Another FIPS Food ROUNDUP!

While the big food & drink news this week in Park Slope was OBVS the continuing "not cool dude" fallout from last weekend's Great GoogaMooga, there were still a handful of non-Googa "that's cool dude" announcements that somewhat countered all that burning GoogaAnger™. Basically, they're all news related to storefronts & eateries going through transitions. As such, that's how we should think of the current state of the Nethermead. It's going through a transition...a six-month transition. Thank god for reseeding huh?

First up: The Beer Table space. For years they were one of Park Slope's homes for good, pricey beer paired well with food. Then, at the end of last month, they closed up shop as they searched for a new, larger locale. Sad face. Sorta. Then this past week, we learned who was moving into the new space, as DNAinfo reported that Roberto Santibanez of Fonda had applied for a liquor license for the space. There's been no word thus far as to what he plans to do with this liquor license, but I'm fairly certain he won't be using it to open a dive bar. My suggestion: KICKASS TAQUERIA. Just tacos & booze & perhaps a velvet rope.

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Brooklyn By The Book: Get Your Read On

Image via: savetheslope@blogspot.com

Two long-standing Park Slope mainstays are joining efforts to bring literary enlightenment to our fair hood. The Community Bookstore and Congregation Beth Elohim have been hosting a monthly series appropriately named, Brooklyn By the Book. This all came about when both parties shared a mutual passion for providing an organized program that would serve the Park Slope and greater Brooklyn community through learning and sharing in the literary space and starting a dialogue with folks in the neighborhood.

It all started with a bang last fall, hosting writers like Paul Auster and Don DeLillo in the Congregation’s space. Michele Filgate, Community Bookstore’s events coordinator explained to the Brooklyn Eagle, “Both Congregation Beth Elohim and Community Bookstore wanted to create a series that was very specific to the neighborhood. Our goal is to host a mix of nonfiction and fiction events.”

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Where To Buy Your Rare Books in Park Slope

Part of Heather O'Donnell's rare collection / Via DNAinfo

Looking for an 1881 edition of Henry James' Washington Square, or perhaps a less pricey 1960 print of Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights? If so, Park Slope resident and rare book seller Heather O'Donnell may be just what you're looking for.

"What I most enjoy is placing a book with someone who loves it and completely appreciates it and is thrilled to have it," O'Donnell recently told DNAinfo. "There's a real satisfaction in bringing someone a book that they've looked for for years."

If rare books are your thing, check out Honey Wax Booksellers, a website that features rare books for sale from O'Donnell's collection, which she ships from her own living room on 6th Avenue (think of how fast you'll get your books!). Or if you'd like to meet her in person, she'll also be one of the vendors at the upcoming Brooklyn Book Festival.

What You Should Catch At: The Brooklyn Book Festival

How many times have you spent a Sunday night debating whether to catch reruns of Who’s the Boss, have a good cry while watching Precious, or listen to Dan Savage and the Tech-Savvy At-Risk Youth give advice to sexually-dysfunctional Midwestern lesbians?  I know, every Sunday, right?

Fear no more, freaks. On September 23^rd, your only dilemma will be whether to choose a mimosa or bloody mary for brunch -- the rest will be taken care of for you because the aforementioned authors will all be appearing in this weekend's Brooklyn Book Festival. Tony Danza, an author? Who knew?

The Brooklyn Book Festival is the largest free literary event in New York City, presenting an array of national and international literary stars and emerging authors.   With a line-up of 280+ authors and more than 104 panels, there is bound to be something for everyone – Judy Blume and Salman Rushdie readers alike. 

Best part? It’s free, ya’ll. For the first time this year, there will be “Clix not Tix,” meaning that all events will be sans any ticketing. Yay for no ticket lines! (and by "Clix," I'm assuming they either mean "fasten your seatbelt" or "we're going to use one of those handheld clicky things to make sure we don't let in so many people that the fire department shuts us all down for creating fire hazards.") 

Here are a few events that we recommend: 

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MOTHERLAND: Amy Sohn Has a New Book, and Nothing to Apologize About

Author Photo: Charles Miller

Park Slope's Amy Sohn is a veritable celebrity 'round these blog parts--for better or for worse. She's been lauded here, she's been bitched out, but the facts are that she has an entire category of posts dedicated to her, a strong voice and byline in the Brownstone Brooklyn community commentary, and career as a writer to back up all the pissing, moaning, and noise she has to block out, whether it's coming from a Food Coop Meeting, a baby tambourine class, or on the comments of FiPS.

Yesterday, Sohn released Motherland, a follow-up to her widely-read (and hotly-debated) Prospect Park West, which satirized and tore apart our beloved Breederlyn as we know it. Oh, yeah, and there was a shit ton of sex and lying and crying babies, and also more sex. Motherland circles back to the ladies in PP Dubs to see if their lives and marriages are still as miserable and fucked up.

Because we can't resist a chat with Amy Sohn, or the opportunity to get a rise out of people, I talked to Sohn 'bout the new novel, some sexy stuff, and why she's just not listening to most of your opinions.

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