THEATER: "The New Electric Ballroom" with the Druid Ireland Company runs nightly, except Mondays, through Nov. 22 at St. Ann’s Warehouse [38 Water St. between Main and Dock streets in DUMBO, (718) 254-8779]. Tickets are $35-$68. Tuesday-Saturday showtimes are 8 PM. There is also a matinee at 2 PM on Saturday and 4 pm on Sunday.

--Heiner Muller's Quartett with Isabelle Huppert at 7:30 PM Friday, Saturday and sunday matinee at the  BAM Harvey Theater.  651 Fulton St. at Rockwell Place.  (718) 636-4100.

.

No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford

 

Brownstoner: Capture That Cabbie

In Brownstoner yesterday:

A few minutes ago Mrs. B was side-swiped on Pierrepont Street in a hit-and-run by a yellow cab with medallion number 3Y65; there were three small children in the back of the car. No one was hurt but we're out a side view mirror. We reported it to TLC but don't have a lot of faith they'll do anything about it. It will be interesting to watch the slow wheels of bureaucracy turn though. Anyone have any relevant experiences to share?

Neighborhood by Neighborhood Essay Contest Sponsored by WORD

WORD Bookstore emailed me about an essay contest that they're sponsoring, Neighborhood by Neighborhood. It was inspired by a book called State by State, a collection of essays from acclaimed writers, about the states they love. The deadline is November 12th: Real Soon.

Write some love for your favorite part of NYC. WORD has an essay contest
 that eager writers should sharpen their pencils for! On November 18th
at 7:30 pm (during the First Independent Bookstore
Week NYC), we’re hosting an event to celebrate the paperback release
of "State by State", a wonderful collection of essays from acclaimed
writers, about the states they love. (More info on the book here:
http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780061470912 )

We're hosting a contest in the same spirit - called "Neighborhood by
Neighborhood"! Write an essay (500-1000 words) about your favorite
neighborhood in NYC: from Washington Heights to Vinegar Hill to, of
course – Greenpoint. Open to high school students and up. We will pick
winners from different categories (student/adult) based on the entries
we receive.

Send submissions to kelly@wordbrooklyn.com by November 12th to be
entered. Winners get an autographed copy of the book, a gift
certificate to WORD and may get to read their piece at the event.

It is not necessary to be present at the event to enter or win – so
send your entry even if you can’t make it on Nov. 18th. We’d love to
read your essay! Celebrate NYC during indie bookstore week by writing
about a neighborhood you love (maybe even mention your favorite
bookstore in that neighborhood too?! :)

Facebook link too, just in case you wish to include:

http://www.facebook.com/wordbrooklyn?v=app_2344061033&ref=ts#/event.php?eid=159097048499&index=1

Leaf Composting: Putting Fallen Leaves to Good Use

NYCLeaves: Project LeafDrop is a new - and growing - coalition of community gardeners and greening partners in New York City looking to put fallen leaves to good use, since the City will not be collecting for compost this year. 

This group will be coordinating leaf compost events from November 7th-22nd at gardens citywide (18 in Brooklyn so far!), where neighbors can bring bags of residential leaves, diverting them from environmentally costly trips to out-of-state landfills, and using them to enrich our soil, our street trees, and our neighborhoods.

The group is partnering with GreenThumb, CENYC, BK Farmyards, and others to make this project a success.   

Purple Yam: Filipino Pan-Asian Food Coming to Cortelyou Road

My friend writer Sophia Romero, who runs the blog, The Shiksa from Manila, emailed to say that a Filipino restaurant, PURPLE YAM, is officially opening on November 10th in Ditmas Park (1314 Cortelyou between Rugby and Argyle to be exact).

Owned by husband-and-wife team, Romy Dorotan and Amy Besa who ran Cendrillon in SoHo for years, they are bringing the same Filipino Pan-Asian concept to their new digs. "We look forward to continuing our love affair with Keralan, Cantonese, Vietnamese and Indonesian food simply because we have very dear friends who come from these cultures," they write on their web site.

Above chef Romy is pictured next to his brand new restaurant stove. "We thank our architects, Claire Weisz and Rob Berry—our heroes!. When you walk into our new space and you say you love it, it is because of them and their vision to transform that 99 cent store into something magical," they write on their website.

Romy and Amy are long-time Brooklynites; they had this to say to those who have been waiting for their restaurant to open its doors.

"Thank you so much for all those phone calls, encouraging emails and personal visits to the restaurant site when we were under construction. It has been one long, hard slog to get everything together. It has been eight months since we closed Cendrillon. And in this tough economy, the only reason Romy and I have survived this long drought was a combination of family and friend who all pitched in just to see us through. We dedicate this new and beautiful restaurant to them and we will make it up to them by creating a home for everyone where food is the center of life powered by a philosophy that food is for nurturing people and the bond that unites a community."

OTBKB Music: Brooklyn Museum's First Saturday

The Brooklyn Museum's First Saturday, a free party which starts at 5pm, is centered around its wonderful Who Shot Rock and Roll exhibit tomorrow.  There are several events, including a show featuring three Brooklyn indie bands: Grass Widow, The Beets and Crystal Silts.  They go on at 5pm and the concert will end at 8:15pm.

Don't like 21st century rock?  Then go back to the '80s with Purple Rain, the film featuring Prince.  You'll need a ticket to get in, but they are free and available at the museum's Vistor Center starting at 6pm.  The movie starts at 7pm.

Finally, from 9-11pm, there's a dance party which, as the Brooklyn Museum describes as "highlighting
artists featured in Who Shot Rock & Roll, including Michael Jackson, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, Chuck Berry, and Jay-Z."

First Saturday, The Brooklyn Museum, Eastern Parkway and Washington Avenue, 5-11pm, Free.

 --Eliot Wagner

OTBKB Film by Pops Corn: Antichrist by Lars von Trier

From Pops Corn, OTBKB's film critic, a reaction to the new Lars von Trier movie.

I recently saw my friend Joey perform with his band in Manhattan.  After the show, Joey told me that he was his own favorite musical artist.  He knew how conceited this sounded, but his own work just really appeals to him and he really likes what he does.  If only more of us felt this way.  One who apparently does is Dutch filmmaker Lars von Trier.  His Cannes press conference when he called himself the “best director in the world” raised the ire of the international film-going community, who took the bait, just adding to the controversy already caused by Antichrist, a film with vicious graphic violence, mostly sexual, and all caused after the death of a child, long considered cinema taboo #1.  Rising to the bait is essential to admiring von Trier.  I see him as little more than a prankster with his ridiculous Dogma rules and films that gleefully pull the rug out from under the audience.  Despite the title of the prankster documentary on the Yes Men (which I swear is on its third New York run, does this movie play here every year?) pranks don’t really save the world.   Still, the “most shocking film in the history of Cannes” buzz around Antichrist got to me and I’ve been eagerly anticipating von Trier’s latest for some time.  After salivating for months, the thirst was quenched last night at the IFC Film Center. 

 There is some frank stuff here and some of the well-documented final third of the film offers some explicit sequences that are cinematic firsts to my knowledge, but I think it deserves more than the arthouse horror flick label it has earned.   It came off to me as a very personal piece on grief and fear (something von Trier is often associated with, notably his fear of flying).  It’s also stunningly shot, purely cinematic and offers an a view of therapy that seems very raw, particularly interesting considering that von Trier has said the film was therapy for him as the ideas were coming from him during a depressed time in his life.

Charlotte Gainsbourg and Willem Dafoe are the only characters in the film. She and He. I hate hearing that actors give a “brave performance,” but something about these two, Gainsbourg especially, was really admirable in the way they went for it. And not only in relation to the explicit sickness on display.  Gainsbourg’s screams, for example, truly feel like they’re coming from a place of true pain.

The film is dedicated to Andrei Tarkovsky, a filmmaker who I admire but less so than the masters with whom he is most often associated (Robert Bresson, Carl Theodore Dreyer and Yasujiro Ozu).  Filmed in Tarkovsky’s style, complete with perma-fog, mirror effects and mad nature wanderings, the film has the same psychological rigor as the Russian filmmaker’s work, but by treading where Tarkovsky would not. This recalls von Trier’s film version of Medea in which he made an unrealized Dreyer project by using his influence’s style.  Medea, which is out there on DVD even if it’s hard to find, is my favorite of von Trier’s work and Antichrist is right there behind it.  I guess I like the non-von Trier, the non Trier, when he’s appropriating the style of another.  And I had a stronger reaction to this than I have any Tarkovsky work.

And it may seem like a jump, but Antichrist is only half as outrageous to me as one of the new A Christmas Carol posters plastered all over town.  New Yorkers are used to seeing filth all over the place, but I shake my head every time I think that a team of people approved the poster in which Jim Carrey’s animated Scrooge rides a rocket, mouth open, hoping to get families in to see his 3-D Dickens.  When Slim Pickens did something similar in Dr. Strangelove the phallic nature of the joke was obvious. 

Maybe we’re just really sophisticated now.

-Pops Corn

FYI: Antichrist is playing at the IFC Center - 323 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY - Map
11:30am  1:10  2:00  3:15  4:30  7:05  8:05  9:40  10:25pm  12:00am

No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford

5th Anniversary Celebration for Vox Pop

I just got this email from Debi Ryan, who runs Vox Pop. They're about to celebrate their fifth anniversary. And what a long strange trip the last five years have been.

The Vox Pop Cafe is getting ready to celebrate its 5th Anniversary this Saturday, November 7th at 1022 Cortelyou Road starting at 8 pm.

It's incredible the amount of changes Vox Pop, and the neighborhood it serves, has undergone over the past 5 years.

We have watched the revitalization of Cortelyou Road, with new businesses and restaurants moving in regularly, and we are happy to say that they are all independently owned and run businesses.  This means that the money is staying right here in the community to help sustain this dynamic, diverse neighborhood.

The streets are filled with people -- families, artists, musicians, writers, old, young, from every ethnic and racial background -- walking, shopping, chatting, dining.

Vox Pop itself has transitioned into a community owned space over the past 7 months and is working harder than ever to meet the needs of the neighborhood it serves by offering live music events, art events, author events, movie screenings, children's programming and affordable food options that include organic, vegetarian and vegan choices.  Food comes from local vendors and farms to not only provide the freshest, highest quality foods but also help support other independently owned businesses.  We do believe we are all in this together.

This transition has been a hard fought struggle, and it continues to have its challenges as we move toward a more solid business model and financial footing, but I want to say how fortunate I feel to be part of this great institution and how grateful I am that the community has embraced Vox Pop, and me, so warmly.

We have all borne witness to so many wonderful examples of what a community can do when it works together.  We watched as the community banded together to save Vox Pop from closing by purchasing shares to all become partners in this business.  We watched as the beloved Statue of Liberty was stolen, searched for, destroyed in a video and finally replaced through a gift from One If By Land, Two If By Sea.  Instead of pulling a community apart, it brought it even closer together.  We watch as neighbors, new and old, come to Vox Pop to meet, to reconnect, to feel part of the community around them everday.  

Please come celebrate Vox Pop's Anniversary with us on Saturday.  There will be great music throughout the evening as well as book readings and stories from the community at large about Vox Pop.  Bring a story to share, say hi to your neighbors and friends, and help us move into the future even stronger!!

It's The Yanks!

The Reader: Book Launch & Party at Book Court at 7 PM

THE READER Book Launch & Party

A Book Party for THE READER: From the Brooklyn Writers Space Reading Series at Book Court in Cobble Hill. 163 Court Street at 7 PM.

Contributors Include: Paula Bernstein, Andrew Boyd, Donald Breckenridge, Danielle Durkin
Jennifer Cody Epstein, Matt Everett, Paul Feldman, Marian Fontana, Yvonne Garrett, Ezra Goldstein, Sharon Guskin, Drew Haxby, Mark Jacobson, Martin Kleinman, Michael Lazan, Edmund Lee, Marcia Lerner, Lorraine Martindale, Robin Messing, Joan Minieri, Honor Molloy, Rosemary Moore, Wendy Ponte, Dominic Preziosi,  Elyse Schein, Martha Schwendener, Josh Sohn, Rachael Stark, Albert Stern, Paul Takeuchi, Alex Tilney, Rachel Urquhart.

Come join fellow writers in Brooklyn for a celebration of THE READER, a collection of voices and characters including gangsters, painters, weirdos, sad sacks, wanderers, musicians, activists, sexual healers, angels, stoners, hammer-wielding madmen, separated twins, and Glenn Gould that represent the Brooklyn Writers Space Reading Series. THE READER includes novel excerpts, stories, plays, and screenplays all by the unique writer’s community at the Brooklyn Writers Space.

THE BROOKLYN WRITERS SPACE

Tom Martinez, Witness: Red-Tailed Hawk in Croton-Harmon

A Red-tailed Hawk perched in the Croton-Harmon State Park, an hour's ride on Metro North from Grand Central Station.

Dutch Days in Park Slope: Old First Church & The Old Stone House

At Old First Dutch Reformed Church:

On Sunday, November 15 at 12:30 PM (after a church service)  there will be a Colonial style dinner, as the congregation might have eaten it centuries ago. Participants will eat it in that style—entirely with wooden spoons!

The menu is based on recipes from an authentic cookbook of the period, De Verstandige Kok, (The Sensible Cook)

Spÿskaart (menu)

Gerecht schotel (main course) Beef with Ginger, Chicken with Orange

Groenten (vegetables): Stewed Cabbage, Belgian Endive, Leeks

Brood (bread): Pumpkin Cornmeal Cakes, Rye and Wheat Bread

Nagerecht (dessert): Almond Tart, Pear Tart, Spanish Porridge, Zoete Koek

Eet smakelÿk (bon appetite)

For information and reservations, see the webpage.

At the Old Stone House, an exhibition will be on view November 12-December 13 as part of this year’s 5 Dutch Days 5 Boroughs’ HOME | LAND Contemporary Dutch Art @ Historic Sites.

The Old Stone House presents an exhibit by Amsterdam-based artists Persijn Broersen and Margit Lukács exploring the changing notions of cultural and familial ties through their multimedia installation, Heart is where the Home is.  Viewers will be able to reflect their own ideas on the topic on panels included in the exhibition.  

"The Broersen Family," a 20-minute, 4-channel video, begins as an upbeat profile of a tightly-knit Dutch family that has lived on the same land in Nieuwe Niedorp, a village of approximately 3,000 people located just north of Amsterdam, for several generations.  In addition to the video installation, the artists will display quotes on panels marking various responses to local banking mogul Dirk Scheringa's bankruptcy.  
Scheringa’s private museum, with a major collection of works by artists including René Magritte, Lucian Freud, Marlene Dumas, Carel Willink and Terry Rodgers, among others, is located in the Broersen family’s ‘backyard’, and was recently emptied of its permanent collection by creditors to whom Scheringa’s bank owed money.   The artists took this juxtaposition of basic family matters in a small village and the tough economic issues around the globe to reflect their on their ideas of community life.  

On view in the Old Stone House in Park Slope, Brooklyn, the exhibition evokes the struggles of settlers in New Amsterdam to maintain traditions while building a new life in a foreign land. 

Tonight at 7 PM: Meet the Author of "Motherhood Is The New MBA" at Park Slope Eye

It's another great Momasphere event: Join author Shari Storm for a reading and signing of her her book Motherhood Is the New MBA. (Book release: September 29th). Includes a discussion and Q&A,  plus giveaways, wine and food!

“Regardless of whether you are a mom, just starting out, or established in the workforce, the ideas presented in this book offer a fresh perspective and new ways of thinking about the applications of your everyday life experiences.” - Victoria Colligan, founder and CEO of Ladies Who Launch and co-author of Ladies Who Launch: Embracing Entrepreneurship & Creativity as a Lifestyle

 Date:  Thurs, November 5th, 2009
Time:  7-9 pm
Place:  Park Slope Eye, 682 Union Street (bet. 4th and 5th ave.) - Brooklyn, NY 11215
Price:  Tickets are $10 online & $15 at the door

You can RSVP by purchasing tickets online or just show up on Thursday. The event is sponsored by Park Slope Eye & Hybrid Mom. Proceeds of the event go to Children of the City.

Food courtesy of Gialeto's Cafe and wine from The Juice Box will be served. Great raffle prizes will be given away and every attendee will receive a free goodie bag that includes, Hybrid Mom Magazine, a big Momlogic canvas tote and and delicious all natural Q.Bel chocolate candy bar!

“Shari Storm reveals the dynamic relationship between motherhood and management with great humor, truth and wisdom.  By weaving together her own collection of experiences with those of other executives-turned-mother, she provides valuable insights into how patience, respect and compassion are critical tools for raising our children as well as for achieving successful results in management.”  - Julie Tempest, Chair, PCC Natural Markets Board of Trustees.

OTBKB Movies: Speaking with Thumbs (On Roger Ebert)

OTBKB is thrilled that film writer and cineaste Pops Corn has joined the team. Here's his latest, a thoughtful appreciation of Roger Ebert, who is pictured at left. 

Case for debate: Roger Ebert.  Did he elevate film criticism? I’ve always felt he has with his even-handedness, his perceptive analysis, his engaging writing. But as a resident of the kingdom of film snobbery, I’m fully aware that his televised thumb-wielding dumbed down serious film criticism.

If you are not a believer and need proof of his Pulitzer, I direct you to www.rogerebert.com.   Since a downward turn in his battle with cancer in 2006, his writing has been exceptionally personal, direct and raw.   Even in the age of blogging, his current, voluminous output still manages to disarm me.  You especially don’t see it coming from someone whose pulpits have long been highly visible posts with major media corporations. 

In the same vein as a BAM series from earlier this year, “The Late Film,” focusing on works from directors nearing their life’s end, Ebert's current output offer the insights of a man with little time to waste.  Heart of the mater stuff with every topic given serious thought and reflection.  And nearly every topic you can think of is discussed—health care, the state of movies, laying into people who have forsaken the newspaper business, advocating the use of unflattering photos of himself, political rants, whatever is on Ebert’s mind.

And I’d say that he doesn’t have any time for bullshit, but he did manage to type up a positive review of Law-Abiding Citizen.  The fact that a man on his last legs could give this film a chance can only be chalked up as a testament to his love of the movies.  And when he does love a movie nowadays, he really lets you know about it.  Last year at this time, he gushed passionately, often and inquisitively, about Synecdoche, New York.

His work has always had value, but his work during his illness is a fascinating case study.  And if it makes you really nostalgic, you can check out the At The Movies archives. where movie review clips offer a mini-history of the last couple of decades of film, including one of my favorite televised movie arguments, Siskel and Ebert grappling over Barfly.

--Pops Corn

Closing Remarks from David Pechefsky

From David Pechefsky, Green Party candidate for City Council in the 39th, this nice wrap up and analysis of his election night numbers.

A very heartfelt thanks to all of you for your support, time, and effort.   I feel very happy with the race we ran -- it was principled, engaging, substantive, and fun.

By now many of you have seen the numbers and the truth is that I cannot help but feel disappointed. 
According to the unofficial count we got about 1,500 votes or 7%. (Although our own tally from the polls we closed was closer to 1,750).   All day long yesterday, people -- many of whom I had never seen before - passed me giving me the thumbs up, or came up to shake my hand, or after a last minute entreaty from me or one of my team came back from the poll saying "I voted for you."  And the numbers we got from MS 51 where I ended the night were closer to 20% so I really was feeling pretty good walking to our party.

How to explain it? Of course one thing is that the two-party system is so entrenched that it is very, very hard to get people to vote otherwise.  But here are a couple of ways of looking at the numbers that tell a more positive story.

First there are only about 360 registered Greens in district.  So even discounting for those who voted for me mostly out of personal loyalty, we probably got over 1,000 non-Greens to vote Green.

Brad Landers's (D) vote total represented the equivalent of 30% of registered Democrats.  Joe Nardiello's (R) 40% of registered Republicans. But ours 400% of registered Greens!

We also gained more votes than 2 of the 5 Dems who ran in the primary, despite those two being good candidates who considerably outspent us.

And in Park Slope we beat the Republican by 957 votes to 517, gaining 19% of the total!  The difference between these numbers and the overall outcome highlights that the 39th Council District, which extends from Cobble Hill to Borough Park is not a "Park Slope District" nor for that matter a particularly progressive district; although the fact that the Democratic nominee tends be someone deemed progressive makes it very hard for a challenger from the left.

I hope this puts things in perspective a little bit.

And certainly no other campaign brought more smiles to people's faces then we did with the funny t-shirts and our high spirits, nor was more fun for kids with our activity book and free puppet shows.

For a nice summary of the campaign please read Louise Crawford's piece in Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn:

http://onlytheblogknowsbrooklyn.typepad.com//only_the_blog_knows_brook/2009/11/the-hardest-working-candidate-in-brooklyn-david-pechefsky.html

So, was it the right thing to do? 

Absolutely, not the least because of the all the new friends I made and the old friends I reconnected with.


And in political terms?  Absolutely.  Many people asked me in the course of the campaign why with my strong resume etc. I wasn't running as a Democrat so I would "have a chance at winning."  No way!  The City Council doesn't need any more deal-making Democrats who compromise their principles to get appointed the chair of some good sounding committee etc. etc. and the political system as a whole needs to be pushed on the Green party principles of ecological wisdom, social justice, grassroots democracy, and non-violence.

So keep an eye out for us Greens and consider coming to some Park Slope Greens meetings.  We usually meet the second Monday of the month at the Methodist Church on 6th Avenue and 8th Street. 

There is lots to be done.

Best,

David

Saturday: Sweet Treat Trio at Brooklyn Public Library

Great news from Helen Richman who runs Chocolate Chip Chamber Music, the wonderful children's classical music series that often plays at Old First Church and the Brooklyn Public Library. Hot tip: Our beloved Helen will be playing a brief Bach Trio Sonata movement

This coming  Saturday, 11/7, the concert series which I run, Chocolate Chip Chamber Music, will present a FREE program at the Brooklyn Public Library’s Central Branch at Grand Army Plaza at 1:00 PM.  

The program is entitled The Sweet Treat Trio and will be presented as part of the family series in the S. Stevan Dweck Center for Contemporary Culture located on the basement level of the library. 

The musicians featured are extraordinary players from Carnegie Hall’s Academy, on piano, violin, and cello, respectively. (Plus yours truly playing a brief Bach Trio Sonata movement as the infamous Broccoli Rob!) 

The program is being featured as a TONY Kids ‘Best Bet’ for the weekend and will receive a little coverage on CBS 2 this Saturday morning at 6:15 AM.

Hope to see some of you at the performance!

What Is The Deal With The Park Slope Recreation Center (In The Armory)?

Delays, delays and more delays. I was in there for a "ribbon cutting ceremony" almost two years ago and it looked good to go inside. What's the deal and why is it taking so long to open a recreation center that has already undergone a $16-million renovation?

Part of the problem seems to be that the armory is operated by the Department of Homeless Services because there's a women's shelter in there.

Oh Public Advocate deBlasio can you give us a hand?

From the Brooklyn Paper

At a meeting last week, representatives of the Department of Homeless Services, which operates the building, said that the center only needs a sign-off by the Fire and Buildings departments before the Prospect Park YMCA can begin running recreation programs inside the former 14th Regiment armory.

But despite relentless questioning from members of Community Board 6, the officials refused to actually set a date.

“They can’t even give us a ballpark figure,” said Nica Lalli, CB6’s Parks Committee chairwoman. “They can not give us anything that will satisfy our need to know. We asked it 15 ways, but they did not budge and give us a date.”

Does He Have a Cold or The Flu?

I had a dream last night that a bunch of my friend's got Swine Flu. I guess the Swine Flu scare has infiltrated my unconscious. Consciously I'm not that nervous about it.

Yesterday my 18-year-old son started to feel ill. He's been in bed for the last 24 hours with a sore throat, headache and "eyes that hurt." Tonight he has a temperature of 102.

"Is it a cold or the flu," he asked. He's very anxious because he has a performance on Saturday night.

"When will I be better?"  he asked Hepcat.

So we did some googling and ended up at WebMD which spells out the differences. We've concluded that he has a flu.

So what are cold symptoms?

Cold symptoms usually begin with a sore throat, which usually goes away after a day or two. Nasal symptoms, runny nose, and congestion follow, along with a cough by the fourth and fifth days. Fever is uncommon in adults, but a slight fever is possible. Children are more likely to have a fever with a cold.

With cold symptoms, your nose teems with watery nasal secretions for the first few days. Later, these become thicker and darker. Dark mucus is natural and does not usually mean you have developed a bacterial infection, such as a sinus infection.

Several hundred different viruses may cause your cold symptoms.

Cold symptoms usually last for about a week. During the first three days that you have cold symptoms, you are contagious. This means you can pass the cold to others, so stay home and get some much-needed rest.

If cold symptoms do not seem to be improving after a week, you may have a bacterial infection, which means you may need antibiotics.

And what are flu symptoms?

Whether a person has typical seasonal flu or swine flu, the symptoms seem to be quite similar. Flu symptoms are usually more severe than cold symptoms and come on quickly. Symptoms of swine flu and seasonal flu include sore throat, fever, headache, muscle aches and soreness, congestion, and cough. Swine flu in particular is also associated with vomiting and diarrhea.

Most flu symptoms gradually improve over two to five days, but it's not uncommon to feel run down for a week or more. A common complication of the flu is pneumonia, particularly in the young, elderly, or people with lung or heart problems. If you notice shortness of breath, you should let your doctor know. Another common sign of pneumonia is fever that comes back after having been gone for a day or two.

Just like cold viruses, flu viruses enter your body through the mucous membranes of your nose, eyes, or mouth. Every time you touch your hand to one of these areas, you could be infecting yourself with a virus, which makes it very important to keep your hands germ-free with frequent washing to prevent both flu and cold symptoms.

No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford

Today on Brooklyn Ink: Death of a Rapper & Ballroom Dancing

Here are some of the stories up on the Ink (www.thebrooklynink.com) today:

-Meredith Kennedy and Miranda Lin cover the death of an aspiring Brooklyn rapper: "Early Saturday morning, Tydro Mazin called his friend and fellow rapper Mike Beck wondering why he never showed up to prepare for their performance that was scheduled for that night. Five minutes later, Mazin’s phone rang. Beck was dead."

http://tinyurl.com/ylao9h2

-Mara Zepeda reports from senior ballroom dancing classes in Bay Ridge. Octogenarians fox trot, retirees rumba and the cardigans come off as the young at heart learn a few new tricks.

http://tinyurl.com/yhmajb4

And check back in later in the day for these stories and more:

-Daniel Roberts is out talking to Bed-Stuy residents about how neighborhood native Bill Thompson lost the city but won Brooklyn in yesterday's mayoral vote.

-Mara Zepeda reports on the case one lawyer is building against the government concerning the detention and treatment of hundreds of illegal immigrants rounded up in city-wide sweeps post 9/11.

-Rob Anderson finds Brooklynites disappointed by Maine's vote yesterday to repeal same-sex marriage.

And make sure to follow breaking news throughout the day by keeping track of our "Daily Roundup" of the most important developments in Brooklyn, listed on the home page. 

-- The Brooklyn Ink Team 

www.thebrooklynink.com

After the Election

“I feel great,” Lander told the Brooklyn Paper at Johnny Mack's after the results came in. He won 70% of the vote for the City Council seat in the 39th and was celebrating at the Park Slope bar on 8th Avenue and 13th Street. “I’m thrilled and honored. And can’t wait to get to work.”

One of his opponents, David Pechefsky, told the Brooklyn Paper that he was proud to have  “talked about real issues,” such as the Council’s corrupt member-item slush fund.

And his Republican challenger, Joe Nardiello? He's still giggling about his fake parking ticket/flyer's criticizing Lander's support of residential parking permit, which many locals found very annoying. 

I haven't heard from Steve Levin yet. He did, however, leave a note of gratitude on his website. And first and foremost: he thanked his old boss Assemblyman Vito Lopez

Thurs: Lethem Reads 1/8th of "Chronic City" at Greenlight Bookstore

At the just opened Greenlight Bookstore in Fort Greene, Thursday night at 7:30 PM is your chance to hear Jonathan read 1/8th of Chronic City, a surreal and witty epic set in a Manhattan almost like our own. "The oddball cultural savant Perkus Tooth is an unforgettable character, and the journey our hapless narrator takes through Perkus' world of stranded astronauts, dog hotels, giant tigers, and alternate realities that bleed into city politics is a trip well worth taking," writes the Greenlight Bookstore copywriter.

Lethem is reading the ENTIRE 467 page novel aloud over the course of eight reading events in New York City -- Greenlight Bookstore is proud to host Reading Number 5! Join us for a reading, followed by a signing and reception with the author. Then the true fans can stick around for a second round of reading, as long as it takes to get through 1/8 of the book! 

Apparently Greenlight Bookstore owners, Rebecca and Jessica, both LOVE this novel to the point of obsession -- and they're thrilled to have Lethem for their first sit-down author event. 

Don't miss the chance to meet one of Brooklyn's greatest literary authors at Brooklyn's newest independent bookstore!
RSVP on Facebook

686 Fulton Street
(at South Portland)
Brooklyn, NY 11217
(718) 246-0200
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Bloomberg Didn't Win Brooklyn!

Brooklyn said no to Bloomberg.

According to the Brooklyn Paper: Bill Thompson got 49.8 percent of the vote to Bloomberg’s 46 percent. 169,071 Brooklyn votes went to Thompson and 157,296 to Bloomberg.

Efrain Gonzalez: More Halloween Parade on Video

"Pakistan Now" at Fun Time Gallery in Gowanus

In the spring of this year, photographer Kurt Dietrich Wilberding returned from his first trip to Pakistan—a country that brought on new challenges photographically from his recent work for The Wall Street Journal covering national events, such as the 2008 primaries and the recent finance crisis on Wall Street. Wilberding’s images explore the intimate and daily struggles that often get overlooked with international attention focused on Pakistan's escalating violence.

Opening Reception Pakistan Now
Saturday, November 7th, 2009
6 – 8 pm
Fun Time Gallery 257 Third Avenue (bet. Union and President)
Brooklyn, NY 11215

RSVP : pakistannow.eventbrite.com
www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=186642541006