HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY BROOKLYN.

BROOKLYN WEATHER: I think it’s going to rain today. High temperature: 40 degrees

BIG NEWS:  "The new Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, said in an interview this
weekend that the war with the Israelis is effectively over and that the
Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, is speaking "a different
language" to the Palestinians. Mr. Sharon’s commitment to withdraw from
Gaza and dismantle all Israeli settlements there and four in the West
Bank, despite "how much pressure is on him from the Israeli Likud
rightists," Mr. Abbas said, "is a good sign to start with" on the road
to real peace." Am I dreaming or what? Read more here.

LOCAL BEAT: Brooklyn Heights-based magazine, Modern Romance, angered many readers with its recent mostly nude cover picture of a bare-chested man and naked woman wrapped in each other’s arms. At the Love Lane offices of the magazine, Kathryn Falk, the magazine’s publisher, stands by her magazine’s racy break with romance taste and tradition.

_Renovation begins soon on the Park Slope Armory, which is being turned into a indoor sports center. Located at 8th between 14th and 15th streets, the renovated armory will house a community-use sports and education facility, as well as a women’s shelter. A non-profit organization called Take the Field Take, will be contributing $2 million for the renovations.  The Mayor and the City Council have each committed $6 million and the Borough President’s Office has committed $2 million for the job.

_Public school’s mid-winter recess is 2/20 – 2/25. Start making those playdates and plans.

DAILY DISC: Brooklyn’s own, Clem Snide. Soft Spot, (Spin Art) Play it all day long.

MONDAY:  BE YOUR OWN VALENTINE. Free portrait sittings by photographer
Hugh Crawford. Party and pictures at Fou Le Chakra. Seventh Avenue
between 13th and 14th Streets. 6:30 until 9:30.

MORE VALENTINE’S DAY FUN: Klezmer Valentine Concert at Barbes. 276 Ninth Street at 6th Avenue. 9:30.

GOOD EATIN’:  A romantic dinner at this cozy Ft. Greene bistro: Chez Oskar. Dekalb Avenue.

BEST CHOCOLATES: Brooklyn’s own Jacques Torres at Blue Apron Foods on Union Street just off Seventh Avenue.   

BEST PLACE FOR LAST MINUTE V-DAY GIFTS: The Clay Pot on Seventh Avenue between 1st Street and Garfield.

NEW SNEAKERS: Registration for the Brooklyn Half-marathon on March 19th is now open.

_The 10th Annual Cherry Tree 10-mile
race is on Saturday February 19th at 10 a.m.  To register stop by Slope
Sports. Seventh Avenue between Berkeley and St. Johns.

THIS SOUNDS COOL: Laurie Anderson performs her one woman with
violin show,  "The Song of the Moon" at BAM 2/22 – 3/1. "Anderson
weaves stories, music, songs, and words into epic portraits of American
culture."  Get your tickets here.

_The Wooster Group at Art at St. Anns "House/Lights" from Gertrude Steins, "Dr. Faustus."  38 Water Street. 2/19. 38 Water Street. DUMBO.

UP AHEAD: The Moonlighters, Hawaiian steel guitar swing. Barbes (see above) 276 Ninth Street at Sixth Avenue.  2/18. 10 p.m

FOR THE BIRDS: Great Backyard Bird Count at the Prospect Park Audubon Center. 2/19 at noon. Enter park at Lincoln and Ocean Avenue. Free.

MID-WINTER VACATION TIP: 8th Annual Sports and Arts in Schools Fest is a free 3-day long festival of sports and arts activities at Chelsea Piers, Lincoln Center, Queens Hall of Science, Riverbank State Park and Robert Clemente State Park. It’s open to NYC public school kids in groups of 10 accompanied by an adult during the mid-winter break from 9 a.m. until  3 p.m. To register, call Sports & Arts in Schools Foundation at (718) 786-7110.

HERE/SAY:   "Birds do it, bees do it, even educated fleas do it. Let’s do it, let’s fall in love."  Cole Porter