Giovanni's Brooklyn reopens, 5th Ave Scavenger Hunt, ABBA Glitter Disco, Movies with a View, Koko South Slope Derby, and Music Picks of The Week
Park Slope's first weekly newsletter since 2021
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Welcome to Park Slope’s weekly newsletter, Park Slope Pulse. We spend hours curating the most important news and events each week ✨ for free ✨ to save you time sifting through listings and articles, and you’ll get to know more about a fellow neighbor! Park Slope Pulse gives you the first insights to make plans or start conversations.
Here’s what’s happening this week:
Old Stone House announces its second annual 5th Ave Historic Scavenger Hunt! Between now and August 31st, identify the site of each of the historic photos in the Then and Now Booklet (available digitally or via in-person pick up) for a prize and a chance to win a $25 gift card. This week, Old Stone House is commemorating Battle Week 2024— see our top picks below for details!
Move aside, wine bars and cocktail bars. Book bars are the newest trend in NYC! A flurry of book bars— designed for reading, drinking, and chatting with fellow book lovers— have opened across the city [Eater]. If this sounds like your ideal way to spend an evening, check out these local spots: Boerum Hill’s Anais, a natural wine bar & bookstore, Carroll Garden’s Liz's Book Bar, an independent bookstore bar, and Park Slope’s Union Hall, a restaurant/bar with a library nook.
The New York City Economic Development Corporation is holding public information sessions for its upcoming redevelopment of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal in Red Hook and the Columbia Street Waterfront District. An initial $80 million will be invested in the project, which aims to stabilize and repair Piers 7, 8, and 10 and reimagine the 122- acre waterfront. Information sessions will be held in Boerum Hill, Red Hook, and Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Giovanni’s Brooklyn is re-opening today (August 22nd), over a year after a kitchen fire caused significant damage to the restaurant. Since then, the restaurant’s GoFundMe page has raised over $69,000 to help support recovery efforts!
— Mychal
Special Feature: Mathnasium Park Slope now on 7th Avenue!
Kids have FUN when they enjoy the learning process!!
“Our instructional approach goes beyond traditional math tutoring. The Mathnasium Method™ transforms the way kids understand and appreciate math, which in turn builds their confidence and their love of learning.
With our Customized Learning plans, Math-focused curriculum, fun learning experience, passionate instructors and a world class learning program, we offer the best Math enrichment/ tutoring option for our Park Slope and neighboring families.
We believe:
- Anyone can excel at Math
- BEST way to learn is individualized
- Math is FUN!!
Contact us today and learn more: 718-369-6284 parkslope@mathnasium.com OR Click here to Schedule a Risk-Free Math assessment for your child”
[To get featured here as a Sponsor, email info@parkslopeliving for more info]
Our Top Picks
Events with an asterisk* tend to sell out- reserve tickets early!
Thursday, Aug 22 (Today)
Movies with a View @ Brooklyn Bridge Park- The American President, 5-10:30pm: BYOB (bring your own blanket) to this free outdoor screening of the 1995 comedy/romance film. Harbor View Lawn opens at 5pm, and Pluto TV will be giving away movie night essentials during the pre-screening festivities. Film begins at sunset. Food & drink available for purchase from local vendors. FREE.
Vinyl Nights @ Albee Square, 5-8pm: This downtown Brooklyn dance party series, now in its 5th year at Albee Square, runs through August. All ages are invited to dance to the hits that shaped NYC! FREE.
Friday, August 23rd
The Battle of Brooklyn; A Farce of Two Acts @ Old Stone House, 7pm: This hour-long short play was written by a snarky Brooklyn Loyalist in 1776 to mock the American defeat in the largest battle of the War for Independence. It’s been lovingly abridged, introduced, and directed by local historian Dylan Yeats. FREE- reservation recommended.
ABBA Glitter Disco @ The Bell House, 10pm*: Calling all dancing queens! Head to The Bell House for this epic disco dance party tribute filled with glitter, glitz, glamour, & tons of ABBA! Expect ABBA music video projections, body paint & glitter makeup available onsite, and plenty of 70s & 80s party anthems. Tickets start at $17.85.
Weekend events: Friday, Aug 23 & Saturday, August 24th
The North Face Climb Festival @ Brooklyn Bridge Park, 10am- 7:30pm: Dubbed “the climbing event of the summer”, this two-day festival celebrates climbing and culture with DJ sets, exclusive merch, freestanding boulders and bouldering walls, panel discussions and an adrenaline-pumping competition. FREE to attend.
Afropunk @ Prospect Park, 12pm-10:30pm*: Held at the Lena Horne Bandshell, this weekend-long global music festival celebrates alternative Black music and artistry and is headlined by singer/songwriter Erykah Badu. Tickets start at $137.
Saturday, August 24th
Koko South Slope Derby, @ 5th Ave & 17th St, 12-3pm: Open Source Gallery and KoKo NYC present the annual South Slope Derby, a celebration of creativity and innovation. Now in its 17th year, this event culminates KoKo NYC’s summer programming and features gravity-powered soap box racers made from recycled materials and built by kids, who put their creations to the test in a race down 17th Street. FREE.
Wine For Me @ Public Records, 3-9pm: Wine For Me is a monthly natural wine party that celebrates community and aims to make wine culture more intersectional and inclusive. This month’s event is held on both levels of Public Records and features DJ sets by Ayanna Heaven and Riobamba. $10- tickets required.
Sunday, August 25th
Battle of Brooklyn Bike Tour @ Prospect Park, 10:30am-1pm: Enjoy a bicycle tour around Brooklyn to visit important sites from the borough's Revolutionary War history. The bike tour begins at Grand Army Plaza and ends in Brooklyn Heights overlooking Brooklyn Bridge Park and the water that Washington and his troops quietly crossed 248 years ago. $33.85- tickets required.
The Battle of Brooklyn Commemoration and Family Day @ Green-Wood Cemetery, 11am-3pm: Join Green-Wood Cemetery in this family-friendly event to honor those who fought in The Battle Of Brooklyn and explore what the battle meant to the many different people in New York and Brooklyn in 1776. Held at the meadow near the main entrance at Fifth Avenue and 25th Street (500 25th Street). FREE- registration recommended. Suggested donation of $5.
Summer Jazz @ Brooklyn Museum, 2-4pm: This free series, held in the Brooklyn Museum’s lobby, features some of the city’s best jazz musicians. Today’s event features an afternoon of spiritual jazz in the tradition of honored musical elders and ancestors, led by acclaimed bassist and composer Rachiim Ausar-Sahu, a Brooklyn native. FREE.
Music Picks Of The Week
with Gary Giddens of Sterling Records
In need of some musical inspiration? Check out Sterling Records’ top vinyl & book picks of the week, curated for Park Slope Pulse readers by owner Gary Giddens. For more great tunes, swing by Sterling Records on 5th Ave between Sterling & Douglass.
Sofia Kourtesis, Madres (2023)
“Sofia Kourtesis is a DJ from Peru who released her gorgeous debut album, Madras this past year. This is such a joyous masterclass in emotive electronic production. One of my favorites at the moment.”
Paul Morley, From Manchester with Love: The Life and Opinions of Tony Wilson (2021)
”Tony Wilson, the brains behind Manchester’s Factory records, home of Joy Division, New Order. Happy Mondays and so much more. This book captures the energy and intelligence of a complex but inspiring man.”
Beabadoobee, This Is How Tomorrow Moves (2024)
“Beabadoobee should be familiar to many— a Filipino-born English singer-songwriter. She’s already very popular, with 2 nights at Summerstage in Central Park coming up. I think this album, ‘This Is How Tomorrow Moves’ will be her biggest yet.”
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