Brokelyn » Jonathan Berk

Starving artists: Feed your own for the holidays

Jonathan Berk — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 12:33:41 +0000

Will blog for drinks.

There’s no shortage of worthy ways to be charitable this time of year, but you’d be hard-pressed to find another that says “Made for BK” quite like this. Open Source, a Park Slope gallery/creative space, is looking for a few good cooks to staff its Open Source Food Kitchen every night in December. For a fourth year, the gallery’s running its month-long free kitchen where a volunteer comes in each night, whips up a meal, and 15-20 starving artists dig in. The site says fellow artists usually don the chef hat, but really, anybody’s welcome to come in and cook.

Requirements for the one-night gig are pretty few: Meals are served between 7 and 9pm and you should plan on something easy to serve, like a “one-pot meal — either a soup or stew which can be served in bowls with bread on the side.” Open Source provides the cookware and utensils and will help with logistics. All you do, they say, is “supply the love” (and, um, the food, lest you want an overly expressive uprising on your hands).

If you’re at all culinarily-inclined, this seems like a cool way to give a little back this holiday season. Also, there seems occasionally to be wine and beer-laden late-night convos. Now, if you’re one of those who’s reading this salivating, rather than planning your menu, the meal is open anyone, but seating is limited to first-come, first-served.

Sign up soon, charitable chefs, because shifts are disappearing fast (the actual holidays at the end of the month are still free, though). And while you’re checking it out, you might as well look at all that art stuff Open Source does the rest of the year.

Open Source Gallery, 306 17th St. between Fifth and Sixth Aves., Park Slope.

Thanksgiving out, (still) under $35 a head

Jonathan Berk — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:24:22 +0000

Give high dinner prices the bird.

Last year, our annual list of turkey-day dinners for the kitchen-averse started on a solemn note: The price of dinner with all the trimmings was up a whopping $10 from the year before. So this year, we were flat-out scared when we set out to check the lay of the Thanksgiving prix-fixe land. But we needn’t have feared, because it turns out, here in 2011, $35 (and less) is still alive and well. Now, while you could get stuck on what this says about the economy and all, we’d rather not. Instead… we’ll just go and eat like it’s 2010. Here’s this year’s Thanksgiving prix-fixe list. If we missed a place, let us know.

All prices are per person, all spots offer turkey, stuffing & the fixings unless otherwise noted.

Manhattan Three Decker Diner, 695 Manhattan Ave. at Norman Ave., Greenpoint, 718-389-6565
Cost: $17.95
This year’s winner for cheapest meal (a diner, naturally) includes roast turkey, stuffing, sweet potato, cup of soup, salad, dessert and a drink (coffee, soda or wine).

Vegas Diner, 1619 86th St. between 16th Ave. and Bay 13th St., Bath Beach/Dyker Heights, 718-331-2221
Cost: $20.95
This place is huge with some fantastic diner decor. It won’t give you a cozy, homey feel, but it will provide all the old-school classics.

Mill Basin Deli, 5823 Avenue T at E. 59th St., Mill Basin, 718-241-4910
Cost: $24.95
This Kosher place offers four courses with great options like split pea soup, apple strudel and, of course, turkey (with stuffing, candied yams and veggie). There’s also unlimited coleslaw.

Buckley’s Tavern, 2926 Avenue S at Nostrand Ave., Sheepshead Bay, 718-998-4222
Cost: $26.95
A 40-year-old family-run catering hall/restaurant/bar, Buckley’s offers the whole standard deal, including tea or coffee.

Okeanos, 314 Seventh Ave. at 8th St., Park Slope, 347-725-4162
Cost: $29.99
For a Hellenic-Mediterranean Thanksgiving in Park Slope, Okeanos is probably it. Your four courses here start with watercress radicchio salad and finish off with apple pudding in cardamom caramel syrup.

Picket Fence, 1310 Cortelyou Rd. at Argyle Rd., Ditmas Park, 718-282-6661
Cost: $30
Picket’s one of the senior members of the new Cortelyou Rd guard. Three courses here, with a solid dose of homey.

Pane & Vino, 174 Smith St. between Wyckoff and Warren Sts., Cobble Hill, 718-501-1010
Cost: $35
Again, the standard fare, but with some nice touches like split-pea and asparagus soup, plus a free glass of Prosecco.

The Green House, 7717 Third Ave. between 77th and 78th Sts., Bay Ridge, 718-833-8200
Cost: $35
If you’re south-bound in Brooklyn, see here for Maryland Turkey with sausage-bagel stuffing, duckling in a blood orange cognac glaze, broiled salmon and steak, and appetizer and desserts.

Fornino, 256 Fifth Ave. between Carroll St. and Garfield Pl., Park Slope, 718-399-8600
Cost: $35
The original in Williamsburg is taking the day off, but the Slope spot is open for business with three courses, mixing Italian apps and the day’s standard mains.

Marco Polo, 345 Court St. at Union St., Carroll Gardens, 718-852-5015
Cost: $36.95 (ok, almost $35)
You can opt for the traditional States-side Thanksgiving meal in three courses, or go for old-world choices like Tilapia Oreganata, Suprema di Pollo al Grand Marnier or Bistecca Grigliata.

FOR THE HOMEBODIES

Foodswings, 295 Grand St. between Havemeyer and Roebling Sts., Williamsburg, 718-388-1919
Cost: $15 ($60, feeding four people)
Foodswings is the only vegetarian option in our list, but it won’t be open on Thanksgiving. They are, however, selling meat-free Thanksgiving meals for pick-up the night before. So if you and your veggie friends want to chow down on chick’n style seitan, mashed potatoes, biscuits and lots of vegetable sides, order now and have that party at home.

Luscious Food, 59 Fifth Ave. between Bergen St. and St. Mark’s Ave, Park Slope, 718-398-5800
Cost: $19 ($38 for two people)
Luscious’s bread & butter is delivering “homemade” food, so that should work for turkey day. Dinner for two includes the main stuff, two sides and a “sweet treat.” And there are plenty of cost-effective options for the larger crowds too. ORDER DEADLINE: Sunday, Nov. 20, 6 p.m.

Seersucker, 329 Smith St. between President and Carroll Sts., Carroll Gardens, 718-422-0444
Cost: $30
Southern comfort food’s the inspiration here, and that’s reflected in the Thanksgiving dinner to go. But the deadline’s TODAY (Nov. 16), so… choose your three sides now.

And once you’ve feasted on the fruits of someone else’s labor, you could pass on the Thanksgiving spirit. Nonprofits like FoodBank NYC and CAMBA always need food for their pantries, and Brokelyn has a list of other volunteer opportunities and ways to donate.

Some descriptions courtesy of the last two years of Thanksgiving prix-fixe lists.

Follow Jonathan: @jbberk.

Credit unions 101: Everything you need to know to flee the big banks

Jonathan Berk — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 17:07:47 +0000

Credit unions: where the 99 percent doesn't mean your interest rate?

This Saturday is the “money talks” day in the world of financial protest. The bank situation’s going hay-wire, the question “fee or not to fee” has us all glued to our account screens digging for hidden charges. Something’s got to give. And by something, we mean it’s time to move your money. At least that’s what members of a national movement would have us do this Saturday on the new occupier-related anti-bank holiday Bank Transfer Day. The point: to get us to remove our money from for-profit banks and stow it safely in the country’s neighborly non-profit credit unions. Sounds like a plan. But first, just to be safe, let’s go over some credit-union ins and outs, before you move your funds out and in.

WHAT ARE CREDIT UNIONS?
According to the World Council of Credit Unions: “Member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperatives that provide savings, credit and other financial services to their members. Membership is based on a common bond, a linkage shared by savers and borrowers who belong to a specific community, organization, religion or place of employment.” Basically they’re co-op banks open to specific groups of people.

Yes, “member-owned” has a nice ring to it — no monolithic Wall St. institutions here, nor multi-nationals playing with your savings from HQ in North Carolina.

So are credit unions our knights in shining armor in this time of financial-system tumult? Maybe, but knights can still get sick, armor can get a few chinks. Here’s a run-down of credit union pros & cons, what’s here in Brooklyn and what to keep in mind if you’re considering the switch (taken from many trusty credit-union resources).

PROS:
Not too big to fail: Why is this a good thing? Beacuse if there’s no chance of Uncle Sam swooping in to save the day, credit unions will be pretty darn careful with their risks, and with your cash.

Non-profit status: Unlike regular, for-profit banks, which answer to profit-seeking share-holders and to the ever-present bottom line, credit unions exist to please and serve one group and one group only: the customers. As such, with profit out of the picture, there’s a little more money around for (and fewer barriers to) providing things like these:

Good customer service: Everyone’s an owner, so who’s gonna leave their boss on hold?

Good interest rates, low fees: Costs are generally kept low and the savings passed on to the members.

Flexibility with loans: This ties-in with the customer service. Credit unions tend to work harder to get their members the loans they need. They have no reason not to.

CONS:
Fewer branches & ATMs: Smaller institutions, fewer resources. Though these days, most credit unions have online portals, and many CUs have been known to join forces and create large no-surcharge networks of ATMs, which means you can still easily access your money.

No FDIC insurance: A seemingly big “con,” but it’s mitigated by the fact that all federal credit unions are insured by the National Credit Union Administration for member deposits up to $250,000. From what we’ve read, this is as good as FDIC. But, still, do your research.

Restricted membership: Every credit union is, by nature, restricted to members of a certain group, be it a school, zip code, profession, whatever. There’s no guarantee that you’ll find your match, but lots of groups are super-easy to join (as in pay $10 to join a wildlife society), so chances are you’ll find a way in.

FINDING A LOCAL CREDIT UNION
We have close to 30 credit unions in Brooklyn, running the gamut from the Good Fellowship FCU — open only to certain (lucky) lodge members of the Knights of Pythias — to the Bay Ridge FCU, open to a long, but quite limited, list of folks employed at different car services, churches, dealerships and healthcare companies.

Search through the list looking for one that you qualify for based on your occupation, church, neighborhood or ethnicity. If you work for, say, the Associated Press, as a radio or TV broadcast engineer or are a grad student at CUNY, there’s a union for you. Some, like McGraw-Hill, appear to be open to all.

Even if you don’t qualify for any of the credit unions on the list, that doesn’t mean there isn’t one for you. Take stock of your affiliations, present and past, those located elsewhere (alma mater, maybe?), and see what they have to offer by searching under the “advanced” tab on this credit union finder. Even geographically distant CUs may be part of one of many huge ATM networks that reach far and wide.

HOW TO MAKE THE SWITCH
Finally, transferring your life’s (month’s, week’s, whatever) savings is no small matter, so you want to be safe and do it right. Here are a few tips from the handy site Consumerist on steps to take when moving your funds:

1) Open your new account with a small deposit before you close your old account. This makes for an easy electronic transfer of the rest of your money between the two.
2) Keep track of all auto-payments from your old account. Make sure you leave enough money there to cover bills, etc. during the transition.
3) Remember to actually change your account with your employer, etc.
4) Leave a small amount of money in your old account for a full month after you open the new one, to cover any auto-payments you forgot about.
5) Once all your funds are transferred to the new account, remember to close the old one (that’s the whole point, remember?). Be sure to get written confirmation.

The Consumerist article expands on this, along with a helpful video.

So there you have credit unions in a nutshell. If you are leaning toward taking the plunge, first do your due diligence (much more here on the differences between CUs and banks) and second… here’s a list of credit-union joining promotions around the country in honor of Saturday’s big day.

For those of you that have already switched, which credit union do you use? What’s the experience like? Tell us below!

Follow Jonathan: @jbberk.

BK getting its own Greek (food) bailout

Jonathan Berk — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 18:25:15 +0000

These lovely people are putting their trust in you.

Call it refreshing, call it gimmicky, call it… a contagious strain of Jersey-rocker altruism? Whatever it is, there’s no denying the economics of one dining deal starting in November. Santorini Grill, a Greek restaurant off Bedford Ave. in Williamsburg, will be operating under a “pay what you will” model for one month starting Nov. 4. According to Gothamist, the deal is the restaurant’s own ”Greek Bailout” at a time when we all could use one. If the owner can keep the lights on and the rent paid, she tells Gothamist, the bailout will be sticking around longer.

“We all need help,” the restaurant owner tells Gothamist. ”All of us. Except the millionaires, they need… [certain choice words].” Seems like sound logic to us. And who knows? The motives behind the thing could be just what the owner says.

The restaurant’s mostly solid Yelp reviews list standard-ish Greek fare like spicy grilled peppers stuffed with cheese, organic chicken souvlaki and mousaka. We can’t speak for the quality ourselves, but assuming the deal has its (surely) desired effect and we all head over, Santorini Grill could be getting its most honest reviews yet. Or… maybe not.

What would you do: fork over a few bills for extra-tasty souvlaki or stick to that couch-cushion-change budget at all costs?

New Amsterdam? The city is your new source for cheap drugs

Jonathan Berk — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 11:10:16 +0000

A little while back, we ran the numbers on Rx meds at a few major pharmacies around the borough, and we learned a couple things: First, we found out who had the best prices; and second, we learned prescription drugs can actually be cheaper without that fancy PPO. You just had to know where to look. Well, now, thanks to a new NYC program, you needn’t bother to look much at all. Because for the last few months, the city’s been handing out the BigAppleRX card, a free ticket to discounted drugs all over the place that gives you 53 percent off generics and 15 percent off brand names.

The BigAppleRX card launched back in May and the NY Post writes that the card’s been pretty darn successful, having saved New Yorkers more than $1.5 million in prescription drug costs. The little card works like this: Go to the BigAppleRx website and print the thing out. Then go to a pharmacy and use it. (We looked for the catch. Really, we did). Oh yeah, it’s an app too, naturally.

The site boasts an average saving of 53 percent on generics and 15 percent on brand names; card availability to ”everyone living, working or visiting New York City” and acceptance for ALL prescription medications. As for participanting pharmacies, we entered our local Ditmas Park zip into the pharmacy finder tool, and it spat back 100 results, including what seemed like every Duane Reade, CVS and Walgreen’s within 5 miles, plus plenty of independents. (Rite Aid, though, was nowhere to be found). There’s also a function to find price by prescription, but that one was a little finicky when we tried it out.

The Post reports that the card’s saved Brooklyn residents $295,000 over the last few months, and borough prez Marty Markowitz calls it “a prescription for good health—and just what the doctor ordered.” What do you think — does your doctor say the same? Here’s the Post article and the BigAppleRx website to learn all you need to.

Belt the broad stripes & bright stars for the Cyclones

Jonathan Berk — Thu, 12 May 2011 17:25:01 +0000

Pia Toscano sang the anthem in '03 and was recently an American Idol finalist.

For aspiring baseballers, the minors are where it all begins. Whipper-snappin’ pros take endless grounders, bust their chops, hone their skills, all in the hope of climbing the ladder to the game’s biggest stage. And by biggest stage… we mean American Idol. The Brooklyn Cyclones, the Mets’ local farm team, are looking for future idols to sing (or otherwise perform) the national anthem at this season’s home games in Coney Island. Open auditions are next Thursday, May 19, and if you’re feeling at all musically-patriotic, you might want to try your chords. This local girl did back when, and it worked out pretty well for her.

The auditions are at 6 p.m. at the Kings Plaza mall and here’s what you need to know: “Singers must be a capella, and the anthem can be performed solo, with a chorus or group, or as an instrumental.” Got that? Lyrics will even be provided if you (ahem) don’t know all the words. For more info, call Kara Mohr at 718-37-BKLYN or go here.

Volunteer opp hearthens back to ye olde Brooklyn

Jonathan Berk — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 15:01:35 +0000

Wanted: dedicated educators willing to stoke open flames: A plug for a firebug-themed charter school? Almost. Or… just a perfectly innocent chance to teach kids the ins and outs of the 18th Century kitchen. Prospect Park’s well-preserved (and always educational) Lefferts Historic House is seeking three volunteers for its Hearth & Oven program. Volunteers will maintain fires, demonstrate cooking and help students and families “prepare foods using traditional tools and methods.” And, you’ll get to sample whatever charred Revolutionary-era delicacies are pulled from the flames. It requires prior experience teaching or cooking, and it’s billed as the perfect opportunity to learn a “unique skill.” Flames will be lit in July and will last for six weeks. For more details and to sign up, here’s the page on Volunteermatch.

Sand and saw a new career with free woodworking classes

Jonathan Berk — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 17:13:46 +0000

Deciding how to broaden the ol’ skill-set can be a daunting task. You could shoot for ninja-like office chops to get back in the game, or even put in the time for a job-magnet of a three-letter suffix (Your Name, Esq.?). But you could also try your hand at something a little more… handy. Brooklyn Woods, a Gowanus-based woodworking shop and training facility, is recruiting for its free full-time training program to put some fresh woodworkers and cabinet makers out into the job force. If you’ve had blue and yellow dreams of designing the next Hemnes or Aspelund, this is your chance.

The eight weeks of practical training includes handy stuff like “the safe use and proper care of hand tools, power tools and state-of-the-art woodworking machinery… and shop production, wood technology, finishing techniques, cabinet installation, mechanical drawing and job search skills.” BK Woods even pitches in two years of job placement services, in case you don’t instantly land that master-track apprenticeship.

Given that the program’s a full-time, two-month commitment, it is only designed for certain individuals: namely the unemployed or those with low-income or on public assistance. But if that’s you, and you’re at least 21, the other requirements are pretty few (they’ll even take past substance-abusers and criminals).

To learn more and apply, just show up at one of the Wednesday morning orientation sessions (10 a.m. at 125 8th St. between Second and Third Aves.), and bring an official ID and resume. All the details are here.

Tonight, how to mend your torn sweaters, Snuggies & jorts

Jonathan Berk — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 14:41:10 +0000

You know how your grandmother could take a tattered piece of clothing, apply needle and thread and then, in a blur of old-world legerdemain, the thing was suddenly better than freakin’ new? Well, time to dredge up some of that innate garment-reclaiming handiness and save yourself a trip to Goodwill. Tonight’s the first-ever Mending Circle, a free monthly workshop at the Textile Arts Center in Park Slope. Along with the Sewing Rebellion, the center’s bringing together menders, sewers and stitchers to share their almost-lost arts and help you save your most “lovingly”-worn stuff.

The workshop’s born of the “wear-tear-and-buy-new” attitude that people tend to adopt toward their clothes these days—an attitude the organizers call “unacceptable.” TAC and the Sewing Rebellion are devoted to helping “preserve memory and the simple mending skills for future generations.” And by “future generations,” they mean us.

The Mending Circle meets tonight, Jan. 6, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Textile Arts Center (505 Carroll St. between Third and Fourth Aves.). Participation’s free, with sewing machines, needles and thread included. But you bring the holes.

via Smashing Darling

CANCELLED: Saturday, see BK’s squawkers on a wild parrot safari

Jonathan Berk — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 15:16:33 +0000

Photo by Stephen Baldwin

Update: Saturday’s safari has been CANCELLED due to the snow. Check back for the next safari in February (date TBA)

You’ve probably heard they’re here; you may have even craned your neck to catch a squawking flash of green up above. Brooklyn’s got parrots. As legend has it, the early avian settlers escaped from a container at JFK Airport back in the ’60s. Now, they’re practically a native species to the NYC environs, and Brooklyn’s become home to more than its fair share. This Saturday, Jan. 8, one of our local parrot ambassadors is leading a free Wild Brooklyn Parrot Safari to see the birds. Whether BK’s parrots are news to you and you’ve gotta get a glimpse, or you’ve just never known how to spot the famous flying Argentines, this weekend’s your chance.

When and where: Saturday, Jan. 8, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Hillel Gate into Brooklyn College (Hillel Pl. and Campus Rd.). Stephen Baldwin, the safari leader and author of BrooklynParrots.com, calls the college the local parrots’ “Ellis Island,” with the large nests around the athletic field representing the “first major colony in Brooklyn.” That’s where you’ll be headed.

What to bring: photo ID (to get onto the college grounds), camera, binoculars, cold weather gear and bird-friendly food if you want to offer up a treat (finch food or millet).

Also, DO NOT WEAR ORANGE. Seriously. For reasons still unknown to science, Baldwin says, “Monk Parrots freak out when you show them something orange.”

Other than that, go see the birds. The safari’s free, but RSVP’s required at steve@brooklynparrots.com.

via The Midwood Blog