The Coney Island Mermaid Parade begins today at 2 p.m. If you want to be in it, you must register at 10 a.m. Here’s the info from the organizers:

The Mermaid Parade is a completely original creation that is that nation’s largest art parade and one of New York City’s greatest summer events.

Founded in 1983 by Coney Island USA, the not-for-profit arts organization that also produces the Coney island Circus Sideshow, the Mermaid Parade pays homage to Coney Island’s forgotten Mardi Gras which lasted from 1903 to 1954, and draws from a host of other sources resulting in a wonderful and wacky event that is unique to Coney Island.

Mermaid ParadeThe Mermaid Parade celebrates the sand, the sea, the salt air and the beginning of summer, as well as the history and mythology of Coney Island, Coney Island pride, and artistic self-expression. The Parade is characterized by participants dressed in hand-made costumes as Mermaids, Neptunes, various sea creatures, the occasional wandering lighthouse, Coney Island post card or amusement ride, as well as antique cars, marching bands, drill teams, and the odd yacht pulled on flatbed.

Each year, a different celebrity King Neptune and Queen Mermaid rule over the proceedings, riding in the Parade and assisting in the opening of the Ocean for the summer swimming season by marching down the Beach from the Boardwalk, cutting through Ribbons representing the seasons, and tossing fruit into the Atlantic to appease the Sea Gods. In the past, David Byrne, Queen Latifah, Ron Kuby, Curtis Sliwa, Moby, and David Johansen have graced our shores, presiding over the assembled masses.

The Parade is followed by the Mermaid Parade Ball, a post-parade gathering where costumed parade participants can get together with each other and parade spectators to listen to live music, purchase raffle tickets, and watch burlesque and sideshow acts performed by some of New York City’s hottest burlesque stars. Buy your tickets NOW!

Come on out and join us on one of Coney Island’s best days of the summer! We can’t wait to see you there!

There was a serious collision between a walker and a biker in Prospect Park yesterday.

A woman walking to an event at the Picnic House in Prospect Park was hit by a biker yesterday near 3rd Street on the drive in Prospect Park. A group of PS 321 third graders, teachers and parents were walking by just after it happened. One of the mothers told me that the walker was unconscious for quite a wahile and there was a great deal of blood on the scene. I later heard that the victim, who is recovering in a Brooklyn hospital, is an employee of the Department of Education and a member of an organization which helps educate teenage mothers.

Does anyone have more information about this accident? Know how the walker is doing? How’s the biker?

Last night’s blogging extravaganza was quite a success. I certainly didn’t expect so many people to show up. I’d say there were 75 people there and the room was packed.

I liked the geekiness of it. There was a video projector, a slide projector, numerous lap tops, a microphone, amps, speakers. Bloggers brought PowerPoint applications to show photographs and speech support. There was even Live blogging demonstrated by Daily Heights.

No Words Daily Pix (pictured left) was the AV guy: y’know the guy who plugs things in, adjusts, fixes, figures stuff out…

He did a fantastic job. Thank YOU!

Just before the show, he even figured out how to get the Old Stone House’s wireless working. "I used to work for Cisco, you know."

Everyone wore name tags: Hello My Name Is_____. That helped. Non-bloggers wrote things like reader, wanna be blogger, etc.

In addition to those who spoke, there other bloggers, too: the Gothamist, Sunset Parker, 431 Smith Street, Weird Nylon, Callalillie, Lex’s Folly. The editor of the Brooklynyte was there, as was a reporter from the New York Sun.

After the formal presentation, a party like atmosphere prevailed. Bloggers and others stayed around until almost 11 p.m.

Here is a list of those who spoke and a brief blurb about what they said:

A Brooklyn Life started her blog as an excuse to write. Her husband is the webmaster, her sister writes the Subway Reading column and a friend makes the music podcasts.

Atlantic Yards Report (Norman Oder) talked about the need for an alternative to the paltry coverage of Brooklyn in the mainstream media. His web site offers in-depth, comprehensive coverage of the Atlantic Yards Project.

Brownstoner, in disguise, talked about his new blog Brooklyn Record and the beginnings of Brownstoner, a real estate blog which is read by thousands every day.

Brooklyn Views showed PowerPoint views of the Atlantic Yards project.

Creative Time’s Eleanor Taubman said the song that summed up her blog is "Funkytown." "My passion lies in revealing the creative brilliance of people everywhere and in connecting those people to one another," she writes on her blog.

Daily Heights revealed that he is actually moving to, of all places, Philadelphia. He is hoping that his great community blog will continue.

Dope on the Slope delivered a hilarious history of blogging complete with a PowerPoint speaker support.

Design Sponge charmingly discussed her blog, which has caused quite a stir in the design world. It all started because she was always telling her boyfriend about this nice chair, this nice pillow and that table. Finally he said, "Why don’t you start a blog?" The rest is history. In addition to blogging, she writes a column for House and Garden and has a book coming out.

Gowanus Lounge is a longtime journalist and the Brooklyn corespondent for Curbed. He started a blog to showcase the gorgeous photographs he takes on weekends. His writing is good, too.

Joe’s NYC presented a stunning slide show of his photographs, which, he said, depict places that will soon be gone.

Lost and Frowned projected slides found on the street and told a hilarious story to go with them "Gabor Cooking School." Her blog is also quirky and fun.

No Land Grab spoke passionately of the importance of blogging about the Ratner project.

OTBKB read an excerpt from the Thomas Wolfe story, "Only the Dead Know Brooklyn."

No Words Daily Pix spoke!  It was wonderful to hear him talk about his amazing photos that grace the pages of OTBKB every day.

Travis Ruse projected many of the photographs he takes every day on his subway commute. He said he started this project as a way to show people around the world the way New Yorkers really live.

Not Only Brooklyn talked about his weekly e-mail newsletter which features listings of the best music, theater, film, literature, and art in Brooklyn and elsewhere.

I got this email from someone in Baltimore. If you know the answer to his question please post it in the comments section. Thanks.

I
was wondering if you knew on which street in Bed-Stuy that "Do the
Right Thing" was filmed?  I will be visiting Brooklyn on Sunday, and I
wanted to (respectfully) walk around the neighborhood, as DTRT is one
of my favorite movies ever.

 

I do not wish to go walking around Bed-Stuy asking the locals a
question they’ve probably heard a billion times. :-)  Exhaustive
Googling has produced nothing.

 

Any advice you can provide is appreciated.

Wendy Zarganis is About New York’s Brooklyn "guide." She called me up today to talk about the Brooklyn Blogfest. We had a nice chat. I may get to meet her next week at opening night of Brooklyn Film Works. She wrote the following about tonight’s Blogfest. She thinks my name is Judith. Oh well.

Tonight at 8pm: Some of Brooklyn’s best bloggers (and loyal/curious readers) will be attending the First Annual Brooklyn Blogfest.  Spearheaded by Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn, a.k.a., Judith Crawford, Blogfest looks to be a celebration of Brooklyn bloggers and their love for our favorite borough.

"People
nationwide are interested in Brooklyn," Crawford said, "Brooklyn is in
the zeitgeist. It’s a place, but it’s also a state of mind. So much is
going on politically and culturally, it’s a passionate place."

The
Blogfest will be the first time many of these bloggers will meet
face-to-face, so Crawford has arranged the evening in two parts: from
8pm-9ish there will be a formal presentation with 20 or so key Brooklyn
bloggers speaking on a blog-related topic of their choice for 2-4
minutes. Then afterwards for a more social setting and to give
participants time to swap blogging successes and woes, Crawford has
arranged tables to be set up for each blog, trade show-style. Bloggers
will have handouts, souvenirs and other items related to their blog to
give away.

Participating bloggers include Crawford’s Only
The Blog Knows Brooklyn, Brownstoner, Brooklyn Record, Design*Sponge,
Daily Heights, Dope on the Slope, A Brooklyn Life, Calla Lillie, Lex’s
Folly, Joe’s NYC, Travis Ruse, Develop Don’t Destroy, No Land Grab,
Atlantic Yards Report, Lost and Frowned, Gowanus Lounge, No Words Daily
Pix, Left Behind, Creative Times, and Smith Street

Crawford comments, "The whole Brooklyn blog movement has really progressed.  We didn’t know what it was, until it was."

According Technorati,
there are about 75,000 new blogs a day and there are about 1.2 million
posts daily, or about 50,000 blog updates an hour. And on NYC Bloggers,
there are 1,885 local bloggers listed with more being added constantly.
While Crawford, who also writes the Smartmom column for the Brooklyn
Papers, is impressed how much press and popular attention local blogs
have received, for tonight, she is focused on more practical matters.
"I’m interested to hear what they [the bloggers] have to say on a
practical level," says Crawford, "like how are you getting ten thousand
readers!"

The First Annual Blogfest, The Old Stone House.
Fifth Avenue between 3rd and 4th Streets. 8 pm. Free. Drinks and snacks
provided. For more info: Call Louise Crawford 718-288-4290.

Continue reading ABOUT NEW YORK: BLOGFEST TONIGHT →

Forget U-Haul . Greg’s Express Rubbish Removal is graciously providing the truck that will secure our Brooklyn Film Works movie screen.

Kim Maier, director of the Old Stone House, called Greg Wednesday night during the Brooklyn Film Works "dress rehearsal" and he came right over to JJ Byrne Park. He has trucks as big as Fresh Direct trucks that’ll be perfect to hold up the 12 x 15 ft. screen.

Greg is our hero. He will drive the truck up to the Old Stone House on Tuesday night and take it back after 11 p.m. Thank you so very much.

Check out his web site. It’s really cool and fun:

"We’re trashy. We love trash, in fact, we take what the Sanitation Department won’t.  Give us your trash. Please.

OUR SCREEN IS AMAZING thanks to Bob Usdin of Showman Fabricators who donated his time, his ingenuity, his supplies to our outdoor film series. He assembled it this evening in JJ Byrne Park.

It was so great to see it all come together. We’d talked about it on the phone. And he delivered the pipes yesterday. But it was still very abstract to me.

Yesterday he showed me the sketch. On a piece of lined yellow paper, Bob designed a really ingenious, simple aluminum frame put together with key clamps for our 12 x 15 ft. white muslin.

Tonight at our "dress rehearsal" Bob quietly went to work.

It took him over two hours to put it together; he mostly worked alone. His daughter, OSFO and Teen Spirit helped a bit.

I finally found out what webs are gromits are. They are the holes and ties that make it possible to attach the screen to the frame. OSFO and Bob’s daughter did quite a bit of the gromit/web tying. There must be 20 on each side of the screen.

Bob labeled all the pieces and it should be quite easy to take apart and put back together.

We are indebted to Bob for creating this incredible frame and screen. Thank you so much. Next Tuesday night when we attach Bob’s screen to Greg’s truck it will be a great moment.

I can’t wait. Brooklyn Film Works. Movies Alfresco in JJ Byrne Park. June 27, July 11, July 18, July 24. First up: Little Fugitive by Morris Engel and Ruth Orkin. Made in 1953, the story of a little Brooklyn boy who runs away to Coney Island. 8:30 p.m. Bring lawn chairs, picnic blankets, pillows. Watch movies under the stars.

picture of a drive-in in Saskatoon at sunset by Darryl Mitchell.

Thursday, June 29, 6:30 p.m.
TWILIGHT TOUR OF GRAND ARMY PLAZA
The turn-of-the-20th-century City Beautiful movement sought to bring classical grandeur to all the neighborhoods of the city. Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn may be New York’s fullest realization of City Beautiful ideals. Henry Hope Reed said of the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch that it was “the second greatest triumphal arch of modern times, after the Arc de Triomphe.” Its sculpture, by Brooklyn native Frederick MacMonnies, ranks with the best ever produced by an American artist. We will look closely at the arch, at the other superb statuary and design elements of the plaza, at the part of Prospect Park that the plaza is a gateway to, and at the Park Slope “Gold Coast” that the plaza is the climax of. We will be joined by Brooklyn-based artist Bridget Regan, whose photographic exhibition, Grand Army Plaza: Soldiers, Gods and Angels, is on view at the Urban Center through July 31. Leader: Francis Morrone, architectural historian. Meet at the corner of Eighth Ave. and St. John’s Pl. (Transit: #2, 3 trains to Grand Army Plaza; B, Q trains to 7th Ave.)

We’re renting a truck from U-Haul. It’s only $29.95 per day. The guy on the phone kept asking how many rooms we were moving. I explained that we were just parking the truck and leaning a screen against it. He still asked if we needed moving pads or boxes. And how many rooms are you moving?  The good news is: Problem solved. On to the next one. Thank you all who responded.

rooklyn Film Works: Movies Alfresco in JJ Byrne Park NEEDS TO BORROW A TRUCK – at least 16 feet long.

We won’t be driving it. We just need to park it outside of the Old Stone House and tie our projection screen to it. We need it on Tuesday night June 22 at 6 p.m. or so until 11 p.m.

If it has your name on it: it’s great advertising. If it’s just a plain white truck: you’re a mensch.

A 16′ box truck would be ideal.  A 14′ would work.  Larger is also okay, but would be hanging out more.  Most important thing is the height.  Any of these trucks that are 11′ tall or taller will do the job.

Reasons to lend your truck to Brooklyn Film Works:

1. The film festival is a service to the community.

2. If your name is on the truck: it’s great advertising!!!!

2. You’d be making a contribution to the arts in Brooklyn.

3. We will adore you.

4.  We will ply you with wine and food.

5. Helping others feels good.

6. You’re a mensch

7. We’ll look like idiots if we can’t figure out how to get this screen up.

8. Get your picture on OTBKB and a story about your heroic and generous gesture.

Continue reading WE RENTED A TRUCK →

Brooklyn Film Works, which opens next Tuesday night (June 27th) with Little Fugitve, has it’s own quasi dramatic backstory.

It all started months ago when Kim Maier, director extradonaire of The Old Stone House, proposed the idea of a summer film festival in JJ Byrne Park. I loved the idea right away and got to thinking about Brooklyn-related films to include in the festival.

But there were a few technical details that needed to be worked out. Kim said she’d be happy with a bed sheet and a home projector. I guess I had something bigger in mind.

I decided to get in touch with an old friend of mine from my video production days, who now works for Scharff Weisberg, providers of audio, video, and lighting technology. I told him we had no money, that we were doing the project as a community service very much on the cheap. He was game to try to help us out.

My friend came to JJ Byrne Park to scope out the site and offered us advice about where to put the projector and screen. A few days later, he emailed us an equipment list that was a tad more ambitious than what we had in mind.

Kim said she’d be happy with a bed sheet and a home projector. I guess I had something bigger in mind.

My friend did say, however, that Scharff Weisberg would be willing to loan us a video projector for the four screenings. Somewhere along the way it was decided that we would project a 12 x 15 ft. image.

But what would we project the image on? Good question.  My friend at Scharff Weisberg suggested I have a screen made at Rosebrand, a company that specializes in theatrical drapes, scrims and screens. When I called Rosebrand, the sales representative asked me all kinds of questions…what size, what material?

We decided on white seamless muslin with a black duvatine back. Then the sales representative asked: Do you want gromits and webs?  I didn’t have a clue what gromits and webs were.

So I called my friend Bob at Showman Fabricators, who lives in Park Slope, and told him I was having a screen made and I wondered if he could help me figure out a way to frame the screen so that we could project a movie on it.

And by the way what are gromits and webs?

He said he could make a frame for the screen out of aluminum pipes. He’d deliver five pipes that could be made into a 12 x 15 ft. rectangle with key clamps or speed rail.
And then he called the sales representative at Rosebrand and told them what kind of webs and gromits we’d need because that’s how we were going to attach the screen to the pipes.

I still didn’t know exactly where we were going to put the screen – between the trees on the north side of the house or against the fence in front of the house?

I figured we’d figure it out.

Well, tonight Bob from Showman Fabricators delivered the pipes and walked around the site and said that it might be impossible to tie the screen to the trees or to put it against the fence in front of the house. Wind would be the big problem. The frame with a 12 x 15 ft. fabric screen was like a sail. And if a big gust of wind came along…

Kim said she’d be happy with a bed sheet and a home projector. I guess I had something bigger in mind.

So there we were — me, Kim, Bob from Showman, Bill the projectionist, standing outside of the Old Stone House trying to figure out what to do. For a moment I thought we might have to get a bed sheet and a home projector. Maybe what we were trying to do was impossible, too ambitious, too BIG.

Then I remembered something that Hepcat suggested a few months ago: we could get a truck and tie the frame and screen to the truck.

Bingo. Everyone seemed to like the idea. We talked about calling U-Haul and other truck companies. When I got home I told Hepcat all about our screen problems, the truck. He sighed a bit. Did some thinking. Sighed again.

"I’ve got it," he said. "I can put the old roof rack on top of our Volvo station wagon and I will clamp two pieces of pipe horizontally to the roof rack and attach that to key fittings,,,"

"Are you sure it’s going to work?" I asked gently.
"Look who was raised by engineers and who was raised by an advertising executive?"
"In other words, have faith in you, right?"
"Right."

And I do. So tomorrow night Hepcat will test out his idea.

On June 27th, not only will you get to see Little Fugitive directed by Morris Engels and Ruth Orkin, the film that inspired Francois Truffaut and John Cassavetes and was nomiated for an Academy Award, and won a Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival…

But you get to find out the ending of the "screen drama." Will Hepcat’s Volvo plan work out. Will there be enough power to run the projector. Will anyone show up to the show…

You’re just going to have to wait. Whatever happens, it should be interesting.

June 27th Little Fugitive about a boy who runs away to Coney Island.
July 11: Coney Island: The American Experience a documentary by Ric Burns
July 18: Moonstruck, the Carroll Gardens Classic with Cher
July 25: The Long Good Bye with Brooklyn native, Elliot Gould. Directed by Robert Altman.
All Tuesdays. 8:30. Food concession by Stone Park Cafe. Made possible with the generous support of Methodist Hospital, Scharff Weisberg Inc, and Showman Fabricators.

In the wake of the announced departure of Executive Director Ginnie Cooper to lead the District of Columbia Public Library, Dionne Mack-Harvin has been named the interim executive director of the Brooklyn Public Library, effective July 7. "I’ve worked closely with Dionne and know that she will bring a strong commitment to managing the organization during this transition," said Cooper. Mack-Harvin, who has served as BPL’s Chief of Staff for the past year, will officially assume the interim post on July 7. She began her career at BPL in 1996. Prior to becoming chief of staff, she was the director of the Central Library. Meanwhile, Janet Kinney, who had been deputy director for public service and had worked with Cooper at the Multnomah County Library, OR, has resigned. Mary Graham, director of neighborhood service, will be the interim deputy director for public service and Linda Cohen, currently assistant director of neighborhood service, will be the interim director for neighborhood service, effective June 25.

Breaking news from Newsday about our borough president, Marty Markowitz:

NEW YORK (AP) _ Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz had two stents inserted his arteries over the weekend after feeling some physical discomfort and checking himself into the hospital, his office said Monday.

Markowitz checked into Maimonides Medical Center on Saturday. After an evaluation, he underwent a procedure in which the stents, which are small tubes, were put into two of his arteries to help keep them open.

His office said Markowitz was resting comfortably and was expected to leave the hospital on Tuesday.

"I want all Brooklynites and New Yorkers to know that I’m doing great and feeling fine, and can’t wait to get back to work for Brooklyn," Markowitz said in a statement. "I guess I’m now a member of one of the largest 60-plus groups in America _ the stent club."

I already knew that Cafe Regular was the coolest cafe in Park Slope. I go in there on Mondays before and/or after therapy. But now it’s proven. I left my raincoat there two Mondays ago. I finally went back to the cafe yesterday and it was hanging on a  coat hook close to the front. I told the barista that I’d left it there. "You can leave it here if you want. We don’t mind," he said. Then I ordered a light iced coffee from another barista. As she carefully prepared the drink in the perfect coffee/milk ration we talked. "We never throw things out. You don’t have to worry about that," she said.

Truly the coolest cafe in the Slope. It’s a tiny place. Did I mention that it’s the best looking with the best coffee, too? And a great atmosphere.

Cafe Regular. They don’t throw out blue raincoats.

11th Street between fifth and fourth Avenues.