Park Slope Reader Spring 2020 #72

SPRING 2020

park slope

READER

Community | Environment | Art | Wellness

Street Memorial Project

ghost bikes memorials

SMARTER

THAN THE AVERAGE

COMMUNITY PUBLICATION

2 | park slope Reader

PARK SLOPE READER | 3



6 | PARK SLOPE READER

“We believe an informed patient is more likely to

play an active role in the care of their teeth”.

- Dr. Sophia Milito, DDS

We take a personalized approach with

each dental patient. We take the time to

understand your needs, so we can provide

an individualized plan for attaining and

maintaining optimal oral health. New

patients notice we spend time on

education about our treatments, and this

may not be an experience you get

elsewhere.

Treatments & services performed at

Park Dentistry:

• TMJ treatment

• Invisalign aligners (braces)

• Invisalign expedited with PROPEL

• Same day Crowns, Fillings, Onlays

• Night Guards

• Retainers: fixed and removable

• Implant restorations

• Root Canal Treatments

• Teeth Whitening

• We have CEREC and iTERO scanning

and milling units to offer impression

free restorations and treatments.

LOVE YOUR SMILE!

Your smile may be the first attribute people notice about you, and it can

help you make a lasting impression.

See what our happy patients have to say..

“This was by far the best dental experience I’ve ever had! I felt so relaxed and

taken care of my entire visit. Not only is the ambience beautiful - it has a zen

spa-like feel - but my x-ray technician, hygienist, and Dr. Milito were all so

warm, thorough, and enthusiastic about dentistry! I could tell they all truly

love what they do and that shines through in the quality of this practice. Their

attention to detail is impeccable and I left feeling empowered because I truly

understood how to preserve my smile for life!”

- Cara N.

“I had the absolute best experience at Park Dentistry! Dr. Milito is very

talented, and provided me complete treatment in a time frame that other

dentists had told me was impossible. Other practices told me my treatment

would take at minimum 8 months, but she managed to do it in just 3 months.

Everything about the treatment was clear from the beginning, including

setting up a payment plan, and they will even contact your insurance for you

to get the best possible copay. They’re also very accommodating in booking

appointments to fit your schedule. The entire staff is extremely respectful and

knowledgeable, and will go above and beyond to make you feel comfortable.

Valeria is the best scheduling coordinator on earth, she is so sweet and helpful

and would always make my day! I can’t stress enough how amazing

everybody here is. I highly recommend this practice for any dental needs!”

- Mia D.

55 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY

718-622-7275 | www.parkdentistryny.com






IN THIS ISSUE


PAGE 29 PAGE PAGE 34 PAGE 40

PAGE 41

C O M M U N I T Y | A R T S | P O L I T I C S | W E L L N E S S

14 | Exploring Brooklyn by Pamela Goldman

THE LIFE OF WALT WHITMAN, Life Requirements: Poet, Philosopher, and Freethinking

Revolutionary

SPRING

2020

22 | Brooklyn Comics by Dave Kelly and Brett Hobson

TALES OF THE NIGHT WATCHMAN: THE BIG HOWL OVER BUSHWICK, PART 1

29 | Reader Recommendations by Kara Goldfarb

FROM TRADITIONAL TO SPECIALTY. The best camps to diversify your kids summer, so start

planning with our Summer Camp Guide.

34 | Park Slope Focus by Julia DePinto

GHOST BIKES, PART !: A HISTORY OF GRIEF AND ACTIVISM, Since 2005,164 ghost bikes

have been installed in NYC, exposing the vulnerability of cyclists and acknowledging the fragility

of life for all who share the streets.

PAGE 14

40 | Wellness by Swati Singh

CBD OIL - A NATURAL HEALER. Thinking of giving it a try? Take a look at our list of some of

the best shops in the neighborhood.

46 | Eat Local by Viviane Eng

A BALANCING ACT, running two successful local restaurants (with a third on the way) with two

school age children is no simple feat. Our interview with Insa”s Sohui Kim.

50 | Dispatches from Babyville by Nicole Caccavo Kear

FOREVERLAND Here’s a sneak peek of my middle grade novel, Foreverland, in bookstores this

April, from Macmillan Kids’ Imprint.

54 | Park Slope Living by Jenny Douglas

GRIEF & GRATITUDE AND A PROSPECT HEIGHTS COTTAGE. In Brooklyn, there are many

resources dedicated to parents and their homeschooled children of various ages.

56 | Real Estate by Lindsay Owen

THE STOOP. 10 tips for staging your home for sale.

63 | Slope Survey

PAGE 56

The

Park Slope

Reader

content,

freshly brewed

each season,

next issue:

SUMMER

2020

This issue we hear from local artist and author, Selina Alko.

Smarter than the average community publication

PARK SLOPE READER

COMMUNITY



[ EXPLORING BROOKLYN ]

The Life of Walt Whitman

A biographical study by Pamela Goldman, Artwork by Selina Alko

Yet, just as intriguing is that Walt

Whitman sought his identity in the joyful

musical cadences of science as seen in

his poetry from his

great compilation, “Leaves of Grass.”

“And what I shall assume, you shall assume,

for every atom belonging to me as

good belongs to you.” With these words

he genuflected his regard that as Americans,

we are all gifted the same freedoms

as much as the same air that we breath

and the same land upon which we live.

That was his inherent baseline.

He blew away the structured

verse of bygone

days. This was nurtured by

his life of the many freedoms

that the new world

offered. The recollected

highlights of his life included

bathing fully naked

in nature, basking in the

glories of the sea and land

under the sun and stars.

One man filled this position from the bottom of his boot soles to

the brim of his cocked hat. That was the immortal spirit and man,

Walt Whitman. In terms of his poetry, not only was he regarded as

America’s greatest writer of verse, but as America incarnate, the very soul

of this country. However, he mentions, “ I often reflect, how very different

every fellow must have been from the fellow we come upon in myths.”

The dreams of the possibilities of man,

especially in solidarity were thoughts his

mind could conceive of without doubt.

“Solidarity: where else can one produce

it’s substitute? This is the largest word in

resources….fullest of meaning potential,

all inclusive.” This was said much in the

same way his contemporary, Abraham

Lincoln, felt about the equality of all

men no matter their color, race or creed.

With an optimistic nature, Whitman

celebrates a single leaf of grass which, “is

no less the journey work of stars.” And

with these succinct depictions spoken by

the man, we can begin to taste the jour-

ney that Walt Whitman was on beginning with his birth on May

31st, 1819 through his death March 26th, 1892 and forever after.


Walt Whitman believed himself as infinite as an artist, because

he saw that he lived in his art rather than life itself alone, with no

beginning and no end. He was also a complete free spirit, possibly

one of the very first, since the white man arrived on the shores of

the continent. Hedged up against the puritanical values of earlier

times, Walt was fortunately born into a Quaker abiding family

who didn’t force their views upon him. Thus, he was free to carve

out his on unique religious path as he saw fit. Regarding his creativity,

he believed, “In all imaginative work...there must especially

come in a primal quality…the fervor of genuine spirit.”

The second of nine children, Whitman’s family had very little

education and were primarily farm folk. At about ten years of age,

his formal education came to an end due to financial hardship. He

began to live and work in the city of Brooklyn, learning the printing

trade and teaching on and off again to help support his family.

As a result of his free-spirited even rebellious nature, he was not

able to hold down a job for very long nor was he able to reside

in the same place for any extended period of time. However, on

the other side of the coin, he developed and was considered to

be the father of free verse as seen in his poetry and philosophical

diatribes. He blew away the structured verse of bygone days. This

was nurtured by his life of the many freedoms that the new world

offered. The recollected highlights of his life included bathing fully

naked in nature, basking in the glories of the sea and land under

the sun and stars. He went along his merry way making bold pronouncements

for the time such as, “ One day sex will be revered

in all its glory and respect that it deserves.” At six feet tall and of a

burly size, he was very strong, husky and handsome to both men

and women. Although he hints at having physical relations with

both genders, he made sure to fully edit many secrets of his life.

Who he had affairs with and what actually went on between he

and his lovers would remain in the privacy of his heart and mind

for all eternity.

Lastly, in part one of this biographical study, I would like to

mention that Whitman set up his life in such a way so that he had

none of the responsibilities that ordinary people had. He had no

spouse, children or home to look after. People’s average worries

and concerns did not take a foothold in his life. Instead he lived for

moments of intellectual and spiritual breakthroughs and insights.

Several recorded examples are bright moments of glory such as,

“I swear to you; there are divine things more beautiful than words

can tell.” or “Every hour of the day is a perfect miracle.” Throughout

his life he luxuriated in a sense of endless time, free love and

rebelling against the status quo of being a family man. All of this

contributed to a life lived above the fray. He aimed high as a result

in his purpose on earth and that was to be an honorable protector

of the arc of this nation. To protect and defend the conscience of

this country as set up by the founding fathers. This was the combination

of agreed upon philosophies of man’s place in the universe

and the laws that will protect the truths of this land for each successive

generation to come.




PARK SLOPE READER

CONTRIBUTORS

SPRING 2020

executive editor

Paul English

layout & design

Lafayette Gleason

Viviane Eng is a freelance writer

based in New York. She grew up on

the Lower East Side and now lives in

Flatbush with her 13 year-old Maltese

Ice Cream.

Swati Singh writes on spirituality

that is interspersed in every element

around us. She has written for many

magazines and e-zines such as Science of

Mind, New York Spirit, Saevus Wildlife, Prana

World, Mind Body Green and more. When

she is not busy finding nothingness,

she is here-- swati2610.wordpress.

com, @swati2610 and fb.com/

beyond2610.

Jenny Douglas has lived in Prospect

Heights for twenty five years, and

continues to lead her Grief &

Gratitude workshops. She can be

reached at jennydouglas@me.com or

through TheBrooklynCottage.org.

office manager

Sofia Pipolo

Design Support

Molly Lane

Photography

Paul English

Distribution

ReaderVerse

NEXT ISSUE:

SUMMER 2020

Advertisements are due

MAY 10th

Lindsay Owen Is originally from

London, she moved to Park Slope

in 2010. After delivering countless

babies (she’s a former midwife) she

now delivers homes, working as a real

estate agent with Compass in Brooklyn

and Manhattan. She can be reached

at lindsay.owen@compass.com for all

things real estate related and maybe a

cup of tea. Brits love tea.

Julia DePinto is a Brooklyn-based

visual artist and writer. An interest in

visual culture, storytelling, and global

politics have led Julia to connect to

her community through journalism.

She engages artists, activists, and

the general public through on-thestreet

interviews, reporting, and

documenting political events. Julia

received an MFA in Interdisciplinary

Studio Arts from the University

of Connecticut and has attended

residencies in the US, Iceland and

Spain. She is currently an Artist

in Residence at Trestle Projects in

Brooklyn, NY.

Nicole Caccavo Kear contributes

regularly to Parents and American Baby,

as well as Salon and Babble in between

her dispatches at the Reader. You can

keep up with her misadventures in

Mommydom on her blog, A Mom

Amok (amomamok.com). A native of

Brooklyn, she lives in the Slope with

her three firecracker kids, one very

patient husband, and an apparently

immortal hermit crab.

PARK SLOPE READER

107 Sterling Place

Brooklyn, NY 11217

718-638-3733

office@psreader.com

www.psreader.com

@parkslopereader

BE A READER


Dave Kelly is a writer and publisher

of comics. Since 2012, his imprint,

So What? Press, has produced and

distributed over twenty titles. His

flagship series, Tales of the Night

Watchman, about baristas who fight

monsters, is most known for its “It

Came from the Gowanus Canal” story

line. He currently resides in Brooklyn.

Brett Hobson is a comic artist and

illustrator from Evanston, Illinois.

He works mostly traditionally and

loves telling horror and science fiction

stories with his artwork. He is joined

on this story by colorist Clare DeZutti

and letterer DC Hopkins.

Shop Local Discount:

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Kara Goldfarb is a Brooklyn based

freelance writer

FRONT COVER ART

Rachel Grobstein

“Grobstein’s delicate artworks

explore the discourse of grief,

memory, and public mourning

through miniature replicas of

makeshift memorials, ghost bike

monuments, and collections of

items that once belong to the

departed.” Refer to page 37.

www. lizligonphotography. com

email: liz@ lizligon. com

phone: 917. 526. 1631


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READER RECOMMENDATIONS


From Traditional to Specialty

The Best Camps To Diversify Your Kid’s Summer

Start Planning Your Summer with Park Slope Reader’s Summer Camp Guide

Traditional camps, which have been around since at least the late 19th century,

have continued to be a summer staple for kids from all corners. Classic summer

camps tend to offer a range of diverse activities, usually have a heavy focus on the

outdoors, and promote a warm camp culture that fosters deep friendships. But in recent

years, there has been a consistent rise of specialty camps. Camps that focus on

activities in one area are beneficial to kids who want to explore an interest in more

depth or for those who don’t feel like they fit the mold of a “standard” camper.

By Kara Goldfarb | Art by Heather Heckel


However, in today’s tech-heavy society, the consequences

of kids missing out on the free-spirited outdoor environment

of traditional camps could be more dramatic. On

another note, with the interminable pressure parents feel to

make sure their kids are utilizing every opportunity to get a

“leg-up” at an early age, it’s worth it be circumspect when

considering how your children are going to spend their

summer.

Balancing these two types of camps has led to a new

camp trend: creating patchwork summers that combine traditional

with one or several specialties.

Biocitizen campers in New York harbor

“Parents are opting out of the conventional route of one

camp for the whole summer,” says Charlotte Brown, former

Camp enrollment manager at the 92nd Street Y. “Instead

they’re choosing to diversify their kids’ experience by sending

them to a traditional camp for one half of the summer,

and several specialty camps for the other.”

This way, kids get the benefit of exploring individual passions

and discovering new interests, without sacrificing the

physical and emotional benefits that come from “green exercise.”

And camps are responding to this by doing things like

providing flexible schedules for campers, offering shorter

sessions, and creating partnerships. In the list of selected

camps below— a mix of traditional and specialty— we highlight

the booking options for each one to make it easier for

you if you decide to send your child to several smaller programs

instead of one camp for the entirety of the summer.


Piper Theatre Camp

Now in its 20th year, Piper Theatre Summer Youth Programs

run throughout the month of July and offer one week,

two week, and four week workshops. The workshops are

catered to theater enthusiasts from age 6-16. The educators/directors

are experienced professionals who guide and

support the young actors in performing plays and ensemble

work with an emphasis on physical theater. They’ve been

known to put on a range of shows from original full length

plays, shakespearean works, and creative play workshops

for younger age groups.

https://pipertheatre.org/youth/education/2020-programs/

piper-youth-education-programs-2020/

Booking: One week workshops (four sessions total) for

ages 5-9 are available starting June 29, July 6, July 13, and

July 20.

Two week workshops (two sessions total) are available for

ages 8-11, starting June 29 and July 13, ages 8-11.

Two week workshops (two sessions total) are available for

ages 10-16, starting June 29 and July 13,

Four week session for ages 10-16 runs from June 29-July

25

The Peper Musicans for ages 11-15 runs from June 29-July

25.

Location: Old Stone House of Brooklyn, 336 3rd St.

Kim’s Kids Summer Camp

Living in a metropolitan area like New York City makes it

more of a challenge to seek out nature. That’s where Kim’s

Kids comes in. Operating as a traditional camp, Kim’s Kids

incorporate activities for the that revolve around explore the

outdoors, like hiking and climbing. But they are constantly

switching it up, so that no two days are the same. The enthusiastic

counselors take their campers, ages 4 ½ to 12, on

a trip every day to different areas of the city, giving campers

the opportunity to explore a variety of adventures and attractions,

including swimming pools, bowling, zoos, museums,

amusement parks, historic landmarks, and more.

https://kimskidscamp.com/

Booking: Kim’s Kids emphasizes their flexibility when it

comes to schedules. They offer everything from two-week

sessions to six-week sessions, with the additional option of

three, four, or five days a week.

Location: PS 321 on 7th Ave & 1st St.

Cirque d’Été

It’s more than just clowning around. Cirque d’Été (Circus of

the Summer), is a specialty program within the Park Slope

Day Camp. This performance camp offers two-week sessions,

with each session concentrating on a different set

of skills. The experienced staff members introduce acrobat-


ics, circus skills, costumes, music, and yes, clown-comedy.

Campers are encouraged to practice discipline in order to

excel at the skills they’re taught, but the atmosphere remains

fun and non-competitive. At the end of each session

parents and friends are invited to watch their children perform

a GALA Performance.

https://www.parkslopedaycamp.com/cirque

Booking Options: There are three sessions total and

campers can choose to sign up for one, two, or all.

Campers can also supplement weeks of Park Slope Day

Camp’s Traditional Camp with Cirque d’Été sessions.

Sessions dates: July 6 - 17, July 20 - 31, August 3 - 14

Location: Carrol Gardens, Hannah Senesh Community

Day School 342 Smith Street, between 1st Place and 2nd

Place*

* Express bus services provided to and from the other Park

Slope Day Camp locations

Dancewave

Dance can be a powerful and creative way for children to

express their emotions. Dancewave’s summer programs

gives young dancers the opportunity to do this, while simultaneously

improving on their skills. With a range of intensity

levels and styles of dance, there’s something for everyone.

Students age 4-18 can explore Ballet, Modern, Hip Hop,

Choreography, and African, and compositional techniques.

Part of Dancewave’s mission is to create an inclusive environment

where everyone feels welcome. The members of

Dancewave aim to build a positive overall culture by implementing

the social science of restorative practices, which

is all about increasing social capital and improving relationships.

https://dancewave.org/summer-dance/

Booking: Ages 4-6 can register for a one week session of

half days.

Ages 6-11 are offered full day options for one, two, or three

weeks. Also an extended day option that includes nondance

related games and crafts.

Intensive and Advanced Intensives are offered to older students,

contingent on auditions. (Audition dates listed on

website.)

Programs run from July 6 - August 16

Location:182 4th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217

SkateYogi

No need to be a skating pro to enjoy this camp— SkateYogi

offers an All Levels camp for ages 6-13, and an Intermediate

+ version for ages 9-15. Within in each camp, students

are grouped based on their specific skill level. So no need

to worry if your child is a complete beginner, there’s a place

for everyone. Likewise, more advanced skaters don’t have

to worry about getting bored, as they are taught new tricks

and techniques. Plus, all levels will get to experience more

of the city with regular field trips to skateparks in all different

areas.

Booking: Sessions are weekly, but anyone is welcome to

register for multiple weeks, with discounts available to those

who register for two or more weeks.

All Levels run from June 16-September 4. Intermediate+

(Urban Shredders) run from July 6-September 4

https://www.skateyogi.com/

Locations: All Levels, SKATEYOGI, 140 Empire Blvd

Intermediate+, Golconda Skate Park, Downtown Brooklyn

(near the B/Q Dekalb Ave stop)

Mill Basin Day Camp

Offer day camps for children ages 3 – 14, Mill Basin places

a special emphasis on choosing the right counselors to

make sure your campers are in the best hands for a fun and

interactive summer. Also counselors are certified in CPR

and First Aid, undergo reference and background checks,

and attend mandatory training sessions before camp begins.

The staff is also trained in methods to integrate new

campers into the routine, making them feel comfortable and

at home right away. Campers follow a pre-structured schedule

made up of a wide variety of activities. Sports, fashion

design, legos, magic, computers, swimming, and more. So

campers can enjoy their favorite activities and pick up new

ones along the way.

https://www.millbasindaycamp.com/

Booking: The sessions range from four weeks to eight

weeks, with the option for three day, four day, or five day

weeks.

Location: 5945 Strickland Ave

Trail Blazers Camps

A well established camp, with a strong focus on the environment

and the outdoors. Campers enjoy exploring and

appreciating nature. It’s a Social and Emotional Learning

(SEL), teaching campers life skills on working through challenges.

They also take campers on trips around other areas

of the city. Overnight options are available too.

https://www.trailblazers.org/daycamp/

Location: Park Slope, 394 Rogers Ave

Spoke the Hub

Looking for a multi-arts summer program? Spoke the Hub

gives interested campers the chance to advance their skills

in theater, dance, fashion, film-making, and circus. Field

trips are part of the curriculum as well. Ages 5-15.

Booking: Full day and half day options available

Locations: Gowanus Arts, 295 Douglass Street (between

Third and Fourth Avenues)

748 Union St. (between Fifth and Sixth Avenues)

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Sweetly Brooklyn

This small batch Brooklyn bakery that specializes in custom

cakes and puts on private events and parties will be offering

a baking and decorating camp for the fi rst time this summer.

They are still working out the dates, but it’s sure to be a

sweet time.

https://www.sweetlybrooklyn.com

Location: 447 6th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11215

Biocitizen’s Our Place Summer School

First opening ten years ago in Western Massachusetts,

Biocitizen when on to open a location in Los Angelos, before

opening additional locations in Chile and New York.

Biocitizen’s Our Place Summer School is for “6-12 year olds

who like to walk & want to know how the(ir) world work.”

With a mission of preparing the youth for climate change,

this summer program combines adventure learning, fun,

and education. Our Place’s sessions are fi ve day-long each

with a 5 to 1 staff to student ratios. During each session

the teachers, who are all are certifi ed fi rst responders and

carry medical kits, lead students on Field Environmental

Philosophy walks around New York City, visiting places like

waterways, transportation systems, landmark parks, and

cultural and architectural nodes. To give a frame point for

each adventure, teachers pose a question at the start of the

day. Give your child the experience of being an active part

in their community.

https://ny.biocitizen.org/portfolio/our-place-summer-schoolbrooklyn-2/

Booking: Each session runs M-F, 9am-3pm, Starting the

week of June 29 until the week of August 25

Location: Drop off and pick-up at the Brooklyn Public Library

Sleepaway recommendation

Farm and Wilderness Camp

For something a bit different, the Farm and Wilderness

summer camp, located in Vermont, offers family camp and

overnight camp options and is a quaker based camp, founded

in social justice. On 4,800 acres of land, Campers learn

how to contribute to and be a part of a community while

participating in activities that center on living off the grid,

like backpacking and building shelters. They also offer activities

like guitar playing, skit performances, and blueberry

picking.

Campers range from age 4-17, with different programs

divided by age group. As a gender inclusive camp, Farm

& Wilderness offers choices for boys, girls, and gender

non-binary campers, to ensure your child feels supported

in their environment.

https://farmandwilderness.org/

Booking:https://www.ultracamp.com/info/upcomingSessions.aspx

Location: Farm & Wilderness Foundation Inc. 401 Farm

and Wilderness Road Plymouth, VT 05056


Ghost Bikes: Part I

A History of Grief & Activism

– Article and Images by Julia DePinto –

On a late spring morning taxis accelerated and commuters hurried down the street while she was ma

king her way to work. The earth was tilted toward the sun, approaching its solstice beneath golden rays that take their time in leaving.

It was a Thursday. She took no time at all in leaving. It was a moment that forever changed our lives.

Her name was Elizabeth.

She was 28 years old.

Sara Padilla posted these words to her blog on June 8, 2015. Ten years after the death of her younger sister, Liz.

On the morning of June 9, 2005, Liz Padilla, a pro-bono lawyer, was killed near the corner of 5th Avenue and Prospect Place

during a routine bike commute through Park Slope. Padilla, who lived on Berkeley Place, attempted to pass a 10-wheel Edy’s Ice

Cream truck, when the driver of a parked P.C. Richards truck carelessly opened his car door. Swerving to avoid the open door,

Padilla hit the side of the moving ice cream truck, and fell beneath the vehicle. Kevin Caplicki, a member of the art collective

Visual Resistance was also biking down 5th Avenue that morning, when he happened upon Liz’s body. The following day the art

collective built a “ghost bike” by stripping a discarded bicycle down to the skeletal metal frame and painting it white. They chained

the bike to a corner post near the collision site and hung a wooden tomblike plaque that read:

Liz Padilla

28 years Old

Killed By Truck

June 9, 2005

Rest in Peace

Rachel Grobstein, Ghost Bike

The ashy white bike installation was a shell, a haunting symbol

of a senseless loss, but it was also poetic; it told the story of

Liz Padilla’s life and the pain that lingered after her death. It

became a powerful symbol on an anonymous residential intersection.

It was also the first ghost bike to be installed in NYC.

Ghost bikes first appeared

in St. Louis in 2003 after

bike mechanic, Patrick

Van Der Tuin, witnessed

an accident near his home.

The original project, Broken

Bikes, Broken Lives,

marked the sites of bike-related

fatalities and non-fatal

injuries. Van Der Tuin

viewed the bikes as tributes

to the victims, while also

serving as powerful public

signifiers of the dangerous

conditions that cyclists are

subjected to every day.

They brought consciousness

to car-culture, poorly

designed streets, lack of

bike lanes, and the overall

vulnerability of riding unsheltered.

Van Der Tuin

sparked a national conversation

through what some

cyclists and city officials

argued was a subversive

act, in the same vain as

guerilla street art. Van Der

Tuin’s first created bike

was removed within 24

hours of installation.

The term “ghost bike” was

coined in Pittsburg by a

small group of cyclists and

activists who picked up

the momentum of installing

white bikes in Pennsylvania.

Following the death

of Liz Padilla, the group

registered ghostbikes.org,

eventually bringing the

movement to New York

City. In 2007 the NYC

Street Memorial Project was developed to include both cyclists

and pedestrian deaths, while also cultivating community and

compassion for survivors and families of the victims. The grassroots

group, NYC Ghost Bike Project, established alongside the

NYC Memorial Street Project, erect the bike monuments and

organize memorial rides and walks to highlight prevalent safety

issues.


Although Patrick Van Der Tuin’s initial white bike was removed,

his activism generated a global movement. In a 2015

Grist report, he states, “I don’t think anyone does something

like this with the intention of it becoming a model that is repeated

and taken around the world on such a grassroots level.” He

notes that families of the victims and community members often

turn the ghost bikes into

Since June 2005, 164 ghost bikes have been installed

in NYC to commemorate 198 fatalities,

including 54 unknown cyclists. The NYC Street

Memorial Project exposes the vulnerability of

cyclists and pedestrians and considers the fragility

of life for all who share the road.

Liz Padilla’s original Ghost Bike on Prospect Place near Fifth Avenue in Park Slope,

Brooklyn, not far from scene of the accident, 2005; NYC Street Memorial Project (©

All Rights Reserved)

ad hoc sanctuaries, adorning

them with flowers,

candles, articles of clothing

and other objects that

belonged to the departed.

Van Der Tuin’s says that

the bikes “were never designed

or intended to become

permanent memorials,

but that is what those

families have turned them

into.” Now visible in over

200 major cities throughout

the world, ghost bikes provide

inclusive spaces that

allow the public to mourn

and work through trauma.

For many years local businesses

and community

members preserved Liz

Padilla’s ghost bike. It became

a makeshift shrine,

decorated with flowers and

letters. Sara Padilla wrote

a “reaction” to her sister’s

bike memorial:

“While words cannot adequately

convey the depth

of our loss, I believe the

Ghost Bike Project makes

a difference by providing

a powerful visual image of

a life taken from us senselessly

and also by revealing

our sadness publicly; in the

hope that others - cyclists,

pedestrians, and most importantly,

drivers, will help

prevent these accidents

from happening again.”

Liz’s ghost bike memorial has since been removed.

Brooklyn-activist and member of the NYC Ghost Bike Project,

Mirza Molberg, previously restored Liz Padilla’s ghost bike

by painting over years of rust, dirt, and grime. As a dedicated

cyclist himself, Mirza installed his first ghost bike in 2011, coinciding

with the Occupy Wall Street movement. He attended

memorial rides and bike lifts for fallen cyclists; listening to the


Lauren’s death shocked the public. A

reckless driver failed to yield, striking

her in a designated slow zone. Family

members held a memorial service

for Lauren at Greenpoint Reformed

Church and organized a memorial

ride, led by Borough President Eric

Adams. The night of Lauren’s passing,

Mirza rode his bike to the collision

site, only to realize that there

was no evidence of the accident. In

a way, it felt like she was invisible.

He collected her mangled bike from

the local precinct, painted it white,

and installed it at the corner of Classon

Ave. and Lexington Ave. Mirza explains how Lauren’s

death made the ghost bike project more meaningful. He says,

“Making the ghost bikes is something that I am now completely

embedded in. It’s more present and real and necessary. I ride

more carefully, knowing that this could happen to anyone at

any time.”

We asked Mirza what he believes can be done to make the

streets safer for cyclists and pedestrians. He replied, “It’s hard

to implement street safety without the help of politicians and

advocacy groups like Transportation Alternatives and Families

for Safe Streets. They have really helped change the laws.

Bloomberg and de Blasio have helped improve street safety by

creating projects like Vision Zero to end all deaths, but the improvements

aren’t throughout. The DOT (NYC Department

of Transportation) could still paint more bike lanes and there

could be better road structure in all the boroughs.” Despite the

efforts of Mayor de Blasio and City Council to improve conditions

for cyclists, 2019 had a drastic increase in bike-related

deaths. 29 fatalities occurred, almost tripling the death toll of

2018. He ends with, “What we need is a fundamental change to

car- culture.”

Since June 2005, 164 ghost bikes have been installed in NYC

to commemorate 198 fatalities, including 54 unknown cyclists.

The NYC Street Memorial Project exposes the vulnerability of

cyclists and pedestrians and considers the fragility of life for all

who share the road.

Mirza Molberg

For more information, including ways to donate, please visit:

streetmemorials.org and ghostbikes.org

For information on upcoming workdays, follow: @nycghostbikes

(FB) and @nycstreetmem (IG)

families of the victims tell their stories

over a shared sense of outrage for

the countless number of preventable

deaths. At times, Mirza questioned

the practicality of the project and his

involvement. This changed in 2016

when his life was transformed by the

loss of his partner, Lauren Davis.

Lauren Davis’ (Ghost) bike


Rachel Grobstein creates paintings and miniature sculptures that reflect

nuanced objects and precarious scenes of everyday life. Drawing inspiration

from vanitas art and phenomena, her artwork includes collections of natural

specimens and still lifes that catalog domestic routine, consumer culture, and

personal history. She sources through a variety of media to create delicate

collections of bedside tables, roadside memorials, and discarded memorabilia-

- collapsing the hierarchies of the sacred and mundane. Grobstein’s art

commands close attention through small details and radical scale shifts, while

simultaneously inviting the viewer to consider their own mortality.

Grobstein’s series of Roadside Memorials offer a powerful language of loss, love,

and memory through explorations of death and the impact that fatalities have

on the living. Miniature replicas of collision sites contain meaningful items that

entangle with ephemera, cultural and social tropes, and stories of the past. The

intricately crafted and evocative ghost bike monuments examine ideas of public

mourning and the inevitability of one’s own demise. They create distinct portraits

of the deceased, and collective portraits of the individuals and communities

who build and maintain them over time. While the memorials close the gap

between private and public spaces, they are all too familiar to New Yorkers who

pass the street tributes on their daily commutes.

Grobstein believes that the ghost bikes monuments and roadside shrines function

as a space for families and friends of the victims to work through their grief

and loss, while also fulfilling different functions for the public. She says that

they are “respected and compelling signifiers in community spaces,” and argues

that like some public art, ghost bikes demand a call for social justice and policy

change. Grobstein discusses the specifications of each site, and the unique craft

involved in the creation of the bikes. She closes with, “the creators of the ghost

bike memorials are constructing incredible tributes of love through the use of

repurposed and discarded materials, including the bikes that are involved in

the collisions and clothing and other items that once belonged to the departed.

They are making creative tributes to inform the public- - and that is among the

most powerful of reasons to make art.”

Grobstein’s miniature Roadside Memorial sculptures are currently on display at

BRIC Arts Media as part of the group exhibition, Death Becomes Her.

For more information:

www.rachelgrobstein.com

https://www.bricartsmedia.org/death-becomes-her

On pagexx Rachel Grobstein, Ghost Bike (Timothy, Varick Ave), Miniature

Sculpture, 2019 Materials: Gouache, Polymer Clay, Wire, Cloth; 4.75 x 3.2 x

1.6 in.




WELLNESS

CBD OIL: A NATURAL HEALER

CBD cabinet at the Park Slope Food Co op

Charlotte’s Web

Charlotte Figi developed a rare form of epilepsy-Dravet’s syndrome

when she was just three months old in 2006. It took more than a year

to get the correct diagnosis. She suffered excruciating and uncontrollable

fits lasting for as long as thirty minutes. For years, her parents tried

every possible medication and treatment. No medicine or diet worked

out. Instead, her immunity and cognitive development deteriorated.

She was having 300 seizures a week with intense contractions and was

losing consciousness despite the treatment. By the age of four, she

lost her ability to walk, talk, and eat. Her heart stopped several times.

When she was 5, the hospital expressed its inability to do anything

more.

Her father, Matt, an ex-US military member, discovered a video online

about a boy suffering from the same syndrome who was effectively

being treated with cannabis. With no other option left, they turned to

Stanley Brothers who sold cannabis strain containing a low THC and

high CBD content. They converted it into an oil concentrate. After

consuming a small dose of CBD oil, Charlotte’s seizures ceased immediately.

The results were phenomenal. With subsequent doses, her

seizures reduced from up to 43 a week to just one.

Her life improved significantly. She became the reason America

changed its marijuana laws for medical purposes.

In 2018, The FDA approved the use of CBD (Epidiolex) as a therapy for

two rare conditions characterized by epileptic seizures.

By Swati Singh / photographs by Julia DePinto



History

This was not a new discovery.

Many ancient cultures were aware

of cannabis’ therapeutic benefits.

It is believed that a Chinese Emperor,

Sheng Nung, a patron of

all herbalists and apothecaries in

around 2737 BC, used to prescribe

cannabis-infused tea for treating

several diseases. Indian Ayurveda

mentions it as well in preparation

for some curative recipes.

In the late 18th century, William B.

O’Shaughnessy, an Irish physician,

published a study exploring the

plant’s healing effects. This was the

beginning of the modern-day cannabinoids.

Many more studies over the years

proved the effectiveness of cannabinoids.

However, the stigma remained

due to a lack of awareness.

What is CBD Oil

Marijuana contains two compounds

- THC and CBD. THC

produces a mind-altering “high”

when a person consumes it.

CBD is different. It does not

change a person’s state of mind.

It was called “hippie’s disappointment”

as it could not create a

“high”. Though it certainly proved

to be a life savior.

The strain used by Charlotte Gigi

had 0.5% THC and 17% CBD,

making it non-psychoactive.

CBD oils contain varying concentrations

of CBD for different medical

purposes.

Benefits:

A study published in Journal of Experimental

Medicine established

that CBD acts as a natural painkiller

and reduces chronic inflammation.

Recent research published in Addictive

Behavior Journal found out

that it may even help people to

quit smoking.

It is also found beneficial in treating many complications linked to

epilepsy, such as neurodegeneration, neuronal injury, and psychiatric

diseases.

Preliminary research published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease

says that CBD could help people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s.

A review published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology

found evidence that CBD significantly helped to prevent the

Your CBD Store

Hidden Hemp

spread of cancer.

Rick Simpson was diagnosed with

a form of skin cancer in 2003. He

applied concentrated CBS oil topically

and allegedly the cancerous

growth disappeared. His doctors

refused to support it as an alternative.

Although he faced serious

troubles due to laws, he cultivated

and prepared his own cannabis oil

and distributed it for free to treat

people. He is a cannabis activist

now and continues to sell his

own Rick Simpson Oil.

in Park Slope

Places selling CBD products are

gaining popularity as misconceptions

surrounding it are being

quashed. However, we advise you

to be cautious while buying. Only

trust places that get verification

from third-party lab testing and

do alcohol or Co2 extraction methods.

Fake CBD oil is more prevalent

than you think and could harm

you with synthetic fillers and pesticide

content in them.

We found some exceptional, premier

and top-rated, CBD-oil stores

in Park Slope that are diligent in

their product sourcing and have

a knowledgeable staff to help you

out.

Your CBD Store

195 5th Avenue

Your CBD Store is a newly-opened

store gaining popularity due to its

top-rated products, trained staff

capable of helping you choose the

best product and spa-like ambience.

There are over 600 Your CBD stores

nationwide, originally founded by

Rachel Quinn and her husband

Marcus. Her struggles with Crohn’s

disease and side-effects from medicines

for years before finding relief

in CBD inspired her to open a

place that gives high-quality products

as she saw how difficult it was

to procure them. They’ve won awards for best oil tincture and best

topical cream in CBD Expo held in Miami.

Owner of the store, Dominique Pastorello, met them through a

friend and was amazed at the anxiety relief she experienced through

CBD. With a degree in Plant Sciences, she has studied alternative

medicines independently. After the success of her first store in Ithaca,

she decided to venture into the Brooklyn market.

Your CBD Stores carry organic, lab-tested, CO2 extracted CBD



products packed with therapeutic terpenes and cannabinoids. They

offer a wide array of organic CBD products including oil tinctures,

water solubles, capsules, topical creams, CBG rich formulations,

edibles, vape products, skincare, and pet products. Also available is

their amazing store brand “Sunmed.”

Your CBD Store provides samples daily and encourages you to come

speak with their knowledgeable staff. They also offer CBD 101 seminars

on the first Sunday of each month at the store open to all

Follow them on Instagram @yourcbdstoreofficial

Park Slope Food Co-Op

782 Union Street

One of the largest and oldest co-ops in the US, Park Slope Food Coop

began storing CBD products in 2017 seeing their high demand.

Two of their biggest selling brands are Gnome Serum and Nature’s

Plus Hemp Ceutix. They keep many other brands as well. Affordable

prices and expert advice makes it a great place and gets repeat customers.

Jessa and Theresa are there to help you out if all the products overwhelm

you. They listen to customers’ personal experiences with

CBD almost every day and feel that together it’s a learning and sharing

journey. One of their members, Noah Potter, is the head of the

New York City Cannabis Industry Association and is on top of all

legal aspects.

One important thing to know, to be able to purchase CBD products

at eh Park Slope Food Co-op, you must be a member. Contact the

co-op on how to join.

You can follow them on Instagram @foodcoop.

Hidden Hemp

411 7th Avenue

Located in the heart of Park Slope, Hidden Hemp carries a wide

selection of high-end Hemp products including oils, smokables, lotions,

edibles, vitamins, and an exclusive line for your furry friends.

Their founders, Oswald and Monty have been studying Hemp for

years, and work towards spreading awareness about it. Even selling

their own brand of products “Hemped NYC.”

Well-educated staff at Hidden Hemp make sure to help you find exactly

what you stepped in for. If not anything else, you are bound to

step out with some new and useful information.

Every Wednesday, from 12-4, they hold a 20 minutes, in-house class

about the hemp plant and its benefits.

Starting early spring and lasting through the end of summer Hidden

Hemp is all set to unveil their “hidden garden” where luxurious

parquet covered backyard will be open to friends and neighbors to

come, relax, maybe with one of their quality Pre-rolls or just a drink.

More exclusive events are in the pipeline. You can stay tuned for

more updates by following them on Instagram- @hiddenhemp

THC-you!

Disclaimer: The content is for informational purposes only and is

not intended as a substitute for advice provided by healthcare professional.



EATING LOCAL

A BALANCING ACT

with Insa’s Sohui Kim

You may know Sohui Kim and Ben Schneider as the husband-wife duo behind Insa and The Good

Fork, but on top of these two projects and a third restaurant in the works, they are also parents to

two school age children. We talked to Sohui about the intrinsic value of work, what it’s like to be

a mother and executive chef, and how she continues to balance it all with a new historical revival

restaurant—Gage and Tollner—on the way.

By Viviane Eng



Viviane Eng: So describe what it’s like to own multiple businesses

while also parenting two kids enrolled in public schools.

Sohui Kim: Well, let me first get my drink… There are certainly a lot

of balls in the air. We try to juggle everything: marriage, career, children.

I liken a restaurant to putting on a show, with all its moving parts. At

a restaurant like Insa, the staff is big and the scope is big. I mean, just

its square footage is big so that means we need a lot of great people

on the team to be there. As an executive chef and mom, it makes me

feel I’m responsible for everybody, so sometimes it can feel like a little

too much. And because my work is in restaurants, it always follows me

home—the cell phone’s

always on.

VE: How do you

and your husband

split up the parenting

responsibilities?

SK: It’s often the case

that one of us is home

to care for the kids, and

then we sort of tag team.

Then there are certain

days in the week where

we say this is family day.

Sadly, right now, that’s

like one day a week.

But no matter what you

do, family comes first,

so we try to prioritize

and it usually works.

I’ve never forgotten a

kid at pickup. I’ve come

close, but have never

left anyone stranded,

knock on wood! There’s

certainly a lot of

scheduling, especially on

my end. As progressive

as this family is and as

progressive as I want to

think this society is, I think the onus falls mostly on me as a mom to

do the scheduling. I know plenty of family situations that are different,

but I’m sort of better at it than my husband. It gets harry sometimes and

stressful, but that’s all life.

VE: Tell me about your restaurants and the decision to have kids

after starting your first business.

SK: We have three businesses. My husband and I opened the Good

Fork in 2006, before we had any kids. It’s a small little neighborhood

bistro in Red Hook where we live. I got pregnant with my daughter

Jasper in 2007 and Oliver came two years later. At the time, owning one

restaurant and starting a family was all that I could handle. I would’ve

never thought about opening a second, but in 2014 we figured that the

kids were a little older and we thought to ourselves, What do we want to

do professionally? Then came the idea of opening a Korean restaurant,

which really appealed to me as a Korean immigrant. It was a cathartic

experience to go back and decide to explore Korean food professionally,

when all my life I had trained in French and Italian cooking styles.

VE: Have the kids always been receptive about your busy

schedules?

SK: Insa definitely posed a greater challenge in terms of maintaining

a normal family life, but we made do with it. Although I have to tell you

this one story from when the kids were younger: We hadn’t signed a lease

yet for Insa and were sort of talking about the concept of opening up

a large Korean barbecue restaurant with karaoke rooms and a separate

area. The little voice of

Oliver said, “Are you

guys opening another

restaurant?” And we

were like, “Yes, honey,

we’re going to do this.”

We started talking about

it at the dinner table and

both kids put on a sad

face and went, “Noooo

don’t do it!” We asked

them why and they went,

“Because we’ll never see

you!” That almost broke

me, but they were old

enough where if they

didn’t have school, we

could bring them to the

worksite.

VE: What are some

of the positive aspects

of having parents in the

restaurant industry?

SK: Before Ben and

I teamed up to do The

Good Fork, he was a

woodworker, so at Insa,

he built the space while

I designed the menu and cooked. The kids got to really see us do our

work and take a certain pride in it, and that’s a beautiful thing. Luckily,

a restaurant is a physical space we can all go. The kids know all our

employees, which we consider extended family, so it’s great for them to

be a part of that world and really get to see what we do. My son has a

career day coming up in a few weeks—it’s the first one ever at P.S. 372

and he asked present at it. A lot of the time, children don’t have any clue

what their parents really do, because the parents work in an office that

the kids go to maybe once a year.

VE: What do you hope that your kids have learned after spending

so much time in restaurants?

SK: I remember as a child working as a babysitter, and I don’t know if

it was because I was an immigrant and immigrant families work all the

time, but I do want to instill the value of work in my kids. I know they’re

seeing the value of work because no one works harder than a dishwasher

or server and I love that they’re seeing that and appreciate that.

VE: What’s in store for the new project?

SK: This next project, Gage and Tollner, it is even bigger in scope

because it’s a revival of a historical restaurant, an old oyster chop house

that dates back to 1889. It’s an interior and exterior landmarked space

in Downtown Brooklyn, so there are a lot of eyes on it as we get ready

to open this spring. We’re not really a family that relies on nannies—

we sort of do everything—but when the crunch time comes with the

opening, we’ll definitely have to rely on some friends to help out at least

with Oliver.


HAPPY HOUR 7 DAYS A WEEK!!

VE: I’m sure your work keeps you plenty busy, but how do you try

to stay involved in your kids’ school affairs?

SK: I’m cooking for the gala at P.S. 372 this year. I always feel so

compelled to do what I can for my kids’ schools. My daughter graduated

from there two years ago and my son’s been there since kindergarten. It’s

just a great school and I want to give back and do whatever I can. When

my daughter graduated, I cooked for the gala and will do it again at the

end of March! I can’t go to every PTA meeting, and I feel bad about

that, but every once in a while, if I can do something big to help out

these awesome public schools, I’m down for it.

Interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.


DISPATCHES FROM BABYVILLE

FOREVERLAND

Happy spring! This particular dispatch goes straight out to the

kids. Here’s a sneak peek of my middle grade novel, Foreverland,

in bookstores this April, from Macmillan Kids’ Imprint.

Fun fact: I am running away. To live in an amusement park.

Related fact: I am not a runaway kind of person. Unless you’re

talking about running away from a fight, or from awkward eye

contact or something. Then, yes, totally, I’m your girl.

But if you made everyone in my sixth-grade class vote for

“Least Likely to Run Away to Live in an Amusement Park,” they’d

definitely pick me. If they could remember my name.

So it’s kind of unbelievable that I am here, standing directly in

front of the Foreverland gates, in the middle of a Wednesday in

the middle of the summer, when everyone thinks I’m at computer

camp back in the city.

Life is full of surprises.

People say that like it’s a good thing, but honestly, the surprises

are usually bad ones. At best, it’s 50/50. Of course, I’m a glass-halfempty

kind of person—at least that’s what my mom tells me. So I

might be wrong. But, just as an example, the suitcase I found this

morning by the door—that was a surprise. And not the party-hat

kind, that’s for sure.

This, here, my running away—I haven’t decided yet if it’s a good

surprise or a bad one. Because I haven’t decided yet whether I’m

really doing this. Yes, I took the Metro-North from Grand Central

for an hour and a half, then the Foreverland shuttle bus to get

here, but I haven’t really done anything wrong yet. I haven’t done

anything I can’t undo.

I crane my neck up to look at the FOREVERLAND sign hanging

in the middle of the gate. Underneath, in smaller letters, it says:

WHERE MAGIC NEVER ENDS! I look past the gate and see the

sweep of coasters curving like mysterious symbols in the sky. I

breathe in the tangy, plasticky smell of cotton candy from a nearby

stand. If the color pink had a scent, this would be it. I hear the

joyful shrieks of people riding high, cutting through clouds. It

looks and smells and sounds like freedom and fun and, yes, maybe

even magic. And it can all be mine . . . if I step inside.

Chances are, I’ll get caught right away. I mean, there are

definitely people who could pull this thing off—fast-thinking, slicktalking

criminal masterminds—but I am not one of those people. I

panic when I order from the “12 and under” menu, even though I

am twelve, because it feels like I’m just cutting it a little too close.

This will never, never work.

I could just spin around, retrace my steps, take the train to the

city, and be back before my parents get home.

Home.

Home.

I can think of about a hundred reasons why I shouldn’t take

another step forward.

But I do.

I take another step. I walk through the gates. Right into

Foreverland.

***

I head to the ticket booth, weaving around a swarm of little kids

in mustard-yellow Camp Barrie T-shirts. The ticket line is really

long. I knew the park would be busy, since it’s the middle of the

day, but the park is even more packed than I’d expected. Which is

great. Perfect, actually.

The bigger the crowd, the easier it is to get lost in.

And since getting lost in the crowd is one of my specialties, I’m

all set.

Fun fact: I’m a wallflower.

Actually, I’m more like wall paint. I’m pretty sure flowered

wallpaper gets more attention than I do.

I guess it’s because I’m quiet or maybe I have one of those faces

that looks like a lot of other faces. Either way, lots of people forget

they’ve met me. It’s hard not to be insulted. Nobody wants to be

invisible.

Except for superheroes, as my ex-best friend Priya would point

out when I complained about this. Spies, too.

“You’re looking at this all wrong,” she’d say. “Think of all the

perks of blending in.”

By Nicole Caccavo Kear

This, right here, is one of

those perks. When you’re

running away to live in an

amusement park, it comes in

handy to have the kind of face

people instantly forget.

The longer I wait in line, the

more nervous I get. My heart’s

racing and my stomach gets

that familiar churning feeling.

I do the one thing that I

know will definitely calm me

down.

I write an acrostic poem.

I take my brand-new

notebook out of my backpack,

uncap a Flair pen, and scribble:

A

C

R

O

S

T

I

C


Then I fill it in:

A kind of weird way to

Calm down, but weird is

Relative. It’s not nearly as

Odd as that

Sixteen-year-old I read about

who

Turns her fingernail clippings

Into sculptures, as a way to

Chill.

Acrostics are my

superpower. I can turn any

word into an acrostic in under

ten seconds.

I inch forward in the line.

The closer I get to the ticket

window, the more my heart

speeds up.

Then it’s my turn. I slip my

notebook into my backpack,

take out my money, and walk

up to a ticket window. A

grandma-type lady with short

gray hair is asking me, “How

many tickets?”

“One,” I croak. “Youth.

Ummm, ticket?”

Ticket Lady is peering at me over the tops of

these glasses.

“How old are you?” Ticket Lady asks.

My heart is thundering in my chest and my

palms are so clammy, my money’s getting damp.

“Twelve?”

Here’s the thing: I’m not even lying. But I’m

short for my age, so I know Ticket Lady will think

I’m lying. And that’s enough to make me shortcircuit.


rebecca mckee mybehaviorcoach.com

718-316-8057

the13abc@aol.com

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coaching, inc. is a consulting company

helping those living with autism

spectrum disorder manage

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is to inspire achievement, creativity,

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those who require a unique holistic

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achievement creativity friendships spirituality wellness

Now Ticket Lady has taken her fingers off her keyboard, and

she’s leaning over her counter to look at me, which is definitely a

bad, bad sign.

Please don’t ask where my parents are, I think. Please don’t ask—

“Where are your parents?” Ticket Lady asks.

Fun fact: I am a terrible liar. The worst. Pinocchio is smoother

than I am.

“My parents? They’re, um, coming?” I say. “In a few minutes?”

All my answers come out like questions.

This happens to me all the time, and it drives my mom nuts.

She’s always lecturing me: “When you make your voice go up, like

this? It doesn’t command respect? You see what I’m saying?”

I do now. I see exactly what she’s saying because Ticket Lady, who

is officially suspicious, is asking me, “So you’re unaccompanied?”

“No!” I say, way too loudly. “My parents are here, it’s just—I, um,

I couldn’t wait to come in, and my toddler—I mean, my sister, who

is a toddler—she had an accident . . . a, uh, urination accident? So

they went back to the—to our car? Which is in the lot. The parking

lot.”

It’s like my mouth has been hijacked. I have zero control over

the words coming out of it.

I put $47 in sweaty, crumpled bills on the counter and push

them through the slot in the window.

Ticket Lady frowns, then looks behind me at the long line, which

I am holding up. After a few seconds, she pulls my money through

the window and stabs at a few keys on her keyboard, and then a

tiny printer starts sputtering. My ticket.

I’m not the beaming type, but I beam.

“Have a magical day,” she says. Her lips are pursed tight, like she

is still really skeptical, so I don’t think she genuinely wants me to

have a magical day, but that’s okay. I’ll take it.

“Thanks!” I say. “You, too!”

I walk over to the turnstiles, where a bored-looking teenager

with hair down to his shoulders takes my ticket. He inserts it into

the ticket-eating machine, which gobbles it up, and then the light

on the turnstile turns green.

“Have a magical day,” he mumbles, in a monotone.

And just like that, I’m in. I am in Foreverland. And it’s exactly

how I remember it.



PARK SLOPE LIVING

Grief & Gratitude and a

Prospect Heights Cottage

by Jenny Douglas

artwork by Heather Heckel

A few months after my 15-year marriage ended back in

2008, I hired a clown and part-time muralist to paint a

large white luster quote across the navy wall of my Prospect

Heights dining room.

“Sell your cleverness,” it read, “and buy bewilderment.”

The quote was by Rumi, the 13th-century poet and mystic,

and to my great surprise, it suited me. Finding myself

without a fixed storyline as a 46 year old mother of two girls

was hands-down terrifying.

And at the same time the message bought me a kind of

freedom. My bewilderment was the result of a deeply painful

and unexpected letting go, to be sure — but also offered

a vigorous shake-down of set assumptions and beliefs, and

the opportunity to now say yes to ideas I might never before

have seriously entertained.

Slowly, I began to enjoy sleeping diagonally across the

bed and sitting in bars alone with a book and a cocktail.

When an old friend called from Chicago to ask if I’d be

interested in flying to Melbourne, Australia for a few weeks

to serve as the media liaison for the largest gathering of spiritual

leaders in the world, I said yes. When, a few months

after that, a journalism school classmate reached out from

from Bangalore, India to suggest I spend a month volunteering

at a remarkable boarding school near him called

Shanti Bhavan, I wrote to the school and was on my way six

weeks later.

When an acquaintance raved about her recent “divination”

with a West African spiritual elder, I booked a session

with him myself. A week later, Malidoma Some was seated

across a table from me. “You must make yourself like a cottage,”

he instructed. “You must create a new sense of home

and power and belonging. And from there, you’ll be given

the opportunity to contemplate how to help others view

their circumstances not from a reckless, tragic perspective

but from an initiatory one.”

That made a lot of sense. So (but of course!) I set about

following Malidoma’s advice. On the nights that my two

daughters were staying with their father a mile away from

me in Park Slope, I turned my Sterling Place brownstone

into a “Brooklyn cottage.” And for the next four years, my

home served as a part-time lab and incubator for writing

workshops and storytelling evenings and cooking classes

and meditation sessions and pop-up art shows and any

other intriguing notions that I or various members of my

community were interested in exploring.

In the middle of all this, I realized I was still lonely

post-divorce. I wanted to unearth a tribe of women who

were walking a path similar to mine. How could I find

them? In the context of what I’d created, it seemed the most

natural thing in the world to sit down and craft a curriculum

for the very thing I was missing. So even though I

wasn’t a therapist and had never before been a workshop

leader, I set about saying yes to that, too.

The Nigerian writer Chris Abani has described the South African

philosophy of Ubuntu this way: “The only way for me to be human is

for you to reflect my humanity back at me.”

I wanted a workshop where we could be human together.

I’ve also come to strongly believe that our capacity to know

unbridled joy is directly proportion to our willingness to grieve as

necessary. So through writing experiments, sharing stories, poetry,

riutals and bearing witness, it was my plan for these workshops to

gently and courageously explore ideas of grief and ideas of gratitude.

After our introductions, I imagined us each taking pens to paper

and writing for several minutes, beginning every sentence with the

words “I mourn” or “I surrender.” (If nothing came up, we’d simply

write those words as if they were a kind of incantation, until something

did.)

I envisioned next sharing photos, and stories, of ourselves together

with the person we were separating from — giving voice and

name and texture, along with tears and laughter and grimacing as

necessary, to what was.

And finally, I imagined a return to our notebooks to investigate

what there was to be grateful for. Every sentence we’d write would

begin with the words “thank you” (to the departing partner, to the

universe, to oneself, to whatever or whomever seemed to suit us at

the moment). And as before, we’d simply see what came up.

So I put my idea into play. And that was five years ago! I’ve been

leading Grief and Gratitude workshops several times a year since, to

a total of about 300 women to date. The workshops are still sometimes

run out of my living room on Sterling Place, sometimes run

in private living rooms around the city (and possibly soon upstate),

and mostly run in the living room of the wonderful Elise Pettus at

UnTied.net in Brooklyn Heights.

Even though I feel well-healed from my own marital split decade

ago now, I find it a continuing privilege to meet with women at the

poignant and painful and often strangely promising moment they

find themselves in the middle of theirs. Why? Because I’ve come to

believe that that the broken heart is the starting point for everything

that matters. It’s what happens in the days, weeks and months after

life brings us to our knees that remains deeply interesting me.

As I find myself writing at a recent Grief and Gratitude workshop:

“The mourning permits the surrender, the surrender permits humility,

the humility permits grace and the ability to be present for others

and for myself. I accept mourning as part of what makes my life

valuable and true. I mourn and I rejoice.”

SALLY RAPPEPORT

LICENSED ACUPUNCTURIST

Acupuncture

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Photo by Virginia L. S. Freire


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R E A L E S T A T E

THE STOOP

10 Tips For Staging Your Home For Sale

While Spring is peak selling season in New York City, getting top dollar for your home is no walk in the

park, no matter how many buyers have come out from the cold to pound the streets to open houses.

With the real estate market still favoring buyers, sellers need to make sure that their properties stand

out amongst the competition or risk standing to leave money on the table. The good news is though,

that with mortgage rates still ridiculously low, buyers have more spending power and anecdotally,

since the first of the year, we’re starting to see them use that power for the right properties. And by

right, I mean damn near perfect, because this market just ain’t tolerating much imperfection.

By Lindsay Owen



Less is always more and the clutter just has to go. Buyers want to see space

when they step into your apartment, not piles of magazines, kid’s toys

overtaking the living room and closets busting at the seams. Clear surfaces

of clutter, reorganize your closets so buyers see they’ll have plenty of storage

space and get rid of anything you don’t want to take with you when

you move (you’ll only end up paying more in moving fees if you don’t).

Depersonalizing is also essential. Buyers want to imagine themselves, not

you, in the home. So take down personal photos, put away that kid’s

artwork you have stuck to the fridge and streamline your space. If doing

this seems overwhelming, there are services that specialize in decluttering

and organizing like Done & Done Home who regularly save the sanity of

Park Slope homeowners.

So what are buyers looking for? Well, it’s pretty simple: they want to fall

in love. It should be love at first sight when they see photos of your property

online and you really want them getting the warm and fuzzies when

they first walk through your door. First impressions are EVERYTHING and

if you miss your opportunity to make an impact, your home isn’t going

to make it to the hotlist and buyers aren’t going to be making you offers.

This is why staging has become such an essential part of a sales strategy,

particularly in this market, but frankly, in any market. When you’re

looking for an agent to sell your home, be sure to talk to someone with a

successful track history with staging and make staging part of the conversation

from the get-go.

How much staging your home requires comes down to this simple question:

‘Does your home project a lifestyle that buyers are willing to pay your

asking price or more for?’

Occasionally the answer is a resounding, ‘yes,’ in which case we’re good

to go and just need to add the special sauce of great architectural photography

and some strategic marketing. However, if the answer is ‘no’ or

even ‘maybe’ then we need to get to work. With most of the homes I see,

the staging I need to do varies between a minor tweaking to a complete

overhaul, but it’s rare that any home is camera-ready.

Here’s my guide to what you need to think about when staging your

home. The trick to getting this right is to put yourself in a potential buyer’s

shoes and be honest with yourself about what you need to do. And,

if you need any more impetus to get to work, take a look at other similar

homes on the market, as when you see how good the competition is

looking that will be the only kick up the ass you need to get going on your

home’s facelift.

So – staging 101. Let’s do it…

3. Repairs

You know what needs fixing, so get it done. Spackle cracks in the walls,

re-caulk or grout the tub, shower or sinks, replace cracked or broken tile,

update that ancient water tank and replace that malfunctioning fridge

freezer. You might want to even consider a ‘pre-inspection inspection’,

particularly if you’re selling a townhouse or condo. You’ll then be able

to highlight any problems and rectify them before they become red flags

when your future buyers have their own inspection.

4. Repaint

Unless your walls are spotless, you really need to paint. Don’t put that job

on your buyers, because that isn’t going to bode well; particularly when

you’re competing for their attention with other homes that are freshly

painted or apartments in brand new developments that are finished to

perfection. Neutral is key. White, or off-white is preferable as it gives your

buyer a fresh blank slate that looks good with any color scheme. Take a

trip to Tarzian on 7th Ave who stock the full range of Benjamin Moore

colors – Decorator’s White, Chantilly Lace and Cloud White all work well.

Remember, white walls give an airy, spacious and clean feel. Ask your

broker for recommendations for painters – they’re likely to have a range

of reasonably priced vendors they’ve hired before who’s work they can

vouch for.

5. Floors

Old wall-to-wall carpet? Nope. Beaten up hardwood floors? Not ideal.

Stained linoleum in the kitchen? Just. No! Spending some money on

smartening up your floors is a great return on your investment. In fact, by

not doing it, you stand to lose more in your sales price than you’d have

to spend to get the job done. Refinishing and repairing your hardwood

floors is a game-changer if they’re in poor condition- and yes, I know it’s

a hassle and much easier if your property is already vacant- but do what

you can. Go for a matt, natural finish - no high gloss, please! And the carpet?

If you’re not able to replace it with hardwood floors or refinish those

beneath it, professional deep cleaning can do wonders and take out years

of dirt and any unpleasant odors.

1. Detach And Don’t Take It Personally

This first step is a psychological one. You have to detach. You’ve decided

to sell, so stop thinking of your property as your beloved home and

start thinking of it as an asset you want to sell for top dollar. Your agent,

if you’re working with one, should advise you on what kind of aesthetic

will appeal to the highest number of buyers looking for a home like yours.

Don’t take it personally if your personal style isn’t the right fit and some

of your furniture and accessories don’t make the cut and need to head to

storage. Embrace the process, swallow your pride and trust the professional

you’ve hired.

2. Declutter and Depersonalize

6. Let There Be Light!

Replace any dated light fixtures with something more contemporary. West

Elm has a great selection of reasonably priced options and often has sales.

Go for incandescent bulbs for a warm feel. Cleaning windows inside and

out is a must, and when showing and photographing make sure to pull

curtains and blinds out of the way to let in sunlight and highlight a great

view if you have one.

7. Set The Scene

Here’s where the magic happens and where you really have to just let go

and go with the process. Make sure to remove any dark or heavy items of

furniture and replace them with more contemporary and neutral-colored

options. Use accessories like pillows, throws, lamps, ornaments, and artfully

arranged books to add pops of color. In bedrooms, opt for white,

clean (and crease-free) bedding and replace tired and lumpy duvets and

mismatched pillows. Add a couple of accent pillows and a throw, for color



and texture. In the master, matching bedside tables and lamps add a sense

of balance and offer more styling opportunities. Make sure to designate

space in your living area. Rugs are everything. One to earmark living

space, one for the master bedroom. If you have an open plan living and

dining area, even if you don’t currently have a dining table, make sure to

illustrate that there’s room for one by adding one to the space. A living

room should have a coffee table, at least one accent chair, and a large and

contemporary statement piece of art does wonders. For inspiration hit up

Pinterest or view other listings online. And remember, this doesn’t have to

be expensive. You’d be amazed what great furniture, bedding and accessories

you can find at places like Target, Walmart and World Market. My

team recently staged an apartment with some amazing pieces from Target

that cost very little.

8. Bring The Outside In

Fresh flowers are lovely, but they don’t last. As someone who’s notorious

for killing houseplants, I’m delighted that there are so many artificial and

inexpensive options available now. Greenery always looks good, so make

sure to add a couple of flower arrangements and some eye-catching plants

(fake fiddle leaf fig trees – IKEA has great ones - are SO much easier to care

for than the real thing and don’t have any less impact).

A BreAth of

fresh Air

NEW YORK

FREE

SPIRIT

JOURNAL

9. Deep Clean

Clean, clean, clean! There is no excuse for a dirty bath, a filthy oven or

plethora of dust bunnies when you’re showing your home. If you hate

cleaning, bite the bullet and pay for a deep clean. And don’t underestimate

the effect scent has on your buyers. Burning a beautifully scented

candle – I love the ‘Brooklyn Escapist Candle’ by Brooklyn Candle Studio

- before showings will make your buyers feel more ‘Ah!’ than ‘Ew!’ when

they enter your space.

10. Don’t Forget Curb Appeal

Tidy your front garden, add some potted plants to your stoop, cut back

any unruly shrubs and weed and mulch beds. If you’re in an apartment

building, make sure the front door of your home is freshly painted and use

an odor neutralizer like Febreeze in the hallway.

So! There are my 10 top tips. But before I wind things up, let’s talk about

the elephant in the room. Money. I get it, this stuff doesn’t come for free

and there’s a cost involved. BUT! Doing the work could make the difference

between selling for a premium and not selling at all, so scrimping

on what needs to be done is only going to hurt your bottom line. But take

comfort: it needn’t all be on your dime. Some agents, myself included,

stage homes themselves with their own stash of staging furniture and accessories.

For bigger jobs, or for those short of liquid cash, Compass offers

a program, Compass Concierge, that covers all the costs of preparing your

home – you just pay them back at closing.

Ultimately, there’s no way of avoiding the fact that to really give the competition

a run for their money, you might have to spend some of yours, but

ultimately your bank balance will thank you for it.

enlightened urban living / new york city and beyond

www.nyspirit.com

Lindsay Owen is a licensed real estate salesperson working with buyers

and sellers of coops, condos and townhouses in Brooklyn and Manhattan.

She can be reached at lindsay.owen@compass.com.

f o r t h e g a m e o f l i f e


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PERSISTING IN PARK SLOPE • SUMMER 2020 • ISSUE #73



SLOPE SURVEY

Selina Alko

The Slope Survey returns for its 16th installment

with local author and artist Selina Alko

It is no wonder that award-winning writer-illustrator

Selina Alko now spends her days melding words

and mixed-media art to convey stories of hope and

inspiration—as well as an alternative viewpoint.

Growing up in Vancouver, British Columbia with

a Turkish father who spoke seven languages and

taught painting, and a mother who worked in the

family’s century-old metal recycling business, she

was surrounded by the melody of words and stories

from different places. Selina’s picture books include

The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial

Marriage, B is for Brooklyn, Daddy Christmas &

Hanukkah Mama, and most recently Joni: The

Lyrical Life of Joni Mitchell, which Kirkus called,

“An inspired and creative ode to the inimitable Joni

Mitchell.” Selina lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn with

her multiracial family.

What brought you to Park Slope?

Before Park Slope, I was living & working in a tiny studio apartment in the East Village. It was the year 2000 when

I realized most of my friends were living in Park Slope, and since I was craving more living space and thinking

about investing in an apartment, the time to move seemed right.

What is your most memorable Park Slope moment?

I have several memorable moments that all seem to involve coffee shops. I wrote my first picture book, I’m Your

Peanut Butter Big Brother and then another, Daddy Christmas & Hanukkah Mama, in Blue Sky Bakery while my

son (who is now a teenager!) was napping in the stroller. I became friendly with the owners and for a while, we

traded muffins for books. When I moved to the South Slope, I conceptualized and sketched out B is for Brooklyn

in Parco. I was devasted when the owner (Alex Pozzan) died. I really miss that place.

Describe your community superpower.

I think I am good at bringing people together around books and art. I feel at my best when I’m involved in a lot of

different groups and projects-– although, I must admit I probably have my hands in too many right now! Being a

member of the Pen & Ink Brigade (women artists working for progressive change) feeds my soul. We have been

bringing artists together with members of our community through targeted art-shows, raising thousands of dollars

for Emily’s List and FairFight Action. In terms of children and families, my involvement with the Brooklyn

Public Library takes me into local schools where I get to meet and interact with our borough’s youngest readers.

Also, I contributed to the large scale mural project in the Youth Wing of the Grand Army Plaza Branch (along

with six other children’s book creators). And up until recently, I chaired the PS10 Author’s Committee which

organized several community-wide book events with award-winning kid-lit authors.

If you could change one thing about the neighborhood, what would it be?

Lower the rents for small businesses.

What do you think Park Slope will look like in 10 years?

I hope more diverse! The schools are integrating better now with the district 15 diversity initiative. My daughter

goes to MS88 and I am seeing real changes in the local schools already.

What are you reading, would you recommend it?

I am reading Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino. It is helping me understand my relationship with social media and the

dislocation of spending too much time online. She writes about the performative-self in a way that’s helping me

understand the uncomfortable feelings I’ve been having around self-promoting lately. If you’re someone struggling

to make sense of the pull of social media and the overwhelm of technology in this era that seems to demand

constant engagement then, yes, I would recommend reading it.

What is your greatest extravagance?

Buying coffee out (even a ft e r having a few cups at home) and ordering take-out more than I should. I have shame

and guilt around not investing more time in meal planning and not really enjoying cooking. I feel bad for my

teenagers who crave fancy meals. My new mantra should be: I make books, not cakes, and I’m okay with that.

If you couldn’t live in Park Slope or in Brooklyn, where would you go?

You know, I really love this neighborhood. I am originally from Vancouver, Canada, and people often ask me why

I don’t move back. Vancouver is beautiful, yes. Canadian health care system is more humane, yes. But Brooklyn is

filled with writers, artists, and politically-minded people engaged in the world in ways that I find essential to my

being. Of course, there are other enclaves with like-minded folks, Portland and Philly come to mind... but, I have

made my home here in Park Slope, and I think I’m in it for the long haul.

Who is your hero, real or fictional?

Joni Mitchell. I recently wrote and illustrated a picture-book biography about the Canadian singer-songwriter.

She has been my muse for the past 5 years or so. Did you know that she overcame polio as a child? Her grit and

determination to get better helped carry her through many tumultuous years as an aspiring artist and musician.

She wrote brilliant poetry into songs that shaped a generation. It feels very grounding to listen to her honest and

truthful music - especially in this age of misinformation. My 15-year-old son can’t understand my fascination

with her music, but I like to think someday he will really listen to her lyrics. Then, he will understand.

Last Word, What’s is turning you on these days?

I am loving Brandi Carlile’s genre-defying music. Her live concert of Joni’s album Blue was crazy wonderful. Also,

I can hardly keep up with the explosion of graphic novels being published. Maybe it’s because I’m an illustrator

that the multi-sensory reading experience is so fulfilling to me. The two books I’ve loved lately are, Good Talk by

Mira Jacob–– about race and colorism, and Belonging by Nora Krug–– an investigation of the German author’s

family’s involvement in World War II. Both are profound books worth reading, ideally while listening to Brandi

Carlile and/or Joni Mitchell.


Park Slope Reader Spring 2020 #72

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