When Jackie Roman was asked to contribute artwork to the Art That Rocks exhibition being held by 303 Grand this Friday, the rock photographer knew she had the perfect image: a photo she snapped last spring of Ex Humans guitarist Josh Martin, cigarette in hand, licking his guitar case while running down Grand Street late to a gig at Trash.

This post has additional content, click on the permalink to read more.

Read more

Not to get all Shakespearean on you, but: “Would Brooklyn Brewery beer brewed anywhere but Williamsburg smell as hoppy? Probably. But thankfully we won’t have to find out anytime soon. The brewery announced it’s staying put after successfully negotiating a new 15-year lease for its current digs.

This post has additional content, click on the permalink to read more.

Read more

At a moment when DVD sales continue to decline and new releases can often be downloaded (legally or otherwise) days after their theatrical release, Matt Grady has taken a bit of a gamble. The 39-year-old founder of Factory 25, a new independent film and music label based out of Brooklyn, is betting that you’ll still shell out some money for a DVD—or even a vinyl record—so long as what you’re getting is more than just a disc in a plastic case. Read the full story here.

This post has additional content, click on the permalink to read more.

Read more

This year's (Saturday!) Halloween bashes ask you don costumes ranging from 1994 cliches to macabre Victorian garb. They'll have you dance to The Very Best and The Monster Mash. Start sewing—it's only a day away!

This post has additional content, click on the permalink to read more.

Read more

Take a long drag of your Warm Mocha Mint Cigar - it might be the last you buy in the city. Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed the ban on flavored tobacco into law yesterday. But before you hyperventilate, read the fine print: the ban doesn’t include clove or menthol cigarettes or even flavored hookah.

This post has additional content, click on the permalink to read more.

Read more

As the roller derby season winds down, interest in the sport has just sparked. The crowd at Saturday’s double-header game was chock full of newbies, tweens, and kids. You could just see images of Ellen Page in their young, innocent eyes. While the games weren’t nearly as violent as the ones in “Whip It,” the visiting team, Sockit Wenches, gave our gals a run for the money and went home with the prize.

This post has additional content, click on the permalink to read more.

Read more

We were heartbroken when the Tompkins Square Park Halloween dog parade was rained out Saturday, but thankfully with yesterday's gorgeous weather, people all over town were able to put their emotional issues on display and dress up their animals. After the jump, check out Brooklyn Heights Blog's video of the Howl-o-Ween Parade on the Promenade.

This post has additional content, click on the permalink to read more.

Read more

What kind of a world do we live in where a man can't sit on his stoop with fake sticks of dynamite without getting arrested, especially when all said man wants to do is turn them into a piggy bank?

This post has additional content, click on the permalink to read more.

Read more

After what seemed like the least crowded L train in history shuttled us into Manhattan this morning—without stalling in between Bedford and First Avenue!—we were feeling pretty up on Williamsburg. Over at The Rumpus, Stephen Elliott isn't in the same way. "Williamsburg is simply someone’s joke," the author of The Adderall Diaries says.

This post has additional content, click on the permalink to read more.

Read more

Taking a cue from the fury West Village residents unleashed on the smoke-hazed sidewalks outside Jane Hotel, the fine folks of Park Slope rolled out their own version of an unwelcome wagon for rooftop hotspot Vue Restaurant and Lounge. It's the kind of reception typically reserved for the new girl in town by bitchy queen bees in high school environments—especially when said new girl is super hot and automatically popular.

This post has additional content, click on the permalink to read more.

Read more