Jane's Carousel: JANE WALENTAS

The downtown Brooklyn waterfront has been graced with the addition of a restored historic carousel, perfectly positioned in DUMBO’s Brooklyn Bridge Park beneath the bridge and the famous NYC skyline. The restoration of the carousel was conceived by architect Ben Thompson, who was tasked to design the Brooklyn Bridge park in the early 1980's, but the project was embraced and led by Jane Walentas. Wife of David Walentas, the real estate mogul recognized for developing and establishing the DUMBO neighborhood, Jane left her own, outstanding mark on DUMBO by lending her artistic vision and management experience to the carousel restoration. The original structure was created in 1922, the "heyday of the American carousel," and was situated in Idora Park in Youngstown, Ohio. Jane and David purchased the carousel at an auction in 1984, preventing the structure from being sold off piecemeal, and set in the new environs of Brooklyn, New York. Now, Jane’s Carousel hosts 48 stunning horses and 2 chariots, with additional scenic panels, boards, and poles refurbished from the original. The carousel is set in a glass structure designed by Jean Nouvel, providing stunning views of the waterfront, Brooklyn Bridge, NYC skyline, and Brooklyn Bridge Park (again and again and again). It has rightfully earned the distinction as the first carousel in the National Register of Historic Places. Although some lament Brooklyn's transformation into "strollerville" (or a new Upper West Side), the carousel is not just for kids and families. It is an iconic symbol of childhood, captivating kids, parents, and everyone in between.

If you’re one of those New Yorkers who calls himself a New Yorker but has never been to Brooklyn – well, here’s your excuse!

Joyride: LEV BRIE

The Joyride enterprise has hit the mark by combining the three things that almost every New Yorker regularly seeks: caffeine, convenience, and guilt-free sweets. Lev Brie, the founder of Joyride, first brought these essentials to the streets via foodtruck, offering highly delicious Stumptown Coffee, organic frozen yogurt,  and...drumroll, please... the world's first caffeinated fro-yo, "Buzzed" (genius, no?). The truck also offers other innovative menu options, such as the “Jeffrey Paul,”  a decadent coffee and espresso combo made with Stumptown's Hairbender roast and Mariebelle chocolate. Joyride has some of the friendliest staff of any food truck we’ve ever seen, and it is thoroughly “green” by diesel truck standards, using the “quietest, most efficient generator on the market,” as well as ice coffee cups that are bio-degradable and made of corn. Raised in Longmeadow, Massachusetts, Lev has moved around quite a bit, and is a man of academics and business--he studied undergrad at Stanford and Columbia, earned a Masters in France at 'École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, and started a PhD at the University of Chicago. After dabbling in tutoring and web design, Lev is now an owner of Endeavor Tutoring and Test Preparation, in addition to Joyride Trucks and its successful spinoff venture, Joyride Coffee Distributors. Joyride Coffee Distributors is the official supplier of Stumptown Coffee and is the first company to provide “third wave” coffee delivery at almost any location in NYC.

So, if walking to the truck at its daily locations to get your Buzz on is too strenuous, call 917.670.3314 to get Stumptown delivered to your office or next event. And don’t forget to nominate the Joyride truck for the Vendy Awards on streetvendor.org!

 

Brooklyn Academy of Music: KAREN BROOKS HOPKINS

The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) featured its first performance in 1861, and has been a fixture of Brooklyn and New York City culture ever since. Now, more than ever, BAM is bursting at the seams with international drama, art, music, dance, and film, as home to the Howard Gilman Opera House, Harvey Theater, and Rose Cinemas. The woman at the helm is none other than its president, Karen Brooks Hopkins. And what does the president of such a prestigious cultural center do? The answer, in short, is: everything. From managing finances to pleasing clientele, Karen is the force that has brought BAM into the spotlight over the past couple of years. 

Karen is committed to delivering cutting-edge art while leveraging all of the creativity and character that Brooklyn has to offer. For more information about BAM, please visit www.bam.org.
 

Author: AMITAV GHOSH

Our very own Hilary will be studying abroad in India next semester, and in anticipation of her travels, she has focused her leisurely reading on one of India's most famous and award-winning authors, Amitav Ghosh. Born and raised in India, Amitav offers an authentic, culturally descriptive homage to his country in his writing.  He has a distinguished portfolio of written work, including his novels (In An Antique Land, The Glass Palace, Incendiary Circumstances, The Hungry Tide, Sea of Poppies, among others) and his essays (published in The Hindu, The New Yorker, Granta, and The New York Times Editorial Section). He has also influenced many young writers while teaching at Delhi University in India and Harvard and Columbia Universities in the United States.

And so, we give you: a short but sweet peek into the mind of Amitav Ghosh.