photo by Flatbush Gardener
When I attended last year’s Brooklyn Blogfest at the Old Stone House in Park Slope, Sustainable Flatbush had been online for only a few weeks. Most of the names and people and language of the blogging world were very new to me, everyone at the event seemed to be from Fort Greene or Prospect Heights, and covering Atlantic Yards was the primary reason for many of the blogs’ existence.
This year’s Blogfest (held at the Brooklyn Lyceum) was much larger and more diverse, and the one topic we could all agree on was that the word “blog” has become inadequate to describe the many different forms an online journal can take. Brooklyn blogs range from highly trafficked sites that specialize in real estate trends to painfully personal virtual diaries, and everything in between. Text, drawings, photos, and video are all part of the expressive palette, and Brooklyn bloggers wield these tools with great expertise, creativity, and humor. It’s a pretty impressive bunch. Did I mention that I had a great time?
Like a true sustainability geek, I was thrilled to meet the Chair of Brooklyn’s Solid Waste Advisory Board and chat briefly about anaerobic digestion. But mostly it was great to get introduced to new people/blogs such as Brooklyn Ron, CyclechicNY, and Gardenfork; to see the faces behind recent favorites like Clinton Hill Chill Blog, BedStuy Banana, and Flatbush Pigeon; and to hang out with the folks from Reclaimed Home, Fading Ad Blog, and those perky youngsters from Supervegan. A lovely evening, and an inspiration to continue with this adventure of blogging.
Many? Last year, two of the six speakers were from blogs devoted to Atlantic Yards. There were dozens more blogs represented at the event, and the writers of those blogs represented themselves at the “shout-out.”
Clinton Hill was dubbed the “bloggiest” neighborhood in the country by Outside.in because–as they ultimately acknowledged–of Atlantic Yards. Still true, I’d bet, despite the impressive growth of the Brooklyn blogosphere.
http://atlanticyardsreport.blogspot.com/2008/03/yes-atlantic-yards-is-source-of.htmlplace,
yes, Blogfest was thankfully much more diverse this year.
good to meet you as well, and nice to learn about your blog. In addition to producing the video podcast Gardenfork, I also produce Real World Green, a video podcast about practical green living.
you can watch them both on iTunes or on our community site, The Green House, http://www.green-house.tv
thx, eric.
You’re quite the perky youngster yourself! You’re so full of energy and enthusiasm. We can’t wait to see you again–yes, vegan blogade meeting or bust!
Hey guys!
Eric, I watched the Gardenfork piece about perennials and am hooked. I love podcasts, so this will make for great subway listening!
Olivia, I’m much perkier after TWO of those peanut butter chocolate crispy vegan dessert thingies. Red Mango Bakery rocks! Can’t wait for the vegan blogade!
Hey SF,
Sorry I didn’t get around to saying this until now but thanks for the honorable mention! Keep up the good work!
Cheers,
Flatbush Pigeon
My pleasure! I enjoy your blog, and look forward to future installments of “Don’t Tell Your Manhattan Friends”! 😉
Hey Norman, sorry it took so long to post your comment. For some reason Akismet thought you were a spammer… doh!
At any rate, as someone new to this scene at the time, I can say that last year’s Blogfest definitely felt like Atlantic Yards was the primary topic. While it is now obvious that Gowanus Lounge, for example, is covering development atrocities all over Brooklyn, last year I didn’t know this. And I distinctly remember that the mere thought of bloggers in Flatbush seemed to elicit snickers from many… despite the fact that there were three of us there (and now there about 10 Flatbush blogs)! So, yes, from my point of view everything about this year’s Blogfest was more diverse, and that is a good thing.
Belated thanks for your shout-out, which is much appreciated.
Keep up the good work. I’d like to stay in touch and maybe even reach out with a blogging question from time to time!
By the way, also belatedly, I’ve come to an affection in life for plants, flowers and trees, and am trying to learn more about them!
Thanks,
Ron