It Must Be Spring: Miriam, the Empanada Queen, Is Back

(photo credit: Rich Murphy)

Yay! Here is a sure sign that spring has finally arrived in the neighborhood.  I just received this great photo from reader Rich, who reports that "Miriam the Empanada Queen is back for another year of serving delicious Spanish cuisine at reasonable prices."

Miriam has been serving her perfectly spiced, fried empanadas at the corner of Smith Street at Sackett Street for many years now and her return after a long winter will make many in the neighborhood very happy.
Thanks for the great news, Rich.

QFX CIVIL MALL ticket price contact number and schedule

Photo Source: www.mycivilmall.com

QFX civil mall is located at Sundhara Kathmandu and it is the center for the Shopping and Entertainment in Nepal. Attractions of Civil Mall: Food court ,Children recreational centre, PUTT PUTT Mini golf course.

Location: 7th Floor Civil Mall, Sundhara, Kathmandu, Nepal
Contact Number: 977-1-4442220 Lost and Found Section : 9802000405
Email: info@qfxcinemas.com

Seat Capacity:

QFX Civil Mall 1 Seat Capacity
Premium       40
Platinum      431
Total Seats  471

QFX Civil Mall 2 Seat Capacity
Platinum         234
Total Seats     234

QFX Civil Mall 3 Seat Capacity
Platinum         234
Total Seats     234

Show Time:
The show time listed here may not exactly match with the current show times for a particular day since QFX changes its show time regularly. In order to see the exact show time for today click here - Now Showing or visit official QFX Website or you can also get the latest schedule via SMS. In order to get the showtime vai SMS type QFXCM and send it to 4000, you will get the schedule instantly.

Sunday
11:30 AM, 12:00 AM, 12:30 PM, 2:00 PM, 2:45 PM, 3:30 PM, 3:45 PM, 4:30 PM, 6:30 PM, 6:45 PM, 7:00 PM
Monday
11:30 AM, 11:45 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM, 2:45 PM, 3:30 PM, 4:30 PM, 6:30 PM, 7:00 PM, 7:15 PM
Tuesday
11:30 AM, 11:45 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM, 2:45 PM, 3:30 PM, 4:30 PM, 6:30 PM, 7:00 PM, 7:15 PM
Wednesday
11:30 AM, 11:45 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM, 2:45 PM, 3:30 PM, 4:30 PM, 6:30 PM, 7:00 PM, 7:15 PM
Thursday
11:30 AM, 11:45 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM, 2:45 PM, 3:30 PM, 4:30 PM, 6:30 PM, 7:00 PM, 7:15 PM
Friday
8:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 9:30 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM, 2:00 PM, 3:00 PM, 4:30 PM, 5:00 PM, 6:00 PM, 7:35 PM, 8:15 PM, 9:00 PM
Saturday
8:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 9:30 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM, 2:00 PM, 3:00 PM, 4:30 PM, 5:00 PM, 6:00 PM, 7:30 PM, 8:15 PM, 9:00 PM

Ticket Price/Rates:
Weekday (Monday to Thursday)
Premium  NRs. 400.00
Platinum  NRs. 250.00

Weekend (Friday to Sunday)
Premium  NRs. 450.00
Platinum  NRs. 300.00

Weekday 3D (Monday to Thursday)
Premium  NRs. 470.00
Platinum  NRs. 320.00

Weekend 3D (Friday to Sunday)
Premium  NRs. 520.00
Platinum  NRs. 370.00

Note:

• Regular ticket rates apply for afternoon, evening and night shows.
  Rates are inclusive of all taxes.
• 50% discount on morning shows.  Morning show discount is available on weekends, except on Premium Seats.
• 25% discount on matinee shows.  Matinee show discount is available everyday, except on Premium seats. 
• 3D Movies Discount varies from that of regular movies.
• The discount is calculated based on the regular ticket rate for the day.

Current Shows at QFX Civil Mall:

Movie Title	Details
Bullett Raja	Length: 2 Hours 18 Minutes Genre: Action Language: Hindi
Ramleela	Length: 2 Hours 38 Minutes Genre: Drama, Romance Language: Hindi
Thor : The Dark World 3D	Length: 2 Hours 10 Minutes Genre: Action Language: English

Last Updated: 28th November 2013, Thursday (Nepal Standard Time)

Incompetence? Construction Crew At Former Sokol Brothers Furniture Store On Columbia Street Strikes Water Main A Second Time

(photo credit: Ty Berry)

The site at 251-255 Clumbia Street on march 27, 2013

For the second time since construction began on a new 7-story condominium building on the site of the former Sokol furniture store at 251-255 Columbia Street, construction crews have damaged the water main, causing the site to flood.
The first time was at the end of January 2013.  The water main break caused flooding in several nearby residences and prompted the NYC Department of Buildings to issue a complete stop-work order.  The order was lifted shortly afterwards and construction resumed.
But just yesterday, the site flooded again.  Yes, you guessed it.  The crew managed to damage the water main again.  Prompting another full stop work order.  This time the FDNY requested a structural  stability inspection.

The photos above were sent to me by Ty Berry,  Columbia Waterfront  resident and author of the blog The Culver Local.
In a post entitled Construction in New York (or, A Study in Incompetence), Ty writes:

For the first 6 months we lived near the site, little happened save for excavation. Then, at the end of January, something did happen. They broke a water main. We woke up to find the site next door flooded with 4+ feet of water. FDNY eventually pumped it dry, but work was stopped at the site for the better part of two months. It was, sadly, not much of a surprise. We had spent months watching the site be managed with a level of professionalism that was marginal at best - an aimless construction team animated by the occasional visit by what I can only guess is the owner of the property. From our vantage point, the construction contractor(s) were rarely managed by anyone.Fast forward to last week and - finally - work began again. They laid a partial slab foundation and just today completed excavation work on the site. In fact, it was around the time they completed excavation that I was roused from my desk to see what was going on. I looked out my window and saw, little to my surprised, water pouring into the newly excavated foundation. They had struck the water main. Again.

The construction site was pumped out by the FDNY last night and work has resumed.
Incompetence?  Probably.

Spring Egg Hunt At Urban Meadow On Columbia Waterfront This Sunday

This Sunday, Urban Meadow is hosting a Spring Easter Egg Hunt. complete with a visit from the Easter Bunny.  Don't miss it.  It's bound to be a lot of fun.

Columbia Waterfront Spring Egg Hunt & Easter Bunny!

Everyone is invited to the cutest local egg hunt around on Sunday, March 31 from 10-12 pm. To make room for all the kids, babies up to age 4 will hunt in the Urban Meadow and kids five and up will be in next door Mother Cabrini playground. The forecast is in the 50s for Sunday- and special guest the EASTER BUNNY will hop in around 11 o'clock!

Bring your baskets and don't be late - doors open for the hunt right at 10 AM. Corner of President and Van Brunt Streets. For more information see the Urban Meadow website: urbanmeadowbrooklyn.blogspot.com.

South Carolina Beach Report

The view from the porch this morning.

Still in South Carolina for a few more days. Despite the sun, it is still way too cold for March and the beach is deserted, except for the occasional jogger.
But no matter what the weather, the ocean is always magnificent.

A (Very Short) Walk On The Beach

Found on the beach in Surfside, South Carolina, this morning.
It was still rather cool here, so our beach walk was very short.

Carroll Street Bridge Will Be Closed To All Cars, Bicycles, And Pedestrians Till At Least August '13

Below, the Carroll Street Bridge being opened

Craig Hammerman, District Manager of Community Board 6, just sent out relevant information regarding the Carroll Street Bridge which spans over the Gowanus Canal. The bride will be closed for repair to all traffic, including pedestrians till August 2013.

From Craig Hammeran:

The Deparment of Transportation will commence component rehabilitation of the Carroll Street Bridge over the Gowanus Canal on or about April 1, 2013. Work at this location will require the complete closure of the bridge to all cars, bicycles and pedestrians. There will be no parking permitted in the work zone area. The scope of work for this bridge includes: replacement of the deteriorated timber deck; restoration of expansion joints; replacement of impacted stiffeners, angles and plates, cleaning and painting structural steel at deterioration locations; resetting roadway paving units at west abutment; sidewalk repairs; installation of new timber curbs and rubber dock fenders. The anticipated completion date for all work is August 2013.

Commencing April 1, 2013
Day Work: 7:00am-4:00pm
Monday through Friday No Night or Weekend Work anticipated at this time.

The Carroll Street Bridge's mechanisms were flooded quite severely during both Hurricane Irene in 2011 and Hurricane 2012.
The retractable bridge, which swings out horizontally to open for barge traffic, was built in 1889 and landmarked in 1987. Below is a photo of the bridge from 1912.

(from the Brooklyn Collection, Brooklyn Public Library)

A Few Days Away From Brooklyn

Hi Friends,
I am currently in Surfside Beach, South Carolina, to open my family's beach condo up after a long winter.
There is always plenty to do, but I will certainly find some time to relax and for long walks on the beach.
This was the view from my bedroom this morning. The sun is shining, but it is windy and unseasonably cool down here.

I'll post occasionally this week, so check in. And don't hesitate to send me your photos or news from Carroll Gardens.
In the meantime, I wish everyone happy holidays.
Cheers, Katia

In Memory Of Carroll Gardener Brian Meissner

(photos courtesy of the family)

I just received very sad news of the passing of Carroll Gardener Brian Meissner of Butler Street from  Rich Murphy, who writes:
"Our neighbor and dear friend Brian Meissner [from Butler Street] past away last week leaving his wife Jeanne, twins Willa Lucy and son Jasper. He was 41 years old and a devoted dad and husband. Somewhere in your thousands of pictures is one or both girls attending some function in Carroll Park. It was one of their favorite places."

The family has set up a memorial web site, which celebrates Brian's life in words and photos. There is also a fundraiser to help offset his medical costs and help his young, beautiful family along.

From the site:

"On March 10, 2013, Brian Meissner suffered a massive stroke. After a hard-fought battle, he passed away one week later at the young age of 41. Brian was a devoted husband and father of three amazing kids, a thoughtful friend, a diehard baseball fan (Go Cubs!), talented graphic designer, and a Brooklynite to the core.
He and Jeanne and their kids Willa, Lucy, and Jasper “awesomed-it-up” every day. On any given weekend, they might have scrambled to five different birthday parties, had friends over or hung out in Prospect Park- sometimes all three.
Brian’s love of everything from football to fonts was infectious, smart, and always eagerly shared with everyone he knew at a moment’s notice in a funny and infectious way. Whether it was music or art or people, he was always searching for the new and interesting and delicious.
The outpouring of love and support for Brian's family has been tremendous and amazing, but the future will be challenging for Jeanne and the kids. Because we know so many people want to do something, we have set up this donation site. Although we cannot bring Brian back, we can alleviate some of the financial burden of his passing. Contributions will be used to help with the costs of Brian's medical care and for the children's education."

Perhaps we can all show Brian's family how generous this community is and how we stand behind them.    Please contribute here.

Upcycle Brooklyn: Lyceum Hosting Swap, Recycle And Sell Event

 

If you want to swap, recycle or sell your stuff all at one event, the first annual Upcyle Brooklyn event on April 27th and 28th at the Lyceum at 227 4th Avenue is the perfect opportunity.

Applications for tables are being accepted right now, so if you want to participate as a vendor, on-profit or business, don't wait too long to send in yours.
Read on:

Join Brooklyn Lyceum's gigantic stoop/tag/garage sale.

April 27th and 28th 

 Applications are now open

If every year you think of having a stoop sale but you just can't bring yourself to sit on the street all day our event is for you!

The event will be more than a flea market. It will be a chance for the wider community to get together and say hi no matter the weather. Think of it as a space where one can showcase clever ideas for re-using/re-purposing/re-imagining, giving new life to old things, or just help neighbors sell their unwanted wares - Anything left behind at the end of the event will be donated to charity.

PRICING: $50 for a table for a family/non-profit or $100 if you are a business.
check out the markets website: lyceummarkets.com

Please fill out the application: www.lyceummarkets.com to become a vendor.

You can get a table for the weekend for our gigantic stoop/tag/garage sale or join our first ever clothing swap!

We are going to have a bunch of "how to" workshops thru-out the weekend so check the website often to see what we are adding. If you're interested in conducting one of our workshops please e-mail: lyceummarkets13@gmail.com and we'll try to fit you in.

We will also be taking old electronics to be recycled like old cell phones and computers.

Photo Of The Day: On This First Day Of...

...spring.

Blooming on Baltic Street.

"He Never Liked Cake": A Memoir By Brooklynite Janna Leyde

Janna Leyde

(photo provided by the author)

Janna Leyde with her father in a family photo

One of the pleasures of writing Pardon Me For Asking comes from meeting so many interesting people along the way. Their stories are all unique and inspiring and I am always awed by the talent represented in our neighborhood.

Just a few days ago, I was introduced to Janna Leyde , a yoga teacher at Mala on Court Street, whose first book is being released today. He Never Liked Cake is Janna's coming-of-age memoir about her father's traumatic brain injury, love, and subsequent "acceptance when life doesn't work out the way we had it planned."Below is an excerpt from He Never Liked Cake

“Maybe New York was becoming too much on top of brain injury, which would always be too much. Brain injury slaps you with an acute change and then slowly tears away everything you love about a person one piece at a time. And even though brain injury had built my character, just like my grandmother had said it would the night we drove home from the hospital, the night I wished on the stars between the defogger lines, it had always been too much. Sure, it was all for a reason, a reason I had yet to come up with. Years of searching, and I still end up in the backseat, ruminating on God and existence and the consequence of good and evil in humanity. I lived my parents’ struggle. I was their kid. It was my birthright. I owed it to them, to their past, to my childhood, to our old happiness.”

The book is available on sale on Amazon and Barnesandnoble.com.

Janna will be appearing at Book Court on Court Street on April 22nd at 7 PM.

Picture Of The Day: Under A Cover Of Snow...

In my front garden today.

Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance Invites NYC Mayoral Candidates To Discuss Sea Level Rise -- On A Boat

The Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance, which encompasses over 620 organizations with ties to our regional waterways,  is serious about Sea Level Rise. And they want New York City's Mayoral Candidates to know exactly how serious they are.  That's why the Alliance is hosting its mayoral candidate forum on a boat.
It's a novel idea.  Perhaps, Gowanus residents can hold a forum and take the candidates out onto the polluted canal in canoes?  I would love to see De Blasio (who never came out in favor of the EPA Superfund for the polluted canal when he was our Councilman) navigate his way through the toxic waterway.  Wouldn't you?

Read on:

On April 9, 2013, leading candidates for the office of Mayor of New York City will gather at the invitation of the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance to debate, for the first time, the challenge of sea level rise and the future of the City's waterfront. And they'll be doing it on a boat.
NY City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, NYC Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, NYC Comptroller John C. Liu, former NYC Comptroller William C. Thompson and Former Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion Jr. will participate in a Mayoral Candidates Forum that will launch the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance 2013 Waterfront Conference.
The forum will be moderated by Christopher O. Ward, chairman of the MWA Board of Directors and former executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Each candidate will give a brief statement describing his or her vision for the waterfront, and then will receive questions from an all-star audience of activists and policy-makers.
"Making the City's shoreline more resilient is the most pressing issue of our time," said Roland Lewis, MWA's president and chief executive officer. "We're thrilled that the leading candidates to be the next Mayor of New York City will join us on April 9 to tell us about their commitment for a safe and accessible waterfront, post-Sandy."
The forum and conference takes place aboard Entertainment Cruises's Spirit of New Jersey, dockside in the morning at Pier 61/Chelsea Piers (23rd Street). The vessel will leave for a harbor lunch cruise and more panels in the afternoon headlined by topics including the Future of Ferries, How to Protect the Harbor, and What Went Right.

All information pertaining to the event can be found here.

Best Comment Of The Day: The Future According To Developers

Anonymous has left the following comment on the post "Lightstone Group's Plans And Drawings For Gowanus Project Approved By City Planning, But Developer Still Needs Waterfront Certificate":

"I just looked at Lightstone Groups's new drawing for this project and they show a Gownaus Canal that even the US EPA had not envisioned, with nice blue waters and what seems like a wider waterway.It's so nice to see what the developers think the future will look like. However, their future seem to leave out raising sea levels, more storms and wadding through flooded streets along the beautiful Gowanus Canal. The next chapter in this story will be written in ten years when the water of the Gowanus take over the front yards of these new buildings."

Lightstone Group's Plans And Drawings For Gowanus Project Approved By City Planning, But Developer Still Needs Waterfront Certificate

NYC Department Of City Planning Hearing for Lightstone Group's Gowanus development  

Commissioner Betty Chen, Commissioner Michelle De La Uz, and Amanda Burden,  Chair of the NYC Department Of City Planning

Commissioner Michelle De La Uz and City Planning Chair Amanda Burden

(De La Uz is the executive director of the 5th Ave. Committee. During the Lightstone discussion, she recused herself, since the developer has contracted with the 5th Avenue Committee to manage the affordable units included in the project.)

 Amanda Burden,  Chair of the City Planning Commission

Purnima Kapur, City Planning Brooklyn Director

Aline Fader, representing NYC DCP Brooklyn Office, presents Lightstone's newest plan

Aline Fader and colleague present Lightstone Groups's as-of-right project

Just a few days ago, it was announced that Lightstone Group is proceeding with its 500,000 square feet mixed-use housing development on the shores of the Gowanus Canal at 363-365 Bond Street as an as-of-right development and has abandoned the minor modification which it had previously requested of NYC's Department of City Planning (DCP).

During DCP's review session on Monday afternoon, representatives of the Brooklyn DCP office explained that Lightstone, apparently wanting to avoid the risk of legal action,  has withdrawn its minor modification application and has decided to pursue the as-of-right development under zoning granted in 2009.
This project had come in front of the commission once before in September 2012 as a 'minor modification' of the original 2009 special permit project previously granted to Toll Brothers.

This as-of-right development is nevertheless subject to City Planning Commission approval because the 2009 special permit project was made subject to a restrictive declaration that was attached to the plans and drawings.

One of the purposes of the restrictive process was to help insure that the key urban design principals of the special permit project, which ensures that the taller portions of the development should be on the canal side and the lower portions should be along Bond Street, would be respected.

The second restriction has to do with Waterfront Zoning Regulations, which did not apply to the Gowanus Canal at the time of the original approval in early 2009.  However, later the same year, the City Council made the canal subject to the zoning regulations and water front open space will now be required in connection with the as-of-right project under those provisions.

The original 2009 project provide public open space along the canal that was designed "in the spirit of" the Waterfront Regulations. It did not strictly adhere to them.  Lightstone has modified the drawings to allow the requited waterfront public access area to be included, resulting "in a net increase of open space on the Southern block, where the building is being pushed back by approximately 20 feet."

To address FEMA's recently released Advisory Base Flood Elevations and  changes to the Building Code,  the site will be raised by 2 feet at First Street. Lightstone will elevate the ground floor of the building approximately 1.1 foot and make the street level parking garage a "bath tub structure".

At yesterday's DCP session, Lightstone sought approval for the plans and drawings for the as-of right project.
The Planning Commission votes unanimously to grant the approval.

However, at a later date, the applicant will need to seek a Waterfront Certificate from Chair Amanda Burden in regards to the design of the waterfront open space. The certificate will specify the design of the open space and certify that it meets the zoning requirements. The applicant is expected to file the application later this year.

"And at that point, and only at that point, will the developer be able to begin construction. So it's really a two-step process" a representative of the Brooklyn DCP office was quick to point out during the presentation.

Important Update And Meeting Regarding Lightstone's Proposed Gowanus Project

Old rendering of Lightstone Development next to the Gowanus Canal (credit: Lightstone Group)

New Rendering Of Lightstone Development
(Via Councilman Lander's office)

New elevation drawings for Lightstone Project. Click here for enlarged view

(Via Councilman Lander's office)

New FEMA Advisory Base Flood Elevations for Gowanus

Lightstone Development site, Canal at Carroll Street during Sandy (photo credit: Margaret Maugenest)

Second Street at canal during storm (photo credit: Triada Samaras)

Sandy flooding at First Street near Canal (photo credit: Carl Teitelbaum)

***Important Information For All Carroll Gardens/Gowanus Residents***

NYC Department Of City Planning Hearing On Lightstone Project 

363-365 Bond Street; Restrictive declaration approval to existing plan

Tomorrow, Monday March 18

at 1 pm

Spector Hall, 22 Reade Street, New York, New York

There is some very important information that was circulated late last week on Lightstone Group's proposed large-scale Gowanus development at 363-365 Bond Street, between Carroll Street and 2nd Street.
According to Councilman Brad Lander's office, which informed several Gowanus residents on Thursday evening, Lightstone is proceeding with the project "as of right" and has abandoned the minor modification which they had previously requested of NYC's Department of City Planning (DCP).

In 2012, hoping to piggy-back on the former Toll Brothers project at the same site, Lightstone had sought DCP's approval for variations in the base height of the project, building heights and footprints of portions of the buildings, relocation of parking entrances, changes to the location and design of the open space, and changes to the number of residential units from 447 to 700.  DCP considered these changes "minor" modification's, which are subject to review and approval only by the Commission, rather than 'major' modifications that require the initiation of a new ULURP.

DCP was going to rule on this matter in November 2012, but the hearing never took place because of Hurricane Sandy. The community was told that DCP and its Brooklyn office were first waiting for the release of Federal Emergency Management Agency's new post-Sandy "Advisory Base Flood Elevations (ABFE)", which indicate significant expansion of the flood plains.
The ABFEs for the Gowanus area were published very recently.

Perhaps concerned about new flood regulations in Zone A and of legal challenges, Lightstone has re-configured the proposed 700-unit development so that it can move forward according to the site's existing zoning. To address the fact that the land sits squarely in FEMA's flood zone A and to comply with new waterfront development rules, Lightstone has pulled away slightly from the water and increased the grade at First Street.

City Planning has placed the Lightstone item back on its calendar for tomorrow, Monday March 18, at 1 pm, Spector Hall, 22 Reade Street, New York, New York. (It's the 9th agenda item).  The meeting is open, but no comments will be accepted from the public.
All important information can be found here: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/pdf/luproc/reviewsession.pdf?r=031813

I urge everyone to attend. This project will most likely serve as the blueprint for the over-all rezoning for the Gowanus Canal and will create repercussions for neighboring residents.  The plan to raise the entire site will most likely increase flooding in nearby properties.  

Councilman Brad Lander, who has previously asked Lightstone to withdraw its application, issued the following comment on Friday:  “In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, I continue to believe it is a mistake to move forward with dense, high-rise, residential development without a comprehensive plan for infrastructure and land use regulations that Gowanus needs.” 

Knock, Knock! Opossum At The Front Door

(photo credit: Nicholas Gorczynski)

Opossum sightings have become quite frequent in Carroll Gardens the last few year.  Here is yet another one.  Local resident Nicholas Gorczynski found one just outside his front door.  The little critter must have climbed up the stoop.
Nicholas grabbed his camera and shot these very funny photos.  He writes:

Not too long ago you had some articles about an opossum family that was proliferating in the neighborhood right? This [Friday] morning there was a little guy at the front door on (2nd place between Clinton and Henry). I opened the door and he was looking up like he was waiting to get in. He kind of blocked me in so I went out through the garden entrance instead and took some pictures.I don't think he was dangerous, just cold and scared. From reading anyway, I learned that having opposums around can be a good thing. 

My neighbor had a little interaction with him (his tail got caught in the door!) and once free he went on his way peacefully. She mentioned that she has seen these little guys on the block for some time and they make their appearance on occasion.

I must admit that opossums are quite cute, but I probably would not have tried to walk passed him either.  Thanks for sharing this, Nick.