First Edition: PSCC's Annual House Tour returns, EVOO Cake Ice Cream, Sawa's Samaya Boueri Ziade
by Park Slope Living
Welcome to the very first edition of Park Slope Living’s weekly newsletter, Park Slope Pulse. Each week we share the latest things going on around the neighborhood ✨ for free ✨ including the most important news and events - and you’ll get to know more about a fellow neighbor!
What’s happening this week:
After a hiatus during the pandemic, Park Slope Civic Council’s popular Annual House Tour is back! Park Slope Living is proud to partner as a media sponsor for this (now SOLD OUT) event.
Renderings are now available for a new affordable housing development coming to Park Slope at 341 10th St: “the development is expected to feature 305 new apartments, 162 of which will be permanently affordable” [Brooklyn Paper]
Openings: PREM(เปรม) (a Thai restaurant & noodle bar) opens June 7, les enfants terribles (a gorgeous new hair salon from Cobble Hill now open at 167 5th Ave between Lincoln & Berkeley Pl ), Cafe Mado (all-day cafe from the Oxalis team)
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Thanks for signing up to our newsletter - we are truly moved by the support so far with almost 1K subscribers and 11 paid subscribers before publishing this first edition. We will share more about ourselves in the next editions, but for now, onto what’s going on in the neighborhood!
— Viv and Ky
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Our Top Picks
In honor of Pride month, Arts Gowanus is once again partnering with @brooklyn_pride and @oldstonehousebklyn to present an outdoor art exhibition called “Pride: All Day, Every Day”.
The exhibit will features artwork at The Old Stone House & Washington Park – selected from an open call – by emerging and established Brooklyn-based LGBTQIA+ artists working in various styles and media. The works will depict and celebrate what “pride” means to the artist and/or Brooklyn’s LGBTQIA+ community.
During #NYMusicMonth this June, musicians rehearse for free at Brooklyn Conservatory of Music! “Thanks to support from @madein_ny, musicians have access to 17 studios with beautiful Steinway pianos at BKCM's Park Slope home.”
Thursday (Today)
PROMOTED ✨ Chanel Ali: Break Up With Your Dad @ Union Hall, 10-11:30pm: NYC based comedian Chanel Ali (Comedy Central, Netflix series Dash and Lily) uses her commanding stage presence and storyteller style to introduce audiences to the idea of breaking up with their dads. Why? Because if you can break up with your dad, you can break up with anyone. Tickets: $
Prospect Park Yoga @ Prospect Park, 7-8pm: “Brooklyn’s fave yoga teachers will lead weekly Thursday night yoga classes in a low-pressure, beautiful environment. Classes are held on the North Long Meadow each Thursday from 7-8 PM, beginning May 30 through August 29th, 2024 (excluding July 4). Please enter the park at the Third Street or Grand Army Plaza Entrance.” - Brought to you by Brooklyn Flow, Prospect Park Alliance, and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.
FREE: RSVP required
Friday
@Justine_Snacks x Leland Vinyl Hour Lunch, 1-4pm (also June 7): Leland is hosting a pizza collaboration with Justine Doiron from @Justine_Snacks. We will offer pizza for lunch. Menu: “Basically a Salad”, “Clam-Shamel” and “Fresno Sweet Heat”. See event listing here and reserve a table via Resy.
Saturday
Tastes of Brooklyn Park Slope Food Crawl, 2-6 PM: Celebrate the culinary talent of Brooklyn and explore Park Slope’s vibrant restaurant scene while supporting a worthy cause with a food crawl through Fifth Avenue. Nearly 20 local bars and restaurants are participating in this year’s event (see the full map here). Each ticket includes 4 “tastes”, meaning 4 dishes or drinks you can try during your crawl. The event benefits Seeds in the Middle, an organization that is working to combat food insecurity in New York City. Tickets: $40
The Gowanus Art Parade by Arts Gowanus, from 2:30 pm: “All are invited to march with us for the first annual Gowanus Art Parade!
The theme is Creatures of the Canal – Real or Imaginary. Meet us in the alleyway between 543 Union and 280 Nevins at 2:30pm. We’ll kick off the march at 3pm. The procession will traverse an iconic Gowanus bridge, traipse along the waterfront, and end at a community street festival at 2nd Street in front of the Gowanus Dredgers Boathouse.” FREE
Sunday
House Tour 2024 by The Park Slope Civic Council, 11am-3pm (Just updated - SOLD OUT): The Park Slope Civic Council is thrilled to announce the long-awaited return of the iconic Park Slope Annual House Tour! Park Slope Living is excited to be the media sponsor for this event.
“Get an exclusive peek into the heart of Park Slope’s residential gems, from DIY enthusiasts embracing sustainable technology to magnificent architectural designs. Your ticket supports neighborhood arts and cultural organizations.”
New York Liberty vs. Indiana Fever @ Barclay’s Center, 7 pm: The New York Liberty will be up against the Indiana Fever this weekend at Barclay’s Center. The Fever’s Caitlin Clarke brought several eyes to Women’s Basketball after her record-breaking college career, and is continuing to bring more eyes to the court as a WNBA rookie. The Liberty’s opening season game against the Fever set an all-time WNBA record of over $2 million in tickets sold, so this game is sure to bring out a fiery crowd! Tickets: $$
Tuesday
Brix Haus New EVOO Cake Flavor Drop @ Brix Haus: Thanks to the winner of Brix Haus’ giveaway who submitted this flavor (@jamieleerotell) and owner/chef Tara Glick’s masterful ice-cream making, a delicious new EVOO Cake flavor will be available at Brix Haus! 🫒
BBG’s Spring Gala After Party @ Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 9-11pm: Celebrate spring in Brooklyn Botanic Garden with a dance party under the stars! Beginning just as BBG’s Spring Gala winds down on June 4, the After Party will usher in the night with drinks and dancing in an incredible outdoor setting. Includes special access to the Garden and two hours of open bar with signature cocktails, beer, wine, desserts, and more. Proceeds from the After Party provide essential support for the Garden’s programs and collections. Strictly 21+
Tickets: $100 for non-members | $85 for members
Wednesday
Hip-Hop is History: Questlove in Conversation with Marc Lamont Hill @ Brooklyn Academy of Music, 8 pm: In this exclusive event at BAM, Questlove will engage in a conversation about Hip-Hop’s 50 year history and his role as one of it’ pioneers with Marc Lamont Hill. The event is being held in advance of Questlove’s new book, Hip-Hop is History, which is set to be released on June 11th. Tickets: $54-105
Prospect Park Track Club Al Goldstein Speed Series 5K @ Prospect Park, 7:10 pm: Lace up your sneakers and celebrate Global Running Day with a 5K race through Prospect Park hosted by the Prospect Park Track Club. This race is part of the club’s Al Goldstein Speed Series, a series of seven 5K races that occur every other Wednesday between May 22nd and August 14th. Al Goldstein was PPTC’s president from 1990-1996, a school teacher and principal, and a familiar face in the running community before his passing in 2019. Register: $12.50 advance | $15 day of (if not sold out)
Check out the comments for anything we’ve missed!
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Q&A: Samaya Boueri Ziade
Our Q&A this week is with Park Slope resident Samaya Boueri Ziade who opened Sawa, a modern Lebanese restaurant, with her brother George Boueri. Chef de cuisine Soroosh Golbabae (formerly at Gramercy Tavern and Sofreh nearby) heads up the kitchen.
Talk about you, and what inspired you to open Sawa?
My family is from Lebanon and I've lived in New York City since my 20s. Still, my connection to Lebanon remains strong. Despite all its troubles that everyone hears about, it's a warm, inviting and incredibly social culture. Food sits at the center of that. I was (and still am!) raising my kids and I started to go deep into Lebanese food and culture. The idea for a restaurant percolated for years and now here we are.
What does Sawa mean?
Sawa means "together" in Lebanese. The Lebanese gathering of friends and family is the foundation of our culture. It's helped us survive, adapt and thrive.
Lebanon recently went through a very rough stretch between the financial crisis, the port explosion and COVID. “Sawa” also means standing together and supporting each other.
How did you decide to choose Park Slope for your business?
We’ve lived in Park Slope for many years. We've always loved the chaos and creativity of the Brooklyn food scene. We wanted to bring a bit of the Lebanese experience to our second home in Brooklyn.
Talk about your dishes, and their inspiration or origins.
Our dishes are a tribute to the long history of Lebanese cuisine and all the cultural influences with the occasional twist to hopefully surprise people.
When assembling the menu, we sort of consciously chose items people weren’t very familiar with while keeping a few they would recognize. We wanted to give people the opportunity to experience new dishes and get to know Lebanese cuisine better.
One of our most popular dishes is the hummus topped with pine nuts and wagyu beef cubes. Lebanese hummus hits different: it's creamier and less coarse and the beef really elevates it. Another dish is our whole fish entree. Seafood is a big part of Lebanese cuisine and our fish entry is a whole filleted fish that sits on top of a spicy red pepper sauce. It's just a lot of fun to bring the Mediterranean closer to the traditional spices of the Levant.
What are you working on next? (I notice there is a retail area and remember you mentioning developing the outdoor area)
Yes! The way Sawa is designed, we ultimately want you to enter a sort of mini-marketplace . Our aim is to not just serve Lebanese food but to also transport you into our culture and experiences. We want to showcase Lebanese artisans and their creations. It's a work in progress but we're very excited about it! It's a great way to highlight and support Lebanese artisans.
The outdoor space is coming. We're scaling up as we speak. We're really lucky to have such a space in the area. As the weather warms up, we're looking forward to hosting our guests out in the back. Eating outdoors is also extremely Lebanese and we can't wait for people to experience it.
You can visit Sawa at:
75 5th Ave, Brooklyn
(Between St Marks Ave & Prospect Pl)
Also check out our Instagram feature for Sawa, including photos of the space and food.
Thanks for reading!
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Winemak’Her Bar’s 4th Anniversary @Winemak'Her Bar, tonight Thursday 6pm: “It's our 4th anniversary, and we're ready to party! 🎉 Join us as we raise a glass to four fantastic years of Winemak'Her Bar. Get ready for an evening filled with music, laughter, and plenty of wine!”
https://www.instagram.com/p/C7RYjbesWfZ/