Nostrand Avenue Restaurant Row - Updates
Planning Complete, and the actual Book Ball for Brower Park Library
Finishing the Planning:
On July 12 there was a meeting at which the Friends group got information about the sound system at the museum for Victor, we finalized what the various vendors would provide in terms of servers and table ware. We also discussed some of the difficulties with selling tickets, as the library is not allowed to do anything that is not open to the entire public Therefore they cannot sell tickets. Lorraine revealed that only 12 tickets had been sold thus far. A quick Zoom meeting was schedule for July 17 to see how things stood.
On July 17, we discussed putting together a program. Lorraine agreed to do a draft and send it to Amy to do the design. This she in fact did, putting together a document that thanked everyone who was contributing, whether it be music, food or drink. Ticket sales had only gone up to 15, but it seemed there might be many more. One of my writers expressed interest adying she would bring two of her children, so that added three more and other members of the Friends group knew of others who would be buying tickets. Lorraine asked that I get in touch with Victor to find out what equipment he would want from the Museum. There was discussion about setting up on Friday, starting at 4:30. Most of those supplying food, drink and music said they would come around 5:00-5:30. Later I asked Cameron Blaylock if he could be event photographer; he said no but that he could come around for a half hour or so. I said this sounded very good. And so it seemed we were ready to go.
The Actual Book Ball:
On July 19 at 4:30 I arrived at the Brooklyn Children's Museum to set up for the Book Ball event scheduled to begin at 6:00pm. At the front door I met Funso Akinya, the owner of the Nigerian restaurant Akara House, with a helper. Funso was one of the sponsors of the event. He told me he wanted to look over the event space to figure out where to set up his vegetarian food offerings. Together we climbed up the staircase to the left to the second floor and considered the area. I came up with a tentative arrangement that would put him at the back of the room where there two covered tables in an indented space.
Lorraine Leddy
While we were there Amy Perry arrived. She already knew Funso. The both have children who are acquainted. Amy set up various things on a small table near a window overlooking the roof area. She had balloons and ribbons, programs for the event, and a helium canister with which to blow up the balloons. Next came Keishel Williams. Together we figured out where to put the tables and chairs, and then we moved them to those places. Nicole Sterling came next with table cloths, plates, napkins, and plastic glasses. She had a wonderful array of flowers and vases to put them in. So the next step was to cover the tables with the cloths and put other things where they would be needed. Nicole put the flowers in the vases and placed them on tables. Arean Diaz showed up and concentrated on the sound equipment working with Dylan House and other museum staff. Next Lorraine's husband Barrett Leddy came with two large batches of water wrapped in plastic. These were placed in the refrigerator in the kitchen down the hallway. I found ice there and put two bags in an Ikea bag and placed it where the drinks would be served. Alicia Pritchard, the head of the library, showed up, as did Maddie Partner who had designed the book bags; these were to be sold next to the reception table. Then Lorraine arrived with the list of those who had purchased tickets.
The band
She informed us that we needed a new spot for Pando's as they were bringing a machine to make crepes and needed an outlet. So their table was moved to a corner area near the bar on the near wall.
Victor Solano, the leader of the band, came and started setting up his equipment. The other members of the band came soon after and they also started to set up. Soon they were playing phrases and trying out the sound system.
Then came a bad moment – neither SoulBK nor Akara House had arrived, and it was getting very close to 6pm. Phone calls revealed that both were on the way, and soon they were there.
Kevin of SoulBK had food trays and many bottles of wine, and Funso had the makings for his famous veggie burgers. The last crisis was that Kevin had not brought a cork screw. Barrett headed off to get one, and when he came back, we were ready to go.
Andrea had arrived with some helpers and set up the Pando's dessert table. The first guests started to arrive. Arean had left and came back looking very smart in a suit.
Sharon Palmer with Kevin Walters
Sharon Palmer appeared coming up the steps and revealed that she had sold ten tickets, the highest amount of anyone who had done individual sales.
Maddie Partner and Ally Portelance
Merrill Matthews appeared looking gorgeous, and Alicia Pritchard climbed up in a beautiful green dress, and more and more mounted the staircase. Guests were encouraged to buy a ticket for a 50/50 lottery (the Friends would get half and the winner the other half). The sales were brisk. People found places at the tables, and the jazz band began playing. Maddie Partner was sitting with her friend Ally Portelance.
Soon the guests started going to the tables to get food and drink. Funso and Maury had a kind of assembly line going, preparing burgers and putting them at the end of their tables. Waiting on line I met Shelly Fank, a community activist and artist with space at the Bergen Artists Studio. I got an Akara Burger and a glass of red wine from Kevin's table and sat happily with my wife Louise, who had just arrived. Soon I was meeting other people who I had met and worked with. Justine Louis was there with two of her children; Jenn Peck also arrived. She has often written for this magazine. Azin Agarabi, an artist who had participated in an art show I had put on at My Gallery NYC, also appeared and we sat together and chatted.
Pando's table
It became time for speeches. Lorraine eloquently thanked everyone who had come – the guests, the restaurant owners, the band that Ronnie Burrage had arranged for us. She also pointed out Atiba Edwards, the director of the Children's Museum, and thanked him for his support. Alicia spoke about the programs the library runs for children, youth, and adults and also thanked the members of her staff. Three of them had come to help out; they were Francine Welch, Tara White, and Daneika Hinds. I spoke about how great it is to see that people care about the library seeing how important it is to the community and expressed the wish that these gestures would happen more often. Arean spoke last in detail about the library and the many things that Friends groups do, and how important that support is.
I particularly enjoyed meeting new people. Among them as Funso's helper Maury, Victor Solano and the members of his band. I also encountered Alishia Goodridge, who had worked with Diana Richardson when she was in the assembly and now works at SUNY Downstate Hospital. We are both big admirers of Zellnor Myrie who led the campaign to save Downstate. And as the evening wore on I met more friends – Brian Lee came and also the photographer Cameron Blaylock. He took pictures for awhile, and also I was happy to meet his partner.
The jazz band started up. I took the opportunity to get a crepe and also say hello to Regis, husband to Andrea and co-owner of Pando's.
He and Kevin also met each others. At the end of one of the pieces, Lorraine got everyone's attention for the lottery drawing. Victor Solano was chosen to pick the ticket and the number belonged to a woman who became deliriously happy.
Soon, I was called home for a domestic problem. I said goodbye to numerous people. I got a hug from Lorraine and congratulated all the Friends people I could find – including Amy, Nicole, Maddie, as well as Alicia and others – old friends and new. Soon I was walking home when I realized the musicians had not been paid. I raced back with an envelope with cash in it that I had prepared earlier that day only to find out that there had been enough cash accumulated to pay the musicians without my help. So I happily agreed to this new arrangement and started back home. I got there tired but very satisfied with how the evening had gone. We had all pledged do to the same thing next year on an even larger scale. The maiden voyage had been a success; about fifty tickets were sold, we would launch a larger vessel, or maybe even a fleet next year.
– John DeWind
