Merry Christmas,Happy Hanukkah,Happy Kwanzaa!

"Found in Brooklyn" wishes you all a relaxing holiday, low on worries and full on goodness. Peace!

Found on Carroll Street

Back to F.I.B's original premise....WHY DIDN'T I TAKE THIS HOME WITH ME? WHY?!!! I LOVE ELVIS! I even went to Graceland and had an mazing cat of the same name! I am exhausted folks, F.I.B has not been blogging much because I've been working like a dog and going to school. The semester is over, I am sooo happy not to have to take the F train to Bay Parkway and switch to a bus and get home at 11oclock at night...I'll be posting more often me thinks.If anyone cares!

Another Brooklyn Christmas....

F.I.B is always late to get into the holiday spirit and to quote from a blog post from last year where I said,
"I was raised in a house where we never got a tree until Christmas Eve. All my life I thought it was a quaint old world tradition (well, actually it kind of is) but a couple years ago I found out the real reason we did that was because the trees were half price on Christmas Eve.

Another childhood memory shattered."

If you want to read a a bit more about why I chose to divulge my saga to the world last year, click here!
And now I give you Christmas in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn USA!
President Street.Homer all alone on 1rst Place.Big drunk Santa!

Defend Gowanus! NO LOVE CANAL HERE! Please sign!

Even though CB6 approved the Toll Brothers project the community is still fighting, FOR GOOD REASON! I quote the Urban Divers comment on the petition here- because they tell it like it is:
"The Gowanus Canal has historically and continues to be the catalyst for the severe environmental denigration that challenges public health and has caused the economic decline of the community. CLEANING THE GOWANUS CANAL FIRST, before IMPOSING ENCROACHING LUXURY HOUSING and or OTHER HUMAN DENSITY DWELLINGS, is the only way to PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH, and RESTORE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY and SUSTAINABILITY. THE CLEANING AND RESTORING OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY OF THE GOWANUS CANAL FIRST, is the only way that the community, the city and the state will ever reap a REAL BENEFIT, and restore economic viability of the Gowanus Canal community and beyond."

Click here to sign the Defend Gowanus petition.

This petition is targeted at:Mayor Bloomberg, Borough President Marty Markowitz, Councilman Bill de DeBlasio.

NYHC A-7 Reunion Show: The Return of a bunch of former Reagan Youths

LOUD FAST RULES! So F.I.B is switching gears now from the theater to an amazing punk rock show (for some!) taking place at the soon to be closed down as of January 2009 Knitting Factory in money makin’ Manhattan. I ‘ve mentioned before that F.I.B was a “hardcore kid” in the 80’s before discovering her love for 60’s garage rock but I’ll mention it again. New York City in the early to mid 80’s had a thriving largely undocumented punk rock music scene largely run by mostly teenagers. Most were from the Lower East Side and Queens. This is the scene that Beastie Boys spawned out of… Anyways…there was a club on Avenue A and 7th Street in the East Village called the A-7 club that was the epicenter of the scene, it closed in 1983, I actually never went there but I did go to it’s second incarnation in an abandoned building at the corner of 2nd Avenue and Houston Street which probably closed in 1983 as well! It actually collapsed a few years ago. Anyway this music came out of the Reagan era and this show is billed as “A tribute to the A-7 Club”.

From the shows MySpace page:CONFIRMED BANDS INCLUDE:*76% Uncertain (paying tribute to CIA &; Reflex from Pain)*The Abused*Adam 12*Antidote (w/Nunzio on guitar &; Drew Stone on vox)*Borscht*Butch Lust &; Hypocrites*Armed Citizens**Disgrace (feat. Butch Lust, Steve Wishnia from False Prophets &; Dave Manzullo from UV)*Fed Up!*False Prophets*Fatal Rage*Payload! (feat. John Sox from the FU's doing FU’s &; Straw Dogs)*Ism*Jerry's Kids*Major Conflict*Modern Clix*Nihilistics*Rapid Deployment*Reagan Youth*Sexual Suicide (feat. Ex-Anti-Christ Newsboys/Trenchcoat Army)*SUX (feat. Jack and Paul from AOD)*The Oppressed NYC [1980 Queens punks; 1st and last ever gig!]*Ultra Violence*Urban Waste (feat. Johnny Waste, John Dancey &; Kenny Ahrens)*US Chaos*Blackout Shoppers*Violent Society*Government Warning*Waste Management*Reason to Fight*Cardiac Arrest*Virus NYC (feat James Kontra)*Lost Generation*Psycho (from Boston)* MORE TO COME! STAY TUNED...

Check out some of these excellent photos by photographer Drew Carolin to get an idea of just how young the scene was. Navigate your way to “matinee”, he took a lot of photos of “the kids” back in the day. FIB is in none of these photos but many friends are!

Show is Saturday December 6th, doors open at 6:30, 3 floors of bands
Knitting Factory is located at 74 Leonard Street, NYC.

See "London Cries" in Fort Greene at the Lafayette Presbyterian Church!

I went to see the performance by the Irondale Theater Company of London Cries last weekend with no expectations and was pleasantly surprised. Not only was the venue amazing, this Church, the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church is an amazing venue as it was the center of the Brooklyn abolitionist movement. Many noted people spoke there included Frederik Douglass and Charles Dickens. The church has a vibe which is perfect for this play/musical. I can tell a good thing when I actually pay attention, as I am apt to space out during things like this. I was forced to go to too many Broadway plays as I child (yes i saw Annie with Sarah Jessica Parker in the starring role!) and as result usually have no interest in"theater". Since I have always been a Dickens fan I decided to check this one out and i was RIVETED. Not only was the acting good, the music was too, the whole thing had an old music hall feel and the staging was fantastic (great boxing match!). If you are looking for something to do with family in town or even if they are not that is "special " for the holidaze I recommend this.

The details!

Based on Henry Mayhew's classic book London Labour and the London Poor . From the crumbling walls and recesses of an old London theatre the ghosts of yesteryear step forth to share with us their lives, their loves and the lilting melodies of a bygone Victorian era. Drawn from first-hand accounts of the traders and prostitutes, the sewer- men and flower-girls, the criminals and con-men who hacked a precarious living from the streets of the metropolis, LONDON CRIES speaks to us in words and music of the suffering but also the joys of London life as it was really lived.

The new musical London Cries by Di Trevis and Frank McGuinness has Music by Dominic Muldowney and thirty original songs from the London Music Hall. London Cries is directed by the Olivier Award-Winning Di Trevis.

Performances begin November 19th and run through December 20th, running Wednesdays – Saturdays at 8 PM, Saturdays at 2 PM.

Tickets are $40/ $15 seniors and students and can be purchased by going to www.ovationtix.com or by calling 212.352.3101.

The Irondale Center is easy to get to at the historic Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, 85 South Oxford St, Bklyn, NY bet. Lafayette and Fulton Street

Donald O'Finn Video Art Opening in Red Hook * Saturday

Donald O'Finn will be showing his stuff over at newish bar Botanica over in Red Hook this Saturday night. He is the mastermind behind those captivatingly bizarro videos on the TV over at Freddy's. The opening will happen upstairs and is free. The live music downstairs which includes Les Sans Cullotes and The Marvin Barnes TimeMachine has suggested donation and a portion of it will go to Develop Don't Destroy.

Here are the details as per the invite:

Video Art by Donald O’Finn will be on display at Red hook Bar, Botanica. Donald O’Finn’s video projections are compilations of strange and wonderful found footage, weaved and strained through his psyche into painterly narratives, and poetic loops. His work has been screened at the Hirshhorn Museum of Art in Washington DC., Anthology Film Archives in New York City, and Parkers Box Art Gallery in Williamsburg Brooklyn. Mr. O’Finn has twice been included in the Village Voice Best Off issues. (his videos have attained cult status from their constant display at Freddy’s Bar in Prospect heights, Brooklyn).
Live music provided by Les Sans Culottes and The Marvin Barnes Time Machine with special guest Paul Sullivan.

Bar Botanica, 220 Conover St. at the corner of Coffey St. in Red Hook. 718-797-2297

Two Important Meetings This Week Regarding Gowanus Corridor and Toll Brothers Project.

Would you want to live here? The Toll Brothers project.
There are two very important meetings this regarding the development of the Gowanus Canal area.

FIRST MEETING, MONDAY:

The Executive and Landmarks/Land Use Committees of Brooklyn Community Board 6 are pleased to host A Forum with Amanda Burden, Chairperson of the City Planning Commission

An update by Commissioner Burden on the department's land use activities related to the Gowanus Canal corridor. Developed from January through July 2007, the Department of City Planning created a land use framework for the Gowanus Canal corridor. The framework is a set of guiding principles relating to issues including use, density, bulk, and waterfront access, intended to provide standards for formulating and evaluating proposals for future land use changes. in May 2008 the Department of City Planning shared its draft rezoning proposal for 25 blocks along the Gowanus Canal with Brooklyn Community Board 6 and the community-at-large. Commissioner Amanda Burden will meet with the community to give an informational update on the statusof the department's land use activities and address any concerns.

THE TOLL BROS PROJECT IS BASED ON THIS REZONING PROPOSAL AND WILL SET A PRECEDENT FOR IT – ANY CONCERNS YOU MAY HAVE REGARDING TOLL BROTHERS PROPOSAL CAN BE ADDRESSED TO THE WHOLE FRAMEWORK.

DATE: Monday, November 17, 2008
TIME: 6:30 pm
PLACE: P.S. 32 Auditorium
317 Hoyt Street, (between Union/President Streets) Brooklyn, NY 11231

This Toll Brothers rep is just SO excited to build build build on toxic land! Say good bye to that background cause it's gonna be all glass and steel if he gets his way!
SECOND MEETING, WEDNESDAY:

Brooklyn Borough President’s Hearing on Toll Brothers Project

The Toll Brothers ULURP application to change Zoning to allow their Gowanus Canal project is now at the Borough President’s Office for review (after passing CB6’s review). This is our chance for the community to be heard again. John Hatheway and I will be making an updated presentation making the case for an 8 story height limit. This will bring the building height below the horizon from most Carroll Gardens vantage points, and equally important allows enough sunlight into the Canal Esplanade to make it a viable park. Our proposal has the same floor area as Toll’s, same affordable housing amount, same possibility for high end units, same economics for union labor. It differs from Toll Bros in that it has very little impact to Carroll Garden’s skyline AND it provides much better sun to the canal park.

PLEASE COME AND SUPPORT OUR PROPOSAL OR VOICE YOUR OWN CONCERNS.

DATE: Wednesday, November 19, 2008
TIME: 5:30 pm
PLACE: Brooklyn Borough Hall
209 Joralemon Street Brooklyn, NY 11201

Found on Union Street

Lots of cool muscle type cars are always around this strip of Union Street near 4th Avenue across from Holy Land Auto Repair. Most are for sale but I believe languish as they all have visual defects. Flat tires, no interiors, who knows maybe that's just a theft deterrent maneuver. They all have bitchin' paint jobs though!

"Cop Bar": A documentary music video set in Red Hook.

You never know what will land in the F.I.B inbox! Most of the time I don't post it unless I know you, I like what you are doing or you put me on the guest list but this one made me laugh. It will probrably offend most of you but I am out of my mind hence my last post and am abandoning any concept i ever had about F.I.B. If I want to be Perez Hilton, Dee Dee Ramone, Andy Warhol or Ruth Gordon so be it.

Enjoy and let me know what you think...did it make you laugh cause the casting was DEAD ON or are you offended and will never look at F.I.B again?

The press release about this masterpiece in music video making...

Acoustic rock artist Jimmy Lloyd recently teamed with director Josh Durham to shoot a full length music video for "Cop
Bar", the first single release from the singer/songwriter's self titled debut album. Shot at the Moonshine Bar in Red Hook, Brooklyn, Jimmy Lloyd called on cast members of the famous "Sopranos" series to make star cameos in the video. With appearances by Lou Martini Jr. ("Sopranos"character Anthony Infante), Danny Grimaldi ("Sopranos" character Patsy Parisi) and Louis Vanaria ("A Bronx Tale" character "Crazy Mario"), the "Cop Bar" video delivers a gritty, side-splitting punch as it introduces rock music¹s emerging star Jimmy Lloyd.

Attempting to place the creative spirit back into music videos, the screenplay for the video was completely created and written by Jimmy Lloyd."Cop Bar" is an uproarious look inside a gritty, tough NYC bar where a few "wise guys" (Jimmy Lloyd, Vanaria, and Grimaldi) find themselves as all hell breaks loose.

New Yawk, New Yawk, big city of dreams but you know it ain't always what it seems...

Still one hell of a town even though the Toll Brothers have the support of Community Board 6 to build on a sewer, read the dispicable details at the Pardon Me For Asking blog here....Yes I know I am quoting Grandmaster Flash here but to begin my Perez Hilton like post WHERE ELSE can you get in a conversation with a Baldwin brother (Billy) and the next day see Gibby Haynes of the Butthole Surfers(apparently a Carroll Gardens resident) reading the New York Times on an empty 11pm F train subway car? Only in New York baby..only in New York.


BTW-the Baldwin chit chatted with a girlfriend and I in front of an art opening at Muoller-Snow Gallery (yes FIB has cultcha sometimes!) about the Obama party he was attending at "moby's" my friend said "at that TINY place?!" meaning the teashop or whatever he has and then it dawned on me.."his house M his house..." anyway he was nice and chatted for 10 minutes before bumming a smoke. The whole time we were half sure if he was who we thought he was and then it was the matter of WHICH of the 5 Baldwins was he? After googling the next day we figured it out, he was the "cute" one. Oh and later we saw Moby at this opening which was a throw back to the 1980's...a mixture of Gossip Girl style young socialites wearing floor length ball gowns (who knew people still wore those in THESE economic times??!), skaters, freaks, rich people, poor people and whoever happened to stumble in when they realized free wine was being served...later we walked the Bowery in horror, it all looks a dorm....but i guess if you have no memories of it before, it just don't matter.

Color Blocking on Bergen Street

Brooklyn Election Stories 2008

Friend Sabine Aronowsky was out in the streets of Brooklyn with her video camera this past election day. Her doc opens with coverage of Brooklyn Obama Supporters making phone calls on election eve at B.A.M and then hits the streets. Although Obama has won it's distressing to find out that there was only ONE voting machine working in Brownsville and people got the run around to carry out what is supposed to be a basic right and duty as a citizen!


The details:

Watch Brooklyn Election Stories 2008 now AND on BCAT TV this Tuesday night at 8pm, on Time Warner cable channel 34 or CableVision channel 67, only in Brooklyn, also airing in Manhattan on Thursday night at 8.30 pm on Time Warner channel 56/17 RCN 83.

About this episode: Brooklyn Election Stories 2008

Protecting the vote & Obama celebrations in Brooklyn. Local coverage of Election Eve and Day, Nov. 3-4th, 2008 in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights, Prospect Heights, Brownsville and Downtown Brooklyn. Kings County Brooklyn had the fifth highest total of votes in the nation for Obama! Freddy's Brooklyn Roundhouse salutes all those who worked to get out and guard the
vote. This historic win is thanks to you!

Shirley Chisholm: Unbought & Unsold and From Brooklyn

F.I.B's reviewing films again over at Brian Berger's "Who Walk in Brooklyn" blog. This time around it's a documentary about Bed-Stuy native and 1972 United States Presidential nominee Shirley Chisholm called"Shirley Chisholm:Unbought & Unsold". Shirley's mantra was also "CHANGE!"

Read it here.

Kill some time! Peruse some of F.I.B's other film reviews!
The World's Greatest Sinner
Teenage Gang Debs
The Gang Who Couldn't Shoot Straight
All Dolled Up

Yes We Did! and Amanda Burden comes to Gowanus...

Lame picture I know but it is OF THE MOMENT!!!
Yes I am floating on a cloud that Barack Obama is our new President! Yesterday I heard a kid say in the school that I work in which is predominately African American and Latino that he "wants to be President when he grows up" and it really hit me. It's not just "a dream" anymore, it's a reality.I was at Freddy's the night of the election and was so glad to be out in the world. People were crying during his acceptance speech and they weren't even from America! Anyway I had did a post at 3am when I got home but it was so crazy basic juvenile that I pulled it, something I never did, but hey I am still feeling that "gee whiz" uber optimistic feeling I had that night. Walking home up 5th Avenue was an experience I will never forget. People celebrating on the corners and even the cops and the firemen were beeping their horns. Too bad my camera died but lately I have been taking less pictures anyway, as I feel that the world is getting over documentated! I just want to BE. And I say that with no pretention, just want to get back to living. Blogging was fun for a while but now I won't be posting as much. Long story.

BUT I do want to say that THE Amanda Burden of the NYC Department of City Planning is coming to PS 32 Monday night to discuss the development of the Gowanus corridor. Wish I could go, but grad school (one of the reasons I won't be blogging as much I am sooooooo in another headspace these days) calls me. Here are the details and if you go please make sure to let that woman know that the Troll Brothers condo is an environmental Love Canal boo boo just waiting to happen. But they don't care. Let's get Obama to help us!!! Cause Community Board 6 certainly WON'T!

The Executive and Landmarks/Land Use Committees of Brooklyn Community Board 6 are pleased to host.

A Forum with Amanda Burden,
Chairperson of the City Planning Commission

An informational update by Commissioner Burden on the department's land use activities related to the Gowanus Canal corridor.

Developed from January through July 2007, the Department of City Planning created a land use framework for the Gowanus Canal corridor. The framework is a set of guiding principles relating to issues including use, density, bulk, and waterfront access, intended to provide standards for formulating and evaluating proposals for future land use changes. Building upon the developed framework, in May 2008 the Department of City Planning shared its draft rezoning proposal for 25 blocks along the Gowanus Canal with Brooklyn Community Board 6 and the community-at- large. Commissioner Amanda Burden will meet with the community to give an informational update on the status of the department's land use activities and address any concerns.

DATE: Monday, November 17, 2008
TIME: 6:30 pm
PLACE: P.S. 32 Auditorium
317 Hoyt Street, (between Union/President Streets)
Brooklyn, NY 11231

Bring your neighbors! Bring your friends! Find out what's going on.


and P.S for those that know my personal traumas of the last 6 months, I'm home once again!

Tell Your Story.....

Got this email, seems pretty interesting and they seem on the level, check it out....
The Civilians want to hear from you. Brooklyn is changing fast. We are creating BROOKLYN AT EYE LEVEL a theater show inspired by interviews about the transformation of Brooklyn and the controversial Atlantic Yards Project. If you have something to say about the communities surrounding the proposed project (Downtown, Ft. Greene, Clinton Hill, Crown Heights, Prospect Heights & Park Slope), we want to listen. We want to talk to long-term residents, recent arrivals, players in the Atlantic Yards story, as well as those who work or live in the area. Eager to hear from all perspectives. If you want to be interviewed send us an email with a little information about yourself to Michael Premo, Project Coordinator: Premo(at)thecivilians(dot)org. For more information: Brooklyn at Eye Level . These interviews will be performed along with original music and dance by Urban Bush Women live at the Brooklyn Lyceum, December 4th – 7th.

Michael Premo

The Civilians
Project Coordinator
Brooklyn at Eye Level
p.212.730.2019
c.917.547.1292
f.212.739.2909
www.thecivilians.org

Happy Halloween!

eeeaaaaaoooooaaaaaeeeeeeeeeooooooooahhhoooooooooo it's Halloween tomorrow! Don't forget to wear your crucifix or garlic so Dracula don't get ya! And check yer apples before eating!!!This house on Carroll Street between Hoyt and Bond Streets never fails to decorate for EVERY holiday, LOVE THE UNDEAD GUY WITH THE KNIFE!!!!I call this one the "Patriotic Pumpkin". See he's got a patch on his knee! He's feeling the recession and is smiling cause Bush will be GONE next week!!!!!

As usual the streets of Carroll Gardens have many a great Halloween display, I must say though this year was not as wild as years past. Is it because the newer residents are more "tasteful" or what? I did not walk past one homemade graveyard with someone hanging from a tree this year..that's all happening in Greenpoint now. Thank God someone is keeping up the tradition! Happy Sam Hain y'all!

P.S- November 2rst is all Soul's Day or Sam Hain or Day of the Dead, the day the veil between the living and the dead is at it's thinnest so don't forget to communicate with loved ones who are no longer with you. I'm serious!

Coney Island Halloween Horrors!

Steeplechase is still lit up in the off season at Coney Island. It is so beautiful, especially when everything else is closed up. It's the only sign of life although the pier across from it has an evening fishing scene. Who knew?Anyway it's five days till Halloween and you still have time to check out the Phantom of the Presidential Wax Museum as I did over the weekend. It is truely a non commercial,non-corporate, original, funny, off beat, dead on, unique Halloween thing to do. So go. As a personal aside, it felt a lot like an Ed Wood production which has added appeal for F.I.B.

I have to tell you one of the scariest parts was when we were shut in a small dark room with Nixon. It was also pretty scary just being in the bowels of the building of Coney Island USA, although there were plenty of rubber rats I am sure there were some real ones lurking around. Once again CUDOS to Coney Island USA for yet another unique presentation! If Coney were located in Manhattan there would be lines around the block for this!

"Election 2008: The Square Foot Show" opens Saturday.

Once again on the politics angle, this time it's an art show that is opening tomorrow in Manhattan and I have a piece in it called
Blue Skies and Bail-outs". Lots of artists and lots of great work, we were all provided with a 12 x 12 inch canvas hence part of the title. If you are in the West Village area try and pop in and check it out~!

Here are the details:
ART & POLITICS
Election 2008: The Square Foot Show
Join us for the Opening Cocktail Reception
Thursday, October 25th | 3pm – 8pm
Works on view until Sunday, November 9th
192 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS (SIXTH AVENUE BTW SPRING & PRINCE)
SOHO, NEW YORK 10013
GALLERY HOURS: THURSDAY – SUNDAY 1PM - 6PM
squarefoot@artgotham.com | www.artgotham.com

Bad News this week in NYC

Would you want to live here? The Toll Brothers project.
Our arrogant Mayor has scored a coup and has followed through on his proclamation that he will continue to be Mayor even though his time is up.

Meanwhile back in Brooklyn, Commmunity Board 6 has been swayed to say yes (money talks) on the spot zoning for the huge condo complex on polluted water and land so that the Toll Brothers (see rant below) can screw up the eco system a bit more.


Click on those links to read full coverage of the Community Board meeting from the Pardon Me for Asking blog and scathing commentary regarding Bloomies dictatorship over at Who Walk in Brooklyn.

O.K I have to go to work now in the school that is in near the Toll Brothers site that has the children learning in trailers in an area that should be their playground. Gotta love the infrastructure they say we have! but we all know that they would never send their kids to THAT school! too many minority children!!!

I would just LOVE to take a break from this but I can't.

I'm tired (grad school is a lot more work than I imagined!) and I haven't ranted about the Toll Brothers project on Bond Street in a while but after coming home from a highly charged F.R.O.G.G meeting, that's FRIENDS and RESIDENTS of the GOWANUS CANAL y'all (contact me to get involved and not a member of the Gowanus Conservancy or Dredgers) one of the issues discussed was hurricanes and flooding, the latter being a HUGE problem around the Gowanus, although the Toll Brothers feel they can fix all that,but I digress. The other day I crossed the canal and we hadn't had rain in days and the tide was abnormally high. Just imagine what will happen in a hurricane, we will be getting them more with global warming y'know!

I would also like to add my two cents or have a cathartic little rant about the Toll Brothers. O.K we are in a recession. A big part of it is home mortgages defaulting. The Toll Brothers have made their fortune building the huge excessive suburban McMansion Homes that are largely the ones defaulting. The Toll Brothers take no responsibility, interviews with Robert Toll usually run a "no remorse" attitude, like "it's not my fault these people signed the dotted line". ANYWAY so the government bailed them out. So isn't that our money now? To use more wisely? WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT A CORPORATION SUCH AS THIS TO BE TRUSTED WITH A FRAGILE ECO SYSTEM SUCH AS THE AREA THEY WANT TO PLUNK DOWN A BUNCH OF CONDOS WITH A PRECIOUS "ESPLANADE"? and of course a parking garage.

Why are people in opposition to this project vilified and mocked (hello Brooklyn Paper!!) because they have ENVIRONMENTAL concerns? Flooding, raw sewage, pathogens, brownfields etc. And these corporate self involved, dried out, consciousless Toll Brothers reps and their political aliases (hello Bill DiBlasio and Community Board 6!!) just will not take the actual people who live in the communities opinion as a concern. The scary thing is that we have a Mayor who thinks in this fashion as well, term limits schmerm limits is has attitude and to hell with what the democratic process is.

Our world is majorly screwed up right now. War and greed have the country hurting. Can't we all just take a break and just LIVE our lives? Isn't this recession enough of a sign?

signed
Found in Brooklyn
naively simple
and wants people to just stop it.
(war and greed)

OK I feel better now. Check out this link over at my compadre Pardon Me for Asking (who was also at this evenings meeting) to find out more about the photo above of what the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel will look like with a type TWO hurricane,it's just around the corner y'know.

Coney Island does Halloween!

Leave it to Coney Island USA to recognize that politicians are scarier than any ghost!!! Here are the details:

Coney Island USA is proud to announce the 2008 edition of Creepshow at the Freakshow.
PHANTOM OF THE PRESIDENTIAL WAX MUSEUM is an interactive show (allow 45 minutes for the complete experience) that tours various rooms at the Coney Island Sideshows by the Seashore building generally not available to the public such as the creepy basement, back stairs, etc.

Audience members will take a "tour" of the "historic" wax museum and meet Presidential and First Lady ROBOTS along the way including Lincoln, Clinton, Hillary and Laura, Nixon and finally robots Obama and McCain. Audience will also get to partake in a Presidential Shooting Gallery and fire ping pong ball rifles at Kennedy, Lincoln, Garfield and McKinley. The show concludes with the funeral for an"almost" dead president with Obama and McCain robots competing to give the better funeral speech.

Along the tour the audience will hear the "true" story of murder and fire that closed the famed Coney Island Presidential Wax Museum in 1971.

All in all this is a story of 1970's carny horror!

CREEPSHOW AT THE FREAKSHOW is Coney Island’s only Halloween extravaganza and one of the best haunted tours in all of New York City. Come see what the New York Press called "not only the best and wildest haunted house in town, but the smartest as well."

DAILY, October 17th - 31st
Mondays - Thursdays: 7-10 PM
Fridays: 7-11 PM
Saturdays: 4-11 PM
Sundays: 4-10 PM
$10 ADULTS
$5 KIDS
(Not Recommended for Small Children)
Halloween Friday, October 31st ONLY, 6-12 PM, All Tickets $15 includes midnight Horror Movie Party!
Continuous Admission
Allow 45 minutes for the complete experience.
Sideshows By The Seashore
3006 West 12th Street off Surf Ave.

Weekend Gowanus Area Art Happenings

Yes, this one is mine.
O.K there is a ton of art related stuff going on in the Gowanus area this upcoming weekend of October 18th. The big thing is the A.G.A.S.T open studios tour, AGHAST by the way stands for "Annual Gowanus Artists Studio Tour". Click here for the info on all the addresses of the artist studios that you can visit from 1 to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday.

The Reanimation Library is having an opening Friday night. I stumbled into the library on the last year's AGAST weekend. There is also an opening called "Mend" going on concurrently at the Proteus Gowanus gallery.

It's all happening at 543 Union Street (corner of Nevins) from 6 to 9.

Click here for my blurb on the Reanimation Library.
Click here for the library's website.

There is an opening Saturday night called "Brooklyn 111" at the Brooklyn Artist Gym Gallery. Yours truly has some work hanging in that show. It is just up for a week as the next weekend the fund raiser called "Everybody Gets Art" will be held. Whoever purchases a ticket will have the opportunity to take home any art that is hanging. Go here for ticket information.

Anyway the Gowanus open studios are a great way to be nosy and see the insides of some really cool buildings as well find out what kind of art people are making. Last year it ran the gamut from cool installations (click here for a short film made in Melanie Fisher's studio!), painting, sculpture as well as some clothing, I remember going into a place called Feral Childe clothing on Douglass Street and wanting this oone awesome dress that I still regret not splurging on, it was like made out of some sort of indestructable material that I probrably would of ended up wearing everyday, but i digress.. go out and support some LIVING artists and check out the AGAST tour!

Bloomberg in for another term? HELL NO!

Photo taken by Catherine Weaver somewhere on Court Street.

If you feel that Mayor Bloomberg has a lot of gall to be declaring that he should be Mayor again without a single soul voting on it, I want to alert you to some things you can do to let your voice be heard because we really shouldn't sleep through this one. Here are some things you can do as per an email from Tom Grey from Councilman Bill DeBlasio's office. Please note that there is a rally in JJ Byrne Park tomorrow at 2pm!

The fight to stop Mayor Bloomberg from overturning the will of the people has been gaining momentum. Make sure your voice is heard – the voters established term limits, and should not be cut out of the process. We need extensive public debate and discussion about this issue before considering such fundamental changes to the government of New York City.

Here are a few things you can do in the coming days to help protect democracy in our fair city:

1) Please visit this website

There is a petition to sign there to tell the Mayor and City Council to stop undermining the voter's decision. There are also ways there to involve your friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers.

2) Help Us "Rally for Democracy" in Park Slope on Monday: Join Bill, elected officials, and community leaders

Monday, October 13 at 2 p.m.
JJ Byrne Park, at 3rd Avenue & 5th Street, Brooklyn

3) Join us at Baruch College for a panel on term limits sponsored by
Citizen's Union.

Tuesday, October 14 from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Baruch College
55 Lexington Avenue at 24th Street
The William and Anita Newman Vertical Campus, 14th Floor

4) Come to the public hearings on this issue at City Hall.

Thursday, October 16 at 1:00 p.m.
Council Chambers - City Hall

AND

Friday, October 17 at 10:00 a.m.
Committee Room - City Hall

Legislation Under Consideration:

--Preconsidered Int____ - By Council Members James and de Blasio –
This bill will put the issue of term limits before voters in a referendum this spring.

--Int 845 - By Council Member Felder- This is the Mayor's bill to change term limit laws without voter consent.

--Int 850 - By Council Members Weprin, de Blasio, Gioia and Liu – This bill requires that any further change to term limit laws must go before the voters

--Res 1640 - By Council Member Avella - This Bill calls upon Albany to change the home rule law to require that any changes to the term limit law go before voters.
--
Tom Gray
District Director
City Council Member Bill de Blasio
(718) 854-9791

Layers of Old.

My apartment is in the midst of a top to bottom renovation, it hasn't been touched since the early 70's and was crumbling around me. The window frames were crooked and half of them wouldn't stay open with out being propped up. The 100 plus year old floors sloped, the railing in the hall would fall down if you actually used it but loved it anyway. For the first time in my entire life I will be living in a renovated apartment with new fixtures and whatnot. It will feel weird.
The old brick under the drywall is beautiful and a cemented in fireplace was also found. This apartment has "good bones" as they say, feels good in there even ripped up!

The Atlantic Antic.A good time was had by all! (I think!)

Sheik Eddie Kojak performing at the Atlantic Antic.
Well as said F.I.B was at the Atlantic Antic and I present to you the fabulous Eddie Kojak and orchestra who has been wowing the crowds for years at the corner of Clinton and Atlantic. This was an unexpected closing number where Eddie, as someone behind me said, “was rapping” in English. A fabulous performer and I love how relaxed his band is. Out of towners hang on till the end, Eddy has an authentic Brooklyn accent (and attitude) despite the Middle Eastern flava of his words. ( Laughter and commentary provided by FIB and friend K.) Earlier on stage and I regret not filming this was the first male belly dancer I ever saw perform. Ends up he came all the way from Pennsylvania. K thought he was a “burning man type” and I thought he was a drag queen that snuck on stage! I thinkit was the black eyeshadow and jewelry. Also note that they have seemed to use the same trailer for years as Independence Bank closed years ago! On the flip side of course F.I.B spent a significant amount of time in front of Last Exit. Missed Susquehanna Tool & Die Co. unfortunately but did catch 2 sets of Les Sans Culottes. Even this elegant lady with the balloon was diggin’ the scene, she was banging her head a little to the sounds of L.S.C! LOVED HER! She looks kind of french all put together and such. Is she someone in L.S.C's Granny?
Also was severely admiring Les Sans Cullotes keyboard players ensemble for the afternoon although the whole band looked fab as always.
See!

Filmed until heads got in the way!

Atlantic Antic SUNDAY!

It's that time of year again! The mother of all Brooklyn Street Fairs! I'm bummed that there is no rock and roll spectacular down at the end of Atlantic since Magnetic Fields closed down but alas the Last Exit bar is hosting Les Sans Cullotes and The Susquehanna Tool & Die Co. By the way both of these bands played at F.I.B's first anniversary party!

here is zee note from zee band:

Citizens! LES SANS CULOTTES, the famous disposers of the House of Bourbons (and the jeriboum of Sancerre), are happy to have a front row seat for the collapse of Capitalism and the televising of the revolution. 'Tremblez tyrans voici Les Sans Culottes,' as we are so fond of saying. Personally, it's not terrible to lose your pants.

In any event, we are striking out for the Faux Burg of Brooklyn and heading into the Belly of the Bistrot. Too long we have inhabited the divine sepulchre (i.e, the Jolie Mome cafe in the 20eme arrondissement).

We'll be outside/ dehors the Last Exit (Sortie Derniere) at the Atlantic Antic
this Sunday October 5th beginning at approx. 3:00 pm. The day will also
feature Susquehanna Industrial Tool and Die and go go dancers and DJ's.

The Last Exit Bar, 136 Atlantic Ave (b/t Clinton and Henry)
Sunday October 5th
2 sets: 3:00 or 3:30 and 5:00 pm

The Antic runs from Flatbush Avenue to Hicks Street, chock a block full of food and other musical acts along the way.

AND this just added as per an email through the NYC Garage Group:

This Sunday, October 5th, Dead Flowers' very-own MR. LEE will be spinning choice garage,
soul and freakbeat nuggets at Last Exit's Atlantic Antic after-party starting at 6PM.

Shimmy yer ass on over!!

Coney Island Film Festival Wrap #8!

The Fabulous Insectavora!
While the Coney Island Film Festival was a fun event you couldn’t help but getting a sad vibe when you looked around the area surrounding the Coney Island USA building. Although it is closed for the season anyway the vacant lots surrounded by chain link fences bulldozed by Thor Equities last year intensify a feeling of impending doom only amplified by the rainy weather. Coney was enveloped in a surreal mist for most of the weekend. Correct me if I’m wrong me but aren’t at least the Cyclone & the Wonder Wheel still operating on the weekends at this time of year?

I attended many screenings over the 3 days, unfortunately it was impossible to see them all as the screenings (over 125 shorts!) were done simultaneously between the Freak Show Stage and the Coney Island Museum but I managed to take in a lot.

The selections seemed a bit darker this year. Sunday afternoon’s Coney centric shorts viewing were bittersweet as nostalgia has set in big time already. Will the recent economic developments halt Joe Sitt & Bloomberg’s big dreams of condos and Nike towns? Save Coney Island by Peter LiPera is a doc (and winner of the festival!) chronicalizing the “Save Coney Island” Movement, from the organization of the protest at City Hall last year till the unknowing period of now. Of course it’s open ended as the fight is still going on. (go here to see what you can do to help.) One Coney short unrelated to the amusement park that I really liked was by Alexis Neophytides called “Coney Island’s for the Bird’s” a doc about the underground world of Brooklyn pigeon racing, looked like it was filmed on Neptune Avenue. And as usual the festival closed Sunday night with the filmmakers claiming their awards at Eldorardo Auto Skooters, as I am SURE they do in Cannes as well! Click here for the Coney Island Film Festival website for a complete list of winners!

Rattlesnake Now Available in Brooklyn

If you ever wondered what grilled rattlesnake looks like, look no further.

F.I.B was graciously invited to a “menu tasting” over at new Brooklyn “Pan-Southwestern” restaurant Ellis recently. As I am no expert on food (but I do like the stuff!) I had my dining companion, Jennifer Mitchell, an experienced food writer do the expose…..

ELLIS

Chef Ellis of the Southwestern/Native American “Ellis” couldn’t hide his enthusiasm as he welcomed us to his new establishment. His only lament . . . the hurricane prevented him from getting the rattlesnake he really wanted to serve, a big one, straight from Texas . Hailing from Arizona , Chef Ellis seems to know where the biggest snakes come from.

We weren’t complaining, though. Well, maybe twice, but that had to do with the “classic margarita” and the “berry crush margarita”, neither one up to par. However, the jalapeno caipirinha was a wonderful drink; make sure you have a taste for peppers and a flair for, um, savoring a drink, to truly enjoy it.

Our six course sampling was solid and refreshing with a couple of surprises along the way. Our first ‘course’ was the White Bean Soup with Bacon. Very simple, very straightforward and just plain good. Next, the citrus and blue cheese salad with sunflower seeds, golden raisins and sunflowers was tantalizingly sweet. Its honey and grapefruit balsamic vinaigrette dressing combined beautifully with the blue cheese creating a crisply refreshing and savory salad. A favorite with us.

If you love garlic (and I for one, do), then you would love Ellis’s cilantro lime pesto, served on either chicken wings or shrimp. Other sauces included a very sweet and spicy Chipotle as well as a sweet red pepper jelly that would make any southern woman proud to serve on bruschetta with cream cheese (which was, btw, one of the pre-party appetizers. Being decidedly southern, I was reminded of Christmas party finger food and very happy about it). It is surprisingly good on chicken wings, too.

Next came the rattlesnake skewers in a citrus and garlic marinade with grilled and perfectly crispy asparagus. Chef Ellis recommended we just pick up that rattlesnake with our fingers and dig in. My kinda chef. Never haven eaten rattlesnake, I didn’t know what to expect. It was very tender, and more akin to a filet mignon than one might have imagined. Recommended.

Our final main course offering was a pan seared catfish topped by a blueberry/red onion salsa served with homemade mashed potatoes studded by sweet and crispy corn. The catfish could not have been cooked more perfectly. It was a thicker catfish than I am accustomed to, but the meat was tender and flaky, the outside maintaining its crispness even with the juicy salsa. Being served catfish with a fruit topping was a first for this MS Delta born and raised girl. I’ll definitely be writing home about this one. The potatoes were both creamy and chunky and I think would have been outstanding if they hadn’t been a bit cold. Another favorite.

The dessert, a sopapilla style Navajo fry bread with honey and powdered sugar just did not do. I guess, then, a third complaint. We couldn’t decide if it was a mistake such as too much salt in the recipe, or just a good idea gone bad.

Over all, we were very happy with our meal and our experience at Ellis. When main ingredients were given a platform, with a bit of an accompaniment, that is when they shined: the rattlesnake skewers, the catfish and, interestingly, the salad come to mind. Other foods tended to be overwhelmed by the sauce. Don’t get me wrong: while Ellis’ sauces do taste good, they tend to be a bit too sweet, or a bit too smoky.

Ellis is a very welcomed addition to the expanding South Slope/South Slope South neighborhood. With bar activities most nights of the week, you can be sure that this will be a favorite with the incoming hipster with a job crowd.

Ellis is located at 627 Fifth Avenue between 17th and 18th Streets.

It's a Rainy Weekend! Go to the Coney Island Film Festival!

A blurry yet atmospheric photo of the fab entertainers of Coney Island Sideshows by the Seashore
A reminder that the Coney Island Film Festival is going on this weekend and with rain in the forecast for the whole weekend it’s the perfect thing to do. I attended the opening last night which kicked off with documentary short “Down the Hatch: The life teachings of John “Red” Stuart” and documentary feature “Sideshow Still Alive”. Both films were about the unique lives of the sideshow performer, I saw more sword swallowing, fire breathing, glass walking and nails hammered in to nostrils within 90 minutes than I have seen in my entire life. And it continued LIVE at the opening party entertainment provided by the performers of Coney Island’s Sideshows by the Seashore crew. Outside I schmoozed with filmmaker Juan C. Lopez and burlesque performer Little Brooklyn who performed an unusual and stunningly choreographed routine involving a gorilla and a banana at the party. As usual a friendly crowd and a splendid time appeared to be had by all.

So, it’s 1:30 pm on Saturday now (and FIB has no internet at home and is blogging from the library, now THAT'S dedication!) and there are still more than a 100 shorts, docs and features running through 8pm tomorrow night. Check it out! Here is the schedule! On my way back out there now!

Gowanus? Love Canal? NO! It's the Clap Canal!

The result of the vote on the resolution for the Toll Brothers spot zoning approval that occurred last night at the Community Board 6 meeting was basically a wash as there was no majority rule, it will have to be brung again before the board next month. More people were for the resolution to disapprove the spot zoning than against it. The board members for the resolution had legitimate reason to question this project. Environmental cleanup being number one. Many local residents spoke passionately and with concern about the project, no one I might add, was against something happening along the canal- it’s just that this particular project is not the right one. There are certain board members that have the twisted philosophy that in order to clean the canal you must build first. The ONLY folks in community who spoke on their side were union construction workers who basically used the guilt card that this project means jobs. Well, I have nothing against jobs but I would think that they wouldn’t want to be working on a job where they may be endangering their lives putting their hands in toxic soil. Does anybody recall the after effects of working down at the former world trade center? Hello! Cancer?! There is most likely asbestos and worse in the soil down on the shores of the Gowanus! They did have a representative to answer environmental cleanup questions but he was a tad casual and actually admitted that he “didn’t know much about that project” when someone brought up the languishing Whole Foods site. He stressed that there are broken ceramics in the soil more than heavy metals and other carcinegeous materials. And don’t get me started on their sewage solution. They are going to take care of their own shit. That board member also said that in order for the city to repair the strained sewage system on Bond Street, you must build first. (I want some of her drugs, or maybe the ones the woman who said the “canal has the clap”! and "let's get some "nice" people down there"!)

And again I have to say the most apparent thing about this meeting is that there were no REAL "pro" voices from the community other than members of the Gowanus Canal Development Corporation who for whatever reason have a huge hard on for this project, unknown health issues be damned! And oh yeah, Councilman Bill De Blasio made a brief appearance saying he is for affordable housing but if it’s not cleaned properly he’s not for it. Then he left and didn’t bother to listen to the community speak.

To read a much more detailed coverage of this three hour circus, click here to read the Pardon Me For Asking Blog’s coverage.

CB6/Toll Brothers Meet Thursday 6pm

Recently added to the building on 3rd and 3rd. Very timely.

The Toll Brothers comes before the Community Board 6 on Thursday night for the next round in the rezoning process. Be there if you care and you can speak for or against if you want to. Read the details below for the specifics.

Discussion and formulation of a recommendation on ULURP No. C090047ZMK, an application for an amendment of the Zoning Map.

Discussion and forumation of a recommendation on ULURP No. C090048ZSK, an application for a special permit to modify height and setback requirements, rear yard regulations and inner court regulations at 363-365 Bond Street (Block 452, Lots 1, 5, 15, 19 and Block 458, Lot 1).

Also! Has any one read this pro-Toll Brothers editorial in the Brooklyn Paper? I always knew they were all for it as their journalism has been slanted throughout (under reporting the amount of people that show up for community meetings for one example!) They claim that the Toll Brothers are saving "the soul of the Gowanus"! What a load of raw sewage Batman!

Read the crap here and prepare to roll your eyes.

The meeting is being held at:

P.S. 32 - Auditorium
317 Hoyt Street
(Union/President Streets)

6:00 PM

Photo compliments of Brian Berger.

Coney Island Film Festival Next Weekend!

The 8th Annual Coney Island Film Festival is happening next weekend (weekend of the 26-28th) opening with some sideshow related documentaries, "Down the Hatch" and "Sideshow is Still Alive". I highly recommend taking the trip out to there to experience this unique event. As usual tons of films, shorts and docs of all genres. After the premier you MUST attend the always fantastic opening party. This year it is at the recently finished Freak Bar at Coney Island U.S.A. I attended last year (in the museum) and had a most excellent time and at 25 bucks it’s the bargain of the century as it includes drinks, live burlesque and sideshow performers! Hosted ny the Great Fredini! The whole sha- bang is worth every penny, so go!

A portion of the press release:

8th Annual Coney Island Film Festival announces lineup. One hundred twenty five films plus special events.

Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, September 15, 2008 -- The 8th annual installment of the Coney Island Film Festival hits the shores of Coney Island from Friday, September 26th through Sunday, September 28th. This year's festival features one hundred twenty five films from around the world; a stunning array of high and low-brow fare, as diverse as the neighborhood it represents. Subjects range from the profound to the profane, showcasing the independent spirit and irreverent nature of the one and only Coney Island.

This year’s centerpiece film is Peter LiPera’s, Save Coney Island. Working with a small crew for over a year, director/cinematographer Peter LiPera paints an intimate portrait of Coney Island’s first annual last season. SAVE CONEY ISLAND shows a group of boardwalk friends’ journey over the course of a year as they try to preserve what they can within the ever-changing, ever-fading, atmosphere of Coney Island.

Click here for full schedule and film descriptions.

Click here to read and see F.I.B's coverage of last years festival.