Winter 2010/11
WWW.BROOKLYN-USA.ORG
A Courier-Life Publication
MESSAGE
f
rom
MARTY
STORY CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
2
Enjoy YourBrooklyn Holidays!
4
“Presepio,” a miniature replica of the town of Bethlehem, is open to the public at the St. Athanasius Parish(Lower Church) in Bensonhurst. Anthony Vigilante maintains the exhibit.
B R O O K L Y N B O R O U G H H A L L
2 0 9 J o r a l e m o n S t r e e t B r o o k l y n , N Y 1 1 2 0 1
P R S R T S T D U . S . P O S T A G E P A I D
B R O O K L Y N , N . Y . P e r m i t N o . 2 3 5 0
T
he holidays are the perfect time to leave cares behind and get into theholiday spirit by sharing some special moments with family and friends!Of course, there’s no reason to leave Brooklyn for all the pageantry and wonder of the season. So get out your calendars and make sure you find time tocreate tomorrow’s memories today in true Brooklyn style.See page 5 for a listing, although by no means all, of the many holiday eventshappening throughout the borough. And no matter what you do, have a happy and safe holiday season in beautiful Brooklyn!
CALLING ALLSWEETHEARTS!
Are youand your spouseBrooklynites whohave beenmarried 50 yearsor more?
JoinMarty and Jamiefor aValentine’s Dayparty to renewyour vows andtoast love’seternal flame.February 14, 20111pm at El CaribeCountry ClubCall (718) 802-4488to reserve a spot.
Although it feels like summer just ended, another holiday season ishere. This is the perfect time to reflect on how fortunate we are to live inthe greatest city in this magnificent nation, Brooklyn, USA.As you enjoy this special time with your loved ones, I urge you to sparea thought for Brooklynites who could use some holiday cheer, especially those affected by the economic downturn. By all means, welcome theAmerican Ballet Theatre to Brooklyn by attending a performance of
The Nutcracker
at BAM, imbibe some eggnog, play a spirited game of drei-dle, but also look for ways you can make a difference in somebody’s life.In this issue of
Brooklyn!!
, you will find several examples of Brooklynites and organizations who have given of themselves to makeBrooklyn a better place. I hope you are inspired by their stories. Butremember that making a difference can be as simple as donating provi-sions to a food bank, donating new or gently used toys or clothes or vol-unteering for an organization that provides hot holiday meals to those who are alone or who cannot afford to celebrate the holidays.I like to remember the saying “there but for the grace of God go I.”Let’s not forget, many of us are just two or three paychecks away fromsevere financial hardship. It’s wonderful seeing the faces of family andfriends light up when they see the perfect gift you got for them. But Ihave found that if you dig deep and give what you can to those in need,it can be the most satisfying gift of all.Once again, may you and yours have a joyous holiday season and ahappy, healthy New Year.P.S. All of us at Borough Hall look forward to the new year and offerhearty congratulations to Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo, LieutenantGovernor Robert Duffy, Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and Attorney General Eric Schneiderman—as well as all the newly elected and reelect-ed members of the Brooklyn delegation in Congress, the State Senateand the Assembly.
4
The lights arebright in Dyker Heightscome Christmas time!
WWW.BROOKLYN-USA.ORG
Winter 2010/11
Retirement no longer has to mean theend of a career or losing skills and expert-ise that took a lifetime to build. With theflood of nearly 80 million baby boomersdiving into the retirement pool and recordnumbers of workers who will reach retire-ment age over the next decade, there is areservoir of talent waiting to be utilized. That is where ReServe comes in. This nonprofit organization connectsexperienced adults, age fifty-five and older, with part-time compensated service op-portunities. Re-serving, according to Ex-ecutive Director Mary S. Bleiberg, “de-scribes the kinds of work that peoplepursue when they have finished their pri-mary careers and want part-time work that will have a big social impact.”“ReServists” include artists, writers, teachers, lawyers and social workers, healthcareprofessionals, those in banking, advertising, government and manufacturing to name a few. These adults are matched with nonprofit organizations and public institutions that canbenefit from a ReServist’s talents and experience. The program offers these boomers achance to re-engage in the workplace and lend their talents and energies in the service of their communities. More than 170 ReServists have been placed in Brooklyn nonprofitsand public institutions.ReServist Selma Jackson, former owner of 4W Circle of Art and Enterprise in FortGreene said, “ReServe attracted me because it was part-time work and it was flexible. Itallowed me to use some of my gifts to assist community organizations.”Do you still have more in your re-serve?
For more information, call: (212) 710-9221 or visit www.reserveinc.org
THE SECOND TIME AROUND
In a city that never sleeps, Brooklyn’sgot the place that’s been awake thelongest. The Neergaard Pharmacy on 5thAve. in
Park Slope
opened its doors in1888, when Brooklyn was still its own city.Founded by a Danish immigrant named Julius de Neergaard, the store remained inthe de Neergaard family through threegenerations, until the Tomassetti family purchased it in 1987. Since 1901, Neer-gaard has been open 24 hours a day, sev-en days a week—except for a few daysduring World War I. Today, Neergaard is the oldest inde-pendently owned pharmacy in Brook-lyn, and one of the oldest in the City—and one of the few pharmacies that are open 24 hours a day. “Doctors know they can sendpatients here at all hours,” store manager Tom Sutherland said. Neergaard is also uniquely set up to serve Brooklyn’s growing senior population, and even includes a surgical shopthat sells everything from walkers to wheelchairs (Neergaard also operates a 7th Ave. lo-cation that is not open 24 hours).From the crash of a United Airlines jet in Park Slope in 1960 (a Neergaard employee is visible in the photo
The New York Times
ran the next day), to the attacks of September 11,2001 (Brooklynites who walked home from Manhattan queued up for masks and othersupplies), Neergaard has been there through the city’s most perilous times.“We endured through the Great Depression and two world wars and we’ve always keptup with the times,” Sutherland said. “Park Slope is still the place to be.”
Neergaard Pharmacy, 454 5th Ave. Open 24 hours every day; (718) 768-0600; or visitwww.neergaardpharmacies.com
24/7 R
X
IN THE SLOPE
4
The Tomassetti family—Lisa Tomassetti Sutherland, Lisa’s husband Thomas Sutherland, Rosemarie Tomassetti and Diana Tomassetti—has run Neergaard Pharmacy since 1987.
4
ReServists David Krutchik (center) and Nathan Fuchs (right) met with Assistant DAVirginia Modest at the Kings County District Attorney’s Office in 2008. Krutchik works as amarketing assistant and Fuchs served the DA’soffice as an advocate for seniors.
You raise your kids, and then your kidshave kids. You don’t expect to be a parentagain, but more grandparents are thesedays—83,946 grandparents in New York City according to the US Census. The rea-sons are complicated but include family cri-sis, a bad economy and even the fact that—in some cases—grandparents are betterequipped to provide care.In 1991, the
Fort Greene
-based CatholicCharities Brooklyn and Queens created asafe, welcoming embrace for grandparents,aunts, uncles, siblings and other caregivers who find themselves again in a parentingrole. Called Grandmothers as Mothers Again (& Caregivers), or GAMA, it provides aplace where members can share the pressures and challenges of parenting.“I have raised my five grandchildren since they were babies,” said GAMA member Vic-toria Chase, “and the group’s support lets you know you’re not alone when it feels like noone understands the emotional, mental and physical strength it takes to raise a family atour time of life.”GAMA offers other vital services like emergency food assistance, anger management workshops and individualized case management. GAMA staffers provide advocacy fortheir members with a network of social service agencies that offer legal advice, housingservices, after school programs, recreational activities, counseling, parenting workshops andother kincare-related services.Support groups in both English and Spanish are available. If you or someone you know is caring for a young family member and needs some support, contact GAMA today.
To contact GAMA, call Erin Carmen, Catholic Charities Brooklyn West CommunityCenter, (718) 722-6001; or SaddiQa Beyah, Catholic Charities Dr. White CommunityCenter, (718) 875-8801.
BRINGING UP BABY—AGAIN!
4
GAMA members include, front row fromleft: Victoria Chase, Patricia Bell, Barbara Ensley, Gale Newton and Maria Lemons; Back row from left: GAMA Group Facilitator SaddiQa Beyah, Elaine Manatu, Jacqueline Edwards and Florine Bruce.
When Alan Rada says he’s covered the WhiteHouse, he’s not talking about the press corps, he’s talk-ing wallpaper. Part of a dream team—includingMitchell Ehrlich and Anthony Bonino—Rada pa-pered President Obama’s private study, the PresidentialDining Room and the Oval Office this past August.Rada learned the trade from his father, a profes-sional installer for contractor Warner Krebs. Rada’s wild and wooly career also includes volunteer work at a kibbutz in 1973 at the outbreak of the YomKippur War, and time as a jewelry importer, realtor,teacher and night-shift security guard.In 1996, Rada and his wife opened DecoRada Wallpaper Installation in their
Flatbush/Midwood
home, employing two full- and two part-time staff. Specializing in pristine applicationsof wallpaper, fabric and murals, Rada is quick to pass along industry secrets. “I’ve been in-stalling wallpaper for more than forty years and I can’t stress enough the importance of preparation before you hang paper,” said Rada. “Walls must be prepared meticulously forgood results, and I take the time to do that critical prep work.”And although do-it-yourself homeowners may be able to hang simple papers them-selves, many of today’s wallpapers have raised or flocked patterns, or papers created fromfragile grasses, barks or metallics. These exquisite—and often costly—papers need to behandled and applied by an expert. Which is why the beautiful bark skin wallpaper that now graces the Presidential Din-ing Room looks so good. When the White House beckons, who you gonna call? Brook-lynite Alan Rada, that’s who!
DecoRada Wallcovering Installations, 1376 East 31st. St.; (718) 338-0645;www.decorada.com
COVERING THE WHITE HOUSE
4
Alan Rada of DecoRadaWallpaper does the job right!
WWW.BROOKLYN-USA.ORG
PERFORMANCE/CULTURAL EVENTS The Kings Bay Y’s Chanukah Extravaganza:
Performances, menorah lighting, rides, games,music and kosher food. FREE. www.kingsbayy.org or call (718) 648-7703.
Dec. 5 11am-2pm
.
The Marks JCH of Bensonhurst:
ChanukahCelebration at 7802 Bay Parkway. For more info:(718) 331-6800, ext. 110.
Dec. 5 at 12pm
.
Brooklyn College Chorale and Conservatory Chamber Choir:
Holiday Concert at BC’sGershwin Theater. FREE.
Dec. 9 at 4:40pm
.
The Mark Morris Dance Group
:
The Hard Nut
,
at BAM’s Howard Gilman Opera House.
Dec. 10-19
.
Bensonhurst’s St. Athanasius Church:
“Presepio,” a miniature replica of Bethlehem,everyday 8am–3pm. Contact the church at (718)236-0124 or Anthony Vigilante (718) 837-1682.
Begins Dec. 12
.
The Brooklyn Heights’ Grace & SpiritusChorale:
Community Sing, Montague St.Promenade Tree Lighting Ceremony andcaroling.
Dec. 15 at 5:30-7pm
. The 290-member Grammy-award winning
Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir:
Borough Hall.FREE.
Dec. 15 at 4:30pm
.
Brooklyn Youth Chorus Academy:
Holiday Harmonies Concert at Our Lady of LebanonChurch in Brooklyn Heights.
Dec. 17 and 18
.
Jingle Bell Jamboree:
Holiday music, dancingand sing-a-long, the Old First Reformed Churchin Park Slope, FREE (Suggested donations: $5per child/$10 per adult).
Dec. 18 at 7pm
.
The American Ballet Theater
’s world premier of Alexei Ratmansky’s
Nutcracker
:
BAM’s HowardGilman Opera House.
Dec. 22-Jan 2
.
Fulton Street Mall Holiday:
Brooklyn Ballet’s“Hip Hop”
Nutcracker
.
Dec. 3, 10, 17 & 21from 12pm-4pm
. Visit www.fultonstreet.org forother events.
COME OUTSIDE! Wild Holiday Party:
Watch baboons, red pandasand other Prospect Park Zoo inhabitants tear intoholiday presents with hidden treats. Free with admis-sion.
Every Sat/Sun in Dec. 11:30am & 3:30pm
.
FIDO Bark!
The Herald Angels Sing: A sing-a-long with dog-centric lyrics, hot beverages, plusSanta posing with your pooch! Long Meadow inProspect Park. FREE.
Dec. 11 from 8am-10am
.
Christmas Bird Count:
Helps researchers track the long-term health of bird populations.Audubon Center in Prospect Park. Call (718)287-3400 ext. 303 for more information.
Dec. 18 at 12pm & 3pm
.
The Brooklyn Three Kings Day Parade:
Starts atMeeker and Graham in Williamsburg.
Jan 9 at 2pm
.
DEAR SANTASt. Nicholas
: Visits the Lefferts Historic Housein Prospect Park on
Nov. 28 at 3pm.
FREE.
GO SHOPPING!
Shoppers get a Brooklyn Bonus at
ShopBrooklyn
merchants. Visit ishopbrooklyn.com.Shop Brooklyn launches “Brooklyn Friday,” akaBlack Friday,
Nov. 26
.
NYCreates Seventh Annual 2010 Holiday CraftsFair
at the Brooklyn Historical Society.
Dec 8-12, Weekdays 11am-7pm, Weekends 10am-5pm
.
Brooklyn Flea
’s Gifted Holiday Market atSkylight One Hanson features 100 art, jewelry,antiques and food vendors plus a holiday tree! www.brooklynflea.com/gifted.
Dec. 15-23, 11am-7pm
.
FOR THOSE IN NEED
If you know someone in need, tell them aboutthe free
Annual Holiday Dinner
at the Park Slope Armory, sponsored by the YM/ YWCA of Brooklyn.
Dec. 25 at 11am-5pm
.
GET CRAFTY
Brooklyn Women’s Exchange,
Holiday CraftSundays
, 55 Pierrepont Street, (718) 624-3435,
Dec. 5 & 12
.
The Dyker Library’s Holiday Arts & Crafts workshop
at 8202 13th Ave. Call (718) 748-6261.
Dec. 23 at 3:15pm
.
LIGHT UP THE NIGHT!Menorah Lighting:
Grand Army Plaza atsundown
Dec. 1-8
.
Menorah Lighting:
Columbus Parkin front of theState Supreme Court, at sundown
Dec. 1-8
.FREE. Marty joins the lighting
Dec. 2 at 5:30pm
.
Park Circle Menorah Lighting:
Parkside Ave.
Dec. 1-8
at sundown.
Brighton Beach Menorah Lighting:
BrightonBeach/Coney Island Aves.
Dec. 1-8
at sundown.
Atlantic Avenue LDCTree lighting
at theBelarusan Church, corner of Atlantic Ave/BondSt., FREE.
Dec. 2 at 6-8pm
.
Frank Seddio’s Annual Holiday LightsExtravaganza
on Flatlands Ave. at 93rd St. inCanarsie begins
Dec. 6 at 5pm
.
Borough Hall Holiday Tree Lighting
:
Dec. 7 at 5:30pm
.
DUMBO Tree Lighting:
The Archway underthe Manhattan Bridge.
Dec. 8 at 6:30pm.Dyker Heights Neighborhood Lights
: Between80th and 86th Streets from 10th to 13thAvenues, begins after Thanksgiving.
CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR!
Join Marty to ring in the New Year with enter-tainment, refreshments and
New Year’s EveFireworks at Grand Army Plaza
. FREE.
Dec. 31 at 11pm
.
THANK YOU VERY MULCH!
Mulch your holiday tree into healthy groundcover. Two locations: Third St. & Prospect Park West or Park Circle Park entrance (Prospect Park Southwest & Parkside Ave.). For more info: www.nycgovparks.org/services/mulchfest/mulchfest.html
Jan. 8-9
.
Enjoy YourBrooklyn Holidays!
(CONTINUED FROM COVER)
Winter 2010/11
Abistro in
Fort Greene
is tiny and the tables fillup quickly. But the sound of chopping coming fromthe small kitchen means that big taste is on its way.Ever since Senegalese Abdoul Gueye openedAbistro in 2005, he’s been drawing crowds. Hismenu reflects the cuisines of Northern Africa,France and native ethnic groups like the Wolof. Trout, chicken, tofu or beef might end up in abouillabaisse or stew or be drizzled with spicy vinaigrette. Big flavors like lemon, ginger, mustardand cinnamon figure prominently. Taste the Senegalese fried chicken with pineap-ple scented jasmine rice cakes, salsa and dijonnaisesauce and you’ll know it’s not like ordinarty friedchicken. It’s so popular both the brunch and dinner menu carry it. There’s also black-eyed pea fritters with codfish, West African spicy trout in soy sauce vinaigrette or Moroccan salmon with kale and couscous in peanut palm oil sauce. Andit’s all exquisitely presented and served with a smile. This kind of food guarantees a chef’s acclaim. Although Gueye cooked in Manhattanfor 15 years, his location of choice for his own restaurant was Brooklyn. “I fell in love with my wife, Cassandra, in Fort Greene and wanted to create something special herethat doesn’t exist in Manhattan,” said Gueye. “In my cooking, I try to reflect all the cul-tures that have influenced me.”Different ethnicities coming together and creating something unique? Kind of soundslike Brooklyn, don’t you think?
Abistro, 154 Carlton Ave., (btw. Myrtle/Willoughby); (718) 855-9455; Open Tues-Thur 6-10:30pm, Fri/Sat 6-12pm, Sat/Sun for brunch 10am-3:30pm, Sun 6-9:30pm; Reservations suggested.
BIG TASTE, SMALL PLACE
4
Chef Abdoul Gueye’s cuisine at Abistro in Fort Greeneis getting big raves.
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