Openings— Breakfast by Salt's Cure, Spudz Slope, Impasto, Studio 16, & The Puffin Foundation. Plus, The People's Ball Celebrates Fashion & Inclusivity.
Also happening this week— Kentucky Derby Day, First Saturday @ Brooklyn Museum, Pasta Rose Gala, & Sunday in the Cemetery.
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Here’s what’s happening this week:
Lots of Neighborhood Openings:
Brunch restaurant Breakfast by Salt’s Cure, originally located in West Hollywood and home of the popular Oatmeal Griddle Cake, soft opened in Prospect Heights! Check them out at 581 Vanderbilt Avenue between Dean and Pacific Streets.
Spudz Slope is celebrating their soft opening today, May 1st! They are located at 212 Prospect Park West between 16th Street and Windsor Place.
Impasto Pizzeria will open Sunday, May 4th! Check them out at 200 Garfield Place between 6th and 7th Avenues.
Private training gym Studio 16 opened at 586 4th Ave on the corner of 16th street. To celebrate, they are hosting a free comedy show tonight, May 1st, from 7-9pm with free drinks and a chance to meet the trainers, tour the space, and learn about their programs!
Non-profit art gallery & performance space The Puffin Foundation, which has for three decades operated out of Teaneck, NJ, opened its Park Slope office & gallery at 227 5th Avenue between President and Carroll Streets. Their inaugural exhibit, “Migration Stories,” is on view through June 21st.
Local spots Ciao, Gloria, Winner, Little Red Kitchen, Yardsale Cafe, Radio Bakery, and Breadivore are featured in The Infatuation’s “NYC's Best Cinnamon Rolls” list. Yum!
The pedestrian plaza currently under construction at 120 5th Avenue Baltic and Douglass Streets is slated to open in June, with CVS, Wells Fargo and Lidl supermarket opening later in the year [@theother5th]. See more details on the project here.
The Five Borough Bike Tour is happening this Sunday, May 4th! Check out the route map here and beware of road closures when planning travel.
DIY design among restaurateurs is on the rise! Daria Greene and Jay Kumar, owners of Park Slope restaurant Lore and the soon-to-open Folk, were featured in an Eater article this week highlighting how restaurants are coping with tariffs, rising rents, and soaring labor, food, and insurance costs.
Special Feature: Handmade Beauty for Mother's Day from RIDER
People always say that the shop was built for Mom's, and it's not by accident. I have a 1st grader at home, and some of the inspiration for starting RIDER in the first place was from my own Mother. That being said, I love to think about what might make eyes sparkle this time of year. My favorites right now are handmade with a lil' extra love, like this ceramic match striker, this catch-all trinket tray, this lightweight wool scarf, or these delicious salted caramels. And of course, there are cards. For your own sake, don't forget the card! -Alma
Our Top Picks
Events with an asterisk* tend to sell out- reserve tickets early!
Thursday, May 1st:
Tremendous: A Live Stand Up Comedy Show @ Studio 16, 7-9pm: To celebrate their grand opening, Studio 16 is hosting a free Standup Comedy Night at their brand new training studio in the heart of Brooklyn. Expect live standup comedy from some of the city’s best up-and-coming comedians, free drinks, a chance to meet the trainers, tour the space, and learn about their training programs! FREE.
The Pasta Rose Gala @ Bar Louise, 6-9pm: Join Bar Louise for a dazzling night of drinking and eating, all for a great cause! Ticket includes unlimited wine, cocktails and delicious food. All ticket proceeds go toward the Pasta Rose scholarship, which is awarded to Brooklyn students who have lost a parent to cancer. $95.
Saturday, May 3rd:
Spring Artisans Bazaar 2025 @ The Old Stone House, 10am-5pm: Expect perfect gifts for Mother's Day and more from Brooklyn's best independent designers and makers. Brooklyn Pop-Up produces curated storefront and outdoor retail events with a revolving group of artisans and vendors. They host contemporary fashion, accessories, home goods, beauty and wellness, handmade jewelry vendors, ceramic artists, pet accessories, boutique kids collections, as well as fine artists, and artisanal distillers—plus, they emphasize local craftspeople, sustainable design, and handmade wares. FREE- registration recommended.
Black Zine Fair: Discursive Circus @ Powerhouse Arts (Gowanus), 11am-6pm: Powerhouse Arts hosts this celebration of all things Black and independent publishing! The fair invites Zine makers, educators, collectors, and the zine-curious to gather, trade or sell zines, and exchange knowledge surrounding zine-making, publishing, and do-it-yourself culture. FREE (suggested donation: $5-$20).
Kentucky Derby Day @ Commonwealth Bar, 4-8pm: Visit the newly reopened Commonwealth Bar for this Derby Day celebration, which will include mint juleps, Kentucky Beer Cheese, and their famous Not-Called-Derby-Pie. Fancy Hats are encouraged! FREE entry.
First Saturday @ Brooklyn Museum, 5-10pm: On the first Saturday evening of most months, Brooklyn museum offers free programming to the community, including art, music, dancing, films, talks, readings, & creative outlets. Bring your friends and family to May’s First Saturday, showcasing the vibrant artistry, rich histories, and recreations of the Asian American and Pacific Islander diasporas in New York. FREE- registration recommended.
Sunday, May 4th:
Sunday in the Cemetery @ Green-Wood, 10am-4pm: Join Green-Wood for this free, all-day gathering with meditation, walking tours, talks, hands-on workshops, and chill hangs across their 478 acres of trees and blooming wildflowers. Highlights include sunrise meditation and movement under the trees, a walking tour of artful headstones and historic monuments, a book talk with the founder of Morbid Anatomy, pet grief convo, a textile arts workshop where you literally grieve and weave, and snacks and stories at sunset! FREE—reservation recommended.
Outdoor Pilates @ Atlantic Ave/Hoyt Open Streets (Downtown Brooklyn), 12-1pm: Hoyt Open Streets’ fitness series is back, and the district’s newest Pilates studio, JETSET Pilates, is set to open this summer and will be hosting a free community class to say hello to the neighborhood! This mat class is for adults of all levels. Please bring your own mat. FREE.
Walk-Up Paddling @ Gowanus Dredgers, 3-6pm: Participants utilize club canoes for a paddle at their own pace inside the protected Canal. Enjoy discovering the canal’s unique mix of wildlife and urban waterway infrastructure! After being fitted with a life jacket at the dock, participants are given instruction on how to paddle, safety tips on how to use a canoe and help with boarding. FREE— donations encouraged.
Fotos, Cartas y Flores: A Self Love Experience @ Juliette’s Floral Design, 3:30pm: You’re invited into a space of softness, femininity, y mucho amor. Bring your mom, a mother figure, or someone who has made a difference in your life, and expect a soft & sweet floral portrait shoot in front of a stunning floral backdrop, a love letter writing station to honor yourself, mothers, chosen family, and anyone who nurtured your spirit, and new amigas, community, and lots of flowers you get to take home. $46.
The People’s Ball: Style is a Revolution @ Brooklyn Public Library (Central Branch), 7pm: Named 'Time Out New York’s' Best Nightlife Event of 2023, The People’s Ball welcomes you to dress up in the clothes that make you feel your most beautiful and walk the runway in Central Library's iconic lobby. This free event, held on the eve of the Met Gala, offers an alternative to expensive & exclusive galas and thrives to showcase the diverse styles that put New York City fashion on the map! Guests of honor are Academy Award-winning designers Ruth E. Carter (Black Panther) and Paul Tazewell (Wicked). FREE—RSVP recommended.
📸: Brooklyn Public Library
Monday, May 5th:
Chai Salon @ Strong Rope Brewery (Gowanus), 3-4pm: Join Strong Rope for a cozy afternoon where you’ll trace the roots of chai, taste regional styles, and blend your own chai spice mix to take home. Dive into the history and cultural roots of chai and hear stories behind the spices. $76.54.
Wednesday, May 7th:
Sip & Paint: Watercolor Cards for Adults @ Bond Craft Studio (Gowanus), 7-9pm: Join Bond Craft Studio for a hands-on evening of watercolor card making! Whether you’re brand new to watercolor or its been awhile since you picked up a brush, this class is the perfect way to dip back in and have fun with color. Under the guidance of artist and instructor Alexa Saxton Thomas, you’ll learn simple watercolor techniques and create several beautiful handmade cards—perfect for gifting or keeping. All supplies are provided. Feel free to BYOB and snacks—they’ll have wine to sample as well! $50.
Book ahead for these popular events:
Open Stages 2025 @ Brooklyn Conservatory of Music—May 10th, 3-6pm: Brooklyn Conservatory of Music’s annual spring festival returns with an afternoon of free live music, dancing and neighborhood fun for all ages, on stoops and street corners all across Park Slope! This year will feature 30+ incredible musical acts, 10+ stages of free outdoor music, and delicious food and drink from local vendors. FREE—RSVP recommended.
✨Local Business Buzz ✨
Bonafini is offering $10 handmade, personal pizzettes Wednesdays through Fridays from 11am-4:30pm. Plus, enjoy $10 pours of house red of white wines every day!
Good Wine has closed its location on 327 5th Avenue. They are hoping to find a new home in the neighborhood soon!
🎗️Weekly Way to Give Back 🎗️
Brooklyn Book Drive—Sunday May 4th, 12-4pm: Non-profit Turning Pages NYC is hosting a Book Drive this weekend. Donate gently-used books to children and schools in need at the Prospect Park 15th Street entrance!
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