A new pizzeria in the neighborhood, Valentine's Day mix & mingle, and the best croissant in Park Slope
Also happening this week: the Roasting House reading series, a songwriter's soiree, jazz & gin, and writing the constitution
Presented by Nikki R. Thomas (Corcoran Group)
“Its a wonderful resource!! Grateful you created :) I’m always looking for new clients and see some opportunities to connect with more of our wonderful local businesses.” - Maggie (Park Slope Pulse reader)
Publisher’s note
Amid national headlines about federal immigration enforcement (ICE) and a Senate funding vote expected by January 30, I’m sharing “Know Your Rights” resources so neighbors can better understand basic legal protections if approached by law enforcement, including our own guide and a widely shared external example script circulating in connection with the upcoming funding vote - linked for information only.
- Vivien, Publisher
Closings/ Openings:
Tony’s Vespa Pizza will open at 475 A Bergen St between Flatbush and 6th Avenues—opening date to be announced soon.
Neighbor News:
Local bus driver Christopher Accettulli helped deliver a baby on the B37 route along Third Avenue in Gowanus. Both mother and newborn are healthy! Twenty year MTA veteran Accettulli says: “I’m just glad everyone is safe.”
A group of authors, illustrators, agents, and editors are organizing a Publishing for Minnesota fundraising auction in response to recent federal immigration enforcement actions. There are over 500 items up for bids and proceeds will support organizations providing legal aid, emergency assistance, food, and community resources. The auction will run from Thursday, 1/29 until Friday, 1/30.
Business Buzz:
Vote for the best croissant in Park Slope! We’re building a locals-powered guide to the best spots in Park Slope - from ramen to croissants, pizza to cocktails. Every month, you can vote in a new category and discover local businesses in that category. The winner + top two finalists will be spotlighted on Park Slope Pulse and @parkslopeliving - and they’ll also receive a special badge to display on their website and storefront.
This month’s category: Best Croissant - cast your vote now!Masalawala & Sons, Il Leone, Daigo, Lore, & more featured in The Infatuation’s “The Best Restaurants in Park Slope”.
It’s NYC Restaurant Week! Now through February 12th, dine at your favorite neighborhood restaurants with 2-course lunches and 3-course dinners for $30, $45 and $60! Check out this list of participating local spots: Chela, Palo Santo, Park Life, Pasta Louise, Siren Oyster Bar and Restaurant, Wayward Fare, Morgan’s Brooklyn BBQ, Lore, Alta Calidad, La Fleur Rouge, Baciccia Pizza e Cucina, The Dram Shop Bar, Masalawala & Sons, Miriam, & Surfish.
Beat the winter blues with our fireplace guide, highlighting the best spots in the area to stay cozy through the rest of the winter months.
This week’s events are full of ways to support local writers, musicians, and artists. You’ll find a songwriting soiree, a reading series, a dance lesson, and more—lots of great opportunities to get out and cheer our neighbors on.
-Mychal
Do you have a story we should be sharing? 🗞️ Text us at (607) 301-1215 (save us to your contacts), submit anonymously here, or email us press releases
Presented by Nikki R. Thomas (Corcoran Group)
Get Closer to Homeownership - Join the NYC First Time Buyer Bootcamp
Could 2026 be the year that you finally buy your first home?
It’s a tricky question to answer, given all the different factors at play. But the NYC First Time Buyer Bootcamp can help you figure it out.
It’s a free email series delivered daily to your inbox to help you find out if you’re actually ready to become a homeowner in New York City.
Specifically, the bootcamp will help you get a solid understanding of:
your financial standing today
what types of homeownership are available to you
what makes for a “qualified buyer”
info about tools to help you become a qualified buyer
And even if this year isn’t the year for it to happen, the bootcamp will get you started on the right track towards owning your first home.
Our Top Weekly Picks:
Events with an asterisk* tend to sell out—reserve tickets early!
Thursday, Jan 29th (Today):
Roasting House Reading Series @ Kos Kaffe, 7-10pm: Join Kos Kaffe for an evening of poetry, fiction, & essays. The Roasting House Reading Series features work from a range of brilliant writers, both new and established. Refreshments provided until they run out! FREE- RSVP encouraged.
ORIS Takeover @The Windup Watch Shop (today through Sunday February 1st, 12-6pm): This multi day event offers hands-on access to exclusive ORIS timepieces, along with in-person–only offers available throughout the weekend. Members of both the ORIS and Worn & Wound teams will be in attendance to talk shop. As always, this event is free and open to the public. No registration required- FREE.
Junk Journaling @ Annie’s Blue Ribbon General Store, 5-7pm: Pipsticks, one of the Annie’s team’s fave sticker and stationery suppliers, will be on site to help participants put together their own junk journals! Just bring your "junk" (clippings, stickers, pictures, gum wrappers, etc) and a journal and they will handle the rest! FREE.
Friday, January 30th:
The Songwriter’s Soiree @ Mockingbird, 7pm: Come and join Mockingbird Zero- Proof Cocktail Bar for a Nashville style songwriter round! This wonderful night of music will feature local song writers performing their works in an intimate setting at mocking. $10 suggested donation.
Saturday, January 31st:
Indoor Tropical Houseplants @ Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 10:30am-12:30pm: Learn how to choose tropical plants for the home or office, the best indoor conditions for different species, and how to care for them. $49/ $44 members.
Jazz & Gin: A Speakeasy Soiree @ Urbane Brooklyn (Ditmas Park), 7pm-12am: Enjoy hot jazz, cocktails and dancing at a former 1920s Brooklyn speakeasy, now an elegant art nouveau salon! Each month features NYC’s best swing bands and swing DJs, classic burlesque, craft cocktails, and a free dance lesson. The Club’s 1,200 sq ft ballroom boasts wooden floors, plus a lounge and gallery. As weather permits enjoy the outdoor patio w/cafe tables, garden, and dancing & live music on the porch! $25.
Sunday, February 1st:
Build a Winter Bird Feeder: Family Workshop @ Green-Wood Cemetery, 1-2:30pm: Come pick a peck of pinecones at Green-Wood and transform them into delicious winter treats for our feathered friends! We’ll wander through Green-Wood’s conifers, gathering their fallen pinecones for a DIY bird feeder project. Along the way, we’ll learn what pinecones are, how they vary from tree to tree, and, if we’re lucky, maybe even spot some birds. By the end, you’ll have homemade feeders ready to hang in your neighborhood! $15/$8 kids.
Monday, February 2nd:
Handwriting the Constitution @ Old Stone House, 6-10pm: Handwriting the Constitution invites people from all walks of life to meet in public spaces to handwrite the US Constitution or other documents written to protect human rights and freedoms. This art practice was created so that people will know their rights, deepen their understanding of laws created to protect these rights, and to help resist negative thinking. It has been identified as a powerful and transformative form of activism for introverts. FREE.
Wednesday, February 4th:
Written in Brooklyn @ Farm.One, 8pm: Written in Brooklyn returns this February with an evening of true stories about love, heartbreak, and very cringy things you may or may not have done just to feel a little validation from your crush. Whether you’re coupled up, single, heartbroken, or happily over it, this night is for anyone who’s ever loved imperfectly. $28.52.
Plan Ahead for This Popular Event:
"Show Up, Kids!” @ ShapeShifter Lab (Saturdays in February, 2pm): This acclaimed, outrageous, interactive family comedy comes to ShapeShifter Lab in Park Slope for the month of February. This long-running, interactive show for kids 3-10 years old puts a wildly comedic twist on the traditional kids’ show. When the main attraction doesn’t show up, hapless host Bebe enlists the help of the kids (and their grownups) to create everything from plot to props, characters to costumes, and settings to sound in a one-of-a-kind, 45-minute laughfest. $18.
Upcoming Valentine’s Day Mix & Mingle Events 💕:
Looking to meet new people in the neighborhood? Check out these upcoming mixer events!
Singles & Friends Mixer @ Stella’s Caribbean (Thursday February 5th, 6-8:30pm): Join Stella’s and IYKYK Collective for a Singles and Friends Mixer, a fun night filled with strong drinks, tasty food, games, and the opportunity to meet a lover or your new bestie! Whether you’re single or coming with friends, this event is all about good vibes, great conversations, and genuine connections. $22.99.
Clay Date: A Queer Creative Speed-Dating Experience (Sunday, February 8th, 7-10pm): Clay Dates is a soft-launch experience and the beginning of a new recurring series by Queer Clay With Me. This event is designed for queer singles who are curious about connection but want something gentler, more intentional, and less overwhelming than traditional speed dating. Instead of sitting across from someone with nothing but small talk, guests will create with clay while conversations unfold naturally, intuitively, and at their own pace. $20.
Quickies: Singles Event @ Friends and Lovers (Crown Heights—Wed, February 11th, 7-9pm: Are you single and living in NYC? Let Jen Barrett fix that at her speed-dating/singles mixer hybrid! Quickies is a loosely structured speed-dating/singles mixer aimed to help the lonely, sexy, slutty folks of NYC find someone for the rest of their lives (or at least one night). Every 5 minutes there will be a conversation starter and you will be free to talk to anyone in the room! $12.51.
Submit an event to be considered for this weekly events roundup! Add any events for this week in comments below.
Neighborhood Job Board
Our neighborhood job board is back! Each week we create a new job board link with the latest local listings! Sign up for Park Slope Pulse to get the latest job board delivered to your inbox.
✨ Secret Slope ✨
This week’s Insider section by Park Slope Living includes:
A less-visible issue is emerging beneath Gowanus’ rapid development • The latest housing lottery updates (a new one just launched this week in Gowanus!)
