When I first moved to New York, I couldn’t wait to live at the epicenter of gay history, picturing the iconic Manhattan sites of the Stonewall Inn and Christopher Street Piers. What I didn’t know was that by moving into an apartment in South Slope, I would be living steps from one of the largest and oldest collections about, by, and for lesbians in the entire world.

At first glance, the Lesbian Herstory Archives, located in a 1908 limestone townhouse on 14th street, looks like any other Park Slope family home, its identity only denoted by a small rainbow flag on its door and lesbian-flag-colored pots of lavender perched outside.

Park Slope became known by the moniker “Dyke Slope” during the area’s early waves of gentrification in the 1980s, when lesbians flocked from Manhattan to the more affordable, Hispanic-populated Brooklyn neighborhood. The Lesbian Herstory Archives officially opened its doors here in 1993. Its newsletter noted that “a large concentration of NY dykes live within walking distance” of its new home.

The Archives were originally founded by members of the Gay Academic Union in the 1970s, out of the urgent sense that, as co-founder Deborah Edel put it, “Our history was disappearing as quickly as we were making it.” Initially operating out of the Upper West Side home of the legendary Jewish writer Joan Nestle, its growing materials soon demanded a larger space.

The collections’ permanent home in Park Slope was purchased for $163,000 after years of community fundraising drives; it was, and still is, run entirely by volunteers, who “painted and plastered” the building by hand. The name Lesbian Herstory Archives was both intentionally serious in its stipulation of preserving lesbian history specifically, rather than chronicling broader feminist or queer experiences, but also tongue-in-cheek, with Deborah Edel describing the use of “Herstory” over History as a choice “to prove we had a sense of humor”.

I stepped into the Archives’ townhouse for the first time this Pride Month. It felt like visiting the home of your lesbian great-aunt who has a hoarding problem — fetchingly chaotic and exceedingly cool. Piles of boxes are stacked high and haphazardly around its parlor fireplace; volunteers of all ages giggle and kvetch around a large dining table; to get to the gender neutral bathroom, you walk past iconic lesbian leather and denim jackets hanging in the hallway.

There are regular and free open hours for visitors, with no institutional affiliation needed. Some visitors are academics or authors who use the collections for research, whereas others are simply interested community members, hailing from near and far (a recent Google review reads: “The archive wasn’t open to the public on the day I visited but the lovely volunteers took pity on me being from Australia and let me in anyway”.)

The Archives has an expansive definition of what constitutes lesbian history, welcoming everything from personal journals to slogan buttons to erotic periodicals. Visitors are invited to rifle through the materials by hand unsupervised, simply told to use “lesbian outcards” to ensure they return materials to their correct spot.

The site departs from institutional archival traditions in its filing systems. Historian and former Archives coordinator Rachel Corbman explains that “the decision to file material alphabetically by first name” challenges the convention of identifying women by male-inherited surnames, while also protecting the privacy of lesbians who only wanted to be known by their first name. Rachel also notes the “pivotal” decision in 1979 to create “special collections”, which keep materials donated by individuals or organizations grouped together. The Archives’ success lies in its ongoing power to keep lesbian history alive; it is fitting that they organize these collections by the person who donated them, rather than slicing up a life’s items into subsections of genre or form.

The Lesbian Herstory Archives are beloved by many in the community. Jack Jen Gieseking, author of A Queer New York, describes it as “a constant, bright star… a set of rooms of one’s own that all dykes are welcome to share”. The site is not reserved exclusively for research, but also hosts film screenings, group Wikipedia edit-a-thon sessions, and an annual Dyke Prom. The volunteer-team are also continuing to digitize materials to expand their reach, from thousands of oral herstory cassettes to a searchable online t-shirt catalog.

And the influence of the Archives’ politics extends beyond the confines of its space. This April, Mayor Zohran Mamdani appointed former Archives’ coordinator Shawn(ta) Smith-Cruz as “chief keeper of the city’s records”; Shawn(ta)’s approach to preserving New York City’s history and responding to ongoing public information requests will no doubt be informed by her twenty-year tenure at the Archives.

The word archives can conjure up images of dusty historical relics, sitting staid and preserved. Special Collections Coordinator Olivia Newsome told me that the team running it are “more interested in thinking about ways this can be a living archive in a living space”, where collections are “activated” for today. Olivia feels a sense of relief when transferring personal papers from lesbian elders into the collections; she recently worked with Dr. Wilhelmina Perry to do so, an LGBTQ interfaith community leader now in her nineties. As Olivia put it, archiving the history of lesbians like Dr. Perry shows that “we will always be faced with something, and we’ve always survived it.”

Whether Dyke Slope is a historical or current phenomenon depends on who you ask. Jack Jen Gieseking’s queer history of New York argues that the “markers” of lesbian communities who moved to Park Slope, bringing co-ops, feminist bookstores, and yoga studios, ironically created the attractive cultural conditions that priced out some of its residents: “Where lesbian clogs, boots, and heels tread, price hikes soon followed.” The Archives, too, is somewhat victim to its own success; its three-floor home can no longer fit the majority of its collections on-site.

In a newsletter announcing the Archives’ move to Park Slope over thirty-years ago, co-founder Joan Nestle described the experience of living amongst its holdings: “I have heard voices thick with desire, voices cracked by time or social sanctions, but in my home, the home of the Lesbian Herstory Archives, they all spoke, all at once, the past and the present, the old and the new.” As long as the Archives are in Park Slope, our neighborhood will always be a distinctive home for the lesbian community; all of us are lucky to share in its past and its present, too.

You can support the Lesbian Herstory Archives by attending their upcoming Brooklyn Pride Book Sale on Saturday June 13th on Fifth Ave. You can also donate money and shop their merchandise here.

• Hidden Rivers Beer Garden— a craft beer, wine and cocktail bar featuring 12 rotating taps—opened Tuesday in Gowanus at 291 Nevins Street between Sackett and Union Streets.

  

• Mash Inn Beer Counter will soon open at 1215 8th Ave at the corner of 8th Ave and 13th St . The spot comes from the team behind Gold Star Beer Counter in Prospect Heights, owned and operated by the husband-and-wife duo Joshua and Maria Van Horn - widely adored for its laid-back vibe, thoughtful beer selection, and neighborhood-favorite status.

• Mexican restaurant Apapachó, from one of the former owners of Alma Negra & a former Fonda employee, will open at 191 5th Avenue between Berkeley Place and Union Street. The restaurant shared with us that opening is slated for Mid-June—stay tuned here for updates!

• Sushi Counter opened on June 6th at 452 Dean Street on the corner of Flatbush & Dean Street. Known for bringing Australian-style budget-friendly sushi hand rolls— priced at $5 for a roll or 3 for $12— to Manhattan and Brooklyn. They also have locations in the West Village, East Village, Williamsburg, & Upper East Side. Also check out our list of lunch spots for $15 or under

• Oren’s, a new sandwich shop, will open in the fall at 122 7th Avenue between President & Carroll Streets in the space previously occupied by La Bagel Delight. Owner Oren Lund gave Park Slope Pulse some insight on what to expect from the new shop:

  “The space will be familiar and welcoming—nothing precious or fancy. The menu will be small, and responsive to the community. We’ll be serving only the healthiest, sustainable and delicious foods that we feed our own family. Sandwiches will feature beautifully cooked food on our own bread. Salads will be vibrant and varied. Everything will be made from scratch. Initially, the focus will be on lunch service, with breakfast service added later.”

  Paid subscribers: scroll down to see a sneak preview of the new menu in the “Secret Slope” Insider section!

• Autumn’s Attic, a trans-owned Antique-Vintage-Retro shop, opened this week at 152 9th Street between 2nd and 3rd Aves.

• Veterinary Eye Center of NYC opened their third NYC location in Park Slope at 451 5th Avenue between 9th and 10th street. They specialize in veterinary ophthalmology for furry friends, making eye care more accessible for pets throughout Brooklyn.

Local News: 🗞️

• Happy Pride, Brooklyn! Scroll down to Our Top Weekly Picks to see some of the biggest pride events this week, and be sure to keep up to date with daily happenings here.

• Brooklyn-based playwright Bess Wohl made history on Sunday night when she won the Tony Award for Best Play for “Liberation”. Out of the four women who have won the awards, only two of them were from Brooklyn. Congrats, Bess!

• Brooklyn Bridge Park has announced their “Movies with a View” summer lineup. Film screenings include Hamilton, When Harry Met Sally, Jurassic Park, Bridesmaids, and more!

• The 137 year old Carroll Street Bridge in Gowanus, one of only four of its kind in the United States, will re-open on Monday after a five-year rehabilitation effort

• Brooklyn state Senator Jabari Brisport, who represents parts of Prospect Heights, Fort Greene, Downtown Brooklyn, Bed-Stuy, told haters to “give up” as an annual resolution recognizing June as LGBTQIA+ Pride Month in New York State was passed. Brisport is the first openly-gay person of color to serve in the state Senate, and one of two openly-queer state Senators currently in office.

Business Buzz: Sweet Treat Edition! 🍦

Check out these spots for a delicious summer treat in the neighborhood!

Auntie Anne’s has joined the Cinnabon & Carvel family at their 5th Ave location! They are so excited to bring their famous pretzels and snacks to the Park Slope community.

Stop by for your favorite sweet treats, warm soft pretzels, refreshing frozen drinks, and delicious ice cream—all under one roof.

Bring the whole family to their location at 48 5th Ave between Bergen and Dean Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217 [Sponsored]. 💙🥨🍦🍥

• Gertie has partnered with Biddrina Gelato on a special gelato flavor with chunks of their babka swirled throughout!

• Iranian restaurant Sofreh is launching their our first-ever frozen yogurt flavor: saffron rosewater, inspired by traditional Persian ice cream. Plus, there will be monthly rotating flavors you can swirl in— this month is sour cherry!

  

  Any soccer fans out there? ⚽️ Check out this roundup of the best spots to catch the World Cup in the neighborhood. And if soccer isn’t your thing— go for the food and drink specials! See you there.

Mychal

✨ Continue reading our ‘Secret Slope’ section at the bottom just for paid subscribers who want to stay a step ahead - soft openings & exclusives!

Do you have a story we should be sharing? 🗞️ Submit a tip anonymously here, or email us.

Our Top Weekly Picks:

Events with an asterisk* tend to sell out—reserve tickets early!

Thursday, June 11th:

• LGBTQIA+ Movie Night: THE BIRDCAGE @ Old Stone House, 7pm: Watch a movie under the stars in celebration of Pride Month! Drag, mistaken identity, and messy family politics are all on glittery display in this hilarious and heart-warming piece of queer cinema. FREE- RSVP recommended.

Friday, June 12th:

• NY Philharmonic in the Park @ Prospect Park, 8-10pm: Enjoy an evening under the stars at Prospect Park for the annual New York Philharmonic Concert in the Park, presented by Didi and Oscar Schafer in partnership with NYC Parks and Prospect Park Alliance. Conductor Elim Chan leads a festive program featuring Principal Cellist Carter Brey performing Saint-Saëns’s Cello Concerto No. 1, alongside music by Copland and Ravel. The evening concludes with a spectacular fireworks display. FREE.

  

Weekend Event:

• Pride Weekend @ Vanderbilt Open Streets (June 13th & 14th, 12-10pm): Prospect Heights celebrates PRIDE with a two day celebration on Vanderbilt Avenue! Join them for two days celebrating NYC’s vibrant queer community with Branded Saloon! Watch IG for more details to be revealed. FREE.

Saturday, June 13th:

• The 21st Annual Jazz Age Lawn Party @ Governor’s Island, 11am-5pm*: This historically sold-out experience attracts thousands of time travelers each year who come together to discover the music and zeitgeist of the 1920s. Founded and hosted by Michael Arenella & His Dreamland Orchestra, it offers a unique, interactive opportunity to celebrate one of the most colorful - and fun - epochs in American history. $59+.

• Brooklyn Pride Twilight Parade @ 5th Avenue, 7:30-10pm: Capping off a full slate of events on Brooklyn Pride Day, the Brooklyn Pride Twilight Parade will take place along Fifth Avenue from Lincoln Place and Eighth Street. The only evening parade in the Northeast, the street will be filled with organizations showing up to march in support of the amazing and vibrant LGBTQIA+ community. Make sure to come early because the sidewalks are sure to be packed with people from across the five boroughs! FREE.

Sunday, June 14th:

• Drag Story Hour @ Annie’s Blue Ribbon General Store, 11am & 2pm: Join Annie’s for an 11am story hour and 2pm face painting, then stick around and enjoy Open Streets and Brooklyn Pride! There will be face painting and lots of colorful fun. FREE.

Book ahead for these popular events:

• Concert in the Catacombs- America/Beautiful 250 @ Green-Wood Cemetery (June 18-20)*: The Angel’s Share brings distinctive music performances to Green-Wood’s most atmospheric spaces. This program features pianist Min Kwon performing selections from America/Beautiful, her sweeping project that invited over eighty composers from across the country to reimagine “America the Beautiful” through their own histories, traditions, and visions of the United States. $92.79.

• Puppetworks’ Bizarre Bazaar Moving Sale (June 19th, 11am-evening): After 35 years in the neighborhood, Puppetworks is moving. Support them as they transition to their new home by taking a look at all the goodies they have for purchase— puppets, posters, prints, fabrics, books, toys, sets, and more! Plenty of treasures at all price points (including free) for adults and kids alike! Help Puppetworks lighten their load on the way to their next adventure! FREE to attend.

Submit an event to be considered for this weekly events roundup! Add any events for this week in comments below.

Neighborhood Job Board 📌

This week’s jobs:

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✨ Secret Slope ✨

This week’s Insider section below the paywall includes:

A sneak peak of the menu for Oren’s sandwich shop opening this fall • An 85-unit apartment tower is taking the place of a former neighborhood BBQ spot • A new coffee shop inside a popular Park Slope bar quietly opened over the weekend • A $6.75 million townhome newly listed on the market has a surprisingly devout history

Read more

We’ve rounded up fourteen of the best bars & restaurants in Park Slope, Prospect Heights and Gowanus where you can catch the match, meet other fans, and enjoy delicious eats & drinks!

The listings below are in no particular order. Scroll to the bottom to view them on Google Maps! Always remember to make reservations when necessary and support these local businesses by purchasing food & beverages during your visit.

The Dram Shop Bar

The Dram Shop was recently crowned the 2026 Best Sports Bar in Brooklyn, and their set up with 7 HD TVs and a big-screen projector makes it an ideal spot for catching the game. They will show every match—all with sound—with an exception for times when Knicks games are on!

🍻 Food & drink specials: Happy hour on weekdays until 6pm and weekends until 3pm, Burger Tuesdays, Taco Thursdays. Plus, a World Cup $48 Nation Prix Fixe Menu available!

🌳 Outdoor viewing: Outdoor TVs for select matches (playoffs and final)

🧒🐶 All areas are family friendly and sidewalk seating is dog friendly!

Visit The Dram Shop Bar at 339 9th St between 5th and 6th Avenues.

Black Oak

The bright & airy Italian-American restaurant serves up wood-fired pizzas, handmade pastas, and happy hour cocktails delicious enough to convince even non-soccer fans to come in and watch the game. Most matches, with the exception of the 11pm and midnight games, will be shown on several TVs behind the bar

🍻 Food & drink specials: Happy hour from 4-7pm daily: $9 spritzes, $9 sangrias, $9 margaritas, $11 select speciality cocktails

🧒🐶 Family friendly! No pets allowed inside.

Visit Black Oak at 200 5th Ave between Berkeley Place and Union St.

Gowanus Gardens

For cute & colorful backyard vibes, head to this 4th Ave spot, where all matches during opening hours will be shown with the exception of when the Knicks are playing. The indoor and outdoor TV will show the same match, so you can catch it from anywhere—and there is a full food menu complete with gluten free and vegetarian options. Be sure to check their Instagram story for updates.

🍻 Food & drink specials: Regular food and drink specials throughout.

🌳 Outdoor viewing: Yes- a big screen TV in the back yard!

🧒🐶 Family friendly before 8pm. No dogs, sorry!

Visit Gowanus Gardens at 256 4th Ave between President & Carroll Streets.

Block Hill Station

This South Slope neighborhood staple will be showing all matches with sound, and even opening early for some! You’ll have a great view from anywhere in the space with a projector screen in the back, a tv over the bar, plus two other wall TVs.

🍻 Food & drink specials: Lots of specials—a $7 mug of beer/shot combo, pitchers as low as $20, 2-for-1 PBR and dollar off drafts during happy hour—plus they will be announcing match-specific specials ahead of the games.

🧒🐶 Mostly 21+, but families with young children are welcome. Dog friendly!

Visit Block Hill Station at 718 5th Ave between 22nd and 23rd St.

Park Slope Ale House

This friendly neighborhood pub features a rotating local beer selection, weekend brunch specials until 3pm, and a great selection of speciality cocktails and mocktails. They will be showing as many matches as they can on their 4 large tv screens and larger projector screen.

🍻 Food & drink specials: Daily happy hour (Tues-Thurs from 4-6pm and Fri 12-6pm) and food specials as well as regionally inspired frozen drink specials (Caipirinhas and Pimm’s Cup to name a couple) based on who’s playing that day.

🌳 Outdoor viewing: There will be a designated outdoor viewing section for the World Cp!

🐶 Dog friendly outside and dog friendly inside for service dogs!

Visit Park Slope Ale House at 356 6th Ave between 5th and 6th Avenues.

Black Horse Pub

This casual, British neighborhood pub is the perfect spot to grab a pint of ale and watch the game. Most games are played live, and the menu features rotating drink specials and a full food menu.

Visit Black Horse Pub at 568 5th Ave between 15th and 16th streets.

Uncle Barry’s & Drums and Flats

Neighborhood taproom Uncle Barry’s & wings hotspot Drums and Flats are directly next door to eachother on 5th Avenue, and between the two of them, they have six screens, including a backyard projector with sound! They say, “We’ll show just about any/every match people want to see!”

🍻 Food & drink specials: Happy hour (at Uncle Barry’s) is $2 off most items until 6 PM, Monday through Friday!

🌳 Outdoor viewing: There is a large backyard with projector and sound at Drums and Flats

🧒🐶 Family friendly during the daytime. Dogs discouraged.

Visit Uncle Barry’s at 58 5th Ave and Drums and Flats at 56 5th Ave between Bergen St and St. Marks Place.

The Commissioner

This neighborhood spot draws a crowd both inside and on the sidewalk at game time. They will be showing all matches. Expect generous daily specials, 8 TVs inside and two outside, and plenty of camaraderie among fellow fans.

🍻 Food & drink specials: $5 Michelob Ultras, $10 Frozen Margaritas, Sunday-Thursdays. Happy Hour is Monday - Thursday until 6PM ($1 off all drafts, $8 Wine, Well, Beer & Shot).

🌳 Outdoor viewing: Sidewalk seating with two outdoor TVs

🧒🐶 Family friendly. Dogs are outside only!

Visit The Commissioner at 247 5th Ave between Carroll Street and Garfield Place.

The Monro Pub

This small British sports pub packs in the fans in for every soccer match, particularly the Liverpool F.C. ones. Co-owner Vinny, hailing from Liverpool, and his wife Nicole opened the bar in 2012. Soccer fans can watch the game on several screens throughout the bar or on the back patio and enjoy traditional beer & British snacks.

🌳 Outdoor viewing: Back patio

Visit The Monro Pub at 481 5th Ave between 11th and 12th streets.

Farm.One

Come for the match, stay for the greens! Farm.One is a brewery, taproom, and indoor farm, serving seasonal house-made beverages with ingredients grown in-house. They’ll be screening the World Cup anytime they’re open, with the exception of during private events. Keep up to date on their Instagram.

🍻 Food & drink specials: Happy hour is $2 off beer until 7pm M-F.

🧒🐶 Pups are welcome! Family friendly before 8pm.

Visit Farm One at 625 Bergen Street between Carlton and Vanderbilt Avenues.

Pasta Louise

Spaghetti & soccer balls—a match made in heaven. Join World Cup watch parties at this popular pasta joint and enjoy the game on a big screen. Keep up-to-date on the game schedule here.

🍻 Food & drink specials: $26 World Cup Special cocktail, free bites with every goal, pasta specials, AND a World Cup Passport: Watch 3 games and get a free Mezcal Negroni!

🧒🐶 Families welcome! The patio is dog friendly.

Visit Pasta Louise at 1114 8th Ave between 11th and 12th Street.

Wild East Brewing Co

World Cup screenings kicks off at Wild East Brewing Co on Thursday, June 11 with a food pop-up from Empanadas Bocas. You can catch every game during regular hours there (see the schedule), and in addition to their regular weekend food popups, they’ll be adding special weekday appearances throughout the tournament!

🍻 Food & drink specials: Drink specials and surprises throughout!

🧒🐶 : Children and pups are welcome!

Visit Wild East Brewing Co at 623 Sackett Street between 3rd and 4th Avenues.

Leland Eating and Drinking House

This Prospect Heights local eats & natural wine spot will be showing every World Cup match in their back room— stay up to date on matches here. Reservations are recommended!

🧒 Family friendly!

Visit Leland Eating and Drinking House at 755 Dean Street between Underhill and Vanderbilt Avenues.

Click here to view these businesses on Google Maps.

Did we miss your favorite spot to catch the game? Let us know in the comments below. ⬇️

On a spring evening in the South of France, the sky begins to stir. The legendary Le Mistral wind announces its arrival before it rolls in, sweeping through vineyards and lavender fields, clearing out gray clouds for blue skies and bright sunshine that allow the region’s famous crops to thrive. Its energy is palpable, shaping more than just the climate; its bracing gusts draw people to wander from their homes to gather at local cafes. “That’s the feeling we wanted to bring to 330 Fifth Street,” says Berna Kaya, the owner of Le Mistral, a French brasserie in Park Slope.

When Kaya took the helm of Le Mistral, the space had already been a French restaurant for years, but she had a grander vision for it: more than an eatery serving French fare, she wanted to bring a true Parisian brasserie to the neighborhood she calls “Brooklyn’s closest answer to a Parisian arrondissement.” With its strong, family-oriented culture and “walkable corners,” Kaya recognized how Park Slope could benefit from “a gathering spot — somewhere you walk in without a reservation, recognize the bartender, and stay an hour longer than you planned.”

Though it sits on a street corner in Brooklyn, Le Mistral exudes Parisian charm. Rich leather booths, pendant lights and marble surfaces adorn the space while soft French music floats through the air. When my husband and I arrived for dinner, early in the evening on a Friday in May, Jean-Luc, the restaurant’s manager, greeted us as though we were regulars. A vase of fresh pink peonies sat atop the long, mirrored bar where bartenders were crafting frosty cocktails in the same rosy hue. “Our signature cocktails [are] built around the things the French actually drink,” says Kaya. “Champagne, Pastis, Lillet, a proper apéritif before dinner.” Jean-Luc explained that the restaurant is known for its made-to-order espresso martinis – rather than using refrigerated espresso, it’s brewed fresh for each drink. “We don’t cut corners,” he said. My husband and I opted for a Frenchie 75, a take on the classic that includes notes of chamomile. It arrived golden and effervescent, nearly shimmering, a perfect lemon twist perched on its rim. Bright and citrusy, it had both a sweetness and sharpness to it, one never overwhelming the other. The chamomile cut through the lemon’s bite and made for smooth, slow sipping. We were grateful for the ability to savor that drink.

Our server guided us through the menu, which Kaya describes as “canon:” it includes French staples such as soupe à l’oignon gratinée, moules marinières, and steak frites. We whet our palates with the grilled Spanish octopus starter, a slight departure from culinary France to its westward neighbor. Fresh, flavorful, full of smoky char and topped with semi-sweet chorizo and tomato, it was well worth the detour. For entrees, I decided on a classic poulet roti, while my husband continued sampling the menu’s seafood offerings. Our server suggested the red snapper, a dish he deemed the perfect complement to the recent advent of warm weather. The fish was light but flavorful, served with a lemon drizzle and a side of ratatouille – summery and simple, the cooking let the vegetables shine. My poulet roti was deliciously different – decadent, comforting, French fare as it should be. Succulent roast chicken came bathing in its own jus, sitting on a bed of mashed potatoes: each mouthful rich with the taste of home cooking. Then there were the green beans. Gleaming with butter and richly verdant, they looked and tasted exactly like the haricots verts you’d scoop onto your plate at a sidewalk bistro in Paris: savory and warming, with a hint of vegetal brightness.

As the evening drew on, so did the rhythm of the room, the low, characteristic din of a bistro beginning to hum in the background. Waiters sailed past us, their trays laden with heaping bowls of moules marinières and golden fries wrapped in a cone of paper dotted with oil, but not drenched in it (perfection). One such batch was delivered to the woman next to us, who was having dinner with her husband and two young children. She must have seen us ogling her fries, and was curious about my notebook, so she struck up a conversation with us. We learned that she is French, and while she usually avoids dining at French restaurants in New York for fear of inevitable disappointment, she was pleasantly surprised by her first visit to Le Mistral – she now frequents it with her family. As Parisian as it can feel, Le Mistral fits perfectly in the landscape of Park Slope. Other families were also there having dinner, as is typical for the neighborhood, but at some two-tops, couples out on date night split steaming tureens of French onion soup. “We’re the spot for the weekday lunch, the after-work glass of wine, the Sunday with the in-laws,” Kaya says. On Saturday and Sunday mornings, brunch at Le Mistral has quietly become a neighborhood ritual. On Saturday evenings, live music drifts through the dining room from six to nine. “And when there’s a moment to mark — birthdays, anniversaries, baby showers, the holidays — our dining room hosts private parties and special events for groups of all sizes.” The large event space Kaya mentions is bright, airy, and boasts a large line drawing of a Parisian boulevard on the far wall.

After our second cocktail, “the Brooklynite” – a smoky, sweet, dark cherry-forward riff on a Manhattan, my husband and I were ready to call it a night, blissfully full with no room, regrettably, for that famous espresso martini. We wandered back home buzzing not just from the cocktails, but from the delicious fare, friendly service and lively atmosphere of our Friday night dinner. Le Mistral may take its name from the legendary winds of Provence, but it will be more than a breeze that brings me back again.

Le Mistral

330 5th Street

Brooklyn, NY 11215

mistralny.com

844-841-9019

Our Top 23 are in no particular order - we hope you enjoy all of these wonderful local businesses. A handy Google Map with all the places is also available at the end of this email:

1) Il Leone

Il Leone’s naturally leavened Neapolitan-style pizzas use a sourdough starter and a 72-hour fermentation before being baked at over 800 degrees in an Italian oven. Grab a spot on their large outdoor patio with a natural wine while you wait and try the Isola lobster pizza!

@illeonepeaks (pictured above)

2) Sawa

Enjoy exquisite Lebanese dishes in their relaxing backyard - the beautifully designed outdoor area fits 40-45 people - string lights, fresh pita from an open-flame brick oven. They are now also open for brunch!

@sawa_nyc

— 21 more top neighborhood spots with patios below the paywall —

Read more

Park Slope Pulse just turned 2! 🎉 We are so thankful to this community for all of your support.

Local News: 🗞️

• Agi’s Counter on Franklin Avenue will sadly be closing - owner Jeremy Salamon thanked the community and shared: “Our last dinner service will be June 14. Our last lunch service will be July 5. Between now and then, we’ll cook some old favorites. The tuna melts, the cheesecake, the deviled eggs, the borscht. All the things that somehow became bigger than the little room they came from.” Jeremy emphasized that he is seeking out a new home for Agi’s and that this is “see you later”, not “goodbye.”

• The free shuttle service that was launched by skincare brand The Ordinary has been halted service due to permit issues. The service was intended to fill a gap not covered by the NYC transit system, operating between Domino Park in Williamsburg and Prospect Park.

• After years of debate, plans for the $11 million Brooklyn Skate Garden at Mount Prospect Park was approved by the Brooklyn Community Board 8, moving forward plans for a new skate-focused recreation space between Grand Army Plaza and the Brooklyn Museum.

• NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani toured Gowanus last week and made a press announcement at Powerhouse Arts, pledging 200,000 new affordable, rent-stabilized homes backed by a $22 billion capital investment in housing over five years.

• Olympic sailor Nicole van der Velden as well as other athletes from across the globe recently navigated through the Gowanus Canal as part of an environmental cleanup event.

• Where to watch the NY Knicks Finals in Park Slope

Openings: 🎉

• Popular Philly- based fried chicken restaurant Love and Honey Fried Chicken will open soon in the old Tiny’s Cantina spot on Flatbush Ave (between Dean & Bergen St).

Business Buzz: ⚡️

• You may know Mockingbird for their non-alcoholic cocktails (as first covered in Park Slope Pulse!): “over the past few months we’ve expanded into what we call an all-day kitchen & beverage lounge. We're now open 7 days a week for coffee featuring roasts from Bushwick micro-roaster Obscure and our house-made seasonal syrups. Our weekday service now serves the classics, weekend brunch, and hearty supper offerings with plenty of vegan, vegetarian & gluten-free options.”

• Buzzy Italian spot Fausto is now serving brunch on Sunday mornings!

• The Ripped Bodice is holding their 10th Annual Bingo from June 1st- August 31st. Have fun, read books, and win prizes! Download a card or visit in-store to pick one up.

• Free donuts? Sign us up! 🍩 Story Time Chess is celebrating National Donut Day on Friday, June 5th from 10 AM–3 PM by giving away free donuts plus free first chess lesson tickets for children new to Story Time Chess. They are also launching their Park Slope Scholarship Fund to support reduced-cost lessons for local families.

• Slope Steal of the Week💰: Check out happy hour @ Pizza Secret on Mondays from 4-6pm and Tuesday-Thursday 3-6pm: $22 for an 8” pizza or small pasta with with a side and a drink— plus $9 cocktails, $7 wine, $5 beer, & $7 starters.

Will The Park Slope Song be the official neighborhood summer anthem of 2026? Only time will tell.

Mychal

✨ Continue reading our ‘Secret Slope’ section at the bottom just for paid subscribers who want to stay a step ahead - soft openings & exclusives!

Do you have a story we should be sharing? 🗞️ Submit a tip anonymously here, or email us.

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Introducing our Little Flea section at Flea Boutiques

We expanded to include a kid’s section! Since we opened, plenty of parents ask if we carry clothing for kids. Additionally, our small but mighty team gained a new team member, my niece Margot. While she isn’t officially an employee just yet, (she’s 4), she’s become our unofficial baby/kids clothing & accessories buyer!

We carry Maileg mice, Montessori approved toys, organic cotton clothing, & accessories at both our Park Slope & Cobble Hill stores.

We’re offering Park Slope neighbors 10% off their next purchase with promo code smithstreetneighbor online & in store at Smith Street!

Visit Flea at 135 Smith St (between Bergen & Dean Street), Brooklyn NY 11201

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Our Top Weekly Picks:

Events with an asterisk* tend to sell out—reserve tickets early!

Thursday, June 4th:

• Yoga w/Brooklyn Flow @ Prospect Park, 7pm: The annual series, hosted by Brooklyn Flow and the Prospect Park Alliance, will be held on the North Long Meadow on Thursdays, 7:00PM - 8:00PM, beginning today and running through August 27th. FREE.

  

Friday, June 5th:

• Gay Clay Night- Wheel Throwing @ Blue Room Pottery Studio, 7-9pm*: It's that time of the year again! Let's get down and dirty with the gays! Celebrate Pride with your partners, friends, and other queer folks while learning the basics of wheel throwing. $125.

Weekend Event:

• Open Studios: Park Slope Windsor Terrace Artists (Saturday June 6th & Sunday June 7th): Park Slope Windsor Terrace Artists invite you to visit their annual Spring Open Studios located throughout the lively neighborhoods bordering Prospect Park and Greenwood Cemetery. See sculpture, ceramics, paintings, collage and photography by 19+ local artists opening their studios for viewing, plus 16 artists who are exhibiting work in local businesses around Park Slope and Windsor Terrace. FREE.

Saturday, June 6th:

• Turkish Coffee & Cup Reading @ Anatolico, 11am-4pm: Sip & learn your fortune! Join Mediterranean home and lifestyle shop Anatolico for complimentary Turkish coffee & coffee cup readings. Suggested donation $10-$20.

• First Saturday: Brooklyn Pride @ Brooklyn Museum, 5-10pm*: Honor three decades of Brooklyn Pride with an evening spotlighting LGBTQ+ artists who are shaping the culture of the borough and beyond. Round out the night with films, talks, readings, art-making, dancing, and so much more. Free (RSVP recommended).

Sunday, June 7th:

• Great PLG Stoop & Sidewalk Sale @ Prospect Lefferts Gardens, 11am-4pm: Head to Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn, for this fantastic community-wide event. Shop local, browse, craft, eat, drink, meet folks, and be merry! There will be 114 homes and buildings running stoop & sidewalk sales and tons of giveaways, 14 businesses running specials and an awesome raffle with prizes, 24 lemonade & refreshment stands, activity stations, and more! FREE.

• Stoop Kidz Brass Band @ Park Place, 6-7pm: Join this group of native New Yorkers as they play classics & modern hits from a stoop on Park Place between Vanderbilt & Underhill Aves. They’ll be playing one set on the stoop at 6 pm, then marching to a very special Tomato Party on Bedford and park with fried green tomatoes, oysters, salad, and live music! FREE.

  

Tuesday, June 9th:

• Candle Making Workshop for Adults @ Bond Craft Studio (Gowanus), 6:30-8:30pm: Join Planet Sis at Bond Craft Studio for an almost-Summer evening of candle making, mocktails & connection. As the city starts to settle into longer nights and warmer weather, celebrate the start of Summer with a hands-on candle making workshop experience inspired by beach days, fruity cocktails, glowing amber evenings & carefree summer energy. $45.

• Non-Alcoholic Industry Happy Hour @ Mockingbird, 5-9pm: Join Mockingbird for an exclusive Bar Convent Brooklyn industry after party & happy hour hosted by Bright Nights Social & Bar Nun. ​This is your chance to mingle with fellow beverage industry & hospitality professionals at Mockingbird, Park Slope’s only fully zero-proof bar, and sip on stellar non-alcoholic drinks. Non-alcoholic drink specials & light bites will be served. FREE.

Book ahead for these popular events:

• Prospect Park Soiree (June 20th, 2026)*: Dine and dance under the stars at Brooklyn’s most magical gathering! Get ready to dance and raise a glass to Brooklyn’s Backyard. Prospect Park Alliance provides the entertainment and breathtaking setting, while you gather with thousands of friends and neighbors to enjoy an evening under the stars in Prospect Park. Show off your creativity with your attire and table décor, and raise your glass in a toast to Brooklyn's Backyard. Early bird admission: $64.73.

Submit an event to be considered for this weekly events roundup! Add any events for this week in comments below.

Neighborhood Job Board 📌

Each week we publish a new job board link featuring local openings from Park Slope and nearby businesses.

We’ve upgraded from our old spreadsheet format to a brand new job board page - easier to browse, easier to list.

View and list jobs by Brooklyn neighborhood for free:

Browse Neighborhood Jobs

✨ Secret Slope ✨

This week’s Insider section below the paywall includes:

A popular fitness studio is bringing a second Brooklyn location nearby • A top exec’s Prospect Heights townhome marks the priciest real estate contract signed in Brooklyn last week • An in-demand productivity pod hub company will soon open a Prospect Heights outpost

• CorePower Yoga is set to open a new studio at 420 Albee Square West this summer, bringing its popular lineup of heated yoga, sculpt, and strength-focused classes to Downtown Brooklyn. The studio is already offering founding memberships at a discounted rate ahead of opening, with class schedules expected to become available shortly before launch. This is one opening local yogis will want to keep on their radar.

• Former WWE executive Kristina Salen’s townhome claimed the title of the priciest real estate contract signed in Brooklyn last week. With an asking price of $5.9 million, the townhome was one of 28 contracts signed last week for Brooklyn homes asking at least $2 million. Salen and her husband, Daniel Bernstein, purchased the 4,000 square foot located at 105 St. Marks Place for $3.1 million in 2013.

• Alcove, a private productivity pod hub popular with remote workers, is soon to open a Prospect Heights location off on Vanderbilt Avenue. Their original Park Slope location is often at capacity, and they’ve been searching for a new space for over a year. Opening is set for early fall.

To share feedback, send us an email or reply to the newsletter.

Nick Bello is a writer and photographer based in Park Slope. He loves to capture local scenery as well as research local history. Follow him on Instagram @nbello8 or on substack at:

South Brooklyn History

Discovering history in and around South Brooklyn 📚

By Nick Bello

Gary Francis knows the Gowanus Canal like the back of his hand. As the captain of the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club, a volunteer organization that is dedicated to educating and advocating for the Gowanus Canal, he is one of many local residents who have made it their mission to educate the public about the canal and advocate for its cleanup. His Instagram page is filled with videos he takes just about each day of the canal, where he discusses its health that day and what factors contribute to it. Some of his most viewed videos are of what is known to locals as a “Poonami”, which is when a Combined Sewage Overflow (CSO) event happens, releasing raw sewage into the canal resulting in a brown wave that migrates down the canal.

A few days before I met up with Francis, a CSO event had occurred. These events only happen during major rain storms or when large amounts of snow melt, where the sewer systems are overwhelmed with stormwater and have no choice but to dispel some of their built up contents into our waterways. This has not helped the public perception of the canal, as fast flowing poop water only helps to fuel its reputation as a place where no one should visit, let alone build new apartment buildings. Francis points to things in the water that are tell-tale signs of a CSO event. Brown specs of fiber floating atop the water that come from the poop of everyone who lives nearby. A dental flosser that someone improperly flushed down their toilet. And what Francis refers to as a “Coney Island White Fish”, a colloquial term he has developed for condoms.

Planning & Construction of the Tanks

In 2013, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) submitted their Record of Decision (ROD) for the Gowanus Canal Superfund cleanup. In this 105 page document, the EPA laid out their suggested remedies for cleaning up the canal, one of which was the installation of Combined Sewage Overflow tanks. The tanks are the responsibility of New York City to build, as they were deemed a potentially responsible party (PRP) for the CSO contaminants in the canal. The city has tasked the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP) as the agency to execute the plan under the EPA guidelines.

In the event of heavy rainfall, these tanks are designed to catch what is called the “first flush”, which contains most of the solids (poop) as well as chemicals and other debris that comes from the streets that have built up in the sewer pipes. These tanks correspond with the two sewersheds which are the main culprits when it comes to CSO in the canal. The Red Hook tank, also known as RH-034, will be able to contain 8 million gallons of CSO and the Owls Head tank, also known as OH-007, will be able to contain 4 million gallons of CSO.

When it comes to communication about this remedy, the EPA and DEP have remained fairly consistent. However, a comment made by then EPA chief engineer, Christos Tsiamis, during a town hall conducted by the Gowanus Canal Advisory Group (CAG) on June 22nd, 2022 caused some confusion amongst the community. In the meeting Tsiamis responded to a question about whether or not the tanks were made to the correct sizes and accounted for the rapid redevelopment of the neighborhood. Tsiamis said, “I am the engineer who calculated the volumes for the tanks. I want to say, you are absolutely right because when I calculated (the tanks), I did not expect the kind of rezoning that was happening now.” This was an alarming claim which stoked the biggest fears of local residents.

Katia Kelly, who has been a resident of Carroll Gardens and Gowanus for 40 years and covered the early days of the Superfund process via her blog Pardon Me For Asking, remembered talking to Tsiamis about the tank sizes. “I don’t know if he ever said it in meetings, but privately, his first calculations (based on a smaller rezoning) were 12 million gallons and 6 million gallons,” Kelly said. Tsiamis left the EPA in June of 2023 and cited in a letter to the CAG that the making the CSO tanks part of the canal cleanup plan was one of the multiple achievements he was a part of. Tsiamis did not respond to multiple requests for comment for this article.

In a meeting the following month, Brian Carr, who is the Assistant Regional Council for the EPA, explained that this claim was not accurate and that the question leading into Tsiamis’ response led to some confusion. “If we thought the tanks needed to be a different size, you would have heard that from us five years ago,” Carr said. Later on in the meeting, he would offer an explanation as to how the tanks work. “As climate change and redevelopment happen you may exceed the 4 and 8 million gallon capacities, but they will still capture pretty much all the solids as they go through the settling system in the tanks,” Carr explained. “To the extent that there is overflow, it gets diluted as there is a longer storm and more storm water. So no matter how big the future storms are, we hope that the tanks will continue to function,” he concluded. When asked to sum this up further Carr said that the tanks are sufficient enough, “as long as the city implements its storm water regulations and the other provisions that the EPA has required under the Record of Decision.”

In 2022, Voices of Gowanus, who are a local grassroots association that also advocates for the canal cleanup, as well as a few other local organizations filed a lawsuit against the city and several agencies in an effort to overturn the Gowanus rezoning. According to an article in the Brooklyn Paper, the suit alleged that New York City and other agencies failed to do their due diligence when it came to the long term impacts the proposed rezoning would have on the sewer infrastructure and flooding. They cited a letter where Doug Gabarini, who was then the head of the EPA’s New York branch of the Superfund and Emergency Response division, said that the draft statement of the environmental feasibility study conducted by DEP had inconsistencies when it came to CSO projections. This suit was ultimately thrown out in July 2022 by Justice Consuelo Mallafre Melendez. In Melendez’s decision, she said that the lawsuit was inadequately filed, as the attorney for Voices of Gowanus filed the suit in February but did not serve the city with the documents until April. She also said that the letter from Gabarini was about the draft statement and not the final statement in which the EPA concluded that there would be no significant impact on CSO discharge.

Redevelopment

A main driver in the community concern around the CSO tanks has been the rapid redevelopment in the area. In 2021, a rezoning plan was approved by then Mayor Bill DeBlasio that will add 8,000 new housing units spanning 80 blocks. Some locals claim that this rezoning was significantly larger than expected and that government agencies did not factor this much larger rezoning into their calculations for the tanks. A target for some of the blame has been former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who has been credited for getting the rezoning approved when he was a city councilman and advocated for more housing. A common misconception is that adding more people, thus more toilets, will cause more CSO to flow into the canal. While there is concern with people flushing during rainstorms which does overwhelm the sewer system and helps lead to CSO events, the system is built to handle more residents as part of the rezoning plan.

In a statement from an EPA spokesperson to Park Slope Pulse, the EPA backed up their calculations saying, “while there has been development around the canal, the sewer shed that drains to the Gowanus Canal covers more than 1,600 acres, while the Gowanus neighborhood itself is less than 100 acres. The Long Term Control Plan analysis accounted for future population growth through 2040, and development occurring near the canal falls within those planning assumptions.”

A DEP spokesperson told Park Slope Pulse that the Gowanus Canal receives 263 million gallons of CSO per year. To combat CSO, the DEP spokesperson said they are also relying on what is called the Unified Stormwater Rule, which is a law enacted in 2022 that requires new developments with a soil disturbance over 20,000 square feet or new impervious areas over 5,000 square feet to maximize stormwater management by using green infrastructure (trees, plant beds and porous concrete) to help retain stormwater on their sites and prevent stormwater runoff, which is what primarily causes CSO events. With the new tanks and Unified Storm Water Rule in place, the DEP spokesperson said they will be able to reduce that amount to 100 million gallons for a 62% reduction in CSO.

Delays

The construction phase of the tanks has been fraught with delays. According to a 2024 audit by the EPA Inspector General’s office, the agency found that the tanks, which are the responsibility of the city to build, were six-and-a-half years behind schedule and would now cost over $1 billion as a result of these delays, a 1,300-percent increase compared to the EPA’s original assessment.

The first delay came with the initial planning phase as the city chose a design that was much more complex than what the EPA had advised. The second delay was caused by the cities failure to build the tanks on public owned property, which would have saved the project time and money. The ROD originally suggested that the Red Hook tank should be built where Thomas Greene Park currently is on Nevins and Douglas Streets. However, the city pushed back on this as it would take away a park in an area that was already underserved and it would cause a disturbance to the community. As a result, the city opted to build the tank on privately owned property across the street which they would acquire through eminent domain. The city then also decided to acquire more private property for the Owl’s Head tank as well. This process increased the cost of the tanks by $200-$300 million and also delayed the process by more than a year.

The city then also wanted to construct a tunnel system instead of the tanks and used $1.6 million in funds to design the system. Three years later, the EPA rejected this idea, costing more time and money. During this time the city also defunded the Owl’s Head tank construction and used those funds to focus on the Red Hook design. The city also alerted the EPA that one of the buildings where the Red Hook tank would now be may need to be preserved in accordance with section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. It took three years to resolve this issue according to the EPA audit.

The audit suggested that the EPA Region 2 office, which is the office that is managing the cleanup, closely monitor the construction of the tanks and take necessary action to ensure that the project is completed to the EPA’s satisfaction. When asked why the tanks were delayed, the spokesperson for the DEP said, “DEP and the EPA agreed on an aggressive timeline to complete the project and are proceeding with construction based on that schedule. The tanks are currently anticipated to come online in 2029, with related construction work completed the following year.”

Ghost Streams

Throughout the Gowanus Superfund cleanup locals have played an active role by not only voicing their concerns to government agencies, but collecting data themselves. Eymund Diegel, a resident of Sunset Park with a deep background in urban planning, is one of the locals who has done his homework. Diegel has mapped out the hydrology history of the Gowanus area using old maps dating all the way back to the 1700s and comparing them to satellite imagery and data, resulting in comprehensive maps of what he calls “ghost streams”. According to Diegel, these streams are still active today and are not only beneath our feet, but also run through the basements of the residents of Gowanus as well. The existence of these streams, according to Diegel, are part of the reason why the Gowanus area still floods, leading to CSO events.

Diegel’s hypothesis may be hard to believe, but once you understand the hydrology history of the area, he seems to be on to something. The Gowanus area was once a marshy and heavily forested wetland that essentially caught a lot of the water that came down off the slopes surrounding it. Maps from the earliest days of Dutch and British settlement also show the streams (now ghost streams) that once occupied this area. Some of these streams were naturally occurring, while others were created by settlers in order to operate mills. The area also featured two ponds, Denton’s Pond and Brouwer’s Pond, which helped catch the water as well. As the area developed however, the once marshy land that essentially served as a sponge was replaced with concrete, which does not retain any water.

Diegel says that in order to fully address the CSO issue, this bit of hydrology history must be understood. Denton’s Pond was where the Whole Foods parking lot currently is while Brouwer’s Pond was where Thomas Greene Park currently is. Diegel says that the CSO tanks should be built close to the sites of the former ponds, but on the upslope, somewhere between 5th Ave and 6th Ave in order to be effective, which they are not.

In recent weeks, the EPA has refuted the existence of “ghost streams”. An EPA spokesperson said in a statement to Park Slope Pulse that the, “EPA understands the confusion around terms like “ghost streams,” which are sometimes used to describe how water may move beneath the surface in areas where historic waterways once existed. Historic streams in the Gowanus area were filled in during development of the canal and surrounding neighborhoods. Today, those filled-in former streams may serve as preferential pathways for groundwater movement through subsurface soil (underground). EPA’s site cleanup approach is based on data collected during the remedial investigation and remedy design process, including extensive additional pre-design investigations. This work evaluated groundwater conditions in detail, including how construction of the cleanup may affect groundwater levels (referred to as “mounding”) and subsurface flow. Thus far, EPA has not identified groundwater preferential pathways in its evaluations of the site.”

When asked why the EPA has said they do not exist, Diegel responded, “good PR is about denial.”

Solutions From Within

Diegel admitted that DEP has made it hard to conduct research on this issue due to the lack of publicly accessible data. “There’s a history of the DEP in this case not working cooperatively with the Superfund program,” Diegel said. “Then the other big problem is we simply don’t know with regards to the data, we don’t actually have a decent combined sewer overflow calculation model. So we don’t really know how big the pipes are, how they all connect and what their capacity is.” He went on to say that the data has been estimated and that, “we don’t actually have data taken from the actual pipe flows where we measure how much flows out. It’s all estimated and we just know it’s a lot of issues to move from mistrust to focusing on what the concrete solutions are.”

He has also helped advise a local company called Field Form, who are a Gowanus based landscape architecture studio that focuses on developing ways to mitigate flooding and help manage stormwater on properties. Field Form may be a part of the concrete solution to mitigating CSO as they have started by working on improving flooding and storm water management on local properties. Sam Robinson, who founded Field Form along with Line Kaasine said, “90% of our work is within what we would call the Gowanus Watershed neighborhoods. We advise through a tool that we have developed called flood forms, what a individual property is kind of exposure is to to both flooding through stormwater, but then also the strategies that can be implemented to mitigate or to retrofit as well as at the same time reduce discharge or stormwater flow into the combined sewer.”

Robinson also serves on the Gowanus Oversight Taskforce which is a volunteer group that essentially serves as a community watchdog for the Superfund cleanup, ensuring that the commitments and demands of the community are met. Part of his job on the taskforce is to, “make sure that they (government agencies) can understand from the community’s perspective the information that they need and how they can present that information in a way that is very easy for the average person to understand.” Robinson said that the taskforce, which holds quarterly public meetings, plans on having DEP do a presentation on the Unified Stormwater Rule. According to Robinson, the presentation will show a case study for how one of the new developments has implemented infrastructure to mitigate stormwater runoff into the canal. The meeting will be held at 6pm on June 9th at PS 133.

Combatting Misinformation

If you find yourself confused by all of this, you are not alone. Understanding the Gowanus CSO problem not only takes an advanced knowledge of science and engineering, but also requires knowledge of the hydrology history of the area as well. Andrea Parker, who is the executive director of the Gowanus Canal Conservancy, understands how these complexities can lead to confusion and even misinformation. “I think there’s just a general lack of clear, cohesive communication about very dense topics,” Parker said. “And then you couple that with people being upset about the change in the neighborhood and about redevelopment and this subject that can be difficult to understand becomes a good scapegoat.”

When it comes to the accessibility of data, which was also noted by Eymund Diegel, Parker believes that the data collected by the government agencies should be made public but the data is hard to interpret for those without a science background. She said, “it's a difficult question because I do think the data should be widely available. I think in the same way that there are GIS data sets for anything that you want to know about the city, any information that the city has should be accessible. But this presents challenges, as not everyone can be an expert in, or have the tools to understand the large amount of raw data that the government can provide. Just providing the data without analysis allows for misinterpretation and bad faith actors to pick and choose what they want to share and how they want to share it.” She continued saying, “in an ideal world, the different agencies and levels of government would work together to support the community in accessing and understanding this important data, to translate it for broad understanding in a timely and direct manner. But that’s not the reality - we’re not going to see all three levels of government working together seamlessly to provide comprehensive data. So what specific data and analysis can we ask for and actually get from each level?”

The data that is available often gets misrepresented according to Gary Francis, who specifically said that some parties at the CAG have done this in the past. “If you are an agency that is misrepresenting data, I have a problem with that.” He continued saying, “democracy is messy, but I do think it needs to have an honorable process to make it better.”

It is easy to believe that building new developments on an already toxic site like the Gowanus Canal can make things worse. But once the CSO tanks are built and with the Unified Storm Water rule in place, the science points to the fact that the new developments can significantly improve the overall health of the Gowanus Canal. “I'm not downplaying the very real concerns about contamination in the neighborhood,” Parker said. “Soil vapor intrusion is a big issue and people should be focused on that. People should be focused on making sure the existing CSO issues gets addressed. But new development is not causing pollution, it is actually the mechanism by which upland pollution is being cleaned up. And because of strong advocacy through the rezoning process, new development is held to much higher standards for water management, which actually reduces strain on our sewers.”

Editors note: An earlier version of this article said: “A common misconception is that adding more people, thus more toilets, will cause more CSO to flow into the canal. However, there is no correlation between the two as what causes CSO events is primarily stormwater.” This has been changed to now say: “A common misconception is that adding more people, thus more toilets, will cause more CSO to flow into the canal. While there is concern with people flushing during rainstorms which does overwhelm the sewer system and helps lead to CSO events, the system is built to handle more residents as part of the rezoning plan”. More information on this can be found here.

Some of NYC’s best stages are lighting up this summer. Here’s what’s coming and what’s on sale now.

Tickets for all shows are available through bowerypresents.com. Grab them while you can, summer fills up fast!

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There were hundreds of private social clubs in Brooklyn during the Gilded Age. The Montauk Club, located in the heart of Park Slope, is the only surviving one.

How has the institution managed to stay relevant? I posed this question to its president, Mary Brennan. “I shouldn’t say this, but we probably have gone through periods when we weren’t terribly relevant,” she replied. “But I think we are relevant now.”

This month marked 135 years since the clubhouse was built. The pointed arches on the façade and the window’s Quatrefoil shape draw inspiration from the Ca’ d’Oro, a palace on the Grand Canal in Venice. The brick-and-brownstone building is adorned with verdigris copper, stained-glass windows, and terra-cotta friezes depicting scenes from the history of the Montaukett people of Long Island after whom the Club is named. (However, as noted on the Club’s website, the clubhouse is on the traditional lands of the Lenape.)

This month also marked five years since Brennan, then a member for almost three decades, became president. At the start of her tenure in 2021, she worried she might be the president under whom the Club would close. “COVID brought us to our knees,” which is unsurprising given its dining and drinking services, she said. “We were at risk of going bankrupt and wanted to see if we could turn it around.”

“COVID enabled us to switch gears,” she continued, “and abandon the attitude of ‘Well, that’s the way we’ve always done it’ or ‘That’s the way other clubs do it.’”

For example, there was a time during the pandemic when the Club could not afford linens, so it temporarily switched to paper, “which some of our more longstanding members were absolutely apoplectic about,” Brennan said. “Being flexible about things, and not rigid, is probably the single biggest change that we made.”

The Club also eliminated its dress code—just don’t wear anything offensive—and interview requirement. “We’re fairly informal and laidback,” Brennan said.

Essentially, membership is open to any applicant willing to pay the reasonably priced dues. In the past five years, the Club has rejected only two applicants: one from Florida who demanded a members’ directory, and a college underclassman seemingly hoping to drink underage.

Brennan added that the Club dedicated itself to being “as welcoming, open, and diverse as possible,” and continues to celebrate events from a range of cultures.

Unlike most of its erstwhile counterparts, the Club was relatively inclusive from its inception, welcoming both Democrats and Republicans, as well as Jews and Catholics—provided that they were white upper-class men, of course. Over time, however, the Club became a watering hole for “people of wit and good will.”

“I think it’s fair to say that virtually every other social club, certainly in New York City, picks its members because they fit a certain profile,” Brennan said. “We decided to go in a different direction. We’re not looking for a certain type—we’re looking for any type.”

As COVID-19 restrictions loosened, and bars and restaurants reopened, many people joined the Club because it felt safer than a crowded venue, with its drafty windows helping to improve ventilation. Before the pandemic, the Club had 220 members. During the pandemic, about 100 left. By the end of this past January, membership had grown to 625, an intergenerational community aged 22 to 92.

“The Club has not had that many members in probably 40 or 50 years,” Brennan said. “In an odd turn of events, COVID turned out to be very, very good for us.”

“We still worry about bankruptcy,” Vice President Dylan Yeats is fond of saying. “We just don’t think it’s going to happen this week.”

— Keep reading for more on the remarkable history made within these walls. —

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We’re a small and community-driven team. Everything we cover is in service of what locals want to read about - the independent, trusted Substack of choice in the neighborhood.

None of this would be possible without , who I’ve had the pleasure of working with for almost 2 years. She shares her love of the neighborhood in every news update, event roundup, business buzz, and curated neighborhood guide.

Thank you to our contributors this past year, who bring local stories, perspectives, and expertise that make the Pulse what it is today:
, , , Emma Tracy Moore & @rubyinbrooklyn, , , , , , , Rudy Malcom.

And of course, to you - our dedicated readers, paid subscribers, and sponsors who make this work possible.

To celebrate our anniversary, we’re offering Park Slope Pulse subscribers 30% off annual subscriptions through May 31!

30% off Annual Subscription

Here’s to another year of keeping locals connected and informed - and hopefully we’ve made you smile along the way. 💛

Local News: 🗞️

• Members of the Park Slope Food Co-Op voted to boycott Israeli products. The vote was held at a meeting on Tuesday, with 67% of voters approving the measure. Approximately 8,400 of the co-op’s 17,000 members had registered to attend the Zoom meeting.

• Prospect Park’s splash pad has officially opened up for the season! Cool off daily from 10:30 am–6 pm through Labor Day at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside.

  

• After an $88 million renovation, Rockaway Beach’s famous People’s Beach bathhouse will re-open after 54 years. The original space opened in 1932!

• Brooklyn Museum debuts “Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses” exhibition, which features over 140 couture pieces on display.

• Voice of Gowanus, in partnership with toxicology and environmental health expert Dr. Judith Zelikoff, has launched a community health survey for residents of Gowanus & surrounding neighborhoods to better understand how the Gowanus Canal has affected the community’s health. Current & former residents of Gowanus, Park Slope, Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill, and and Red Hook are encouraged to apply.

Openings: 🎉

• Poetica Coffee opened at 300 7th Street— it’s tucked away inside Brooklyn Beauty/Fashion Labo! Stop by to grab a cup of coffee and browse this fun space!

• Russian School of Mathematics, an award-winning after-school math program for k-12 students, will soon open on 5th between Douglas and Baltic.

Business Buzz: ⚡️

• North Flatbush BID is hosting their 40th Anniversary Sweepstakes from May 4th-August 23rd! Enter for the chance to win $500 and share $500 with a local business! Play by shopping local on Flatbush Ave & saving receipts of $20 or more or writing an online review of any local businesses. Drawings will be held every other week. Click here for full details & sweepstakes rules.

• Powerhouse Books has closed its 8th Avenue Park Slope location after relocating to the former Amazon Books space at Columbus Circle in Manhattan. They have asked their customers to fill out a survey to share their thoughts on the store and the space moving forward.

• Bakery & Tortilleria Vato is featured in The Infatuation’s “The Brooklyn Hit List: The Best New Restaurants In Brooklyn".”

• Congrats to Prospect Heights restaurant Leland Eating and Drinking House for being featured in The Wall Street Journal’s “On the Hunt for Ramps, Spring’s Most Coveted Ingredient”. We love their focus on serving fresh, seasonal ingredients year-round!

• Two Park Slope bakeries took home awards in Frenchly’s 2026 Best Croissant New York competition: the first prize went to Mille-Feuille and Brooklyn French Bakers won the People’s Choice Award!

• Slope Steal of the Week💰: In honor of National Hamburger Day, Emmy Squared Pizza is debuting a limited-run Chopped Cheese burger— available for $5 all day today, May 28th.

In need of a self care day (aren’t we all)…? Check out our guide to self-care spots in the neighborhood, complete with discounts & offers only for Pulse subscribers!

Catch me this weekend eating New York’s best croissant for breakfast and a $5 burger for lunch… 🥐🍔

Mychal

✨ Continue reading our ‘Secret Slope’ section at the bottom just for paid subscribers who want to stay a step ahead - soft openings & exclusives!

Do you have a story we should be sharing? 🗞️ Submit a tip anonymously here, or email us.

Presented by Flea Boutiques

Come see our New Affordable Arrivals! They will add a pop of color to your Summer Wardrobe!

FLEA Smith Street is a locally owned boutique specializing in women’s clothing, children’s clothing, accessories, home decor, & gifts.

Whether you are looking for everyday outfits or a special statement piece for an upcoming event, Flea has something for you! We offer a wide selection of clothing that are classic, unique, affordable, & bring some joy to your wardrobe! We truly buy our products with our clients and the neighborhood in mind, & have added a lot more price conscious products on our clothing racks. If you can’t make it into our Smith Street store, please check out our online store!

Visit Flea at 135 Smith St (between Bergen & Dean Street), Brooklyn NY 11201

fleaboutiques.com | @shopfleaboutiques

Our Top Weekly Picks:

Events with an asterisk* tend to sell out—reserve tickets early!

BCAT (The Brooklyn Ceramic Arts Tour) is a 4-day celebration of all things clay - May 28 to May 31! Local artists, studios, galleries, and businesses across Brooklyn open their doors to the public, offering exhibitions, workshops, demonstrations, artist talks, ceramic sales, and more! Here is the full event directory and map

Friday, May 29th:

• LGBTQ+ Teen Night: Blooming Beyond Binaries @ Brooklyn Museum, 5-7:30pm: Celebrate art, queer activism, identity, and allyship at Brooklyn Museum’s 13th annual LGBTQ+ Teen Night! Created by and for teens, the evening will be full of art-making, performances, and much more. FREE.

Two-Weekend Event:

• Canoe Camp for Grownups @ Gowanus Dredgers (May 30-31 and June 6-7, 10am -2pm): Come to Canoe Camp for two weekends of on-water adventure, skill-building, and summer camp vibes! Learn practical skills for exploring our urban waterways: paddling, radio communication, knots & line work, trip planning, chart reading, tides & currents, weather, water safety, and event planning. Sessions will build on one another, so participation in all sessions is expected. Cost starts at $100.

Saturday, May 30th:

• Prospect Park Bike Day @ Bartel-Pritchard Square, 11am-2pm*: Join the Prospect Park community for a family-friendly, educational afternoon in Brooklyn’s Backyard dedicated to the joy and culture of cycling. This is more than just a cycling event. It is a Bicycle Bonanza!!! Whether you're a delivery worker, a parent, a seasoned commuter, or brand new to life on two wheels, this day is designed for you. Expect guided rides, classes for kids, free minor bike repairs, tips, and a helmet giveaway. FREE.

• Sing for Hope: Free Mini Piano Lessons with BKCM Faculty @ Grand Army Plaza, 10-11am & 1-2pm: Non-profit organization Sing for Hope is placing colorful outdoor pianos painted by local artists in public plazas across New York City. BKCM piano faculty Eliot Krimsky & Adriana Svitak will be giving free mini piano lessons under the Grand Army Plaza arch to anyone who stops by, on a first-come, first-served basis! FREE.

• The Pottery Fair @ Old Stone House, 10am-5pm: Come spend the day shopping at the largest ceramics event in New York City! This community based event showcases over 100 talented ceramic artists from across NYC. From decorative sculptures to functional bowls, mugs, vases and more there is something for everyone at The Pottery Fair. Come shop with local artists, watch demonstrations, and win raffle prizes throughout the day from 10 am - 5pm. FREE.

• Bad Movie Night Brooklyn: The 1st Annual Summer Kick-Off Double Feature @ Wild East Brewing Co, 5pm: What better way to kick off another year of goofy garbage AND the Summertime season than with an action packed double feature, featuring oiled up macho heroes, epic stunts, and machismo so thick you can smell it! First on the dockett is Expect No Mercy followed by the incredibly corny but incredibly awesome Mortal Kombat. FREE.

Sunday, May 31st:

• CAG Club Needlepoint Meetup @ LoFi Bar, 1-3pm: All stitchers welcome. Bring your WIP, have a drink, and meet some fellow stitchers! FREE- RSVP recommended.

• Gowanus Salon @ Principles GI Coffee, 2-8pm: This series runs every final Sunday of the month and features an open art share followed by a clothing swap. Any genre, medium, and body are welcome! FREE.

Submit an event to be considered for this weekly events roundup! Add any events for this week in comments below.

Neighborhood Job Board 📌

Each week we publish a new job board link featuring local openings from Park Slope and nearby businesses.

This week: 30+ roles including at new openings - Grimm Tavern, First Bloom by Alison Roman, Lonnies. We’re also hiring a Brooklyn Content Creator across our fast-growing neighborhood Instagram pages - read more about the role here.

View Neighborhood Jobs

List a job for free | Subscribe for free to get the weekly job board in your inbox

✨ Secret Slope ✨

This week’s Insider section below the paywall includes:

Park Slope’s La Rose Pizza founder is joining forces with one of Cobble Hill’s most iconic restaurants.

Read more

Our established platforms reach 70K+ local followers and subscribers and generate millions of local impressions per month.

If you love the neighborhood you live in - Park Slope, Cobble Hill, Fort Greene or Clinton Hill - have a strong eye for what makes these neighborhoods special, care deeply about the local businesses and community behind them, and have experience creating content that gets real engagement on Instagram - I’d love to hear from you.

This role starts at approximately 3-5 hours per week, with the opportunity to expand to 12 hours per week as the pages and platform grow. At lower hours you’d focus on one or two neighborhoods initially and expand from there.

Over time, the right person will become deeply knowledgeable across all 3 neighborhood pages.

What you’ll do

• Capture photo and video content across our neighborhoods - shops, restaurants, bars, events, and the everyday moments that make these blocks worth living on

• Create carousel and reel content that drives genuine engagement

• Draft sponsored content in collaboration with local business partners for review before posting

• Maintain a content calendar with a minimum of 3 posts per week

• Engage with the community through comments and DMs

• Forward news and events from daily sources to our Substack team

• Analyze Instagram insights and share recommendations on what is and is not working

• Cover breaking neighborhood updates including openings & closings as soon as time allows

Who you are

• Based in any of our coverage neighborhoods (Park Slope, Cobble Hill, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, or their surrounding neighborhoods)

• Genuinely able and willing to travel across all four neighborhoods and their surrounding neighborhoods on a regular basis - this is core to the role, not occasional

• Strong visual instinct - you see a shot before you take it

• Organized and reliable - you follow through, hit deadlines, and communicate proactively

• Community-focused, not lifestyle-focused: you care about local businesses and their goals, not just getting content

• Comfortable being on camera from time to time

• Responsive during agreed working hours (roughly 9am-5pm weekdays)

• Excited to grow into more responsibility over time

• Available through the year with flexibility week-to-week based on content needs

What you bring

• Experience creating compelling carousel and reel content - with live examples and Instagram insights to back it up

• Demonstrated engagement on content you’ve created (likes, comments, shares, saves)

• Good communication skills - you’re a natural ambassador when interacting with neighbors, local businesses, and organizations

• Ability to take feedback, improve, and reduce rework over time

• Ability to adhere to a content guide and brand voice

• Comfortable with Canva, CapCut, and/or Instagram Edits - or equivalent tools

• Understanding of Instagram trends, formats, and what’s performing on the platform right now

Nice to have

• Interest in writing for our Substack publication, including Park Slope Pulse, Cobble Hill Collective

• Experience running and posting to a public Instagram page and managing DMs

• Interns welcome

Compensation & growth

• $17-23/hour depending on experience

• Potential for increased hours, higher pay, and additional perks based on performance - including visiting local businesses, trying products/services, and taking on more projects aligned with your interests

Start date: June 2026

What it’s like to work with us

We are a small, passionate team that genuinely cares about the neighborhoods we cover. We’ve been building our community since 2017 and we take that seriously. This is a role where your work is seen, your neighborhood knowledge matters, and your creative instincts will be valued. We’re growing fast and the right person will grow with us.

How to apply

This application takes about 25-30 minutes including the work tasks on the next page.

Responses due Sunday May 31, 2026. You’ll hear back by June 8 if you’re shortlisted!

Apply here: https://forms.gle/398Yf3Y54uPukioz6

In a postage-stamp-sized shop in Prospect Heights, Chaya Cohen Tamir is helping me select a pen. I hand her my Bic Clic, one of many I have collected from restaurants. This one, branded by an Italian cafe in East Hampton, makes me think of a cooling shakerato. It is, by design, an advertisement — not a serious writing tool.

I pull up a stool at The Analog Stationer, which carries pens of every size, shape, and color. Chaya offers me options, and I test each one.

“Too scratchy?” She hands me another. “Ink too thick? Try this one.”

The Uniball Zento is a smooth writer, and has a wider barrel than my Bic Clic — making it much easier to grip. For the modest price of $4, I go home with a proper pen.

It is a small but unusual transaction.

Over the last 50 years, we have accepted digital transformation as inevitable. We left behind typewriters for word processors, and film cameras for smartphones. At each step, the new technology seemed faster, cheaper, and more capable than what it replaced.

And yet the pen and paper are still here. More people choose and prefer them than the narrative of progress suggests. The question worth asking is not whether analog survives — it does — but how?

After a career as an adjunct professor at Touro College, Chaya’s love of stationery became its own question. Was she drawn to school, or the school supplies? Opening The Analog Stationer in early 2025 was, in part, a way to find out.

Forbes broke the so-called stationerycore trend a few months later. “Often seen as a practical necessity,” they reported, “writing instruments, notebooks, and planners are now coveted lifestyle objects.”

The trend coverage, inevitable as it was, obscures the more interesting fact. The pen and paper are not seeing a resurgence — they never actually went away. Through wave after wave of digital innovation — word processors, tablets, productivity apps — no alternative made them obsolete.

“The page contains writing,” Chaya says. People choose it as a method for concentrating attention and thought — a way of keeping the mind in one place.

She appreciates the quality of thinking that writing by hand produces. “It makes you feel alive,” she says. “It triggers thought patterns in ways that digital tools do not.”

Digital tools, by contrast, become “this never-ending, always editable, always perfectible bit. You are always optimizing and trying to make it better.” The pen does not allow that. It compels the writer to make choices and move forward, letter by letter, word by word.

That same instinct — that limits can be a gift — shapes the shop itself. With only 170 square feet, Chaya stocks her shelves to appeal to essayists and calligraphy hobbyists alike.

Expensive Kakimori alumnium fountain pens and Brut Homeware scissors — the latter in a fancy buffalo leather sleeve — sit alongside the affordable everyday. She recommends the Yu-Sari notebooks from Nakabayashi and Anterique mini ballpoint pens that come in more than ten colors.

Chaya rejects the idea that aesthetics or nostalgia are driving any of this.

“For Gen Z, this is not about nostalgia,” she says. “These are kids who took tests on iPads in elementary school. They are not remembering a time when everyone used notebooks.”

Chaya does remember. A Crown Heights native, she grew up going to Popak’s, her local stationer, to test Parker pens after school. Those afternoons gave her a lifelong understanding of how shops should function — not only as places to buy things, but where people know each other.

“I still buy my fish from the fish guy and my meat from the butcher — they all know my kids’ names,” she says. “You buy something online, there is no satisfaction. You do not know anyone’s name. There is a joy in knowing, talking to, and even buying from your neighbors.”

The stationery market supports her optimism.

Valued at $147.5 billion in 2024 and projected to reach $213.7 billion by 2034, it is not a niche. It continues to grow alongside the digital economy it is supposed to be resisting.

Still, Chaya does not expect a wholesale rejection of apps and screens.

“There are aways going to be people who want the shiniest, quickest, most efficient thing. But more people are starting to live more intentionally. They are making thoughtful choices about how they spend their time and money.”

The neighborhood does both at The Analog Stationer, where community workshops include watercolor technique and italic calligraphy. It looks a lot like school: people learning and writing by hand — together.

For Chaya the professor, and Chaya the stationer, it turns out those were never two different things.

Later that day, I get an email from her.

“You left your fancy restaurant pen,” she wrote. “I will have it waiting for you!”

I will return to the Analog Stationer, but not for the pen I left behind. Now that I write with a Uniball Zento, it is hard to imagine going back to a Bic.

Here are 13 of our favorite neighborhood spots—listed in alphabetical order— that will leave you feeling like the best version of yourself. Plus, check out the “highlights” section for exclusive introductory offers for Park Slope Pulse readers!

For a skin detox: beem Light Sauna

Remove toxins & renew your skin with a private suite at the Park Slope outpost of this popular infrared light sauna. Book a 40 minute infrared therapy session or a 15 minute red light therapy session & leave feeling energized and refreshed.

Highlights: Park Slope Pulse subscribers can take advantage of an introductory buy one, get one free offer. Use the code: PSPulse

Visit beem light sauna at 367 5th Ave between 5th and 6th Streets.

For a collagen boost: Blitz Facial Bar

If your skin feels dull and tired, opt for the oxygen facial at Blitz Facial Bar on 5th Ave. Designed for the face, neck, and décolletage, this treatment uses medical-grade technology to generate oxygen, eliminate bacteria, and stimulate collagen while leaving your skin feeling hydrated and refreshed.

Highlights: If collagen isn’t your concern, this beautiful facial bar offers a selection of 20 different treatments to choose from.

Visit Blitz Facial Bar at 184 5th Ave between Lincoln and Berkeley Pl.

For mind-body connection: Brooklyn Flow

With a schedule of over sixty-five classes per week, this studio offers something for everyone, from restorative slow flow to more energized vinyasa flow sessions. Pre and post-natal classes are designed to support new parents and caregivers.

Highlights: Check out the New Student Special, which includes two weeks of unlimited classes for $45 (includes free mat rental)!

Visit Brooklyn Flow at 198 5th Ave between Sackett and Union Streets.

10 more spots below - plus subscriber-only deals including a BOGO sauna session, a free facial add-on, and more!

Read more

Opening: 🎉

• Grimm Tavern will open at 659 Vanderbilt Ave between Prospect Pl & Park Pl (formerly Olmsted) in June! From Grimm Artisanal Ales owners Joe and Lauren Grimm, the restaurant will also feature a small cafe next door that will offer coffee, breakfast sandwiches, biscuits, muffalettas, and canned beer to go.

• farm.one is opening Field & Pantry on May 20th— a neighborhood farm market! They will source products directly from regional farms and also feature and their own farm.one signature line.

• Local favorite coffee shop Villager, known for their specialty espresso drinks and selection of pastries, will open a 2nd location at 374 5th Avenue between 4th and 5th street.

• Japanese restaurant Kome Nori has officially soft-opened, beginning their dinner service on May 19.

• Family-owned dessert franchise Cookies N’ Cream will open May 23rd at 685 5th Avenue between 20th & 21st St. Their first 75 customers will receive a free cookie!

Local News: 🗞️

• Brooklyn-based artist Martha Antonelli transforms 16 cement planters along 5th Avenue into works of art by painting colorful floral motifs.

  

• Free Yoga in Prospect Park is back! The annual series, hosted by Brooklyn Flow and the Prospect Park Alliance, will be held on the North Long Meadow on Thursdays, 7:00PM - 8:00PM, beginning June 4th through August 27th.

• Ginger’s Bar announces their decision to cancel the majority of their DJ events during Pride month due to ongoing noise concerns in the neighborhood.

• From May 26th through June 9th, skincare brand The Ordinary is launching a free shuttle operating between Domino Park in Williamsburg and Prospect Park (Eastern Parkway in front of the Brooklyn library) with a direct, no-stop route through Brooklyn.

• Brooklyn French Bakers wins Frenchly’s New York’s Best Croissant competition. Congrats! Visit them at 510 2nd St at 7th Ave.

• Cult favorite Brooklyn-based Radio Bakery will open its first Manhattan outpost on the UWS in 2027.

• Feel-good news of the week 🥰: A four week-old kitten abandoned on the street in Prospect Heights finds forever home and is named after the street she was found on.

Business Buzz: ⚡️

• You may know Mockingbird for their non-alcoholic cocktails (as first covered in Park Slope Living!): “over the past few months we’ve expanded into what we call an all-day kitchen & beverage lounge. We’re now open 7 days a week for coffee featuring beans from Bushwick micro-roaster Obscure and our house-made seasonal syrups, plus all-new weekday café classics, weekend brunch, and hearty supper offerings with plenty of vegan, vegetarian & gluten-free options.”

• Fausto now has an outdoor gelato cart outside their restaurant! Stop by for a scoop—they are open seven days a week, on weekdays from 2–9pm and weekends from 1–9pm.

  

• Slope Steal of the Week💰: Mikhuy is offering two-for-one margaritas and Pisco sours with an appetizer purchase all day long! They are located at 586 5th Avenue between 16th and Prospect Ave.

Who made it out to the Fabulous 5th Ave Fair last weekend? It spanned 26 blocks— the longest one yet! What a great way to kick off the season.

Mychal

✨ Continue reading our ‘Secret Slope’ section at the bottom just for paid subscribers who want to stay a step ahead - soft openings & exclusives!

Do you have a story we should be sharing? 🗞️ Submit a tip anonymously here, or email us.

Presented by Flea Boutiques

Flea Smith Street is celebrating Five Years on Smith!

FLEA is a locally owned boutique specializing in women’s clothing, children’s clothing and accessories, home decor, & gifts. Founded by Carroll Gardens resident Ines Pujos, Flea is celebrating their fifth anniversary on Smith Street this summer! When stepping into Flea, you will find clothing featuring unique patterns, bright colors, and a wide variety of styles at various price points. Flea also offers organic baby clothing, toys, and gifts. They’re offering 10% off with promo code smithstreetneighbor online in their Smith Street store.

Visit Flea at 135 Smith St (between Bergen & Dean Street), Brooklyn NY 11201

fleaboutiques.com | @shopfleaboutiques

Our Top Weekly Picks:

Events with an asterisk* tend to sell out—reserve tickets early!

Thursday, May 21st:

• Mediterranean Cooking Class @ The Common Park Slope, 6-9pm: Join The Common for a gourmet Brooklyn-foodie event including three hours of hands on cooking and baking under chef instruction in a professional restaurant kitchen. This event is perfect for beginners and seasoned home cooks alike. Includes complimentary aperitivo of Prosecco, one glass of wine during the class, and two glasses of wine with dinner. Enjoy a delicious spread of hors d’oeuvres, the final dinner course you’ve prepared, and coffee or tea to end the meal. $125.

• Lectures on Tap - “Art in the Age of Surveillance” @ Wild East Brewing Co, 6:30pm*: From CCTV cameras and facial recognition to social media and self-tracking, surveillance is woven into everyday life. In this thought-provoking lecture, independent curator and educator Dr. Ilk Yasha explores how contemporary artists are responding to a world where being watched has become both normal and invisible. $41.32.

Saturday, May 23rd:

• Garden Design 101 @ Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 1:30-3pm*: Learn to successfully design your garden. This class will guide you from the concept phase to installing, maintaining, and harvesting flowers, herbs, or vegetables. Plan to integrate containers, irrigation, maintenance, and perennial and annual plant choices. $99/$90 for members.

  

• Erotic Open Draw @ Please NYC, 11am: Draw smut freely with like minded individuals! Poses will be from 2-5 minutes each then there will be longer poses towards the end of the session. While there will be some supplies such as pencils, colored pencils, and small sketchbooks for sale, they encourage participants to bring their favorite mediums to draw with. $20 Suggested Donation.

• Shuffleboard In The Yard @ Threes Brewing Gowanus, 12pm onwards: Threes Brewing & Shuffleboard Gowanus is hosting a shuffleboard pop-up at with $5 Shuffleboard Bob cocktails, a set from special guest DJ Workhorse. Enjoy a Threes tap takeover all weekend with 8 different styles at $7 a pint. FREE to attend.

Sunday, May 24th:

• Smorgasburg AAPI Festival of Tea @ Prospect Park. 11am-6pm: Join Smorgasburg for a weekend celebrating AAPI Heritage Month through tea, culture, community, and flavor. From ceremonial matcha and handcrafted chai to tea-infused specials and interactive experiences, this year’s festival brings together an incredible lineup of guest vendors, resident specials, and cultural programming. FREE admission.

Monday, May 25th:

• Battle of Brooklyn Walking Tour @ Grand Army Plaza, 11am: Follow the footsteps of the revolutionaries! This tour meets up at Grand Army Plaza and traces the path of retreat of the Continental soldiers who fought in the Battle of Brooklyn on August 27, 1776. It ends at the Old Stone House and Washington Park for a light snack and private gallery tour at the site of the final stand-off. $17.85.

• Memorial Day Concert @ Green-Wood Cemetery, 2-4pm: Celebrate Memorial Day with live music at Green-Wood. Pack a picnic and enjoy this 26th annual beloved outdoor concert in a historic setting. The concert will feature the talented musicians of the ISO Symphonic Band at Third Street and works that honor members of the armed forces, including music by some of Green-Wood’s own permanent residents. FREE/$10 suggested donation.

  

Plan Ahead for These Popular Events:

• Prospect Park Bike Day (May 30th, 11am-2pm)*: Park Slope CivicCouncil hosts this celebration of biking at Bartel-Pritchard Square. Expect guided rides, classes for kids, free minor bike repairs, tips, and a helmet giveaway. FREE.

Submit an event to be considered for this weekly events roundup! Add any events for this week in comments below.

Neighborhood Job Board 📌

Each week we publish a new job board link featuring local openings from Park Slope and nearby businesses. Listing is free and takes under 2 minutes - add your summer jobs here:

View Neighborhood Jobs

List a job for free | Subscribe for free to get the weekly job board in your inbox

✨ Secret Slope ✨

This week’s Insider section below the paywall includes:

Dinosaur BBQ will be one of the vendors at an all-inclusive food festival this weekend • A two-bedroom co-op in a famous building gets a makeover • A new affordable housing lottery launches by the Gowanus waterfront

Read more

The fourth trimester arrives with one thing nobody warns you about: the bone-deep hunger of feeding a baby while you’re still healing. And then, when you blink, toddlerhood, school pickups, and “what’s for dinner?” again.

Welcome Home was built for both. We’re a meal delivery service made specifically for postpartum recovery and the busy parenthood that follows, delivering complete, chef-made meal plans designed to nourish new parents, restore energy, and make weeknight feeding feel possible again. From breakfast all the way through dinner.

How it works

• 1-Day Trial: a single day of meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) so you can taste the kitchen before committing

• Nourishment Plan: complete 3-day or 5-day meal plans covering breakfast, lunch, and dinner

• Build Your Own: mix and match what fits your week, whether that’s breakfast and dinner, lunch and dinner, breakfast and lunch, or just dinner

• Weekly subscriptions on every plan, for up to 9 weeks of recovery support

• Made fresh, frozen at peak. Heat and serve whenever you’re ready

A Park Slope Pulse exclusive: 15% off your first order of $150+

Use code PARKSLOPE15 at checkout. Perfect for stocking up before baby, gifting a meal plan to a friend in the fourth trimester, or just claiming back a couple of dinners this week.

Shop Welcome Home

Designed for postpartum recovery.

Every meal is built around the nutrients new parents actually need to heal and rebuild energy: iron, protein, healthy fats, hydration. Think Cinnamon Roll Baked Oatmeal for breakfast, Healing Chicken Soup for lunch, and Chicken Piccata over Braised Butter Beans for dinner. It’s the food a doula would feed you, on a schedule that meets you exactly where you are.

Past the fourth trimester? The same plans (and the same kid-approved favorites) work just as well for the long stretch of parenting that follows. Stock the freezer for a postpartum friend, prep for the season ahead, or just buy yourself a few easier weeknights.

Get your Park Slope Pulse exclusive: 15% off your first order of $150+

Use code PARKSLOPE15 at checkout. Perfect for stocking up before baby, gifting a meal plan to a friend in the fourth trimester, or just claiming back a couple of dinners this week.

Shop Welcome Home

Thank you to Welcome Home

Sponsored content like this allows Park Slope Pulse to continue delivering top-quality local coverage to our community. Your support helps fund our dedicated writers. Interested in advertising with Park Slope Pulse? Contact us to learn more about partnership opportunities.

Jay Kumar’s two Park Slope restaurants, Lore and Folk, are a labor of love. In his kitchens, Jay’s love of cooking sizzles and steams, seeping into the flavors of his childhood in Mangalore, India. He left home for culinary school in Switzerland in 1989, and stayed there for 29 years – working at the Hilton Hotel Basel, where he had trained, before setting off to start his own takeout and delivery service and later opening three namesake restaurants – until he met “this girl from Brooklyn,” Daria Brit Greene, in 2018. Daria hired Jay to work in VIP dining and operate a coffee shop at the Scope Art Fair in Basel, but the partnership proved to be more than professional. The two fell quickly and deeply in love, and, not wanting to gamble the relationship on long distance, Jay “sold everything” and moved to Brooklyn to live with Daria in June 2019; they married that December. Their love story landed Jay in the Slope, and ultimately, at the helm of two gems of local dining. But it’s his love of the community his restaurants serve that shines the brightest in his jewel-toned eateries. “This is a place which is yours,” he tells me.

Before it was ours, his first Brooklyn restaurant, Lore, was a concept Jay dreamed up while living in upstate New York. In early 2020 Daria, Jay’s wife, was working as the C.O.O. for former New York Knicks star Amar’e Stoudemire when the Covid pandemic upended life as we knew it. Stoudemire, who was playing basketball overseas at that time, invited Daria to bring her family to live at the farm he owns in the Hudson Valley; she obliged, and they spent a year there. When they returned to Brooklyn in April 2021, Jay and Daria began looking for restaurant spaces and found a charming but “shabby”-looking corner storefront at 15th Street and 7th Avenue. Jay tracked down the property’s owner on LinkedIn, and by October 2021, had signed a lease for what would become Lore.

With the benefit of a revived excitement for dining out following Covid, Lore saw a successful opening in February 2022. Come summer, business slowed, and Jay learned that traffic wanes in his new neighborhood during school recess. He credits restaurant week in 2022 with buoying their business until more locals – and the Michelin Guide – caught on. Lore appeared as a recommended restaurant in the Michelin Guide in 2022 and 2023, and earned Bib Gourmand honors in 2024 and 2025. But for Jay, the highest praise comes from his customers. When a Lore regular told him about a vacant space for sale on 6th Avenue near her apartment, hoping he could do something with it, he listened. (It’s not an entirely new phenomenon for Jay, who opened his first restaurant in Switzerland after a faithful patron of his takeout service offered to fund it.) Jay and another Park Slope resident with the means to buy the unit went to see it. “It was a mess,” he says, but the acquaintance purchased it in summer 2024 and subsequently leased it to Jay, who says the appeal of the unassuming space was that “we could do whatever we want[ed] with it.” Following a year of transformation: work permit navigations, renovations, and interior design by Daria – who also designed Lore – Jay opened Folk, his cocktail-forward concept and second Park Slope restaurant. “The reason why we wanted to do it here is because of this community,” he says.

Now, his Saturday routine revolves around the two restaurants, as he pinballs back and forth to ensure smooth operations at both establishments and to chat with his customers – both human and canine – while carving out time for family, coffee, and pastries along the way.

“YOU CAN’T SLEEP IN”: Jay’s Saturdays begin at 6 a.m. It’s an early start, but a precious one: he spends those mornings with Daria, their twelve-year-old son, and their dog, a black and white goldendoodle named Times (look out for her namesake cocktail on the menu at Folk). They’re all early risers, he says, so “you can’t sleep in.” They eat breakfast and hang out until Jay heads to Lore for brunch service.

PUPPY LORE: Jay arrives at Lore at 10 a.m. to check in with the kitchen – and canine – crew. “I’ll check what the situation is — if they need any help I help them out in the kitchen to get things sorted,” says Jay. But he’s also there to catch up with some of his favorite regulars. “I always have guests who come with dogs. I’m a sucker for dogs,” he says. (He is, after all, a Park Slope resident.) “I have Heath, who’s a Pitbull, I have Nala and her brother who come – two Golden Retrievers. There’s a Maltese,” he says, smiling. “They all go crazy because I give them sausages. Chicken sausages. So they bring their parents.” While the dogs dine on their minced poultry delights, Jay makes sure the humans are well-fed, too. “I eat something to see what the quality is,” he says. (If Jay is ever looking to hire for that role, I will happily submit my resumé.)

FOLK TALES: Jay stays at Lore until 1 p.m. and then walks to Folk to greet his kitchen staff when they arrive. He speaks with his chef, Ryan, who was a regular diner at Lore that serendipitously lost his job just as Jay was hiring at Folk. While Ryan coordinates the kitchen, Jay does more administrative work, like placing orders for the next week, getting his schedule sorted, and addressing any issues needing immediate attention. When the service staff arrive at 4 p.m., Jay meets with them to run through the lineup for the evening. “We are a small restaurant, so we need to have [each table] in the right way.” Jay stays at Folk through the first hour of dinner service, from 5-6 p.m.

COFFEE BREAK: Jay’s next sojourn is back to Lore, where he spends the hours of 6:00-7:30 or 8 p.m. He often punctuates the eleven-minute walk between his two restaurants with visits to coffee shops and bakeries along the route: some favorites include Couleur Cafe, Techne Kafe, and Le French Tart (where he is also wont to pick up a European-style sandwich on a baguette and some cannelés). When it comes to neighborhood dining writ large, Jay frequents Giuseppina’s, Luigi’s, Giovanni’s Brooklyn Eats, Terre (“I am a sucker for Italian,” he says), Idashi, and Luya Omakase (“...and Japanese”). Other go-tos include Siren, Miolin, Sunrise Espresso Bar and Terrace Restaurant and Bakery.

COMMUNITY SERVICE: Jay arrives back at Folk around 8 p.m. to chat with his diners, many of whom are locals – the bar and high-tops are walk-in only, meaning nearly half the seats in the restaurant are intended for neighborhood, well, folks. He prides himself on building true community spaces, where all feel welcomed and valued: flitting from table to table during dinner service, he alights at each like a bearded butterfly. “That caring is, I think, the most important thing in hospitality,” he says. “That caring part, just saying hello to people…when I’m [at Folk or Lore], I go to all the tables, I say hello…I feel grateful and humble that they are here. They could be anywhere they want, but they are here.” But his devotion to best-in-class hospitality extends even to diners outside his restaurants – every Friday, he sends sixty portions of food to City Harvest, a non-profit that distributes meals from restaurants to New Yorkers facing food insecurity. Jay particularly has the Muslim and South Asian communities in mind, providing them with the dishes they actually want and, under Halal regulations, can eat. Last year, Jay estimates his restaurants donated about four thousand pounds of food to City Harvest and Rethink Food, another non-profit battling food insecurity.

SPARE TIME: If you don’t see Jay at one of his two restaurants, it may be that he’s busy modeling for Rolex. A self-proclaimed “watch nerd,” Jay began his timepiece collection at the age of 21, and today counts himself a member of “all the watch societies around here,” including Gotham Watch Club, RedBar’s New York City chapter, and the Horological Society of New York. In 2024, Jay appeared on “Talking Watches,” a popular conversation series on Hodinkee, a website beloved by watch enthusiasts and collectors. Jay was incredulous at the invitation – previous features on the show include musicians like Ed Sheeran and John Mayer, and athletes like all-star MLB pitcher Marcus Stroman. But when Hodinkee and Watches of Switzerland asked Jay less than two years later to star in a promotional video for Rolex, that was “the coolest thing ever.” The feature aired last month, and you can watch it here.

True to form, when I met with Jay, he was wearing a vintage Rolex from his birth year, 1967 – a gift from Daria – along with a vintage Minerva from 1951. “I wear two watches all the time,” he says, which may be why he can give such precise timing when it comes to his Saturday routine. He leaves Folk around midnight, he tells me, goes home, takes a cold shower, eats some yogurt, is in bed by 2 a.m. and is up at 6:00 the next morning to “do it all again.” All in a day’s work.

At the end of my conversation with Jay, he offered to cook me something. Not wanting to put him to work on the one day his restaurants are closed, I politely declined, then almost immediately regretted that decision. Instead, I told him that I’d return soon for a proper meal as a patron at one of his restaurants. Maybe I’ll be sitting there, in one of the kumquat-colored velvet booths at Folk, when he walks through the doors next Saturday.

Opening: 🎉

• As we reported back in March, Bathhouse is opening a new location at 540 Atlantic Avenue (near 3rd Avenue) - the opening is confirmed for this Saturday May 16, bringing its signature mix of thermal pools, saunas, and spa treatments to Boerum Hill. The fast-growing NYC concept (with locations in Williamsburg and Flatiron) is continuing its expansion with this large-scale Brooklyn space. Bookings are now open on their website with day passes starting at $29!

• Nacha Focaccia, a black women–owned vegan café, opens in Crown Heights this weekend! The café is named after founders Naima and Charlise (“Na” for Naima. “Cha” for Charlise), and will be offering island-inspired focaccia, coffee, and community-focused treats.

• Micro-bakery Marbré is soon to open at 186 5th Ave (near Sackett St) at the old Le Fournil and Julien Boulangerie spot. Dedicated to madeleines, a French sponge cake, this is the shop’s first brick-and-mortar store.

  

• Family-owned dessert franchise Cookies N’ Cream is opening a new location in Park Slope at 685 5th Avenue between 20th & 21st St. They will offer over 23 soft-baked cookies varieties. Get a sneak peak!

• Wine Bar Wallace, from former Black Mountain Wine House alumni, has soft-opened on Vanderbilt Avenue! Get a first look on The Strong Buzz.

• Chinese Mandarin immersion school Ms. Lam Montessori has opened at 125 5th Avenue between Sterling Pl & St Johns Pl. Registration for their summer programs is now open!

Local News: 🗞️

• The NYRR Brooklyn Half Marathon will be held this Saturday, May 16th. 29,000 runners are expected to participate, and the race will kick off in Prospect Park and end at Coney Island. Check out info on street closures and no parking zones here.

• The DOT announced plans for new Bike Boulevards on Bergen and Dean Streets from Court Street to East New York Avenue. These re-designed bike lanes will prioritizes cyclists and pedestrians while maintaining local vehicle access.

  ---

Business Buzz: ⚡️

• Cafe Mado will host a garden party to celebrate their two year anniversary! Join them Sunday, May 31st at 6pm for a celebration featuring Colombian Asado by Chef Daniel Martignon. Tickets are $95 and all food and beverages are included.

• Neighborhood shop Culture gets a shout out in The New York Times for being one of the best spots in the city for fro-yo!

• Congrats to Russ & Daughers— their cookbook, Russ & Daughters: 100 Years of Appetizing is nominated for a James Beard Media award! This Jewish Bakery, which originally opened on the LES in 1914, opened their Brooklyn outpost at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 2019.

• Edy Massih of Edy's Grocer in Greenpoint and Samaya Boueri Ziade of Park Slope's Sawa will host a one day only brunch to benefit Lebanon, at Sawa, on Saturday May 30th. The brunch is $65 for four courses, and reservations go live today!

This week, I enjoyed a dinner out at Wayward Fare— and was happily surprised to discover that they offer 1/2 price wine bottles on Mondays and Tuesdays. I think I just discovered the best way to kick off the week. Have you been? Let me know in the comments.

See you around the Slope!

Mychal

✨ Continue reading our ‘Secret Slope’ section at the bottom just for paid subscribers who want to stay a step ahead - soft openings & exclusives!

Do you have a story we should be sharing? 🗞️ Submit a tip anonymously here, or email us.

Presented by Paesani Janitorial Services

A Complimentary First Month of Janitorial Service for Brooklyn Condos & Co-ops

If your building hasn’t felt quite right, it’s usually not the work itself — it’s the system behind it.

Paesani Janitorial Services, focused on Brooklyn condos and co-ops, is offering Park Slope Living readers a complimentary walkthrough and a first month of service at no cost for buildings that get started by June 14, 2026. See the full offer

Text or email Anthony at Paesani Janitorial Services to schedule a walkthrough:

347-628-3035 | anthony@pjsnyc.com | pjsnyc.com

Our Top Weekly Picks:

Events with an asterisk* tend to sell out—reserve tickets early!

Thursday, May 14th:

• Sing with Suzi in the Park @ Old Stone House, 10am: Beloved children’s musician Suzi Shelton returns for another joyful season of family fun in the heart of Park Slope! This series runs on Thursdays through June 11th. Expect giant bubbles, music, and dancing for little ones! FREE.

• Guided Sunset Paddle @ Gowanus Dredgers, 7-9pm*: Join the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club for a secret, one of a kind, personal sunset cruise in canoes above Brooklyn's Gowanus Canal. This narrated voyage is filled with questions and conversation on how recreation can have a positive influence on improving and encouraging environmental awareness and activism in an urban setting. $28.52.

  

Friday, May 15th:

• This Is What We Mean By Short Films: Rooftop Films Opening Night 2026 @ Green-Wood Cemetery, 7:45pm: Celebrate the start of Rooftop Films’ landmark 30th season with a dazzling night of new short films under the stars, three decades in the making. When the screen fades, the evening's just beginning: stay for a post-show Q&A with some of the featured filmmakers and then dance your way into our DJ'd afterparty with complimentary beverages for all! $27.53.

  Check out Rooftop Films’ kickstarter here.

Saturday, May 16th:

• Atlantic Avenue ArtWalk (May 16th, 12-6pm)*: Following the sold out event on May 9th, Atlantic Avenue will transform into a vibrant walking art gallery as more than 125 local artists feature their work at 70+ local businesses! Spanning 1.5 miles from Fourth Avenue to the waterfront, this free, self-guided event invites visitors to explore artwork displayed at boutiques, restaurants, salons, art galleries, and home decor shops. FREE.

• NY Bike Jumble @ Old Stone House, 10am-4pm: Fulfill all your cycling needs for the summer at the 14th Annual Bike Jumble at The Old Stone House! Get yourself a new or used bike, new and used accessories, clothing, collectibles, artwork, overstocks, and bargains galore. FREE.

• Pop-Up Pet Portraits @ The Ripped Bodice, 12-4pm: Amazing artist and illustrator Sophie Furman will be at The Ripped Bodice Brooklyn to draw pet pawtraits Saturday! Come for a sweet portrait, and maybe find a new pup-related romance too. $40- sign up here.

Sunday, May 17th:

• Fabulous Fifth Avenue Fair 2026, 10am-6pm: A day of small businesses, community, music and fun! The Park Slope 5th Avenue BID will fill eighteen blocks with local eateries, bars, stores, local art, and non-profits showing off their products and services. FREE.

  

• Park Slope Civic Council 2026 Sustainability House Tour, 11am-3pm: The Sustainability House Tour celebrates the gorgeous and thoughtfully renovated houses in the neighborhood that focus on sustainable technology. One highlight this year tells a story about community. Along with thoughtful upgrades like solar panels, the home opens to a series of connected backyards shared across neighboring properties. $55 non-members/$50 members.

• Spring Fest @ Brooklyn Grange, 10am-3pm: Join Brooklyn Grange as they kick off the growing season! Spend the day at the rooftop farm—enjoy a morning sound bath, join the farmers in the field, and take a tour to discover all the ways to connect with the BG community this season.
  Expect food, local vendors, live art, and of course—plants to take home! Plus, enjoy free family farm activities with City Growers. FREE.

Plan Ahead for These Popular Events:

• Park Slope Living x The Shaka Club 20s & 30s Singles Happy Hour @ Whisk & Whiskey (Thursday, June 4th, 7-9pm)*: We’re partnering with The Shaka Club to host a fun and welcoming community happy hour! If you’ve been looking for a way to meet single people locally, this event is designed to make that easy and relaxed. Instead of traditional networking or awkward mixers, Shaka Club uses their “Speed Intros” format - small rotating groups that make it easy to meet everyone attending in a natural way. Early bird tickets available - 50% off for Park Slope Pulse paid subscribers!

Submit an event to be considered for this weekly events roundup! Add any events for this week in comments below.

Neighborhood Job Board 📌

Each week we publish a new job board link featuring local openings from Park Slope and nearby businesses. Listing is free and takes under 2 minutes.

This week: The Trust for Governors Island, Operations Manager & Store Manager roles, summer jobs

View Neighborhood Jobs

List a job for free | Subscribe for free to get the weekly job board in your inbox

✨ Secret Slope ✨

This week’s Insider section below the paywall includes:

Four new commercial tenants—including a popular coffee shop and a brewery- have signed a lease in Gowanus. • A four-story Carroll Street townhome hits the market for nearly twice last year’s listing price • A popular Park Slope wellness center will soon offer a sauna space and are giving away free sauna sessions! • Standing at 32 feet wide, one of Brooklyn’s widest townhomes is now for sale.

Read more

If you’ve ever walked into your building and felt like something was just slightly off – you’re not alone.

The floors may be mopped. The trash may be handled.

But over time, details slip. Occasional misses turn into patterns. Standards drift.

Most buildings aren’t being neglected – they’re being maintained without a clear, building-specific system.

That’s where a structured approach makes the difference.

We offer a complimentary walkthrough to identify where things may be falling short and how to improve consistency.

We’ve consistently earned 5-star reviews from Brooklyn condos and co-ops.

Built specifically for Brooklyn condos and co-ops

At Paesani Janitorial Services, we’ve learned that better results are achieved through subtracting, not adding.

We focus on janitorial services only – not repairs, not construction, not “we do it all.”

That narrow focus is intentional. It allows for consistent standards, clear accountability, and better long-term results.

How we operate

Building-specific maintenance plans

Each building operates differently. We create a customized written plan so everyone works from the same standard from day one.

Designated service teams

Familiarity matters. We avoid rotating crews, so each team develops a sense of responsibility and pride in the building they consistently care for.

Direct communication

You’re not going through multiple layers. You have direct access to me as the owner, so questions, requests, and issues are handled clearly and quickly.

Partnership

I approach this as a long-term partnership, not a transactional service. Over time, the goal is to become a trusted resource for the buildings we work with.

Whether you’re actively looking – or just reconsidering

Some buildings are actively searching. Others simply start to feel the status quo setting in.

Both situations usually point to the same thing: the building is being maintained – but not managed with intention.

Not on the board?

That’s okay.

Several of the buildings we work with started the same way: a proactive resident noticed things could be better and passed our name along.

If something feels off in your building’s upkeep, it’s usually worth a conversation.

References and client feedback

• View our Google reviews to see public feedback.

• Request current client references for direct insight into how we operate.

Reach out or pass this along

If you’d like a second opinion, I’m happy to walk the building and provide a straightforward assessment.

You can also forward this to your board or property manager.

Text or email me directly to schedule a walkthrough.

Anthony S. Buscaino

Owner

Paesani Janitorial Services LLC

347-628-3035 | anthony@pjsnyc.com | pjsnyc.com

Thank you to Paesani Janitorial Services

Sponsored content like this allows Park Slope Pulse to continue delivering top-quality local coverage to our community. Your support helps fund our dedicated writers. Interested in advertising with Park Slope Pulse? Contact us to learn more about partnership opportunities.

On Thursday, June 4, we’re partnering with The Shaka Club to host a fun and welcoming community happy hour at Whisk & Whiskey in Park Slope.

If you’ve been looking for a way to single people locally, this event is designed to make that easy and relaxed.

Instead of traditional networking or awkward mixers, Shaka Club uses their “Speed Intros” format - small rotating groups that make it easy to meet everyone attending in a natural way.

Expect:

• A curated group of 30–50+ locals in their 20s and 30s

• Shaka Club’s Speed Intro group rotations

• Optional group activities and conversation prompts

• Happy hour drinks and food available to order

• A relaxed, social atmosphere designed to help people connect

Whether you’re new to the neighborhood or have lived here for years, it’s a great chance to meet singles nearby.

More community events like this will be coming soon for Park Slope Pulse readers!

Event Details

Park Slope Living x The Shaka Club Happy Hour

📍 Whisk & Whiskey

259 4th Ave, Brooklyn (between Carroll St & Garfield Pl)

🗓 Thursday, June 4

⏰ 7:30–9:30PM

🎟 Tickets required in advance - see you there! Use code PARKSLOPE for 15% off. If you’re seeing sold out, check back - we release more spots as we balance attendance.

Purchase Tickets Here

Special perk for Park Slope Pulse paid subscribers

Paid subscribers receive 50% off tickets.

Subscribe below to unlock the discount code and access exclusive events!👇

Read more