Hey y'all. The past two months have been fun, and I'm just getting rolling here. But I need your help! If you live or did live or are going to live or wish you could live in this micronabe, then let yourself be heard! While we've laid down no hard and fast boundaries, I think of "Parkside" or "Caledonia" as being anyone who calls the Q at Parkside their hometrain OR the Caton-side entrance of the Q at Church, otherwise known as Little Caledonia. BTW, there IS a little micro-hood called Caton Park that might beg to differ, but they're officially SOUTH of the Parade Grounds and end where it ends, stranding nearly 20,000 people who live from Parade Place to Flatbush Ave without a micro to call their own! A secret peace agreement with the Lower Lefferts North Flatbush Security Zone has led to a thriving corridor of commerce and residential accord as far as a stroller can stroll, from the Parade Ground playground, through Umma Park, past the Diplomat, past Mango Seed and Suzie Farm, over to Mike's Pizza and the NSA, through the "Beauty Parlor Promendade" not to mention relative newcomers K-Dog and that bar with the Pool Table, Da Hot Pot, Meytex, over to Phat Albert's, with special consideration of the Oriental Pavillion, the Drummer's Grove and Old MacDonald's Farm at Parkside and Ocean.
Mrs. FlatBed and lil' Clarkson Jr. and I are renting a cheap place in southern Vermont for a couple weeks, then mooching off some pals for another. During that time I'll chime in about dis, dat, and d'other, but I'd be mighty obliged if you'd comment on this here post with:
1: Recommendations on restaurants, hair salons, dry cleaners, botanicas etc.
2: General thoughts about changes in the neighborhood
3: Other blogs and articles to check out
4: Suggestions of things you'd like to see posted and discussed
I love Parkside as it is, but even as it changes (and every nabe in Brooklyn changes, good or bad), may we all get along and work together for a safer, cleaner, respectfuller, more perfect union. And eat lots of jerk!!
Enjoy the heat!
tim
7 comments:
Tim, I will do the icebreaker and I hope more people will comment to your post. I am new in the neighborhood and call the Q at Parkside.
I find this blog fun and with useful info. As a newcomer I look forward to meeting you and other Parksiders or Caledonians at the block party in August.
I cannot say very much on points 1 and 2 and I hope to find something nice to be shared with you and the readers for point 3.
With regard to point 4, keep up sharing info on places and shops in the neighborhood. I hope other readers will also share more info on activities for adults and also for children (I have a 20 months old child). For example, if there is a music school (I heard some live music played on a weekday evening in the church next to the building where I live), African (or non African) dance classes, sport (or non sport) activities in Prospect Park East, Parade grounds (a friend of mine brings her 9 year old daughter there for playing a soccer tournament), playdates for toddlers, live concerts, etc. I would also love to hear if there is a ska band active in the neighborhood (I love the Skatalites!).
Enjoy your vacation!
I think Parkside could use some kind of destination restaurant, and I'm surprised someone hasn't opened one. With the glut of places on Smith Street, 5th Ave, Ft. Greene...surely one brave restauranteur must be up for the task! That's not to say that Mango Seed isn't pretty awesome...but some sort of simple bistro with decent wines would rake in the cash.
I know, I know, there's a hundred beauty parlors in the neighborhood. But this girl Laura just opened a place on Woodruff, and if you're into African braids she's the best...
As a vegan Caledonian, I love having Zen so close. I hear good things about Gandhi (same owners as Joy across the park). Has anyone tried it? Also need to try Strictly Vegetarian on Church. Gotta love the straightforward name.
One of my favorite things about this neighborhood is having, in my opinion, the best corner of the park. Sure Longmeadow is nice for people-watching, but I love the woodsiness of this side. And the boathouse is my favorite part of the park. My other favorite thing is the Flatbush CSA! I think it's one of the few CSAs in the city that has a sliding-scale based on income.
Gandi is great. Great samosas, great raita, great aloo paratha. Strictly vegetarian is also great. No problem.
We neeeeeeeeed GOOD pizza!!!!!!!
Hey, Family Pizza on Flatbush is pretty damn good!
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