Well…these folks do look pretty happy about it

No matter what kind of outreach efforts real estate developers make in cities, there’s always been a gulf between residents of a city and the people who build the apartments. But Fundrise, a new startup is trying to close the gulf between the everyman and developers by allowing people to crowdfund real estate projects. If we all become real estate investors, will we stop being angry at developers? (more…)

The Vegan Holiday Shop-Up runs Dec. 8, 15, and 22 at Pine Box Rock Shop.

If you’re like me, you get stressed out when when December rolls around and its time to buy gifts for Hanukkah and Christmas. It seems like I have to buy for everyone– my parents, friends, bosses, boyfriends, girlfriends, secret crushes, the friendly neighbor that dog sits when you go away, kind people that do favors for me, etc. And, in case you forget someone, my trick is to have an extra gift handy because you never know when you’re going to need it. Luckily for us Brooklynites there are lots of ways to shop locally and support Brooklyn based artists, and keep away from the Manhattan tourists who want to see the tree and walk slowly down the sidewalks. Here are the best holiday markets in every neighborhood to keep your holiday season stress (and crowd) free. (more…)

This post is sponsored by 3rd Ward.

3rd Ward is a multidisciplinary workspace & education center in Brooklyn, NY. Work. Learn. Make

It’s Cyber Monday and the pants-free virtual mall has deals on much more than just giant flat screen TVs and iProducts. Here’s a special offer from local DIY incubator, artistic co-working utopia and alterna-learning hub 3rd Ward. Today only, you can be a muse for your loved ones to get creative and learn something new this holiday season with a special promo-code for 25 percent off all 3rd Ward offerings site-wide.

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These guys want to help you build your own space suit, because why wouldn’t you want one? Image via.

Stop all your debates about how out of hand the Brooklyn DIY scene has gotten, because 3rd Ward has just raised the stakes astronomically, and artisanal mayonnaise isn’t even in the same stratosphere any more. As everyone from Barack Obama to that mohawk guy knows, space is so hot right now, so 3rd Ward is now offering a make your own space suit class. WHAT?! Why would you even need your own space suit, you ask? Because obviously when Obama gets reelected and forces everyone to get gay married you’ll be so upset you’ll have to leave the planet. “Develop your sculpting skills while learning the basics of space travel!” 3rd Ward boasts. It’s not cheap ($550) but then again, if space was cheap, everyone would live there. (more…)

A composting bike from the Excess project. Photo via Twitter.

You might have just read this thing about how Americans waste some 40 percent of our food, which is like throwing away more than three slices of every pizza, while your roommates look on, angry with hunger. In addition to being a bad idea to waste money ($165 billion a year, according to that story), throwing away food is a great way to fill your home with those late-summer unwanted pest subletters. There are, of course, other options, which will be the subject of this free workshop at 3rd Ward on Saturday. Ricardo Miranda Zúñiga and Brooke Singer will be talking about their project called Excess, for which they have built a composting bike (that’s a bike that composts as it rides, not a compostable bike). They’ll cover what you can do to reduce food waste in the city; then they’re going to build a compost station for a Crown Heights garden and take that crazy bike out for a ride. (more…)

Drink and Draw in full effect at 3rd Ward, every Wednesday.

Brooklyn can make you pretty self-conscious if you didn’t crochet your own tea cozies or can the heirloom cucumbers you didn’t grow last summer. I’m always down to bead a couple necklaces but the second the clock strikes happy hour I tend to lose motivation for all things sober. Thanks to the latest trend of combining liquor with crafting I get to be crafty and I don’t have to worry about my level of alcoholism; everyone’s doing it! Here’s a run down of four boozy art classes that are taking over this borough. One of them is free, but most of the others come with free booze. (more…)

Have a not-so-bogus time at Nitehawk this weekend.

1. Learn how to be better in bed at Babeland (Fri)

2. Head to 3rd Ward for free drinks, music and wacky waving inflatable tube men at the Inflatable Sculpture Show (Fri)

3. Free screening of Be Strong Be Naked: a video scrapbook of one man’s solo bicycle trip from NY to LA; what he saw, who he met, loneliness, friends, tears and death (Fri)

4. See Mos Def remix Beethoven with the Brooklyn Philharmonic in Bed-Stuy (Sat)

5. Be an athletic supporter!

• Cheer on the alcoholic’s favorite thoroughbred as he races for the Triple Crown at the Belmont Stakes (Sat)
• Watch the Euro Cup (football, er, soccer) on the cheap at Floyd’s with an all-day crap-a-copia bucket (6 random domestic cans) for only $15. Roberta’s is also playing the Cup on their big screen and running a special during the games (2 Buds for $5 or tall Modelo and a shot for $10) (Sat & Sun)
• Subway Series (anyone else kinda over baseball?) playing at pretty much every bar in the tri-state area
• Savor what will hopefully be the last we will have to hear about hockey for a couple months and play giant Jenga at sports bar 4th Down (plus every other sporting event that is happening anywhere on their plethora of TVs) (Sat)

6. Run, drink and march at the 2012 Brooklyn Pride celebration (Sat) (more…)

Photo by Alejandra Ramos/3rd Ward

Are you forever wondering what to do with the myriad jars of pickled okra spilling out of your cupboards? Or maybe the thought of one more piece of toast covered in that jam you made last summer makes you want to swear off eating. Diversify your pantry this Sunday (March 18) at 3rd Ward’s BK Swappers two-year anniversary, where you can trade your preserves or foraged foods for some locally made baked goods. And as an anniversary bonus, a swap for non-edible goods such as jewelry, crafts, clothes, and cookbooks will kick off the event at 2pm, followed by a swap for all things edible at 4pm. Plus, the event starts  at 12:30 with discussions and demonstrations from resident 3rd Ward class instructors and Brooklyn DIY food crafters, writers and small business owners. The best part? It’s all free.

BK Swappers Two Year Anniversary at 3rd Ward, Sunday, 12:30pm, 195 Morgan Ave.

3rd ward is craftaculous.

3rd Ward, Brooklyn’s collective artist workspace and DIY incubator, is opening its doors tonight to the public for their first-ever Member Trunk Show. RSVP and queue up early to score unique locally made stuff including one of a kind works of art, fashion, jewelry, textiles, home design and more. The show is a celebration of the eclectically talented 3rd Ward members and the space is heralded as a vibrant mecca of creativity, so even if your bank account is not sufficiently solvent for handcrafted artsy wares, it’s worth stopping by and supporting local artists. Plus, while your there you can sign up for an upcoming rooftop beekeeping class.

3rd Ward Member Trunk Show tonight (March 15), 7-10pm, 195 Morgan Ave., free admission. 

Housing Works shopping guide [FiPS]
Unemployment drop drop droppin [NYT]
Brooklyn’s longest happy hour [BK Daily]
3rd Ward now includes the kitchen sink [BK Paper]
Even non football fans can enjoy this Super Bowl! [Rumpus]
Crime in Bushwick? Whatever man [Daily Intel]
Movie brunch? Not inconceivable! [FreeWilliamsburg]
Ode to the G train [NYT]