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!
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.
