Find out what's happening in the Fort Greene/Clinton Hill arts community over a drink with South of the Navy Yard Artists (SONYA)! They're hosting a 'social' on Thursday, February 9th at The Emerson (561 Myrtle) at 7pm.

Construction is complete at two buildings, and families have begun to move in. What's going on at this brand new community in Wallabout?

The Development Team for Navy Green invite you to learn more about ongoing construction and their future plans by attending a community meeting at L+M's affordable rental building, 45 Clermont. The details:

Thursday February 9, 2012 (6-8pm)
45 Clermont Avenue - Community Room
between Park and Flushing
Fort Greene/Wallabout Brooklyn

RSVP to rsvp@prattarea.org.

This event is sponsored by:
Brooklyn Community and Housing Services, Dunn Development, L+M Development and Pratt Area Community Council

Child Development Support Corporation (CDSC) is a multi-service, non-profit organization that offers art services, among other programs, to youth, seniors, and families in Fort Greene, Clinton Hill and Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. They strive to renovate their 5,000 square feet of raw space into a community arts center to provide art instruction and to further their mission by "fostering skill development, self-expression, knowledge, enjoyment, and community connections through the creative process".

To help realize their goals CDSC is hosting their 4th Annual 2012 Community Art Show & Sale. The event will offer FREE art classes, live entertainment and an art show for all to enjoy!

Where: 352 Classon Ave, Brooklyn
Dates & Times: Friday, January 20th 6-10PM and Saturday, January 21st 10AM-4PM
For more information call 718-398-2050

We received an email from the BPL Whitman Branch about the growing list of ebooks available at the BPL. We can now access over 20,000 ebooks at the Brooklyn Public Library.

Click here for a full list of Brooklyn Public Library available ebooks.

Call a BPL branch for further information. The number for the Whitman Branch is 718.935.0244 (press option 4).

image courtesy Brooklyn Public Library

...and NYC Department of Transportation has an app for that! Check out You The Man, DOT's campaign to combat drunk driving which includes a free app where you can calculate Blood Alcohol content, and a handy feature for finding a car service. “If you’re drinking this Holiday Season, don’t get behind the wheel. Use one of New York City’s 10,000 designated drivers, also known as cab drivers. Or, take public transit, which runs 24-7 in NYC.” If you’re here in Fort Greene or Clinton Hill, add these car service numbers to your phone just in case: Myrtle Car 718-230-4499 and Pratt Car 718-789-4900.

Be safe this holiday season!

Last Friday's tree lighting ceremony at the Ingersoll Garden of Eden was wonderful! University Settlement did a great job organizing the event – there were all kinds of activity stations, including cookie decorating, letter writing to the troops, and holiday stocking decorating. There also was hot chocolate and cider, photos with Santa, a dance performance by the Center’s dance squad, and the McKinney marching band!

Gardeners from the Ingersoll Garden of Eden were also instrumental in making the event possible, even helping to to hoist the tree and put the lights on it themselves! They definitely deserve recognition for their hard work and commitment to the community, and hosting the holiday tree in the garden was a continuation of their efforts. Everyone in attendance was really proud to be part of this historic event!

MARP provided a small sponsorship to cover hot chocolate, cider and various supplies. It was an absolute pleasure to be able to support an event that brought people together in this way. There truly was holiday spirit in the air. Everyone felt it.

Come out and celebrate the beginning of a new holiday tradition - a tree lighting at the Ingersoll Garden of Eden! The lighting of the tree takes place at 5:30pn today (Friday), with all kinds of fun activities and crafts at the Ingersoll Community Center afterward including cookie decorating, a visit from Santa, free hot chocolate and cider, and christmas crafts!

Thanks for coming out to the MARP holiday party and fundraiser last week, December 7th. A good time was had by all! Delicious food and drinks, service and holiday decorations at Putnam's Pub & Cooker ; great sounds by the inimitable Bill Lee and The New York Bass Violin Choir; great vibes and smiles with friends of MARP.

Click here for more pics by photographer, Frederick V. Nielsen II.

Update: Just confirmed! Local bassist Bill Lee and The New York Bass Violin Choir will be performing bass duets and quartets at Wednesday's holiday fundraiser!

It's time to come to Myrtle Avenue for the holidays, from Small Business Saturday on November 26th, to the start of the Holiday Windows Contest on December 3rd, to the annual holiday fundraiser on December 7th. This year's holiday fundraiser is at Putnam's Pub & Cooker (419 Myrtle), from 5:30 to 7:30pm, where you'll have open bar and your favorite holiday cocktails, live music sponsored by our friends at ConEdison, and lots of great food from Putnam's menu. We really hope all of our friends and neighbors can join us this year to take in the holiday cheer.

Tickets are only $30/person or $50/couple (all drinks, food, and music included!) if bought by December 6th at HelpersUnite.com or at http://tinyurl.com/MyrtleHolidays2011. (It's $35/person on December 7th or at the door)

Hope to see you there! And happy holidays!

Did you get your holiday tree yet? Well, no need to go far because Santos and his family have been selling holiday trees on Myrtle Avenue for many years. Where and when: the northwest corner of Myrtle and Hall, from 12noon until about 9pm each day. They have quite a selection of trees, starting from $25. They also have a broad assortment of wreaths, starting at $10.

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way...