A band of more than 80 Park Slope merchants
have taken it upon themselves to improve the local economy the
weekend of Nov. 9 – and you can enjoy the savings.
Calling their weekend-long event "Fall Into Fifth,"
the merchants on Fifth Avenue between Flatbush Avenue and Ninth
Street have scheduled fashion shows, dinner specials, art exhibits,
performances and lots of sales.
The merchants are also prematurely celebrating the ending of
construction projects on Fifth Avenue, which are slated to wrap
up this month – just in time for holiday shopping. The Fifth
Avenue construction had slowed foot traffic to a trickle for
some merchants for the past year. According to Craig Hammerman,
district manager of Community Board 6, the majority of the work
may be out of the way by Nov. 16, except for the intersections
of Union Street and Fifth Avenue and St. Johns and Fifth Avenue.
"We are pushing for two-way traffic and bus service to be
restored prior to mid-November," said Hammerman. "We
are advocating for full access, so there will be a close to normal
shopping season. We are advocating for it and seem to have the
construction crew’s cooperation – it just depends on what they
find in the streets."
"Fall into Fifth" is hoped to be a shot in the arm
for the merchants hurt by the construction. This weekend of events
grew out of a successful "Spring Out on Fifth" weekend
hosted by just seven merchants in April, and has mushroomed to
include 80 stores and restaurants.
"We’re doing it again on a larger scale. Many [stores] expressed
interest in participating because it was such a success,"
said Yvonne Chu, a clothing designer and owner of Kimera boutique,
one of the original seven merchants. "There are 80 stores
participating in this brochure [a map of the stores along this
one-mile stretch of Fifth Avenue] which hopes to put the word
out that Fifth Avenue is a shopping and dining destination. The
people in the immediate neighborhood are aware, but outside of
Fifth Avenue, they aren’t aware of it – yet."
The food
On Friday Nov. 9, new Thai restaurant Long
Tan (196 Fifth Ave. at Union Street) will offer a prix fixe dinner
($20.01) from 5:30 to 9 pm. The bonus? Choose any appetizer, entree and
dessert from their full menu.
Additional restaurants offering dinner specials or discounts on Nov. 9
include Aunt Suzie’s (247 Fifth Ave. at Carroll Street), Bonnie’s Grill
(278 Fifth Ave. at First Street), Convivium
Osteria (68 Fifth Ave. at Bergen Street) and Al Di La Trattoria (248
Fifth Ave. at Carroll Street).
If you’re already agonizing over your family’s Thanksgiving wine
menu, you’ll want to go to Red White & Bubbly (211213
Fifth Ave. at Union Street) on Saturday to stock up. Sommelier
Darrin Siegfried will host a free wine tasting from 5 to 8 pm.
After all, a good wine helps even the driest turkeys down.
"We do this every Friday and Saturday," said Siegfried
of the tasting, but, on Nov. 9, visitors will enjoy wines from
Domaine des Quatre Vents from Fleurie, France. Siegfried said
he spent two weeks in France this summer and visited this vineyard.
The store carries one of the wines from this domaine, named an
"overlooked treasure" by Wine Spectator magazine, according
to Siegfried.
"It received a terrific score," he said. "It’s
an incredibly versatile wine, and at $14 a bottle, a great value."
On Saturday, Nov. 10, from 2 to 6 pm, Siegfried will be offering
a tasting of wines from Domaine Fabre Mont Mayou of Argentina.
"These wines are made from 50-year-old vines and aged 12
months in French oak barrels. They’re absolutely delicious,"
assures Siegfried.
A tasting of another sort will be taking place on Saturday from
noon to 4 pm at Panorama Fine Foods (152 Fifth Ave. between Douglass
and DeGraw). They will host a "traditional cheese tasting"
– also free of charge.
On Nov. 10, Black Butterfly Cafe (381 Fifth Ave. at Sixth Street)
will serve complimentary hors d’oeuvres from 5 to 8 pm and Los
Pollitos (148 Fifth Ave. at Douglass Street) will offer a free
glass of wine with dinner – if you remember to mention "Fifth
Avenue Open House."
On Sunday, Nov. 11, Rosewater (787
Union St. at Sixth Avenue) will offer a prix fixe brunch ($10) from 11
am to 3 pm that includes an entree and beverage. For reservations, call
(718) 783-3800.
Health & beauty
On Nov. 10, you’ll want to stop by Opal
Center for Massage and Allied Therapies (158 Fifth Ave. between Douglass
and DeGraw streets) to enter their raffle to win a free 70-minute massage.
According to co-owner Sarah Falkner, the winner can choose from the menu
of therapies at Opal – heated stones, aromatherapy and more. These therapies
are incorporated into the Swedish massage.
Opal will be taking names for the raffle from 10 am to 12:30
pm, and the winner will receive a gift certificate valid for
one year. For more information about Opal, go to their Web site,
www.opalcenter.com.
Rapunzel Rapunzel salon at 158 Fifth Ave. between Douglass and
DeGraw streets will collect names throughout the weekend for
a drawing for a free makeover.
Shopping
Brooklyn FrameWorks at 169 Fifth Ave. at Lincoln Place will offer
10 percent off their Maxfield Parrish prints and Indian miniature
paintings on Nov. 10 and 11.
On Saturday you can enjoy informal fashion shows at both Kimera
and Eidolon clothing stores.
From 2 to 5 pm Kimera clothing boutique
(274 Fifth Ave. at Garfield Street) will celebrate its second anniversary
with champagne and informal modeling.
Owner-designer Yvonne Chu says, "My designs are influenced
by different cultures from around the world, though for this
season the emphasis is on the Eastern cultures."
Chu has recruited a few of her "best customers" to
model her clothes, "so other customers can see how outfits
look put together on somebody."
Kimera – the name a play on the spelling of "Chimera,"
the tripartite monster of Greek mythology – also sells vintage
clothing, accessories, jewelry, handbags and gift items.
Eidolon (233 Fifth Ave. at President Street) will also host an
informal fashion show and "meet the designers," including
co-owners Amara Felice, Andrea Fisher and Yukie Ohta from 3 to
4 pm on Nov. 10. Also, for the entire weekend, enjoy 10 percent
off of Eidolon boutique’s wares which include knit scarves, hats
and sweaters and shoes.
According to Felice, "Everything is very unique, handmade
by primarily Brooklyn artists. And we’re not trendy – we have
great things for all ages, not age specific."
On Saturday, Knitting Salon (361 Fifth Ave. at Sixth Street)
proprietress Prophet will host a half-hour spinning demonstration
beginning at 4 pm. This year-old, full-service knitting store,
offers a wide selection of yarn and knitting needles, from vintage
bone to wood needles, handmade by Prophet.
The store is a "salon" because "people can come
and knit at any time – just pull up some floor," said Prophet.
Prophet teaches knitting, crocheting, spinning and some weaving
classes. "I make a lot of my own yarn and I sell good, real
deal wool – grass roots products mostly by local spinners and
dyers," says Prophet. For more information, go to www.theknittingsalon.com.
On Nov. 11 from noon to 6 pm, Albert & Piccolo (276L Fifth
Ave. at First Street) will open a group show of paintings, sculpture
and photography in the gallery at the rear of this retail clothing
store.
Albert & Piccolo also sells clothing and accessories – everything
from T-shirts to dresses designed by Natti Samuel Jackson. Accessories
include handcrafted leather goods and jewelry by local designers.
Performances
On Saturday Nov. 10, Patrias (167 Fifth Ave. between Berkeley
and Lincoln places) will host a free performance by a trio of
Brooklyn percussionists.
Performing Cuban Son music – Buena Vista Social Club-type music
from Cuba – the trio of members from Son Yuma, led by music director
Barry Cox, will perform at Patrias from 4 to 6 pm.
This authentic Latin American folk art store sells jewelry, home
furnishings, music, books and paper products and is owned by
Cobble Hill resident Paulina Perez Bemporad.
"We will have a sale that weekend to kick off the holiday
season," Bemporad told GO Brooklyn. "We have a whole
new shipment from Mexico. We have a lot of really great ceramics
from Mexico – a lot of artists from the wonderful book ’Great
Masters of Mexican Folk Art.’ We located the artists featured
in that coffee table book – we really do try to locate very authentic
folk art from Mexico.
"We have a lot of new ceramics from Colombia and Peru and
ornaments from Haiti, Honduras, Peru and Mexico. We’re very excited
about new stuff for Christmas," said Bemporad. For more
information about the store, go to the Web site at www.patrias.com.
Stomp your heels to the sounds of flamenco fusion band Manue
at Moda Cafe (294 Fifth Ave.) on Nov. 10 at 9 pm. On Nov. 9 at
11 pm, go to 200 Fifth, a restaurant-bar on Fifth Avenue at Union
Street, to hear Salsa band Rayjay y su Orquestra. Admission:
$5.
At 2 and 4 pm, Brooklyn Arts Exchange will present three interactive
dance programs with choreographer Shannon Hummel. The program,
suitable for young audiences, will take place at BAX, 421 Fifth
Ave. at Eighth Street. Tickets are $8 adults, $6 children, $4
low-income.
For kids
Scaredy Kat, a card and gift shop at 219 Fifth Ave. at Union
Street, invites kids to help decorate their windows on Nov. 10
from noon to 8 pm. Scaredy Kat will provide the art supplies,
the kids provide their imaginations.
Go Fish (260 Fifth Ave. between Carroll and Garfield streets),
a re-sale shop featuring children’s clothing and maternity clothing,
as well as parenting books and movies and fitness tapes, invites
you and your little ones to storytelling at 10 am and 2 pm on
Nov. 10.
In addition to "gently used" clothing there are a number
of new gift items at Go Fish, such as Music for Aardvark CDs
and Dan Zane CDs. The store also features clothing designed by
local artists including handmade ponchos and tutus.
Also on Nov. 10, LuLu’s Cuts and Toys (310 Fifth Ave. between
Second and Third streets), a kids’ hair salon and toy store,
will host a special performance by "Billy Bones the Good
Pirate" from 11 am to noon. LuLu’s will give away balloons
and lollipops, while "Billy Bones the Good Pirate"
performs magic, puppetry, interactive games, nonsense competitions
and pirate lessons for all.
On Sunday, Nov. 11, Eggshell the Clown will roam Fifth Avenue,
from DeGraw Street to Third Street from noon to 6 pm, performing
magic, painting faces and performing music.
