It’s mid-July and hopefully by now you’ve had the chance to get some proper summer lovin’. If not, then Greenpoint’s first ever erotic book fair and sexy afterparty this weekend might be the perfect place for you to get your summertime jollies. MATTE Magazine is presenting the Brooklyn Dirty Book Fair Saturday and Sunday July 15th and 16th, from 12pm-9pm at Point Green Studio (260 Java Street). You can find out more details and RSVP on Facebook.
From the organizers:
Crushed, the first annual Brooklyn Dirty Book Fair, is a platform for independent publishers of erotic and pornographic material and artists working with sex. Curated by former VICE Photo Editor Matthew Leifheit, the fair will feature two small-scale exhibitions, a selection of publications and prints for sale, a program of performances and readings, live nude classical and jazz musicians, smutty film screenings, and an orgy afterparty.
It’s you’re every Fridayafter work happy hour at Broken Land and that hit-the-spot Pina Colada (yes, Tiki drinks are in) is mixing with that it’s the weekend feeling. The last of your crew arrives and the plan is to grab a slice at Franklin Pizza then head to 67 West to check out a few openings.
As you sprinkle the garlic power onto your slice (too much garlic powder) and begin to set it down on the counter, you instead put it into the hands of a stranger – a smoking hot stranger. You lock eyes for a moment. You both seem to understand each other’s mutual love for late night garlic breath make out sessions. (There aren’t many of you.) You think I may have met “the one.” You get tunnel vision and can see the entire universe expanding before your eyes. Then someone grabs your arm abruptly and drags you onto Franklin St.
Reconnecting Isn't Easy With Happn
“Eat and walk. Eat and walk,” your friend says.
“But…” you say as you look back at “the one” while shoving the slice into your mouth.
“Did that Pina Colada go to your head?” your friend says, “Back to reality.”
At the Fowler opening, the show statement for “Life of the Party” seems to have a message in it specifically for you. “Everyone wants to be the life of the party, but most of us also grapple with the need to be apart from the group, either in search of solitude or for the purpose of breaking new ground …”
You look around and realize you know every single person in the room – dated a few of them, even. This is reality. This is why you aren’t meeting new people. It isn’t your garlic breath that is holding you back, it’s that you travel with the same circle of friends to the same places. They are great people, but you long for new connections. You came to NYC to meet new people, but where is everybody? It seems like everyone is running around as busy as you and even when those magical moments happen, you are torn away.
Garlic dream lover wasn’t a random subway creep or an online fling but a real person and you want to reconnect – but how? Of course, there is an app for that.
Happn, a new app created in Paris, helps you meet people you’ve chanced upon in real life, be it at Transmitter Park while admiring the skyline, digging through vinyl at Record Grouch or eating a Donut Ice Cream Sandwich at Peter Pan (yes, heaven).
It uses your smartphone’s GPS to locate potential matches, real people who may be into the same things you are. Whenever you crosses someone’s path who also uses the app, his or her profile is added to the top of your feed.
If you’re interested you tap on the profile and start interacting with a simple “like” or a self-assured “charm.” If there is a mutual match in “likes,” you can start chatting. The interactions are based on reciprocity, and you will not receive messages from someone you’re not interested in.
Happn is safe and confidential. Your location is not saved and remains completely invisible to other members (only the position of where two people have passed each other is registered). Happn will never post anything on your Facebook feed, and if a profile no longer interests you, you can decide to never cross paths again. If only it was that simple in real life! You can report any unwanted behavior or block a profile by flagging it.
The app is already really popular in Europe, and you can use it when you travel! It is works on iPhones and Androids. Open it everyday to see a world of potential matches in Greenpoint or beyond. Reconnecting was hard to do, but not anymore with Happn.
New website, Walkscore, gives Greenpoint a 94/100 rating for walkability in NYC, but also ranks it as the 58th most walkable neighborhood in NYC. This site says that Washington Heights, Harlem & Crown Heights are all more walkable, but don’t you think they should factor in the increased chance that you’re going to get jacked for your iPhone as a walking factor? Or what about street harassment? I’m not sure the ranking system is cohesive enough.
Joe Lentol is getting the MTA to bring us more G & L trains next Summer. Thanks, Joe, now let’s see if we notice a difference.
The Atlantic did a piece about New Yorkers moving to Jersey City that described moving there as much more welcoming than when you move to NYC neighborhoods that are gentrifying so quickly that there’s an inherent rivalry between new transplants and longtime residents. Greenpoint was described as “totally bipolar” because of this dynamic.
According to a recent survey conducted by NYC’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Greenpointers have less sex partners than most New Yorkers. It also probably means that there are more non-cheating couples in our neighborhood than most of Queens and downtown Manhattan.
And finally, North Brooklyn’s freshest butcher, the Meat Hook, will open a sandwich shop at 495 Lorimer next to Gimme Coffee in January. According to their email blast, expect “cold beer” and “sandwiches like momma used to make, if momma was drunk.” Yum. (Grub Street)
I am absolutely in love with my girlfriend of two years and our relationship is incredible with one exception, her ex-boyfriend. Currently she communicates with her ex-boyfriend but more importantly she also works with him. While I am completely confident that she is faithful, I know his intentions are not so innocent. I know he has approached her on multiple occasions which makes me feel extremely uncomfortable. I’ve tried to discuss this once or twice but it sometimes only results into an argument. What should I do? I know the more I worry or get irritated, the more damage it does. But in the end it still does bother me. Is it me? Or is it the situation?
Dear Ex-Trouble,
Worry and fear are not terribly helpful, but if you feel your concerns are based in some reality, perhaps you might attempt the conversation again with your girlfriend. I would suggest emphasizing that you do not think she has done anything wrong and that this may only be a concern of yours.
My boyfriend says I am “the one”, even though we have only dated for a few months… and I hardly see him, once a week usually, because of his work. When I think about it, I don’t feel I am in love with him… and now I question if I even know what love is. My parents were not big on saying “I love you”. And now I question if I loved them… Do I know what love even is… Although based on all I did for them before they passed away (took care of them at home and got a caregiver while I was at work… took care of them after she left and on weekends), I guess I did love them. I guess my question is: will I know when I finally do love my boyfriend? How will I know?
Dear What-Is-Love,
Love is, above all, pretty mysterious. One look at the Wikipedia page, and it’s pretty easy to see that the nature and definition of love is something people have discussed for centuries. You can ponder all this, but if I were you, I’d focus a little more on the here and now. . Continue reading →
I am very in love with my girlfriend of 3 years, but about a years ago her sexual energy plateaued and now I’m lucky if we have sex even once per month. Should I break up with her even though that is my only issue with her? Last time I mentioned her change it resulted in a large fight and her feeling getting upset.
Dear Only-Once-A-Month,
Before you break up with your girlfriend, here are some things to consider. First, it’s totally understandable that mentioning the change in your sex life resulted in a fight. She most likely has a myriad of feelings about the situation. Sex can be a barometer of the overall health of a relationship. But the good news is that with improved communication situations like this can definitely change. Continue reading →
Dating is always tough, but it’s tougher in New York – especially Brooklyn. Now for us single ladies, it’s always a different story. Before I give you my list of “first date spots,” these are the prerequisites:
a. Incognito status: places where friends / exes do not troll aka I-won’t-bump-into-anyone-I-know. I want to save myself and my um, date, the embarrassment of saying “Uh, yeah. I’m on a date.”
b. Big open spaces: Well, I’ll be ok as long as it has a number of easy exits – especially on a first date. Big windows count. Continue reading →
Have you ever had one of those mornings you wake up and actually cringe at the thought of your previous evening? I like to keep these mornings few and far between. When they do show up, though, it’s nice to think about all the other worst-case scenarios that offer the friendly reminder, “well at least I’m not that guy.”
Recently, I heard a story about a fellow Greenpointer that has become a comfort on any mortifying morning I might awake to. As a writer, I consider it my civic duty to impart this story upon you.
First dates are tough, its your one shot at convincing another person, temporarily at least, that your nails always look this manicured, your jokes are always this funny and anytime you ever say, “I’m going to the bathroom,” what you’re really saying is, “I only pee and I have never taken a shit in my entire life.” Continue reading →
