Talk Show at LaunchPad All Weekend Long

There's never a dull moment at LaunchPad, but this weekend there's an extra-special reason to stop by, as Ellen Reeves brings her award-winning Talk Show to Crown Heights for three straight nights of shows. Complete info from the Talk Show blog below the video:

TALK SHOW at LaunchPad

721 Franklin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11238

2/3, 4/5 to Franklin Avenue

June 1, 2 and 3, 2012

Show 8-9:30 pm. Doors open at 7:30. Reception 9:30-10:30 pm. Admission is free; no reservations; seating is first-come, first-served. BYOB.

Forget Conan and Colbert. Forget Reality TV. TALK SHOW is the new reality, only better.  

Because it’s real. 

In addition to featured guests, interactive segments vary nightly and may include:

Man Off the Street. Who’s in the Audience? What’s Your Problem? The Name Game. Everything You Need is in this Room. I Am My Own Stupid Pet Trick. 

Friday, June 1

Why Are You Acting Like That?

Featured guests include Ron and Lynn Cohen (Sex and The City; Munich); Marzipan-Maker/Writer/Photographer Sue Stevenson Borowitz; Charla Lauriston, Improvisor and Stand-up Comedienne.

Saturday, June 2  

Everything But the Kitchen Sink

Featured guests include Food and Wine host Heather Johnston of So.Good TV’s Cooking with HJ; Tip Top Organizing CEO Jaclyn Gross on decluttering your life; Harvard Cheerleader Michael Bachmann (Making ‘Em Cheer).

Sunday, June 3

Who Knows What Will Happen Next?

Featured guests include Phil Wolff on Improv; Psychic Roxanne Usleman; Astrologer Elisabeth Grace; Greg Pierotti(Apology; The Laramie Project).

TALK SHOW. Because everyone has a story.

TALK SHOW debuted at Grand Opening on the Lower East Side in 2010.

Creator, producer and host Ellen Reeves is the author of Can I Wear My Nose Ring to the Interview? The Crash Course in Finding, Landing, and Keeping Your First Real Job. 

Gavin Browning, Digital Media Director; Stephanie Genkin, Executive Producer; Emma Janger, House and Stage Manager; Michael Kunitzky, LaunchPad; John Murphy-Teixidor, Technical Director;  Ben Smyth, Logo Design.

Help Keep Five Myles Open on June 14

Here's an event to put on your calendar in advance: Five Myles on St. John's is hosting a benefit on Thursday, June 14, from 6-9pm. The local gallery, which has served as a community hub for emerging and established artists since 1999, is suffering the effects of the recession (which continues to hit arts funding particularly hard), and is using this event to raise funds to stay open. For more about Five Myles and their longtime commitment to young artists and the arts of the African Diaspora, check out this great Daily News piece from last week. If you're looking for some outstanding artwork for your home or business, this event is a great way to acquire some while supporting an awesome local nonprofit at the same time. 

In other local arts news, check out Jean Seestadt, ILFA's "lady," on the cover of Quiet Lunch Magazine.

New Coffee Spot for Bergen

Those who ride west on Bergen's bike lane will have already seen this space under construction just east of Classon (more new development for Four Corners). The lady and I rolled by yesterday on our way to the park and chatted briefly with the folks outside, who hope to open in two weeks. The space isn't huge, but the wall of glass and high ceiling gives it an airy feel. In the haste of drive-by blogging, ILFA doesn't quite remember their name, though I know it begins with a "C." Colby Coffee Company? Colgate? Colrain? Something to that effect, anyway - if you know more, post it here.

Introducing TasteBuds

Kevin Philip has done it again. In the time that it takes most business owners to get one single license approved by a city agency, he's converted About Time Boutique into a beautifully-appointed new sandwich shop, TasteBuds, which will start training staff next week in preparation for a soft opening on June 15. ILFA snuck in today as Kevin was working to hear about all the ways in which this sandwich shop will stand out.

The Food: Why else would you go in, right? Classic sandwiches and some new twists, hot and cold, made with fresh local ingredients (including bread from a beloved NYC bakery) and some choice imported meats and cheeses. This is not your basic deli - this is a serious sandwich shop. There'll be some tasty items around the edges, too, for those who don't always want their meal between two slices of bread, including some award-winning chili. ILFA plans to eat my way through the menu one sandwich at a time - here's hoping they have some of those "buy 9 and get the 10th free" cards.

The Look: Someone who's built out big-budget bars as an electrician and designed t-shirts for years knows how to make a place beautiful. There are more photos below, but touches include a great mural on one wall, homemade tables, cozy soft lighting up front for summer evenings, and an original Redbird subway strap (pun intended). Oh, and did we mention the sign?

The Sign (and what it stands for): Nearly 15 years ago, when Kevin was first getting started in the screen printing business, he found an experienced local signmaker who was willing to sell him some basic equipment to get off the ground. Every time Kevin's needed a sign for a business since, he's gone to the same guy, but a decade and a half later, it was the signmaker's son, now in the family business, who made the stencil for the TasteBuds sign (from Kevin's own design). A little local reciprocity to keep business close to home: that's how Kevin and Garnett (the Franklin Avenue Merchants founder) do things, whether they're hiring locally or putting on the Kids Day. Shop local - see you at TasteBuds.

You knew they'd have great-looking t-shirts.

Even the iPad-register-dock is homemade.

Yes. 

Poetry at Five Myles Tonight

Lots going on tonight, including this event at Five Myles Gallery in partnership with the Haiti Cultural Exchange:

Melissa Beauvery is a spoken word artist, writer and cultural activist currently living in Philadelphia, PA. Her work is heavily influenced by traditional Haitian spirituality, storytelling and songs. Melissa writes in English and Haitian Creole. Though a born Brooklynite, her strong interest in Haitian culture was a result of constant trips to Haiti throughout her adolescence. Her work is also reflective of the journey of the Haitian diaspora in America and elsewhere. Her poems have been published in a Haitian writers anthology titled Voices of the Sun (2009) and in a powerful reactive chap book “For the crowns on your head” (2010) released shortly after the 2010 earthquake. Her most recent project, “My Grandmother’s Tongue” was released this year. This is her first spoken word album.

The poems on “My Grandmother’s Tongue” tell stories in both English and Haitian Creole. Using stories and the styles of spoken word, Beauvery illustrates different circumstances in America and Haiti. The CD is also animated by various instruments ranging from Haitian drums to an accordion.

Join Haiti Cultural Exchange for discussion about her present and past writings and personal inspiration. Then, stick around for a special performance with Melissa including special guest performances by Obed Jean Louis, Reginald Jacques, Val Jeanty, and Buyu Ambroise!

Check out some of Beauvery’s work and learn about the backstory for “My Grandmother’s Tongue” here!

DATE / TIME: Thursday, May 24th, 2012/ 6-8pm. Refreshments will be served.
LOCATION: Five Myles Gallery, 558 St. John’s Place, Brooklyn, New York Google MapTake the  2, 3, 4 or 5 to Franklin St or the S to Botanical Garden.
ADMISSION: Free. $10 suggested donation. Seating is limited, please RSVP to regine@haiticulturalx.org

Arts to End Violence TONIGHT and Thursday Night

More great events from SOS Crown Heights:

Live music! Free wine and food! Inspired and inspiring art!

Please join us TONIGHT for our Arts to End Violence gallery opening...  **6:30-9pm at Ron Taylor's Gallery, 1160 St. John's Place, and the Greater Restoration Baptist Church, 1156 St. John's Place.** See the art and meet your neighbors; enjoy live music and free wine and snacks. This is an indoor/outdoor event but will take place rain or shine. We hope to see you there!  - the S.O.S. team And don't forget tomorrow night's movies at LaunchPad, co-sponsored by the Kings County Cinema Society (check out the trailer above): Friends! Thursday night, as part of the 2nd Annual Arts to End Violence Festival created by Save Our Streets Crown Heights, KCCS will present a special screening of director Maggie Hadleigh-West’s recent doc PLAYER HATING: A LOVE STORY (2010, 95min) Player Hating follows rapper Half-a-Mill and his Brooklyn crew, The Godfia Criminals, as they struggle to launch Milion, in an effort to attain money, success and recognition through music. Player Hating delves intimately into the lives of young “thugs”, and takes the viewer into an underground world of poverty, alienation, gangs, violence and music that most audience members have an inkling of, but few rarely see—unless they’ve lived it. Filmed in the Albany Projects in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Trailer at our site - film’s site here “Player Hating is one of the more intimate and revealing looks at American projects ever made… Hadleigh-West clearly has the guts, not to mention the wiliness, of a potentially major filmmaker: She went to an everyday kind of purgatory and came out with a picture of cleansing humanity.” – Chuck Bowen, Slant Magazine The 8pm screening will be preceded by a selection of locally-produced music videos, docs and youth media, curated by the Crown Heights Community Mediation Center, beginning at 7pm... with a Q&A with local artists and activists. Thursday May 24th 2012. 7pm youth media, 8pm feature film At Brooklyn LaunchPad, 721 Franklin Ave btw/ Park & Sterling. 2/3/4/5 to Franklin Free, free popcorn, BYOB

Soccer for Harmony Looking for Sponsors and Volunteers

From Seeds in the Middle, who've held two successful tournaments of this kind already:

Do you play soccer? Do you support healthy kids? We're calling all players - of all ages - and SPONSORS on June 3rd for our 3rd Soccer for Harmony tournament - this time in conjunction with the 71st Precinct's Family Day, featuring rides, food, festivities, a parade for kids and more.  The friendly competition will feature three different rounds - male adult teams, youth teams and women/co-ed games, with players spanning the globe. You can sign up individually or put up a team. You can also join a 6 pm co-ed pickup game. In our first Soccer for Harmony, the Orthodox Jewish community team trounced the Caribbean crew. Second round, the Caribbean crew rallied, and beat the Jewish contigent. Now - round three, they face off again. We invite you to expand the challenge! We're looking for 16 teams of 7 vs 7. Not only play ball, but you also help kids get fit, play soccer for low-cost or free & support our Crown Heights Farmers Market. Parents - sign up your child for youth soccer now.     Stay tuned for our next Seeds in the Middle newsletter to tell you about all our activities: gardens, chefs, Hip2B Healthy Market, running, zumba, ballroom dancing, arts and more. SPONSORS: We provide great publicity for any sponsoring business! Look at the press coverage! Check sponsor opportunities here. See our letter and sponsor form. We've been featured in the: Daily News, Epoch Times, Caribbean Life, Collive.com, Gowanus Lounge, Shalom Life ,Jspace.com,ilovefranklinave.blogspot.com, Bed-StuyPatch and more...  Check the Crown Heights Farmers Market on NY1. Click on the link below to register now!

Get more information Register Now! I can't make it

Questions? Contact seedsinthemiddle@gmail.com or call 917-756-4202.   We look forward to seeing you in Crown Heights - on the field - on Sunday, June 3rd.  Don't forget! Send the kids to march in the parade at 11:30 am! Sincerely,   Seeds in the Middle seedsinthemiddle@gmail.com