Vox Pop Nears Reopening

Vox Pop's comeback seemed likely at tonight's benefit show for the struggling coffeehouse.

We missed the opener, but local band The Loom totally killed it. Money raised from the suggested $10 cover will help pay fines resulting from health code infractions incurred by previous management. New manager Debbie Ryan said they are $2200 away from the $65,000 needed to get the place up and running again.

To reach that final goal, shares in the company are being sold for $50 a piece. According to DR, 172 people have taken advantage of this opportunity so far. Vox Pop supporters were also scooping up $40 gift certificates, which were being sold for $25. These are risky, though, since they aren't refundable if the coffee shop remains closed. Fewer people were on board for the auctioning off of various arts and crafts, with money raised going to the reopening effort. A small scultpure of the head of Jesus started at $5 and sold for $6 (Holy Moly).

According to DR, the fines must be paid by Monday, so if you're interested in helping you should attend the Vox Pop Town Hall meeting on Sunday, March 29th at 4:00 pm.

On a personal note, it was wonderful being able to go to a cool hangout spot and take in a great show and not have to endure an hour-long commute home, but stroll home under the sycamores instead. There is a lot of negativity surrounding Vox Pop's re-opening and I'm well aware that it has never been and probably never will be a perfect business, but it is so much better than a vacant storefront or anything else that would open up in its place. It would be a real shame if we lost such a unique community treasure to another 99 cent store.

Filmed in Flatbush? '90s Acne Medicine Commercial

It's hard to tell, but I'm pretty sure this strange video for Retin-A acne cream was filmed in Ditmas Park back in the early '90s. It could be any suburban neighborhood, but doesn't that look like Wesminster or Stratford? All the evidence is there. Front lawns, driveways, Victorian homes, sycamore trees. It's gotta be Ditmas Park, right? Anyone know?

Check out the full video (via Videogum) for more shots of (what I think is) our neighborhood.

Meat on Marlborough

We passed by this Halal Meat delivery van unloading fresh kill at the corner deli at Newkirk and Marlborough last night. The picture quality isn't great, but basically what you're seeing is a bunch of meat just laying out in the back of the van. A plastic tarp is spread out underneath some of the meat, but it didn't look like it was protecting all of it. And nothing was stopping the meat from sliding up against the walls of the van. I guess you gotta hope that driver made no sharp turns.

Maybe we've been out of the animal flesh game for too long, but is that really the most sanitary way to transport meat?

So if you were wondering why your halal meat tastes a little more Cargo Van-y these days, well, now you know.

Filmed in Flatbush: Wanted

I got really excited last winter when I saw signs that said the Angelina Jolie movie "Wanted" was taking over my block. How would they use Beverley and Ocean? Some sort of inner city scene? Or maybe a shootout between Morgan Freeman and James McAvoy at St. Marks Methodist church? Not exactly. My street was used for the catering trucks. The real action went down a few blocks west at Albemarle and Argyle.

1306 Albemarle Road, which loyal FV readers know as "the Gossip Girl house," was used as the childhood home of Angelina Jolie's character, Fox, in a quick flashback scene. Although it didn't get a lot of action in the film, the house was still mentioned in a Times article about renting out houses for TV and film shoots:

“You definitely have to get your nervous system ready for it,” said Susan Cleary, who owns a 10-bedroom house in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, that last year earned $30,000 and can now be seen in the Angelina Jolie movie “Wanted.”

Ms. Cleary said she was a little unnerved when she learned that for a Thanksgiving dinner scene, a character would be set on fire in her dining room. Special effects and flares were used and the walls were protected, but the ceiling was still singed. It was promptly repainted, she said, but having something like that happen inside your home “is not for the faint of heart.”

It's a shame the ceiling was singed from the shoot, because the scene in the movie doesn't actually show the character being set on fire. Instead, the light of the flames is seen bouncing off the face of young Fox and the wall behind her. The only flames seen on screen are from candles and one of those Scripto lighters.

But far more entertaining than this scene in the movie was the discussion that broke out on this blog in response to the Times article. Lots of fun info about the biz and some insulting comments too!

On the Q: Invisible Man

On this morning's train ride into town, a white girl in her mid-20s with an Obama button on her jacket got on our train and completely ignored this guy in the picture as he politely tried to get her attention. "Miss. Miss. Miss, at the door. Miss, standing at the door. Excuse me, Miss. Miss. Miss." She had headphones on, but he was raising his voice (not in a rude way) and he was waving his hands directly in her line of vision. A lot of people on the train were turning to look. It went on for several minutes until she changed positions so that her back was to him and she could pretend like she really couldn't hear him.

Before I got off, I asked him what he wanted her attention for. He said he just wanted to buy her water bottle from her. Who knows if she would've agreed to the transaction, but the least she could do was acknowledge his existence.

Change we can believe in? More like the audacity of NOPE.

Filmed in Flatbush: Sophie's Choice

No quest to document Flatbush's history in film and television would be complete without a look at "Sophie's Choice." Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, and Peter MacNicol star in the 1982 drama about a Holocaust survivor's post-war life in Brooklyn, but Prospect Park South's 101 Rugby Road steals the show.

We recently watched the Academy Award-winning film and were thrilled to see the beautiful paint job our neighborhood celebrity underwent for the film. But we have a feeling one of the house's first owners, West Point graduate Col. Alexander S. Bacon, wouldn't be too excited to see his prized Victorian transformed into the "Pink Palace."

Now painted a more reserved gray that helps this star keep a low profile, 101 Rugby is still a beautiful house, and "Sophie's Choice" does a great job showcasing it. And while it's not quite a segment from "Open House NYC," the movie offers a tour of the first and second floors of the house as well as dramatic exterior shots from a variety of heights and angles. And best of all, 101 Rugby has the distinction of actually portraying a house in Brooklyn, unlike its neighbors who are usually cast as houses in other cities or states.

Crimes Against (Q)-Manity: The Fur Hag

Our latest dumb subway rider seems innocent enough. She's keeping to herself, not taking up more space than she needs, not spitting all over the floor. So what's the problem?

Well, in her haste to get to work on time, it seems she left all morals and ethics at the door and picked up this hideous coat of 55 dead minks instead.

If this woman was elderly or was a time traveler from pre-historic times, I could shrug it off and tell myself she doesn't know any better. But she's not old. And she's not a time traveler. She seems able minded enough to know the difference between right and wrong. She seems like she would have the knowledge and common sense that would deter most people from wearing fur. Surely she understands the pain and misery the fur industry puts millions of animals through each year, all for the sake of "fashion." Animals that are intelligent, social, and most importantly, SENTIENT.

It's one thing to see some oblivious tourist strutting through Soho with their coat of ignorance, but to be forced to confront it on your ride home for half an hour is really frustrating. You begin to wonder why someone like this is on a commuter train to begin with. Where does someone like this find employment? What reason and rational thinking skills is she using during her workday that she is completely abandoning when she shops for clothes?

I don't know, maybe it's not that big of a deal. Maybe we should all desert our morals when it comes to clothing. I have been wanting to try out my new Darfur children-skin boots.

Natural Frontier's Mysterious Disappearing China Cola

We gave up soda years ago, but we still miss it dearly. That's why we were really excited when we tried China Cola, a blend of Chinese herbs that tastes a lot like Coke but isn't made with high-fructose corn syrup and all that other bad stuff. In fact, the drink is supposed to "boost and balance the body's natural energy levels." Ugh, now we sound all "new age" or something. Like our next post is going to be on the spiritual healing power of crystals. Whatever. The bottom line is- this is just a good drink. Especially Cherry China Cola. It tastes a lot like (you guessed it) Cherry Coke!

So now we're addicted to this stuff, but as of a few months ago Natural Frontier just flat out stopped carrying it. We asked them several times if they were going to bring it back and they gave us nothing but weirder and weirder answers. They tried to make us think they were still carrying China Cola, but they just forgot to bring them up from the basement. They wouldn't just come right out and say, "We stopped carrying this months ago and we don't plan on bringing it back." Their lack of customer service skills never surprise us.

So months later, we realized if we wanted more China Cola we were on our own. The solution? We ordered it directly from the company who makes it on their site. Eight days later, we had 2 big boxes of Cherry China Cola at our door. With shipping and handling and taxes we paid $39 total for 24 12-ounce bottles. When you do the math, that's actually a few cents cheaper than what we used to pay for them at Natural Frontier. Anyway, just wanted to share that with you. Now let's talk about balancing our chakras.

Update: As of 4/10/09, Natural Frontier has regular and cherry China Colas. And the prices have gone way down to $1.19 a pop. So definitely get 'em while you can!

Filming in Flatbush: Fringe

Yesterday J.J. Abrams' show "Fringe" was back in the neighborhood, this time filming inside 83 Westminster Road. This could be the last time the show is in our hood before they move production to Vancouver, following the announcement that tax incentives for filming in New York may end.

Even though it was overcast, the scene will look like it's happening on a sunny day, thanks to the HMI lights the crew had shining into the house (a helpful crew member taught me that term). And here's a tip from us: if you want the scoop on a production, talk to the middle-aged crew members. The younger members of the crew kept a suspicious eye on us the whole time we were there, answering our requests for info with nothing but silent stares (did they think they were working on that other J.J. Abrams show?). An older guy, however, crunching away on bagel chips, gave us the run-down of the whole plot. We don't want to give anything away, but Anna Torv was filming in the house yesterday and this episode includes a vampire, human spinal serum, and a bunch of FBI cars pulling up to the Westminster house (sweeping exterior shots!). Check back in about 6 weeks to see how Westminster Road looks through those fancy cameras.

Send Us Your "Filmed in Flatbush" Knowledge!

Regular readers of FV know that we have a healthy appetite for our neighborhood's roles on screens big and small. But we're running out of productions to document and we know there are a lot more out there. So we're calling on our Flatbush neighbors to send in or leave in the comments section any tips you have about past, current, or future productions. Movies, TV shows, music videos- if it filmed in Flatbush, we want to know about it! If you have info about the actual houses used in the production or the specific scenes filmed in our neighborhood, even better! If you only know the name of the production, that's alright too. You tell us the movie and we'll do the dirty work.

So send us your tips, please!
(tips@flatbushvegan.com)

And just so we don't get any overlap, here's what we have so far (in order of when we posted it):
Gossip Girl
Law and Order
Fringe (Sep '08)
Fringe (Oct '08)
An Invisible Sign of My Own
The Squid and the Whale
Fringe (Jan '09)
Malcolm X
Sophie's Choice
Wanted
'90s Acne Medicine Commercial
Futurama
My Super Ex-Girlfriend
The Groomsmen
Bullet (coming soon)
What Happens In Vegas (coming soon)
The CollegeHumor Show (coming soon)
Lords of Flatbush (never coming, just acknowledging that we watched this and it's awful)
Solitary Man (coming soon)
The International (coming soon)
The Toe Tactic (coming soon)
Able Danger (coming soon)
Then She Found Me (coming soon)
Flight of the Conchords (coming soon)
The Departed (coming soon)
The Savages (coming soon)
City by the Sea (coming soon)
The Sopranos (coming soon)
Goodfellas (coming soon)

So, whatcha got?

Vegan Eats: Madina

Alternate Title: Madina Goes To Jail (For Being So Delicious)

Alternate Alternate Title: Madina Goes To Jail (For Having A Mouse In Their Dining Room)

We've been looking for a good Pakistani restaurant in the neighborhood ever since we moved closer to Coney Island Avenue. With "Little Pakistan" right around the corner, we thought this would be a pretty easy task. But every restaurant we checked out had dishes cooked in butter or few vegetarian choices. Then we found Madina. Exactly what the doctor ordered, if the doctor ordered delicious South Asian food. Located on the corner of Beverley and Coney, Madina doesn't have the most beautiful view of the neighborhood, but somehow the huge glass windows actually add to the charm of this place. We wish George's at Cortelyou would take a lesson and remove some of those Atlantic City bus ads and other fliers so their customers could see the bustle of CIA.

Madina has just enough vegan options to make each trip a little different. For $7 you get a huge plate with a ton of rice and your choice of three vegetables, plus roti bread (naan isn't vegan) and a really small side salad (hold the yogurt). We recommend the chickpeas, lentils, cauliflower and potatoes, and carrot medley- all are delicious. (The only complaint is that the food is a little oily.) You also have to get a samosa or two (or three). They are other worldly. Seriously, go get samosas at Madina.

The woman who works there helped us pick the curries that have no dairy products, although the language barrier made things a little difficult. She also seemed a little insulted when we requested no yogurt on our salads, but we know by now that veganism doesn't always translate smoothly. Language was also a barrier when I called once and the man I spoke to told me they did not have chickpeas that day. When we went, about an hour later, they did in fact have chickpeas.

A lot of customers get take-out, but the restaurant has plenty of seating for those who want to stay, and there is a pitcher of water on each table to refill your plastic cup when the chickpeas get spicy. There is also a TV with a partially broken screen where you can catch up on your Indian music videos and behind-the-scenes of "Slumdog Millionaire" interviews.

We ate at Madina three times in one week and it will, without a doubt, continue to be a regular dinner spot. And don't forget the samosas!

Update: After our mouse spotting at Madina, we think this place is kind of gross.

Food: A-
Service: B-
Value: A
Atmosphere: F (see mouse spotting link above)


Madina || 563 Coney Island Ave || 718-469-3535

R.I.P. Bob Guskind

It is being reported that Bob Guskind, the founder of Gowanus Lounge, died last night in his Prospect Heights apartment. We can't add anything that hasn't already been said, and we never had the pleasure of meeting him. But we will always be thankful for the attention he gave to our little old neighborhood, amidst all the other exciting Brooklyn news he covered. His site was the first to give Flatbush Vegan a shot in the Brooklyn blogosphere and for that, we are forever grateful.

No Men Allowed In This Ditmas Park Salon

I understand that the "Men Are Not Allowed In The Salon" sign on the door of this Coney Island Ave beauty parlor is some sort of religious regulation. Muslim women are forbidden to show their hair to men or something like that (spots are filling up quick for my Religion 401 class, so sign up now!).

I just find it a little funny that the owners conveyed this serious message using the font "Jokewood."

Midwood Shots: Avenue M

New Martial Arts Center Is Tired Of You Using It As A Bus Stop

Looks like Midwood Martial Arts has some new competition in town. Urban Martial Arts on Coney Island Ave between Newkirk and Ditmas has recently opened up shop, and it looks like they're already having a few problems with the neighbors. The sign in their window reads:

"This is an educational institution, not a bus stop. If you need to wait for the bus, please do it outside. Our restroom is for our students only. It is not open to the public. Thank you for your cooperation."

This sign makes them sound like real sticklers for the rules, which is kind of funny because after I took this picture I watched a couple employees dump several bags of trash in (and around) the sidewalk trashcan on the corner of Newkirk. You know, one of those trashcans with the signs thay say "Litter Only. No Household Trash. No Business Trash. $100 Fine."

On another note, I was really hoping that before our neighborhood got our 2nd martial arts center we'd get something like, oh I don't know, A BOOKSTORE. Oh well.