Big Plans for Slave Theater

Brooklynite Jonathan Solari, a 26-year-old stage director, and producer Sarah Wolff have big plans for the culturally significant Slave Theater in Bed-Stuy.

See the Brooklyn Eagle to learn more -- and check out the photo of a young and rotund Al Sharpton hustling past the theater!

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Smorgasburg Opens in DUMBO Today (Sunday)

Starting today (Sunday, September 9), Smorgasburg expands to the Tobacco Warehouse in DUMBO.

The popular festival featuring food vendors and food products now happens in two locations every weekend: Saturdays as usual in Williamsburg between North 6th and North 7th St., at the East River; and Sundays on the DUMBO waterfront at the Tobacco Warehouse. Both locations are open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

More details at Brooklyn Flea.

- Smorgasburg Coming to DUMBO On Sundays = 'Smorgumbo?'
- Good Eatin' at Smorgasburg in Williamsburg
- MiMi and CoCo's Teriyaki Balls Crazy Hit at Smorgasburg

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Tornadoes in Brooklyn and Queens Confirmed

Serious clouds over Brooklyn yesterday. Photo: MKMetz

Not only did a tornado touch down in Queens yesterday, the National Weather Service confirms that a second tornado hit near Canarsie, Brooklyn, about 11 a.m. While the twister in Breezy Point received early attention, the winds in Brooklyn were actually stronger.

According to Wunderground, there was structural damage to several homes as well as damage
to several large trees in Canarsie Park.

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Tornado Watch Brooklyn and NYC Area -- Video: Touchdown at Breezy Point

If you need to go shopping, run out quick -- A tornado watch is in effect for Brooklyn, Queens and the entire New York City area. The National Weather Service warns that thunderstorms are expected this afternoon with heavy rains and possibly damaging wind gusts, mainly later today and early tonight.

UPDATE: Con Ed reports that roughly 200 residents have lost power in scattered outages across Brooklyn and Queens as of 1:45 p.m.

An earlier tornado watch issued this morning has expired. Firefighters are responding to reports of a possible tornado strike in Breezy Point, Queens.

UPDATE: Below is a video by Roy Currlin confirming that yes, it was a tornado. The video starts with what looks like a gray cloud over the water. At about the two-minute point you can see the funnel. At the two-minute and thirty-second point you can see pieces of the Breezy Point Surf Club getting ripped to shreds.



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Even with Two Broken Arms, M.S. 8 Principal Phillips Opens New Middle School

What a trooper: P.S. 8 Principal Seth Phillips showed up to greet students at the new M.S. 8 middle school in the Westinghouse complex on Tillary Street with not one but two broken arms! The Brooklyn Eagle says that he broke his arms Saturday in a "soccer mishap."

This dedication is typical of Phillips who is legendary fr going the extra mile for kids attending Brooklyn Heights' P.S. 8.

The new middle school is roughly half a mile away from the elementary school.

More at the Eagle.

Photo of Westinghouse steps by MK Metz

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The 15-Second 'Contagion' Summary (From Last Night's Brooklyn Showing)

Last night the NYC Office of Emergency Management kicked off National Preparedness Month by scaring the bejeebers out of us with a screening of "Contagion" in Cadman Plaza Park in Downtown Brooklyn / Brooklyn Heights.

We learned four things from the film, which revolves around the rapid spread of a highly contagious and deadly virus.

The first is never travel to Hong Kong, and if you do NEVER shake hands with a chef who walks out of the kitchen wiping his hands on his apron.

The second is never shake hands with anyone, period. Also, don't touch other people's cell phones, playing cards, napkins or poker chips.

The third is that forsythia doesn't work, and has never worked.

And the fourth is that one guy is gonna be immune, but you are not that guy.

We took a few photos of the film as it was projected and present them here for folks who haven't seen it yet:

MAN: Can I just speak to an administrator or something? Anybody.

Okay. We'll put the air lock here.

Excuse me, Dr. Mears. Is this coming out of your budget or ours?

Yeah, good. I'm going into a meeting with . . .

Taco Bell.

--It's Andrew.
--Uh, sorry Andrew. I can't let you in.

--Erin, just -- You're gonna be okay.
--No, I know. I know.

(damn)

And that about wraps it up, except for the ending, which we won't spoil for folks who haven't seen it yet.

It was a beautiful night under the stars and the twin blue lights of the World Trade Center's annual “Tribute in Light." And hey, OEM handed out free T-shirts and flashlights!

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New Athletic Complex at Brooklyn College; Clarke's Blooper; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- A brand new $4.5 million state-of-the-art athletic complex at Brooklyn College has seemingly popped out of nowhere. Catch the photos at the Brooklyn Eagle.

- Help the bus driver who caught a falling girl in his arms. Gothamist

- NYPD issues more tickets to drinking pedestrians than speeding drivers. Streetsblog

- Clarke's history of slavery blooper stuns 'Colbert' viewers. Brooklyn Eagle

- Cops arrested a 24-year-old Brooklyn man who allegedly cut off a 40-year-old’s right thumb with a sharpened metal rod. The Local

- Giant pie fight this weekend. Brokelyn

- 92-year-old Kentucky WWII vet shoots and kills home invader with one shot to the heart. Gawker

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'Contagion' Screening Thursday Night in Cadman Plaza Park, Brooklyn

If you run over to Cadman Plaza Park in Downtown Brooklyn / Brooklyn Heights right now (Thursday night) you can catch a screening of "Contagion," which appears to have started a few minutes ago, possibly with a musical prelude.

The medical thriller is being aired in honor of September is National Preparedness Month. The NYC Office of Emergency Management is kicking off the month with the screening.

The movie is great, if you like a tense atmosphere (and who doesn't?) -- Bring a blanket.


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Black, Vaguely Menacing Banners Blanket Prospect Heights

Creepy black banners with an X-ray-style image of a seemingly radioactive cityscape under the chilling words, "September Is Just the Beginning" have suddenly appeared all over Prospect Heights.

Atlantic Yards Report, which has photos of the banners, said people in the neighborhood voiced "widespread" dismay at a meeting last night.

Terrorist threat?

Forest City Ratner says no, it's just "the Barclays Center marketing program, sold via NYC and Company," the city tourism agency.

Great imagery, guys.

UPDATE: The banners have mysteriously disappeared, AYR reports. 

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An Armada, Soon to Set Sail on Newtown Creek

Photo: Newtown Creek Armada

The Newtown Creek Armada will be floating a fleet of artist-made, miniature, remote-controlled boats along Newtown Creek’s pungent surface starting this Saturday, September 8, at 1 p.m.

Visitors are invited to pilot the boats -- which are equipped with underwater video cameras -- across one of America's most polluted waterways.

Description: "Video portholes at the project site give visitors a chance to virtually immerse themselves in the toxic waters of this Superfund site, with video pieces traveling past its oil slicks, sewage overflows, and returning nature."

The Armada is a collaboration between three Brooklyn artists – Laura Chipley, Nathan Kensinger, and Sarah Nelson Wright – who do art about industry, ecology, and change in urban spaces. They put this art installation together in partnership with the North Brooklyn Public Art Coalition (nbART) with support from the North Brooklyn Boat Club.

Artist George Trakas and Newtown Creek Alliance's Katie Zidar will be the first pilots.

The Armada is free and open to the public from 1-4 p.m. at the Newtown Creek Nature Walk at Paidge Avenue in Greenpoint on the following dates:
Saturday, Sept. 8 [opening ceremony]
Sunday, Sept. 9
Saturday, Sept. 15
Saturday, Sept. 22
Saturday, Sept. 29
Sunday, Sept. 30

More: www.newtowncreekarmada.org

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