The former convent of Saint Anselm parish (Image source: Google Maps).
A nunnery which previously housed teachers from Saint Anselm’s Catholic School [365 83rd Street] has been resurrected to serve as a home for developmentally disabled seniors. Continue reading »
Image source: Franco Folini via Flickr.
Suck it up, Slopers.
A new report by the Citizen’s Committee for Children named Bay Ridge the best place to raise a family in the borough of homes and churches.
Meanwhile stroller-centric Park Slope, which has a reputation for child rearing that can sometimes border on both the obsessive and the bizarre, ranked a lowly 15th citywide with Bay Ridge grabbing the 4th place slot, as reported by Simone Weichselbaum for Daily News. On message boards across gentrified North Brooklyn, reliably snark comments suddenly turned butthurt. Continue reading »
What a difference a couple of years can make.
Leske’s Bakery [7612 5th Ave], a neighborhood fixture which has been slinging Scandinavian treats since before many of us were born, almost closed its doors forever in 2011.
But thanks to a group of lifelong fika fans, the 50 + year-old pastry shop was able to reopen in August of 2012 to huge acclaim.
Fast forward a few more months and the kings of kringler are all set to expand to the Slope, as reported by Will Bredderman for Brooklyn Daily.
From Brooklyn Daily:
“We’re old-school Scandinavian, we do things a little bit differently, but we think we have a great product and we thought this would be a great fit for us,” said Leske’s manager and culinary consultant Harry Hawk.
Hawk said Leske’s will move into the former location of the Sweet Treasures bakery on Fifth Avenue between 16th Street and Prospect Avenue before Valentine’s Day, and plan to sell their famed marzipan cakes and kringler at the same prices as in their old spot. Hawk said the new shop will also feature romantic red velvet cakes and black-and-red cookies in honor of the Feb. 14 holiday, items that Slope residents can start ordering now.
Hawk said he likes the trendy flavor and eclectic mix of stores in Park Slope, and believes the neighborhood will welcome Leske’s with open arms — and mouths.
“I love the real foodie Brooklyn. Not only do you have centuries-old businesses, but you see all these new businesses,” Hawk told Bredderman. “That’s what really attracts me to that area. It’s diverse and wonderful, and we think they could use a great bakery.”
Taken at 2011 3rd Ave Festival by emilydickinsonridesabmx via Flickr.
Bay Ridge, the home of Captain Brooklyn, can now add a superheroine to its growing pantheon of comic book characters. Continue reading »
Every time someone neglects an older home, “This Old House” host Kevin O’Connor quietly weeps.
Homeowners living on either side of a neglected 83rd Street property fear their Victorian-era wood frame neighbor could be in danger of an imminent Ovington Avenue-style collapse, and are asking the city for help, as reported by Will Bredderman for the Brooklyn Paper.
After dealing with insects, animals and trespassing teens for years, residents Danielle Basso and Siu Leung say that enough is enough, as it looks like the historic home might have to be brought down before it falls under its own weight.
“I’m scared,” Basso, a mother of three, told Brooklyn Paper. “It’s unfortunate, because it’s a beautiful structure, but it should be torn down.”
Basso said she and her husband have paid to have the bee and termite-infested house fumigated in order to prevent the pests from crossing over the property line to their home. Continue reading »
A controversial bike lane on Prospect Park West in Park Slope (Image source: Kai Brinker via Flickr).
State Senate hopeful Andrew Gounardes has come out in favor of creating more bike lanes, as well as expanding Bay Ridge’s existing bike lane “network” to neighborhoods further north – such as Park Slope and Cobble Hill, writes Will Bredderman for Brooklyn Daily. Continue reading »
Last year's Tour De Brooklyn (Source: Wikipedia Commons)
The 8th Annual Tour De Brooklyn, a 21.5 mile bicycle ride through the County of Kings, will be pedaling its way through Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights – with a rest stop at Dyker Beach Park – this Sunday, June 3. Click Here For More, Including A PDF Map Of The Route
Sister Dolores, the principal of the all-girls Fontbonne Hall Academy [9901 Shore Road] may be tough, but there’s nothing she expects of her students that she doesn’t do herself.
According to a recent New York Times article by Michael Winerip, the daily rhythms of Sister Dolores’ dedication include arriving at the Catholic prep school most mornings by 6 a.m. “If lucky, she’s back at her convent in Park Slope by 6 p.m. for supper and prayers.” Continue reading »