On Kent Avenue in front of the closed Miss Williamsburg Diner. Note the googly eyes on the right.

What better gift is there than the gift of art!? This Saturday (12/6) from 4-7pm is the grand opening for Cobble Hill’s newest gallery, Shop Art Gallery (51 Bergen Street b/w Smith and Court Streets). Artists Michiyo Ihara, Cynthia Winings, Lyn Noland, Lara Wechsler and DGé will be the first to show in what’s being said to be a gallery of affordable art. If you can’t make the opening, regular business hours are Wed-Sat 11am-7pm and Sun 12-5pm.
–Vaduzuvunt

[Photo courtesy of New York Public Library]

Here’s an aerial view of Greenpoint in 1929, looking south toward Williamsburg.

This is a new six-story building with 12 units going up at 209 Ainslie Street near Union Avenue, a block made up mostly of two- and three-story wood framed homes. The permits for the building were issued in 2006, so it’s been underway for a while. It’s also apparently been quite popular with some of the neighbors, logging about 35 complaints, including a whole bunch for working in violation of Stop Work Orders. The first word that comes into our mind when we consider it is “contextual.” It blends, doesn’t it?

Want to see and/or buy some art highlighting the cityscape? Well, the Gowanus Canal Conservancy’s Holiday Art Show and Sale called “Gowanus: A Sense of Place” is “an homage to the cityscape highlighting the work of 16 local artists. The Opening Artists’ Reception is today (12/5) at 298 Bond Street (between Union and Sackett) from 6:00pm to 8:30pm. There’s wine and cheese and many of the artists will be on hand. Per an email:

More than 125 oil paintings, watercolors, photographs and other media will be on sale, with an emphasis on smaller works, and nearly all priced between $150 and $1000. The works on the walls will reflect the streets and bridges and buildings for several miles around, in the neighborhoods of Park Slope, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill, Red Hook, as well as Gowanus itself, including a 1972 painting by acclaimed Gowanus artist, Eddie Earl Cato, which will be on loan to the Conservancy for this show. Sales from the show will be used to benefit the not-for-profit Conservancy’s programs. The show and sale will be open regularly after that, on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am to 7pm, on Thursdays 3pm to 8pm, and Fridays 3pm to 6pm. The show closes on Monday, December 22, with a “Final Sale Day” from 11am to 7pm.

That’s the gorgeous Cato work above.

This week, Eat It: The Brooklyn Food Blog, takes us to Le Petite Cafe on Court Street in Carroll Gardens.

The new Buttermilk Channel is closed on Mondays in December, so my boyfriend and I ended up at Le Petit Cafe (502 Court St., between Nelson & Luquer Streets, 718-596-7060) for dinner as we were in the area and too hungry to look for anything else. I’ve eaten breakfast and lunch here, but never for dinner, and was pleasantly surprised. Le Petite Cafe is a bit of a weird place, though. The front is an unassuming little cafe, with a glass enclosed counter with baked goods and during the holidays, a little train that runs on a track just below the ceiling, high above your head. But walk to the back and you find yourself in a whole other world. There are two huge rooms, set up to look like a grotto, complete with stonework, metal trees and all manner of plants and ivy climbing up the walls. There is also a new, outdoor space utilized in the warmer months. There are candles placed here and there, and the sound of a small stream or fountain adds to the ambiance, but I couldn’t find the source.

The menu consists of an assortment of salads, numerous Paninis (which they are most known for, in combinations like mozzarella, prosciutto and tomato or artichoke, sopressata and mayonnaise), as well as heartier dinner fare. I was told by the waiter that they’re making some changes, so expect to see an even more expanded menu. They’re also changing their beer list, and were out of a few currently on the menu. Once we had ordered (Poached Pear Salad and Creamy Vegetable Risotto for me and the Duo of Duck and Quail for my boyfriend), we were given a basket of slices of crusty French bread and a dish with olives and roasted garlic cloves in oil and vinegar for dipping. The roasted garlic was a nice touch, and always a delicious little treat. For photos and descriptions, click here!

[Photo courtesy of Miss Heather]

Miss Heather, who found this chair on Ainslie Street near Keap Street east of the BQE calls this the Wolverine Chair because it looks like it has been set on by wolverines. We came across this chair a few days later and it was still sitting there looking just as good.

We have to say we’re amused by this post about Red Hook, not because of what it says, but because of what it real doesn’t. The hint is the photo of the Revere dome it includes at the top, whose demolition started two years ago this month and whose site is now an empty lot that may become a BJ’s with some housing. It’s like a guide to Red Hook before the arrival of Fairway and Ikea and before Thor Equities leveled the iconic (if non-functional) sugar refinery. Here’s a sample

Welcome back to Gadling’s weekly series, Undiscovered New York. Being the global metropolis that it is, criss-crossed with highways, cargo ships and landing airplanes, you may find it hard to believe that any part of New York City could be considered isolated. But the fact of the matter is that there are still some parts of the city that could easily be labeled “the place that time forgot.” One neighborhood that holds such a distinction is Brooklyn’s Red Hook, a charmingly disheveled waterfront district cut off from the rest of the city by the BQE Expressway. Red Hook’s reputation as a working-class, hardscrabble industrial port area is well earned. From the mid 1800’s until the middle of the 20th Century, this was a thriving hub of marine-based commerce in New York City and home to around 20,000 residents, primarily longshoremen.

But by the mid 1960’s, a changing shipping industry had moved many dockworking jobs to New Jersey. The departure of these jobs from Red Hook, along with the completion of the BQE, sent the neighborhood into a period of decline. The 1970’s through the 1990’s saw the area ravaged by crime – LIFE Magazine even went so far as to declare it the “crack capital of America.”

It does mention Ikea and Real World Brooklyn and does note that the Revere Dome met its maker too, but even the photos of the Red Hook Vendor’s show last years version, before the city forced the vendors to buy standardized carts and trucks. Ironic, at least.

· Best Western Coming to Fourth Ave. & 26th Street [Brownstoner]
· Clarett Restores Sidewalk in Front of Halted 340 Court Project [PMFA]
· The New F Trains Are Coming Eventually [Kensington Brooklyn]
· The Gowanus Moment Equals “Fringeville” [Curbed]
· A Touching, Posthumous Guest Post [Flatbush Gardener]
· Bay Ridge Greenmarket Still Going [BVIB]
· The New Kensington [Kensington Stories]
· Greenpoint Can’t Say No to Crack, Even at Christmas [New York Shitty]
· Carroll Gardens Gets More Christmas Spirit [Lost City]

[Photo courtesy of Brooklynian]

This is the new Bike & Board taking shape on Vanderbilt Avenue in Prospect Heights. The poster writes: “Yay! My new neighbors! They are getting the shop together, and they said they’ll be “wrenching” in a week! Retail will happen as things come in. The place is looking pretty nice, and I’m very pleased they matched my storefront colors of red, black and white.”

Looks like someone was shooting at something in the North Slope on Wednesday night. Grlnxtdrboo on Brooklynian reports:

Did anyone else hear gunshots last night in the north slope? I live on Baltic between 4th and 5th and around 1030ish last night my girlfriend and I heard 3 shots. We called our neighbors to see if they heard it as well and they confirmed that they did so we called the police to report it. They asked if we lived near Warren St and I said yes. I asked the operator if they were recieving any other calls and they said they were. Anyone know what happened?

No answers on who or what was shot, but a GL Correspondent nearby definitely confirmed the gunfire.

We almost hesitate to post something with “pit bull” in the headline because we know the reaction the breed can promote. But our fine friends at Park Slope Parents who are always keeping the broader community informed about important things and are happy to do so, have a story about neighborhood pit bull attack and the dogs apparently moronic owner. Here is the email we came across, posted the only way we know how, “stolen” via copy and paste:

Someone I know was walking her dog last week in Park Slope and they both got attacked by a loose pit bill. (the pit bull was not on leash but had an owner)  The person I know broke her arm in the attack and her dog required surgery.  Apparently the owner of the pit bull was totally unapologetic and is not being responsible in any way.  My first thought had been what if I had been with my 2 year old son. I guess I am sending this both as a warning and a question. Isn’t there something we can do?

Opinions, anyone?

(The pit bull pictured here is not the one involved in the alleged Park Slope attack. It’s just a basic pit bull.)

[All photos by Adrian Kinloch/Brit in Brooklyn]

Brooklyn @ Eye Level, which is playing at the Lyceum on Fourth Avenue though December 7, debuted last night. These are a handful of the shots taken by Gl Contirbutor Adrian Kinloch of last night’s show. The performance, which features music, dance and theater covers everything from Atlantic Yards to the construction of high-rise condos and the future of central Brooklyn. The performance was followed by a discussion with guests. More info on tickets by clicking here. Tickets are free to reserve in advance; pay what you can at the door.

[Photo courtesy of Marie Viljoen/66squarefeet]

This is the sunrise over Brooklyn yesterday morning about 7:30AM. Quite lovely

The Red Hook pier where the Real World Brookyn cast has been living has been revealed and it’s quite something, full of Brooklyn paraphernalia that most of us wouldn’t be caught dead with. There are also personal details about the cast members, which includes one transgender person. More photos are said to be coming too.–Gothamist

There are obviously a lot of opportunities to do some good deeds between now and the holidays. One of them is to donate to the Toys for Tots program organized (every year) by the Park Slope Civic Council. Drop off locations on Seventh Avenue are the Park Slope Copy Center, Community Book Store, Back to the Land, Little Things, Astoria Savings, Citibank and Orichio Anderson Realty. Locations off Seventh Avenue are New Millennium Real Estate on 4th Street, Scottadito Restaurant on Union Street, Astoria Savings on 5th Ave and the YMCA on 9th Street. There’s also a drop off at the Jingle Bell Jamboree on December 20, but we don’t have info on that. This toy drive isn’t affiliated with the official Toys for Tots program, the difference being that these toys go to local charities that don’t discriminate by religious affiliation.

[Photo courtesy of megunski/GL Flickr Pool]

Looks like there is some repaving work going on on Ninth Street in Park Slope at Seventh Avenue.

UPDATE: The photog emails to add, “They began the repaving on 10th this morning with a bullhorn telling people to come out and move their cars around 7 am. After an hour of bullhorning, they began towing cars and grinding up the street. The grinding process was a lot quieter than the bullhorning.”

Ugly Betty, which has been making its way around town, will be shooting in beautiful Park Slope tomorrow from 5PM to 6AM. (Love those night shoots.) Looks like they’ll be working on Seventh Avenue between Union Street and 1 Streeet and also possibly on President St between Seventh and Eighth Avenues. What this means to you, other than a chance to stay up all night and watch an Ugly Betty shoot is that after 7AM tomorrow if your car is parked there it will be, as they like to delicately put it, relocated. Someone will of course tell you where it’s ended up and whether it had a nice time in its new location. Hopefully.

[Image courtesy New York Public Library]

This is a view of Atlantic and Flatbush Avenue, circa 1916, from Hanson Place. The building on the left would be the old railroad station.

And, now, a few musical selections to take you through the weekend.

Thursday 12/4/08
Union Hall: Benjy Ferree w/ Special Guest (Indie Folk) $10, 7:00pm
The Bell House: Blip Festival 2008: Assembling 40 practitioners of the chipmusic movement. Chipmusic or chiptune can be characterized as music written in sound formats where all the sounds are synthesized in realtime by a computer or video game console sound chip. Imagine the sounds of your vintage Atari coming alive!!!! (Not for the faint of heart) $15, 7:00pm

Friday 12/5/08
The Bell House: Blip Festival 2008 $15, 7:00pm
BAM Café: Wax Poetic (Trip Hop) Free!!, 9:00pm
Union Hall: Modern Skirts, Princeton, The Brilliant Mistakes (Indie Pop) $8, 8:00pm

Saturday 12/6/08
BAM Café: The Budos Band (Funk) Free!!, 10:00pm
The Bell House: Blip Festival 2008 $15, 7:00pm

Sunday 12/7/08
The Bell House: Blip Festival 2008 $15, 7:00pm
—Dan Bennis

Actually, this is very much about the new Burg rather than the old. It’s a photo shot around dusk on River Street. The white building directly ahead is 184 Kent. The fnished tower is Northside Piers. The two towers under construction are Northside Piers Tower Two and Edge. The green building on the right is one on which started a couple of years ago and then stopped dead. The structures on the left are old energy facilities.

[Photo courtesy of Stevey P./Yelp]

The Boerum Hill Food Company on Smith Street closed yesterday. Per an email in the Boerum Hill Group:

I was dismayed to learn that the Boerum Hill Food Company on Smith Street closed today. Clearly a victim of the fiscal crisis. It is a great loss to our community. My husband and I were regular patrons for years as were many of you. It was very popular with a wide cross section of the neighborhood, especially mothers of young babies. I’ll never forget the day there were about 8 new moms, all nursing their babies, sitting around the large round table having a few companionable hours in the hood. As you may know, Saul and Lisa Bolton of Restaurant Saul a few doors away are/were the owners. Restaurant Saul is one of the finest restaurants in the city and we are privileged to have it here in our community and certainly want it to survive. May I recommend that if you are planning a festive dinner out this holiday season, you think of Restaurant Saul. If you have been there you know how extraordinary the food is and how welcoming the staff. If you haven’t been there, you are in for a very special treat. All our local merchants will be hurting this season and will need our support more than ever. So think of Smith Street, Atlantic Avenue and Court Street (and a really cute men’s store on Bergen and Nevins) when you do your holiday shopping.

Another one bites the dust.

If you live in Park Slope and don’t know that stores are staying open late and offering specials and discounts, we’re very unclear as to how you lack this knowledge as the organizers have promoted the hell out of it. We have one more bit of news to add–they’ll be selling re-usable coffee mugs in front of the Park Slope Food Coop that will get you discounts and even free coffee. Here’s the email about it:

Final Reminder! Today is the first day of Park Slope’s Shop Local campaign—the Snowflake Celebration. And this year the folks at Buy in Brooklyn are offering mugs instead of umbrellas. Building on the theme of sustainability, they are partnering with the Brooklyn Green Team, a grassroots environmental group, to sell re-usable mugs (shown here) and doing their part to avoid the billions of disposable coffee cups used each year in the US. “By not using paper cups, you’re saving precious resources like trees,” said Amanda Gentile co-founder of the Brooklyn Green Team, adding, “at the same time, local businesses also save resources— money spent on countless cups, lids and sleeves your morning coffee is packaged in.” On the evenings of December 4th and 11th the Brooklyn Green Team will be selling stainless steel Buy in Brooklyn mugs in front of the Park Slope Food Coop and signing folks up for a three-month eco-challenge. Several participating stores have posted the Green Team’s challenge flyer. And Postmark Café will give a 25cent discount to anyone who brings their own mug. If you have a Buy in Brooklyn or Postmark mug, drip coffee is free!

Go get mugged.

Time to get back into your pantry or to go in for the first time and pull out more food to donate! Families First is currently collecting food for the Brooklyn Family Justice Center. You can drop off the canned food in the box in their lobby, located at 250 Baltic St. between Court and Clinton. There are a lot of hungry people out there and many of them are the working poor. Demand is up everywhere and supplies and donations are down. Food pantries and organizations are in big trouble. Please help.