The Optimist Hosts "A Walk Around The Blog" on Brooklyn Independent Television

Apparently it's been on for a week, but it was only yesterday afternoon that I saw the latest segment of "A Walk Around The Blog" from Brooklyn Independent Television. If you haven't seen the show, it's probably because it's new to Time Warner Cable Channel 56 and Cablevision Channel 69.

Each episode a different borough blogger leads a short stroll through an area of Brooklyn life. I had the honor of being selected as the show's third host, following in the esteemed footsteps of Robert Guskind of The Gowanus Lounge and Robin Lester of Clinton Hill Blog.

For my segment, I chose to focus on the proposed Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway, a sweeping 14-mile park project that would stretch along the entire length of the East River from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. In the video I interview Milton Puryear, co-founder of the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative, the organization spearheading the push for this ambitious, eco-friendly expanse.

With the Greenway borough residents would finally be able to access a waterfront we lost long ago to commercial and industrial interests. In place of powerplants and other eyesores, pedestrians, bicyclists and families would have an ambitious multi-use green space to enjoy much like the series of wonderful parks which now span the West Side of Manhattan. I hope my "Walk Around the Blog" will inspire you to advocate on behalf of the Greenway.

For more information how you can donate your time and money to the not-for-profit Brooklyn Greenway Initiative, check out the organization's website. To tune into "A Walk Around the Blog", check your local cable listings or go to the show's blip.tv site.

Brooklyn's Bloggers Are The Best

The Optimist had the great pleasure today of attending the January 2008 edition of the Brooklyn Blogade, a monthly meet-up of our borough's bloggers and their fans. The brunch was an inspiring, congenial affair held at the delicious Frank White Cafe + Gallery and kindly hosted by Robin Lesterhead of Clinton Hill Blog (pictured above, seated on the chair).

It was a treat for The Optimist to meet in person so many of the talented scribes whose blogs I regularly visit. Among this month's lofty participants were Louise Crawford, whose Only The Blog Knows Brooklyn is the blog of record in our borough (just Google "Brooklyn blog" and you'll see what I mean), Adrian Kinloch of Brit in Brooklyn, and Olivia Lane, Jason Das, and Patrick Kwan of SuperVegan.

Not only did the Optimist have the thrill of putting faces to his favorite blogs, he even had the staggeringly good fortune of winning the event's raffle, taking home a hi-tech Cuisinart coffee machine that made his fiancée very happy.

Thanks again to Robin and the Frank White crew for everything.

If you want to jump on board the Brooklyn Blogade bandwagon like The Optimist did (and got free stuff for doing so!), the group's next meet-up will be on Sunday, February 10th. Eleanor Traubman of Creative Times will be our host. Check out her blog or stay tuned to this one for more information as it becomes available.

Brooklyn Blog Bonanza

Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn is spreading the word about the next Brooklyn Blogade, which has been put together by Robin Lesterhead of Clinton Hill Blog. The monthly meet-up brings together borough bloggers, blog readers and would-be-bloggers for a morning of blogorama. This time the bonanza involves Belgian waffles.

January's blockade is set for the 20th at 11 a.m. at the Frank White Cafe + Gallery at 936 Atlantic Avenue. RSVP by January 11th to robin.lester@gmail.com to participate.

The Optimist will be there. So should you.