bushwick notebook

Sometimes “DIY” just sounds glorious but all it really just means is that you have to do everything yourself. But it’s usually totally worth it.

And so in February, the idea to make our own print quarterly magazine was born. It would be quarterly, beautiful (naturally), epic (wohooo) and sized just enough to fit into a purse. I personally fell in love with the word “notebook” and how it makes me feel when I say it, and so we named it Bushwick Notebook!

The idea was to create a magazine, the content of which originates in Bushwick but transcends its borders; a magazine that acts as a messenger for doing things the Bushwick way. Lifestyle, entrepreneurship, interesting people, fashion, those were subjects we wanted to take a look at.

The cover of the first issue features a photograph of musician Shilpa Ray wearing a monkey costume on the G train by photographer Ebru Yildiz, which we absolutely fell in love with. Other feature stories provide a sneak peek into strip club Pumps, the lives of Bushwick loftmates, as well as a guide to your perfect summer at the Rockaways.

Bushwick Notebook Issue 1 was officially released two days ago at a rooftop party on 49 Wyckoff Ave, complete with awesome local food (Tony’s Pizza & Restaurant, Duncan’s Burger) and drink (Braven Brewing) vendors and music (Late Cambrian; Boobs of Bushwick DJ set).

Yesterday, we rented a Uhaul van and we completed distribution of almost all 5,000 copies to every main Bushwick location, just in time for BOS and the entire summer season!

A van filled with Bushwick Notebook magazines.

Here’s the list of current distribution spots:

2nd Nature

301 Ten Eyck

56 Bogart

983 Living Room

Amancay’s Diner

Anchored Inn

Ange Noir

AP Cafe

Bat Haus

Beacon’s Closet

Big Tree Bottles

Brooklyn Desks

Brooklyn Zoo

Cafe Ghia

Catland

Central Cafe

Cobra Club

Express Yourself

Fine & Raw

Hana Natural

Heavy Woods

Henry’s Wine & Spirit

Hi Hello

House of YES

Kave

Koda

Little Skips

Los Hermanos

Lot 45

Mary Meyer

Mominette

Momo Sushi Shack

Montana’s Trail House

New York Loft Hostel

Nooklyn

Northeast Kingdom

ODETTA

Owl Juice Pub

Paradise

Pearl’s

Pickthorn

Pine Box Rock Shop

Roberta’s

SHWICK

Storefront Ten Eyck

Swallow Cafe

Tandem

The Acheron

The Bodega

The Loom

The Rookery

The Tarot Society

The Well

Three Diamond Door

Tomahawk Salon

Trans Pecos

Tutu’s

Union Pizza Works

Wyckoff Starr

And some photos from the launch party!

All photos: Gustavo Ponce for Bushwick Daily

Sean Alday has a short story (and a naked butt) in Bushwick Notebook. Maria Gotay writes about music for Bushwick Daily.

Late Cambrian at it.

Kate Chiplinsky from Boobs of Bushwick DJing and squeezing.

Jeremy Nguyen, the author of Stranger Than Bushwick comic, with a friend.

Tony’s Pizza being eaten in a record time!

Galen Duncan from Duncan Burgers showed incredible resilience making 300 burgers.

Bushwick’s own Braven beer being drafted.

Me (Katarina Hybenova) and Jenna Aranda who writes for Bushwick Daily about music.