Happy End of the Year from The KCB

As we enter yet another episode of Celebrity Rehab, from one downtown Brooklyn dude to the rest of the county.

Tonight we had a couple rounds of Scrabble at Zombie Hut where you had plenty of people wishing they were funny but instead spouting off ridiculously offensive stereotype jokes. There was also a who's balls were bigger discussion about American whiskey; they were making ignorant fun of the wonderfully awesome Tuthilltown distillery and questioning its brilliance while acting as if they knew everything about liquor without the earnest inquisitiveness that real connoisseurs would exude.

I managed "apex" and aimed for "moxie" on the board gameness but was overturned on the latter due to a bad fit. All this greatness on Bookworm leaves me a terrible Scrabble player still.

Anywho, there was a man who was both Italian and Asian. His obnoxious friends tried to determine whether he was "hairy" which in a public venue, one person should probably never ask another person. Couple that with some INTENSE cologne/perfume coming from another group coming in and you know I had to switch to PBR to keep it real. At least Scrooged was playing on the projector screen. Bill Murray is always a good distraction right?

Anywho, as we walked through the neighborhood on such a brisk night, we passed two men by Bar Great Henry where one said to the other, "Dude I don't know if I want to go over to that girl's place". So many contexts to this one but I guess he's shy.

Over and out.

Metrotech BID: Getting Trendy With The Facebookz and Handy Shopping Guide

Shopping in Downtown Brooklyn is down and dirty (at least for now). One would never think that there would be enough to warrant a nice sheen when it comes to a little press and marketing; the charm is that it's a microcosm that isn't neatly packaged.

However, surprisingly the Metrotech BID, who is trying to champion the neighborhood that alternately is the hottest neighborhood in Brooklyn and one of those areas where nobody knows really where/what it is, has fashioned a sort of organized flow chart for the holiday season. So if you know you can get your family something at Macy's or Jimmy Jazz, or any sneakers to speak of, maybe you'll take a look and enter the Holidays in the Heart of Brooklyn sweepstakes. This includes 2 nights in the Sheraton awkwardly situated among scaffolding currently; dinner at Morton's (which is the kicker for me), and a nice discount at the TKTS.

So the microsite is nice and the Facebook page is really well done considering it just started and they invested into a little creative work and some decent messaging/copy even with only 92 likes. You enter the sweepstakes on Facebook (although Wildfire's application can be used on the microsite as well but they chose to funnel traffic I'm guessing) and take a look at their shopping guide.


Two things about this guide: one, it's nice that all the local businesses I see are getting holiday cheery with small discounts across the board, whether dining, apparel, etc.

The other thing is though; how do we ask for the discount? Do we just print out the section where they are listed? Do half of these businesses know they are doing discounts? It's not like Tanger outlets or Woodbury Commons where everything is name brand and part of a larger real estate structure. I know that's what this shopping guide is supposed to do, organize into a bigger marketing picture, but I'm just a little skeptical that I'm actually going to get "10%" at Jack's Barber Shop down the street. 10% of what? 10% of a haircut? 10% of the barber's mind?

Exciting stuff but not quite there yet. Although I did 'like' the Facebook page and would love to see it develop from a good digital strategy. Until then, there's always the scrappy Downtown Brooklyn Facebook page...



and Solange's pretty awesome cover:

Me So Hungry Blog Presents - Cookie Contest and Full Slate of Bands This Sunday Dec. 20th

Union Pool off the Lorimer L stop (I actually like the Graham stop just as much if not more) is where hipsters go to occasionally meet non-hipsters, drink 4 dollar beers, and throw down to either great soul music or bearded fellas playing the gee-tar. Our good man Jason over at foodie blog Me So Hungry is serving up some mighty fine holiday spirit this year with a combo of cookies baked by whoever feels like bringing cookies (he described it as a cookie pot luck, but I see it as a chance for cookie hipsters to fight tooth and tight jeans over whose is better) and a whole host of bands for Sunday evening. For free.

Music will have plenty of recognizable holiday tunes, done in the bands' own styles, which could range from indie rock to indie rock, depending on how you see it. Here's the flyer:

Hey, any excuse to chill at the depression I've felt called Kellogg's Diner is good enough for me.