Park Slope Woman Decides It's Time to Play the Name Game

Photo via Dolce Vite

Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name. Sometimes, you decide that name you have just isn't working for you. Over the course of history, some of civilization's most important figures have changed their name and, as a result, have gone on to achieve greatness & stuff. It's like David Bowie sang to us back in the 70's..."Just gonna have to be a different man."

At the plucky age of 17, Allan Stewart Konigsberg found a niche writing jokes and became "Woody Allen."

At the ripe age of 24, Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. found Islam and took up the moniker "Kareem Abdul-Jabbar."

At the golden age of 32, Ronald William Artest Jr. found that he had punched enough fans and switched it up for "Metta World Peace"..."to inspire and bring youth together all around the world."

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The Un-End of an Era; Tea Lounge Rising?

I’d barely had time to dry my tears of grief (and type up a quick FIPS post about it) when news broke that perhaps the Tea Lounge, in some form or another, springs eternal, hopefully this time with better couches.

Self-proclaimed Tea Lounge regulars and entrepreneurs, Shaya Weisfeld and Steven Stromer, aspire to turn the cavernous space (arguably the best thing about it, ever since they stopped making cheese toasties on rolls, for chrissakes) into a not-by-accident neighborhood cross-functional gathering place, rather than the unofficial everyone’s-other-living-room that ultimately became financially unsustainable* for TL’s soon-to-be former owner Jonathan Spiel.

Ok, so it’s like what local, mortgage-dodging, conspiracy-spouting Eric Richmond has been trying for over a decade with the Brooklyn Lyceum? But, like, successfully? Uh, not so fast. What Weisfeld and Stromer are describing seems well-intentioned enough, but something about the image of a “co-working service where paying members could leave belongings in cubbies, use resources like color printers and share files on a computer network” smacks of: Specialized Branch of Staples, Based on Market Research of the Area, with a Whole Foods Concession and a Self-Serve “We Proudly Brew Starbucks Coffee” Corner.

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Whassup: Almost X-Mas Edition

via southslopenews.com'Twas the week before Christmas, and all through Park Slo -- haha, just kidding, I'm not doing that. But Christmas is in a week. I know you're supposed to use the neutral "holidays." But even that misses the point. Let's focus on the real national religion here: buying unnecessary crap. It's a mission we all must complete this holiday season, lest the national economy collapse. But I don't want you to forget about yourselves as you hustle about putting ties and travel-shaving kits on credit for your uncles. Go out and get yourself something nice, too! Like a Sixpoint at Union Hall. Welcome to Whassup: Almost X-Mas Edition: 

* Through Saturday, Jan 3: Holiday Light Spectuacular, 22nd Street: Dream of a Hawaiian Christmas this frigid winter by venturing all the way down to balmy South Slope. Homeowners at 310A 22nd St. have the tropical-tiki version of Clark Griswold's holiday garishness to share with you. The display opened Monday, and shows run Sunday through Thursday, starting at 5pm.  

* Thursday, Dec. 18: Wasabassco's '70s Christmas Carol: I'm…not even going to try to outdo the excellent self-description of this event, from local burlesque favorites Wasabassco: "It’s the heartwarming and funky tale of miserly nightclub owner Scrooge and the ghostly visitations and spectral stripteases that teach her the true meaning of Christmas: sweet, sweet lovin’ under the disco ball." Beat that, Alastair Sim. 7:30pm, $20.

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[SPONSORED] GIVE YOURSELF THE GIFT OF CALM

As Told To FIPS: Citibank Stole My Daughter’s Birthday Money

Via Google street viewLast week, I ended my 14-year relationship with Citibank on 7th Avenue in Park Slope. When we moved to Park Slope in 1997, my husband and I opened up a joint checking account, savings account and line of credit. In 2008, when I started my business, I opened a business checking account, savings account and line of credit. In 2011, I opened a custodial savings account for each of my two children. I was given two new Citibank coffee mugs in appreciation of my loyalty.

Each year, I deposited their birthday money into these accounts. But I did not keep close tabs on the balances because, well, the whole point of a kids’ savings account is to put the money in and forget it. 

At one of my annual deposits along the way, I noticed that my daughter’s account was shrinking. I looked at the past few transactions and noticed that she was being charged a $15 service fee. I looked at my son’s account balance and he was not being charged, so I assumed that there was a minimum balance (unusual for this type of account) and simply added money from my checking account so she had as much money as my son. 

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