Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Passover Food Update


Okay so far, after polling the restaurants along the Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID (Dean - 18th Street), we have come up with only one Passover special:

Miriam appears to be serving a special Matzo ball soup, along with a chicken stuffed with butternut squash.

If you know of any other specials that we have missed, please let us know in the "Comments", below, and we'll update this post.

Photos by HaleyHyatt [Flickr]

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Happy Passover!



-from the gang at All About Fifth and the Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID.

We are working to get information on special Passover menus and/or dishes at restaurants along Fifth. Stay tuned.

Photo: esanders64 [Flickr]

Monday, March 29, 2010

Dine in Brooklyn 2010 Follow-Up

We thought we would do some follow-up to this year's Dine in Brooklyn, to see how well it went for local restaurants. Some of the results of our unscientific poll are below:

Question:
Was "restaurant week" (Dine in Brooklyn) a success for your restaurant?

200 Fifth: "Restaurant week went well. It brought in business. We have done it for four years and will likely continue in the future."

Belleville: "We actually extended restaurant week because we had a fantastic response. More business was generated for us, which means more business was generated for the area."

Stone Park Cafe: "We participated for both weeks and business was busier than average."

Miriam Restaurant: "Our sales doubled during restaurant week. It went well and we would participate again."

Sounds like good news, right?

How was Dine in Brooklyn for you? If you are a diner, did you get out and eat and how was your experience? If you are a restaurant owner, did you have a similar experience to the restaurants, above? Share your experience in the comments, below.

Friday, March 26, 2010

News Round Up

Fornino Pizzeria Opening in Park Slope [Slice]

Eat Here: Get Fresh Table & Market: Park Slope, Brooklyn [Felicia Sullivan]

Best Hot Dogs in New York [Manhattan Style]

Answers About the Gowanus Canal, Part 2 [NY Times]

Thursday, March 25, 2010

PS Reader on Fifth

The Spring 2010 edition of the Park Slope Reader just hit the streets and in it, is a great feature article on Irene Lo Re, owner of Aunt Suzie's Restaurant and Executive Director of the Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID.

The article focuses on her restaurant, as well as her years of experience with Fifth Avenue. In her own words: "I remember having a staff meeting maybe fifteen years ago and saying ‘there are six restaurants in Park Slope, the competition is fierce.'"

My, how things have changed!

You can read the entire article in the printed Park Slope Reader (stop by your favorite Fifth Avenue store, pick up a copy and maybe do some shopping) or online at psreader.com [Connecting With The Changing Neighborhood].

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Fifth Avenue Family Festival

Save the Date!

April 24th at 4th Street and 5th Avenue (but you knew that already by looking at the poster, below). You can download a .pdf copy with the link, below.


Fifth Avenue Family Festival

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Dine in Brooklyn 2010: Week 2



There is still plenty of time for you to take advantage of some great dining deals during Dine in Brooklyn 2010.

As a reminder, The Park Slope Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District has 19 participating restaurants in this year's Dine in Brooklyn event:

200 Fifth, Alchemy, Al Di La, AOC Bistro, Aperitivo Cafe, Aunt Suzie's, Belleville, Blue Ribbon, Blue Ribbon Sushi, Bogota Latin Bistro, Canaille Bistro, Get Fresh Table & Market, J Pan Sushi, Kappa Sake House, Long Tan, Melt, Miriam, Peperoncino, Stone Park Cafe!

For contact info or to call ahead for specials, check out the BID's Business Directory.

A full list of Brooklyn participants is available for download here (.pdf).

Monday, March 22, 2010

Parking Meter Update


As we mentioned more than a week ago, it was rumored that the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) was going to raise meter rates on 5th and 7th Avenues to $2.50 per hour during peak times.

According to the Brooklyn Paper, though, last Wednesday DOT met with the Transportation Committee of Community Board Six, seeking feedback on the pilot "Park Smart" program. During that meeting, it was announced that meter rates would remain at $1.50, for now. It seems that the increase to $1.50, along with the installation of MUNI meters, has improved the parking condition along the avenues sufficiently.

For full coverage of the meeting, click here.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Call for Films

The Park Slope Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District announced their Films on Fifth event a few weeks ago. Planning continues but we hear that there is still an open call for films. See the poster, below, for details. Pass the message on to anyone you know who might be interested in screening their films!

Also, feel free to download it as a .pdf here and post it or pass it around.

Have a great weekend!

Poster

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Where to Dine on Fifth 2



Just noticed that Miriam Restaurant (79 Fifth Avenue) has posted a large, 3-course Prix Fix Dine in Brooklyn menu on their website. It's so large, in fact, that we won't post it here. Check it out at Miriamrestaurant.com.

If you haven't tried Miriam's amazing Israeli food, this is the time to do so.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Where to Dine on Fifth


The Park Slope Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District has 19 participating restaurants in this year's Dine in Brooklyn event:

200 Fifth, Alchemy, Al Di La, AOC Bistro, Aperitivo Cafe, Aunt Suzie's, Belleville, Blue Ribbon, Blue Ribbon Sushi, Bogota Latin Bistro, Canaille Bistro, Get Fresh Table & Market, J Pan Sushi, Kappa Sake House, Long Tan, Melt, Miriam, Peperoncino, Stone Park Cafe!

For contact info or to call ahead for specials, check out the BID's Business Directory.

A full list of Brooklyn participants is available for download here (.pdf).

Oh, and since it's St. Patrick's Day, click here for a list of Fifth Avenue Bars and Pubs.

Photo via Flickr

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Dine in Brooklyn Begins


Yesterday marked the beginning of Dine in Brooklyn 2010. For the rest of the week, we'll try to do our part by featuring the lunch and dinner specials of Fifth Avenue participants. Now, it's your turn to do your part by having a great meal!

Today: Aunt Suzie's Restaurant (247 Fifth Avenue):

4 COURSE DINNER FOR $25.00


HOUSE OR CAESAR SALAD

PASTA with MARINARA, ALFREDO, MEAT OR VODKA SAUCE

ANY CHICKEN, PORK, EGGPLANT OR SALMON DISH

COFFEE & SELECTED DESSERTS

OR

SELECTED AFTER DINNER DRINK



Click here to see a map of more 2010 participants in Park Slope.

Monday, March 15, 2010

New Store: Chairman?


Last week Brownstoner reported that Guvnor's Vintage Thrift is moving next door to 176 5th Avenue (a 1,900 square foot space) and will reopen mid-March.

Next door, Guvnor's old location will be filled by "Gift Man", which local intel tells us is really 7th Avenue's Chairman.

Interesting developments along the Avenue, No?

Friday, March 12, 2010

News Round-Up

A new ‘Benchmark’ for Park Slope [The Brooklyn Paper]

Text & Donate to the Brooklyn Library [Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn]

Streetlevel: Vintage Clothes and Decor on 5ths [Brownstoner]

Liveblogging the Barclays Center Groundbreaking [Curbed]

Bar of the Day: The Gate [Brokelyn]

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Name that Cookie!


Our friends at the Little Buddy Biscuit Company need your help naming a cookie. No, seriously!

They are holding a "Name The Shamrock Cookie" contest through March 16th. Drop by their shop (635 5th Avenue bet 17th & 18th Streets) and fill out the contest entry form and you could be the lucky winner of a Little Buddy 6-pack of cookies.

The contest is open to all ages so bring the whole family!

By the way, the Little Buddy Biscuit Company's new expanded menu is now available online. Click here to check it out.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Nannygate on Fifth?


Nannies are a hot topic in Park Slope today, thanks to the recently released results of Park Slope Parents' Nanny Survey (.pdf download).

According to The Brooklyn Paper, the results are a bit surprising:

* Only 14% of Park Slope parents pay their nannies on the books,
* Only 33% of have written contracts with their nannies, and
* The average weekly take-home pay is $548, 30% less that the NYC average.

Now, clearly the economy has something to do with these results. In fact, only 33% of the survey respondents were able to give their nannies a raise this year, as opposed to 55% last year. Looking around at some of the empty storefronts along Fifth Avenue, one can see a clear connection between the economic downturn, nanny pay and the loss of business for local merchants.

One also has to wonder whether similar results can be found in other neighborhoods throughout the city. Thanks to recent negative coverage of Park Slope (kids in bars, etc.) the results of this survey are clearly more interesting news for the media (there go those crazy Park Slope Parents, again).

Oh well, for what it's worth, the full survey is available here. The Brooklyn Paper's coverage can be found here.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Higher Meter Rates on 5th and 7th?


All About Fifth has learned that the New York City Department of Transportation is considering raising parking meter rates at the MUNI Meters along the Park Smart pilot area on Fifth and Seventh Avenues. The proposed rate could be as much as $2.50 per hour, during peak hours (12:00 - 4:00 PM).

The Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID (BID), the Park Slope Chamber of Commerce and merchants along Seventh Avenue believe that another meter increase will hurt merchants and discourage people from shopping and dining on Fifth and Seventh Avenues, especially during this recession.

What do you think? Leave a comment, below.

The BID is circulating paper petitions along the avenue and has started an online petition, as well. If you are interested, it is available to sign here.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Dine in Brooklyn Details



Just a quick update about this year's Dine in Brooklyn (sponsored by Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz):

March 15 - March 25: 3-course meals for $20.10 (lunch) or $25.00 (dinner) (plus taxes, tips, and drinks).

A map of participating Park Slope restaurants is available here. It looks like 23 Fifth Avenue restaurants (within the BID boundaries) are signed up at this time.

Time to make reservations!

Friday, March 5, 2010

4th Avenue Forum


Instead of our regular news feature, All About Fifth wanted to give a shout to the great forum held on the future of 4th Avenue sponsored by the Park Slope Civic Council (PSCC) last night. The panelists were top notch, the attendance was high and the engagement, real. A number of salient issues were discussed from Atlantic Yards and storm surges (not the same thing)—to the need for ground floor retail and importance of pedestrian safety. Planning along 4th is in its infancy, and last night many agreed that 2010 represents a good time for the community to imagine its future and get involved in shaping it. The famously wide thoroughfare is also long—and brings together the diverse communities of Park Slope, the Gowanus, Sunset Park and other neighborhoods in a unique opportunity to work together on the challenges and possibilities that face its development. 4th is our seat to the NYC marathon, it is a major commuter corridor for cars, bikes and transit users—and home to a number of long term and new residents who will increasingly press their hopes upon its face. The call for engagement was palpable. If you’re interested in getting on board, visit the Park Slope Civic Council website, contact your local representatives, bring the Avenue up to your local nonprofits and neighborhood associations, or start your own campaign. We, at All About Fifth, can't wait to see all the bold and innovative ways residents will make their mark on this critical but nascent Avenue.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Things are Looking Up

The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce released the results of its annual member survey on Monday and the results "reflect the challenges of the current economy, but also hint at the reserved optimism of Brooklyn's business community."

According to the survey, 48% of Chamber members believe that the economy will improve in 2010 and 57% plan to hire one or more employees this year.

Sounds like things are looking up!

To read the news release and review the full survey, click here.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

All About 4th



This Thursday March 4th at 7pm, The Park Slope Civic Council plans to sponsor a forum, “The Future of Fourth Avenue,” at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Park Slope.

Panelists will include Craig Hammerman, district manager of Community Board 6; Ethan Kent, vice president of the Project for Public Spaces; Ryan Lynch, senior planner with the Tri-State Transportation Campaign; David Sweeny, developer; and Elizabeth Yeampierre, executive director of the United Puerto Rican Organization of Sunset Park (UPROSE).

All about Fifth caught up with organizer Michael Cairl, Civic Council Trustee and Chair of its Livable Streets Committee, to get some added insight into the event.

All About Fifth: Michael, thanks for talking to us. What was the impetus behind hosting this event?

Cairl: Every March, the Park Slope Civic Council hosts a forum on a topic of interest to the community. The redevelopment of 4th Avenue that is underway, the arrival of new people in the community, and the imminent start of construction at Atlantic Yards, all place pressures on a street that has been seen primarily as a traffic funnel. So this is a major challenge for the Civic Council and its Livable Streets Committee. There couldn't be a better time to "take the temperature of the community" about what 4th Avenue is and could be.

All About Fifth: The informal borders of Park Slope seem to constantly shift. Where does the Park Slope Civic Council draw the neighborhood's boundaries?

Cairl: The answer depends on whom you ask. Everyone would agree on Flatbush Avenue as the northern boundary and Prospect Park as the eastern boundary. Is the southern boundary 15th Street (the boundary between Community Boards 6 and 7) or the Prospect Expressway? I don't know. And on the west, is it 4th Avenue, 3rd Avenue, or the Gowanus Canal? I don't know that either. We're not map mavens and we're not interested in turf battles. We would be delighted if one of the outcomes of this Forum were the formation of a civic organization in Gowanus, and we would offer our assistance in getting such a group started.

All About Fifth: The challenges seem more clear-- but what do you think some of the biggest opportunities will be for 4th Avenue in the future?

Cairl: There is a tremendous opportunity for the communities along 4th Avenue to work together toward common goals. 4th Avenue from 65th Street to Flatbush Avenue has a lot of common attributes and challenges, and we are much more likely to realize a community-based vision for 4th Avenue by working together. Personally, I would like to see good housing available across the income spectrum, more public space, encouragement of business, and more transit options on the street and below it. This is not a picture of pie-in-the-sky; civic and business organizations are on the ground that could help make this vision happen. 4th Avenue affords ample scope to realize these opportunities and get the vision right.

All About Fifth: How does this initiative fit in with the Park Slope Civic Council's programs and mission for the next decade?

Cairl: This year's forum clearly demonstrates the Park Slope Civic Council's way forward in the years to come. As part of its Livable Streets initiative, the Civic Council has pushed for traffic and transit improvements, and improved safety, along 4th Avenue. One, a safer crossing of 4th Avenue at Union Street, is in place. Another would re-open a long-closed subway entrance on the east (uphill) side of 4th Avenue between 9th and 10th Streets and help revitalize that side of the avenue. But our larger mission includes building a strong, diverse, and involved community and actively engaging all residents; working with local businesses to encourage economic vitality; and reaching out to organizations in Park Slope and in other communities to work together on matters that affect us all.

Interview conducted by Rebeccah Welch

Films on Fifth 2010


The Park Slope Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District announced this week that they are planning a "Films on Fifth" event for later this spring. Details include:

• 20 films in 10 days along Fifth Avenue
• Friday, April 30 – Sunday, May 9, 2010
• Free Admission for films with a $10.00 per person minimum for food and/or drinks
• All Brooklyn Indie Filmmakers

The BID is looking for film submissions. If you know any Brooklyn filmmakers who might be interested in participating, please ask them to drop off three copies of each film at Aunt Suzie’s Restaurant (247-5th Ave, Between Carroll & Garfield).

Photo via Flickr

Monday, March 1, 2010

Dine in Brooklyn 2010


Happy March, everyone!

We just received word that Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz's "Dine in Brooklyn" will take place from March 15-25th. The participants and specials have not been announced, yet, but stay tuned here for details and mark your calendars!

It sounds like March will be a great month to hit Fifth Avenue's restaurants!