A blog about our Brooklyn neighborhood.
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Sunday, November 27th, 2011
Reminder: Hope to see you tomorrow for the happy hour with author Gabriel Cohen, author of The Ninth Step, and our inaugural Ditmas Reads Ditmas subject.
Book Talk with Gabriel Cohen
Author of The Ninth Step
At Sycamore, 1118 Cortelyou Road
Monday, November 28, 5-7pm
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Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011
Join us this Monday, November 28 for a happy hour at Sycamore with author Gabriel Cohen, whose most recent book, The Ninth Step, is the first of our Ditmas Reads Ditmas series.
Cohen will be at the bar with new, hardcover copies of this book for sale–he’ll have up to 10 copies available for $12 each (list price is $25.99), cash only. He’ll also bring copies of some of his other books, and neighbors are welcome to bring your own copies to be autographed.
Because so much of the book takes place in our neighborhood, and as previously mentioned there are some parts that are based on things that actually happened, at about 6pm he’ll talk about the true events in the book and the neighborhood-related material.
Whether you’ve read the book yet or not, this event should be a lot of fun, and we hope to see you there!
Book Talk with Gabriel Cohen
Author of The Ninth Step
At Sycamore, 1118 Cortelyou Road
Monday, November 28, 5-7pm
Sunday, November 20th, 2011
Pre-order Thanksgiving bouquets and table arrangements from Sycamore! Stop by the shop or email sycamoreflowershop@gmail.com to reserve.
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Sunday, November 6th, 2011
Every once in a while we get a question about a good tailor in the area, and here’s a unique one. I can’t comment on the skill of Sew Moni, but they’ve got a pretty great idea: on Monday, November 7, they’ll be at Sycamore for a Seamstress Happy Hour. From 4 to 7pm, you can bring in items of clothing that need minor repairs–a winter coat with buttons hanging off, pants that need to be hemmed, and so on–and drop them off (and grab a drink since you’re there), then pick up the clothes at Sycamore the following Sunday.
Tuesday, November 1st, 2011
Monday Night Vinyl Club, hosted by neighbor Naomi Donabedian (aka Cantaloupe Alone), has been inviting people to bring and spin their own records at Sycamore for over a year now. According to the Brooklyn Daily, people love it now more than ever:
“Vinyl Club been one our most consistent, well-received events,” said John Hagen, the bar’s booker. “It’s very rare that someone can throw five records under their arm and walk to their local bar to share music with other people.”
MNVC takes place on the first Monday of the month, so the next event is coming up next week on November 8.
As someone who’s avoided amassing vinyl because I don’t need another heavy collection, I can only enjoy this from the sidelines–which is plenty enjoyable. What’s the best record you’ve brought or heard at MNVC?
Wednesday, October 26th, 2011
Charlie Hunter is doing another solo residency at Sycamore, starting tonight and with future shows on November 2 and November 9. It’s a great chance to see some world-class jazz at an amazing venue. Tonight, he plays at 9pm for $10.
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Thursday, October 20th, 2011
Next Sunday, October 30, Sycamore has its once-a-month serving of vintage Jamaican tunes from Names You Can Trust, but this time they welcome the Jamaican Dutchy food truck alongside them. The truck will be parked outside the bar starting at 6pm, music starts at 8pm.
I used to work in an office in Midtown that was right around the corner from where the Jamaican Dutchy parked back when it was a mere cart, and besides making really great soup and fantastic jerk chicken, owner O’Neill is super proud of Jamaica. When Usain Bolt won Gold at the Olympics, he played his races on a loop on a screen mounted to the cart–and then Bolt showed up for a visit, which probably made O’Neill’s decade. Check and see if he still has the photo in the truck!
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Thursday, September 22nd, 2011
Say goodbye to summer at Sycamore’s Oktoberfest:
We have one more event at Sycamore this summer season, which is our Oktoberfest, happening on Saturday, 10/1 from 2pm – 8pm. Our own Johnny Lupiani (bartender) will be grilling up several types of homemade German sausages in the garden, and we’ll have some specialty German beers on draft available inside and outside. There’s no cover charge, either.
Oktoberfest @ Sycamore
Saturday, October 1, 2-8pm
1118 Cortelyou Road
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Wednesday, September 21st, 2011
If you like roast pork and you didn’t make it to the Farm on Adderley pig roast at Sycamore last weekend, take a look at what you missed, and remember to try it next year!
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Wednesday, September 14th, 2011
Last year’s Pig Roast at Sycamore, by the Farm on Adderley.
There’s still time to pick up tickets for this Saturday’s pig roast at Sycamore. Join the Farm’s Chef Tom Kearney on September 17 (rain or shine), for a 14-hour pig roast. Roasting of the 150-pound pig begins Friday evening, and carries on through the night.
To cool you off, Lagunitas Brewery of Petaluma, CA will be pouring $5 pints of five of their beers. Food will be available starting at 4pm for $25 per plate. Limited availability, sign up here.
Roasting begins at midnight on Friday (no tickets necessary), so drop in and take a peek or join the crew for a beer.
Wednesday, September 14th, 2011
More than 20 Brooklyn homebrewers were at Sycamore this weekend to put their beers, and people’s livers, to the test at the Brooklyn Wort.
Homebrew at the Wort isn’t coming from kids just tinkering around in the kitchen–these brewers take it seriously, and it shows. Any homebrew I’ve tasted in the past, I’ve politely encouraged the friend to try again, or find another hobby, but these guys presented a wide range of flavors, and I’d have had a second glass of most of them. Even the ones I didn’t love, it was just personal taste, and not a reflection on the quality.
Places like Brooklyn Homebrew, the beermaking supply shop in Gowanus, are providing Brooklynites easy access to the tools, and the beers the brewers poured at competition prove that our borough can compete with the best of them.
Hundreds of beer enthusiasts and a panel of expert judges had to pick favorites though, and the winners are:
First prize for the judge’s decision: Chris Lovrich’s Earl Wit
First prize for the people’s decision: Brad Hillman’s Personality Disorder Barleywine
If you enjoy beer but missed the Wort, Sycamore is hosting its final beer and cheese tasting of a 4-part series on Monday. Brian Ewing of 12% Imports will guide you through Scandinavian beers, while Ariel from Saxelby Cheese Mongers will be pairing the beers to some of their hand-picked American cheeses.
Scandinavian Craft Beers & Cheese at Sycamore
Monday, September 19, 8pm
$30 per person. Limited availability, sign up here now.
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Saturday, September 10th, 2011
Neighbor Dan Loomis will be with his band Spoke at Sycamore this Monday, September 12 at 9pm in support in support of their new release, Succinct. This is the start of a national tour, and they’ll be joined by special guest artist and local composer Rob Mosher.
Wednesday, September 7th, 2011
Rescheduled because of Hurricane Irene, the Brooklyn Wort will be at Sycamore this Saturday, September 10. The 5:30pm Tasting is sold out, but a handful of tickets remain for the 2:30 Tasting. Info on buying tickets at sycamorebrooklyn.com. Get them while you can!
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Sunday, September 4th, 2011
Long time DP blogger Nelson writes:
When we moved into our house 7 years ago on Argyle Road, I unknowingly chopped down our half-dead, ancient looking fig tree to the stump. Woops! To my delight, the tree grew back with a vengeance and produced a delicious bumper crop the first year. Once I recognized the leaves, I found out fig trees blanket Victorian Flatbush, are loved by foodies, and have a longstanding history in Brooklyn and elsewhere. Did you know figs are considered the first instance of human agriculture? Sorry, I’m just overly excited about figs. Here’s how you can get your own tree:
My sons and I have grown and are selling fig trees at Sycamore Flowershop to raise funds for the Flatbush CommUNITY Garden where I’ve been a member for 3 seasons. The garden is having an open house, by the way this month. The money will help the garden continue its operation and also keep membership fees low (FCG yearly membership: $20.) We are suggesting a contribution of $60 for large 3′ tree (already baring figs) and $30 for the smaller trees. Awesomely, 100 percent of the purchase price goes to the FCG. (Thanks Sycamore for volunteering to sell them!) There will be three fig trees at Sycamore for sale as of Wednesday, September 7…If they run out, email Nelson at: flatbushfigfarm@gmail.com to reserve a small tree for later this month.
As you can probably tell from walking around the neighborhood, fig trees do well in our area, and they’re easy to keep alive. For these ones in containers, you’ll do best by bringing them inside to an unheated space during the winter, which will protect the roots from the cold. But then next fall, you’ll have your own fig harvest!
Sycamore Flowershop
1118 Cortelyou Road
347-240-5850
sycamoreflowershop@gmail.com
Thursday, September 1st, 2011
The 2011 Farm on Adderley/Sycamore Pig Roast is coming up. Get your tickets before they sell out!
Join Chef Tom Kearney Saturday, September 17th, for a 14 hour pig roast. Roasting of the 150lb pig begins Friday evening, and carries on through the night. To cool you off, Lagunitas Brewery of Petaluma, CA will be pouring $5 pints of five of their delicious beers. Food will be available starting at 4pm for $25/plate.
Limited availability, sign up here now!
Roasting begins at midnight on Friday (no tickets necessary), come and take a peek or join us for a beer!
Additionally, a reminder that because of the hurricane, the Brooklyn Wort was postponed until Saturday, September 10, and a limited number of tickets are still available.
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Friday, August 19th, 2011
Sycamore is hosting a special evening of homebrewed beers and cheese on Monday, August 22 at 8pm. This is the 3rd of Sycamore’s 4-part Beer & Cheese tasting series.
We will be toasting to our upcoming Brooklyn Wort Competition and tasting some amazing homebrewed beers from some very special friends. The beers will be a surprise and will range in all styles. We are also lucky to have Bierkraft, who will be pairing the beers to some of the outstanding cheeses they carry in their Brooklyn store.
$30 per person. Limited availability, sign up here now!
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Tuesday, August 16th, 2011
Primary Records has planned a short residency of Friday night shows at Sycamore, starting this week on August 19. Anthony LaMarca, who lives in the neighborhood (along with some of the artists), and Oren Kessler run the label, and they spoke with us about the shows, the artists, and why whiskey is a great attraction for any venue.
What do you hope to provide to audiences at the residency, and what are you hoping to take away from the experience?
ANTHONY: We want to build trust with listeners that if they come to see a Primary Records artist, they are going to see exciting and challenging music. We did a showcase in June with nine of the artists. It is a very eclectic group, but the idea was that even if you hadn’t heard of some of the bands, you could draw a connection to another band you did know. So this is that same sort of idea.
OREN: We also hope that as we grow this community of artists we can start to grow the fan community around all of the projects.
Read on for more about the bands and the label…and the whiskey!
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Tuesday, August 16th, 2011
Join NYC Trust and crew every third Thursday at Sycamore for “We Live In Brooklyn!”
Resident DJs ASAF, 1MAN & E’S E select an assortment of high-grade vintage tunes: Funk, Early R&B, Modern Soul, Library Beats, Ska, Boogoloo, and more.
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Thursday, August 11th, 2011
Jesse sends this update for tonight’s monthly Squirrelly event at Sycamore:
Calling all queers in Ditmas Park, Kensington, Midwood, Flatbush, and everywhere in between: come out to Squirrelly, the monthly party at Sycamore Flower Shop + Bar. Join your neighbors for drink specials and dancing to disco, freestyle, glam, funk, house, and more. Free, from 9pm to 1am. Hope to see you there!
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Wednesday, August 10th, 2011
Sycamore is having a specialty BBQ with beer from the Captain Lawrence Brewing Company of Pleasantville, NY this Saturday, August 13.
For every pint of beer, you get a free hot dog!
Food is served from 12-6pm, and there are $5 drafts all day.
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Wednesday, August 10th, 2011
Neighbor Adam Schneit is playing with his band Old Time Musketry tonight at Sycamore:
10:00pm – OLD TIME MUSKETRY presents a joyous music that draws on the exuberant spirit of early jazz, the poignant melodies and soulful grooves of rock and folk music, the energy and spontaneity of free improvisation, and a willfully experimental attitude towards combining these elements into a unique vision of American music. The band features Ditmas Park resident Adam Schneit on saxophone and clarinet, JP Schlegelmilch on piano and accordion, Phil Rowan on bass, and Max Goldman on drums.
9:00pm – LAILA AND SMITTY is a new band that takes a fresh look at American roots music with the lyrical stylings of trumpeter Kenny Warren in the role of the lead vocal. Featuring Jeremiah Lockwood (Sway Machinery, Balkan Beat Box) on guitar and Josh Meyers holding down the bass. Expect to hear covers by Leadbelly, Mississippi John Hurt, and the Carter Family.
$7 COVER CHARGE.
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Tuesday, August 9th, 2011
It’s the second Tuesday of the month, which means you can catch the new Jazz Mental series at Sycamore tonight from 8pm to midnight.
From the folks who bring you Monday Night Vinyl Club, Jazz mental features resident DJs Impose Selector, DJ OK, and Diamond Don, who will “melt your head with rare jazz grooves and experimental nuggets from the deepest musical caverns.”
Sounds like a great way to spend a rainy evening!
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Wednesday, July 27th, 2011
Sycamore is hosting its third local brewery and food truck day this Sunday, July 31, featuring Long Island beer and Korean barbeque. Mmm, kimchi and beer:
Join us from 12-6pm alongside Barrier Brewing Company (Oceanside, NY) and Korilla BBQ (New York City) for a Sunday of great food and beer!
We want to welcome Korilla BBQ to Ditmas Park this summer. The famed food truck of NYC will park in front of Sycamore to serve their amazing Korean-inspired tacos and burritos. Alongside them, Barrier Brewing Company of Oceanside, NY will be serving some of their seasonal and specialty beers on draft in the backyard.
Stop by to try a taco with kimchi and the best beer that NY has to offer! Food served from 12pm-6pm. $5 draft beers all day long.
Friday, July 15th, 2011
Sad news for all those arepa fans out there: Because of an emergency, Patacon Pisao won’t be able to make it to Sycamore for their Food Truck & Brewery event tomorrow, unfortunately.
But happy news for hot dog fans: They’ll be grilling hotdogs in the backyard from 12-5pm. And Kelso Brewery’s seasonal beers will still be on draft, $5 all day long!
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Wednesday, July 13th, 2011
Cheddar Vault at Jasper Hill Cellars, by Lark Smotherton Photography
Two events in the next week at Sycamore give you two chances to try good beer and food! Here are the details:
Local Brewery & Food Truck Series: Part 2
Saturday, July 16, 12-6pm
The famed Patacon Pisao food truck of Washington Heights will park in front of Sycamore to serve their amazing Venezuelan cuisine, from patacons with crispy plantains to cachapas and arepas. Alongside them, Kelso of Brooklyn of Clinton Hill will be serving some of their seasonal and specialty beers on draft in the backyard. Stop by for the best Venezuelan and the best beer that NYC has to offer! Food served from 12pm-6pm. $5 draft beers all day long.
Belgian Beer & Cheese Tasting
Monday, July 18, 8pm
Only a few spots left for Sycamore’s 2nd Beer & Cheese Tasting: Belgian Farm Style Ales & Cheeses. Brian Ewing from 12% Imports and Jessica Kesselman from Cellars at Jasper Hill will guide you through a selection of hand-picked pairings. Monday, July 18th, 8pm. $30 per person. Tickets available here.
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