We have moved!

Hello all: we have officially launched our new site that is on our own platform (rather than blogger). We hope that you enjoy the new site and be sure to stay posted as we are continuously working on adding more functionality to you all. The new address is www.littlerus.com. Please do not forget to subscribe to the new blog feed, as we will no longer be posting on this address, although we will leave it up and in tact as a resource to our readers.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

Cheers,
The Little Rus' team

Check it Out: Vintage Gourmet Specialty Foods

Wow that is a long name for such a small store, but trust us it is well worth the visit. This small Turkish grocer has some of the tastiest treats (available in bulk) in Brighton. Although the store is distinctly more Middle East than Russian-style cuisine there is no shortage of Russians that crowd the store on any given day. Perhaps most popular for their olive bar and their fresh meats, Vintage offers tons of other goodies such as the roasted apricot kernels (they look ashy but are salty and delicious), various styles of halvah (a delicious dessert made from dried tahini paste and honey), and perhaps some of the freshest lipioshka (an Uzbek style flat bread). Oh, and a word of warning to the adventurous ones: the turkish style milk drink "ayran" is uber salty....but nevertheless should be discovered.

















For those not willing to venture out into the depths of Brooklyn, you are saved on this one, they have an amazing website (Vintage Foods) as well that you can parouse through and find an ecclectic mix of Turkish goods. Enjoy!

Check it Out: Little Rus' Went on Tour

Ok so we know you all brushed us off last weekend on the walking tour of Coney Island that was given by the Municipal Arts Society, since their were mostly old Coney Island groupies from the 1950s there (just kidding -- in case any of those people are/were readers). On a serious note though, Joe Svehlak led the tour and provided a wealth of information about the rise, plateau, and subsequent fall of Coney Island's role in American culture (along with many whimsical personal stories that were quite entertaining). We were able to take quite a few interesting photos and have uploaded them onto our Flickr page (see our Flickr link on the right side of the page).

From the start of the tour it was clear that the new development plans were a major topic as many of our fellow tourists were asking questions about what would stay versus what will be torn down. But as we were led around the historic neighborhood it became quite apparent to us that Coney Island is in drastic need of a face lift. The buildings are run down, the streets are littered with trash, and there are numerous empty plots of land that are itching to be snatched up once the City officially announces a re-development plan.

That said, a major theme of Mr. Svehlak's tour was that re-development would be good for the area, however placing higher-end and mass culture retailers in the neighborhood would destroy the abrasiveness that Coney Island is known for. This is quite true, although it seems that enough interest has formed and several organizations have come together to help preserve that aspect of the area. The key question left lingering is not a matter of "if", but more likely a matter of "when/how" will Coney Island be redeveloped and the follow-up to that is what type of places can be created to help preserve the originality of the landmark neighborhood.

On the lighter side, we were shocked to find out that Coney Island used to be the "Hollywood" of the East Coast with somewhere near one-million people visiting on a given summer day. One snippet of quirky information that we especially liked was that the area used to have a hotel in the shape of a REAL elephant! Anyhow: you missed a great tour, but we found these documentaries that might suffice: Coney Island short (discovered thanks to our friends at Gowanus Lounge).
Preview of NYU Documentary (Film's site).

Hear it: WNYC "Soundcheck"

A recent radio piece on WNYC focused on the culture and lifestyle out in Brighton Beach and we thought it would be especially important to share with our readers. And, perhaps it may inspire you to venture out our way soon. The show mentions Primorski Restaurant, which has a classic Russian dining experience for those willing to try something new.

The radio piece focuses on a performer at the restaurant named Victoria Lisina who is Ukrainian. She actually is quite talented and her style reminds me of a cross between Bjork and Celine Dion (at times maybe even Gloria Estefan). Nevertheless, we were able to track down a site that sells her music (Vitalisina.com). We particularly like her interpretation of the traditional Hebrew song "Hava Nagila".


See the audio player on the top left for the audio clip.

Check it Out: St. Petersburg Trade & Publishing House

In need of some old Soviet style propaganda to keep you motivated and in check? We know the perfect place: Saint Petersburg Trade & Publishing House on Brighton Avenue. This place has movies, books, CDs, and even cassette tapes (all in Russian)! Obviously, our favorite










little gift idea is the old Soviet propaganda posters like those above. Even more exciting we found a flyer at the store for Barynya which is an entertainment company where you can book anything from belly dancers to traditional Russian style orchestras. So next time you want to impress people with your worldly tastes, call these guys and get some performers to do the Kalinka at your event (see the video).

Another must have we found at St. Pete's was a wide selection of banya hats, which I wasn't quite sure what you needed one for until I checked their website. The product description states "Do not attend sauna when you are hungry or if you just had a meal. Do not wet your hair, wear a hat. Dry and covered hair will be protected from dehydration and overheating. When entering the sauna, sit at the bottom – give your body and your system some time to adapt to the heat. After some time inside the sauna, rinse with cold water, and then go back inside for 10 more minutes. Repeat two or three times. To protect yourself from overheating and burns, wear protective wool hats." Good to know....good-to-know.











We know what our family is getting for gifts this year!

Check it Out: This Sunday (8/10/2008)

Ok, we may be starting to sound like a broken record, but this is history in the making: This Sunday at 10AM sharp the Municipal Art Society of New York is leading a walking tour of Coney Island to witness a neighborhood "on the brink of transformation" (as the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported today). The tour will be led by Joe Svehlak (the man with the rowdy handle bars above). According to the MAS site Mr. Svehlak will be discussing a history of the neighborhood and will provide insight on the proposed development that has sparked controversy in Southern Brooklyn.

The tour will start at Stillwell Avenue and Surf Avenue, just outside the Stillwell stop on the subway (see hopstop map) and costs $15 (payable in cash at the start of the tour), or $12 for members. For those who are willing to venture out this way, you will likely be in company with the Little Rus' team as we will be in attendance. Email us in advance if you have any questions at: info@littlerus.com and bring your cameras because the view may not last.

Build it: Coney Island Controversy - Update

Once again we are back on the topic of the hour, Coney Island. And no, not because several people lost their lives this weekend due to strong rip currents (our hearts truly go out to those families), but because the city (via Thor Equities) feels that one way or another Joel Sitt is going to make a profit from his monopolized land grab in the neighborhood. The City and various interest groups recently re-released zoning plans and renderings with "updates" that will surely win over the hearts of those in the lowest social strata who stand to be out priced by all of this.

The "new" strategy of the city is to juxtapose current pictures from the crappiest day last winter with warm and summery renderings of a clean and safe Las Vegas-esq South Brooklyn waterfront with hopes that people will be overly stimulated and promptly change their opinion of the project. As can be seen in both the new renderings, the luxury condos and mall play a much less prominent roll, since they are now blocked by the rollercoaster (see the last rendering from the Build it: Development Pipeline post)....clever.

Regardless of the presentation, the same key issues are at the crux of this argument and these were accentuated in today's article in the Gotham Gazette. The undertone of the article seems to be, just give up and let it happen. Forget that as citizens you have a say in how your neighborhoods are designed and built, particularly in this snippet:

"The real threat to the amusement area, in [Lynn Kelly chairperson of the CIDC] Kelly's view, comes from people dead-set against long-term change in Coney Island. She cited the anti-development attitudes that led opponents to cheer when pictures of vacant lots were displayed during a city planning presentation. This could be Coney Island's best chance, Kelly said, with the Bloomberg administration, Sitt and much of the community all lined up to support development. If the plan falls apart or Thor, Coney Island's largest landowner, gets impatient with the opposition, she said, the developer could sell its property or lobby the city to allow housing in the core area."

This sounds more like a threat than any sort of attempt to win over residents. When discussing the primary concerns of affordable housing and improving the overall infrastructure of the neighborhood the response was:

"According to Kelly, the development corportation has attempted to address that issue by including parks, beach improvements, a community center and affordable housing in the redevelopment project. Kapoor said redevelopment will bring overdue improvements to the neighborhood. "It will bring a new park," she says. "Right now the area mapped for the park is a parking lot for the Cyclones' stadium."

Obviously this debate is far from over, particularly since Thor claims that in order to make the project financially feasible they will have to gear their new stores and hotels toward upscale consumers, which overtly means that the grittiness of Coney Island will be lost for certain. In response to all the this a new community action group has formed Coney Island United , and has an all-star line-up of advocates to pursue the battle. It appears that as Thor moves along through the permitting/re-zoning process there will be more than a few road blocks.

Get the Full Scoop:
NY Magazine Article
Gotham Gazette Article
Recent NYC Presentation

Read It: 7/25/08

Little Rus' is rolling out its inaugural news post. We will try to keep you up-to-date on issues that are occurring in both Russia, and those closer to home in "Little Russia" on a regular basis. Please see the links below and feel free to comment about anything that interests you.

Local News:
Developer Sues Brooklyn Blogger
Things to due in BK this Weekend

National/International News:
Cyber-nationalism
Russian Oil Conglomerate Pressures Brits to Leave
Ukraine President Blames Ally for Poisoning
A New Cold War in the Caribbean?
Next Time Your in Boston, Get Blinshiki

Try it: Sirki Glazirovannii

Сырки глазированные (aka Glazed Cream Cheese) sounds amazing right?! These tasty little treats are traditional desserts for kids, but we figured we all have a little kid in us especially when it comes to unchartered food territory. Sirki have a chocolate "glaze" that wraps around a thick layer of creamy cheese, and usually there is some sort of fruit filling tucked away in the middle. There are numerous different brands and some boast as many as 24 flavors! You can find these en masse at Russian bazas, such as Net Cost Market, where this picture was taken (located on East 16th Street between Avenue U and V). Net Cost probably has the best selection of Sirki that we have seen and you can check out a ton of other tasty Russian foods while you are shopping. Our personal favorite is anything peach, but we also recommend the double chocolate flavor. Keep these in the freezer to maintain their freshness and make sure to eat them right after you pull it out...that is for optimum flavor (and so it won't get smashed up). The price ranges from $1-2 per bar depending on the brand, but for that cheap you can afford to try more than a few.

Build it: The Neighbors Strike Back

A few weeks back the Little Rus' team wrote a piece on the tremendous amount of new construction occurring in the area of Brighton Beach. Well, apparently we were not the only ones who noticed. Hot off the press from YourNabe.com is an article about the recent development boom in the area and the plethora of underlying issues. For the most part these new condo buildings are replacing single story homes with mid-rise towers from 7-12 stories high. As one can easily see from the "skyline" in Brighton this is a drastic change. The excerpt below displays the intensity of both sides of the debate:

"The verbal smackdown occurred between some residents who said the plan didn’t do enough to curb overdevelopment and others who feared their property values would decrease and said there should be no downzoning at all.

The battle took a heated turn when Brighton 8th Street resident Shimon Rinkovsky said the entire bungalow community should be destroyed and new buildings should be erected on the land.

Judd Fischler, a resident of Brighton 3rd Street, had enough and rushed to the front of Coney Island Hospital’s auditorium and demanded to respond to the comments immediately. He was held back by Community Board 13 District Manager Chuck Reichenthal before finally relenting and returning to his seat."

The revitalization taking place certainly has its pros and cons, however a larger concern should be affordability as the residents pointed out in the article. Given the fact that many of the families who reside in Brighton Beach are first generation immigrants and do not have very high incomes, the new construction could keep them from being able to afford to buy a home in this area.

The bottom line is, the community board has an opportunity to curb over-development by imposing some zoning restrictions that may very well save the neighborhood without crippling its re-development. If they fail to do so, the results may be "Williamsburg by the Sea" rather than Little Russia by the Sea. Lest not forget what happened the last time a bunch of Russians organized against the government (for those of you who don't know check your history books for 1917). These developers may have bitten off more than they can chew.

Save it: Cheap(er) Brighton Car Services

Sorry for the long delay in postings, but we have been on a serious mission in Brighton that will be revealed in the next few weeks...and some of us have been slacking off at the beach with this amazing weather! Anyhow, down to business: we recently surveyed our network of fellow Brightonites (I think that may be a completely new word) to find out what car services they use to get to and fro in this neck of the woods. We have found that these car services are far more reliable and cost effective than many of the others in the area. The best part is that these companies will take you almost anywhere in NYC and at a fraction of what you spend at places like Dial 7. We have used these services for traveling into the city, to JFK, or for returning after a long night of debauchery and not wanting to risk falling asleep on the train. The rates to/from Manhattan from deep Brooklyn are about $30-35, while airport rides from Brighton are only about $25.

You don't have live in Brooklyn to take advantage of these cheaper services though. If you call the dispatchers will usually do pickups all over the city (however, we recommend planning ahead if you know when/where you want to be picked up). Essentially, we just wanted to share another way to get out to our hood. Feel free to post any comments or recommendations for other car services if you have experience with them.

Brighton area car services:

• Bensonhurst Car Service Corp
  
• Eastland Limo and Car Service
  
• Empire Car Service
• Seaside Car Service
  

Happy travels and stay tuned.

Try it: Pelmeni

We are back from the holiday weekend and are deeply sorry that we missed the first ever hot dog eating contest "over-time". I can only imagine the feeling of cramming down 59 hot dogs in ten minutes, only to be told that you have to suck down 5 more as fast as possible. But speaking of gorging out, our team found the perfect meal-on-the-fly to break you out of those mac n'cheese blues....PELMENI!! These delicious little dumplings come in frozen packages at nearly any Russian baza (store) out here in the Brighton area. As can be seen by the photo, the flavors are almost limitless! You can choose from chicken and onions to cabbage with potato and cheese, although our favorite is the kind with veal made by the Russian Style Ravioli Co. No matter which you choose they are uber easy to prepare (about 5 minutes in boiling water) and are delicious with a little bit of sour cream and smudge of Russian-style hot mustard made by Zakuson (be careful it kicks more than wasabi). We recommend shopping for them at either Net Cost Market (see the site for location) or at Золотой Ключик (Golden Key Market @ 1067 Brighton Ave) as they have the largest selection to choose from and because you can check out all the other cool Russian foods while you are there.

Oh, and we saved the best for last, pelmeni come frozen so you can keep them stashed in your freezer for the late night munchies when you stumble home from the bar.

Check it Out: Coney Island

With the forecast looking grim for the upcoming holiday weekend (that is if you are sticking around the city), we suggest heading out to Coney Island to watch two really skinny dudes chow countless hotdogs as fast as possible! That's right, the world famous Nathan's Hotdog eating contest goes down on Coney Island every Fourth of July. This year it looks like some serious rivalry between the reigning champ Joey "Jaws" Chestnut and the Japanese sensation Takeru "Tsunami" Kobayashi (yes, these guys have their own websites -- but who doesn't these days?). Apparently, "Tsunami" holds the world record for hotdog eating as he downed 66 dogs in 12 minutes. However, he was defeated by "Jaws" last year at the Nathan's event. If that doesn't get you all fired up, then perhaps you can take your chances with the weather at Brighton Beach.

If the weather turns for the worse, you can always check out the New York Aquarium, and it just so happens that Fridays after 3pm are the "pay what you wish" day. They don't close until 6pm so that gives you plenty of time to check out the sea anemones and the sharks.














Just an FYI (see the last post on the re-zoning of Coney Island), this very well could be the last year to catch a glimpse of the historic amusement park before it is transformed into a tourist attraction so it may be worth the trip if you are around the city. Anyhow, enjoy the Fourth and just remember not to hold the bottle rockets in your hand.

Build it: Development Pipeline

By now, I am sure that every New Yorker has heard something about the Coney Island re-development plans and its never ending turmoil. Although it may be frightening for some and exciting for others, we have a news flash for those of us living in the surrounding areas: the Brighton neighborhood is a few steps ahead of these Coney Island guys. The Little Rus' team decided to run a little investigation of our own and chalk up the number of developments happening right in the backyard of the amusement park, and our results are astonishing! We found over 17, thats right 17, new condo/apartment projects that have either recently been finished or are in the process of going vertical (aka under construction). And you thought the west side of Manhattan was booming! Keep in mind, this is all within about a four block radius (See Map).



Our guess is that in anticipation of the major re-zoning of Coney Island, some developers have jumped the gun and already started projects. That being said, we shall see how these projects perform and their affect on the Brighton Beach community. Overall, we expect to see some major price drops in the next 6-12 months as these projects come to market which is partially due to the recent tightening up of the mortgage lending industry. However, the Oceana complex was a major hit among the Russian community and has gone through two to three series of price increases (starting range was $400k-1.5M, is now $600k-2.8M). The Oceana's success may be misleading though, as it is an enormous complex that has gyms, pools, clubhouses, and is enclosed by gates. Also, it was probably one of the first new condo projects to come to market in this area to replace the extremely old stock of housing.

Anyhow, we are committed to monitoring the housing situation as these new projects finish one by one and we will make our best effort to report on each development.

See it: Brat

I am not calling anyone names here, seriously. Brat = brother in Russian and this movie is one of the best films I have ever seen (think the Russian equivalent of Scarface, only more personable). Danila (Sergei Bodrov Jr.) is a young Russian man, who has just been discharged from the Russian army. He travels to St. Petersburg to live with his brother who is caught up in some dicey business, and finds himself in the middle of a complicated organized crime battle.

I do not want to give away too much of the plot, but the movie is set in post-Soviet Russia and Alexei Balabanov does an excellent job portraying the despair and vulnerability of Russian society during that period. You can see a clip of one of our favorite scenes below, in which Danila is taking the law into his own hands.

This film definitely gets 5-stars from us here at Little Rus', and you can read more about it and some reviews on IMDB. Brat is available on Netflix, so no excuses!

Sorry, there are no subtitles on the YouTube version (but don't worry there are on the DVD).

Try it: Borjomi water

This sparkling sensation from the Republic of Georgia is the best (in our opinion) of the Russian-style mineral water. Borjomi is heavily carbonated and slightly salty, but the don't let that turn you off. I found it surprisingly refreshing after a day at the beach, or a few hours at the banya (Russian bath) as it restores the salt that was lost from the body. And, check out how good it is for you:

"Regular consumption of Borjomi improves immunity, strengthens blood vessels and the nervous system, cleanses the organism. Possessing unique therapeutic properties, this water assists in curing bronchitis, cough and even reduces probability of caries.

Borjomi also helps fighting catarrhal diseases, mitigating febrile states at high temperature. In this case it is better to drink mineral water 20–30 minutes before meals at room temperature or slightly warmed (up to 30–40оС). The water should be warmed very carefully, on boiling-water bath only and by no means to let it boil, because when boiling it loses its healing properties. It is useful to inhale warm Borjomi. For this, pour a bottle of mineral water into boiling water, cover the head with a towel and breathe the resulting “steaming” alkaline water."

Wow! Who knew water could be that good for you?! Anyhow, see the "health" link on the website for more tips.

As for finding the stuff, you can get it at nearly any grocery store, deli, or bodega around Brighton. Feel free to try the other waters as well and let us know what your think!

Check it Out: Brighton Beach

I know, I know, every year some anxious blogger or journalists calls on New Yorkers to head to Brighton for the experience and 97% of us just ignore it. Well, given the new economic climate, we should all be in "tighten our belt" mode, and thus rather than spending your paycheck on a weekend in the Hamptons, pack your iPod and a few cold ones and jump on the B or Q train (www.hopstop.com) to Brighton Beach for the day. Although it may not be the ideal getaway for posh New Yorkers, those of you on the more adventurous side will enjoy the experience and you might just learn a thing or two. There is plenty to do on the beach including the usual people watching, swimming, and tanning, but there will also always be a game of beach volleyball in play (be careful, its pretty serious out here...just don't touch the net).

To avoid the hectic beach traffic walk down the boardwalk to to Brighton 15, that is, away from Coney Island. Usually this part of the beach is less busy and cleaner than the spots located just off the subway stops. Or, you can get off the Q train at Ocean Parkway and head straight to the beach from there. Just in case you find yourself wondering the famous grids of Brooklyn with no beach in sight, don't be afraid to ask "gdye pliazh?" (where is the beach in Russian).

Before heading back home, we suggest replenishing yourself with one of the homemade tandoori samsas for $2.50 at Adolat Cafe on Brighton 4th Street between Brighton Beach Ave and the boardwalk. Samsa is a traditional Uzbek appetizer, and is essentially a homemade hotpocket with lamb, onions, and some secret spices. Nevertheless, for the price you cannot find a better deal.



See you out there!

Restaurant Review: Nargis Cafe

Recently I visited Nargis Cafe for the first time and think it is one of Brooklyn's hidden gems. It is a small Uzbek restaurant (chaihana) with a Bring Your Own Liquor (BYOL) policy and plasma TVs playing Russian music videos. The cafe serves some of the freshest food in New York City. The service is prompt, the food is tasty, and the prices will leave you room to take that car service back to Manhattan. There are no reservations and the place is tiny, but the experience more than makes up for any lack of space. Next time you're in Brighton, or shall we say your first time, come by and check it out...don't forget to brush up on your Russian.

Recommended Dishes:

• Achichuk Salad - traditional Uzbek fresh salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, jalapeños, fresh herbs, dressed in olive oil
• Manti - gigantic steamed dumplings filled with lamb and onions
• Lagman Soup - homemade Central Asian soup (think minestrone but a little more nomadic and less Progresso)
• Lamb Kebab - Uzbek style shashlik aka some tasty meat grilled to perfection.
• Dessert: Chak-Chak - just try it!!
  

Contact Info:
Nargis Cafe (open 7 days a week)
2818 Coney Island Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11235
(718) 872-7888