[Sh]it's going down

If you're looking for something a little bit risque to do this saturday night, check out Wasabassco's 5th annual Burlesque show at The Bell House. Entry is $12 and the show starts at 10:00 p.m. Check it out if you're interested in 3+ hours of strip tease, music and comedy and even belly dancing. 

And if you're not too hungover and looking for something a bit more calm on Sunday...

This Sunday, 11/8 at 11:00 a.m. the people at Gotham Sidewalks will be hosting their first annual Baseball Bike Tour around Park Slope. The tour will begin in front of the Brooklyn Bicycles shop in Park Slope, and the whole tour will take around three hours.

the daily [mis]haps

Brooklynites are known for being the crafty type, but now the DIY fad has extended beyond handmade jewelry, silkscreened t-shirts, and hand-knit scarves. Brooklynites have entered the world of home brewing, taking on the challenges of sufficiently sterilizing buckets and funnels and bottles, measuring accurate amounts of yeast and malt and hops, and adding their own personal touch without making something either toxic or just plain disgusting.

I can attest to this process, because there are currently 50 bottles of beer in my living room along with another whole bucket embarking on the fermentation process. We've only had one explosion thus far, leaving chunks of fallow-colored sludge stuck to our walls and ceiling, but that's just part of the enterprise.

And we have the couple at Brooklyn Homebrew in Sunset Park to thank for their lovely assistance, grinding and providing materials and warm reassurances. And if I haven't convinced you to head over to their store to begin your own home brewery, just think of how rewarding it will be to finally drink all that beer you so worked so hard to make. And the simple fact that you'll be drinking lots of beer.

A daily [mis]hap

I always think it's funny that we place monetary value in green paper and silver coins. Why can't I write on a white piece of 8 1/2 x 11 I O U? Alas, 'tis not the way the world works but sometimes those coins can be more valuable than I might think...

A Brooklyn Woman Finds Counterfeit Penny Made of GOLD!

Lesson: Pay attention to your change. However, I think the Brooklyn area is most likely tapped out of specious specie!

"Remember, remember the 5th of November!"

Only the Bell House would have a celebration for the anniversary of the day over four centuries ago that English Parliament DIDN'T get blown up. 

This Thursday, November 5th at the Bell House at 8:00 p.m. you can actually celebrate the 404th anniversary (yes, 404th) that the English Parliament didn't get blown up. 

Otherwise knows as Guy Fawkes Day in England, the party is free and will be complete with British DJs, V for Vendetta, and special "British" drinks. 

(A fake British accent isn't required, but highly suggested.)

More Waiting for 14th Street Armory

The marathon has past; Daylight Savings is over. The cold air on your morning run around the park is becoming less tolerable by the day.

But for some, salvation from chilly jogs seemed right on the horizon. The Park Slope Armory, a new indoor track and sports facility to be managed by the YMCA, was set to open last Spring. That date was pushed back to September 1. That date was then pushed to December 1.

Now, it's been pushed back to 2010. Bummer. For details, there's some excellent reportage in today's Brooklyn Paper.

Indivia: latin for envy

I enjoy the luxury of having, what I feel, is a relatively comfortable place to live in Brooklyn, New York. Nice location (Union Street, Park Slope,) good light, charming kitchen, etc. Really nothing too huge to complain about, (except sort of an awkward lay out and a bedroom with no windows...) but I regress!

Coming across this Red Hook renovation in one of my favorite design blogs Apartment Therapy, made me want to burn down my apartment building in disgust. Honestly! The injustice of real estate in New York is enough to make me punch through walls. In this context, that would be ironic because it would make my already inferior apartment that much more plebeian.

For the full story and picture spread, check out New York Magazine's article on the before and after of this warehouse turned Shangrila. Just maybe make sure you're in a contented mood first.

Happy Election Day!

Today's the big day--time to decide Brooklyn's political fate. It goes beyond Democrats vs. Republicans. It's your chance to compare and contrast and choose who's right for the job, who will get shit done, who will dazzle us.

Still can't decide who to vote for your 39th District City Council representative? Read these mini-interviews from Cobble Hill Blog--5 Questions from each candidate--and make yourself a helpful little pros-and-cons list. It can't get any easier. But, if you're on the edge and Joe Nardiello might be your man, just remember he's toeing a fine line between creative and prankster. As for us, we'd like to give a shout-out to Brad Lander, who will make a cameo appearance in our upcoming December issue.

There's also the big Bloomberg vs. Thompson decision to be made. Mayor Bloomberg may have been looking good according to polls--up by 15% as of October 30th--but his fellow politicians think otherwise. I may have just wikipedia-ed him, but some people have strong opinions. So, what's it going to be? Mike Bloomberg, or Mike Bloomberg? (Note the change in intonation in my brain as I write this).

Just Like Grandma's...?

I don't know about anyone else but for me, Connect Four traditionally evokes an afternoon at Grandma's: cigarette smoke, mounds of M&Ms, a game of Old Maid and the old stand by, Connect Four. The Bell House isn't quite Grandma's house (You can't even smoke there...) but it's sponsoring a Connect Four tournament tomorrow (10/3)...?! I'm not sure how I feel about this...

How could a simple childhood game become THE WORLD'S BIGGEST CONNECT FOUR CHAMPIONSHIP: ROUND ONE? Hyperbole and all caps... AND this means that there is going to be a round two! Actually there will be four rounds and the champion will be crowned on November 24... this seems like serious stuff!

Perhaps there is more strategy to Connect Four than I can realize but I really would love it if someone checked this out! (If you're not in for serious stuff, there are FREE "Connect Four" vodka drinks from 7-8pm...who knows what kind of fun trouble you could get into there.)

Let us know how The Bell House provides for all your childhood gaming needs. Will they serve Nesquik on a tray next to a bologna sandwich and dill pickle while you ponder your next opponent-crushing move?

Andy Newman Completes His "Own" Marathon

In honor of today's marathon, journalist Andy Newman strolled around his Park Slope neighborhood 75.4 times. The 26.2 mile journey took him a mere 17+ hours to complete (luckily, he had his dog to keep him company part of the time.) 

Newman was quoted saying that he chose his version of the marathon because he wanted a glimpse of the everyday life in the neighborhood he lives.

Newman is  a quirky journalist and blogger who has worked for medias such as the Jersey Journal, Hoboken Reporter and the New York Times.