Openings— Wayward Fare, Nin Hao, Dilly Dally, Heap's; Free climb night, Dog Fashion Show, Full Moon Paddle, Rooftop Yoga, and a Q & A with Wine For Me founder Joan De Jesus
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! Park Slope Pulse gives you the first insights to make plans or start conversations.
Here’s what’s happening this week:
Three exciting openings in Prospect Heights: Wayward Fare, a Mediterranean- influenced and wood fire cooking restaurant led by Chef Akhtar Nawab (Alta Calidad), will open on 554 Vanderbilt Avenue between Pacific St and Atlantic Ave later this year. Nin Hao will open this month on 609 Dean Street between Carlton and Vanderbilt Avenues. The restaurant will serve Fujianese cuisine and is headed by executive chef Kim Hui Teo (Tim Ho Wan and Red Farm) and sommelier Zwann Grays (Olmstead). Comfort food-focused restaurant Dilly Dally opened yesterday, September 11th— check out details on Viv’s visit here.
Heap’s Ice Cream opened on 7th Ave & 1st Street last week.
Alamo Drafthouse in Downtown Brooklyn to dedicate its newly renovated theatre to Spike Lee. The Spike Lee Cinema Plaque will be unveiled tonight—September 12th— in a dedication ceremony. “Like many of the greatest films over the past 40 years, this theater is a Spike Lee Joint,” the plaque reads. “From his nuanced portrayals of Brooklyn life in ‘Do the Right Thing’ and ‘Crooklyn’ to his towering portrait of ‘Malcolm X,’ his vision has shaped our culture and left an indelible mark on this city.” [Variety].
A big congrats to our Back-To-School Giveaway winner, SaSaDi Odunsi. SaSaDi won a State Backpack & Yumbox from Annie’s Blue Ribbon General Store!
— Mychal & Viv
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Our Top Picks
Thursday, September 12th (Today)
Free Climb Night @ Brooklyn Bouldering Project, 6pm: Join Arc’teryx Ambassadors for a night of free climbing, with rental gear included! DJ sets by Chris Aiello and free refreshments by Baby’s Buns & Buckets provided. FREE (ticket required).
Summer Movie Series @ The Old Stone House, 7pm: Double Feature! Swipe NYC (2024- 20 mins) and Gray Matters (2007- 1 hour 35 mins): Tonight’s showing, which was rescheduled from August 8th, is the last chance to enjoy this free outdoor summer movie series sponsored by The Old Stone House, Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID, and the Brooklyn Arts Council. The event will feature two comedic films by local Park Slope filmmaker Sue Zarco Kramer. Located at the 4th Street Plaza, between 4th and 5th Avenue. FREE. Registration recommended.
Friday, September 13th
Strongtoberfest @ Strong Rope Brewery, 12-11pm: Celebrate Oktoberfest in Red Hook with live music, brews, and a steinholding contest! Strong Rope’s own Oktoberfest beer and festbiers from 10+ other NYC craft breweries will be served, and soft pretzels by Runner & Stone and traditional German dishes by Chaat Dog will be available for purchase. Enjoy classic Bavarian tunes and polka favorites by The Polka Brothers from 5-9:30pm. Tickets start at $15 and include a beer.
Saturday, September 14
Gilda’s Cafe Pop-Up @ Steppe, 8am-3pm: Join Gilda’s Cafe (opening in 2025!) today and tomorrow, September 15th, at Steppe’s Windsor Terrace showroom for locally roasted coffee, pastries, art, and design. Dog and kid friendly! FREE- RSVP encouraged.
Dog Fashion Show @ Freddy’s, 2-6pm: It’s a day of canine couture at Freddy’s Bar in South Slope! Sign your doggo up to strut their stuff or just stop by and enjoy the fun. Expect live music, treats, and a fundraiser for local shelters. FREE.
Moving Together @ 4th Street Plaza, 6-8:30pm: This weekly series, hosted by The Old Stone House and in•corpus, focuses on partner dances from New York. This week’s dance is the Latin Hustle, led by Ahtoy Juliana. Learn some new steps in the 30-min expert-led dance lesson followed by two hours of open social dancing. No experience or partner necessary! Runs through September 31st. FREE.
Wine For Me @ Farm To People, 3-9pm: This monthly natural wine party celebrates community and aims to make wine culture more inclusive (see Q & A with founder Joan De Jesus below!). This month’s event is held at Bushwick’s Farm To People and includes DJ sets by GabSoul and Maddylane. $10.
The Great Irish Fair of New York @ Holy Name of Jesus Parish, 11am: This annual fair has been celebrating the very best of Irish culture in NYC for over 40 years. Enjoy Irish Music, Vendors, Irish-Step Dancing, Bagpipes, and fun for the entire family. FREE.
Sunday, September 15th
Pilates with Dodge YMCA @ Brooklyn Bridge Park, 10:30-11:30am: Every Sunday through September 29th, head to Brooklyn Bridge Park to enhance your control, stability, coordination, endurance, balance, strength, and flexibility. FREE (registration required).
📸: Etienne Frossard Back-To-School Party @ Montague Street, 12-4pm: This annual event in Brooklyn Heights is presented by Brooklyn Bridge Parents & Mommy Poppins. Expect games, arts & crafts, soccer, bubble shows, face painting, kids fitness classes, obstacle course, dance parties, DJ sets, and kids concerts. FREE (reservation recommended).
Live In The Taproom @ Brooklyn Kura, 4-7pm: Head over to Industry City for an afternoon of jazz blues at Sake Brewery & Tap Room Brooklyn Kura. Enjoy live music by local favorite The Tambour Kings while sampling a sake flight or sipping a craft cocktail. FREE.
Tuesday, September 17th
Full Moon Gowanus Voyage @ Gowanus Dredgers Bunker, 6:30-8:30pm: Join the Gowanus Dredgers for a guided full-moon paddle on the Gowanus Canal! The stars and harbor lights will be on full display, and lights for each canoe will be provided. $28.52
Movie Night @ Bar Louise- Sideways, 8pm: This fall movie series is held weekly on Bar Louise’s back patio. September’s theme is aptly dubbed “Eating and Drinking”, and this week’s showing features 2004’s Sideways. Free popcorn provided! Reservation required. $25/pp min spend.
Trivia League Tuesday @ Parklife, 7:30-9pm: Each Tuesday, test your smarts with a free-to-play pub quiz presented by the NYC Trivia League. Teams of two to six players can compete for great prizes provided by Coney Island Beer, Angry Orchard Hard Cider & Truly Hard Seltzer. Reservations recommended and walk-in slots available pending capacity. FREE (food or drink purchase required).
Wednesday, September 18th
Rooftop Yoga @ Fairfield by Marriott, 6:30-7:30: Brooklyn Bouldering Project presents this free power flow yoga class in Gowanus. Stay after for sunset views and a special post-flow happy hour! FREE (ticket required).
Q & A with Wine For Me founder Joan De Jesus
Joan De Jesus is on a mission to make wine culture more accessible. She founded Wine For Me, a monthly natural wine party centered around community, in July 2022. Last month, they packed the house at Public Records in Gowanus, and this month’s event is this Saturday at Bushwick’s Farm to People from 3-9pm. Click here to join the party. Cheers! 🍷
What is the inspiration behind Wine For Me? How did it all start?
In 2021 I decided to build on my love of natural wine by pursuing a WSET (Wine and Spirits Education Trust) certification. While I passed the exam, the experience illuminated that the conventional wine industry still relies on taste standards that are decided by a few and not relatable to all. Instead of using this training to work at a traditional, white tablecloth establishment, I went a different route. I realized I wanted to build community through wine on more accessible terms by gathering friends and getting them to try red, white, macerated wines and other wild cards curated by me. What started out as hosting friends on the stoop of my landlord’s brownstone for a tasting quickly grew to pop-ups at wine bars across Brooklyn and thus Wine For Me was created in the summer of 2022.
You talk about making wine culture more intersectional and inclusive. Tell us more about that.
When I talk about making wine culture more inclusive and intersectional I mean creating spaces that center the experience of Black and Brown people, whether they’re a wine buyer, a casual wine enthusiast or brand new to wine. Wine, including natural wine, is still gatekept when it comes to where it happens and who is included. It’s still very much IYKYK and built around industry professionals that decide which producers and distributors make it to your table or wine shop. Even though I know a little about wine I don’t necessarily fall in that exclusive circle. Quite literally, Wine For Me started as a way to create a space for me and others to be curious about natural wine in a fun and welcoming environment, regardless of our knowledge of wine.
Describe a Wine For Me party for readers who haven't been.
It might be a little different from what you expect of a typical wine event. Sure, there is a wine list that has been meticulously curated, but the wine is not the focal point, the community is. When you walk into one of our events you're welcomed by a diverse crowd, great music, lots of dancing, and friendly faces that are sharing a bottle of orange wine or chilled red. You'll see a lot of folks pouring from communal wine bottles saying "you have to try this" or "I'll get the next one" as they continue to catch their friends up on their weekend escapades or how that meeting at work went over a few hours (and bottles).
Your Instagram says that your monthly wine party is "centered around community." What does your Brooklyn community mean to you, and what role do you see Wine For Me playing in the community?
WFM's first supporters were my neighbors and friends in Brooklyn and now that group has grown even larger. When I say the series is centered around community I mean that no one experiences Wine For Me alone. I've seen this happen in real time. Two women will meet waiting on the line at Wine For Me and fast forward 6 months and they're best friends. Whether you come with your crew or are riding solo, the Wine For Me community has an openness to new experiences and meeting new friends over their shared love of wine.
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Nin Hao opens on Saturday!!