February Brooklyn Blogade Recap

I enjoyed myself immensely today sharing the company of my fellow borough bloggers at this month's Brooklyn Blogade. Expertly hosted by Eleanor Traubman and Michael Sorgatz of the Creative Times blog, this month's lunch blossomed into a brainstorming session as to how Brooklyn bloggers could work collaboratively to enhance each other's work and the services we offer to you, our readers.

The Optimist was pleased to join the conversation, as there are many ideas that I have been wanting to share about the bright future of our borough's blogs. I mentioned that I thought our blogs should pool our content to create an independent wire service that all of the borough's blogs could draw upon in the way that newspapers subscribe to Reuters or the AP for content. I also proposed that we use our collective voice to galvanize community activism projects, such as the Kent Avenue litter clean-up that I will soon be asking you to join me in performing.

I was pleased that these proposals were well-received (as well as my suggestion that we publish a "Best of Brooklyn's Blogs 2008" book), but I was even more excited to hear my fellow bloggers articulate their wonderful visions. Xris, the Flatbush Gardener, spearheaded the idea of an annual Brooklyn blogger conference to complement the Blogfest. Katia Kelly, of Pardon Me For Asking, advocated for using our blogs as a vehicle to get our elected officials on record about their positions, so that they could be held accountable to the voters they serve (a passion of the Optimist's!). And Petra Symister, of the much beloved Bed-Stuy Blog, asked how blogs could build their legitimacy as publications, a question that sparked everyone's interest.

I should have taken more notes, but my attention was a bit diverted at times by the savory cuisine cooked up by the owners of Faan, the excellent Asian restaurant at 209 Smith Street that our hosts chose to stage this month's Blogade. Little Buddy Biscuit Company, chef Peter Solomita's sinfully-good, homemade Park Slope cookie corp, and the charming Blue Ribbon General Store at 365 State Street, also generously played sponsors to the event.

Next month's Blogade is being organized by Joyce Hanson of Bad Girl Blog. Stay tuned for more details on this affair. None other than Your Friendly Neighborhood Optimist will be playing host to June's meet-up. No specifics on this one either. I'm still looking for a suitable site in Williamsburg or Greenpoint. Any suggestions?

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.