Marty Winter 2011.qxd - Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz

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BROOKLYN’S THE COOLEST ONE OF ALL! Brooklynites all talk about our borough being the best. But now we’ve got proof, in writing! GQ, the ultimate arbiter of cool, has proclaimed Brooklyn the “coolest city on the planet” in its November 2011 issue. That’s on the planet! And the mention wasn’t just a blurb or a sidebar: GQ gave seven full pages to shopping, strolling, noshing and imbibing in Kings County. It’s hard not to let it go to your head when GQ claims Brooklyn is “the place where everything’s happening before it’s happening.” GQ’s marketing tag is “Look sharp, live smart,” and we’ve got that last part covered— since we live here—and the first part, well, anyone whose been to Bed-Stuy or Williamsburg, 4 Remsen Street in Brooklyn Heights. Greenpoint or Gowanus can catch some fashion trends before they’re trendy. Also covering Brooklyn, Travel & Leisure, the self-proclaimed “definer of modern global culture,” just cited Brooklyn Heights as one of the country’s ten most beautiful neighborhoods in the October issue. Not Manhattan’s Sutton Place or Queen’s Forest Hills Garden or the Bronx’s Riverdale or Staten Island’s Todt Hill but Brooklyn Heights, baby! And it was the only New York City nabe to make the list. Travel & Leisure also featured a full page in the November issue on Williamsburg’s great food and design. With high-end publications in places like Australia, Canada and Israel also touting Brooklyn’s cache, our borough is becoming the mecca for the well-heeled traveler who must see it all. To read the GQ story, go to www.gq.com/food-travel/travel-features/201111/brooklynnew-york-guide-food-dining. And visit www.travelandleisure.com/articles/brooklyn-bound to read the article in Travel & Leisure. WHERE NEW YORK CITY BEGINS “EXPO”- SURE IN Spring BROOKLYN 2003 Marriage equality means more than just lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender couples finally enjoying the same rights and privileges as everyone else; for businesses that cater to everything matrimonial, it’s an opportunity to reach new clients planning their special day. On Sunday, January 15, Brooklyn Borough Hall will host the first major wedding expo of its kind in New York City, presented and sponsored by the Brooklyn Community Pride Center on Atlantic Avenue in Downtown Brooklyn/Boerum Hill. The 2012 Wedding Expo is expected to draw thousands of guests and some 100 vendors—representing banquet halls, caterers, florists, travel agents, lawyers, financial advisors and planners as well as organiza- WWW.BROOKLYN-USA.ORG Winter 2011 LGBT NUPTIALS GET 4 For all your wedding needs put the January 15, 2012 Wedding Expo at Borough Hall on your calender. tions, retailers or services who wish to solicit the lucrative wedding market. The event will also feature honeymoon packages and elaborate giveaways from regional and national sponsors as well as a silent auction of merchandise redeemable locally. “It is a comprehensive showcase for both local retailers as well as many national companies who want to congratulate Brooklyn and New York gays and lesbians on their victory for equal rights,” said Daniel Brooks, the expo’s director. So we “propose” that you stop by the expo and make Brooklyn—home to one of the nation’s largest LGBT populations, particularly our lesbian community—and your “fabulous” nuptials a happy couple. And hey, if you happen to be straight, you’re welcome, too! For details, including vendor information and sponsorship opportunities, contact Daniel Brooks at weddingexpo@lgbtbrooklyn.org or (215) 431-6674. Advanced tickets available beginning December 1 at www.lgbtbrooklyn.org.
CHOCK-A-BLOCK WITH CLARKES 4 Maybe they should call it Clarke Street! Jason Clarke, Erin Torres, Donna-Marie Galvin Torres, Angel Torres, Emily Torres, Liz Clarke and Michael Clarke, just some of the extended Clarke family that owns four homes on the same block. When patriarch Edward Clarke bought the house at 415 18th Street in the South Slope back in 1950, he didn’t know he was starting a trend. Today a number of homes on 18th Street are owned by Clarkes and that begs the question: are they related? A quick chat with Edward’s son, Michael Clarke, reveals that yes, they are. Michael and his wife, Elizabeth, bought their house at 423 18th Street in 1984. “I was born in the house at 415,” said Michael, “and my sister, Clorita, still lives there.” While Clorita may be a “Galvin” by marriage, she’s still a Clarke, and it doesn’t stop there. Not to be outdone by the older generations, Michael Clarke, Jr.—Michael and Elizabeth’s son—purchased the house at 417, which just happens to be the house his mother, Elizabeth, grew up in, right next to the house his father was raised and just down the block from the place Mike Jr. called home. But it doesn’t stop there. Michael Sr.’s niece, Donna Marie Galvin Torres, bought 421 18th Street. What is it about the Clarkes and 18th Street? “It’s a quiet block, with beautiful trees, fairly low property taxes and pretty good parking,” said Michael Sr. Of course having so much family nearby has its perks, like the Clarke family block party—ok, other families are invited—and when you need a cup of sugar, your father or your son or your cousin or your aunt just can’t say no! DR. KING’S REPORT CARD 4 Dr. John B. King, New York State Education Commissioner WHERE NEW YORK CITY BEGINS At the age of 36, Dr. John King has realized the dreams of his parents and made hope possible for thousands of urban students who would not have dared to dream. Born in Flatlands, King is the product of educators. His dad, John King, Sr., was the first African American principal in Brooklyn and later the City’s executive deputy superintendent. His mother, Adalinda King, was a guidance counselor. By the time John was twelve, he’d lost both parents to illness, but his path toward educational excellence was already set. He received his undergrad degree from Harvard, a doctorate in education from Columbia and a law degree from Yale. He attributes his success, in part, to the legacy he wanted to uphold and to a nurturing public school education. Between earning his degrees, Dr. King became managing director of the Excellence and Preparatory Networks of Uncommon Schools that oversees Excellence Academy, an elementary school in Bedford Stuyvesant, and Williamsburg Collegiate Charter School, a high school in Williamsburg. Both schools have been ranked number one on the Chancellor’s progress report for their respective grade levels. King was recently named state education commissioner, becoming the State’s first African American to hold that position and among the nation’s youngest educational leaders. His drive, he insists, comes from a sense of urgency to give children the kind of chance that he had. “I feel an incredible devotion to make that possible for more kids.” In the capable hands of Dr. King, the educational “dreams” of this generation will not be “deferred.” Spring 2003 WWW.BROOKLYN-USA.ORG Winter 2011 BROOKLYN STAYS CLASSY 4 At Brooklyn Brainery, you can learn everything, including how to make-up like a zombie! There is no question that Brooklyn’s got brains, and thanks to the Brooklyn Brainery, they’re being put to good use. The Brainery offers reasonably priced classes (some as low as $5) that meet for one to three weeks at their Carroll Gardens headquarters. The Brainery is the brainchild of Jen Messier, a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Jonathan Soma, a web developer. “We always liked to take classes around the city, but that can get expensive,” Messier said. “We wanted to create something fun where people could learn things without spending a lot of money.” The Brainery’s class offerings are as diverse as Brooklyn. You can learn the ins and outs of City government, get a crash course in medieval history or learn the origins of capitalism. But you can also master Ethiopian cooking, tie a fishing fly and make the perfect cocktail. Want to know how to be a karaoke champion? How about creative writing using pie as a muse? The Brainery has even offered crash courses in Spanish and Haitian Creole. And if you have knowledge you want to share with the world, the Brainery wants to know. Think of it as your one-stop knowledge shop. Where else can you learn PowerPoint one day, and the art of applying zombie makeup the next? “The zombie class came to us out of the blue,” Messier said. “It was the most random thing. But everybody had so much fun doing it.” Brooklyn Brainery, 515 Court St; brooklynbrainery.com
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Marty Winter 2011.qxd - Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz

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