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Tell the genie three wishes and she will mix you a custom perfume of power!
Saturday & Sunday, May 19-20th, 2012
1-5pm

*While supplies last.

Kill Devil Hill
170 Franklin St

Sponsored Post Courtesy of Kill Devil Hill.

I go insane over broccoli. If I had to chose one only food to eat everyday, you guessed it: broccoli! Boil it, bake it, roast it, grill it, steam it, fry it, pie it – any which way, it is the best vegetable. And as a cruciferous vegetable, it’s also anti-carcinogenic. Not a bad thing considering I live directly over the plume!

While having a romantic dinner with my wife (wondering what that means? read here.) at No. 7, the restaurant in Fort Greene from the same owners as No. 7 Sub on Manhattan Ave, we ordered an exclusively vegetarian meal. This is very unlike us. When Julie returned from the dark side of being a vegetarian, we celebrated with a Sausage Party, and it’s been dirty jokes and meaty dinners ever since. But sometimes the vegetarian options will surprise you, and they are often overlooked because you think, I’m out, I might as well eat meat! If you want a lighter meal, go veggie; you will certainly leave feeling less stuffed.

The Double Decker Broccoli Taco we ate was amazing, so I had to try it at home. It is basically the healthy vegetarian version of a Gordita Crunch from Taco Bell. (Don’t act like you don’t dream about it!) But with the braco, a hard taco is stuffed with feta cheese and broccoli, around which a black bean smeared soft taco is wrapped, then the whole thing is topped with pine nuts and hot sauce! Not only are the flavors happily married but the texture of the soft taco spooning the hard taco is quite a fiesta in your mouth.

Bracos are easy to make. While there are a few steps, they are easy steps. And worth it!

Use canned black beans or soak about a cup of beans overnight, then boil them until soft. Once soft stir fry them with chopped onions and garlic, cumin, bay leaf, salt and pepper. (If you want to get frisky, add some bacon fat.) Add water or vegetable stock and continue to reduce until they are mushy, then mash them into a paste. An immersion blender works perfectly, too.

Optional: toast your pine nuts.

Steam a head of broccoli, then mash it with a few cloves of fresh minced garlic, grated parmesan cheese, red chili flakes, butter and salt and pepper.

Unless you can find hard tacos, get some good soft corn tortillas and fry them in vegetable oil until they are crispy. We picked up a bag of tortillas for $1 over in Bushwick at Tortilleria Mexicanos Los Hermanos (271 Starr St.) And I kind of wished I stayed and had lunch there.

Now it’s Braco Time! Stuff feta into the hard taco. Over that stuff the mashed broccoli. Top it with pine nuts. On a soft taco, smear the black bean paste and wrap it around the soft taco.

This makes about 6-8 tacos, and they are really filling!

Dear Friends,

On Monday evening at the Congregational Council meeting, I submitted my resignation as the pastor of the Lutheran Church of the Messiah. It has been my honor to serve you for the last seven and a half years. You have been my teachers and friends. For that, I am eternally grateful. Together, we have worked to reach out to the community in innovative ways — being a beacon of hope to our neighbors and beyond. 

As I enter a new decade in my life, I am feeling called by God into new adventures in my personal and professional life. I will be moving to Boston. At this time, I do not have a pastoral call or a job secured, but I have several possibilities in the mix. I am looking forward to what God has in store for me!

I have spoken with Bishop Rimbo about my plans. He and his staff are committed to walking closely with the congregation through the upcoming transition. The work accomplished by the Messiah/St. John’s dialog committee has laid the groundwork for moving forward together. Messiah is a resilient congregation, and I know that the future is bright even though it is a bit unclear at this time.

I plan to serve through the end of June, and my last Sunday will be June 24. I look forward to making the most of these final days with you. 

Again, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your on-going prayers and support. 

Grace and peace,
The Rev. Griffin Thomas
Pastor

As an alternative to making my own juice I went with Blue Print Cleanse, which is on the expensive side ($200 for 3 days), but their motto is, “We think, you drink.” First world problems: “I don’t know what juice to make for my cleanse!” Like going to gym, I am motivated by money. I better drink all this liquid gold and not screw it up! And it all came in a neat box, each bottle labeled 1-6. (A little bird told me you can dumpster dive for the juices in LIC.) Or you can try to make them yourself.

Juice #1 & 3 & 5: Romaine, Celery, Cucumber, Apple, Spinach, Kale, Parsley, Lemon

Juice #2: Apple, Pineapple& Mint

Juice #4: Spice Lemonade with Cayenne & Agave

Juice #6: Cashew Nut Milk, Cinnamon, Agave & Vanilla Bean

I decided to do the cleanse because I’ve been curious about this new trend. I came off a week of feeling tired and worn out. I work too much, I drink to much booze, I don’t drink enough water, I overeat often, I eat a lot of meat and bread and I want to give my organs a break. I hoped that this kick in the butt would be like a restart, so I could eat healthier and drink less after the cleanse.

A supportive buddy rolled his eyes and said, “that is only going to last like 6 hours.” But I did it; three days of no food and only juice, and it was worth it, and really not all that bad.  The juices were tasty and as I was starting to get really hungry, I would drink the next juice and it would satisfy me.

It makes you realize a meal is so much more of an event and something to look forward to rather than something you will die if you miss. Lunchtime is solace from work stress. A dinner out with friends is something we can’t wait for during the day. A home cooked meal is a creative and satisfying process, often more enjoyable when you are serving someone else. When it’s only me I roast a head of broccoli and call it a night.

One thing that was great is there was no: “What am I going to make for dinner tonight?” “Where are we going to go eat?” It was simple, I grabbed a juice and my sink never filled up with dirty dishes.

One thing that was lame is all the amazing foods I encountered in Greenpoint. While getting an espresso at Van Leeuwen, (no, I didn’t give up coffee; I don’t hate myself) they had Garam Masala Macaroons! I would have been all over those.

While on the cleanse I made much better choices. Greenpointers’ art critic Martin and I went out for what he called, “watching him drink a beer” at the new Beloved, and it’s strange to sit in a bar and not get a buzz. But I saved money and my liver was better for it. Afterwards I convinced him to try White Burger on me. At $1.25 a pop for white castle-ish  sliders made from a Polish woman who rents out a booth from Subway sandwich shop on Manhattan Ave, who could say no? Especially after beer. I am still waiting on him for the review, but the logo was pretty bad ass and the burgers looked and smelled delicious. Another bad decision I would have made for my body at 10:30pm after a few beers was diverted because I was on a juice cleanse.

On the last night of the cleanse, we all went out to check out the new bar on Broadway called Donna designed by the “brothers” Evan and Olive, who did the build-outs for Paulie Gee’s and The Manhattan Inn. The interiors were absolutely stunning, as to be expected, but more refined with some outstanding lighting fixtures. The menus, while cool looking, were completely confusing and unreadable. And yes, I wanted the Smoked Peach cocktail and the ceviche and the avocado drizzled with oxtail sauce and the pickled vegetables. Instead I ordered a non-alcolic ginger lemon fizzy drink from the hilarious server Seth, who was sympathetic about my juice cleanse. I raced home that night to drink my last juice, the dessert juice.

Day 1 was pretty easy. When I got hungry I drank water. On Day 2, I was at times starving and thinking to myself, “is this stupid? should I just eat?” But Jon was supportive and didn’t eat a hot dog in front of me, which would have made me throw in the towel. Day 3 was easy, too. I woke up with so much energy as if I’d had a pot of coffee.

The next day, the day I could eat again, I wasn’t starving. Maybe my stomach shrunk? Since, I have been feeling great and eating better and not drinking much. I would definitely juice again for a day, like after a vacation, when your body is just saying to you, “hey, idiot with the mouth, can you stop eating for a minute? I need a day off, too!”

WEDNESDAY 5/16
♫ Esque/Our Mountain/Bad Girlfriend/The Beach Arabs @ Public Assembly (70 North 6th St) 8pm, $8

THURSDAY 5/17
• Greenpoint Neighbors for Lincoln Restler @ Red Star (37 Greenpoint Ave.) 6:30-8pm, RSVP
• Lost Everything @ Word (126 Franklin St) 7pm, Brian Francis Slattery presents his new novel Lost Everything, in a launch party extravaganza accompanied by a performance by Dr. Caterwaul’s Cadre of Clairvoyant Claptraps.

*** ALL WEEKEND ***
♫ GYPSY TABOR 2012 Festival & Camp (5/18-20) @ Onderdonk House (1820 Flushing Ave, Ridgewood) $20/day, $35 – all weekend, Live music, DJs, yoga workshops, food, drink, informational lectures, dancing, camping, and celebrating world-roots and NYC’s immigrant culture are all on the menu, RSVP, More info
• Great Googa Mooga Festival @ Prospect Park (5/19-20) The Great GoogaMooga: n. an amusement park of food & drink; adj. something wonderfully great; excl. “oh my goodness!” or “how bout that! More info

FRIDAY 5/18
♫ Free Kids Concert @ McGolrick Park (Monitor St & Driggs Ave.) Rain Location: Messiah Church (129 Russell St) 11am, Mrs. Crabapple puppet show, performance by Mike Messer, lead singer of The Dirty Sock Funtime Band, a collective chalk flower drawing
• Williamsburg Walks Volunteer Meeting @ Nag Office (Kent Ave @ N8th, 2nd Fl) or picnic table in East River State Park, 6pm, Williamsburg Walks is a series of car-free Saturday afternoons on Bedford Avenue. The idea is for people to use the closure to cars to rethink their public space & celebrate the neighborhood, on 3 Saturdays -rain or shine- June 9th, 16th, & 23rd, RSVP
♦ Hut # 7 @ Arts @ Renaissance (2 Kingsland Ave) 6:30pm, Hut #7 is a hut built of trash found on and around the site of St. Nicks Alliance by choreographer and multi-media artist Jill Sigman, RSVP, More info
♫ Flash @ Loreley BK (64 Frost St) 10pm, Live – Jorge Velez, DJs: Marcos Cabral, Ron Morelli, Love On The Run (Secret Rendevous), RSVP
♫ Perfect Stranger @ Europa (98 Meserole Ave) 10pm, $15, psytrance RSVP

SATURDAY 5/19
* North Brooklyn Volunteer Fair @ McCarren Park Greenmarket (Driggs & Union) 10am-2pm, From soup kitchens to parks groups, we have brought together 20 organizations that utilize volunteers in North Brooklyn. This is a great opportunity to learn how you can connect to volunteer opportunities in Williamsburg and Greenpoint. RSVP
• Build It Green Grow NYC Block Party & Stop ‘N’ Swap @ Build It Green! NYC (3-17 26th Ave, Astoria) 12-3pm, More info
• Genie In a Bottle @ Kill Devil Hill (170 Franklin St) 1-5pm, Tell the genie your three wishes and she will make you a custom perfume of power.
♦ Pastoral Day Dreams @ The Home of Andrew Freedman (1125 Grand Concourse, Bronx) 1-5pm, Join Caroline Burghardt at the “Beach” in the Bronx. Enjoy her newest backdrop and take your own pictures or pose for one of mine, RSVP

SUNDAY 5/20
* Genie In a Bottle @ Kill Devil Hill (170 Franklin St) 1-5pm, Tell the genie your three wishes and she will make you a custom perfume of power
♦ Arts In Bushwick Benefit @ Grace Exhibition Space (840 Broadway, 2nd Fl.) 6-9pm, Meet the artists and have a preview of some of the works that will be shown during Bushwick Open Studios June 1-3.All artwork will be sold in a $50 raffle with the first ticket drawn having first pick, and so on, until all the pieces are gone, RSVP

MONDAY 5/21
* OCD Lecture: The Biggest Apple @ Pete’s Candy Store (709 Lorimer St) 7:30pm, Free, journalist Amy O’Leary for a panel discussion on population trends, urban planning, and the conceptual limits of density here in the Big Apple.
♫ Country Night @ Union Pool (484 Union Ave) 9pm, Free, Cowboy Mark & DJ Tony, a full night of vintage country music. Vinyl only always.

TUESDAY 5/22
♫ Yaya Herman Dune/The Fisherman Three/Turner Cody @ Union Pool (484 Union Ave) 9pm, $8

Coming up: 
WEDENSDAY 5/23
* Is Greenpoint Safe: Cleaning Up Our Neighborhood’s Toxic Legacy @ Anella Backyard (222 Franklin St) 7-8:30pm, Rain or Shine, drink specials, Get the real deal about the public health and environmental situation in Greenpoint and learn what we can do about it. Greenpoint residents Kate Zidar (Newtown Creek Alliance), Laura Hoffman (Organizations United for Trash Reduction and Garbage Equity – OUTRAGE), and Mike Schade (Center for Health, Environment, & Justice) share their expertise in a conversation moderated by Cara Cannella (Speak Easy Series).

* Greenpointers’ Pick
♫ Music
♥ Pheremones Likely
♦ Art Event

We all wanted Piecorps to have a retail location, and great news: we can look forward to amazing pies come this June in Greenpoint! Piecorps needed to raise funds to buy a new oven and because of community donations they raised via Lucky Ant, they got it. Social media isn’t always evil.
I follow Piecorps on Facebook just to drool at all the amazing pies they come up with. Like Chili Pie with Cornbread Crust or Rhubarb Custard Pie. Good news is you don’t have to wait until the summer to enjoy their delicious pies. You can shop for pies online to be delivered to your front door or visit them on Saturdays at Hester Street Fair (LES) & Stone Barns Center (upstate) or on Sundays at New Amsterdam Market (South Street Seaport). All three Union Markets as well as Gourmet Guild carry their pies.

Greenpointers chatted with Pie Corps.

GP: How long has Pie Corps been around?
PC: We’ve been in business for one year… We started May 5th at the New Amsterdam Market.

GP: Who runs pie corps?
PC: Cheryl Perry and Felipa Lopez are co-founders, bakers and operators of the company.

GP: What are your backgrounds?
PC: I’m a chef of 20 years with a pretty vast knowledge of all things culinary. I’ve also been a freelance culinary instructor at the Natural Gourmet Institute for 16 years. Felipa is an acupuncturist, with offices in Bklyn., and NY. We were drawn to each other because we both LOVE food and cooking and beautiful ingredients and basically knew instantly that we wanted to have a food business together.

GP: How did you get into making pies?
PC: I’ve been an avid pie maker for most of my career, I spent one summer making a pie a day! Felipa learned to make fruit pie one summer while she had a house in Greenport LI – and grew up making savory empanadas with her grandmother – like bacalao, or picadillo… (both of which we make now at Pie Corps.)

GP: What are some of your favorite pies to make? To eat?
PC: I’d have to say for both of us, it’s the savory pies that are favorites to make and eat. We are both more drawn to cooking savory, and it’s what gives us the most excitement, in wondering how to for example turn my delicious fried chicken into a pie, which we did when we added it to a pie with buttermilk gravy and sauteed collard greens. A delicious summer meal baked up into a pie.
We do have lots of fun with sweet pies though, coming up with new seasonal flavors. Last year we were obsessed with the idea of making a grasshopper pie that didn’t have green jello and cool whip as the main ingredients. We came up with a pie that is SO light and SO minty, by using creme de menthe and fresh mint infused whipped cream. That was fun.

GP: Why did you decide to open a retail location?
PC: Pretty much across the board we try to listen to and give our customers what they want, so with everyone always asking when we were going to open a store, or where could they come to buy our pies, we decided that there was definitely a need / market for a savory and sweet pie shop – and we love Brooklyn SO much we know that’s where we wanted to be.

GP: Why did you use Lucky Ant?
PC: We went with Lucky Ant because we knew that they were a new business just like us, and that they could really appreciate where we were coming from in terms of needing funds to keep the momentum going and grow our business. They worked incredibly hard to help us with outreach.

GP: Were you worried you might not raise enough money?
PC: We had a good feeling about raising the money for our new oven… but you never know. I wouldn’t say we were worried, I’d say we felt optimistic and just really tweeted and FB’ed the heck out of our friends, and their friends and so on.

GP: When do you plan to open?
PC: We hope to open in the beginning of June and we are opening in Greenpoint on Driggs Avenue. With the opening of our new pie shop, we look forward to having a place our customers can come and sit and eat our pie and/or take pie home.

We live in Brooklyn, the land of small railroad apartments. Most of us are constantly searching for more ways to store things while ideally not filling up the place with ugly plastic containers. Even if you are one of the lucky few to live in a beautifully sized apartment, the bathroom can always be a small, awkward or tricky spot to have the storage we need while keeping the tiny room looking good.

I am a big fan of Caroline’s photography. She contributed artwork (above) to the exhibit at the Love Bird’s Valentines Market and has been in many of Ugly Art Room‘s shows, The collage below exhibited last year at The Parlour Brooklyn  in a show called “Cutters” during the Northside Festival.

Below is a screenshot of what you see when you visit Caroline’s website. There are three main categories: her pastoral portraits in which she has a subject pose on a background, that is set in another background, collage, and the biggest body of her work is photography, with a focus on portraits, interiors and still-lifes.

Caroline’s earlier photographs were the first experience I had with her work and it took me a while to “get” it. She focuses strongly on shape, color, pattern. Each work is carefully composed and thought out and what I began to connect with is a stillness in each piece. Some artwork just jumps out at you, but Caroline’s photographs have an eery calm, and if you pay attention long enough each tell a story, maybe about Caroline, or maybe about all of us. The piece below reminds me of a painting I have that was in my Grandmother’s dining room, which I stared at for hours as a kids eating Campbell’s soup with potato chips. Painted by my Great Grandmother, the painting is not a masterpiece in a technical sense, but it makes me think. The above photograph reminds me of that feeling of staring at the painting and just losing myself.

Like all artwork, it is not really fair to view it on a website. Caroline prints most of her photos the old fashioned way, so each has a physical depth and texture that is lost on a monitor, not to mention the size. Overall, her work stands up online.

Caroline’s collages are playful, colorful and the paper patterns mimic interiors, like wallpaper or flooring. When you get past the pure aesthetic enjoyment, that simple stillness pervades each collage as well.

Her current project, the pastoral projects are hilarious to be a part of because Caroline is really fun behind the camera. I am looking forward to participating this weekend on the “beach” in the Bronx.

See more of Caroline Burghardt’s work on her website.