Sibling restauranteurs CLAUDIA and MARIO LOPEZ have rebranded their East Williamsburg eatery C.Lo as Claudia’s, a Guatemalan restaurant specializing in house made tortillas, carnitas, brisket and tamales. It’s the latest addition to Brooklyn’s relatively sparse Guatemalan restaurant scene, which most notably includes Ix, (pronounced eesh), a hideaway in Prospect Lefferts Gardens run by BRENDA CASTELLANOS and ANA PRINCE, the sisters behind Taquería El Patron on the same block. While Ix has more to offer when it comes to the hearty Mayan stews that distinguish Guatemalan cuisine from Mexican, diners at Claudia’s can fight the winter chill with a warm cup of spiced cacao (or cocoa) — a drink some believe originated in Guatemala.
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A trio of Dyker Heights and Mill Basin natives are showing off their Brooklyn pride through a dedicated dance troupe. JAILENE PEREZ, CRYSTAL WU and BRIANNA BAILEY, just 11, 15 and 16 years old, call themselves the Brooklyn Beasts. “Brooklyn is culturally diverse and our group itself is culturally diverse,” Wu said. The three met while carpooling together to a different dance group where they were the only dancers taking part from Brooklyn. After growing closer, they decided to form a crew of their own closer to home. One of the Beasts’ signature moves is the “Brooklyn B-Drop,” which entails falling backwards and catching yourself with one hand before springing upright again, a move the girls demonstrated for News 12 Brooklyn this week.
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At DrunkN Shots catering company, East New York resident DANESHA LYNCH spikes sweet treats like cheesecake, ice cream, gummy worms and pudding with delectible liquor. “Anything that can be infused, I can do,” Lynch told the Brooklyn Paper. After months of sending dessert recipes to “Good Morning America” co-host Robin Roberts, Lynch scored an on-air spot to demonstrate how she makes her boozy baked goods at home. Since then, Lynch says she’s received dozens of orders and made appearances on other programs, including “The Dr. Oz Show.” Thanks to a collaboration with Shea Shea Bakery skincare, some of Lynch’s signature recipes are now available in scented candle form.
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Brooklyn-based writer MATTHEW GOODMAN, author of “Eighty Days” and “The Sun and the Moon,” has written a new book that tells the story of the City College Beavers, a university team in Harlem that was comprised entirely of Jewish and African American players during the 1949-50 season. “The City Game: Triumph, Scandal and a Legendary Basketball Team” follows Nat Holman, a former player who led the Beavers to win the NIT and NCAA tournaments in the same year — the only team in history to do so. Holman and his team lost their sterling reputation the following season, however, when five players were arrested for allegedly conspiring with gamblers to throw games. Incorporating interviews with the surviving team members, Goodman gives readers a rare glimpse at the Wild West that was mid-Century college athletics, and the rise and fall of one extraordinary team.
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At Williamsburg’s favorite fried-chicken-and-donuts joint, BAGOCK (as in the sound a chicken makes), chef GILLIAN GLARK and longtime business partner ROBIN SMITH were already offering customers between 30 and 40 different hot sauces to douse their chicken in — but, evidently, that wasn’t enough. The pair has now released their own brand of house made hot sauces, with flavors like XX Habanero and The 3C’s (cocoa, coffee and currants), specifically crafted to complement Clark’s famously crispy pan-fried chicken. “It’s an interesting combination,” Smith said of The 3C’s umami-tinged sweetness. “But it works!”
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Brooklyn-based filmmaker AUSTEN DEERY has spent the past 8 months creating a documentary series that pays tribute to America’s independent musicians. Deery traveled to 15 cities, where he filmed and interviewed 189 musicians working in rock, folk and harder to categorize genres. Beginning Jan. 4, Deery and the production team at Sadrday Studios will start releasing the short documentaries on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Patreon, showcasing the stories, background and music of independent musicians across the country. Following the release of the short films, Deery hopes to continue making movies that document independent musicians in Brooklyn. To view the project’s trailer, visit sadrday.com.
Former deli owner Helene Bakke dies 
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