Snow Scenes on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade

The Brooklyn Heights Promenade on a snowy day is quiet and picturesque.

Nothing much has changed in 60 years.

Photos by MK Metz

A moment in time.

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Hundreds of Thousands Pack Brooklyn Waterfront for Spectacular 4th of July Fireworks

Photos by MK Metz

A spectacular July 4th fireworks display included blasts shot from the Brooklyn Bridge and rockets set off from the barges in the East River.

All of the barges were moved south of the Brooklyn Bridge because of a strong tide, giving an amazing view to the hundreds of thousands of folks packed into Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Brooklyn Heights Promenade.

We've never seen the Promenade so crowded. There was not an inch of room to spare. (Amazing the thing didn't fall down. No, seriously.)

Police told McBrooklyn they were expecting half a million to the Promenade and Brooklyn Bridge Park. It appears we achieved that number, though we have no way to really know.

After the display, the crowds walking to the subways were friggin amazing. Someone said, "This is what the zombie apocalypse will look like."

People surged down Cadman Plaza West and Henry Street for more than an hour. Cars trying to get out of the parking garage on Cadman were blocked by all of the pedestrians who wouldn't let them out.

A little later, there was a traffic jam almost entirely composed of all of the city's emergency vehicles, which had been parked on Cadman, Tillary and Columbia Heights. An ambulance tried to get through -- forget it! They were stuck on Cadman Plaza West for at least 15 minutes.

VIPs in a motorcade from the River Cafe (looked a lot like the Mayor) drove a little too fast through the crowds of humanity.

Afterwards, fireworks went off all over Brooklyn, a nightlong display from rooftops and sidewalks.

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Dancers Wearing Bells, Waving Scarves Invade the Brooklyn Heights Promenade

It was the annual Third Thursday in June invasion of Morris dancers, wearing bells on their legs and waving scarves as they danced Thursday night on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade.

There was also a female Morris dance team in a similar vein and a mixed sword dancer team, all accompanied by stringed instruments and accordians.

Morris dancing is a very old spring custom.

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End of An Era at the Brooklyn Heights Press

We noticed a change in the local newspaper, the Brooklyn Heights Press last week and now we know why:

Henrik Krogius –- the Emmy-award winning TV news producer and editor of the Brooklyn Heights Press for 22 years -- has retired, the Brooklyn Eagle reports.

“My career has gone through many changes, from movie house newsreels to early-days black-and-white television, to color television and satellite transmissions, and back to the traditional weekly newspaper,” he wrote in his farewell editorial.

“I’ve sometimes felt I was a living anachronism, watching obsolescence take over everything I was involved in. Perhaps it’s time for something more restful, or, in any case, some project not bound to the insistent wheel of progress, or ‘progress.’”

Krogius' photos of the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, taken since its beginning (and before its beginning) have been published in the definitive book on the subject -- "The Brooklyn Heights Promenade."

The book is comprised of his research done in the ’70s and ’80s — his interviews, correspondences and conclusions, and contains several dozen black-and-white photos.

“I wanted to write it to solidify my claim to be the historian of the Promenade,” Krogius told the Eagle.

The full story is here.

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New No Smoking Signs On Brooklyn Heights Promenade

The city's public park smoking ban went into effect last week, and with it came new signs on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade.

Finally, fresh air and relaxation on the Promenade -- if you don't count the truck exhaust (or, as commenters on the Brooklyn Heights Blog point out, skateboarders, stroller Nazis, screaming children, rude joggers, tourists taking pictures and hungry rats). Oh, and helicopters.

Photo by MK Metz

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Sunset From the Brooklyn Heights Promenade

Beautiful sunsets we've been having recently, as seen from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade.

Photo by MK Metz

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We Found the Problem: Brooklyn Heights' Zodiac Is Missing Its Pisces

Have you been feeling a bit unbalanced lately? Maybe it's because some jerk pried the two-fish Pisces symbol off the armillary sundial at the north end of the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. (Well they didn't just swim away, did they?) The light areas in the photo above show where the Pisces had its place in the Zodiac ringing the wrought-iron sundial.

 Obviously, this has been disrupting the karma of the entire Promenade. The armillary needs to be restored to its former glory so Brooklyn Heights can regain its balance.

Description of missing pieces:

Imaginative and sensitive
Compassionate and kind
Selfless and unworldly
Intuitive and sympathetic

On the dark side....

Escapist and idealistic
Secretive and vague
Weak-willed and easily led

Photo by MK Metz

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The Cars Never Stop On the BQE

 Did you ever stand at the south edge of the Brooklyn Heights Promenade at night and watch the never-ending stream of cars drive underneath? Eventually the fumes will kill you, but there's still something hypnotic about it.

Photo by MK Metz

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Want to Work in the Garden on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade?

Don't have your own garden? Now's your chance to work on the lovely Brooklyn Heights Promenade. Join the Promenade Partnership every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. (meet at the Montague St. entrance) to help dig, plant, rake and other garden tasks.

Contact promgarden@aol.com or just show up.

Photos by MK Metz

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Fruit Street Sitting Area, Brooklyn Heights

A sign declares that this part of the sidewalk overlooking the Brooklyn Heights Promenade is the "Fruit Street Sitting Area."

So the other day someone wrapped themselves up and sat.

Photos by MK Metz

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Brooklyn Heights Promenade in the Snow With a Frozen Camera

Maybe we spent just a little bit too much time out in the snow this morning.

As we were shooting the Montague Street entrance to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, the protective lens iris froze in a half-open position.

We liked the effect, anyway.

Photo by MK Metz

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Happy Hiding Sparrows On Brooklyn Heights Promenade

What a racket on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade Friday! It was deliciously warm and sunny, and the air was filled with the sound of hundreds of birds happily chirping and squawking.

We finally figured out where all the birds were hiding -- in the leafless hedges lining the walkway.

How many little puffy sparrows can you find in the bit of shrubbery pictured above? We found 10.

Click on the photo above to enlarge.

When you've found your birds,
look at the photo
below.

WARNING BIRDS CIRCLED BELOW:


Photo by MK Metz

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Sunset, Brooklyn Heights Promenade

The stock market may be going to hell, but you can see this for free, just by sitting on a bench on the Promenade.

Photo by MK Metz

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July 4 Fireworks Crowd Grows on Brooklyn Promenade

In spite of light rain, the Fourth of July crowd is growing on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade.

An army of police (seen here on Cadman Plaza West) is preparing for action.



- July 4th Fireworks -- Where To See Them in Brooklyn

Photos by MK Metz

July 4th Fireworks -- Where To See Them in Brooklyn

(2009 fireworks info here.)
 (2011 fireworks info here.)
You couldn't find a better Brooklyn location to watch New York City's Fourth of July fireworks than the new pop-up park at Pier 1 -- and if you're a veteran who received an invitation from the Mayor's Office of Veterans Affairs, you'll be there. Veterans and their families will have front row seats for the big blast -- and who deserves it more?

If you're not a veteran, check out these locations :

- The Brooklyn Heights Promenade: Good if you like huddled masses. The Department of Transportation expects that the Brooklyn Heights Promenade will be close to capacity: 70- 80,000 people!

- Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park in Dumbo -- crowded, but there's a lot more open space here than there is on the Promenade.

- Good viewing, according to the Brooklyn Eagle: Furman Street below the Promenade. This may be your best shot in the Brooklyn Heights area.

- Anywhere in Greenpoint with a water view. (Try along the waterfront near Kent Street.) Greenpointers got this invite: "Come to the Greenpoint Gallery where we'll be watching the fireworks from the roof with midtown Manhattan looming behind. It's a BYO situation, including things to grill, and there will be live music following the show. Door opens at 7."

- The Louis J. Valentino Jr. Park and Pier in Red Hook (at Coffee Street). A bit far but you should be able to see the South Street Seaport batch okay.

- East River State Park in Williamsburg. Normally the park closes at dusk, but will stay open on July 4. Get there early: gates close at 8:30 p.m. sharp.

The Brooklyn Bridge is closed to pedestrians during the fireworks. Other street closings in Brooklyn:

• Montague Street between Court Street and the entrance to the Promenade.
• Hicks Street between Atlantic Avenue and Old Fulton Street.
• Furman Street between Old Fulton Street and Atlantic Avenue.
• Old Fulton between Prospect Street and Furman Street.
• Columbia Heights between Montague Street and Old Fulton Street.

And if you miss the show? Don't worry: there will be more fireworks on July 5! According to the Brooklyn Eagle, Assemblyman William Boyland will host a 30-minute fireworks display at 8:30 p.m. on the 5th. Get details here.

UPDATE: Brooklyn July 4 Fireworks Crowds: Biggest Ever?

- Brooklyn's Pop-Up Park Gets Busier
- Quality Time at Brooklyn's Pop-Up Park

Photo by MK Metz

The Brooklyn Waterfall Package

We took a walk to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade yesterday and were amazed to see how tall the waterfall grid work (for one of the giant fake waterfalls designed by Danish artist Olafur Eliasson) has grown.

The tower, between Piers 4 and 5, is similar to the grid under the Brooklyn Bridge but it stands out more because there's nothing nearby.

Here's something we found in STLtoday:
"The Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park, the only luxury hotel featuring waterfall views from guest rooms, is promoting a waterfalls package that starts at $630 a couple a night. The package includes luxury harbor-view rooms equipped with telescopes, two tickets to [a] 60-minute cruise, complimentary shuttle bus service and breakfast for two."

Hmmn... Maybe we should offer tourists our own Brooklyn waterfall package. It might include a walking tour along the Promenade to peer at the back of Waterfall #1 (and hear amazing stories about Robert Moses and his Highway from Hell), a stroll down the hill to Fulton Ferry Landing for ice cream at the factory and a some American History fun facts, a ramble over to Empire State Park to see the building without a roof and Waterfall #2, an art gallery or two, drinks and dinner at any of several fine Dumbo restaurants (or the River Cafe for our deluxe package), with either a grand finale concert at Barge Music or something cutting edge at St. Ann's.

Hotel: optional.

Photo by MK Metz
Giant Waterfall Grid Grows Under Brooklyn Bridge

The Day After Mothers Day in Brooklyn Heights

Today's storm brought down tree limbs and blew over newspaper boxes. But amazingly, left untouched was this loving shrine, which was erected on Columbia Heights near the Brooklyn Heights Promenade yesterday (we believe for Mothers Day).

The portrait (called "Kal-Margit" by Anders Forn) shows a woman in a long skirt sitting on a bench, knitting. On a tray in front of the painting is a jug of flowers, a candle and matches.

The candle was out and the matches were wet, but the light keeps shining on.

Photo by MK Metz

Sweet 16, in Brooklyn Heights

From out of nowhere, a flurry of Sweet 16 party participants flocked onto the Brooklyn Heights Promenade the other day.

Photo by MK Metz

Manhattan Lights -- From the Brooklyn Heights Promenade

Photo by MK Metz