Carroll Gardens Corona Diary: Social Distancing

 Nerd Be Cool

 Caputo's Fine Food

Farmacy

Carroll Gardens residents continues to adapt to life under Covid-19 as best as possible. So are the merchants who remain open to serve the community by offering take-out service. A big thank you to them. It can't be easy.

The order of the day for them and for us is 'social distancing' to keep us safe. Some establishments seem to be taking things pretty seriously, which is great.

Nerd Be Cool at 518 Court Street has been really good about creating a culture of social distancing - people have been doing it on their own but now they've put up a sign and here you can see the results

Caputo's Fine Food at 460 Court Street is also on board and has changed its hours temporarily

Brooklyn Bread at 412 Court Street approached social distancing with a bit off humor, telling its customer that they can come in, but can't stay.

Farmacy,  has  closed on March 16, and will be closed "until we design a way to serve you in the safest and sweetest of ways" A sign in the window encourages people to purchase a gift card to support small businesses.

Some bars, however, were a bit less careful about making sure their customers keep a safe distance from each other this week-end.  We understand that they are trying to survive through this difficult time by selling take-out drinks to boost their revenue, but caution should still be the order of the time. 

Bar Bruno, the Mexican bistro at 520 Henry Street, for example, offered take out margaritas, but patrons were gathering on the sidewalk "as though it was happy hour, socializing from the bar's outdoor benches or seated in groups across the street by Mazzola", as one resident reported to us.

Bar Bruno

By the way, the NYC Parks Department is also taking social distancing seriously.  The Basketballcourts in Carroll Park are now closed for group play.

Please stay safe out there, people. This is not the time to be a 'covidiot".

****We would like to thank friend and reader Christian, who has been generously sharing some of his photos with us.Thanks, Christian.

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Today, Owners Of 'Farmacy' Celebrating Launch Of Their New Book With Free Egg Creams And Music

This is a perfect event for a rainy day.  Today, Gia Giasullo and Peter Freeman of Farmacy at 513 Henry Street are celebrating the launch of their just-published book "The Soda Fountain" with free egg creams for everyone. Later in the evening, between 7 and 9 pm, enjoy free the 20s/Jazz Age music played on an antique crank Victrola from Michael Cumella.
Very cool. Don't miss it.

Come celebrate the launch of the Pete and Gia's hot-off-the-presses sweet book. They are the owners of Brooklyn Farmacy and Soda Fountain and a couple of real jerks!

The Soda Fountain

Floats, Sundaes, Egg Creams & More

Flavors and Traditions of an American Original

Celebrating the history and flavors of the classic American soda fountain with over 100 of Farmacy's original recipes, mouthwatering photograph and vintage illustrations.

All Day: FREE Egg Creams!!!
Ice Cream Tasting from Adirondack Creamery, Meet The Founder Paul Nasrani
7:00 - 9:00pm FREE Music from the 20s/Jazz Age on an antique crank
Victrola from Michael Cumella from 7:00-9:00pm.

Pete and Gia will be at the counter all day to sign books. Stop in to slurp an egg cream, spin a stool, and join in the fun celebration with friends and neighbors!

Support our small independent businesses, local new authors, and your favorite soda fountain.

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Great Fun At The 'Farmacy's' Open House On Saturday

Open House at the Farmacy

Original 1920's interior of the pharmacy

Just one of the strange old medicine bottles on the old shelves.

Lobster and organic corn being served in the back of the 'Farmacy'

Fresh oyster barThis young lady had her very first taste of oyster

and this cutie got her very first face painting.

Finally, some life has been breathed back into the old pharmacy storefront at 513 Henry Street, which had been closed for over 10 years. When I first moved into the neighborhood twenty-five years ago and lived on Union Street, I walked by the place almost every day. Back then, it was simply known as Mark's Pharmacy, but already, it did not look like a going concern.
Too many old and faded medication bottles and beauty products in the window were a dead giveaway that this was no ordinary drug store. Actually, it looked more like a time capsule. A glimpse into the space revealed beautiful wood apothecary shelves and an intricate tiled floor, that had remained unchanged since the 1920's

Then, for a very short time, owner Mark Stein added products from Vermont to his dusty shelves and renamed the business "The Vermont Market & Pharmacy." But that was short lived, and the doors to the place closed for good for a decade.

But that changed when Petey Freeman, who happens to live above the pharmacy, convinced owner Stein to bring back some life into the storefront for the good of the neighborhood. Petey's idea is to bring locally grown produce to what he now calls the "Farmacy." He also plans to serve egg creams at the back counter. Next months, he would like to sell turkeys as well. He calls this venture a work in progress.

For now, Petey ( and Mark) opened the doors to 'The Farmacy' for everyone in the community and threw a great party, complete with beer, lobsters, oysters, egg cream, music and face painting.

I truly enjoyed setting foot into the old place. Actually, it was the very first time since I moved to the neighborhood.
Hope it won't be the last!


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Farmacy: Be There Today, "When It All Starts"

Brooklyn "Farmacy" Open House Celebration.
Don't let a little bit of rain keep you at home, when there are so many events in the area today.
Check out the Open House at "Farmacy" this afternoon. Its the new organic produce market and soda fountain housed in the incredible little 1920's time capsule pharmacy at 513 Henry Street at Sackett.

Fellow Carroll Gardener Keri just forwarded me the following email from the Farmacy crew:

After a harrowing overnight ride through the teeth of the storm, the lobsters have arrived in Brooklyn! Eight hundred pounds of sustainably harvested hard shedders, plucked from the pristine waters of North Haven Island, Maine. Rain or shine, the crew of the Farmacy will be slinging Lobsters, oysters, and tasty beverages. The lobster pot starts boiling at 4:00 and ends when all the lobster are gone, around 10:00 pm.
So put your party hat on, come view the Farmacy in its vintage best, and sink your teeth into a proper Maine feast.

Photo credit: Farmacy

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