Views of a born and bred Brooklynite. (umbrooklynborn@gmail.com) This blog satisfies my need to hear and air feelings of B'klyn from the people whose life experience were born here. Hopefully it'll balance to some of the revisionist historical musings I've seen as if Bklyn barely existed before the 90's. Brooklyn as Tabula Rasa. If we can all live as best possible while appreciating the past and neighbors we've inherited that would be great too.
So while the views may not be all fun and the sun like Memorial Day weekends past (above) Coney Island will be open, the rides will be churning and considering the damage wrecked on the shores after Sandy, this is still a time to get out and celebrate.
If you need any more encouragement (you people..) There are many of the same weekend festivals goings on, Smorgasburg, Brooklyn Flea, The Lewis Avenue Flea in Bed-Stuy, and of course that annual favorites of Brooklyn culture:
Here's some pics from the Dance Africa Festival of years past:
For those who don't know the yearly festival features a series of musical, theatrical, and all around dynamic events at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) and this weekend will be complimented by street vendors of everything from clothing to home furnishings to some of the best Pan-African-Caribbean-American food you'll find in New York City.
From the website: "Created by Chuck Davis in 1977, DanceAfrica—the nation’s largest festival dedicated to African dance—brings together dance, music, film, and an array of community events for an exhilarating celebration of culture from Africa and its diaspora."
So here's my silver-lining take away; I'm counting on the less than perfect weather to shorten all those foodlines from WillyB to Brooklyn Academy of Music. Yum! Plus a Birthday Party for DJ "Uncle" Ralph McDaniels, can't be a certain type of Brooklynite and miss that!
Check BAM for more details. Running May 17- May 27th
Hurricane Irene had a good run. Like an unwanted crackhead calling to say she's on her way, we feared the worse, but thankfully she tripped up on the doorstep and was too much of a mess to be a focused disruption.
There is flooding in low-lying areas, which includes MTA trainyards in Coney Island and North-East Harlem, each near the water. For that and other reasons the subways are still down, I hope the city isn't punting on Monday and they at least put the buses back in service.
For those who think the flooding fears were unwarranted check out this photo from Chelsea near 11th ave by Scott Witt:
Still the dreaded storm surge of water, pushed in by the hurricane, aimed at the low seawalls of the waterfront, The Battery and the financial district didnt come as high as feared. There was flooding along the water's edge on the west side highway and other sea-leveled areas like Gowanus. Areas of Brooklyn and Queens that generally flood in big storms did again. And trees across the city are being uprighted or collected after being uprooted.
Overall we've weathered the storm and can get back to our personal calamities.
I found this is sort of throwback Brooklyn story in the NY Times, I couldn't understand the headline so I had to read the article, which I guess is the hallmark of a good headline.
The article is an obituary of Nat Allbright, who was a baseball announcer, of games he never saw.
Speaking of baseball (but in the present) for the second year I've attended a Brooklyn Cyclones game out at Coney Island. The minor league Cyclones (affiliates of the National League NY Mets, of course) pounded the Aberdeen Iron Birds (Baltimore Orioles farm club) pretty good.
In my more than humble opinion a game with the Cyclones is a good time to be had. The stadium is small but feels full and expansive. There are great sight-lines throughout the park and the background dressing of the Parachute Jump on one side, and the Cyclone rollercoast in the distance add to the easy summer atmosphere. Games also manage a lovably corny air with enjoyably hokey family friendly entertainment between innings and lots of local characters. Best enjoyed with a group, sitting behind home plate. Oh and if you sit along the foul lines, be ready to catch or duck.
(above) "Summer Breeze" Recorded by: by Seals And Crofts available on
(That's my attempt to show appreciation for my usage of "Summer Breeze"
The days have been breezing by this summer, for me at least. Last year, without going to deep was one of me floating on a raft too small in an ocean too big. This sun season, I'm on a yacht, not mine, but still a comfortable passenger and often going too fast to notice my travels.
All that to say this post will be a digest of what's past and what I've noticed of late in regards to Brooklyn, New York and me this summer (so far):
The tree terrorist is back. Sunday morning I spotted branches ripped from Bedford thru Franklin and down Eastern Parkway. (photos to come) Last week I saw branches ripped off down Eastern Parkway all the way to Grand Army plaza. I presume this is still the reason.
also
The apartment building that was heavily damaged by fire last year at the corner of Franklin Av and Park which housed many residents and two beloved eateries, seems to be getting renovations after a year without residents. Men were unloading trucks with bricks and other construction materials into the building during the week of July 1st. (photos to come)
and
In the midst of the heatwave (Which I missed) Con Ed kept trying to keep Brooklynites and Bronxies (what are the Bronx denizens called?) by threatening to cut power if we didn't first. I saw one of those enormous trucks with the feeder-cables sitting on Franklin as ConEd workers went down on Park. But we seemed to have come through it all fine.(photos to come)
plus
Just when New Yorkers though LeBron's going to Miami would suck all the sports news out of the air, it was suddenly time to say goodbye to George Steinbrenner. A man who let's face it handled more money that most of us every will, who affected the news, the people and the city and occassionally the world in away many never have, and who (this is important to my sensibilities) came from advantage like most people who have affect on the world. All that to say he was not the common man. But his life in New York made you, if you were a certain kind of New Yorker, feel he was as reachable as putting your hands on the concrete at the base of the Empire State Building. He was a tangible part of New York for Millions of New Yorkers who would never meet him, and who frankly he gave to, but overall took from. I quantify that last statement by fact that the New Yankee Stadium was built with around $1 Billion in public subsidized money and that the new stadium's revenues go to the Steinbrenner family and not to the city despite building on city land and enjoying city cops as security among other unpaid for city services.
However in terms of passing, I felt a shift in my perceptions with the passing of George Steinbrenner as much for his outsized personality as for my own sense of time and place. officially another aspect of the life I've lived, the place I knew has ceased to be part of the now and is forever more the then. I don't think that's over stating considering my entire life has known the character of the Boss representing a certain NYC archetype, brooding and billowing in the Bronx and now that mountain moves from the earth to the memory.
In a related story the times has this piece written by the son of a woman who as a young woman got to know a young George, it's a sweet series of anecdotes about "the Boss" that show how we're all young, at least once:
Last week was Summer event crazy with The Roots, Talib Kweli, Bajah and the Dry Eye Crew and more at the Prospect Park, Jimmy Cliff (!) at Summer Stage in Central Park, The Soul Summit (Dance Party) back at Fort Greene Park, and non stop line up of events performances and concerts at other parks around the city. I didn't write about any cause I was too busy getting down.
Next up at the MLK Jr Concert series at Wingate Field and Seaside Summer Concert series Asser Levy Park/Seaside Park, are these events
Here a schedule for the Martin Luther King Jr. and Seaside concert series in Brooklyn. All shows start at 7:30 p.m., and are free. Information: (718) 222-0600 or brooklynconcerts.com
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. SERIES Wingate Field, Brooklyn Avenue, between Rutland Road and Winthrop Street, Wingate.
Monday: Toni Braxton
July 26: Musiq Soulchild and Chrisette Michele
Aug. 2: Salt-N-Pepa, Naughty by Nature and Slick Rick
Aug. 9: Aretha Franklin
Aug. 16: BeBe and CeCe Winans, and Fred Hammond
Aug. 23: Sean Paul and the Mighty Sparrow
SEASIDE SUMMER CONCERT SERIES Asser Levy Park/Seaside Park, West Fifth Street and Surf Avenue, where Brighton Beach meets Coney Island.
Thursday: The Beach Boys, the Turtles, the Monkees and Mark Lindsay
July 29: George Thorogood and the Destroyers, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes
Aug. 5: John Legend
Aug. 12: Aretha Franklin
Aug. 19: The B-52s and Belinda Carlisle
Aug. 26: Annual Latino Music by the Sea concert
And I want to draw attention to a few blogs I read.
First the Kensington Stories written by Ron Lopez. His perspective comes as a life time resident raised in the neighborhood of Kensington, think Church Avenue on the F (and now G) Train (although he always writes about his place up state). We've exchanged some letters and Ron's a good guy with good stories of the old neighborhood ( I lived there for three years, but a bit after Ron's day).
Next up is back2brooklyn.blogspot written by Nora Campisi. I don't know much about Nora, but her stories are authentic Bensonhurst, Brooklyn and come with some great photos.
Ah summer... hot, outdoors and thanks to less than civil Brooklynites, filty.
I'm reposting from Gothamist, the Brooklyn Paper and the Daily News with stories and video of Prospect Park post 4th of July trash strewn, and the ashtray formerly known as Coney Island beach thanks to careless smokers. Although in fareness Coney Island while dirty is still cleaner than it used to be....
The Daily News writes:
The Daily News was easily able to gather a small mountain of butts from the sand - nearly 1,000 in all - as the holiday crowds thinned on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
"It's disgusting," said Michael Austine, 50, of Middle Village, Queens, as he surveyed the tobacco addicts' litter.
Meanwhile from Prospect Park comes this video narrated by Gersh Kuntzman of the Brooklyn Paper:
One thing I notice in the video of the park is some people seemed to try and use the trash bins available, but the parks could clearly use more. Perhaps bringing out large dumpsters for Holiday weekends or having staffers come by at the end of the day and point out to park goers where to dump. Maybe that would help with clean up?
The following statement from the Parks Department's Adrian Benepe, regarding not only Prospect Park but all city parks:
“The July 4 holiday weekend, fireworks display, and the extremely hot weather together made for a triple-whammy as huge crowds flocked to the city’s beaches, pools and parks.
More than 2.4 million went to the city’s 14 miles of beach over the three-day weekend, with more than 1.1 million on Monday alone, watched over by a large municipal lifeguard corps. The 54 outdoor pools were filled to capacity, and tens of thousands more made use of spray showers in over 450 parks. Massive crowds also arrived at all the traditional picnic and barbecue spots.
At Prospect Park, clean-up crews were out working in the park every day of the long, holiday weekend from 5 am until midnight as thousands of park goers enjoyed picnicking and barbecuing from early in the morning to late in the evening. The clean-up continues all day today and throughout the week and the summer ahead, and we ask for New Yorkers to pitch in by carrying trash to the receptacles provided and leaving it neatly placed next to the receptacles if they fill up.
Don’t dump your coals near a tree because it will kill its roots. Recycle your bottles and cans. And remember, every time you re-use a water bottle, that’s one less plastic bottle going to a landfill.”
Ah summer time of fitting in more temperate joy than there are hours in a day..
I'm thinking of hitting up the Mermaid Parade at Coney Island in a few hours and giving some love to the Brooklyn Boardwalk.
Also tonight at Coney Island is the season opening for the Brooklyn Cyclones, the Mets' minor league team, they face off against, who else, the Staten Island Yankees!
This past weekend started with the threat of messy storms and ended (for me at least) with a purifying rain dance.
The weekend was just getting going Friday when I can across this young brother, I don't know the specific why he was at this bus stop near Classon Av, but he was playing a soulful brand of bluesy sound all of a sudden.
Like to hear it, here it go! (warning there will be a loud burp, not me, but my apologies)
After last Friday's controversial debate which resulted in the Michael Jackson/Spike Lee Block Party being moved from Fort Greene to Prospect Park I decided Saturday to refresh my memory of the area and see if it was as far from a grocery store, deli, bodega, restaurant and or cafe as I remember. It is.
As you can see from the pix, it's a lovely plot of land, but expect a walk to get to the back of the bus park, Nethermead.
My travels through the park brought me close enough to the heart of Flatbush, to be lured by nostalgia. I lived a lot of years in Flatbush and yet somehow it doesn't make it's way into my blog as much as it's in my heart.
I'm reminded every time i pass this way how much of a shopping/commercial center this part of the borough is, on pare with Fulton Street(Downtown and Bed-Stuy), Pitkin Av, in the way retail centers used to be arranged but not totally unified, the way a strip mall would be. It's also impressive to see the amount of people and business that are still out here, from Sears, to Staples, Rainbow shops these are the businesses local residents rely on for their shopping needs. One aside, it never made sense to drive through this part of Flatbush, and as you can see, it still doesn't.
And then I decided to look for food, and I really was looking for some Jerk Chicken, or Veggie Roti, but my fave Jerk spot has gone (was on Flatbush between Clarkson and Lenox Rd) morphed into a vegetarian restaurant called "Zen" (but no Palet). So I trekked on seeking Caribbean culinary flare and wound up here:
Why? Because I haven't had a slice here in at least a decade and if memory serves this is the first place I was introduced to pizza. I used to live (everywhere in Brooklyn) and among many addresses I lived just off Cortelyou Road with my Mom, as a child. We'd take the bus from Crown Heights, and wait forever for the B23 (which used to start it's run right in front of the pizzeria) to come take us down to East 3rd and Cortelyou. I remember one particularly long wait led my mom to go in and the rest was history, or at least the subject of a longer post, which I'll write later.
So I stopped. And thought to myself,"how many years have these guys been here?" And in answer to my query there was the sign adorning the top of the joint, signaling it's 40 year anniversary. So I went in. The place is changed, but then when I lived here there were still solid vestiges of the 40s and 50s visible in this part of Flatbush. For example a theater on the slender side of Cortelyou at Flatbush Avenue had been there since vauville, it was closed when I was a kid but still very prominent in it's antiquey details. The Albemarle was still there and it's where I saw the Empire Strikes Back (I came out of that screening so despondent at Luke's predicament that my mom consoled me with the very first McDonald's "Happy Meal". It worked. When the Albermarle closed in the 80's it became this church: Not to be confused with the long dormant Loews Kings Theater (below), one of the few things I truly agree with the Boro Prez on, (that the theater should be preserved and reused as such.
These are a few examples of why it's so amazing that Antonios' Pizza is still going. Up until the 70's this area was a mix of Italian, Irish and African-Americans with trace amounts of Middle Easter and Hispanic pops, now if I don't hear a Caribbean accent I feel almost certain I'm listening to a new-comer.
Anyway as I'll detail later, I had a little convo with the workers there, before gobbling down my slice with sausages (not how I used to but times change) and taking off again.
Eventually I was surrounded by residences and block parties: and I was so far from the city side of Brooklyn that it only made sense to head for the sea. I was especially curious if I'd see any effect from the then Hurricane Bill on the shore.
I headed aimlessly on to Midwood, another place I've spent a chunk of life-time and all I got was the remembrance that Midwood streets (in addition to being well served by the city, thanks to an influential constituency) are really wide. Insanely wide. It most have been part of the planning when these tracts of land were made, to create boulevard style lanes, but damn, you could build new blocks in the center of these streets. Ocean Parkway isn't much different, but at least it calls it self a parkway:
On the way, I had to stop in Brighton Beach. After all if I shows love to my Caribbean Gangsters (not really) how can I neglect my Russian Mobsters (really not really). I strolled down the ave and this is what I saw:
Russian Signage! The next time the "English as official Language" choir starts up, demanding all Spanish language signs come down, I'd like to see them pitch their shtick out here in "Little Odessa". If Boris doesn't have to write signs in English, why should Juan have to? Gawking ate signs gave way to staring at rows of pastries which I ate and ate
Btw this placed just opened: and they were having beer specials (shout out to my comrades!)
Finally I reached the ocean (not really) and at Coney Island there was...Dancing! I'd totally forgotten about the long running Coney Island Dancers' Boardwalk Dance Party.
It's free, fun and every Saturday during the summer. The Coney Island Dancers (who dance in many places actually) have a myspace page with event info, you can also join the Organic (dance) Movement, another group dedicated to social dancing, here.
Saturday ended with nightfall at Coney, no Hurricane in sight, but I did spot a Cyclone. Followed by a frigid Q train home.
Sunday Three words. Soul Summit, baptismal.
I got confirmation earlier that yesterday would be the last Soul Summit of the year and peoples and nature proved yet again that Fort Greene Park can handle a party.
As hearts, hours and rhythm pulsed on, all things were joined by a trickle of rain that became a downpour. Each boost of rain intensity was answered by joyous shouts and enraptured words from the crowd. Then the music stopped, and the party..? See for yourself.
And that was my weekend. Only a few summer weekends left, don't miss them.
Friday, July 10, 2009 7:30 p.m. (this one I'm late on, I know...) Celebrate Brooklyn! Presents Los Amigos Invisibles & Aterciopelados A featured performance as part of the Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC), this double bill brings together two great South American acts. http://www.prospectpark.org/calendar/event/141658
Saturday July 11th
Saturday, July 11th at 2pm Yes there is more than one Flea in Brooklyn and Councilmember James will be there! "Smoothie Making Event at the Franklin/Sterling Flea Market Council Member Letitia James and Carleen Haughton, owner of Bristen’s Eatery located at 751 Franklin Avenue, will be serving up fresh smoothies to the community on Franklin Avenue and Sterling Place (next to 751 Franklin Avenue)"
ALL DAY Saturday Every year on July 11th (7/11 get it?) 7-Eleven celebrates their birthday by giving away Free Slurpees!!! And today on their 82nd birthday they will give away 7.11 ounce slurpees at over 6,000 locations. Store locator: http://www.7-eleven.com/StoreLocator/tabid/214/Default.aspx
Sat. July 11 - 11:45 AM Brewed in Brooklyn Tour ($45:holy crap!) includes: A private tour+A slice of pizza+Stories of brewing+Tastings of traditional German beer and Brookyn beer with gourmet small plates at Huckleberry Bar. http://www.urbanoyster.com/brewed-in-brooklyn-tour.html
Sat. July 11, 4:00 PM A Very Special Show with They Might Be Giants Featuring Readings of Keats Stories by Claudia Marshall of WFUV http://www.tmbg.com/index1.html
"Brooklyn Bridge Flea takes place directly under the world's most beautiful bridge...vendors of vintage furniture, clothing, collectibles and antiques, as well as new jewelry, art and crafts by local artisans, plus delicious food...open from 11am to 6pm every Sunday." http://www.brownstoner.com/brooklynflea/
Sunday July 12th 1-8pm Afro-Punk Block Party: Clinton Ave between Myrtle and Willoughby FREE! "The 2nd Annual Afro-Punk Block Party, Live Music, DJs and D.I.Y. Fashion, food and craft vendors...underground and local artists, performances by John Forte, Joya Bravo, Maiysha Shinobi Ninja" http://www.afropunk.com/page/afropunk-2009
By now you probably know the Astroland section of Coney Island's storied amusement center has closed, most likely forever. As is my way I got a story from my childhood, I'll make it short.
There was a tower ride at Astroland called the Enterprise. Shaped like a donut on a pole, it simply went up, reallly slowly, while revolving (even slower). Once it reached it's peak, maybe higher than the Cyclone, it stopped motionless and after a while it came down.
My mom took me on the Enterprise when I was six. She was thrilled by the slow enterprise and had been looking out into the distance when she glanced back at me looking bummed. She apologized for the ride being so boring. To my (and maybe her) surprise I consoled her with the truth, I loved it. I had never seen anything from so high up, and the view of the ocean, beach, Coney Island and the city in the distance, it blew my mind in a quiet way.
That day was my first time on the rides at Astroland, and it's gone and to be honest, there's been so many things closed in this city in the short span of ten years (Empire Skate, the Roxy, CBGB's, Florent, Tonic, Vinyl, Wetlands, The Tunnel, The Brooklyn Jewish Hospital, Albee Square Mall, Gil Hodges Lanes; The Kenmore, Plaza, Metropolitan and Duffield movie theaters to name a few, that I have final fatigue.
So as far as Astroland goes, I'll never forget how much more exciting it was for my mother to watch me ride the rides, than the rides were themselves, especially now that she's gone. But like her and alot of other things, memories is all we got now, and the best we can do is hang on to and make the most of out of whatever emotions we got left.
Gowanus Lounge had this intensely anti-climatic video of the closing at Astroland, which demonstrates why memories are better than endings.
But don't worry the Cyclone and Wonder Wheel will be there next year. -ubb
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