Behind the Tip of the Tongue

So, behind the tip of the tongue would be...mid-tongue? Let me take you right into the middle of the tongue then...

Today, the Q got a sneak peak inside the shoppe everyone is talking about. Okay, not EVERYONE, but an awful lot of people seem to want to know what's happening with the old Blue Roost that was K-Dog place. And I'm here to tell you that the Q, while admittedly easily impressed, was pretty overwhelmed. I'm saying that TotT is hott. As in, this place looks great, smells great (they were testing out the baking this morning), tastes great (ditto, on the croissants at least), and, yes, the coffee's quite good (well, I don't know anything about coffee except that the coffee tasted like...coffee. And an awful lot of work is going into it, including the pouring over of the coffee over the grinds, which suggests to me they know what they're doing, though I'm pretty sure Mr. Coffee has been doing that for awhile. The espresso machine looks positively Chitty Chitty Bang Bang however).

To the connoisseurs and belly-minded, the deets are these: Forty Weight will be your coffee and comes with its own sommelier, so there was Matt Marks from the company busy readying the industrial machinery to make the coffee brew-ready. I know some people really geek out on this stuff, so at the bottom of this post I cut and pasted an orientation on their articulation of the java creation vis a vis the pouring of the hot water over the coffee to make the coffee into coffee. (In case you're salivating, they're not opening til just after Memorial Day. Sorry!)

Fresh euro-style breads have been missing from the neighborhood - and fresh baguettes and the like they will serve. The pastries are all designed by co-owner Eric McIntyre who is a proper pastry chef with credentials from Eleven Madison Park, which is someone named Daniel Humm's restaurant. I'm reveling in the fact that I know nothing about any of this stuff - but it's exciting to see how excited are the partners, their partners, and their partner's partners. Seems like a class act start to finish. Here's the folks I met this morning, and their roles:

From left to right, that's co-owners/spouses/daddies Scott Fagan and Eric McIntyre, Matt Marks the brew-meister, and Bethany Morey and Zahra Lee, your Pastry Sous Chefs.

I had a double-d delightful time talking to the fellas. Scott's a born and bred multi-generational New Yorker, with interestingly enough Caribbean roots on his mother's side. Who knew there was a centuries-old community of immigrant Jews on St. Thomas? Well, Scott did. And now I do too. Look it up! After a high-tech stint in San Fran during the go-go late '90s, he met his future husband Eric, and after the tech boom up-belly-ed, they both enrolled at the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) in Manhattan, and soon after founded their successful catering business "Tip of the Tongue." Thankfully, despite their pedigrees, they don't come off as food snobs in the least. They seem passionate about food and business and the neighborhood they call home, which the Q calls Lefferts. They live on Winthrop between Flatbush and Bedford and their toddler son will matriculate at Maple Street School next year.

What else? Oh, the decor is very considered. I noted the cool decorative walls made of moulding from old houses:

 The nifty arbor inspired wall paper:

The retooling of Blue Roost's display case into a refrigerated air tight utilitarian pretty thingy:

And of course, my favorite word of the decade, the sconces, which I'm betting go very nicely with scones:

Good luck gentlemen! Look for a soft launch just after Memorial Day, meaning shorter hours, while they fine-tune things. Please, save your reviews til they've been up and running for a few days.

God bless America, and God bless good croissants.

Appendix on the coffee:

The Coffee

While opening/designing/constructing the first Forty Weight cafe was a HUGE learning experience, coffee is what the company knows, and knows well. All of the coffee for the cafe is sourced and roasted by co-owner/roastmaster Andrew Ballard in Freeville, NY. Roasted and shipped twice weekly, the coffee being served in the cafe is never more than a few days post-roast. Most of the coffee is brewed to order on a custom made pourover bar, using Hario v60s, and Coava Kone filters. There are always three different impressive options for customers to choose from for their pourover coffee. For those customers in a hurry, who just need to get in and get out, there is french pressed coffee ready in thermo-carafes. During the warmer months, the cafe offers cold brew iced coffee. In an effort to offer our customers the most comprehensive experience, we also offer the Japanese method for preparing iced coffee.

The Espresso

In a specialty coffee world where espresso seems to be getting subtly marginalized in favor of single origin black coffee, Forty Weight Coffee stands firm as espresso junkies. The cafe's espresso is ground using Mazzer Superjolly grinders and pulled through a two group La Marzoccos GB/5. Each talented barista has his or her own personal and passionate relationship with this high-caliber equipment and Forty Weight's brilliant espressos, and the results are dramatic. The cafe serves Forty Weight signature Pressure Drop Espresso, as well as a rotating single origin espresso. At the time of this writing, the single origin espresso is one of the finalists from the El Salvador Cup of Excellence.

Camba Gardens - Actually Affordable Housing

Guitarist Vernon Reid was asked, back when he was high-flying with his rock band Living Colour, what the "New York Sound" was. He said if there was a NY Sound it was probably the sound of people looking for cheap apartments. And while there are no more "cheap" apartments to be had, at least not with bathrooms or electricity, we often hear about the crisis of affordable housing. Affordable housing. Yes, affordable housing...

Politicians are for it! (They're also for education, jobs and mothers). But what exactly is "affordable housing?" Sounds about as vague as the term "middle class." However to some non-profit developers, like CAMBA, affordable housing means something quite specific, and I doubt very much that any of you are paying anything like what CAMBA is offering for its newly constructed apartments at CAMBA Gardens, just down Clarkson Ave near Kings County Hospital. A one-bedroom for $810. A two-bedroom for $976. A three-bedroom for $1,127. Granted, you won't be living in Tribeca or Dumbo, but it ain't so bad in East Flatbush, or Wingate, or whatever you want to call Kingscounty-ville. CAMBA also built those new supportive services furnished apartments over at 97 Crooke Avenue in the micronabe the Q likes to call Caledonia, the ones for chronically homeless and seriously mentally ill tenants. CAMBA Gardens, however, has no such requirements. Thank God! It must be so hard to PROVE you're mentally ill and homeless on a housing application!! (off color joke, sorry).

If you want an application for CAMBA Gardens, see the below flyer, or go to Camba Gardens webpage. Granted the lottery will have brutal odds, but you never know. Actually, I have friends who have won these lotteries. You may have to apply for tons before you get an "affordable" apartment, but if your income falls into the guidelines it's certainly worth trying.

So why aren't there more options like this? And why does living in NYC have to rely so much on luck and timing? Whenever you hear a politician claim to be "for" affordable housing, I suggest you stick your hand up and demand exactly what they mean and how they're going to make it happen. Because anyone running for City office who doesn't know this stuff backwards and forwards is not worth voting for. And how about politicians who don't know about the many ways that tenants are harassed into leaving their longtime homes by greedy landlords? And how about politicians who don't know how city budgets work and how to leverage and influence others towards the needs of their districts? And how about politicians who...argh, don't get me started...

Envisioning the Neighborhood: Part II - Come Out This Sunday!

This Sunday, from 2-5PM at the Jewish Children's Museum, come be part of the Community Board's "plan" for the coming years. We did one of these back in November, and the feedback that CB9 got is helping to form the agenda for the future. The Board, and its committees, really do use these feedback sessions as the fuel for strategies and outreach to the City agencies and stakeholders involved.

And guess what...I'm hear to tell you that the City is listening. On one issue after another, the demands from the Community Board get attention. Do we always get what we want? Of course not. But the conversation is happening, and agencies know where we stand. And in a few areas, we've got some solid victories to point to.

So...please come out. PLUS, the Jewish Children's Museum, on Eastern Parkway at Albany, is a fantastic family day out. Enjoy free admission if you're attending the Envisioning session! They call it "Jewish," but if you ain't Jewish, it's not like it's restricted! It's still a marvelous museum full of historical games, exhibits and run-around space. All are welcome.

For those who attended the first round, thank you, come again!

Last time, areas of concern that became part of the blueprint for the future included:

• Community Centers
• Community Banks
• Senior Centers
• Development of Business Strips
• Strategies to Reduce Trash
• Addressing Lack of Engagement Around Economic Development
• Development of the Empire Blvd Corridor
• Creation of BIDs and Merchants Associations
• Outreach to Absentee Landlords
• Help for Startup Businesses
• Combating Discriminatory Housing Practices
• Affordable Housing Initiatives, City and State
• Senior Services and Outreach to Seniors
• Wellness Initiatives

and in regards to Safety:

• More beat cops
• Better lighting
• Better traffic enforcement
• Shutting down drug dealers and drug dens
• Rethinking traffic patterns and pedestrian safety
• Monitoring illegal after-hours clubs and parties
• More security cameras.

Many of these things are already being addressed, and many more will need input and help from you, the people.

enough with the rah-rah. just come!

tim

Flatbush Blood Drive Today

Got some blood? Of course you do! You wouldn't be reading this if you're dry to the bone!

Why not share a little. The 70th Precinct is holding is blood drive today. From the 70th:

         Just a friendly reminder about our Blood Drive, which will be held from 12:30 pm- 6:00 pm today, May 14, 2013.

        There is no substitute for Human Blood.  According to the New York Blood Center; One in three people will need blood sometime during their lives.  Blood last only 42 days.  Your donation now is critically important. We look forward to seeing you.  Thank you. (154 Lawrence Ave. between E 2nd St. and Ocean Pkwy)

 Remember, as the missive says: THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR HUMAN BLOOD.  Unlike teachers, sugar or dairy products, there is no alternative. Even vegans need red blood, good old human blood, be it A, B, AB or O. Remember the Ramones tune? ABBA-O, Let's Go!

"Cameras at Parade Ground to Be Fixed" - Cops

My main questions remain unanswered, but word is:

70th precinct has confirmed that the disabled camera will be repaired within the next ten days. Thx to Ed Powell, Officers Scotto and Bourne at the 70th, and the Parks Dept

Keep an eye out, and let the Q know if they actually look like they're working.

City Council Candidate Number 4: John E. Grant Profiled on DPC

A quartet to choose from!

The 40th Council District, the one that most all of you reside in, the one that you MUST be registered as a Democrat to vote for IN SEPTEMBER"s primary, since the Republican sacrificial lamb hasn't a chance in Hades - has turned into a bit of a crowded field. The frontrunner must be assumed to be the incumbent Mathieu Eugene, but Saundra Thomas is nipping at his heels, with newcomers John Grant and Sylvia Kinard yapping from the cheap seats. For now...anything can happen of course.

Get to know John in the ongoing Ditmas Park Corner series, right here:

Guns, Crack, Smack and a View of the Botanic Garden

From the 71st came this description of police action across from BBG:

Thursday May 9, 2013 the 71 Precinct executed a search warrant at 915 Washington Ave. Four guns,a 1/2 kilo of heroin and 11 ounces of crack were seized. One male occupying the apartment was taken into custody.

A bueno bust if ever I heard of one. Kudos to the gentlemen below:

crownheights.info's ic