GettingtoKnowYou: Clintoncentric

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cat.jpg1. Name: Nicole Davis and Mike Didovic

2. Blog alias: Clintoncentric

3. When did you move to Clinton Hill, and how did you end up here? I (ND) moved here in 1999. But the first time I ever set foot in the area was a few years earlier, when I went to circuit city in the Atlantic Center Mall. The sun was setting, it was winter, and that narrow, window-lined hallway was drenched in this beautiful light. It was perhaps the prettiest moment ever in the atrocious Atlantic Center Mall. In any case, I was still living in Manhattan at the time, and I took the C at Fulton St. to get back uptown, and I remember thinking how precious that little park at Fulton and Greene was… So I developed a little crush on Fort Greene, and when I was looking to live alone, I checked out two apartments in the nabe. One was a studio the size of a dressing room for 900/month, the other was bigger but also out of my price range. Then I saw an ad in the village voice for a one bedroom in Clinton Hill. I remember being impressed by the wide, tree-lined avenues, and totally baffled by the G train. ("Where the hell does the G train go?" I wondered.) Then I walked into the foyer of my apartment, down the hall, into the eat-in kitchen, and then the hardwood floor living room with the marble fireplace, and the bedroom just off of it, and thought, "600 dollars a month for this palace? And it's rent stabilized? I've hit the jackpot!"

I lived alone until Mike moved in with me in 2003 or so, after living on 57th St., down the street from Carnegie Hall. He complained at first—it was too quiet (what isn't after Manhattan?), and it took too long to get back into the city on Sundays for brunch. Now, he usually stays in the hood on the weekends, and he's kicking himself that we didn't buy something here years ago.

4. Rent or own? We rent.

5. Hometown: Melville, Long Island (ND), Anaheim, CA (MD)

6. Years in NYC: 10+ (ND) , 6+ MD

7. Favorite place to eat in the hood: We love to eat out, so it's hard for us to name one place. But here goes: Luz, followed by Mojito's, though Bonita II will undoubtedly jockey for the #1 position soon. Also, ICI is great.

8. Favorite thing about Clinton Hill: The Pratt sculpture garden

9. Biggest neighborhood gripe: The lack of good, local produce, fish and meat in the supermarket.

10. What would you like to see most in the nabe? A cheese shop

11. Favorite street in Clinton Hill, and why: Clinton Ave., from Gates all the way to Park Ave. So many mansions to ogle!

12. If you could elect a mascot for Clinton Hill, what would it be and why? We would elect the Gingko tree. They look so tall and elegant lined along our block, and yet they drop those stinky seeds. It's as if they realize this is a beautiful neighborhood to be in, but they're in no way encouraging anyone else to stay.

13. Who is your favorite bartender or storekeeper in the hood? We love Cacho, the bartender at Luz.

14. Favorite take-out: Yamashiro sushi, although our last batch was not up to the usual, primo quality.

15. If you were a flavor of ice cream, what would be and why? ND: I would be peach-- it's rare when you can find that flavor, but when you do, it's typically homemade, and you can taste the love that went into making it. MD: I would be coconut, because I like the tropics.

GettingtoKnowYou: hey mama

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1. Name: kristen couse

2. Blog alias: hey mama 3. When did you move to Clinton Hill, and how did you end up here? my husband and i decided it was time to move out of our loft in bushwick and buy a place about 5 years ago. we started looking in cobble hill/carroll gardens and quickly realized that we couldn't afford anything decent there, so the real estate pages basically led us out here to fort greene/clinton hill/bed-stuy.

4. Rent or own? we bought a fantastic three-story brick townhouse that needs a lot of cosmetic work but has a bunch of original details—and a backyard.

5. Hometown: i've lived in ny state my whole life but have moved around a lot: i was born in nyack, but also spent parts of my childhood in piermont, new city, central valley, middletown, and cold spring.

6. Years in NYC: moved to manhattan in 98, then out to brooklyn in 99 and never looked back....

7. Favorite place to eat in the hood: oh man that's tough. i think i'll have to go with the first place i ever ate in clinton hill, back before i ever thought i'd moved here, when i got off the g train and said "where the hell am i?": locanda vini & olii. but i'd have to give cafe martino a close second.

8. Favorite thing about Clinton Hill: that it really feels like a small town in the middle of a big city.

9. Biggest neighborhood gripe: the ugly ugly buildings that are popping up all over the place. if i see one more pink brick or fedders air conditioner....

10. What would you like to see most in the nabe? a really great food market.

11. Favorite street in Clinton Hill, and why: not to be prejudiced, but.... i love my street, clifton place. there are tons of trees, and a variety of buildings---from the brownstones between grand and st. james to the ping-pong factory on the corner of classon---that are all great in their own right. plus there are always a good group of cats living at the elder housing complex between classon and grand who will come out and say hi, which is a plus in my book.

12. If you were a flavor of ice cream, what would be and why? i'll say lemon sorbet: a little sweet, a little tart.

Do we really need $900 bags? Or does it matter?

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This post by Clintoncentric:For those of you who’ve already been in Stuart & Wright, or read about it on this blog or in the New York Observer, this will sound like old news. But I actually hadn’t gone in until this Saturday, when I met some friends for drinks at Stonehome Wine Bar. I got there early, and in need of killing time, I wandered into this new, amazing boutique that seems to have appeared from thin air. I wasn’t in the market for clothes — I generally can’t afford boutique clothes unless they’re heavily discounted or I’m searching for a birthday present for someone, and can justify spending $40 on a shirt, because that’s how much T-shirts at boutiques cost on sale. But I could play the guessing game, so I flipped through the rack, and tried to guess how much each item cost. I was pretty right on with the dresses—all were in the $200 to $300 range, but when I opened up a leather bag, with handles that look like bridles, I thought to myself, surely this can’t be more than $500. I was wrong. It was $895 — more than my rent. (Yes, I have it that good here!)

Now, before I begin this spiel, and it is a spiel, let me make two disclaimers.

1. I know the owners are locals, and I wish them nothing but success, even if that success baffles me.

2. I have bought things at Cloth, and while it was still around, Sodafine, but in general, I’m the wrong person to be writing a critique about a boutique, since my idea of shopping is going to the Tanger Outlet Mall on Long Island, where I just did my once-every-three-years shopping spree this weekend. Sure everything I bought was made in Macau, and yes millions of women own the same thing as me. That’s the sucky part about industrially manufactured clothes, and the beauty of boutiques: you get one-of-a-kind threads, often handmade by someone locally — like a fine, artisan cheese, something I don’t mind splurging on because I like food more than I do clothes…which in a round about way is leading to my point.

There is not one restaurant in Fort Greene or Clinton Hill whose dishes come close to the $30 range—which is up there on the chi-chi scale. So how is it that this store can sell $900 bags?

I tested this “no fancy restaurants should equal no fancy boutiques” theory on my husband Mike, who quickly shot me down with a lecture on “the beauty of capitalism” — basically, that you can put a store anywhere you want, and charge anything you want, but the market will dictate whether it will last, and if people are buying this stuff, who am I to diss it?

Fine, maybe I needed to work on my logic, and really pinpoint what it was that made me so distressed about this store. Perhaps it frightens me that there is a market in FG/CH for $900 bags, and I have been naïve to think that there isn’t. And I’ll admit, that is definitely part of it.

But I also had to consider Suzy Hanson’s theory in the NY Observer piece about Stuart & Wright and other Brooklyn boutiques. In it, she writes, “Women who live in Brooklyn chose ‘creative fields’ over law or Wall Street. The boutiques make them regret that decision, even though they tailor themselves to the tastes of those who made it. From the lushly lit storefronts of Smith Street, Seventh Avenue and now Lafayette, the message is: Even freelance graphic designers deserve Diane von Furstenberg.”

Now, I’ll be honest. I did choose a creative profession and I don’t make a ton of money and that’s partly why I moved to Brooklyn and it bothers me that I can’t afford everything I want. But I would be more angry at myself if I didn’t follow my passion just so I could earn more money and tote a $900 bag, so that’s not really on my list of grievances about this fancy boutique.

What is on that list, is change. I feel a deep affinity for this hood, despite its lack of amenities. In fact, it’s what I love about it. Or what I used to love, because Stuart & Wright, to me, is really the beginning of the Smithification of Fort Greene and Clinton Hill.

Or should I say the Manhattanization? As the NY Times reported this Sunday, locals are incensed over the prospect of upscale stores taking over Fulton Mall. As one man explained, “When they close down all these local shops that cater to our hair, the clothes we buy, the food we eat, where are we going to shop?” Ms. Cruickshank asked. “Round up 10 people here, and I guarantee you they won’t say they want a Banana Republic. We don’t want another Manhattan. Let Brooklyn be Brooklyn.” (hear, hear!)

There are really two things being said here: one is that this Manhattanization of Brooklyn is really a whitening of Brooklyn, and that by installing upscale chain stores you’re uprooting discount, ethic chains like VIM jeans. But the other, equally salient point this man is making is that Manhattan has basically become one big mall for rich white folks, while Brooklyn remains both ethnically and economically diverse — i.e., the real New York.

This diversity is what I love about FG/CH. But I also love the fact that when I walk to the farmer’s market on Saturday, DeKalb feels relaxing to me. It’s not crammed with boutiques, bars, gourmet food stores, antique shops and urban gardening centers — though I’m sure they’re all coming, which is wonderful for small, home-grown business owners and, yes, residents like me, who will enjoy supporting shops that cater to my needs. (Primarily my artisinal cheese needs.)

But there is also something to be said for a neighborhood that doesn’t cater to your every last whim. As one of Mike’s basketball buddies complained to him recently, a new sushi joint has opened up in East Flatbush, which is predominantly Caribbean. Why, this friend wondered, did they need to open a sushi joint, when he could easily get sushi in Park Slope? Why did his neighborhood — why does any neighborhood — have to mirror the Manhattan model of convenience?

The Luddite in me, the one who enjoys the tradeoff of having fewer stores in exchange for more sidewalk space, more breathing room, and more of a distinct personality from every other hot neighborhood in Brooklyn and most of Manhattan, is saddened by the prospect of $900 bags, and it’s disheartening.

That’s it. My spiel is over. But I’m curious if anyone else is thinking the same thing, or feels differently.

GettingToKnowYou: BrooklynJay

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Me
This is me and I still look the same with the same hairdo and everything.

1. Name: Jay

2. Blog alias: Brooklyn Jay aka Big Buddha

3. When did you move to Clinton Hill, and how did you end up here? I moved here in 2002. I was living in Chinatown and, after a lengthy legal dispute over a rent stabilized apartment, had to find a new place to live. Searching the various real estate websites I came across a very inexpensive studio apartment for sale in an area called "Clinton Hill".

The price was right so I moved here not really knowing much about the nabe and, honestly, I was probably the first Asian person living in my apartment complex. Security stopped me the first few times I tried to enter the building thinking I was making a delivery or a Pratt student who's lost and in the wrong building.

And while I'm still bitter over losing the apartment in Chinatown I really feel like it couldn't have work out any better as I love this area.

4. Rent or own? Own a little studio.

5. Hometown: Chinatown, NY.

6. Years in NYC: All my life. I did go to High School and College in the Boston area but I still felt like NYC was my home.

7. Favorite place to eat in the hood: White Castle's? Crown Fried Chicken? There's really so many place to eat in the area that I find it hard to pick a favorite.

8. Favorite thing about Clinton Hill: The people. I find everyone in Clinton Hill really friendly and nice.

9. Biggest neighborhood gripe: Not everyone curbs their dog. I mean, really, if you're going to own a pet then live up to your responsibilities as a pet owner.

10. What would you like to see most in the nabe? I would really like a decent pharmacy.

11. Favorite street in Clinton Hill, and why: Myrtle Avenue!

It's so diverse and offers something for everyone.

12. If you could elect a mascot for Clinton Hill, what would it be and why? A picket sign declaring "This Is Not Bed-Stuy".

If I watch Block Party one more time and hear someone call this area Bed-Stuy I'm going to go postal.

13. Who is your favorite bartender or storekeeper in the hood? Tricalee at Polish Bar gets my vote cause she lives in the same building as me.

14. Favorite take-out: Mojito. Really good Cubanos.

15. If you were a flavor of ice cream, what flavor would you be and why? I'm more like a sundae. Big with lots of different flavors to it.

Change is Afoot

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So we didn't switch to Wordpress yet, but I will give you a heads up when it happens. Also, please bear with me while we make a few other site changes. We'll have a new layout soon, which will look supernice.

I'm also going to start putting ads on the site. Don't worry -- I want them to be in the vein of one of my favorite blogs, design*sponge, who incorporates them tastefully. Interested in buying an ad? I'm working up pricing now, so just drop me a line.

Later today, I'll post a short reader survey. I'd be thrilled if you would all participate.

Gracias.

GettingtoKnowYou: Lesterhead

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(And so begins our week of CHB interviews. Now that you'll know what we look like, say hi!) 1. Name: Robin Lester

2. Blog alias: Lesterhead

3. When did you move to Clinton Hill, and how did you end up here? I moved to Clinton Hill in April 2004. I decided I wanted to buy, and at first, I focused on the area since it was the most affordable for me in terms of what I wanted. The more I came out to look at the area, the more I fell in love with it. Plus, in looking at apartments, I became friends with Jay who grew up with a former coworker of mine. It was comforting to know I was moving somewhere where I had a built in dining/activity buddy. (And for the record, Jay and I are not dating!  We are just good pals who share an affinity for food, gadgets and popular culture.)

I vividly remember walking past an elderly man on a blustery winter day on Washington Avenue, and he stopped to chat with me. I was shocked, in a good way. This was how NYC was supposed to be, but never was! The love affair began immediately and kept on growing.

4. Rent or own? Own a 1 br co-op, and live in it with my gigantic cat and small dog

5. Hometown: Buffalo, NY (to be specific, a tiny town called Bowmansville, which is a Hamlet of Lancaster, which is one of the main suburbs of Buffalo). Spent four years at Syracuse U. Aside from a 4-mo stint in London studying abroad, I am a NY State lifer.

6. Years in NYC: 6.5 years (have lived on the UES, Sunset Park and Hell's Kitchen before moving to CH)

7. Favorite place to eat in the hood: Sushi D -- I can't get enough! And to pick a specific Clinton Hill place... Maggie Brown. Love the decor!

8. Favorite thing about Clinton Hill: All the dining options!

9. Biggest neighborhood gripe: I have two: A.) The C train. I hate it SO much. It never comes. B.) Garbage on the street. I didn't realize how bad it was until I got a dog, and saw her stop every 10 seconds to pick up a chicken bone off the sidewalk. Foul.

10. What would you like to see most in the nabe? A flower shop. I love to have fresh flowers at home, and I am constantly irritated by the piddly selection of skanky flower-fern combos on Myrtle and in shopping carts.

11. Favorite street in Clinton Hill, and why: It's a tie: St. James Place, because it's peaceful and has some interesting and gorgeous buildings; and Waverly, because I adore all the carriage houses that have been turned into homes.

12. If you could elect a mascot for Clinton Hill, what would it be and why? The generic black cat who can be found on almost every lawn in the nabe. Sometimes it's a friendly cat, and sometimes feral. But I love kitties and love seeing them around.

13. Who is your favorite bartender or storekeeper in the hood? Russell and Carl at RePop

14. Favorite take-out: Myrtle Thai -- I love the spring rolls!

15. If you were a flavor of ice cream, what would be and why? Mint chocolate chip -- Briskly cool with hidden morsels of sweetness

NYC Marathon

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For those of you new to the hood, or who have been living in a cave, you should be aware that the NYC Marathon runs right down Lafayette Ave. nyc marathon route

Crowds gather all day to cheer on runners, blast boomboxes, play drums and hold signs. It's a great way to mingle with neighbors and feel the amazing energy that the marathon brings with it.

Plus, it's cool to see the runners' reactions, especially those from out of town and from other countries.

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One of the very first days I came to Clinton Hill to apartment hunt, I walked up out of the G train and right onto the marathon route. It was a gorgeous fall day in 2003, and I knew I had found home. (Sorry for the cheesy tidbit.)

Friday's Wine Tasting @ Olivino

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Good Evening Wine Lovers! This Friday, November 3rd, from 6:30 ­ 8"30pm Dominique from Southern Wine will be pouring a red wine from South Africa and three delicious port wines!

The red, called The Wolftrap, from Bockenhoutskloof on the Western Cape of South Africa is a blend of 65% Syrah, 19% Cinsault, 11% Mourvedre and 3% Viognier.

The three ports, all from Warre's are the Otima 10 year Tawny, the Warrior Special Reserve and the 1995 Late Bottle Vintage.

We hope you can come and enjoy these choices with us!

Cheers,

Olivino

905 Fulton Street (bet. Clinton and Vanderbilt) Tel. 718/857-7952

Huh?

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Last night on my evening dog walk, I noticed that the Clinton Hill Co-ops already have their Xmas lights up! xmas early

They could have waited a week or two at least. I'm still enjoying my Halloween memories.

I must say, I really like these lit arches, which have not been used before. However, lots of bushes have been decorated with the "whichever-string-of-lights-I-find-first" technique. This means that half of a bush will be blinking while the other set is steady.

I find this very irritating. It's almost as offensive as "Mirror's on Grand." Almost. Dude, at least be consistent!

CHB Interviews: Kath Hansen of Fort Greene PUPS

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The Great PUPkin had an enormous turnout this year -- 50 dogs! Since one of the founders, Kath Hansen, is a neighbor of mine, I thought I'd ask her a few things about the group's history and more about what they do:

1. How long have you lived in Clinton Hill, and what brought you here? I've been in Clinton Hill for 9 years. My husband and I moved here from Nashville, Tennessee, because I landed a dream job with the Modern Language Association.

2. Tell us about how Fort Greene PUPS got started, and what your role was? I started PUPS in 1999, as a reaction to the threat that off-leash hours might be ended in city parks. We had just moved here with our dog, and learned that for twenty plus years there had been a courtesy rule to let dog owners run their dogs off-leash in parks that have no dog runs, from 9 pm to 9 am. I also heard there were mumblings the Parks Dept. might have to discontinue the courtesy off-leash hours. I thought dog owners in Fort Greene Park should get organized to protect this great policy, and basically copied the setup that FIDO in Prospect Park has. I made friends with the founder of FIDO and she was really helpful. I literally walked around the park with a clipboard for people to sign up; I'm sure lots of folks thought I was nuts. I guess I am nuts, because I'm still doing this 8 years later. And unfortunately, we are still fighting to keep off-leash, with the Juniper Park lawsuit that came up this year. You can go to www.nycoffleash.com to learn more about this.

3. Aside from the Great PUPkin, what other events does PUPS sponsor? We do a couple of coffee and doughnut gatherings a year to sign up new members and sell calendars. We used to do a dogwash in the summer, but it got hard to find volunteers. Who wants to wash dirty dogs?

4. You obviously have a dog. Tell us about him! Bobby is our new dog; we've had him three months. He is more like a drunken frat boy than a dog. The fine folks at Brooklyn Veterinary Hospital found him tied to their front door last summer and took him in. He was terribly emaciated but had a friendly personality. I was at the vet one day with one of the cats, and saw their sign looking for a home for him. We think he's part bloodhound, part shepherd, maybe a little great dane in there. I would give anything to see his parents. Before Bobby, we had a hundred pound mutt named Cameron for 9 wonderful years. Lost him to cancer in January 2006.

5. The dog owners in the park can be transient (as people move in and move out). How do you get the word out about PUPS? Events like the Pupkin and the coffee gatherings help, where we get new names to add to the email list. We have a few regular volunteers who help with these things, but for the amount of members we have (over 300), it is sad how few people ever volunteer even once to help out with the Pupkin or the calendar. Maybe that can be chalked up to the transient nature of dog ownership. I worry that too many take off-leash for granted.

6. How should a dog owner deal with an aggressive dog in the park causing problems? Any tips on that? Look for signs of an aggressive dog and keep your dog far away! Signs can be things like mounting behavior, some unfixed males, growling, a tail held too high, showing of teeth. I am no dog trainer, but you do learn to spot the aggressive dogs if you are observant. Just be really observant if you're going to go off-leash and you will probably be able to avoid 99% of any problems. Some people say big and small dogs don't mix, but I don't buy into that. Some small dogs are way more aggressive than big dogs.

7. What makes our area so dog-friendly, aside from the park and its off-leash hours? I think of Clinton Hill and Fort Greene as a pretty laid back mix of races and cultures, and I believe that laid back vibe sort of rubs off on the dogs. Plus, there are a few nice restaurants that will let you eat al fresco with your pal. Tillie's is famously dog friendly; they even have biscuits inside donated by a certain PUPS member who is an absolute angel.

8. I know that you, like myself, own both a cat AND a dog. Do you consider yourself a cat person, or a dog person? Oh man. Cats for the times you want to be introverted, and dogs for when you want to be extroverted. I think everyone should have at least one of each. They teach you things you can't learn anywhere else.

9. Favorite dog breed: 100% mutt, baby!

10. Favorite place to dine in the neighborhood: Red Bamboo

11. What would most like to see come to the Ft. Greene/ CH area? PUPS anxiously awaits the arrival of the dog fountain and drainage system we got funding and approval for a few years back. The Parks Dept. works on their own schedule! Personally, I'm waiting for a greengrocer, and how about a bakery?

12. If you were a flavor of ice cream, what would you be and why? Honey, you're killing me here.

Interested in getting more involved? Check out the PUPS website, or email info@fortgreenepups.org

Want to support the group with the purchase of a PUPS calendar?

now on sale at the following convenient locations: -Tillie's (DeKalb Avenue at Vanderbilt) -Who's Your Doggy (197 Adelphi, at Willoughby) -Kiki's (DeKalb Avenue location) -Woofs 'n' Whiskers (59 Summit Street)

The calendar will be available in the park during morning off leash hours from time to time (watch your email) and at the Annual Holiday Coffee, tentatively scheduled for Saturday, December 9th. We also hope to have the calendar for sale in the park's Visitors Center Gift Shop soon.

If you want to purchase three or more calendars you may also contact Nancy Peterson (info@fortgreenepups.org) to arrange for a drop-off/pick-up.

In addition, orders can also be placed online via PayPal at www.fortgreenepups.org, however there's an additional per calendar shipping and handling charge of $2.50. (On the home page, click the donate button to get to PUPS' donate page on PayPal and indicate as the donation amount $12.50 PER CALENDAR and be sure to include your mailing address.)

Interviews

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First, if anyone knows a good subject for an interview, let us know. We have a few on tap, but haven't done any in awhile (a new one will go up tomorrow). Next week, we'll post interviews with each one of us, so you know who we are. If you have any questions for us, just post or email us at clintonhillblog [at] gmail [dot] com.

As a side note, I am considering moving the site to Wordpress, since Blogger has been crapping out big time lately. Anyone have any experience with them? The address will stay the same -- no worries.

Chicken-n-Waffles?

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A reader tipped me off to this restaurant set to open in the former home of Karen's Body Beautiful. chicken n waffles?

I first discovered the wonder that is chicken and waffles At Mike's Coffee Shop. Who knew such a combo could be so wonderful?

The sign says it's opening in October. It's now November. Liquors on DeKalb still has a sign in the windows claiming they'll reopen in spring. Spring 2006 -- you know, six months ago. Maybe this place means October 2007, which is pretty much how openings work around here.