Gl Brooklyn Holiday Gift Guide: Calendar Edition

We’re going to roll out a couple of more installments of our Brooklyn Holiday Gift Guide this week, angled of course, to the last minuteish shopper. We figured we’d start with some Brooklyn-related calendars, given that they have to be ordered online. Check shipping policies and availability before ordering, of course:

I Heart Brooklyn Girls. This 2008 version of this calendar features Brooklyn girls posing in Coney Island. Actually, it’s “12 neighborhood queer femmes.”

Coney Island Sand in Their Shoes. For a slightly more sedate Coney Island ’08 calendar might we suggest this one featuring some very cool photos of Coney?

Where Seasons Come to Life. Does someone you know like flora and fauna? Then, the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens 2008 calendar might be just the thing for them.

Wild Parrots of Brooklyn. Did you know there was a Brooklyn Parrots calendar? Neither did we until we came across it. It could be the ideal gift for the Brooklyn Parrot lover in your life.

Sheepshead Bay Calendar. Granted the Sheepshead Bay ’08 calendar is more geographically-oriented than most, but if someone is a fan of Sheepshead Bay or is from that neighborhood, you this calendar full of nice pics could be the thing.

2008 Greetings from Coney Island Calendar. This Coney Calendar from the Coney Island USA Gift Shop features vintage post card photos of Coney Island. Nice stuff for the Coney lovers in one’s life.

Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra 2008. This is another entry in our “who knew” category. Pics of the symphony combined with some Brooklyn shots.

Brooklyn 2008. From the same local photographer who produced the Sheepshead Bay calendar, this one gets around a bit more, although the focus is still pretty waterfront shots.

GL Brooklyn Gift Guide: Cool Brookyn Organizations

We ran a version of this installment of our GL Brooklyn Holiday Gift Guide last year and decided to update it and run it again. It includes a very selective list of memberships in or donations to Brooklyn organizations or Brooklyn-based groups that would make cool holiday gifts:

Coney Island USA. A basic Coney Island USA membership is $25 and includes free admission to the Coney Island Circus Sideshow, free admission to the Coney Island Museum, free admission to Sunday night lectures at the Museum, a subscription to the Coney Isle-O-Phile Newsletter and a handshake from Coney’s “Mayor,” Dick Zigun. Higher membership levels get you more. For $150 that special someone gets a bunch of benefits and a seat on the reviewing stand for the Mermaid Parade as a judge.

The Coney Island History Project. Membership at the Coney Island History Project starts at $35 for a basic members and includes a History Project t-shirt. The organization, which was founded by Coney historian Charles Denson, has a small exhibition space in Coney Island, maintains and oral history project, a publication and photo collection and more. If someone you know is a fan of Coney and its history, this is a great option.

Gowanus Dredgers. You don’t have to belong to the Dredgers to go out on the Big G in one of their canoes, but signing someone up as a member would be a cool thing to do. Basic “Deckhand” membership is $25. A “Stevadore” membership is $50 and includes the “Heart of Gowanus” DVD. All members can pay a $75 equipment fee and make appointments to take canoes out on the Gowanus when they’d like. Navigate over to the “Membership” page on their site.

Urban Divers. The Urban Divers do wonderful work on the Gowanus and other local bodies of water and they sponsor eco-cruises and offer a lot of volunteer opportunities. That having been said, a General Membership is $40 and you can find out more here.

Brooklyn Center for the Urban Environment. BCUE does urban environmental education, but we especially love them for the Brooklyn tours they run with guides like Francis Morrone and Jack Eichenbaum. Their membership page has a contact number to call for more information, and there’s an online donation page too. We do know that members get discounts on all the cool tours they run. This could be the gift for the Brooklyn lover in your life.

Added Value. You can’t become a paid member of Added Value–the good people that run programs for young people in Red Hook and operate a community farm and farmers markets–but you can certainly make a contribution to the cause in someone’s name. They do good work. Helping them would make a cool, cool gift. Check out their donation page here.

Brooklyn Bureau of Community Service. This organization runs programs for families and children all over Brooklyn. One can’t join, but can certainly donate, and it’s a great option for someone looking to give a gift of support for someone that wants to do help out in the community.

Slope Street Cats. No membership here, but you can donate to Slope Street Cats, a Park Slope group that works to control the population of feral cats and links a lot of people to adoptions of cats. They run educational programs and do a lot of good work and you can make a donation here in someone’s name as a gift and get a big deposit of Good Kitty Karma to boot.

Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition. If you or someone you care for loves animals, you might consider BARC, which has lots of options for a gift that will helps some dogs and cats, and make everyone feel good. BARC has a wish list for its animals on its home page. Our favorite, though, is that for $25 a month the person on your holiday list can sponsor a dog or cat at the BARC shelter in Williamsburg and go over to play with his or her sponsee, which could add an extra element of fun to those Williamsburg shopping and eating excursions. You can, of course, also donate in someone’s name to BARC.

Portside New York. Portside rocks. They do superb work in Red Hook with a focus on the waterfront and the neighborhood’s maritime history and is in the process of converting an old tanker, the Mary A. Whalen, into a museum and community facility. You can donate to Portside or support it by making purchases at several sites including igive, not to mention their Electronic Book Store set up through Amazon, which has a bunch of waterfront-related gift options. The Mary Whalen, by the way, just went to the shipyard for its renovation this week.

We are not focusing on obvious choices, but we’ll mention a few here: The Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Celebrate Brooklyn and the Brooklyn Historical Society. Good and fun memberships all.

GL Brooklyn Gift Guide: Weekend Brooklyn Craft Festivals

We will be posting parts of our GL Holiday Gift Guide for the season, episodically between now and the end of the holiday season. Today, we again focus on all the Brooklyn craft festivals today and tomorrow. This is list is a sampling of what’s going on, as there are many event happening and we certainly don’t know about them all.

In any case, go forth and shop for locally made crafts on Saturday, December 8:

3rd Ward’s Handmade Holiday Craft Fair & Open House. This first-ever event features “local artisans and craft mavens alike…selling their wares in the classic marketplace style amidst an Open House filled with free tutorials and demos in vintage furniture restoration, sustainable lamp design, video animation, metal work, graphic design and more – all led by 3rd Ward Members and top artists and creative professionals. We will be featuring special live performances, giveaways, discounts on membership, classes and studio rentals with steady beats, tasty refreshments and a fabulous photo booth on hand to keep the energy going throughout the day.” The fair starts at 12 Noon and runs through 8PM. 3rd Ward is at 195 Morgan Ave in East Williamsburg Brooklyn.

NY Creates Holiday Craft Festival in Brooklyn Heights. Wares by juried Brooklyn and NYC craft-artists, from whom you can custom order gifts like sweaters and jewelry. The Brooklyn Historical Society at 128 Pierrpoint St. The fest runs from Noon-6 on December 8, 14, 15, 22 and 23.

The 16th Annual PS 321 Craft Fair in Park Slope. Many crafts at this Park Slope neighborhood tradition. It runs from 11AM-4PM at 180 Seventh Ave at 1st St. (Electronics recycling is also going on outside, if anyone is looking to score some crafts and get rid of an old computer.)

Painted Pot 4th Annual Pottery Holiday Sale at 339 Smith Street in Carroll Gardens. “Beautiful Hand Made Pottery at Great Prices by our students, instructors and local potters.” It runs from 11 AM-6 PM today and tomorrow (12/9)

First Annual Society for Clinton Hill Artisans Holiday Fair at Habana Outpost, 757 Fulton St at South Portland. It’s from Noon-8 PM every Saturday and Sunday through December 23.

GL Brooklyn Gift Guide: Weekend Brooklyn Craft Festivals

We roll out our GL Holiday Gift Guide for the season with a focus on all the Brooklyn craft festivals today and tomorrow. This isn’t an exhaustive list, as there are many such events taking place around the borough. Just consider it a small tasting menu. The GL Holiday Gift Guide will be posted regularly between now and the holidays, and we’ll try to bring our own focus to the topic in addition to covering some familiar territory. We hope you enjoy it and, even better, find some useful things in one or more of the posts.

Here are some of the Saturday and Sunday craft festivals:

Today (12/1):
PS 39 is having a Winterful Craft Fair from 11AM-4PM at John Jay H.S., 7th ave and 5th St. There will be 50 vendors with “a wide range of crafts,” plus food and desserts from local spots and children’s arts and crafts all day. There’s a magic show from 11:30-12:15 and pics with Santa from 1-3PM.

The Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture is having its Winter Festival on Prospect Park West in Park Slope from 10AM-4PM. They’re at 53 Prospect Park West and promise Fair Trade arts and crafts.

Brooklyn Friends School’s 28th Annual Holiday Craft Fair is taking
place from 10AM-5PM at 375 Pearl Street, which is near the Brooklyn Marriott. Look for ceramics, sweaters, scarves, musical instruments, jewelry and more. About 40 vendors are expected, plus there will be childcare and activities like a Moon Walk, face painting and performances.

Brooklyn Heights Montessori School Gift Fair 2007 is taking place from 10AM-4PM. The school is located at 185 Court Street and the selection will include jewelry, ceramics, children’s clothing and more.

The Brooklyn Artisan Holiday Gift Fair sponsored by the Fifth Avenue Committee will be going from 11AM-6PM. There will be gift items from local artists, music, sweets from Cousin John’s Bakery, Erica’s Rugelach & Baking Co., plus Hena Coffee and Two Boots. Also on hand will be Isabel Hill, the filmmaker behind the documentary “Brooklyn Matters.” Go to 621 DeGraw to find it.

The Clairware Holiday Craft Show will take place both today and tomorrow at 543 Union Avenue. It runs today from 10AM-6PM and tomorrow from 11AM-5PM.

Sunday (12/2):
The Hearts and Crafts Affair, “a network of young, bright and promising craft creators, will offer a selection of their latest work at Café Grumpy’s Greenpoint location (193 Meserole Avenue at Diamond Street) from noon to six pm.” Look for jewelry, paper goods, knit ware, confections, clothing, candles, journals, ceramics and drawings by 20 local independent artists and crafters.

The Brooklyn Historical Society is hosting the Fourth Annual New York Creates Holiday Crafts Festival. It runs from Noon-6PM, with additional days being December 6, 7, 8, 14, 15, 22 and 23. The Historical Society says, “Find something for everyone on your holiday gift list under one roof, including unique hand-made gifts by 25 juried Brooklyn and NYC craftartists. Every day will offer a new variety of wearable art, jewelry, accessories, and home gifts for women, children and men.” The Society is located at 128 Pierrepont Street at Clinton Street in Brooklyn Heights.