SHEEPSHEAD BAY'S ONLY INDEPENDENT NEWS BLOG

After we posted the Sheepshead Bay – Penny Lane music video on Monday, a number of other blogs and websites began snatching it up. We don’t know where it appeared first, but we do know that no one credited Sheepshead Bites for cranking it out to the public.

But that’s not what’s got our panties in a bunch. What bothered us at Sheepshead Bites was Curbed’s reaction. One of the contributors there snarked up a post about the neighborhood that he’s probably never visited, and seemed in disbelief that we could find ourselves on New York Magazine’s list of top neighborhoods.

Sheepshead Bay came in at #27 on New York magazine’s Most Livable Neighborhoods list. Stat boy Nate Silver’s review of the ‘hood: “Far from the action but close to the sea; quiet, safe, and clean, with good public schools.” But this southern Brooklyn enclave has so much more to offer! Like the Banco Popular, or the Roll Roaster that’s “usually hit or miss.” In fact, one viewing of the above music video (set to the Beatles’ “Penny Lane”) and you’ll agree: Sheepshead Bay is deserving of a ranking as high as, dare we say, #26.

Keep reading to see our reaction

Actually, this post really should have been titled, Local Architecture Student Starts Blog To Save Manhattan Beach Architecture, But From The Looks Of It, It’s Too Late — but, that wouldn’t have fit into the allotted space.

The blog — dedicated to news and information related to the address 230 Corbin Place (between Oriental Boulevard & the Atlantic Ocean) — is run by, Valerie, a Manhattan Beach resident and student of architecture. When Valerie first saw the house on the 40 ft x 144.58 ft lot being razed, she expressed her feeling of loss of the old-style Manhattan Beach buildings by doing what any preservationistic, nostalgic, young person would do — she researched and documented it!

But to top it all off, she started a blog to share her passion for her neighborhood. This is the kind of thing to which we at Sheepshead Bites can really relate.

Her last post was in February, so that just leads us to believe that she’s busy trying to get her degree. Until then, you can still catch up with some the previous posts. They are chock full of useful information about how she visited the City Register and the Department of Finance to dig into the house’s history.

Property Shark shows that the house last sold on March 28, 2008 for $800,000. Since then, it has been demolished. We’ll all be waiting to see how the new owner, Vadem Brodsky, and his architectural firm will make use of that valuable land.

If anyone has any updated information or photographs of any work that may be underway, be sure to shoot our Editor an e-mail.

(Artist: Lori Merhige, mixed media, 2009, Titled: Fall; Display made possible in part by The Wassaic Project)

This picture was snapped at the Brooklyn Blogfest 2009 afterparty held at the Galapagos Art Space. It was a chic, happening spot, but still not as happening as across the street where Blogfest had just wrapped up.

Some may say this sculpture has a sexual connotation, but I say it looks like a woman drowning. It’s art, so we can take it however we want. Still, drowning seems more like it, since the sculpture is placed in a moat of water.

I chose this picture of a drowning woman for my blogfest post, simply because I identify with the concept. Many of you were surprised to learn last night when you met me at the Place Blogs pew upstairs at the powerhouse Arena that — I am a woman. One other thing that didn’t come up in our conversations, is that I can’t swim to save my life.

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This is just a tiny reminder about Brooklyn Blogfest 2009 happening tonight. It’s less than one year and Sheepshead Bites is one of the notable bloggers representing Place Blogs. You can learn more about blogging and have a little fun while you’re at it. There will be food, prizes, and giveaways. Stop by and say “Hi” at the Blogs-of-a-Feather coop.

…for the powerhouse of blog meetings at the powerHouse Arena in Dumbo, Brooklyn.

I’ll be at the coop called Place Blogs nesting with the rest of the Blogs-of-a-Feather where you can also meet bloggers of the following subjects: Social Activist; Food & Home; Historic; Political; Photo; Popular Culture & Comedy; and, Parenting.

If you’re interested in learning more about this exciting world we call blogging, you will have a great time at the 2009 Brooklyn Blogfest on Thursday, May 7, 2009.

Last year at the 2008 Brooklyn Blogfest, Ned was inspired to start Sheepshead Bites. This year, you will be inspired to start your own exciting online world.

This event is well-planned, with a casual, educational side and a fun, social side. The buzz is that there is also a wild, midnight-hour party not-really-planned for after the official events.

The powerHouse arena, with it’s 24-foot ceilings and 5,000 square feet of virtual world bloggers mingling in the real world, will be the venue for the educational portion, but then the whole crowd of creative geniuses will cross the street for the nutritional side of things.

At the Galapagos Art Space and after the main event, there will be free, real (not virtual) food and a cash bar (hint, bring cash and ID), with time to mingle and meet all these cool bloggers. They’re not just people, they’re bloggers.

It only costs $10 to enter and you can pay ahead to facilitate registration — which would be a good idea based on the number of people who attended last year.

Here is the information:

Fourth Annual Brooklyn Blogfest

May 7, 2009
Doors open at 7 p.m.
powerHouse Arena
37 Main Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Admission: $10 ($5 for students and seniors)

Brooklyn Blogfest After-Party
Galapagos Art Space
16 Main Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
(right across the street from powerHouse Arena)

Cash bar and refreshments

You may have noticed a recent addition to the sidebar: a Paypal donation button. The reason for this is simple: we at SheepsheadBites.com work really hard to bring you news, information, opinions and simple, fun chunks o’ text – and we don’t get a red cent for it.

For the most part, we don’t mind. It’s fun and it’s our passion. But that still doesn’t negate the fact that things cost money. Web hosting, domains, site development — and again, TIME (which, as the famous equation dictates, equals money).

So we’re making a simple request of our readers: please help keep the site going. If you read the site and enjoy it, make a small donation to show your appreciation. Proceeds will go to maintain the site and build upon current offerings. With the money raised, we hope to pay writers a small amount to attend meetings of the community board, civic associations and other local groups and report in-depth on issues raised. We also hope to add new resources for our readers, such as user-generated event calendars to promote local events, organizations and businesses. And we’d also like to redesign the site to make it easier for our readers to navigate.

So please, support the site and help us serve you and the community better.

(Brooklyn Barrister website)

Sheepshead Bay lawyer, Gene Berardelli, who represents the Sheepshead Bay/Plumb Beach Civic Association has launched his own blog. He is also known for working to improve the quality of life in Sheepshead Bay and is currently actively at work on a project to build Brigham Street Park. Mr. Berardelli is also known for standing up for the rights of everyone regardless of their age or color – even if it means being arrested.

This past June, we reported about his unjust arrest when he intervened during a dispute between New York City Police and some African-American students. When he tried to speak up on behalf of the students, who it appeared were being unfairly targeted because of their race, police arrested him. A few days later, the New York Post covered the story with him pictured holding the summons he received.

In his blog, Mr. Berardelli plans on covering subjects of interest to him, with a special focus on helping us non-lawyers to understand a little bit about the law. Once a week, he plans on answering a question taken from the user-friendly legal information website, Avvo.com. His straightforward and approachable manner shows through, as he concisely explains some difficult legal questions – and, in this increasingly legalistic society, we can use all the help we can get.

If the law doesn’t interest you as much, you might find his opinion about things happening in Sheepshead Bay and in the larger world of sports (being part-owner of Gotham Sports Media, he knows a bit about the subject) more your cup of tea.

We offer a hearty welcome to Brooklyn Barrister.

Visit the Brooklyn Barrister website URL:
http://brooklynbarrister.blogspot.com

Sorry, I love alliteration. Anyway, Brighton Beach finally has its own blog, titled Little Rus, which will feature news, reviews and events in the Brighton Beach area. It appears geared towards Russian-Americans and introducing others to the many quirks of the Russian culture.

From the blog’s description:

Rus’: referencing the first Russian state established in the late 9th century. Brighton Beach and the surrounding areas of Brooklyn have long been associated with Russian culture, thus Little Rus’ is an attempt to document the intricacies of the diverse neighborhood. The site will provide a resource for visitors and an outlet for residents to bring forth these cultural attributes.

I, for one, am happy to see blogs spreading to the Southern Brooklyn neighborhoods, an area long ignored by media, new and old.