Bed Stuy, Brooklyn, NY - Brooklynite Gallery is proud to present the opening of AIKO's solo exhibit, "Shut Up and Look". An exploration of female form and character, caught between the two places AIKO calls home: Brooklyn and Tokyo powerful towering visions of feminine identity. See more of AIKO work at: www.LadyAiko.com or www.BrooklyniteGallery.com
PF: Name? Mina aka Knewdles Michele aka Sos (Sis On Strings)
PF: Age? Mina: Old enough to vote, drink and rent a car Michele: The new 20
PF: Where are you from? Mina: Boondocks of Buffalo Michele: Buffalo burbs
PF: Where do you live now? Mina/Michele: Bainbridge Street, BedStuy Brooklyn
PF: Occupation? Mina: MC/Producer, occasional model & waiter Michele: Musician (violinist--live shows, sessions , weddings, teaching) and jack (jill?) of all trades
PF: Why BedStuy? Mina: BedStuy, because of the beautiful brownstones and greenery, the strong sense of community, and the history. Michele: The history, the beauty, the community, the quality of life
I am passionate about... : Mina: Human evolution and revolution, consciousness, community... and earthly pleasures! Michele: people, books and living an enlightened life
PF: Finish this sentence: I'm not just a________, I am _______________. Mina: I'm not just eye candy, i am really f*cking smart. Michele: I'm not just a ordinary human being, i am a living buddha like each and everyone of us...
PF: Transport one thing to Bedstuy, from any place in the world what would it be? & why Mina: A Korean grocery store-- believe me it's not selfish, Korean grocery stores are the shit! Michele: >a Korean spa/communal bath house.. it's got the bomb facilities (saunas, pools, scrubdowns) and communal bathing really reminds one of how we are all the same species, no matter what size, color or shape!
PF: Remove one thing from Bedstuy, what would it be? & why Mina: The vacants. Maybe i've watched too much of The Wire, but vacant buildings degrade neighborhoods and waste space that is supposed to provide housing for people. Michele: the gansta mosquitos cuz it's drivin me and my sis CRAZY.
PF: Finish this sentence: I can help my community grow by, Mina: Participating in local activities and politics and being a source of pride for BedStuy! Michele: Connecting with the youth, supporting and contributing to the Nichiren Buddhist group in BedStuy and getting involved in local politics..
PF: How do you relax?: Mina: I have to be in a really comfortable chair or bed to relax. It's a physical thing. Michele: I eat, sleep, read, make and listen to music, chant and chill at bread-stuy.
PF: Who do you most admire?: Mina: Helen Keller. She was courageous in her personal life as well as in her public life as an activist. Michele: Daisaku Ikeda -- internationally recognized humanist, educator, artist, peace activist and president of the international Buddhist lay organization Soka Gakkai International (SGI) and Fighting Shirley Chisholm, Unbought and Unbossed -- educator, former Bed-Stuy resident, representative to U.S.Congress, candidate for U.S. President and all-around kickass woman and humanist.
PF: What's the one thing your grateful for?: Mina: My desire to always grow. Michele: The ability to speak from the heart.
MISNOMER(S) B-Safe BedStuy Youth When: September, 22 2008 Open Mic Project @ PEACHES Lewis Avenue btwn MacDonough & Decatur, BROOKLYN, New York 11233 Cost : free (This is a positive and uplifting event)
This bedstuy youth open mic series is being started by knewdles and sos. inaugural show will feature many hot underground hip hop artists including Misnomer(S).
So, here is a story that i've wanted to bring up for some time now, focusing on other topics, issues & personal things...I never sat down and made time for this issue -- well, I'm making time now!
This news stand shown in the photos above is located on Fulton Street btwn Malcolm X Blvd. and Chauncey Street, many of you that take the 46 bus or A/C train have probably passed by this news stand before. It also sits in front of the Jackie Robinson apt complex, across the street from Boys & Girls High School & up the street from the Fulton Street Playground.
Ok...get to the point...what's the big deal -- and maybe it's me, but have you ever noticed all the magazines plastered in the window with 1/2 naked women on the cover...I'm talkin' pretty much porn mags. If you look close, (click on the pics above) you will see a magazine called "ASIS" yeah, you get the idea placed right next to "Essence" magazine w/ Barack Obama and his family on the cover...I don't know -- this just doesn't sit right with me.
Now the owner of this news stand has every right to put what he wants on display and I understand the whole business side of it....but when I suggested that the soft & hardcore porn magazines be removed from the windows and moved to the back (meaning inside the booth) because there are a lot of young kids and impressionable young teens around here, I received not a bit of response. I'm just reporting the facts...If you have some free time walk by this news stand and judge for yourself, your comments to this post would be most appreciated.
So, I'm sure after living in BedStuy for a week, a month, a few years or your entire life, you start to see some of the same people strolling around...riding their bike, skateboarding, pushing a stroller, sitting on stoops etc...
Riding the A/C train I sometimes run into the same people, I have a tendency to wonder, "where is she or he going"? "What does he do for a living"? "Everytime I see those two, they always have shopping bags". "Ah, they live in that brownstone" blah blah blah. Welp, I figure it's time to start profiling our neighbors... 1st up is , Celina - a really cool and talented young lady. I met Celina in front of her stoop on a beautiful day setting up clothes for one of her stoop sales...here's a tip ladies -- If you walk down Stuyvesant Ave on any givin' Sunday and you see Celina setting up for a stoop sale...stop n shop - you'll walk away with some really cool pieces.
Welcome to PROFILE
Name: Celina Martinez
Age: 27
Where are you from?: Dallas Texas
Where do you live now?: Stuyvesant Ave, BedStuy Brooklyn
Occupation: Art Director, I create ad campaigns for for brands like - Home Depot & L’Oreal I am passionate about: Design/ Paris and Jamaica/ Dancing / Trader Joe’s/ Shoes/ LIFE!!!
Why BedStuy? The trees that grow... Finish this sentence -- I’m not just: another art director/ Designer in NYC, I am taking over. Transport one thing to BedStuy, from any place in the world what would it be? & why: Waffle House = pecan pancakes. It’s 24 hours, and the waitresses call you “Sugar”
Remove one thing from Bedstuy, what would it be? & why: Over priced rent, need I say more? Finish this sentence--I can help my community grow by: Contributing what I know and my time. How do you relax?: Beach / Book. Who do you most admire?: Malcom X, a great teacher, and an even GREATER student. What's the one thing your grateful for?: My awareness
To view Celina's work check out:www.celinaworks.com (see Celina in the Design section of this site) * background art in photo is from Celina's website.
1st. place winner of the Greenest Block Contest in Brooklyn 2008 goes to 8th Street Block Association for 8th Street btwn: 8th Ave and Prospect Park West in Park Slope. Above are some pictures of the press conference that took place on Aug. 6,2008 on the winning block.
Also, if you didn't know... Bedford Stuyvesant produced a total of 9 out of 38 winners in this years contest. Below are some winners from our area.
Best Window Box 2nd Place Winner -- Edwin & Donna Drakes, 417 Stuyvesant Avenue, btwn Fulton Street and Chauncey Street -- entered by Stuyvesant Heights Block Association.
Greenest Block 4th Place: Bainbridge Homeowners and Tenants Block Assoc. for Bainbridge St. btwn. Malcolm X Blvd and Stuyvesant Ave. Residential Honorable Mentions: - Macon/Ralph/Howard Block Assoc - btwn: Malcolm X & Patchen Ave - Macon/Ralph/Howard Block Assoc - btwn: Ralph & Howard Ave - Macon/MacDonough/Stuyvesant/Lewis Block Assoc. - btwn: Stuyvesant & Lewis - Stuyvesant North Block Assoc. - btwn: Putnam & Jefferson
Commercial Honorable Mentions - Shops of Lewis Ave - btwn: MacDonough & Decatur St, East
Best Street Tree Beds - 1st Place Winner -- Macon/MacDonough/Stuyvesant/Lewis Block Assoc. - btwn: Stuyvesant & Lewis
- 3rd Place Winner -- Macon/Reid/Patchen Block Assoc - btwn: Malcolm X & Patchen Ave
Starting Friday Aug. 22nd through Nov. 14th, we will need a team of volunteers to help run the Malcolm X Blvd. community farmers' market on Fridays. We will need people from 9-12noon to help set up -- from 12noon to 6pm to help run the Brooklyn Rescue Mission stand and /or sell fruit from Red Jacket Orchards, and 6pm - 7pm to help clean up. If you are interested please contact Sonia at: malcolmxmarket@gmail.com or 917-627-8871 Thanks!
Maybe some of you knew already but for those who didn't know... Whole Foods Market® (NASDAQ: WFMI), the world's leading retailer of natural and organic foods, officially broke ground for the company's first Brooklyn store, located at the corner of Third Avenue and Third Street. At a ceremony attended by local elected officials, community leaders and area residents, Whole Foods Market officials detailed their plans for the 68,000-square-foot grocery store on a 2.1 acre site. The store is expected to open in spring 2008. But as of right now the opening date is still uncertain, do not fear we are hoping the store will open before 2009.
"We are extremely excited about bringing Whole Foods Market to Brooklyn," said Christina Minardi, northeast regional president for Whole Foods Market. "Whole Foods Market will not only offer Brooklyn residents a wide array of natural and organic foods, but we also look forward to making our store a valuable community resource." The new Whole Foods Market will feature a Community Room available to local civic groups, as well as a landscaped, publicly accessible esplanade along the Gowanus Canal.
The store will include on-site parking for 430 cars, and shoppers will access the Whole Foods Market parking lot via entrances on Third Street and Third Avenue. In addition, pedestrians will be served by a covered walkway from Third Street to the store's main entrance. Featuring large windows into the store on both the Third Street and Third Avenue elevations, the Whole Food Market will maintain a pedestrian-friendly, active and accessible streetscape. In addition, the two-story, landmark 19th century building situated at the property's corner at Third Avenue and Third Street will remain in place.
