Thursday evening a lovely sound echoed along Henry Street in Brooklyn Heights as a come-as-you-are pickup choir sang their hearts out in front of the First Presbyterian Church.
Accompanying the singers were musicians playing guitar, keyboards and drums.
The sing will be repeated every Thursday evening, and all are invited.
Photos by MK Metz
Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.
Friday, July 10, 2009
A Joyful Noise On Henry Street, Brooklyn Heights
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Whole Foods Gives Up On Gowanus, and More Brooklyn Briefs UPDATED
- Remember mail? The U.S. Postal Service has placed the Ovington Postal Station at 6803 Fourth Ave. on its possible closure list, and postal outlets all over Brooklyn could be on the block. Brooklyn Eagle
- That was easy: After a two and a half-year battle, a Sheepshead Bay man won a court ruling throwing out a $115 parking ticket. He spent $650 on court costs. NY Daily News
- Whole Foods finally gives up on Gowanus. Brooklyn the Borough via Brooklyn Paper Not so! See the radical update HERE.
- Dozens of turtles -- 78, to be exact -- shut down a runway at JFK yesterday. NY Times City Room
- That was stupid: A New Mexico police chief tasered a 14-year-old girl in the head; she had to have surgery. Huffington Post
- Hotels seek bed bug solutions. Crain's New York
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Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Bastille Day 2009 in Brooklyn: This Sunday on Smith Street
(Note: for 2010 Bastille Day information, see here.)
Petanque, Gauloises cigarettes, Ricard, French music, French food, even a guillotine. Smith Street will celebrate Bastille Day Sunday and there's something for everyone.
The biggest Bastille Day in the U.S. takes place from noon - 10 p.m. this year. (Last year it ended at 8 p.m. and nobody wanted to go home.) The street will be covered in sand for the famous petanque tournament, played with tennis-ball-sized metal balls. 80 teams from around the world are competing this year, and the competition will be fierce.
Bar Tabac is a major sponsor (along with Robin des Bois and Ricard). Last year, people were dancing in the street, and the Blue Orchard orchestra (right) 
made you feel like you were in Paris.
An exciting skateboard tournament will be held on the north end of Smith Street as well.
UPDATE: Ever wonder how Smith Street gets covered in so much sand? See here.
UPDATE2: Photos of the 2009 Bastille Day happenings here.
For more photos and video of previous Bastille Day events, see:
- Bastille Day in Brooklyn: The French Conquer Smith Street
- Brooklyn's Bastille Day: Smith Street, Sunday
- Bastille Day in Brooklyn -- La Rue de Smith Sautait!
- Bastille Day Rendez-Vous 2008: Pétanque, Bal Musette And... The Solex: Pardon Me for Asking
- Smith Street Goes French Again Brooklyn Eagle
- Bastille Day Means Pentanque on Smith Street Bergen Carroll
Photos by MK Metz
Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Welcoming the Little People
You may have noticed an unusual number of little people -- dwarfs and other short folks -- milling about Downtown Brooklyn and Brooklyn Heights recently. Turns out there's a Little People (LP) convention at the Brooklyn Marriott, bringing roughly 3,000 LP to the neighborhood.
Brooklyn is welcoming the little people with open arms, says the Brooklyn Eagle. (They certainly are injecting much-needed dollars into the local economy!) And the little people bring a new perspective to normal-sized locals, who never realized what some people have to go through just to get a coke out of a soda machine.
The convention features workshops focusing on the concerns and special problems of little people (health problems, and how to deal with staring and teasing, for example) and offers plenty of opportunities for LP to meet each other and socialize.
The Eagle lists one workshop many Brooklynites might find useful: A “Women’s Safety Awareness Seminar” which provides LP women with such practical defensive tactics such as the "Stiletto Stomp," "Handbag Hurl" and "Brutal Brush.”
The word "midget," by the way, is considered an offensive term to many little people, according to NY1.
Photo by MK Metz
Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.
NYC Subway Station Cuts: Search By Your ZIP Code
We were looking at the twitter site of the New York City Comptroller's Office last night and ran across a tweet linking us to a search-by-ZIP code directory of proposed subway station cuts. 
We weren't too worried until we typed in our ZIP: 11201. But then we were pretty shocked to find that the city is planning to eliminate both full- and part-time station agents at the Bergen, Court, High, Hoyt, Jay and Nevins Street stops.
In some ZIP codes, there are no changes planned. But in others -- like ZIP code 11215 -- whole station booths are being eliminated.
Search for your stations here.
Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Breaking Ground On Bushwick Inlet Park
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe broke ground Monday on the first phase of Bushwick Inlet Park on Kent Avenue between North 9th and North 10th Streets in the Greenpoint and Williamsburg neighborhoods of Brooklyn.
According to a release from the City, this is the first section of the 28-acre Bushwick Inlet Park, envisioned in the 2005 waterfront rezoning of Greenpoint and Williamsburg, part of Mayor Bloomberg’s effort to transform the City’s waterfront and open it up to all.
The first phase of Bushwick Inlet Park -- expected to be completed in winter 2010 -- will include the construction of a synthetic turf multipurpose field for soccer, football, etc. Construction on the second phase will begin early next year and will create public waterfront access, a playground and a new sustainable building with community and Parks maintenance space.
In photo (left to right): Steve Hindy, chair, Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn (OSA); Council Member David Yassky; Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe; Mayor Michael Bloomberg; BP Markowitz; Assembly Member Joseph Lentol
Photo by Kathryn Kirk
Setting the Rosenwach Tanks on Fire, and More Brooklyn Briefs
- Around 9 p.m. on July 4 some idiot hipsters shooting off fireworks in Williamsburg set the Rosenwach Tanks (makers of rooftop water tanks) on fire. Brooklyn 11211 and newyorkshitty
- Bay Ridge is experiencing an outbreak of car-up-on-blocks-itus. Brooklyn Eagle
- Here are three uncrowded beaches that most folks don't know about (until now). New York Magazine
- How about the "Brooklyn Nets of New Jersey?" Oy! No Land Grab
- Phony Mister Softee ice cream trucks were operating out of a junkyard near the Greenpoint Avenue Bridge in Brooklyn. Philadelphia Inquirer via Brooklyn11211
- The New York City Council has approved the School Construction Authority proposal to demolish P.S. 133 in Park Slope. Brooklyn Eagle
- Drinking coffee may reverse Alzheimer's disease. BBC
- Several Democratic senators including John Sampson of Brooklyn have appeared for work in Albany "with bullish bodyguards and other 'body men.'' NY Post
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Does This Mean They're Hungry?
We were walking past the little fish pond on Monroe Place in Brooklyn Heights when the fish swam up to the edge and repeatedly opened and closed their mouths. We took this to mean it was feeding time.
We hope it doesn't mean that they were shouting to us in tiny little fish voices, because that would just be weird.
Photo by MK Metz
Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Party to Benefit Rural Haiti
An event to benefit the Rural Haiti Project will be held in Bed-Stuy Brooklyn on Saturday, July 11th at 3 p.m. at The Compound's Atlantic Lofts, 1283-1287 Atlantic Ave. 718-404-4627.
Events include a silent art auction, (portion of proceeds will be donated to Rural Haiti Project) with artwork by Aki Baker, Ron Baker, Bryan Collins, Brett Erickson, Anita Rundles, Ernest Hood, Opie Snow, Herve Sabin and more.
Original jewelry and clothing, and body projects for sale; live performances by "Lose Your Mind!!!" Plus: Markus Schwartz; Belly Dancing By Dwan Daniels; Fire performance by Donia Love; Kids' fashion show by Crembebe Kids & Hula-Hooping all day with Kayti bunny; good food.
What is "The Compound"?
A Brooklyn-based social networking group of artists, local businesses, and activists called theCOMPOUNDbrooklyn. Every month, they get together in their enormous Atlantic Loft's back yard to raise funds for good causes, raise awareness of important social issues, and build a stronger community. Their favorite tag line is "Brooklynites united around a single gazebo with the aim to save the world, one party at a time."
Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.
July 4 in Brooklyn: Good Times (In Spite of the Fireworks)
The fireworks may have exploded over Manhattan this year, but the 4th of July was celebrated as usual in Brooklyn with music, good food and relaxed bonhomie.
Photos taken at Sahadi's, Cafe on Clinton and other spots in Brooklyn Heights and Cobble Hill by MK Metz
Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.
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