WHY MOVE TO BEDFORD-STUYVESANT BROOKLYN

Christian Hansen for The New York Times
FIXING UP Adam Frank's new Bedford-Stuyvesant house still needed cosmetic renovations.

In 2002, after living in a series of rentals in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, he almost bought one for $575,000. It was a three-family brownstone on South Second Street.

“It was in need of a major overhaul,” he said. After the inspection, “I freaked out and had trouble getting financing. I was not ready for the commitment and realized it was too much work.”

A year ago, Mr. Frank, a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley who works as an event planner for MF Productions, a small company in the meatpacking district, was sick of living in 350 square feet of space and ready to hunt again for a brownstone.

Online research showed he could afford Crown Heights, parts of Kensington and Lefferts Gardens, and Bedford-Stuyvesant. He chose Bedford-Stuyvesant. When he looked around there, he was captivated by the beauty of its streets, lined with trees and brownstones. He focused on the area between the Nostrand Avenue and Utica Avenue stations on the A train.

Bedford-Stuyvesant is the next stop after, Brooklyn Heights, Fort Green & Clinton Hill... in terms of the next cool place to live in Brooklyn. Who is moving to BedStuy? Check out this link -----> CORCORAN COMES TO BEDSTUY ...... Next stop on this A train: BedStuy (Utica Station)

To read more of this story copy and paste the below link into your menu space bar. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/28/realestate/28hunt.html?ref=realestate

FYI

FYI #1 - FREE YOUTH OPEN MIC & SHOW TONIGHT
Open mic tonight, Monday September 29, 2008 live at Peaches restaurant 393 Lewis Ave. Come out and support our youth and hear some great musical performances by local hip hop, jazz musicians. This is to kick off the Bed-Stuy B-Safe Community Project, this event is for all ages...please bring your kids, parents, teachers, grandparents etc...
show time: 6:30 - 9pm

FYI #2 - MXB ORGANIC MARKET
Get ready for the new organic market titled, "WOLFBERRY" opening next week on Malcolm X Blvd btwn - MacDonough St & Decatur St. The market will sell, gift baskets, mix 1 drinks (A Natural Fruit and Veggie Drink), Brain Focus and Memory Drink, Silk Soy Milk, Choice Organic Tea, Higher Ground Roaster Coffee, Shortbread Cookies, and Hot Chocolate for now but more to come later.

Along with it's counter part, "ECODERMIS" focusing on Natural and Organic Vitamins, Hair Care, Skin Care, Cosmetics, Cosmetic Bags, Aromatherapy, Beverages, Personal Care (Soaps, Shower gels, and Tooth Paste), Baby Care (Diapers, Baby Bottles, Baby Skin Care and Baby Wipes), Nail Care (Nail Sprays, Nail Polish, and Nail Polish Remover), Pet Shampoo and Household Cleaning products/ Laundry products.


FYI #3 - BROOKLYN -WHOLE FOODS MARKET
Speaking of organic, doesn't look like Brooklyn is going to be home to another super whole foods.

Whole Foods Market Inc. said that its third-quarter net income dropped more than 30 percent largely because of costs associated with its acquisition of Wild Oats and a tough economy that hurt consumer spending.

Its shares sank in after-hours trading as the company also drastically lowered its outlook for 2009, suspended its dividend and said it would open fewer stores next year. I guess we will continue to lug our groceries from the whole foods in the city...sorry Brooklynites

PROFILE 3 - feat. DONNA WALROND

Welcome to PROFILE

Name? Donna Walrond

Age? 31

PF: Where are you from?
DW: Barbados


PF: Where do you live now?
DW: Bed Stuy


PF: Occupation?
DW: Business owner (Brooklyn Take Out Taxi & Cleaning Brooklyn)

PF: Why BedStuy?
DW: Love it. 6 years ago when I was looking for an apartment I was on a budget seeing that I was pregnant with my 1^st son, so our 3 bedroom apartment here was the cheapest thing that I found for my money. Now, almost 6 years later, I am glad that I came, and I plan on staying a long time.


PF: Finish this sentence -- I am passionate about...
DW: Giving, I would give away my last dime.


PF: Finish this sentence -- I'm not just a...
DW: mother, I am a mom.

PF: Transport one thing to Bedstuy, from any place in the world what would it be? & why:
DW: a movie theater


PF: Remove one thing from Bedstuy, what would it be? & why:
DW: All the negative vibes that we get from our neighbors.

PF: Finish this sentence: I can help my community grow by...
DW: encouraging the youth to stay strong and positive.

PF: How do you relax?:
DW: I don’t.

PF: Who do you most admire?
DW: I can’t say that I admire anyone more than myself. I was raised by my grandmother until I was 9 years old, and she was the only person in life that I ever admired. She died 5.5 years ago.


PF: What's the one thing your grateful for?:
DW: my strength

For more information about Donna Walrond businesses, please check out
www.brooklyntakeouttaxi.com & www.cleaningbrooklyn.com

BEDSTUY BROOKLYN LOVES IT'S MOM & POP SHOPS

BY DENISE ROMANO AND VERONIKA BELENKAYA
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Monday, September 22nd 2008, 7:14 PM

Storyteller Michele Hurst reads to kids at Brownstone Books on Lewis Ave. in Bed-Stuy.
They're places where everybody knows your name.

Even as the economy tanks and chain and big-box stores open around the borough, Brooklyn's mom-and-pop stores are stayin' alive. From a bookstore in Bedford-Stuyvesant to a pharmacy in Bath Beach

Brownstone Books owner Crystal Bobb-Semple found her niche in Bedford-Stuyvesant by focusing on African-American and Caribbean titles.

Although she is concerned about losing business to the borough's two Barnes & Nobles stores, Bobb-Semple relies on loyal customers and rewards them with a popular weekly kids story hour.

"You can get the value of something that's discounted at Target or Barnes & Noble, but you can't really put a price on the value of being able to come around the corner and bring your children to story time," she said.

Read more of this article by copying and pasting the below link in red in your menu bar space: http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=6035423304206974521

SOLA SIDEWALK SOIREE

So If you didn't get a chance to visit the 3rd Annual Sola Sidewalk Soiree in BedStuy, here is a little of what you missed. There was a mix of great food & drinks from local vendors, cool music, art auctions & tastings from some new shops which include, The Butternut Cafe (really good organic food), Therapy Wine Bar & Creative Blossoms...yep, our very own flower shop (flowers, plants, home & garden). All of these new shops are scheduled to open on Lewis Ave before Christmas 2008. I also heard something about a space for kids to play and jump around, if anyone has more info on this kids space...please feel free to post a comment.

Check out some pictures below...click to inlarge

BEDSTUY B-SAFE OPEN MIC -- LIVE AT PEACHES

Bed-Stuy B-Safe Community Youth Open Mic Project which will be
meeting for the FIRST time on Sept 29, 2008 Live at Peaches Restaurant
393 Lewis Ave.

This will be a FREE event for the whole community, with performances
by some of the most talented hiphop artists around in order to
encourage the youth to perform, as well as a screening of the
Brooklyn Project Reach Youth Public Service Announcement on HIV/AIDS
-- made for youth, by youth. We are very excited about the event,
have a great line-up and have the cooperation/donation of the
restaurant Peaches for our use.

For more info. or more importantly!!! "donations" on this event please contact: Sisonstrings@gmail.com, knewdles@gmail.com or stuyvesantheights@yahoo.com

It's very Important that we do not give up on our youth.

SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE ORGANIC FRIEND

Well Bedstuy, will hopefully have an organic market coming to our
area...The Butternut Market will be located on Lewis Ave - across
the street from the Macon Library and next door to what was supposed
to be "Stizzy bar and grill".

Just a side note, I got a tip today that there is another organic cafe market
coming to Malcolm X Blvd btwn Decatur and MacDonough Street...don't
hold me to it, the space right now is just a white box.
Next to Brooklynite Gallery on Malcolm X, the word is that there will be a "wine bar".

If you are "THINKING" about locking down a spot in Bedstuy...I suggest you
do it NOW!!!. Oh yeah, did I mention that, Trader Joe's is opening on Sept.
26th at 130 Court St? That's the corner of Atlantic Ave & Court St.

Peace yall....
let's all do our part to enhance the quality of life in BedStuy Brooklyn.

SHOPS ON LEWIS - SIDEWALK SOIREE

Sidewalk Soiree
September 20, 2008 -- Saturday from 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m
On Lewis Avenue between Decatur and Halsey Streets.

CORCORAN COMES TO BEDSTUY

So, apparently the word on the street is, Barbara Corcoran founder of
"The Corcoran Group" has purchased a townhouse on Stuyvesant Ave
btwn Chauncey Street and Bainbridge Street for $1.460 million. Well, like my uncle
says..."if you can buy some land...do it! cuz they're not making anymore".

SOULSONIC FORCE

ROCK ROCK PLANET ROCK -- DON'T STOP

It went down last night at the Brooklynite Gallery on Malcolm X Blvd, Bedstuy Brooklyn.
New art from artist AIKO, tons of hipster art lovers, great music, nice drinks and one of the legendary hip hop crews ever....The Soul Sonic Force...."rock rock planet rock -- don't stop" Let me say it again, all this happened on Malcolm X Blvd btwn. Bainbridge & Decatur Street. Bigup to Rae & Hope.

click on the pics to enlarge.

LET'S KNOCKOUT POVERTY - AFRICA AFTER DARK

Heavyweights from movies, music and sports will join together to "Knock Out Poverty," Tuesday, September 23th at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, a landmark event to help fight poverty in Africa. Cultural icon, Grammy award winner, and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Youssou N'Dour with special guests are set to align for this historic evening of entertainment and boxing, all in the name of charity. Leading activists, philanthropists and African Heads of State are expected to attend our inaugural event as part of this important week in New York City, highlighted by the 63rd UN General Assembly, with it's special focus on Africa, and the Clinton Global Initiative.

'Africa After Dark' is the Viewing Party and Official After Party for the "Knock Out Poverty" gala and will be held in the Grand Ballroom at the Manhattan Center starting at 8pm. The event will feature African drummers, dancers and the best music from the continent. The musical maestro for this event will be DJ Rich Medina. Cast from HBO's "THE WIRE" as well as many African Heads of State are flying in to attend this event.

OPEN BAR AND AFRICAN SPECILITY HORS D'OEUVRES

VIEW THE BOXING MATCH BETWEEN AFRICA'S FINEST BOXERS: EROMOSELE ALBERT vs. OSSIE DURAN

TICKETS ARE ONLY $85

Tickets are on sale now at:

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/39930

(see below how to get discount tickets)

Please visit www.allforafrica.org and www.africaafterdark.com for more details regarding the event, party, and charity as a whole.

**TICKETS CAN BE PURCHASED FROM STUYVESANT HEIGHTS RESIDENT, LINDSAY DIFULVIO AT A DISCOUNTED COST (lindsaye1@gmail.com)**

UNTITLED

I was watching a web video the other day regarding a new shop in London. Giving your neighbor, your block, your community something new, some vital inspiration is very important. Realizing the potential in your neighborhood is extremely important... If, you plan to take up root.

Copy and paste the below link into your main menu bar above and watch the video from Monocle Magazine (over to your right...in the other web site section to check out). "I don't know, maybe something will kick in" Inspiration is still needed.

Now WAIT! ...I'm not saying we should all of a sudden try to be like our Brit neighbors...Like I tell my kids, "Just Be You"!!!
http://monocle.com/sections/business/Web-Articles/The-School-of-Life/