Pumps & Pleats: Trade painful stilettos for fold-up flats

Photo by Joe Maniscalco

Story by Michèle De Meglio

Stilettos stink!

Sure, they make your legs look longer and it’s fun to saunter around a cocktail party in the hottest heels, but staggering five blocks from the fiesta to the subway is a total drag.

In such instances, it’s tempting to bring a shopping bag carrying your most comfy sneaks or flats. The only problem? You’ll be walking around that posh party with a Stop & Shop sack. Not cute.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could take your favorite pair of ballet flats, roll them up into a ball and throw them in your purse? Well, now you can!

Corso Como Ballasox Flats do just that and are the hottest thing in the shoe scene. But there’s one catch — they’re $60.

Fortunately for fashionistas, Pumps & Pleats has found a cheap and chic version right here in Brooklyn.

Strawberry in the Fulton Mall carries Rollasole’s sweet ballet flats complete with shiny bows. And get this — they’re just $8.99!

In the name of research I bought a pair. See what I do for my readers?

A British fella created the shoes after his girlfriend complained one too many times about her painful stilettos. You try walking in them buddy!

Rollasole flats are now sold in vending machines in dance clubs all over England and will hit New York’s hot spots this fall. That’s a Pumps & Pleats tip for ya!

At Strawberry, the flats come in basic black, sleek silver, glittery gold and the prettiest pink you’ve ever seen. I bought the pink one of course.

After a night in precious but painful baby doll heels, I slipped on the metallic flats and sighed with relief.

Really, I would have walked barefoot at that point.

At first, the flats felt like a dream. But let’s be real here — Rollasoles are paper-thin and lack the arch and padding all comfy shoes need. So it didn’t take long for my toes to tire of the lumps and bumps in Brooklyn’s sidewalks. But hey, at least I ditched those darn heels.

Strawberry [490 Fulton St. between Bond Street and Elm Place in Downtown Brooklyn, (718) 858-8984].

Michèle De Meglio is a native Brooklynite addicted to all things chic. Check out Pumps & Pleats each week for more adventures as she scours the borough for fab duds and accessories.

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There's something for non-Twi-hards, too!

"The Twilight Saga: Eclipse"

Two and 1/2 stars

By Thomas Tracy

Finally! A “Twilight” movie you don’t have to be a 14-year-old girl with raging hormones to sink your teeth into!

By far the best of the three Stephenie Meyer teen romance novels to end up on the big screen, “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse,” may actually disappoint some of the self-proclaimed Twi-hards hoping for two hours of conflicted, angst-ridden, lovelorn looks between an anemic vampire, a buffed-out werewolf and the pretty — and pretty conflicted — human Bella (Kristen Stewart).

Let’s be clear: There are enough doe-eyed gazes in this film to make a deer hunter go into apoplectic shock. But — thankfully — many of the unrequited love scenes are brief, or, better yet, sidelined by the simple yet entertaining story involving revenge and vampire/werewolf relations in Forks, Washington, the supernatural capital of the great Northwest.

In this installment, a series of killings in nearby Seattle are getting the Cullen vampire clan quite nervous. Someone is building an army of “newborns” — recently turned vampires — for some diabolic plot that has yet to present itself.

Meanwhile, Bella is in the middle of a monster mash-up of her own. She’s still in love with the vampire Edward (Robert Pattinson), but can’t resist the puffed-out pectorals of childhood friend turned man-beast Jacob (Taylor Lautner), who fell for Bella long before Edward ever sunk his fangs into her. Of course, that’s only metaphorically speaking, as the debate over Edward turning Bella into an immortal bloodsucker so they can spend the rest of their undead life together rages on throughout the film — a sticking point (or should we say staking point) that’s straining their relationship.

To his credit, director David Slade wends these story threads around the action so the casual viewer isn’t bogged down in a love story he knows nothing about.

He also deviously builds the romantic tension to such an apex that the audience is guaranteed to laugh out loud after a snickering comment is made about which male lead has a higher body temperature. They’ll also cheer when a crucial decision is finally announced — on the top of a mountain, no less.

Out of the three leads, Stewart is the most magnetic, even when she’s in full awkward Bella mode. Lautner is also proving to be a break-out star (or male pin-up model, take your pick), often overshadowing the pale, phantom-like Pattinson continues to look like he’s in desperate need of a sandwich. Maybe by the fourth installment he’ll look more, um, alive.

“The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.” Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner. Directed by David Slade. Running time: 124 minutes. Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, and some sensuality. Playing at Access Digital Theatres - Pavilion Cinema in Park Slope, Cobble Hill Cinemas, Kent Theatre in Coney Island, UA Sheepshead Bay 14, and UA Court Street Stadium 12 in Downtown.

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Music festival for short attention spans

For those with musical ADD, this one’s for you.

Over five days, tonight through July 11, the Local Correspondents festival, or LC Fest, presents more than 60 local acts in three songs, perfect for the listener constantly on shuffle (take a listen to some of the artists playing here).

“What’s so amazing about it is you can sit there for seven hours for five nights and just hear incredible musicians, one after the other,” said Paul Basile, of the band Great Elk, who helped organize the festival, now in its fourth year at Park Slope’s Bar4.

It helps that Local Correspondents, a five-year-old network and collaboration of city-based bands, has several hundred acts in its community to choose from for the festival — one reason that forced it to limit each performer to just three songs this year.

“We try to celebrate what the community is and has become over these last several years in terms of community and quality,” said Basile.

While the festival is always a big party among those singer/songwriters in the community, organizers hope those outside of it join in this year as well.

“I hope that this year’s festival can be a place where the music community and the community of music listeners can come together,” said Jessi Robertson (pictured), one of the festival’s organizers and founders of Local Correspondents, who plays the festival on July 10.

LC Fest at Bar4 [444 Seventh Ave. at 15th Street in Park Slope, (718) 832-9800], July 7-11, free. For info, visit www.localcorrespondents.com.

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Scary stories for adults

For those looking for a way to cool down this summer, “Nocturnes” is sure to give you the chills.

John Connolly’s collection of supernatural stories makes its world debut on July 8 at the Old Stone House in Park Slope (read his short story "Nocturne" here).

The Piper Theatre production, directed by Scottish talent Nigel Williams, brings to life Connolly’s witches, demons and other fantastic creatures in a new play inspired by the mystery writer’s otherworldly works.

In one tale, “The Erlking,” there’s a creature that comes from the forest and steals children. In “Deep Dark Green,” a young couple goes swimming in a lake, unaware of the witch who lives beneath the surface.

“They’re good, classic, scary kind of stories about love and loss and things we all feared as children,” said Old Stone House director Kim Maier.

Theater-goers are invited to bring blankets and picnic on the lawn inside Washington Park. With the sun setting as the play begins, that should allow for some interesting lighting effects.

“ ‘Nocturnes’ is going to focus on really interesting lighting because of the supernatural nature of the stories,” said Maier. “We’re looking for a slightly chilling experience.”

Better bring that blanket.

“Nocturnes” at Old Stone House [Fifth Avenue at Third Street in Park Slope, (718) 768-3195], July 8–9, 16 and 21–22 at 8:30 pm. Free. For info, visit www.pipertheatre.org.

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Movies with a new view

The movies are still great at the DUMBO outdoor series, “Movies with a View” — though the view has changed.

With its location in Brooklyn Bridge park closed for renovations, the decade-old series will be held at the newly opened Pier 1, with the screen found on its southern-most lawn right on the harbor.

The view won’t be as quintessentially Brooklyn, with the expanse of the Brooklyn Bridge behind the screen in previous years, but it still will be pretty sweet.

The series kicks off on July 8 with “Annie Hall,” Woody Allen’s 1977 love story starring the filmmaker as a — what else? — neurotic New Yorker, and Diane Keaton as his lovely non-Jewish muse.

There’s another film every Thursday until the end of August.

With concessions including burritos from Calexico and Blue Marble ice cream, this will definitely blow the typical movie-going experience out of the water.

“Annie Hall” at Pier 1 [Old Fulton Street at Furman Street in DUMBO, (718) 802-0603 or (212) 803-3822], July 8. Films start at sundown. Free. For more info, visit www.brooklynbridgepark.org.

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Movies under the stars - starting this week!

Brooklyn will be a hotbed this summer for movie-lovers, with myriad film series happening all over the borough. Here’s a run-down of a few of our favorites:

Old Stone House

Four nights of free outdoor film fun, including two classic films, short films, and student films.

July 7: “Kiss Me Kate”; July 14, “Girl Shy”; July 21: Short Film Contest; July 28: Piper Film Workshop Student Films

Brooklyn Film Series at the Old Stone House [6 Third Street between Third and Fourth avenues in Park Slope, (718 768-3195], Wednesdays in July at 8:30 pm. Free.

“Chillen on Da Corner”

Beyond Influencing Da Hood presents an outdoor summer film series on Tuesday nights in July and August, featuring independent short and feature films.

Chillen on Da Corner at Stockton Playground [Park Avenue between Tompkins and Marcy Avenues in Bedford-Stuyvesant], July 6-August 31. Movies being at sundown. For info, visit www.chillinondacorner.com.

Movies With a View

One of the most popular free outdoor film series in Brooklyn is in the scenic Brooklyn Bridge Park, with a view of the Manhattan skylie. Local DJ’s open, until movies start at sundown.

July 8: “Annie Hall”; July 15: “Monsters vs. Aliens 3D”; July 22: “The Big Lebowski”; July 29: “Rear Window”; August 5: Brokeback Mountain”; August 19: “The Blues Brothers”; August 26: “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”

Movies with a View at Brooklyn Bridge Park [1 Main Street at Water Street, (718) 802-0603], July 8-August 26. Films begin at sundown.

Summerscreen

This McCarren Park outdoor film series features cool movies, and equally cool food. Vendors include San Loco, Asia Dog and Pizza Moto. Come hungry.

July 7, "Say Anything"; July 14, "Labyrinth"; July 21, "Romeo and Juliet"; July 28, "Dead Man"; August 4, "Starship Troopers"; August 11, "Point Break"

Summerscreen at McCarren Park ballfields [corner of Bedford Avenue and N. 12th Street, no phone], July 7-August 11. Film begin at sundown.

Narrows Botanic Gardens

This summer, there are three nights of free movies, from old and new hits, at this scenic Bay Ridge space.

July 8: “Mildred Pierce”; July 22: “Finding Nemo”; August 12: “The Blind Side”

Narrows Botanic Garden [Shore Road between Bay Ridge Avenue and 72nd Street in Bay Ridge, no phone]. Films begin at sundown.

Rooftop Films

Enjoy independent films in outdoor locations on rooftops and in parks all over Brooklyn. All movies cost around $10.

July 8: “Nyarma and Polar Explorer,” Brooklyn Tech High School roof, 8 pm

July 16: “We Don’t Care About Music Anyway,” Old American Can Factory roof, 8 pm

July 17: “Brooklyn Transformations,” on Myrtle Avenue Hill in Fort Greene Park, 8:30 pm

July 23: “The Ape,” Brooklyn Tech roof, 8 pm

July 24: “Greetings From the Woods,” Old American Can Factory roof, 8 pm

July 29: “Capucine: Filmmaking Monkeys and Other Renegades,” roof of Brooklyn Tech, 8 pm

July 30: “Animation Block Party,” Automotive High School lawn, 8 pm

July 31: “Disco and Atomic War,” Old American Can Factory roof, 8 pm

August 6: “Doomed Love and the Devilles,” Automotive High School roof, 8 pm

August 13: “Last Train Home,” Old American Can Company roof, 8 pm

August 20: “Rooftop Shots,” Old American Can Company roof, 8 pm

Automotive High School [50 Bedford Ave. at N. 13th Street in Williamsburg, (718 417-7362]; BamCinematek [corner of Fulton Street and Ashland Avenue in Fort Greene, (718 417-7362]; Brooklyn Tech [29 Fort Greene Place between DeKalb and Lafayette avenues in Fort Greene, (718 417-7362]; Fort Greene Park [corner of Myrtle and North Portland Avenues in Fort Greene, (718 417-7362]; Old American Can Factory [232 Third St. at Third Avenue in Park Slope, (718 417-7362].

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Sex, drugs and bingo

This ain’t your grandma’s bingo.

The Underground Rebel Bingo Club, a not-so-secret secret society that throws hardcore bingo parties in the UK, is bringing its shenanigans stateside.

“The party started shrouded in secrecy, but quickly drew a cult following,” said Jenny Gottstein of MeanRed Productions, which is bringing the party to Brooklyn on July 9. “These days, each gathering brings out more than 1,000 people. It’s bananas.”

Gottstein is keeping with the Club’s imposed notoriety for Brooklyn’s version, holding at a secret location in Greenpoint.

As the name implies, there’s bingo involved, with prizes like a sleeping bag with arms and legs and an umbrella with lights all over it. But after the numbers are drawn, the real party gets started, with loud music, flashing lights, dancing and mayhem that usually leaves guests covered in magic marker by the end of the night.

There are some ground rules to be laid down, mainly: no old people (sorry, grandma), no boring people, and no wankers.

Party-goers who pass that test are encouraged to wear something outrageous and eccentric for the night. Just make sure it’s something you won’t care gets covered in marker.

Underground Rebel Bingo Club on July 9 at 10 pm at a secret location in Greenpoint (location revealed to ticket holders). Tickets $10.

To get a sense of the madness, watch below:

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