The old seltzer home delivery truck was on our block again this morning. I don’t know which of my neighbors gets seltzer home delivery but it seems like a very cool 1950s dinner party type of thing to have at home. They must have great happy hours. Anyway a few pictures below. The truck is pretty amazing. How it carries all these bottles without having them tied down, and without breaking is beyond me. Oh, and check out the “antique bottles” that have been riding on the bottom shelf for some time.

And secondly, my friends Justin and Hiro, who know of my love of cute Japanese food and product graphics, gave me this box of panda cookies. Look, one has a frowny face. awhhhh…. (translation anyone?)

I’ve recently introduced myself to the world of podcasts (i know i’m kinda late to the game) and quite frankly it is awesome. I am currently on my 20th Spanish lesson (in preparation for a trip to Spain). The series is called Coffee Break Spanish and you can subscribe via iTunes. Each podcast is about 15minutes and its been a wonderful refresher on my rusty Spanish. The show has very nice production values, writing and pacing and the hosts are Scottish which somehow makes it more fun. This particular group also produces a French series. But the cool thing is that you can find just about ANY sort of language lesson on podcast.

Ok so this led me to a day or two of cruising for podcasts and other media to put on my ipod. I hadn’t done much with it except drop my own favorite tunes on, or use it as a hard drive.

Here is what I’ve found. Or, perhaps we should call this - whats new on “COMMENCICON”:
IndieFeed Hip-Hop - you get one track a day, a good way to listen to some new music without being overwhelmed.
IndieFeed Indie Pop Music - same business but indie music. They also have Electronica, Blues, Performance Poetry and guess what else AUDIO DOCUMENTARIES… oh yes, thats next.
IndieFeed Audio Documentaries - honestly, I’ve started grabbing these but haven’t started listening. Too busy with the Spanish lessons
NPR Music

And they even have video podcasts. COMMENCICON now includes
Best of Youtube (video podcast) : the sad thing is that the sound isnt functioning on my computer. So, all those cool youtube videos people send me - i don’t watch - whats the point without sound? I’ve been getting my fix this way.

Onion News Network (video podcast): clearly I’m going for the funny with the video

I’ve also made my first stupid impulse purchase on itunes.
I am sure most of you have crossed this line before. My downfall? The first complete season of the Logan’s Run TV show (from the 70s). This was not a good purchase. First of all, I should have just bought one episode, just to test it out, but I didn’t. Secondly, it just isn’t very good - hard to believe I know.

So my question, for those of you who have made it this far, what (if any) podcasts do you listen to? Any recommendations?

There was a slight delay in getting the BBQ fired up and the amps plugged in - but we are still on for live music today at Sackett and 4th ave at the Brooklynbretta Music fest.. The Snails (PA) are about to take the stage (around 2:45) so don’t hesitate to get your butt down here for FREE LIVE MUSIC FEST IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

Dont forget about the FREE concert tomorrow in Park Slope (Sackett and 4th ave)
Click here for more info on the Brooklynbretta Music Festival (with Frauke, Man in Gray, The Exeter Popes, Twice as Bright and more…)

no crime in posting my own cat right?

Word on the street (and by that I mean a comment to my previous BrooklynBretta Music Fest post) is that Man in Gray have been added to the bill (going on at 7:00). Looking forward to seeing you all there!

Chances are it wont last long so check it out now.

Mimi is a new addition to a local bodega, and is (from what I hear) something of a nemesis to roommate and previous Shop Cat featured Gato Mittens. Mimi seems to have taken over the place and is enjoying a position of new found authority in a cushy bed behind the register. She can also be found monitoring her domain from the the flower display outside.

Christopher resides at a local Carroll Gardens bike shop. There was some debate amongst the folks at the store concerning Chris’ gender. Everybody refers to him as a she - but maybe he is a he? Although really, what is the difference, he is chubby and friendly and older than my rust bucket bike which I might add is a pretty sweet classic 3 speed (circa the 60s). Most notable is that the Chris is probably twice the size of the dog who is also a fixture at the store.

An outdoor music fest in the neighborhood! With music and music and music and scooters and more music. The Brooklynbretta Music Festival is an annual event started in 2006 by White Shoe Records, a Brooklyn-based independent music collective, and Brooklynbretta, New York City’s beloved scooter shop. Here are the details.

Time/Location:
644 Sackett between 4th and 5th ave
From noon to nine.

Line-up
1:00 Modern Major Generals
2:00 The Brian Wilson Shock Treatment
3:00 El Jezel
4:00 The City and Horses
5:00 Breakup Breakdown
6:00 Frauke
7:00 Twice As Bright
8:00 The Exeter Popes

plus there will be a special pre-show performance at the start of the fest (noon) by a band called The Snails.

Getting there:
Directions from Manhattan by Scooter
The easiest way to get here is to take the Manhattan Bridge to Brooklyn. As you exit the Manhattan Bridge you will be on Flatbush Ave. Keep going straight. When you get to 3rd Ave turn right on to Third Avenue. Go about 13 blocks on Third Ave and turn left onto Sackett St. We are located on the right side of the street about two-thirds of the way down the block. Click here for directions from other areas.

By Subway
We are located just around the corner from the Union St. stop in Brooklyn on the R train. When you exit the subway, go across the street towards the Hess gas station. Sackett St is on the far side of the gas station. Turn left and we are about one-third of the way down the block on the left side. Click here for alternative subway directions.

There is an elite and selective group of folks who “contribute” to our corner from; 8lbs of kidney beans dumped next to the tree, to mattresses of various sizes, to a barbie bake oven (no way i was going to open it). Today we have a very unique item as it is clearly labeled and well, we know who the owner is. Let’s play “name that evidence”. What do you think is inside the barrel?

This little kitty really wants his wet food. REALLY!

Finally got a new camera in the mail (Pentax Optio A30) and brought it to Melody Lanes last night. Andrew celebrated by joining the 175 club! I think there may even be a secret hand shake.

Taken from the Shelf Awareness newsletter:

BookCourt, Brooklyn, N.Y., is building a 1,600-sq.-ft. wing that should be finished in late November and will nearly double the store’s size, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported. BookCourt’s new wing will house a small café and bar with outdoor garden as well as nonfiction titles, which are currently in the basement. In the future, the basement will be used for remainders. Children’s book inventory will be tripled.

Owners Henry Zook and Mary Gannett, who founded the store in 1981, attributed the impetus for the long-considered expansion to their son, Zack, who has been involved in the family business fulltime since graduating from college in 2005. Zack also plans to start publishing Cousin Corinne, a literary journal that will include fiction, essays, poetry and dramatic works and be separate from the store. Eventually he hopes for BookCourt to publish books.

Several keys to the store’s success: owning its own building and its location, “on the nexus” of Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens and Brooklyn Heights. “It’s a great location,” Henry told the paper. “Though we didn’t know that at the time.”