Sponsored Post

This post is sponsored by Zaarly.

Zaarly is your online marketplace for local food, services and handmade goods.

Are you visiting mom this weekend and panicking to find a gift for Mother’s Day? Did you forget your wife is also the mother of your children? (Don’t worry, we forgot, too.) Damage control; weigh your options. You’ve given her tons of flowers before and it reeks of desperation. If you really want to underwhelm her, you could spend $5.95 on a last-minute card from the Target at Atlantic Center. Maybe this year you should take advantage of this wonderful borough you live in and get her something handmade in Brooklyn. But what and where? (more…)

Construction on Phase 2 of City Point is under way. The developers have made an ongoing commitment to contracting and construction employment that reflects the diversity of the surrounding community. In Phase 1 of the project, over 50 percent of contract dollars went to local, minority-owned and women-owned firms, and over 80 percent of construction workers were members of minority groups.

Kaaterskill Falls, Greene County, via Wikipedia

This post is sponsored by Carpingo.

This post sponsored by Carpingo - Car sharing to get around town or for getaways to points more exotic

The words “Catskill Mountains” conjures up a number of images: Tuxedoed comedians entertaining the dinner crowd at a Borscht Belt resort. Hippies living off the grid. Mountain men grabbing trout out of a freezing-cold stream with their bare hands (okay, maybe a fishing pole is the preferred method). And, most recently, a nearby escape (see Upstate.Brownstoner for details) that feels worlds away, populated by quirky motels and inns where you can sip coffee outside while a brook babbles in the background.

Indeed, the Catskills’ reawakening as a vacation destination has been a long time in the making. For a couple of decades after the rise and fall of the Borscht Belt, the mountain towns languished. These days, the hills are dotted with inns, motels, hotels, resorts and campgrounds just waiting for the Weekend Warrior crowd to settle in for the night. From far and wide they come: The swimmers, hikers, hunters, fishers, kayakers and amateur nature photographers, looking for a place to stay that’s special, a place that’s off the beaten path. Are you one of those? Looking for the perfect hidden spot that’s also within driving distance? Then today’s your lucky day….

Our friends at Carpingo have put together a great list of nine offbeat spots to stay, divided by county, during your Catskills getaway, and when you’re ready to roll with them, they’ll give you $75 in driving credit. Just use the coupon code “Getaway75″. (more…)

Construction on Phase 2 of City Point is under way. The developers have made an ongoing commitment to contracting and construction employment that reflects the diversity of the surrounding community. In Phase 1 of the project, over 50 percent of contract dollars went to local, minority-owned and women-owned firms, and over 80 percent of construction workers were members of minority groups.

Leaving Brooklyn this spring or summer? Interested in earning a little extra income from your home while you’re out of town in a totally hassle-free and secure way? Then onefinestay is your answer.

Onefinestay allows guests to stay in beautiful and characterful private homes and experience the finer borough like a local. For the host, everything is taken care of — from marketing and insurance through to cleaning, management and maintenance. And of course, hosts will be rewarded financially and through benefits such as discounted stays in other cities. Onefinestay fully manages the experience from start to finish and makes it easy for both hosts and guests to have a safe, secure and worry-free time in the big city.

Currently, onefinestay has many charming homes in Brooklyn neighborhoods, including Cobble Hill, Prospect Heights and Brooklyn Heights. For example, a Cobble Hill brownstone is pictured above. (more…)

MySpace NYC aims to make the process of renting in Brooklyn easier and more pleasant with no-fee listings. Its 45 agents handle rentals for dozens of listings throughout Brooklyn every month, especially in new buildings and emerging areas such as Williamsburg, Prospect Heights, Bushwick, Crown Heights and Bed Stuy.

Now showing for a move-in date of Jan. 15 are two- and three-bedroom rentals at 271 Metropolitan Avenue, a former marble factory between Driggs and Roebling that has been converted for residential use. The 25-unit corner building has big windows that let in lots of light and “all the apartments are unique,” said MySpace NYC.

The building has a bike room, laundry and central air; each unit comes with a dishwasher and microwave. Prices range from $3,650 a month for a two-bedroom to $4650 for a three-bedroom. Nearby, residents will find tons of restaurants, nightlife and shops.

MySpace NYC will hold open houses every week on Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 8 pm and on Sundays from noon to 2 pm. Click through to the jump to see interior photos of the space.

(more…)

Welcome to the third installment of LIC for Brooklynites. So far we’ve brought you neighborhood recommendations for places to eat – great restaurants and bars serving everything from comfort food, to Vietnamese pho, to classic cocktails – things to do – visit museums, take classes, and even go kayaking for free — and now we’re turning our sights on where to live in this beautiful area. While LIC is a “neighborhood,” it’s actually comprised of a bunch of smaller neighborhoods, including Hunters Point, Queens Plaza, Court Square and Dutch Kills.

Gantry Plaza State Park on the LIC waterfront

(more…)

Welcome to the second installment of our three-part series, LIC for Brooklynites! The first part was about where to eat, and now we’re moving on to what to do. Here is our list of worthwhile things to do in Long Island City, from museums, to parks to recreation.

Art and Museums

MOMA PS1

Image source: Jules Antonio on Flickr

This 19th century schoolhouse holds some of the most current art available in New York City; it is one of the oldest (and largest) nonprofit contemporary art institutions in the U.S., founded in 1971. Various kinds of new and experimental art in all media are displayed throughout the space, and MOMA PS1 considers itself more of an exhibition space, rather than a “collecting institution.” As indicated by its name, PS1 is affiliated with the Museum of Modern Art. (more…)

Welcome to our three-part series called “LIC for Brooklynites,” the QueensNYC guide to LIC for Brooklyn folks. We’ll be featuring where to eat, what to do, and where to live. This first part is about where to eat in Long Island City, Queens.

Brooklyn is right to be proud about its diverse food scene, but it’s no secret that Queens also has a lot to offer when it comes to food, too. The borough is known especially for its authentic immigrant food – Greek, Mexican, Colombian, Uzbeki – but Long Island City in particular has become a home to European-influenced and New American dishes, as well as myriad artisanal foods. LIC continues to gain a reputation for excellent eats. (more…)

Opportunities are born when new connections are made.

The Brooklyn Trade Show is creating countless opportunities by bringing together premier businesses from Brooklyn, NYC, Long Island and the greater metropolitan area with national corporations, entrepreneurs, non-profits, government agencies, business advocacy groups and the media. Be a part of the most dynamic business event in Brooklyn! Network with over 175 exhibitors, meet more than 1,000 key decision makers and business leaders, and attend business seminars and panel discussions to learn about best business practices from industry experts.

Register to exhibit and attend at www.BrooklynTradeShow.com

Brooklyn Trade Show 2010
9/14/2010 9AM 3PM
Stage 6 @ Steiner Studios, Brooklyn Navy Yard
15 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11205