There have been scores (if not hundreds) of pedestrians and bikers injured or killed in recent times on treacherous Adams Street in Downtown Brooklyn. (See here for more on this.)
This isn't a new phenomenon, however. Even before there were autos, the intersection of Adams, Willoughby and Fulton Street could be a dangerous place. Here's part of a story published in the New York Times in 1903:
The falling derrick caused pandemonium. Scores of live wires threatened instant death to terrified pedestrians. When the derrick came into contact with the live trolley wires, it formed a circuit that caused flames to explode across the tops of Downtown Brooklyn buildings, including the Citizen Building.
Amazingly, not one person was killed. See the Times for the full story.
Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Adams Street Brooklyn -- Always Accident Prone?
First Strawberries, Brooklyn
We got to the strawberries before the critters did!
They're coming in fast and furious now.
Photo by MK Metz
Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Short Films, Live Bands, Dumbo
Myopenbar.com sent us this listing:
Thursday, June 4th: Kelso Beer, baked stuff for sale, $5 suggested donation /6pm
The Cinema 16 series is one of the finer examples of curation, DIY spirit, and collaboration in Brooklyn-based entertainment. The premise is simple enough: obscure, visually engaging short films paired with live scores, written and performed for these films by local bands.
For this installment, Nick Yulman and the Bone Conductor Mechanical Orchestra score three films: Georges Méliès' magical short L'Homme Orchestre (One Man Band), Charles Bowers’ long-lost comical romp A Wild Roomer, and Maya Deren’s surrealist masterpiece Meshes of the Afternoon.
It takes place at Smack Mellon, 56 Water St., Dumbo, 718-834-8761
Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.
Dumbo Shopping Event This Weekend, June 6 and 7
Going to the Dumbo Flea this Sunday? Add on more Dumbo retail fun: A group of local independent clothing and jewelry designers working out of Dumbo have organized a weekend shopping event for this Saturday and Sunday (and perhaps ongoing every weekend), June 6th and 7th.
The indoor Corner Mrkt is on the corner of Jay and Front streets.
Designers include:
Aimee g, Arza Design, Cinderloop, Lauren Wimmer Jewelry, naturevsfuture, Radka Design, Rebecka Froberg, SAMOY LENKO, and more.
Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.
Blowout for 'Brooklyn Day' at Teddy's Bar & Grill, Williamsburg
From Teddy's:
On Thursday, June 4, for the occasion of “Brooklyn Day,” Teddy’s Bar & Grill, at the corner of N. 8th & Berry Streets in Williamsburg, will celebrate one of Brooklyn’s greatest and most famous assets: community.
There will be a night of fun, music and appreciation for the struggle of neighbors to build and improve their neighborhood. Teddy’s is Brooklyn’s oldest continuously operating tavern. Borough President Marty Markowitz is the invited guest of honor. Council Member David Yassky is also expected to attend. Local Brooklyn heroes will be honored for fighting for affordable housing.
Festivities begin at 7pm, with “DJ D” spinning the sounds of Brooklyn-born recording artists.
A music I.Q. test will be administered as “DJ D” hosts Brooklyn Bingo. Brooklyn Brewery will distribute promotional items and Yankees vs. Mets tickets. Brooklyn recording artist Strafe (“Set It Off”) will make a guest D.J. turn.
There will be a drawing for the monthly rent party. Half of the cash pot goes to the winner and the rest to build the new Northside Town Hall, once known as the “People’s Firehouse.
Teddy’s Bar & Grill has been a popular fixture in the community since it was built in 1887. Mae West once resided in an upstairs apartment. Teddy’s was an important political center, a meeting spot of Brooklyn’s own Tammany Hall.
Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.
It's Gone
A large cement blockToday --poof --it's gone.
Photo by MK Metz
Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.
Brooklyn's 'Gourmet Gestalt'
Why not take a foodie tour of Brooklyn?
In this week’s New York Magazine, Rob Raisfeld and Rob Patronite look at Brooklyn’s newest gourmet shops, from The New Brooklyn General Store -- which serves up artisanally made products like Hot Bread Kitchen tortillas and Salvatore Bklyn ricotta -- and Bklyn Larder -- a new shop on Flatbush that features bean-to-bar American chocolates, housemade gelati, and family-farm organic milk.
NYM adds Dumbo's Forager's Market and Blue Apron Foods in Park Slope to the list of those that exemplify Brooklyn's "Gourmet Gestalt." More here.
Photo by cwbuecheler, Creative Commons license
Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.
Atlantic Avenue ArtWalk 2009 -- This Weekend, June 6 and 7
The 6th Annual Atlantic Avenue ArtWalk takes place this weekend, June 6 and 7, from 1 - 6 p.m.
ArtWalk is an artist open 
studio tour featuring exhibitions, public art projects, live music, special events, with local businesses hosting promotions and events throughout the weekend. Events include film, public art, and activities for families and children. All events are free.
ArtWalk09 and local businesses are hosting a music series featuring everything from rock and acoustic to country and DJ sets all weekend long. Visit www.artwalk09.com for more details.
PLUS: ArtWalk 2009 Block Party: Saturday, June 6, 1-6 p.m. Nevins Street between Atlantic Avenue & Pacific Street
- Photos from Atlantic Avenue Artwalk '07
Photo by MK Metz
Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Brooklyn Artists Gym Open House
Friday, June 5, 5:30-8 p.m. 168 7th Street
More at BAG.
image: detail of "Born in Pink Glasses"
copyright Brian Zimbler
Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.
Your Summer Reading List: Brooklyn Book Festival Authors
Here's the idea: Get ahold of at least one book from as many of the authors featured at next September's Brooklyn Book festival as you can and read them this summer.
Then you'll be truly ready for this literary nirvana, which takes place Sunday, September 13, 2009, at Borough Hall, St. Francis College and the Brooklyn Historical Society.
Some of the participating authors: Dorothy Allison (Bastard out of Carolina); Jonathan Ames (The Alcoholic); Paul Auster (Man in the Dark; Travels in the Scriptorium); Russell Banks (Dreaming Up America; The Reserve); poet Staceyann Chin; Edwidge Danticat (Brother, I’m Dying, winner of the 2007 National Book Critics Circle Award); Nelson George (City Kid: A Writer’s Memoir of Ghetto Life and Post-Soul Success); A.M. Homes (The Mistress’s Daughter); George Lewis; musician Thurston Moore; Jonathan Lethem (Chronic City, You Don’t Love Me Yet); Achy Obejas (Ruins), winner of the Pulitzer Prize for journalism; Melvin Van Peebles, actor, director, screenwriter, playwright, composer; Francine Prose (Blue Angel, A Changed Man); Sonia Sanchez, poet, playwright; Esmeralda Santiago (When I was Puerto Rican); and Colson Whitehead (Sag Harbor; Apex Hides the Hurt).
Kids can play this game, too.
Youth and children’s writers include Judi Barrett (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs); Kate DiCamillo (The Tale of Despereaux; Because of Wynn Dixie); Mo Willems (Elephant and Piggie early readers); Sherman Alexie (The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, winner of the National Book Award for young people’s literature); Maureen Sullivan and Alison Josephs (Ankle Soup; Custard and Mustard); M.T. Anderson (The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing; Traitor to the Nation); and cartoonist Tom Tomorrow (The Very Silly Mayor).
This year, St. Francis College has created a $50,000 literary prize for an author’s fourth book of fiction. The winning author will be revealed on September 12 at the Brooklyn Book Festival Gala Mingle.
Visit brooklynbookfestival.org for the entire list (not yet available).
Top photo: Jimmy Breslin '08, by MK Metz; Bottom photo: Book Festival '08 crowd, by MK Metz
Posts
