Nostrand Park Has Moved

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NP

Visit Us at NostrandPark.com

To stay on top of all that is going on in Crown Heights, visit us at our new website http://www.nostrandpark.com!

What is Nostrand Park?

Throughout the course of this blog, we have been hit with a number of questions, but two in particular reoccur with great frequency: (1) “What is Nostrand Park?” and (2) “Yeah, but what is Nostrand Park?”  Inquire no more:

 

What is Nostrand Park?

 

Nostrand Park exists to serve as a virtual town square for Crown Heights.  If you Google “Crown Heights”, you will inevitably find references to “the riots of 1991”  or to Crown Heights being a “rough” neighborhood.  There are very few resources available that give a full perspective on the neighborhood, particularly from the vantage of the residents who live here.  Crown Heights is a complex neighborhood.  It is a neighborhood of mansions and projects and historic districts.  Of rastas and rabbis.  Of new comers and old timers.  It is a beautiful story of immigration and gentrication.  Of decay and rebirth.  Of affluence and struggle. Crown Heights is so much richer and fuller than what is currently available in the media and we wanted to create a space to honor that.  Thus, Nostrand Park was born.  

 

But what exactly is “Nostrand Park”? 

 

No, it is not an enclave or park in Crown Heights.  Nostrand and Park are two Brooklyn streets that run through Crown Heights.  Though many of the borders in Crown Heights are contested, the intersection of Nostrand and Park represents one area that is undeniably Crown Heights.  And so we are Nostrand Park.

Wifi Spots in Crown Heights

Okay – so Wifi is not available in Brower Park (yet), but there are some places around town where you can get Wifi.  Some for free and other for a fee.

FRee Wifi

• Bristens Eatery – 751 Franklin Ave. (between St. Johns and Sterling)
• Tavern on Nostrand – 813 Nostrand Ave. (between President and Union)
• BPL – Brower Park Branch – 725 St. Marks Ave. at Nostrand Ave. [Free w/ library card]
• BPL – Crown Heights Branch – 560 New York Ave. at Maple St. [Free w/ library card]

FEe Wifi

If you know of other Wifi spots in the neighborhood, let us know.

Crown Heights 360 – Nah-Strahnd Avenue

By Al Peter Barnett

There are so many who, without mal-intent, have called and continue to call for sweeping change to the businesses along Nostrand Avenue. With an open mind one can comprehend this point of view,

particularly in light of the development of neighboring areas, such as Franklin Avenue. However, there is a contrasting point of view, which stems from the West Indian community that resides here. We have a connection to the Avenue that was spawned well before many of our parents even set eyes on each other.

“Nah-strahnd”, for the vast majority of first and second generation West Indian immigrants, is the Caribbean. It evokes its essence: Through food.

To go to Gloria’s for some roti or Thora’s for her fried king fish. Through vibe. You hear some (not on the Legend album) Bob Marley as you pass by Lion Heart or some sweet Soca emanating from vehicles in the street. The dialect. To converse with ease, without having to concentrate and contort your tongue to say words like “Three” rather than “Tree”. Having others fully understand you. To hear colloquial terms (from greetings to expletives) rarely uttered outside the Caribbean. “Wah happnin. Wah iz dee scene?” Being on Nostrand, you can close your eyes, think back, and for a moment, you can remember the mango trees, and warm sun, festivals and pah-ty (parties).

This area provides a temporary reprieve, a Caribbean oasis of sorts in the middle a mostly apathetic American desert. Nostrand Ave; Flatbush Ave; Utica Ave — all three are rooted in West Indian-American history and culture, and have been, and continue to be, well-known and well regarded in the islands through story and song. They might very well need a face lift, but not a complete transformation. Nostrand Avenue reminds us that a hard-working, colorful and fun-loving community of dreadlock Rastas and Christians whose roots trace back to a collective of islands in the Caribbean Sea, co-exists with an austere community of devout Hassidic Jews whose traditions stem from doctrine of ancient Isreal.  Nostrand is a testament to the beautiful patchwork of this country. It is an American legacy.

I am Trinidadian. Born and bred for over twenty-five years. I don’t blog. I didn’t even grow up with a computer. But I felt compelled to share my perspective. As a Brooklyn resident for the past few years I have enjoyed Nostrand’s aura and the emotions it stirs via its West Indian parallelisms — so too have countless before, at present and hopefully in the future. By presenting the contrast of West Indian sentimentality I hope that its relevance to the majority of Crown Heights residents will be better and truly understood — so ultimately when the inevitability of change prevails, so too will open-mindedness, inclusion, and understanding to the benefit of the community holistically.

Crown Heights 360 – This is my perspective.

BROOKLYN THE BOROUGH: Will Proximity To “Art” Still Sell Condos?

BROOKLYN THE BOROUGH > Will Proximity To “Art” Still Sell Condos?.

Brooklyn Honors Spike Lee

The upcoming celebration of Spike Lee’s life and work contributing to Brooklyn is fast approaching.  Check out http://www.wheresmars.com/ for more information on events related to this spectacular gathering.  

 

 

Where’s Mars | THIS TRIBUTE CONTAINS NO JHERI CURLS AND NO DRUGS.

Crown Heights Residential: 1071 Carroll Street

Today we peak at a beautiful rental apartment on Carroll Street, between Bedford and Rogers. $2,000 per month gets you a two bedroom, 1.5 bathroom apartment. According to Rentometer.com, the price of $2000 is “reasonable” for the area; 60% of the listings for 2-beds in the area are between $1400 – $2400. Listing by Prudential Elliman.

New Bookstore on Vanderbilt Ave

Soon Crown Heights residents will not have to venture all the way to Park Slope or Cobble Hill to get new and used books. Unnameable Books is primed to open up on Vanderbilt Avenue within the next month.

Stay tuned for more info…

Civil Eats: Brooklyn Farms Teach UN Delegates Lessons on Sustainability

 

 

 

Brooklyn Farms Teach UN Delegates Lessons on Sustainability

 

via Civil Eats » Blog Archive » Brooklyn Farms Teach UN Delegates Lessons on Sustainability.