New Openings: Ladybird Bakery & La Taq, Sunday Service at Brooklyn Public Library Resumes, Salsa Under the Stars, Art On the Ave

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.

Photo by @NYCCouncil at Brooklyn’s Central Library

Here’s what’s happening this week:

• Excited to announce that Mychal Phillips just joined as the new Newsletter Editor for Park Slope Pulse (she has written most of this newsletter!) and we'll introduce her in an upcoming issue as she gets settled in!

• Sunday service is back at Brooklyn Public Library! Following an agreement between Mayor Eric Adams and the City Council to restore $58.3 million in funding to the NYC public library systems, seven day service is returning to most of Brooklyn’s public libraries. Central Library and Kings Highway Branches celebrated Sunday re-openings July 14th, with other branches set to re-open in the coming weeks. [Brooklyn Paper].

• Openings: La Taq is reopening this month after closing in 2011 (it had been open for over 20 years in business before then). Unoriginal Noodles on 687 6th Ave between 19th and 20th Streets celebrated their grand opening July 17th! Check out some photos of the delicious dishes Viv got to try earlier this month. Paint-Your-Own Pottery Studio The Painted Pot is now open in their new space on 188 5th Ave between Degraw and Sackett Streets. Rider Gifts opened their North Slope location on 347 5th Avenue between 4th and 5th Streets on July 9th. Ladybird Bakery is back! Their new home is at 252 Prospect Park West between Prospect Ave and Windsor Pl.

  lataq_parkslope

  

  A post shared by @lataq_parkslope

— Mychal & Viv

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Special Feature: Lapine Fitness Studio - New Location!

LFS, Brooklyn’s premiere Small Group Personal Training Studio just expanded into a brand new space 4x the size of our old studio with all brand spanking new equipment!

For a limited time you can start your fitness journey at LFS with your first 2 weeks completely FREE. Here’s a little more about what we do:

✅ Small session sizes to make sure you’re getting the attention you deserve (max 4 members to 1 coach)

✅ Customized workout program made specifically for your body, goals, experience, injuries etc. 

✅ Work with our registered Dietitian and get off the diet roller coaster once and for all!

Schedule your free to get to know ya call

[To get featured here, email info@parkslopeliving for more info]

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Our Top Picks

• Art on the Ave Interactive Gallery Walk- on display at locations in Park Slope and Bed-Stuy through September 1st: New York-Presbyterian is partnering with public arts initiative Art On the Ave to bring gallery-style art installations to vacant storefronts in Brooklyn. The gallery walk features local Brooklyn artists who are bringing their art and flair to beautify the neighborhoods while showcasing their pieces for sale. Residents who walk by can scan QR codes to find out more about the artist and their work. FREE. Event details here.

Thursday (Today)

• Midsummer Nights 2024 @ The Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, 6:30 pm: The first of four golden- hour concerts held on BKCM’s front stoop, this year’s series is curated by rising jazz star and BKCM Jazz Leadership Fellow Melanie Charles and her NYC-based collective, Make Jazz Trill Again. Expect a lineup of artists who are expanding the borders of contemporary jazz in NYC, infusing elements of R&B, hip-hop, Latin, African and experimental musical traditions. Limited seating—FREE. RSVP here.

• Summer Movie Series @ The Old Stone House, 8:30pm: Yesterday (2019): The Old Stone House, Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID, and the Brooklyn Arts Council sponsor this free outdoor summer movie series which continues weekly through August 8th at 4th Street Plaza, between 4th and 5th Avenue. Live music pre-show by Tambor y Cana at 7:30pm. FREE. Register here.

  

  Outdoor Movie Night at Old Stone House of Brooklyn (Photo by @theother5th)

Friday, July 19

• Friday Night Fireworks @ Coney Island, 9:45PM:  Catch this spectacular show lighting up the Coney Island skyline every Friday through August 30th. Want to show off your vocal chops? Don’t miss pre-show karaoke at 7pm. FREE.

• Myrtle Avenue Summer Nights @ The Myrtle Avenue Plaza, 5-8PM: Offering something for everyone in the family, this fun event features live music performances with Jem Bleu and The Benny Lopez Latin Jazz Ensemble, a WRITE pop-up writing room by Street Lab, double dutch with the BKLYN Jumpers, tarot card readings (including a paired Tarot with Ana x Wine Tasting at Tipsy), caricature drawing, face painting, balloon twisting, and an arts & crafts workshop with Canary Swords. FREE.

• Sounds at Sunset @ Brooklyn Bridge Park, 7-9:30PM: World-renowned kora player Yacouba Sissoko and his band SIYA will share West African songs and stories that have been passed down through generations at this free music concert series organized by Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy. FREE. RSVP here.

Saturday, July 20

• Outdoor Salsa Night @ Vanderbilt Open Streets, 5-9pm: Immerse yourself in the rhythms of Latin music with Salsa dancing under the stars on Vanderbilt Avenue! This event is held on the third Saturday of every month until September and features free salsa class presented by Salsa Salsa Dance Studio at 5pm followed by dancing to Latin beats by DJ Louie Tee. FREE.

• The Opera Next Door presents “Stoop Stories” @ Bergen St between Bond and Hoyt Streets, 6pm: Brooklyn-based opera company The Opera Next Door is passionate about fostering community through the magic of opera. Join them for an evening of arias and songs as they reflect back on their journey and the impact the stoop has had on them. FREE. More info here.

• Big Summer Dance Benefit @ Pier 3 Plaza, Brooklyn Bridge Park, 3-9PM: Party With a Purpose on the Waterfront! The Loft, the longest running underground dance party in New York City, has partnered with Brooklyn Bridge Park to throw a “Love Saves the Day” Tribute to David Mancuso and his cultural contributions to music, dance, and community. Proceeds from this all-age dance event will benefit Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy’s free programming. $65. Purchase tickets here.

• Monthly Mixer @ Leroy’s Place, 4pm: Join Leroy’s Place for their monthly mixer which also coincides with their Annual Vintage Pop-Up Event! Enjoy music from Psychic Records and snacks & refreshments while mingling with neighbors and shopping for unique vintage finds. The event is perfect for the whole family until 6 PM, and 6pm- 8pm is for 21+. FREE. Event details here.

Sunday, July 21

• Green-Wood's Greatest Hits Walking Tour @ The Green-Wood Cemetery, 1pm: Join Green-Wood Cemetery’s expert tour guides on a walking tour of Green-Wood living cemetery, founded in 1838. Tread where George Washington and his troops fought in the Battle of Brooklyn; learn of the massive fire that struck the Brooklyn Theatre in 1876; pay your respects to the maestro, Leonard Bernstein; and discover much more. $26.49. Purchase tickets here.

• Live Model Drawing @ Please NYC, 11am-1pm: Please NYC, an educated pleasure shop in South Slope, is hosting a donation-based live nude drawing in their shop. The event is designed to be a space to draw freely with like-minded individuals, rather than a structured art class. Pay-What-You-Can ($20 Suggested). Tickets available here.

Tuesday, July 23

• “Shred Like a Champ” Free Youth Skateboarding Lesson @ Golconda Skatepark, 1-4pm: Skate Everything School and the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development have partnered up to offer free skateboard lessons for ages 6-16 in Downtown Brooklyn throughout the summer. Skaters will learn the fundamentals of skateboarding in a competitive but supportive environment. FREE. Registration required— see details here.

Check out the comments for anything we’ve missed!

[Upgrade to paid to add a comment to list your event or share an announcement.]

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Brianna Plaza - Shop Local & Make These Summer Salads

Brianna Plaza, a Park Slope resident, explores the world of food and drink through stories, original recipes, and interviews in her Substack, on hand. She has kindly contributed an extract of on hand’s latest issue below where she creates 3 delicious Summer recipes using fresh ingredients from local businesses & markets:

“Tuesday marked Prime Day, Amazon’s annual mega sale. But this week, when you’re adding stuff to your carts, I challenge you to put a few things back on the virtual shelves and go spend that money in your neighborhood instead. 

Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities. They provide jobs and stimulate the local economy, and they add charm and give our neighborhoods their unique personalities. But these last few years have not been kind to small businesses, and they’re struggling to compete. It seems like every week, a much loved business closes its doors due to their building being sold or skyrocketing rents.

It sometimes feels impossible to avoid big retail giants, but this week, think about where you’re spending your money. If you were looking to Amazon to buy holiday gifts, seek out a quirky gift shop in town instead. Or, if you normally make a big grocery store run on the weekend, look for your local farm stand or farmers’ market to buy some of your produce there. Amazon will be just fine without your cash, but shifting where you spend your money, even once a week, can have a big impact.

This week, I have three salad recipes that showcase the absolute bounty of summer produce — plus I was able to purchase most of the ingredients in my neighborhood. You should be able to find all of the vegetables and herbs at a farmers’ market, and the cheese and olives can be procured at a cheese shop or small Italian market. The remaining pantry staples, you likely have on hand.

Tomatoes with Mozzarella, Black Olives, and Basil Oil

A riff on the classic caprese salad, black olives bring a salty, briny punch.

Photo by Brianna Plaza

Serves 4

1 lb slicing tomatoes, thinly sliced

1/2 lb fresh mozzarella, torn into rough pieces

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup packed basil leaves for the oil plus a few more leaves for garnish

1/3 cup mixed black olives, pitted and finely chopped

6 tablespoons red wine vinegar

3 cloves garlic, grated

Kosher salt

Maldon salt, if you have it.

Pepper

Optional: crusty bread to serve

To make the basil oil: bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare a cup with ice water in it. When the water boils, add basil leaves and cook for about 30 seconds. Place into the cold water bath. Squeeze the water out of the basil and add to a small food processor or immersion blender cup. Add 1/2 olive oil, a small pinch of salt, and blend until smooth. Let sit for 10 minutes to infuse. If you want, you can strain the oil through a fine mesh strainer, but that’s not necessary.

While oil is infusing mix together olives, garlic, and red wine vinegar.

Arrange sliced tomatoes on a plate, top with Maldon salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Scatter torn mozzarella and part of the black olive mixture. Drizzle some of basil oil over everything. I like to reserve some of the black olives and the oil so when people grab a serving, they can add more if they want.”

Read the full article for 2 more of Brianna’s Summer salad recipes or sign up to on hand on Substack

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