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‘Stolen Dough’ Docudrama Details Bensonhurt Inventor’s Legal Battle with Pizza Hut

Christine Stoddard on January 24, 2024

By Christine Stoddard | cstoddard@queensledger.com

The next time you are salivating over a stuffed crust pizza, consider its origins. It just might be another Brooklyn invention.  A new docudrama, Stolen Dough, directed by Stefano Da Frè, tells the story of Bensonhurst native Anthony Mongiello, claiming him as the real inventor of the stuffed crust pizza at the tender age of 18.

According to that same narrative, his patent was stolen by Pizza Hut, who brands the dish as Original Stuffed Crust® Pizza. The controversy stems from Mongiello’s history of communication with the company, including pitching his patent, which dates back to 1987.

The film, now streaming on Amazon Prime, tells the story of Mongiello’s one-billion-dollar lawsuit against the famous pizza franchise. At its heart, Stolen Dough is a story about capitalism, competition, and theft.

Prior to inventing the stuffed crust pizza, Mongiello worked at a local pizzeria that his friend’s father owned.

“I had a lot of respect for the small business owners, who put in 15-16 hours each day, with all the preparation of ingredients, and running a small business,” wrote Mongiello in an email forwarded to the Brooklyn Star by his media rep, Ryan McCormick of Goldman McCormick Public Relations. “However, most importantly, the person I respected  the most was my father. He worked in the manufacturing of cheese products and held several patents all related to manufacturing inventions.”

Mongiello continued crediting his father in saying, “My father was a guiding force in my life as an inventor. He was the man who invented the actual Polio String Cheese stick that was sold as snacks to families across America. We were extremely inventive as a family. My father taught me to never take anything for granted and that supplied me with the values I still hold to this day.”

Mongiello has more than 30 years of experience in the cheese industry, most notably as CEO of Formaggio Cheese.

Getting Stolen Dough from concept to streaming was a years-long process. In 2022, director Da Frè, working in collaboration with Laura Pelligrini from Rosso International Films, won a grant from the Russo brothers, known for directing four Marvel films. The brothers, Anthony Russo and Joseph Russo, who are active members of the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA), fund the The Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum Grant, which is administered by the National Italian American Foundation.

Mongiello said, “Stefano had pitched my story to them, and they loved the aspect of a true Italian American drama. The rest is history! Stolen Dough was only 1 out 7 features chosen to get funding and support from the Russo Brothers out of 1, 200 submissions.” The project won an additional grant from the Sons and Daughters of Italian American Foundation in May 2023.

Stolen Dough runs 46 minutes and is shot in a crime-suspense style. The film mixes interviews with stylized re-enactments of a young Mongiello inventing the stuffed crust pizza, pitching the idea to Pizza Hut and other major pizza franchises, and bonding with his brother over family history and pride.

“Seeing my story on the big screen and now streaming, is a dream come true,” wrote Mongiello. “I wanted to share my story with people for a very long time.”

A Brooklynite’s Quick Museum Guide to Mexico City

Christine Stoddard on January 24, 2024

By Christine Stoddard | cstoddard@queensledger.com

Right now, local museum-lovers gushing over the Spike Lee exhibition, which was recently extended at the Brooklyn Museum. But what if you are a museum nerd who longs for warmer locales? You might consider a trip to Mexico City, which is in some ways comparable to New York City for its size, cultural touchstones, and diversity in arts and entertainment.

A round-trip flight from JFK to MEX is typically $400-600 this time of year, and I swung a private Airbnb for just under $40 a night during my six-night, mid-January stay. During the day, temperatures reached highs in the 70s and, at night, the lows hit the mid-40s. With a currency exchange rate 16 times in our favor as Americans, the cost of eating out (and just about anything else!) is a gift to a Brooklynite’s wallet.

A view of Teotihuacan, a pre-hispanic archeological complex northeast of Mexico City.

Here are some of the Mexico City museums you might visit:

Museo Nacional de Antropología/National Museum of Anthropology: A massive museum full of Indigenous and ancient, pre-Hispanic wonders. Lose hours here.

Castillo de Chapultepec/ Chapultepec Castle: The Viceroyalty of New Spain lived here, so the visit feels like a mini escape to Europe. You will find many artifacts from the 1700s and 1800s. Think Hamilton-era but Spanish.

Teotihuacan: Not technically within the city, but nearby (and worth the hour drive), this archeological wonder is unlike anything in the Tri-State area. Giant pyramids call for your comfiest sneakers!

Museo Mural Diego Rivera/Diego Rivera Mural Museum: You have probably seen it in a thousand art history textbooks, but here you can soak in its full splendor: the sweeping Sueño de una Tarde Dominical en la Alameda Central mural.

Museo Frida Kahlo/Frida Kahlo Museum: This cobalt blue house museum is sometimes referred to as la Casa Azul. A must-see for Frida fans.

Museo de Arte Moderno/Museum of Modern Art: A unique collection of Mexican Modern art (roughly 1860s-1970s), including work by Rivera and Kahlo in its permanent collection, but also artists less frequently known to Americans. It is similar to the Mexican version of our MoMa. The gorgeous sculpture garden truly distinguishes the experience.

Museo de Tamayo/Tamayo Museum: The contemporary art museum, full of exciting work by international artists working today. It is our equivalent of the New Museum or the Whitney Museum of Art.

‘Believe the Hype’ Column: Caring For Yourself and Others, Come Clay or Snow

Christine Stoddard on January 24, 2024

By Christine Stoddard | cstoddard@queensledger.com

The following was originally published in the Jan. 25, 2024 print edition:

On yet another teeth-chattering morning, I found myself yanking on my snow boots and burying myself under an annoying amount of clothing. In less than 20 minutes, I was due at Artshack, where I would begin my first-ever wheel-throwing class. It was just enough time to walk, I realized as I double-checked Google Maps, but I didn’t want to risk slipping on the ice. I remembered walking through NYCHA’s Red Hook Houses earlier on in the week. The largest public housing project in Brooklyn has been under construction since 2020, and I found myself sliding on its frozen paths like a penguin. Such frustration would not be repeated that week. On a clear spring day, I could bolt over to Artshack, located on Bedford Avenue in Bed-Stuy, in a quarter of an hour. So into the car I went.

Warming up the car adds to the list of tasks that require winter’s slower pace. This is not a pace most New Yorkers seem to appreciate. We want to get moving, fast. Yet the reality is that we live in a place that demands extra prep on a typical January day. After we go through the annoyance of bundling up, maybe with a warm thermos in hand, we arm ourselves with ice scrapers, snow brushes, salt bags, and shovels. Then we brave the cold and all of its inconveniences. The upside is that we live in a place that experiences changes in season and snow, when it first falls, is a sight to behold.

Artshack, a Haven

Though I had never been to Artshack prior to that class, from the moment I entered, I felt at peace. Started in 2008 by McKendree Key, this non-profit community ceramics studio offers classes to children and adults, but, this being the heart of Brooklyn, it has a progressive slant. The studio, which moved to its current location in 2016, brands itself as anti-racist and queer-affirming, and claims a strong belief in “the healing powers of clay.” Classes are affordable, with opportunities for scholarships and free and subsidized programming for low-income members of the community. (Benefitting from such financial aid allowed me to take my pottery class here.) In addition to there being studio space, there is a gallery and café. The café seems to be an ecosystem of its own, with folks chatting or clacking away at their laptops.

Donations to Artshack are collected year-round and very tangibly broken down on the website at ArtshackBrooklyn.org. A $50 donation, for example, will pay for one child to come to Open Clay Time. On Jan. 27, Artshack will offer a free clay workshop in honor of Gun Violence Survivors Week as one of its regular Community Days. Participants will “create, connect, and shape symbols of peace with clay.”

My wheel teacher is Ivan Samuels, a talented artist whose pottery depicting coral reef motifs called to me. From my first interactions with him, I found him to be patient and good-humored. Any teacher will tell you that these can be difficult qualities to cultivate and maintain. Still, I didn’t detect even the slightest strain in Ivan’s voice, no matter how much I bumbled. In a society that emphasizes perfection, it was a relief to have a space to try and fail among encouragement. Clay is messy, figuratively and, of course, literally.

As I cleaned up, I remembered that working with clay sucks the moisture out of your skin. On a wintery day, that means applying even more lotion than usual. I personally prefer cocoa butter, though I must admit I have not tried any of the local Brooklyn brands. (Of course, I am open to suggestions.) You have to take care of yourself in the studio, much as you do in the rest of your life. There are consequences for neglecting what your body needs.

Severe Cold Tips For Everyone

NYC’s Severe Weather web page outlines snow safety because, depending on where you grew up and how long you have lived in the Tri-State area, it is not necessarily common sense. Our city has recently welcomed more than 100,000 new arrivals. Many come from warmer parts of the world; at this time the top countries of origin for New York City’s asylum seekers are Venezuela, Ecuador, and Colombia. Can they really be expected to know how to dress for the weather? After all, how many New Yorkers neglect to layer up? How often do I see people of all kinds not wearing hats, hoods, or scarves, despite the fact that most of our body heat escapes through the head? Proper winter attire is not common knowledge across America; even so, having knowledge does not mean having access. Thanks to that blast of Arctic air from Canada, more than 90 people died due to weather-related causes this past week. At least three of those deaths occurred in New York state.

Floyd Bennett Field Migrants

You may be aware that many asylum seekers live at a shelter at Floyd Bennett Field in Marine Park. According to ardent complaints in a Facebook group called “STOP FLOYD BENNETT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS” (which I found because of a recent New York Post article), some of these migrants are going door to door not only asking for food and money but for warm clothes. Calls for donations to the “tent city” families have filled my social media.

While writing this column, I saw @southbrooklynmutualaid post a call for donations on Instagram. On the list were gently used or new winter coats, warm layering clothes (sweaters, heat tech, jackets), winter shoes, and ponchos. Advertised drop-off locations include Roots Cafe (639 5th Ave.), Community Bookstore (143 7th Ave.), Van Alen Institute (303 Bond St., Tues.-Thurs., 10am-5pm), and Brooklyn Army Terminal (with a filled out form, available on @southbrooklynmutualaid’s Instagram bio link). Inquiries for joining up the organizing work can be sent to southbkmutualaid@gmail.com.

Savvy Snow Removal

Now back to NYC’s Severe Weather tips. In perusing the list, I was reminded to stretch before going out; shoveling snow especially is a work-out. Another tip is to cover your mouth so brutally cold air does not enter your lungs. Shoveling snow can be a major heart attack risk, so take breaks and guzzle your H20. Also, keep dry, which means going back inside and changing your clothes if you get wet from lots of sweat, melting snow, or who knows what. And let’s not forget our neighbors! If someone is a senior citizen or has disabilities, they may need assistance. We may not always have the patience for kindness, but looking out for each other is part of what makes New York City liveable.

The City of New York also has a whole Snow Response webpage on the New York City Department of Sanitation site. Did you know that you can track snow plows in the city? There is a feature called PlowNYC that supposedly lets you see where plows are working in real-time. Of course, I found out about this feature after it snowed, so I cannot tell you how well it works. I will have to wait until the next snowfall to investigate.

According to the DSNY site, it is up to residents and businesses to clear snow and ice from sidewalks. The path must be at least four feet wide; snow and ice must be removed from around fire hydrants, as well as sidewalk corner ramps. If the snowfall ends between 7am and 4:59pm, it must be cleared within four hours. If it ends between 5pm and 8:59pm, it must be cleared within 14 hours. Snowfall ending between 9pm and 6:59am must be cleared by 11am. Precise! Fines range from $100-250. Yikes. Let’s try to avoid those, shall we? And not just because of tickets, but again, to do right by our neighbors.

New Mural at Addabbo Family Health Center in Red Hook

Christine Stoddard on January 24, 2024

By Christine Stoddard | cstoddard@queensledger.com

On Jan. 17, the Joseph P. Addabbo Family Health Center unveiled a youth-led mural at its Red Hook location on Richards St. The outdoor mural was made possible with funding from the O’Connell Foundation and a partnership with Red Hook Art Project. After the clinic’s Pediatrics department hosted an art contest, young adult artists (ages 18-22) pulled from the children’s artwork to create a mural design. The muralists, identified by first name only, include: Angelly, Rosana, Jaden, Aspen, and Felix.

The Addabbo Family Health Center is a Federally Qualified Health Center, which means it serves a high-need community.

Group shot in front of the mural at the Jan. 17, 2024 unveiling.

Year in Review: Our Last Round-up of Last Year

Christine Stoddard on January 24, 2024

By Christine Stoddard | cstoddard@queensledger.com

The following was printed in the Jan. 18, 2024 edition of the newspaper; view the series cover art collection here.

This issue represents Part 3 of our Year in Review series, which features highlights and reflections from our borough. Putting together this series has been a community effort, with different organizations in North and Central Brooklyn participating. They have submitted quotes, statistics, and photos, and, as possible, given their time to phone interviews with the Brooklyn Star. Here is an official thanks to all of the organizations who responded to our requests; you have helped give our readers a fuller idea of some of the incredible things that happened in Kings County in 2023.

Here are the last drips and drops of the official Brooklyn Star 2023 Year in Review:

 

Brooklyn Borough Hall

The following is a 2023 Year in Review quote submitted via email by the office of Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso:

“Borough President Reynoso’s highlight of the year was the release of his Comprehensive Plan for Brooklyn, the first borough-specific, large-scale planning effort ever in our city’s history. The Plan recognizes that Brooklyn is patterned with deep inequities–from access to affordable housing, to health outcomes and quality of life. For example, between parts of Park Slope and Brownsville, life expectancy differs by nearly a decade and median household income varies as much as $125,000. When it comes to housing, the disparities are just as stark. Between 2010 and 2020, Community District 5 built or preserved more than 12,100 affordable housing units—but Community District 10 only built or preserved 7 affordable housing units over the same period. Rooted in data like this and containing over 100 maps and 200 land use, policy, and budgetary recommendations, the Plan identifies the specific challenges and needs across the borough’s neighborhoods to put forward strategic opportunities to build toward equity. The Plan is not a rezoning, but rather a roadmap chock-full of actionable ways to ensure that all Brooklynites are housed, healthy, and supported. More info is available at https://www.brooklynbp.nyc.gov/the-comprehensive-plan-for-brooklyn/.

Another highlight of the year would have to be the Borough President’s continued advocacy around addressing the harmful legacy of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). Ever since the infamous urban planner Robert Moses tore through through working-class neighborhoods in Brooklyn to build the BQE, the expressway has cut communities in two and sentenced largely Black and Brown, Latino, and AAPI New Yorkers to decades of toxic pollution. You can see this clearly in Los Sures Williamsburg, where Borough President Reynoso grew up and served as a Council Member representing the 34th Council District. This year, Borough President Reynoso was joined by Congresswoman Nydia Velásquez to call on the State to renew BQGreen, a project that would aim to mitigate environmental harms and reconnect the neighborhood. This more-than-decade-in-the-making plan would platform over a portion of the BQE that runs below street level in Williamsburg and build a 3.5-acre park with a flower garden, playground, baseball diamond, barbecues, and more.”

-Isabel Panno Shepard, Brooklyn Borough Hall Press Secretary

Brooklyn Public Library

Photo of Brooklyn Public Library Central

The Brooklyn Public Library happily reported several highlights for 2023 in a phone interview with the Brooklyn Star. One was Books Unbanned, a digital iniative that allows teens and young adults (ages 13-21) from across the country to apply for a card and access e-books that may be banned in their local jurisdictions. Last year, more than 2,500 book titles were questioned in libraries across the U.S., which is the highest number in more than 20 years. Since April 2022, more than 7,000 teens from all 50 states have applied for the card. Collectively, they have checked out more than 170,000 books. San Diego and Seattle Public Libraries, in addition to Boston and Los Angeles County, have since joined the effort.

The library’s popular companion podcast for Books Unbanned is called Borrowed and Banned. Produced by Virginia Marshall, the seven-episode series investigates the rise in book bans across America, and was recently named one of the top 25 podcasts of the year by The Atlantic. Interviews with youth, as well as commonly challenged authors appear on the podcast. Some notable names include Maia Kobabe, George M. Johnson, and Mike Curato.

As part of its Books Unbanned initiative, in October, BPL collaborated with Teen Vogue for a celebration of Let Feedom Read Day. The day featured a conference with teens about the critical importance of literature in society, covering themes like our right to access information and the need for civic engagement as it relates to reading and learning.

2023 also marked the 20th year of the library launching its PowerUP! Business Competition. Previous winners have included Greenlight Bookstore, Island Pops, and Bogotá Latin Bistro. In 2023, BPL awarded more than $40,000 to aspiring entrepreneurs. The award ceremony was hosted by Sally Herships, director of the audio program at Columbia Graduate School of Journalism and a frequent guest host on NPR’s daily economics podcast. The grand prize went to Noel Gaskin, Jovon Browne, and Cheryl Culpepper for Hemp Thyself, which is a licensed CBD health and skin company.

Another highlight for BPL was “The Book of HOV,” an exhibition celebrating the life, work, and legacy of Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter, a Brooklyn native and legendary hip-hop figure. Over the course of nearly five months, the exhibition, which graced the Central Library, attracted more than 600,000 visitors. This marked a 74 percent jump in attendance for the library. On the last day of the exhibition, almost 11,000 patrons visited the library. This was the largest number of library visitors in a single day in the institution’s history. The line to enter the library was so long that it extended down Flatbush Ave.

A new Sunset Park Library branch opened in November 2023. The newly developed branch is nearly 21,000 square feet, making it close to twice the size of the previous branch. The new branch features a new HVAC system, as well as 49 units of permanently affordable housing atop the building. Nine of the units are specifically for victims of domestic violence. Most of the units will rent for between $500 and $1,000 a month. Anyone who meets the income, credit, and family size requirements may apply for the apartments, regardless of immigration status. The joint library/housing project was made possible through a partnership between Brooklyn Public Library and the Fifth Avenue Committee, alongside the New York State Homes and Community Renewal and the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development.

Prior to the new branch opening, an interim library had been provided at 4201 Fourth Ave. at 43rd St. in a space the New York City Police Department made available.

To find out more about the Sunset Park Library, visit: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/locations/sunset-park

Brooklyn Ballet

The following is a quote submitted via email by Lynn Parkerson, founder and artistic director of the Brooklyn Ballet:

“Our 20th year was a glorious celebration–of looking back and looking forward, at what we have accomplished and towards a bright future. The people of Brooklyn fuel our creative process, our education programs, our performances on the streets and stages throughout the borough. We are a high-impact arts organization. Ask any of the communities we serve or audience members who see us perform. We have an impressive track record and we’ve only just begun to explore the possibilities of what a dance company can be.”

In December the Brooklyn Ballet presented its annual The Brooklyn Nutcracker at Kings Teheatre in Flatbush. Here is the official description of the production: “Culturally immersive, The Brooklyn Nutcracker  transforms familiar Nutcracker characters and scenes to represent the heart of Brooklyn’s cultural mosaic, From a mysterious pop and locking Herr Drosselmeyer and a daring hip hop battle scene, to a bohemian Mother Ginger, the characters embark on an enchanting journey from Victorian Flatbush to modern day–with exciting detours through notable Brooklyn landmarks, including a visit to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden [sic] and a Flatbush Avenue subway platform.”

More than 5,000 students attended morning performances of The Brooklyn Nutcracker. All students came from local Brooklyn schools in low-income areas.

The 2024 performance season will begin in March.

Downtown Brooklyn Partnership

The following is an excerpt of an email submitted by Downtown Brooklyn Partnership to list the organization’s highlights for 2023:

“Construction really ramped up at Abolitionist Place this year. The new 1.15 acre of open space located between Duffield Street and Albee Square West will have a children’s play area, waterplay feature, lawn space, a dog run, multiple seating areas, and more. Abolitionist Place is slated to open in spring 2024.

In July, NYC Mayor Eric Adams announced an investment of over $40M in Downtown Brooklyn, that will deliver streetscape improvements, transportation and public space upgrades, and pedestrian safety enhancements. A key win for Downtown Brooklyn is the $8M funding for the Fulton Mall Streetscape – adopting the recommendations and designs of DBP’s Public Real Action Plan.

In September, Metropolitan Transit Authority CEO Janno Lieber, Chief Accessibility Officer Quemel Arroyo, Councilmember Lincoln Restler, and DBP President Regina Myer unveiled the newly-renovated Fulton Mall entrance of the Hoyt St. Subway Station. The renovations were paid for by Macy’s, and include a new elevator — a win for accessibility in the neighborhood!

By the time fall came around, Willoughby was freed from the shackles of the sidewalk sheds that had enveloped 345 Adams Street for the past seven years – shrouding Willoughby Plaza and the adjacent sidewalk of Adams Street. Finally, we could again sit outside and enjoy food from nearby businesses while soaking in the Downtown Brooklyn sun!

DBP’s public art program saw the installation of Cheryl Wing-Zi Wong’s COMMON GROUND, a site-specific interactive public art piece in partnership with Van Alen Institute. With its sound-activated lights, the work offered a playable topography that transformed The Plaza at 300 Ashland into an oasis for sitting, socializing, and gathering. The piece was accompanied by programming featuring from Brooklyn artists who activated the space with their movement and sound.

Downtown Brooklyn’s Shared Streets network got brand new colorful asphalt art. Inspired by natural landscape and topography, Terrain Park by Ann Tarantino uses vibrant hues to create a lively streetscape that complements the street furniture, bike racks, granite blocks, and signature planters of Downtown Brooklyn’s Shared Streets ped spaces.

Originally unveiled at Clumber Corner near the Brooklyn Bridge, Sky’s the Limit in the County of Kings by Sherwin Banfield — a project of the Downtown Brooklyn and Dumbo Art Fund — was relocated to Columbus Park in August.

This year, Downtown Brooklyn welcomed a wave of shop and dine establishments – adding new and fresh flavors to the neighborhood.

• A slew of healthy food places, such as Quality Greens Kitchen, Sweetgreen, Everytable, and DIG — which lead us to renaming Willoughby Street Salad Alley.

• Classic-style fast food joints, such as 7th Street Burger, Dave’s Hot Chicken, and 375° Chicken n’ Fries. Meanwhile, beloved Circa Brewing Co. rebranded in December with a new name: Sound & Fury Brewing.

• Fast-casual eateries, including Mighty Quinn’s, Halal Munchies, Empanada Loca at AL B’s, Jack’s Stir Brew, Osteria Brooklyn, Nan Xiang Express, Silky Kitchen, German Doner Kebab concession at Columbus Park, and Wonder — just to name a few.

• 2023 further cemented Downtown Brooklyn as a recreation destination. Openings included tennis club Court 16 at City Point BKLYN; and Pilates studio [solidcore] at 11 Hoyt.

• In the world of fine dining, Gage & Tollner began offering lunch service, and famed chef Michael Brogan opened up Maison Sun at 200-3 Schermerhorn. And that’s not all — more beloved establishments plan to open their doors in 2024, such as Sephora, Raising Canes, Fogo de Chão, and Hot Peppers Inc.; as well as grocery stores Fresh Grocer and Gourmet Glatt.

2023 marked the tenth year of our annual Downtown Brooklyn Presents programming series! Throughout the season, we hosted several events in celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, including Check the Rhime Hip-Hop Karaoke, a hip-hop edition of Bare Feet Downtown Brooklyn with Mickela Mallozzi featuring The Ladies of Hip-Hop, a Juneteenth celebration with 651 Arts, and an all-out hip-hop party titled FLAVORS with the renowned DJ Spinna.

To celebrate the public spaces that make Downtown Brooklyn so great, we held several car-free events on the streets, including Downtown Brooklyn Car-Free Earth Day on Albee Square and Albee Square West…”

Looking forward to all that Brooklyn has to offer in 2024!

Cover Art: 2023 Year in Review

Christine Stoddard on January 23, 2024

The following are the front-page cover designs from our three-part series, Year in Review, which featured highlights and reflections from 2023. The designs ran in the print editions for issues dated Jan. 4, 11, and 18, 2024. All designs were created by Brooklyn community editor Christine Stoddard.

A graphic star containing cityscape designs and the words "Part 2."

Fun Facts about Pigeons, the Unofficial Winged Mascot of New York City

Christine Stoddard on January 18, 2024

• Pigeons are birds that make up the family Columbidae (order Columbiformes)—though not all pigeons are graduates of Columbia University. Some went to NYU.

• The most common pigeon in New York City is the rock dove, or Columbia livia. Some people prefer the term sky rat.

• Doves and pigeons are cousins, with doves generally

Illustration by Christine Stoddard.

being smaller and pigeons bigger. Exception: the white domestic pigeon. You know, the Jesus kind.

• All pigeons strut and bob. It’s not scientifically known if all pigeons boogie.

• Pigeons are monogamous. There is no known dating app for pigeons.

• The mama pigeon lays two eggs at a time in a nest. This is just a plain cute fact. Please don’t try to make it cuter because you will fail.

• The mama and papa pigeon take turns incubating the eggs–Mama at night, Papa during the day. Equality!

• A young pigeon is called a squab or squeaker. You also shouldn’t try to come up with something cuter. Those are cute enough.

• All species of pigeons are edible. It’s up to you to decide if you want to go there.

• Pigeons poop on monuments. This is just known. Ask a toddler. But we needed another fact to fill up this column. That’s how designing on deadline works.

Sources (for the real stuff):

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, NYC Parks, Encyclopaedia of Animals: Birds (London: Merehurst Press).

‘Believe the Hype’ Column: Excitement, Not Worry, for the Future

Christine Stoddard on January 17, 2024

By Christine Stoddard | cstoddard@queensledger.com

This piece was originally printed in our Jan. 18, 2024 edition.

This week, our new community editor, Christine Stoddard, returns with her column “Believe the Hype.”

There’s a relief that comes from writing a show and not having to direct it. Midway through another dress rehearsal, I reminded myself that my work on this production had been done for literal years. I could afford to lose some control. It was time to meet my boyfriend at a digital art installation—whatever that meant. I ran to the stuffy attic lobby of The Tank, where I was met with an anti-climactic wait for the elevator. About two minutes later, I bolted down W. 36th Street and rounded 8th Avenue, elated as a kid playing hooky. I deserved to relax.

A person pointing a camera at a painted shed.

A tourist at Shirley Chisholm State Park.

Full of anticipation, I wiggled on the platform. In an effort to shed myself of one more responsibility, I kept myself clueless about Inter_,the venue where I was meeting Aaron. I was even more excited about what would come afterwards. He was taking me “somewhere”—a true surprise.            

Fast forward to me bounding through Canal Street, jumping over tarps bursting with knock-off designer purses, nearly running into tables piled with cheap sunglasses and the slow-moving tourists who clogged the sidewalk. I squeezed through the sweaty masses until I saw Aaron outside a stately building, probably a former bank. A wave and a couple of moments later, I was in his arms. We stepped inside and grabbed our 3-D glasses.

Inter_ delivered a dizzying array of lights, animation, and booming narration that I mostly didn’t catch. Something about humanity’s future announced in a British accent.I found myself hunting for glitches in the psychedelic videos and semi-hidden projectors in the motion-activated rooms. Sometime in the glow-in-the-dark alien rainforest room, I chastised myself: Don’t be cynical. Have fun.

We both felt slightly ill stumbling out of Inter_, though I distracted myself with the impending surprise. I showered Aaron with guesses as he led me to the N train and in circles around the station. Usually I was the navigator. We rarely ventured to the Upper East Side, which made the destination tougher to pinpoint, but he said he wouldn’t tell me even if I got it right. Once we found ourselves on the street again, I spotted red boxes swinging in the sky and shouted “Roosevelt Island!” I clapped and hugged him. I had never taken the tram.    

We pushed toward the card kiosk and swiped our MTA cards. Five minutes later, the tram arrived, bright, clean, and air-conditioned. Aaron pushed inside to grab us a place by the window. We squished ourselves by a handful of children chattering in Portuguese as the tram ascended the guts of the Queensboro Bridge. As we climbed higher, Aaron beckoned me to peep inside of skyscraper windows. If the offices looked like movie sets, it’s because we were hovering among prime Manhattan real estate—the stuff of American fantasy. The East River sparkled below us. So says the Brooklynite, even Queens looked beautiful with its more modest cityscape glimmering before the waterfront. Aaron beamed at me. I didn’t have to put on a show: I was happy.

Prospect Park After Dark Hike

One way I personally find more peace in my own life is by connecting to nature. Once again, I am not the only one. According to an article published by the University of Minnesota, “How Does Nature Impact Our Wellbeing?,”more than two-thirds of people retreat to nature when stressed. NYC Parks programs a whole calendar of free and low-cost events that you can check out at https://www.nycgovparks.org/events.

Here are three upcoming NYC Parks events in Brooklyn locations that caught my eye (just examples):

Jan. 20: Gather Around the Campfire at Vincent Abate Playground (in McCarren Park), 1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m. Join the Urban Park Rangers for an afternoon of campfire activities such as stories, songs, and s’mores!

Jan. 20: Prospect Park After Dark Hike at Parkside Avenue and South Lake Drive (in Prospect Park), 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Join the Urban Park Rangers on a hike after sundown around Prospect Park Lake. You’ll explore and experience the sights and sounds of Prospect Park at night.

Jan. 21: Birding: Winter Waterfowl Super Hike at American Veterans Memorial Pier, Bay Ridge, 10:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Join the Urban Park Rangers for a long walk.

Meowzers!

Maybe a more permanent commitment to Mother Earth is what your waning optimism needs. My boyfriend and I look for any excuse to have an animal sighting, playdate, or encounter, but are wary of taking in a pet because of our hectic schedules. (I volunteered at a nature center in high school; I have some sense of the commitment proper animal care entails.) Animal shelters are the first place that come to mind for urban animal care and advocacy. But not all animal rescue organizations are shelters.

Recently, I was reminded of Brooklyn Animal Action, which rescues and rehomes cats and has no physical location. Yep–not a shelter, just doing what many shelters ought to do. This volunteer-run organization is keen on Trap-Neuter-Return programs for managing our local feral cat colonies. Supporters include Brooklyn Veterinary Group, Park Slope Veterinary Center, Vinegar Hill Veterinary Group, and others. If you may want to foster, adopt, volunteer, or donate, go to BrooklynAnimalAction.org for more information. A feline friend may just light up your life.

AmeriCorps in Our Borough

Not everyone is gaga for nature, especially in a concrete jungle like ours. Another way to choose happiness is through service. With Martin Luther King, Jr. Day so recently passed, I would be remiss not to mention volunteering. It is, after all, an official day of service. When I was an AmeriCorps volunteer, MLK Day meant organizing our biggest community service event of the year (preparing and hosting lunch at a homeless shelter in my college town.) AmeriCorps is a federally run government program that trains and places volunteers across the country. But you don’t have to go anywhere! Many AmeriCorps decide to serve right at home, like I did. AmeriCorps State and National programs exist in a variety of fields. While I volunteered at a public elementary school, other AmeriCorps volunteers serve in clinics, youth programs, financial literacy programs, senior citizen centers, and, yes, parks and nature centers. One of my college classmates did AmeriCorps at Shirley Chisholm State Park! AmeriCorps benefits include a modest living allowance, scholarships, loan deferment, interest forbearance, and alumni network, and more. Find out more at AmeriCorps.gov.

May your hopes for the rest of the month and year remain bright (or get brighter) in however you choose happiness.

For news and tips, please email brooklyndtstar@gmail.com.

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