Saturday, November 30, 2024

DITMAS LIT CELEBRATES ITS EIGHTH ANNIVERSARY WITH FOUR WOMEN WRITERS READING FROM THEIR WORK


 Ditmas Lit
Wednesday, December 18th
8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
 
From Ditmas Lit:
It's the 8th anniversary of Ditmas Lit! We're so excited to welcome readers:
 
Joan Larkin is the author of six poetry collections, most recently Old Stranger: Poems, as well as Blue Hanuman and My Body: New and Selected Poems. She has received the Audre Lorde Award, the Lambda Literary Award.
She co-founded Out & Out Books during the 1970s feminist literary explosion, co-edited four anthologies, including Gay and Lesbian Poetry in Our Time, and has been a lifelong teacher.
Larkin has been awarded fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York Foundation for the Arts, the Academy of American Poets, and the Massachusetts Cultural Council. She received the 2011 Shelley Memorial Award from the Poetry Society of America.
Photo Credit: Jessica Madavo
 
Nina St. Pierre is a queer essayist and culture writer whose work has appeared in Elle, GQ, Harper's Bazaar, The Cut, Gossamer, Outside Magazine, and more.
She is a 2023 New York Foundation for the Arts fellow in Nonfiction Literature, holds an MFA from Rutgers, and lives in Brooklyn. Love is a Burning Thing, a memoir of family, fire, and what it means to believe, is her first book.
 
Ledia Xhoga is an Albanian American fiction writer and playwright. Her debut novel, Misinterpretation (Tin House) is a Finalist for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize and a Debutiful Best Book of the Year.
Before getting an MFA in fiction from Texas State University, she worked in publishing in New York City. She has been published in Intrepid Times, Hobart, KGB magazine, and other journals.
Originally from Tirana, Albania, she lives with her family in Brooklyn and the Catskills.
Photo Credit: Todd Estrin
 
Jenny Xie is a writer and editor living in Brooklyn. Originally from Shanghai, she graduated from UC Berkeley and earned her MFA at Johns Hopkins University. Her work has appeared in AGNI, Ninth Letter, Joyland, Narrative, and the Best of the Net Anthology.
Jenny is the recipient of a Bread Loaf scholarship and fellowships from MacDowell, Yaddo, and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. She is the Executive Editor of Dwell Magazine.
Photo Credit: Cheryl Chan 
 
Ditmas Lit is a monthly reading series in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, dedicated to showcasing established and emerging writers in all genres.
 
Location
Urbane Arts Club
1016 Beverley Road
between Coney Island Avenue and Stratford Road
Ditmas Park, Brooklyn
https://www.instagram.com/urbane_brooklyn/ 

Friday, November 29, 2024

TOMORROW IS THE CRAFT CIRCLE'S MEETUP

The Craft Circle
Saturday, November 30th, 3:00 p.m.
 
The Craft Circle will meet at Bad Therapy tomorrow (Saturday, November 30th) from 3:00 p.m. until ... whenever.
 
The Craft Circle is an informal monthly meetup where people knit, crochet, and work on other crafts. Bring what you're working on or learn a new craft.
 
The meetup is for all levels. Learners are welcome. And it's kid-friendly and dog-friendly.
 
For more information, call or text Barbara at (917) 847-8330.
 
Location
Bad Therapy
1008 Cortelyou Road
between Coney Island Avenue and Stratford Road
Ditmas Park, Brooklyn
badtherapybar@gmail.com
 

UNIQUE GIFTS AT THE WINTER MARKET AT P.S. 130


P.S. 130 Winter Market
Saturday, December 14th
11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
 
The P.S.130 PTA will host a Winter Market on Saturday, December 14th, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
 
Shop for unique gifts created and sold by local small business artisans and crafters. About thirty local vendors will participate.
 
The vendors will sell jewelry, floral arrangements and wreaths, crochet items, watercolor prints, candles, upcycled fabric creations, clothes, ceramics, handmade leather wallets, Turkish towels, herbal goods, Himalayan items, kids tie-dye, stained glass artwork, Brooklyn-themed merchandise, and other items. 
 
Additional free activities will include a winter-themed photo booth, ornament and holiday card-making, Lego minifigure making, a student musical performance at noon, a storytime hosted by Lofty Pigeon Books at 12:30 p.m., a movie screening at 1:00 p.m., and live holiday tunes at 1:30 p.m.

A free community event, the Winter Market is open to community members as well as to P.S. 130 parents, friends, and families.
 
Location
P.S. 130 Upper School Gymnasium
713 Caton Avenue
between E. 7th and E. 8th streets
Windsor Terrace/Kensington, Brooklyn
 

Wednesday, November 27, 2024

FREE $25 GIFT CARD AT FOODTOWN WHEN YOU BUY A $100 GIFT CARD


Buy a $100 gift card from Foodtown and get a $25 gift card for free. 

 
Cards can only be bought online at https://www.foodtowngiftcard.com/ and only on Monday, December 2nd (CyberMonday), between 12:01 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. Cards will be mailed within seven to ten days of the order.
 
A $3.95 processing fee will be added to each order.
 
The cards can only be used at the select Foodtown locations listed at https://www.foodtowngiftcard.com/. Foodtown of Kensington at 382 McDonald Avenue is on the list. 
 
Each billing address is limited to five gift cards. 

HOLIDAY TOY AND COAT DRIVE FOR CHILDREN

 
Holiday Toy and Coat Drive
December 2nd through 17th
Mondays through Fridays
9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
 
From New York State Assemblymember Robert Carroll

Holiday Toy & Coat Drive

My office is collecting toys and coats to be distributed to children during the holiday season. 

You can drop off new toys or coats at my District Office - 416 7th Avenue Monday – Friday between 9:30am-4:30pm through Tuesday, December 17th. 

The District Office will be closed tomorrow for Thanksgiving and on Friday, but will re-open on Monday, December 2.

Location
Assemblymember Robert Carroll
District Office
416 7th Avenue
between 13th and 14th streets
Park Slope, Brooklyn
(718) 788-7221
carrollr@nyassembly.gov
 

Tuesday, November 26, 2024

LOCAL ARTIST HOLIDAY POP-UP AT LOFTY PIGEON BOOKS

 
A holiday pop-up featuring more than twenty local artists is taking place at Lofty Pigeon Books now through Tuesday, December 24th.
 
Buy gifts for yourself and others:
  • Plushes
  • Coasters
  • DIY card-making kits
  • Soap
  • Puzzles
  • Bookmarks and pencil cases
  • Ornaments, pins, and keychains
  • Wallets
  • Postcards
  • Ceramic jewelry, mugs, and bowls
  • Upcycled jewelry
  • Prints
  • Candles
  • Pillow covers
  • Tufted wall art
  • Stained glass ornaments and bookends
  • Cards and journals
  • Stickers.
 
Lofty Pigeon Books is an independent neighborhood bookstore that opened in 2023. It offers the community many free events, including a book club, a twice-weekly storytime, comedy nights, interviews of authors, and readings, Q&As, and signings of newly-published books by their authors. 
 
The bookstore's open hours are Mondays through Fridays from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

SUPPORT LOCAL, INDEPENDENT
 SMALL BUSINESSES.

Location
Lofty Pigeon Books
743 Church Avenue
at the corner of E. 8th Street
Kensington, Brooklyn
(347) 240-3816
info@loftypigeonbooks.com
 

Monday, November 25, 2024

COMMUNITY BOARD 12 MEETING TOMORROW (TUESDAY) ON ZOOM AND IN PERSON


Community Board 12 Public Meeting
Tuesday, November 26th
7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 
 
Community Board 12 will holds its monthly meeting tomorrow, November 26th, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The meeting is open to the public.

The all-volunteer Board is the liaison between city agencies and the residents of Borough Park, most of Kensington, and parts of Sunset Park and Midwood.
 
Board members are appointed by the neighborhood's city councilmembers and the borough president.
 
The full board normally meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month from September through June, in person and on Zoom.
 
You may want to contact the office ahead of time to confirm the date and the location. Contact the office by phone rather than by e-mail, since an e-mail may not receive a response.
 
At 5:02 this evening, CB 12 texted the following information:
 
If you would like to attend the meeting on Zoom, click the following link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86040079931.
 
The agenda is posted on the CB 12 website at https://www.nyc.gov/assets/brooklyncb12/downloads/pdf/2024/11-November-2024-Agenda.pdf. To speak about neighborhood issues during the Public Hearing portion of the agenda (formerly called "public comments"), either in person or on Zoom, click the following link: https://forms.gle/8izAHJDN4KsStNtg7 and fill out the form. You can speak for three minutes.
 
You can also attend the meeting by phone by calling (646) 558-8656 and then entering Webinar ID 860 4007 9931.
 
Meeting Location
Community Board 12 Office
5910 13th Avenue
Borough Park, Brooklyn
(map)
 
--------------------------------------
 
Community Board 12
phone: (718) 851-0800
fax: (718) 851-4140
bk12@cb.nyc.gov
Chairperson: Yidel Perlstein
District Manager: Barry Spitzer
 

CRAFT AND VINTAGE HOLIDAY SALE AT THE CRAFT SALON

 
Craft and Vintage Holiday Sale
Sunday, December 1st
10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The Craft Salon's annual Craft and Vintage Holiday Sale will be held on Sunday, December 1st, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
 
Handmade and vintage items will be featured at this holiday craft market.
 
SUPPORT LOCAL, INDEPENDENT
 SMALL BUSINESSES.
 

Location
The Craft Salon Studio
625 Church Avenue
between Ocean Parkway and E. 7th Street
Kensington, Brooklyn
(917) 324-8290
dari@thecraftsalonstudio.com
 

Sunday, November 24, 2024

DONATE THANKSGIVING SIDE DISHES TO A NEIGHBORHOOD FOOD PANTRY

 At Foodtown of Kensington, you can purchase a bag of food for Thanksgiving side dishes that will be donated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary food pantry.

Tell a cashier that you want to buy a bag (or additional bags, if you like), and the cost ($10 per bag) will be added to your bill.

Each Buy-A-Bag contains a can of vegetables, a can of gravy, a bag of instant potatoes, a bag of rice, and a can of sweet potatoes.

Location 

Foodtown of Kensington
382 McDonald Avenue
corner of Albemarle Road
Kensington 
(718) 871-6161

Friday, November 22, 2024

72ND PRECINCT COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING, DECEMBER 2024

72nd Precinct Community Council Meeting
Tuesday, December 10th
7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The next meeting between the 72nd Precinct Community Council, the public, and officers of the 72nd Precinct will be held on Tuesday, December 10th, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Talk with the precinct's Commanding Officer, Deputy Inspector Krystin Suarez, the Community Affairs Officers, and the Neighborhood Coordination Officers (NCOs) for each of the precinct's sectors.

Everyone who lives or works in Windsor Terrace, Greenwood Heights, South Slope, and Sunset Park is invited to the meeting to discuss past crimes and learn what the precinct is doing to prevent future crimes.

Find out about the types of crime that have been taking place, their frequency, any enabling factors, and how to prevent them.

Members of the public are invited to voice their concerns about criminal activity, including armed robberies, rape and other forms of sexual assaults, home break-ins, burglaries in local stores, bank robberies, speeding drivers, stolen bicycles, package theft, and other crimes.

You can receive e-mail announcements about future meetings by contacting Council President Tina Ponce at tinaponce76@gmail.com or (570) 540-5016.

Location
Marien Heim Senior Center
4520 4th Avenue
at 45th Street
Sunset Park, Brooklyn
 
------------------------------------------
 
72nd Precinct
phone: (718) 965-6311
 

Wednesday, November 20, 2024

HOLIDAY MERCADO: MAKER'S MARKET, BOOK FAIR, AND CRAFTY COMMUNITY GATHERING

 
 
From One World Project 
Dear Brooklyn, 

One World Project is hosting our Holiday Mercado this Saturday, from 11:00am-3:00pm at 302 Vanderbilt Street! This maker's market, book fair, and crafty community gathering will feature artists and artisans from across Brooklyn as well as teachers and community members from OWP. We'll have lots of family-friendly activities, including face painting and a photo booth! 

If you're looking to get a jump start on your holiday shopping, this is the place for you! We cannot wait to see all the gorgeous ceramics, paintings, prints, jewelry, and more from our incredible list of vendors who will be in attendance. We're also so excited and grateful to have so many generous chefs and bakers who will be bringing tamales, rice and beans, and hot chocolate, as well as delicious nut-free cookies for our bake sale. 

All proceeds from the bake sale and food booth will go towards supporting OWP's very special UPK program, and our scholarship fund to ensure all our students have access to a loving, enriching, Spanish-immersion education. Everyone is invited, so please feel free to bring friends, neighbors, dogs, and anybody else you think would be interested! We can't wait to see you all there. 

With questions about hours, directions, or anything else, please don't hesitate to reach out to me at lposel@oneworldproject.org. 

Warmly,
Leo
--
Leo Posel 
Development and Communications Associate
he/him/él
 

Monday, November 18, 2024

HOLIDAY GIFT DRIVE FOR THE CHILDREN AND PARENTS AT THE KENSINGTON FAMILY SHELTER

 
Tracy and Catherine--who have been our neighborhood's volunteer liaisons to The Kensington Family Shelter since it opened--have issued their annual appeal for donations of holiday gifts for the children and parents who are living in the shelter.
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Our Tenth Year of Joy
Kensington Family Shelter Holiday Drive

Hello neighbors and friends,

We hope you and your loved ones are healthy and well. The holiday season is upon us, so it's time to spread some cheer to our neighbors living at the Kensington Family Shelter.
 
When the Shelter opened in Kensington in November of 2015, our community came together to welcome the very first residents. It was an extraordinary display of kindness, and you've done it again every year since! With your help, we know this year will be just as magical.

GIFTS

Gifts have been hand-picked for each child, so we ask that you do not donate items not on the list. You are welcome to order off the list and have an item shipped directly to the shelter, or you can purchase the exact item somewhere else and have it shipped or drop it off (the shelter address is 385 McDonald Ave., Brooklyn, NY, 11218, and all items should be sent attention Uniquia Parker).
 
If you do purchase somewhere besides Amazon, please be sure to mark the gift as purchased on the list.


Please note that, due to storage constraints, the Kensington Family Shelter is not accepting any other donations at this time. 

ADDITIONAL JOY

In addition, we are excited to let you know that the Cookie Brigade is back this year! Sign up to bring cookies for the lobby any day between December 21 - January 2. These can be store bought or homemade. Sign up here https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0848AFAF2AA5FA7-53281175-cookie

Finally, the Shelter staff is open to having carolers come one evening, but we need one of you to captain this event (date and time to be coordinated with the shelter). If you are interested in making this happen, please send us an email with CAROLER CAPTAIN in the subject line. If and when the event is confirmed, we will email this group with the details.

Thank you so much for your continued generosity. It's incredible to imagine that this will be our 10th holiday season together. We cherish the opportunity to share in this act of community love and kindness.

Love,

Tracy and Catherine 

Sunday, November 17, 2024

CANCELED: 66TH PRECINCT COMMUNITY COUNCIL NOVEMBER MEETING

 
The 66th Precinct Community Council has canceled its November 21st meeting. 
 
Community Councils meet from January through June and from September through December. The meetings provide the public with an opportunity to meet with the Commanding Officer and other officers to discuss crime and quality-of-life issues.
 
The 66th Precinct covers Kensington, Borough Park, part of Midwood, and part of Sunset Park.
 
Below is the announcement from the 66th Precinct Community Council:
 
Subject:   Monthly Meeting Cancellation Notice:
Date:Fri, 15 Nov 2024 11:57:53 -0500
From:66 Precinct Community Council <66precinctcc@gmail.com>
To: 66 Precinct Community Council <66Precinctcc@gmail.com>
We hope this message finds you well.

We wanted to inform you that there will be no meeting scheduled for the month of November due to conflicting schedules.

Our next meeting is scheduled to take place on December 19. Please mark your calendar accordingly, and we look forward to seeing everyone then.

Thank you for your understanding,

Saturday, November 16, 2024

ART IN TIMES OF WAR: A DISCUSSION

 
Art in Times of War: A Discussion
Saturday, November 23rd
1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
 
From B'ShERT:
A discussion with Israeli artist Maya Yehezkel about how art reflects the feeling in Israel in the shadow of October 7th.
 
1-2 pm Saturday, November 23 at B'ShERT
 
A light lunch will be provided.
 
Voluntary donations to offset the cost of the speaker are welcome. Suggested donation: $20 (if donating by check, please make it payable to B'ShERT)
 
Please RSVP to office@bshert.org or 718-282-1596 by Wednesday, November 20. Invite your friends!
 
Maya says: 
"I will share with you the voice of art in these times of war. I will share my story and talk about the sand art that saved me in the first days of the war. I will also talk about different Israeli artists and pieces that were created after October 7th."

"I truly believe that through art we can learn what people are actually feeling and thinking. We can talk about the new reality that we have all found ourselves a part of."
 
Location
Beth Shalom v'Emeth Reform Temple
83 Marlborough Road
corner of Church Avenue
Ditmas Park, Brooklyn
(718) 282-1596
outreach@bshert.org
https://bshert.org/

TOYS FOR TOTS / CHRISTMAS PARTY

 
Toys for Tots / Christmas Party
Saturday, December 13th
7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
 
Denny's Pub will hold its annual Christmas party and Toys for Tots toy drive on Saturday, December 13th, from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
 
The price of admission is an unwrapped toy with a minimum value of $20. The toys will be donated to the U.S. Marines Toys for Tots program, to be distributed to economically disadvantaged children at Christmas.
 
Denny's asks that the gifts be appropriate for a child--no toy guns, for example.
 
Share fun and food and meet your neighbors.
 
DJ Big G's Karaoke will be your host for karaoke, starting at 8:00 p.m. 

SUPPORT LOCAL, INDEPENDENT
 SMALL BUSINESSES.

Location
Denny's Pub
106 Beverley Road
corner of McDonald Avenue and Church Avenue
Kensington, Brooklyn
(718) 435-2156
 
 
 
Location
 

Friday, November 15, 2024

COMMUNITY BOARD 7 PUBLIC MEETING NEXT WEEK (WINDSOR TERRACE, GREENWOOD HEIGHTS, SOUTH SLOPE, AND SUNSET PARK)


 
Community Board 7 Board Meeting
Wednesday, November 20th
6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
 
Community Board 7 is the liaison between New York City government agencies and the residents, business owners, and employees of Windsor Terrace, Greenwood Heights, South Slope, and Sunset Park.
 
Attendees will have two opportunities to address the board (items 6 and 14 on the agenda below). Share you concerns, questions, needs, problems, suggestions, or solutions with CB 7's board members.
  
From Community Board 7
The regular monthly board meeting of Community Board 7 will be held on Wednesday, November 20, 2024 @ 6:30 p.m. in the CB7 Meeting Room located at 4201 4th Avenue (enter on 43rd Street & 4th Avenue).
 
You can attend in person or you can register to attend virtually on Zoom: https://bit.ly/4ff8Bcf

 Following is the proposed agenda:
 
  1. Pledge of Allegiance
  2. Roll Call
  3. Opening of the meeting
  4. Adoption of the agenda
  5. Adoption of the minutes of the October 9, 2024 board meeting
  6. Public Comment (3 minutes to speak on topics covered in the agenda)
  7. Elected Officials and Representatives
  8. Committee Reports – A) Transportation Committee (Vote expected) – 1. Dining Out application for Good Taste 88 Inc. located at 773 52nd Street, 2. MTA plan for 36th Street ADA accessible elevator design construction plans, 3. Presentation by Bike More on the $5 Citi Bike for Students program, 4. Open Plans on "Daylighting" a tool for safe streets, 5. Dining Out application for The Double Windsor located at 210 Prospect Park West, 6. Dining Out Proposal  for the Adirondack located at1241 Prospect Avenue, 7. Revocable consent application for Greenwood Cemetery, 8. Review of efforts at the intersection of 21st Street & 6th Avenue, 9. BQE South Proposal redesign
B) Education, Health & Human Services Committee  - (vote expected) 1. START Treatment and Recovery Centers request for a letter of support, 2. The committee's intentions and ideas, 3. Committee Chair & Committee Vice Chair's vision for the committee
 
C) Parks & Environment Committee –
1. Boating & kayaking program at Bush Terminal Piers Park, 2. Community space at Made In NY Campus, 3. Adventure Play NYC, 4. Department of Sanitation plans for a) Residential containerization b) Increase in fines, 5. Updates from the Prospect Park Alliance on new strategic plan, 6. Specific neighborhood locations of persistent street cleanliness issues to the Mayor's Community Affairs Unit, 7. Brainstorming session on committee's priorities and goals 
 
D) Housing Committee – 1. City of Yes for Housing Opportunity Discussion with Councilmember Alexa Aviles, 2. Committee planning of AMI and fire safety workshops
 
9. Roll Call
10.Chairperson’s Report
11. District Manager’s Report
12. Old Business
13. New Business
14. Public Comment (3 minutes to speak on any topic)
15. Adjournment

You can view the board meeting on the Brooklyn Community Board 7's YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/2Rl39PO
 
Location
Community Board 7
4201 4th Avenue (entrance on 43rd Street)
Sunset Park, Brooklyn
phone: (718) 854-0003
fax: (718) 436-1142
bk07 @ cb.nyc.gov