41 Years Later, Coffee Shop Pioneer Leaf & Bean Closes

Photo credit: NATALIE MUSUMECI/NEW YORK DAILY NEWSWhen Leaf & Bean says that it was into fresh coffee beans and loose tea leaves before it was cool, it’s true. The OH (that’s “Original Hipster”) opened its doors on Seventh Ave 41 years ago, long before anyone even knew there was more than one kind of coffee. But competition from both corporate and indie coffee shops has been too much, forcing partners Vikki Cook and Karen Hue to shut down the old school joint.

Founder Allan Mehlberg ran Leaf & Bean until he retired in 2003, handing the reins over to Cook and Hue. The two had worked with Mehlberg at the shop and at another of his cafes. “Karen and I love Leaf & Bean and that’s why we struggled these past few years to keep it open,” Cook told the New York Daily News.

Click to read more ...

[ADVERTISEMENT]: Bayside the Musical Featuring Screech Himself

Get Your Mural On

Pic via Hautediary.com

Do you like art? Do you make art? Are you art? If  you answered yes to most of the above, you may want to enter a contest to design and paint a mural in our 'hood. Mavi Jeans is calling any and all artsy fartsy types to submit designs to redesign the outside of their flagship store at 205 Fifth Avenue. 

The deets are as follows: Submission will be accepted from May 12 through June 6. Mural hopefuls can submit their designs to Events.us@mavi.com. Your art should address the question (and here's where we cringe a little bit) "What's Your Brooklyn?" Yes, I know, that requires a bit of an eye roll. Mavi assures that the artist will have complete freedom over their design which will hopefully not suck by involving mustaches on bikes or some crap like that. 

A tribunal jury of local Brooklyn folk are being put together to judge the submissions. So far the jury members announced are Michael Conklin, Editor in Chief of Brooklyn Magazine, and Lisa Small, curator of exhibitions at the Brooklyn Museum. A third juror is yet to be named. Mavi, just so you know, I'm free if you'd like a truly fine arbitor of taste and all I'd want is a free pair of jeans out of the deal (maybe two).

Click to read more ...

Bad Case of the Mondays? Let Wet Dogs Cheer You Up

Photo credit: Sophie Gamand

Despite the gorgeous weather, it seemed like everyone was extra-cranky on the way to work this morning. Maybe because all they wanted to do was play hooky, but they still had to get on the subway with the rest of humanity. If you're still stuck at your desk, and need a little cheering up, check out photographer Sophie Gamand's "Wet Dog" series. These pooches feel your pain! Here are few more faves:

Click to read more ...

Park Slope Comic Duo Starts Campaign to Buy Patrick Stewart A Stroller

As you may recall, a few weeks ago our favorite Slope celeb, Sir Patrick Stewart, lit up the internet with his comments about not fitting in here because he and his wife don't own a stroller. Well, comedian couple Katie Goodman and Soren Kisiel -- of Shit Park Slope Parents Say fame -- have come to the rescue by starting an Indiegogo campaign to help buy the couple their very own fancy-pants stroller.

Major props to Boing Boing owner, Karen Paperno, for her hilariously deranged cameo at about 2:20, wherein she excoriates all stroller owners for taking up too much room (Boing Boing doesn't even sell strollers) and extolling the virtues of the sling, instead. Well played, Ms. Paperno!

Click to read more ...