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September, 2011

  1. Guide to Bring to Light 2011

    September 30, 2011 by Jen G

    Bring to Light 2010 © Greenpointers

    Let Greenpointers help you navigate this weekend’s Bring to Light Festival!  If you missed it last year, don’t miss it again. It promises to be bigger and better than last year, which is saying a whole lot. Last year was mind-blowing!

    WHAT IS IT?

    “Bring to Light is a free nighttime public festival of art in New York City that takes place simultaneously with “nuit blanche” events in cities around the world…BTL will transform streets, parks and the industrial waterfront of Greenpoint, Brooklyn set against dramatic views of the Manhattan skyline.”

    Bring to Light 2011 Map

    GREENPOINTERS’ PICKS

    With over 50 artists creating site-specific installations of light, sound, performance and projection art, you might experience some sensory overload. Let’s hold hands; we can get through this…

    Urban Fills’ Locutorium references primitive childhood “cup-phones,” inviting users to converse with each other anonymously  via opposing fences equipped with a series of wide-mouthed cones connected by a network of crisscrossed, lit cables. (54) PARK

    © Aaron Siegel

    Clap along with Aaron Siegel’s Put Your Hands Together which lacks an audio component, so viewers will experience time passing by watching the impact of each hand clap. (01) WAREHOUSE

    Chris Jordan & Josh Goldberg’s Chrono Giants record viewers passing by then layers the images into a projection, thus converting the landscape into a record of the population occupying it. (11) PARK

    © Amanda Long

     

    Swing on Amanda Long’s Swings. Connected to a live feed, it encourages audience members to swing while their motion is recorded, manipulated and projected onto an adjacent wall creating a mural of figurative abstractions. (04) PARK

    Crawl across Daniel Canogar’s Asalto screen and see yourself crawling up the side of a warehouse eventually concealing the industrial structure with active human forms. (15) PARK

    © David B. Smith

    David B. Smith’s Double Oval Fantasy fills a room with Bob Ross’s voice, layering it with two spotlights that shift hue and position according to his use of paint. (16) PARK

    Peek into Ugly Art Room’s Peep Show and with your back to the festival, share in an introspective moment of group privacy, where you the viewer become the viewed. 3D! (53) WAREHOUSE

     

    © Devan Harlan & Olek

    Devan Harlan & Olek’s Suffolk Deluxe Electric Bicycle I presents a bicycle wrapped in light. (17) 

    Eli Keszler’s Psaltery transforms one of Greenpoint’s most dramatic interiors into a monumental acoustic installation. The network of piano wires attached by motorized beaters turns the entire building into an instrument. (21) WAREHOUSE

    © Fanny Allié

    Glowing Homeless is a neon outline of the human form resting on a park bench. With the use of attractive materials Fannie Allié reverses the normal reaction of avoidance and draws people towards the form on the bench. (24)

    Nathan Kensinger’s The Forgotten City is a projection of 50 photographs taken between 2007 and 2011 that documents the hidden rooms and passages of the Greenpoint Terminal warehouses after having survived a catastrophic fire in 2006. (39) WAREHOUSE

    Magazine consists of several road flares positioned amongst the India Street Pier, burning inside a series of glass bottles by Jules Marquis. (SECRET LOCATION)

    © Organelle Design and Elliott+Goodman

    Organelle Design and Elliott+Goodman present Heavy Breathing, a pneumatic installation comprised of two lightweight “lungs” that inflate, deflate, brighten and dim throughout the night. (40) PARK

    Get your rainbow on with Sean McIntyre and Reid Bingham’s Rainbow Tracer which allows you to take a photo with a rainbow, traced by LED lights on a 10ft bar arching 180 degrees in the air. (49) PARK

    Richard Serra’s Hand Catching at the waterfront is a single shot of a hand repeatedly attempting to catch chunks of lead dropped from the top of the frame. (46) WATERFRONT

    The Darkness Map Project at the festival center is a virtual map recording the city’s spectrum of darkness and light. FESTIVAL CENTER

    Look out for unapproved BTL installations like Nuit du Poulet Blanche, “where the chicken crosses the road” (66 Greenpoint Ave)

    All this stimulation is going to leave you spendy, hungry & thirsty.

    SHOP

    Alter (109 Franklin) will be displaying Sniff, an interactive projection by Karolina Sobecka in their store window. As you walk by you are followed by and can play with a CG dog. (A)

    DRINK

    Brouwerij Lane (78 Greenpoint) will be having $4 pints of house beer all day & night, plus get your head chopped off right out front…

    Veronica People’s Club (105 Franklin), the HQ of BTL brainstorming will have video installations and $1 off new fall cocktails! (M)

    Other bars near the epicenter: The Diamond (D) Pencil Factory (J) Lulu’s (G) Black Rabbit, Red Star (K) Shayz Lounge (L) TBD, Wendy’s Bar

    EAT

    6:30pm – First Seating Pre Fixe Special at Le Gamin (108 Franklin) while Company Stage’s performance TIGUE solitary and time – breaking waves begins. (F)

    Other restaurants near the epicenter: Calyer ($$$) (B) Mrs. Kim’s ($$) Paulie Gee’s ($$)(H) Anella ($$$) Karczma ($$) Brooklyn Label ($$) Franklin Pizza ($) Vamos Al Tequila ($$)

    AFTER-PARTY

    Manawi Thorn, Sludgehammer, Haribo w/guest DJ Self Hate @ The Pentagon (251 N. Henry) 9pm, “Fucked up music for fucked up people” RSVP

    Solo Dame Indie Pop! Dance Party @ Matchless (557 Manhattan) 10pm-3am – DJ SON & Post-Paint Boy & Ledo RSVP

    Official BTL Afterparty @ Lulu’s (113 Franklin) 12am, featuring Steps – Kyle M. & Bryce Hackford.

    GETTING THERE

    Water:  Take special East River Ferry Service between India St, 34th St, & No. 7th every 15 min, between 8:30pm-Midnight -or- Be a VIP aboard a fancy pants cocktail cruise that will take you from the No. 6th Pier to the statue of liberty for sunset views. Land at India St. Word on the street: famous baseball player will be on board. More info.

    Train: G train to Greenpoint is replaced by shuttle bus every 10 min. -or- take L train to Bedfordand stroll along the waterfront down Kent Ave.

    Bike: Bike parking will be sponsored by Silk Road Cycles at Franklin & Milton -or- Do what everyone did last year and hang your bike on the park fence.

    Car: Don’t drive! If you take a taxi, get dropped off at the epicenter, Franklin & Milton.

    Complete artist list, map and schedule visit Bring to Light NYC.

    Category Events | Tags: | 1 Comment

  2. Bird Nerd: Cormorant

    by Jen G

    I am officially a bird obsessed nerd. Birds are awesome. Why? They fly! There are a lot of amazing bird species native to New York and migratory friends who pass through. I spotted these two double crested cormorants perched near the East River Ferry dock. These birds are big, a couple of feet tall, and they dive and swim underwater to feed on fish. God knows what they are eating from the East River! You might see them sitting, 4 foot wing span spread out drying their wings because their feathers are not waterproof. As couples, they are really good for each other; the males and females build their nest together, the male goes out and gets the materials while the female tricks out their digs. Sharing and caring.

    Category Community | Tags: ,,,,, | 3 Comments

  3. Chelsea Elliott: Occupying Greenpoint

    by Peter

    Image Courtesy of Chelsea Elliott

    Photo courtesy of Chelsea Elliott

    I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that Chelsea Elliott wishes that her move to the front lines of the ongoing Occupy Wall Street protests had been under better circumstances.  On Saturday, September 24th, she was herded into an orange mesh barricade and subsequently assaulted with pepper spray by an NYPD officer whose name and rank has been published elsewhere.  The videos depicting this event have become a touchstone for the protest and a source of anger for those watching  the events unfold.  It’s hard to guess what the thoughts of the officer behind that canister may have been, and Chelsea hinted that he may have been acting more as an individual rather than as part of a coherent strategic enforcement method.  Whatever the motive, the effects of his actions are going beyond what he would have expected.

    The simple facts of this incident aren’t what drove me to contact Chelsea.  I knew other writers would be calling for her version of the events and indeed there was a pad and paper ready to take her story the moment she opened her eyes.  It was a comment on the Greenpointer’s Facebook wall, when we mentioned our neighbors were among the women assaulted in this incident, which perked my interest.  A reader wrote that these girls, she guessed were “Not lifelong Greenpointers…”  Was this true?  Did it matter? I decided to find out how Chelsea fits into our neighborhood, and how our neighborhood fits into events that make these questions important now.

    As we chatted at Black Rabbit I learned that Chelsea is not a lifelong Greenpointer.  As her story unfolded I found we cannot call her a lifelong resident of any place as she’s moved at least once every five years throughout her life.  This has taken her from her birthplace in Arkansas to Georgia, Montana, and Florida before landing in New York.  Like many of us, she moved here for work. Her ascent through New York is a familiar story, from the first bedbug-infested Harlem apartment to couch surfing the Upper West Side to being chased out of LES by rats before finally arriving in Greenpoint. First on Kent St and now by McGolrick, Chelsea says, “I felt for the first time since I’ve lived in New York that this is my neighborhood.  I didn’t even feel that in most of the places I grew up in.  I just loved it.”

    This is a common feeling among those who try different places in New York before settling here.  We know that the simple comfort of being here is one of the reasons why Greenpoint works so well as home. This is a function not only of the place itself but of the people here, old and new, who continue to build and develop it.

    “It’s really important for me… to be around older people and to be around family.  I’m far away from my family and it’s so important to interact with people who are different and have a different perspective.”  In short, the feeling of home, of belonging, is contagious, and helps to define livable space.

    She detailed her relationships with the septo- and octogenarians with whom she shares her building. Living downstairs is Frank, whom she met originally when he complained about her dog, but soon their relationship progressed to sharing his “amazing movie collection” and having lunch dates.

    Her neighborhood integration isn’t limited to her building.  Chelsea grew up in a religious family, and “is still figuring out where that falls in [her] life.” She found a source of community in the Church of the Ascension.  “Father John… [is a] very bright man. I’ve never been particularly religious, but his sermons were… what’s the right word… you would go into the history, he’d break down the words, the syntax, the translations, and his sermons weren’t fluffy.  It was very educational.”  Finding community, a place to explore spirituality, and intellectual stimulation prompted her to return the favor, and she found herself cooking community dinners among a diverse group of neighbors at the church.

    We spoke about the sentiments some raise concerning newcomers to the neighborhood and Chelsea raises a legitimate question: “who are you to claim it?”  Chelsea herself admits that she may not stay for life – “who wants to stay someplace forever?” she asks, but she presents a great example of someone who has come to a new place, engaged with and added to it.

    Concerning the protests on Wall Street, she mentioned the distinct blue-collar qualities that have historically defined Greenpoint and how the feelings at this rally are a modern expression of the loss of those ways of life, which are associated with manufacturing, building, and designing real things.  This anger and confusion towards the global finance system parallels the same local sentiment towards the incoming class of people.  However, the primary complaints about gentrification – the loss of neighborhood character, a generational gap, being priced – can be seen in places without a large incoming population.

    Before living in Greenpoint, I spent a year or two in Housatonic, Massachusetts.  There, older neighbors lament years of change, but it can’t be simply chalked up to newcomers since there largely weren’t any.  Instead, it was the same problems against which the protestors on Wall street chant and raise signs: global economic conditions shifted, causing the well-paid blue collar jobs to disappear as the paper mills closed.  What remains is a vacuum of cheap rent and the inevitable vacancies created by an aging population, into which newcomers can either move (gentrification) or not (stagnation.)  In this way, newcomers are a symptom and not a cause, and the cure has more to do with rebuilding the local economic base through encouraging local production than raising walls against newcomers like Chelsea. It’s important to note that this protest is, for many, as much about listening and learning about the forces against which many of us feel opposed as it is about being heard.

    Chelsea’s energy and spirit are not diminished by the week’s events despite a slew of interviews with everyone from the New York Times to yours truly.  She’s glad to lend her voice and, to a lesser extent, her mucous membranes to this cause just as she has been glad to lend her time, care, and attention to Greenpoint. While she’s “not a lifelong Greenpointer,” I’m not the only one who’s glad she’s here.

    Category News | Tags: ,,,, | 3 Comments

  4. 150th Anniversary BK Diggers Tee

    by Jen G

    Buy your limited edition Brooklyn Diggers 150th Anniversary T Shirt for only $25 at Kill Devil Hill! Sale goes toward  the 150th Anniversary Celebration in honor of laying of the keel USS Monitor in 1861. The FREE event will take place October 22nd in McGorlick Park. More info.

     

    Category Deals | Tags: ,,,,, | No Comments

  5. Six Nights with the Kings of Karaoke

    September 29, 2011 by Peter

    For four minutes and seventeen seconds, nothing else mattered.

    I won’t go so far as to say that I didn’t think of anything else.  I had all the usual karaoke thoughts – “is this really what I sound like?”  - but it can’t be argued that there’s a better way to make yourself focus than to put yourself as far out of your own skin as only a microphone and a room full of strangers can.

    Last week’s six-day karaoke bender started for me as most benders do – a few drinks in when the whole scene seemed loud, new, and fun.  It was my first night at that hidden (which truth be told describes the better part of creation for me) gem of a bar, Onyx, hanging out with a bunch comprised mostly of The Greenpointers staff.  Karaoke had long since broken into a steady stride, with the musical selections from the crowd covering a broad swath – your standard barroom hits interspersed with some surprising selections, most notably Kate Bush’s Wuthering Heights and a rendition of Avenue Q’s More You Ruv Someone, both of which were pulled off with style and gusto.  Although talent was amazingly strong on Monday, there was still room for me to butcher (half) of Islands in the Stream, and the vibe was overwhelmingly friendly and energetic.

     

    Karaoke King Nithya @ Onyx

    The real show-stopper, though, was the energy generated by the night’s MC, Nithya, which was powerful enough to destroy sensitive electronics and stun small mammals.  After watching as she killed songs in a way that made you want to kill one too (she’s actually not a tough act to follow, despite being singularly talented at karaoke), we struck up a conversation in which it was discovered that Jen G. had actually photographed her in the past.  After feeling the energy in the room and hearing about The Kings of Karaoke’s six-night weekly tour, I knew what I was doing that week: going deaf and loving it.

    Rock on after the jump. (more…)

    Category Culture | Tags: ,,,,,,,, | 1 Comment

  6. What’s Happening? (9/28-10/5)

    September 28, 2011 by Jen G

    Bande à Part

    WEDNESDAY 9/28

    80s Turbo Kickboxing @ Human@Ease (31 Nassau) 6:45pm, Win tickets to Black Eyed Peas or Amex gift card for Best 80s Outfit! More info

    Rosh Hashanah Dinner @ Greenpoint Shul (108 Noble St) 7pm, $21/mem, $26/non-mem. Buy Tix

    Poker Unleashed @ TBD (224 Franklin) 7:30pm, to benefit dog habitat rescue, walk-in registration or RSVP: pokerunleashed (at) gmail.com

    Win a Radebager Bike @ Wyne A Bit (200 Franklin) 7-9pm, winner must be present to win bike

    Last Weds Til The World Ends @ Veronica People’s Club (105 Franklin) 9:30pm DJ Russ with Bande à Part RSVP

    THURSDAY 9/29

    Rosh Hashanah Dinner @ Greenpoint Shul (108 Noble St) 7pm, $21/mem, $26/non-mem. Buy Tix

    G-Spot presents: moto-racers @ G-Spot (199 Green) Opening: 10pm-1am, series of collaged, painted and drawings of vintage motorcycle racers on paper

    Literary Karaoke: Banned Books, featuring MK Reed @ Word ((126 Franklin) 7pm Think you’ve got literary chops? You’ve got three minutes to prove it by reading a passage from a book that will surprise and delight the crowd. Sign-up 6:30pm. BYOB

    FRIDAY 9/30

    Kombucha Fall Kegger @ Brouwerij Lane (78 Greenpoint) 7pm, “6 lines of free-flowing never-been-drank ‘buch flavas”

    Gas, Looney Tunes, Winter Nights @ Europa (98 Meserole) 7pm, $10

    Official HipHop Concert Series @ Red Star (37 Greenpoint) 10pm, live performance, DJs, drink specials RSVP

    SATURDAY 10/1

    Bring to Light 2011 @ Greenpoint Waterfront 6pm, contemporary art festival, immersive spectacle of site-specific light, sound, performance & projection from over 50 artists. More Info

    OSA VIP Sunset Boat Ride @ No6th Ferry, 6pm $60, cruise to statue of liberty, lands in Greenpoint for Light festival. Buy tix

    The NEW New York GreenHome NYC’s DIY Green Block Party @ Urban Rustic (No. 11th & Wythe) 11-5pm, vendors, tours, food, and fun.

    Pumpkin Day @ McCarren Park Lawn, 11am-1pm, arts & crafts, live music. – Rescheduled to 10/8 due to rain.

    Pete’s Mini Zine Fest @ Pete’s Candy Store (709 Lorimer) 2-7pm, 20 writer & comic artists showcasing books and zines. Featuring Gigantic Sequins, The La-La Story, Louffa Press & more… 

    Manawi Thorn, Sludgehammer, Haribo w/guest DJ Self Hate @ The Pentagon (251 N. Henry) 9pm, “Fucked up music for fucked up people” RSVP

    Solo Dame Indie Pop! Dance Party @ Matchless (557 Manhattan) 10pm-3am – DJ SON & Post-Paint Boy & Ledo RSVP

    SUNDAY 10/2

    Blessing of the Animals @ Church of the Ascension (127 Kent) 3pm, hosted by Dog Habitat Rescue

    Braid and Styling Classes @ The Parlour Brooklyn (72 Greenpoint) 7-9pm, $30 RSVP

    Truck Yeah! A Mobile Meet Up @ Crown Victoria (60 S. 2nd St at Wythe) 12-6pm, a festival celebrating mobile culture in NYC! RSVP

     

    ALL WEEKEND

    Oktoberfest @ The Habitat (988 Manhattan)

    MONDAY 10/3

    Trivia Night @ Gutter (200 no. 14th) 7-9pm

    Moto Mondays @ Matchless 8-9pm, Motorcycle races on the big screen

    Kings of Karaoke @ Onyx (278 Nassau) 10pm-2am

    TUESDAY 10/4

    Largehearted Lit: Greg Olear, John Sellers, and Jenna Torres @ Word (126 Franklin) 7pm, Readings, music. More info

    WEDNESDAY 10/5
    Comedy Night @ TBD (224 Franklin) 9pm

    Oct. North Brooklyn Compost Project Meeting @ Urban Rustic  (236 N. 12th) 6:30pm, plans for Fall leaves and pumpkin smash! More info

    COMING UP:

    Reserve your dinner now for Brooklyn Fork & Spoon Supper Club on 10/22. Greenpointers will be there!

    To submit events email greenpointers (at) gmail.com

    Category Events | Tags: | No Comments

  7. Junk Toucher

    September 27, 2011 by Jen G

    © Greenpointers

    Calm down. We aren’t talking about that kind of junk!

    While on a stoop sale hunt down Kent St during the 165th Anniversary Block Party of Ascension, I met Mike, a Greenpointer who goes by the name Junk Toucher when he isn’t working his day job at MTV.

    Mike had the best finds on the block. It wasn’t ordinary household junk. Mike searches long and hard and really knows what is good. He said he’s been collecting for over 20 years. He learned from the best of them. His parents, also Junk Touchers from Indiana, drop him off junk by the carload and he resells the wares on weekends at the Brooklyn Flea. He also trolls for goodies on trash night, but when I asked if he could take me on a tour he gave me the same look the mushrooms hunters give me when I asked them to show me where their secret mushrooms are, that, you can come but then I will have to kill you - look.

    Mike Kuharic © Greenpointers

    After being a good sport and posing with this antique dresser drawer pull moustache, he invited me upstairs to his Junk Toucher headquarters. Everywhere I looked there was something I wanted to touch.

    © Greenpointers“Its all for sale,” he said.

    “What about that?” I asked pointing to a huge Audubon print I spotted in  the corner (I’m obsessed with birds.)

    “If you think that is cool, check these out,” Mike said and pulled out a stack of vintage prints illustrating bovine diseases. They were mildly disturbing, brightly colored and super obscure so I naturally wanted them all!

    © Greenpointers

     

    Visit the Junk Toucher at the Brooklyn Flea on Sundays, follow him on twitter or email him: mikekuharic (at) gmail.com

    Category Style | Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,, | No Comments

  8. Weekend Recap (9/23-9/25)

    September 26, 2011 by Jen G

    Fowler Arts One Year Show © Greenpointers

    It was a busy weekend in Greenpoint. The Fowler Arts One Year show was a great start on Friday night. The artwork was impressive for a mixed group show, which doesn’t surprise me because of the many talented artists who have studios there. Plus the raffle extravaganza, with over 20 prizes generously donated from local shops and restaurants made the night a lot of fun! I can’t wait to blow my $2o Word gift certificate!

    Kent St Block Party © Greenpointers

    These lovely ladies were holding down the Kent St block party on Saturday, which was stoop sale and kids running in street like lunatics central.

    Project Collective When Ends Meet © Greenpointers

     

     

     

     

    On Saturday night Project Collective had an art and music bash to raise funds for the Brooklyn High School of the Arts. Any party on a perfect evening at The End is amazing because the killer views from the roof deck are spectacular.

    Old Fashioned & Pulled Pork Sandwich

    I usually don’t like to rush the weekends but I couldn’t wait for Sunday when The Richardson had its Templeton Rye event. For $6 you got a Rye Cocktail plus a Pulled Pork Sammie from Edan Farms prepared by Tom from The Meat Hook. While I was shoving my second sandwich in my mouth (that’s 2 cocktails and 2 sandwiches for $12!), Tom, the pulled pork genius, explained that he braised smoked pork butts overnight with bacon. I call this sandwich divine perfection. It was the best pork sandwich I have ever had and I eat pulled pork any chance I get. MORE PLEASE! Peter, one of our Greenpointers writers, was the champion after eating a whopping three! Go Peter!!!

    Category Events | Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,,, | No Comments

  9. Help Kitty Kitty

    by Jen G

    Dude w/ Cat on Pier in WilliamsburgCats [blank] like rabbits and exponentially grow in numbers.

    A recent Greenpoint Gazette article cites the problems caused by rising feral cat populations and explains that the Trap-Nueter-Released (TNR) model is, “If you feed, fit it!” If you think you’re helping strays by feeding them, but not going the extra step to have them neutered, you are making the problem worse. And don’t be a [blank] and abandon your pets ever! There is no need to elaborate on how [blanked] up that is.

    I received a letter from a Greenpointer who needs your help:

    “I currently feed a colony of feral cats on Green St that are all neutered and friendly.  They keep the rats away and make people smile. Just for the record there is one or two of me on every block in Greenpoint: people who take care of cats that were dumped because someone couldn’t take care of them. It’s a sad reality.

    Although I don’t live in the area anymore, I come back every other day to feed the Green Stcats, and have since discovered a family of kittens on West between Green and Huron, behind a blue construction wall.  I’ve posted signs for help from the West St residents but have had only 1 response.  It’s very disheartening.  This is a serious issue as cats can breed after six weeks. Five kittens have now turned into 10.
    If anyone is trained in TNR (trap, neuter and return) please contact me.  I will help in any way, money or otherwise.  I can be contacted through my email:  lmolins1 (at) hotmail.com. This is something that really needs attention.”

    Category Community | Tags: ,,,,,,,,,, | 1 Comment

  10. SUNDAY SNAPS: 9/25/11

    September 25, 2011 by Jen G

    _DSC6681
    © Christina Storch
    © Greenpointers
    What? A travesty!

    © Star Cat

    Broken "Faith"

    © Warm Sleepy

    Join the Greenpointers’ Flickr Pool to see your photos here!

    Category Culture, Sunday Snaps | Tags: ,,,,,, | No Comments

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