FREE "LUNCH N LEARN" WEBINAR FINANCIAL SERIES

St. Nicks Brooklyn Business Center (BBC), the business services arm of St. Nicks Alliance, is launching a free "Lunch n Learn" Webinar series on the first Tuesday of each month, from February through June.

Their experts will guide small business owners and entrepreneurs through the aspects of financial management that are relevant for optimizing your business operations.

Participate in the webinars from your home or office. Find out what bankers, investors, and lenders are seeking by interacting with them during the webinars. Learn best practices in the industry. Network with other business owners, bankers, lenders, and investors to help grow your business.

These free webinars will be held from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m.

• February 2nd: "Quickbooks for Beginners" - Tiffany Brown from Opulence Group
• March 2nd: "What Bankers Want to See" – Betty Tamberg from Bank of America
• April 6th: "What Microlenders Want to See" – Jahaira Guerrero from Brooklyn Cooperative FCU
• May 4th: "Understand Your Credit Score" - Cori-Ann Roublick from My Financial Possibilities LLC
• June 1st: "How to Raise Money from Friends, Angel Investors, and Venture Capital Firms"

Visit http://www.brooklynbusinesscenter.com for more information and to register for the webinar.

The recorded video feed will be available on the website thereafter to watch at your convenience at no cost.

KARMABROOKLYN SUPPORTS
LOCAL INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES!

BIG SALE AT RICH FROG TOYS

Rich Frog Toys is having a two-week winter sale, starting on Friday, January 29th.

A rack in the back of the store will be filled with merchandise priced at 30%,40%, and 50% off. The rack will be filled every day with more merchandise.

All wooden puzzles will be on sale for 20% off.

A lot of new and exciting toys will be arriving this season. In response to requests, Alexa, the owner, is adding projects for kids ages 6 to 8 and above.

Alexa is also giving away $5 coupons for every purchase of $30 or more, which can be redeemed on the spot(excluding sale items).

Rich Frog Toys
"Where children learn to use their imagination"
Educational Toys for Boys and Girls

211 Church Avenue, between E. 2nd and E. 3rd streets
(866) 371-1858
http://www.richfrogtoys.com

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BRANCACCIO'S FOOD SHOP IS AN IMMEDIATE HIT

Brancaccio's Food Shop, a take-out prepared foods store, opened on Thursday and has already received glowing reviews from many of its neighbors.

Chef Joe Brancaccio shops every morning for the ingredients he'll use in his cooking that day. What he buys depends on what's in season, the quality of the food, and what he feels like cooking that day. He prepares about fifteen items daily.

Some of Joe's many delicious and creative offerings so far have been

• poached salmon with a pistachio nut topping,
• sliced flank steak,
• pot roast,
• baked chicken,
• roasted chicken,
• pork loin,
• short ribs,
• 5-cheese macaroni with truffle butter,
• orecchiette with sausage,
• butternut squash risotto,
• mushroom risotto,
• pasta pomodoro,
• penne with tomato sauce,
• cous cous with beets,
• fingerling potatoes and carrots,
• roasted potatoes,
• mashed potatoes
• roasted plum tomatoes,
• braised teenage bok choy,
• grilled mixed vegetables,
• chicken soup,
• sandwiches, and
• wraps.

Joe sells the food by the pound in round plastic, see-through pint and quart containers and also in plastic trays.

He also sells olive oil, pasta, canned tomatoes, frozen soup and pasta sauce, and cold bottled soda.

Brancaccio's Food Shop is open six days a week (closed on Tuesdays):

• Sundays, 10 to 5,
• Mondays, 10 to 8,
• Wednesdays, 10 to 8,
• Thursdays, 10 to 8,
• Fridays, 10 to 8, and
• Saturdays, 10 to 7.

Try it, you'll like it!

Brancaccio's Food Shop
3011 Fort Hamilton Parkway
between E. 2nd and E. 3rd streets
info@BrancacciosFoodShop.com (E-mail is checked nightly.)
(718) 435-1997

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MEET THE LENDERS

Meet the Lenders

Inaugural Lender and Business Matchmaking Event
for Small Business Owners

Meet one-to-one
with loan officers from SBA-participating lenders
and learn how to apply for loans from
the New York City, New York State,
and federal governments.

Experts from 8(a) Division and SBA resource partners
--Small Business Development Centers, SCORE,
Women's Business Centers,
and local Chambers of Commerce--
will also attend.

Monday, February 8, 2010
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Welcome Remarks
10:00 a.m.— 10:10 a.m.
New York City Loan/Incentive Programs
10:10 a.m.— 10:20 a.m.
New York State Loan/Incentive Programs
10:20 a.m.— 10:30 a.m.
“SBA Financing Programs” and “How to Apply for a Loan”
10:30 a.m.— 10:50 a.m.
Meet the Lenders at Exhibit Tables
11:00 a.m.—2:00 p.m.

U.S. Small Business Administration
New York District Office
26 Federal Plaza
6th Floor Conference Center
(enter on Broadway)

INFORMATION/REGISTER:
Make your reservation by January 31st. Send an e-mail to Man-Li Lin at man-li.lin@sba.gov or call (212) 264-7060.
Reasonable arrangements for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance by sending an e-mail to man-li.lin@sba.gov.

Visit SBA online for 24/7 access to small business news, information, and training for entrepreneurs.

KENSINGTON CRIME -- TELL THE NEW HEAD OF THE 66TH PRECINCT WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND

Dear Kensington residents,

I'm a member of the Kensington Area Resident/Merchant Alliance and the Albemarle Neighborhood Association, but I'm sending this to you as an individual who is concerned about crime in Kensington.

Our police precinct has a new commander, Deputy Inspector John Sprague. He will be meeting with the residents of the 66th Precinct this Thursday, January 21st, at 5910 13th Avenue (near the corner of 59th Street), in Borough Park, at the 66th Precinct Community Council's meeting.

Inspector Sprague was just transferred to our precinct from the 62nd Precinct in Bensonhurst. This will be his very first meeting with our community.Please attend this meeting. Please urge your neighbors to attend.

Tell Inspector Sprague what's on the minds of the residents of Kensington. Make your voices heard. Don't let Kensington be ignored!

Let's make a big impression on him about our need for more police involvement in Kensington. Let him know that the residents of Kensington are awake and aware and want his attention!

The meeting will start at 7:30.

To get there by bus, take the B16 to 13th Avenue at 56th Street, then walk three blocks on 13th Avenue to 59th Street.

The schedule for the B16 is at http://www.mta.info/nyct/bus/schedule/bkln/b016cur.pdf. The ride should take about twenty minutes. A map showing the bus route is on page 10.

I hope to see you there!

Joy

DONATE IN KENSINGTON TO THE HAITI RELIEF EFFORT

A donation drive will be held in our neighborhood this Saturday, January 23rd, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., for victims of the earthquake in Haiti.

ALL OF THE ITEMS COLLECTED WILL BE DONATED TO THE HAITIAN CONSULATE.

Wilhyn Larsen, the owner of Namaste Yoga of Kensington, has donated her studio as the gathering-place for donations. The studio is located at 482 Coney Island Avenue on the 2nd floor. The main entrance is on Church Avenue. Walk up the red staircase with the red door, behind the corner pizzeria and next to the car wash service center.

These items are needed:

First Aid: Band Aids, Sterile Gauze, Plastic Bandages, Adhesive Bandages, Tweezers, Alcohol Wipes, Hand Sanitizers, Cotton Balls, Scissors, Medical Masks

Rescue Relief Items: Water, Water Purifying Tablets, Hard Hats, Dust Masks, Blankets, Women's Hygiene, Batteries, Flash Lights, Trash Bags, Non-Perishable Food Items, Canned Foods/Dry Foods, Tents, Sleeping Bags, Ropes, Soap, Shovels, Baby Formula, Baby Bottles, Tooth Brushes, Tooth Paste, Toilet Paper

Medication: Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, Triple Antibiotic Ointments, Pain Killers, Tylenol, Aspirin

If you would like more information or would like to volunteer your time, please contact Wilhyn at 347-533-6227 or Amara at 347-466-6108.

To anyone who is concerned that monetary donations should be made in lieu of items: Wilhyn is in touch with the volunteers in Haiti. They are in desperate need of supplies. The Haitian Consulate has designated drop-off points all over New York for the specific items mentioned above. The Haitian Consulate is also working with various charities that are on the ground in Haiti, which will insure that all items are delivered.

If you still have any concerns about where items are going to be delivered, contact the Haitian Consulate of New York for more information.

EXHIBIT ON THE GENTRIFICATION OF BROOKLYN

February 4th through May 16th

Exhibit: "The Gentrification of Brooklyn: The Pink Elephant Speaks"

February 4th, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Opening Reception: "Set It Off"

"The Gentrification of Brooklyn: The Pink Elephant Speaks" is the first exhibit of the new year at Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA). The exhibit presents work by contemporary, urban artists in Brooklyn who have been directly affected by either gentrification, extreme real estate development, eminent domain, and/or class issues related to income and housing.

The first exhibit of its kind on the subject of Brooklyn’s gentrification presents the work of more than twenty professional artists of diverse ethnicities, utilizing varied media and approaches, including painting, photography, illustration, mixed-media, video, sculpture, poetry, music, and theatrical performance.

While all of the artists in the exhibition do not currently reside in Brooklyn, they all have a connection to the borough and a poignant perspective on its past, present, and future. Some have seen their neighborhoods gentrified, while others view themselves as part of the ongoing gentrification process.

Work by students from two Brooklyn high schools, The Brooklyn Community Arts and Media High School and The Secondary School for Research, will also be on display. The students have been documenting the impact of gentrification on their neighborhoods over the past few years through photos and essays.

A reception, “Set It Off,” will be held on Thursday, February 4th, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at MoCADA. It will feature a musical set by Brooklyn-based author and DJ, Rich Burroughs.

Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts
80 Hanson Place, near the Brooklyn Academy of Music
(718) 230-0492
e-mail: info@mocada.org

Open Wednesdays through Sundays, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Closed on major holidays.

Suggested donation: $4 adults, $3 students up to age 16, free for children 12 and under.

SMALL BUSINESS OWNER'S WORKSHOP

Monday, April 12, 2010, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Franchises and conglomerate malls are having a devastating impact on Brooklyn’s small businesses. What’s looming on the horizon? How does one survive in a sea of change? For this event, several small business owners in Central Brooklyn will come together to discuss how they have navigated what many have called “gentrification on steroids.” This discussion, moderated by Christine La Cerva of The Social Therapy Group, will include the owners of several businesses, including Brownstone Books, The Greene Grape, Olivino, and The Smoke Joint.

This intimate discussion will take place at The Social Therapy Group at 106 South Oxford Street, Brooklyn.

Seating is very limited. An RSVP is required. To reserve a seat, please send an e-mail to sc@mocada.org.

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NEW CLASSES AT NAMASTE YOGA

Namaste Yoga of Kensington has introduced MORE new classes!

Yoga classes for Mommy/Daddy/Grandparent/Caregiver and Infant/Baby/Toddler are held on Tuesdays from 10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

Zumba classes (aerobic fitness) are held on Saturdays from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

See the full schedule of Namaste's classes at http://www.mynamasteyoga.com/schedule.html.

Special for New Customers
Buy 4 classes and get 1 FREE! The offer expires 14 days after purchase.

Namaste Yoga of Kensington
482 Coney Island Avenue, 2nd floor (The main entrance is on Church Avenue. Walk up the red staircase with the red door, behind the corner pizzeria and next to the car wash service center.
(347) 533-6226 or (347) 533-6227
http://www.mynamasteyoga.com

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BOOK YOUR NEXT EVENT IN NAMASTE YOGA'S STUDIO

Namaste Yoga rents out its studio for birthday parties for adults or children, bridal and baby showers, and art gallery exhibits. It can accommodate as many as fifty people. The studio is state-of-the-art. A TV/DVD area is provided for children. Call (347) 533-6227 to set up a visit to view the space.

Namaste Yoga of Kensington
482 Coney Island Avenue, 2nd floor (The main entrance is on Church Avenue. Walk up the red staircase with the red door, behind the corner pizzeria and next to the car wash service center.)
(347) 533-6226 or (347) 533-6227
http://www.mynamasteyoga.com

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