Clueuin’s New Year’s 09’s Year In Review- (A Single Gals Romp Around Brooklyn)
Well, well, well, first we started the 21st century and then we all blinked and it is now the teens. So does that mean that the 21st century is now a teenager? Just maybe! We started the 21st century full of hope and now we’re in the middle of one hell of a growing pain.
But before I go off on one of my infamous digressions let’s take a look at my last year. Personally I couldn’t get enough of ’09. Believe it or not I had more highs than lows. Maybe it’s because in ’08 I promise myself to get out more and explore.
It all started with me going to the Brooklyn Public Library in my neighbor in East Flatbush. I had wanted to start a website in order to showcase my writing more. I went to Yahoo.com and they stressed me out with their slow download and complicated web set up. In frustration I did a web search and whala! A new persona was born. Clueuin!
This gal had opinions, this gal had spunk, but most of all she had a library card!
I was writing some rant about my previous job working for this firm that sells directories to people they were trying to con into believe it was a great networking opptunity. It had cheated me out of a paycheck and I had wanted revenge! So I did another web search and found blogspot.com. There were a lot of people with a lot to say about everything, not just about cheating, lying, sack of shit, companies.
There was this really cool guy named Chris with political view different than my own but hell-o funny! Then there is his even cooler and smart companion NY Nerd, more about her later. (Besides she has on her profile and very true and interest statement. Quote: Don't presume you know me because you've read my blog. You don't. So in the interest of not making to any assumptions I’m just going to stick to really, really, cool, and very smart.)
For some reason all they know of they’ve both stop posting in their blog, I miss them. But because of Chris I discovered this whole new neighborhood that has been a neighborhood for quite some time but was new to me. Just ten blocks down from my neighborhood! Kensington! Oh my goodness what a neighborhood! With restaurants, neighborhood shops, and an organic store that is the bomb!
I also discovered this blog that describes all these great places and so much more. With neighborhood concerns and point of interests that make you think. It called Kensington, Brooklyn.
Met some even more interesting people on that blog and found that you never know what some people might say to just about anything. (I think some of these people were a bad influence on me and as it is I have no mental filter. I just say what pops into my head some times. You’ve read what happens whenever I write what I think, right? It can get worse.) But by no means did my intelligence quotient go down. As a matter of fact thanks to the people who post comments in Kensington I have become a more savvy Brooklynite.
Well once I read about Kensington I just had to go there and like I said above the neighborhood—The bomb!
This started me on an odyssey to discover more of my borough. Which then led me to discover that one of the best clothing store’s on Park Slope was closing its doors! Harriet’s Alter Ego.
Sure there weren’t a lot of clothes that could fit me there but their clothes fit my sensibilities to a T. Urban Afro-centric with a little funk mixed in to make it interesting. I was hoping to get one of their stretchy waist Mini-Skirts when I got a job.
But fear not reader, (future, past, and maybe present reader who knows), there is hope because in ’09 I found out that the owner of HAE had formed a collective of designers, artist’s, and musicians (as well as a assortment of other creative types)!
Another web search with Google had me finding WWW.SocietyHAE.com and a whole other world opened up! I went to two events hosted by HAE, a party in the spring to show off HAE’s new line, and a shopping fair with many stalls filled with a whole lot of fashions.
Vendors included:
YAKBLAK, vintage sunnies, www.yakblak.com, Phone: 917-435-2114
YAKBLAK sells vintage style sunglass that made this gal look good
SACRED 77, By AFREAKSTAR, Phone: 917-539-8114
SACRED 77 sells original hand painted cotton clothing that although not my cup of tea, (sue me expressive arty clothing is too young for me.), nevertheless impressed the hell out of me with its artistry. Also his fiancée, Freedom Bey, sells these way cool travel gear another painted wonder that is my cup of tea, cup of java, cup of noodles, all that! Can’t afford either, bummer! (Especially on the suitcases, can you imagine carrying this in the airport?)
(Freedom Bey)
Then there are the urban sport hat designs by Frank Cap and King Cap of the Frank Distro League. WWW.FRANK151.Com.
If you are looking for the most fresh and original caps to swagger down the ‘hood in and still feel sophisticated then these are the caps for you, bo-ys! Frank Cap get there inspiration from the inventor, diplomat, writer, and American statesmen Benjamin Franklyn. To find out more about what their all about go to their website stated above.
BrendaZheng, Lifestyle Accessories Design, brendazheng.blogspot.com, Phone: 917-696-3592
Her handbags made me weep! (‘Cause as cool and wondrous as these bags are no way I’m I gonna be able to afford one of them. Fashion forward design that would make any fashionista weep. (Wish I was one, then I could afford these fabulous bags. Brenda, a F.I.T and Parsons alum is creative and has been in the Independent Handbag Designer Awards ™ Now with Shoes competition. Last blog post had her bags as a finalist. (Now I know I can’t afford her bags, bummer!)
THOSE BROTHERS JEWELRY, THOSEBROTHERSJEWELY.Com, Phone: 646-402-4970
Now I know I’ve used creative way to much but can I help it if it’s the first word that comes to mind when I think of Those Brothers Jewelry. Those fabulous African-centric designs would look great on me! Don’t remember the prices but may that’s a good thing because when it comes to jewelry I don’t want to know. All M can think of is ‘she want, she want’!
There website is a little cluttered but got some nice jams you can listen to and besides their stuff is much better in person. (See I used fabulous only twice!)
I saw all this and more last spring and summer ’09. First time at The SoHo Loft and the second time at Water Street.
SoHo Loft, 38 Howard Street, New York, NY, (On the corner of Broadway & Howard, 1 Block North of Canal).
At The SoHo Loft I rocked to the DJ and looked at all the cool fashions, if I didn’t have to go to work the next day that summer I would have rocked the night away. Ironically one of the songs they played was 'Can’t stop till I get enough’ by Michael Jackson, didn’t even think that it would become even more ironic two months later.
But life has a strange way of going on and I went on to the last month of Summer to Water Street.
The Dumbo Loft, Vinegar Hill, 155 Water Street, New York, NY 11201
*(The Ahficionados, SoundProof International)
A happen time was had by all not only did we have *a cool DJ’s but there were even more vendors there. The same usual suspects mentioned above plus a whole lot more! Sorry but I didn’t get everyone’s card. Bummer!
But I did have a good time which made a good Summer for M.R.
Fall comprised of taking time to morn Michael Jackson during his funeral, (yep it took that long to organize his memorial, its The Michael Jackson we’re talking about here!) Then there was HRA Job training, then a new job, then job training at same job, then job fired employees, then luckily found new job.
Then there were the holidays with a hectic Christmas trying to find time to visit relatives and buying of Christmas gifts. (What fun)! Wrapping up with a Champagne Toast at home watching Dick Clark’s Rockin’ Eve. There you have it folks the year of yours truly, MRClueuin, romping around town.
I hope that your New Year is filled with just as much personal adventure as I had. I am looking forward to a New Year with even more adventures around the Borough I love, Brooklyn, and the city I love, New York.
Happy New Year everyone!
M.R.C.
But before I go off on one of my infamous digressions let’s take a look at my last year. Personally I couldn’t get enough of ’09. Believe it or not I had more highs than lows. Maybe it’s because in ’08 I promise myself to get out more and explore.
It all started with me going to the Brooklyn Public Library in my neighbor in East Flatbush. I had wanted to start a website in order to showcase my writing more. I went to Yahoo.com and they stressed me out with their slow download and complicated web set up. In frustration I did a web search and whala! A new persona was born. Clueuin!
This gal had opinions, this gal had spunk, but most of all she had a library card!
I was writing some rant about my previous job working for this firm that sells directories to people they were trying to con into believe it was a great networking opptunity. It had cheated me out of a paycheck and I had wanted revenge! So I did another web search and found blogspot.com. There were a lot of people with a lot to say about everything, not just about cheating, lying, sack of shit, companies.
There was this really cool guy named Chris with political view different than my own but hell-o funny! Then there is his even cooler and smart companion NY Nerd, more about her later. (Besides she has on her profile and very true and interest statement. Quote: Don't presume you know me because you've read my blog. You don't. So in the interest of not making to any assumptions I’m just going to stick to really, really, cool, and very smart.)
For some reason all they know of they’ve both stop posting in their blog, I miss them. But because of Chris I discovered this whole new neighborhood that has been a neighborhood for quite some time but was new to me. Just ten blocks down from my neighborhood! Kensington! Oh my goodness what a neighborhood! With restaurants, neighborhood shops, and an organic store that is the bomb!
I also discovered this blog that describes all these great places and so much more. With neighborhood concerns and point of interests that make you think. It called Kensington, Brooklyn.
Met some even more interesting people on that blog and found that you never know what some people might say to just about anything. (I think some of these people were a bad influence on me and as it is I have no mental filter. I just say what pops into my head some times. You’ve read what happens whenever I write what I think, right? It can get worse.) But by no means did my intelligence quotient go down. As a matter of fact thanks to the people who post comments in Kensington I have become a more savvy Brooklynite.
Well once I read about Kensington I just had to go there and like I said above the neighborhood—The bomb!
This started me on an odyssey to discover more of my borough. Which then led me to discover that one of the best clothing store’s on Park Slope was closing its doors! Harriet’s Alter Ego.
Sure there weren’t a lot of clothes that could fit me there but their clothes fit my sensibilities to a T. Urban Afro-centric with a little funk mixed in to make it interesting. I was hoping to get one of their stretchy waist Mini-Skirts when I got a job.
But fear not reader, (future, past, and maybe present reader who knows), there is hope because in ’09 I found out that the owner of HAE had formed a collective of designers, artist’s, and musicians (as well as a assortment of other creative types)!
Another web search with Google had me finding WWW.SocietyHAE.com and a whole other world opened up! I went to two events hosted by HAE, a party in the spring to show off HAE’s new line, and a shopping fair with many stalls filled with a whole lot of fashions.
Vendors included:
YAKBLAK, vintage sunnies, www.yakblak.com, Phone: 917-435-2114
YAKBLAK sells vintage style sunglass that made this gal look good
SACRED 77, By AFREAKSTAR, Phone: 917-539-8114
SACRED 77 sells original hand painted cotton clothing that although not my cup of tea, (sue me expressive arty clothing is too young for me.), nevertheless impressed the hell out of me with its artistry. Also his fiancée, Freedom Bey, sells these way cool travel gear another painted wonder that is my cup of tea, cup of java, cup of noodles, all that! Can’t afford either, bummer! (Especially on the suitcases, can you imagine carrying this in the airport?)
(Freedom Bey)
Then there are the urban sport hat designs by Frank Cap and King Cap of the Frank Distro League. WWW.FRANK151.Com.
If you are looking for the most fresh and original caps to swagger down the ‘hood in and still feel sophisticated then these are the caps for you, bo-ys! Frank Cap get there inspiration from the inventor, diplomat, writer, and American statesmen Benjamin Franklyn. To find out more about what their all about go to their website stated above.
BrendaZheng, Lifestyle Accessories Design, brendazheng.blogspot.com, Phone: 917-696-3592
Her handbags made me weep! (‘Cause as cool and wondrous as these bags are no way I’m I gonna be able to afford one of them. Fashion forward design that would make any fashionista weep. (Wish I was one, then I could afford these fabulous bags. Brenda, a F.I.T and Parsons alum is creative and has been in the Independent Handbag Designer Awards ™ Now with Shoes competition. Last blog post had her bags as a finalist. (Now I know I can’t afford her bags, bummer!)
THOSE BROTHERS JEWELRY, THOSEBROTHERSJEWELY.Com, Phone: 646-402-4970
Now I know I’ve used creative way to much but can I help it if it’s the first word that comes to mind when I think of Those Brothers Jewelry. Those fabulous African-centric designs would look great on me! Don’t remember the prices but may that’s a good thing because when it comes to jewelry I don’t want to know. All M can think of is ‘she want, she want’!
There website is a little cluttered but got some nice jams you can listen to and besides their stuff is much better in person. (See I used fabulous only twice!)
I saw all this and more last spring and summer ’09. First time at The SoHo Loft and the second time at Water Street.
SoHo Loft, 38 Howard Street, New York, NY, (On the corner of Broadway & Howard, 1 Block North of Canal).
At The SoHo Loft I rocked to the DJ and looked at all the cool fashions, if I didn’t have to go to work the next day that summer I would have rocked the night away. Ironically one of the songs they played was 'Can’t stop till I get enough’ by Michael Jackson, didn’t even think that it would become even more ironic two months later.
But life has a strange way of going on and I went on to the last month of Summer to Water Street.
The Dumbo Loft, Vinegar Hill, 155 Water Street, New York, NY 11201
*(The Ahficionados, SoundProof International)
A happen time was had by all not only did we have *a cool DJ’s but there were even more vendors there. The same usual suspects mentioned above plus a whole lot more! Sorry but I didn’t get everyone’s card. Bummer!
But I did have a good time which made a good Summer for M.R.
Fall comprised of taking time to morn Michael Jackson during his funeral, (yep it took that long to organize his memorial, its The Michael Jackson we’re talking about here!) Then there was HRA Job training, then a new job, then job training at same job, then job fired employees, then luckily found new job.
Then there were the holidays with a hectic Christmas trying to find time to visit relatives and buying of Christmas gifts. (What fun)! Wrapping up with a Champagne Toast at home watching Dick Clark’s Rockin’ Eve. There you have it folks the year of yours truly, MRClueuin, romping around town.
I hope that your New Year is filled with just as much personal adventure as I had. I am looking forward to a New Year with even more adventures around the Borough I love, Brooklyn, and the city I love, New York.
Happy New Year everyone!
M.R.C.
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