Last week I had the pleasure of finally seeing that movie made in 1998 about the Gowanus Canal,
Lavender Lake. I saw it in one of the most amazing and appropriate settings, on the deck of tanker, Marie Whelan, docked down in Red Hook. The event was hosted by Portside, New York.
First off, I would like to comment on the movie. It was very well made and as a Gowanus resident it was fascinating. It was basically about the history of the canal and about well known Carroll Gardens resident and local funeral home owner Buddy Scotto's personal crusade to clean the canal and about his vision to turn it into the next San Antonio "River Walk". Buddy seemed sincere, although he mentioned "development" a lot. It is sort of shocking 12 years later that when people (the EPA) have stepped in to sincerely clean the canal, he took the side of the Toll Brothers and the city...but that's ancient history!
This week's tankerFlick is
Ferry Tales. Sounds like fun!
The details:
"Hop aboard the Mary A. Whalen for the screening of Ferry Tales, the 2003 documentary nominated for an Academy award in 2004 A film by director Katja Esson, Ferry Tales takes place in the Ladies Powder Room of the Staten Island Ferry. It is a sneak peek into a culture that only happens 30 minutes a day in the women's bathroom….a place where no men are allowed. As they put on their make-up, they are transformed from housewives to businesswomen, from mothers to lawyers, from sisters to socialites. The women who step inside this room leave their race, social status and net worth at the door, sharing their most intimate secrets, solving each other’s problems or just dishing up the latest ferry gossip. What starts as funny anecdotes turns into a deep and moving account as these women, one by one, draw each other out, solve one another's problems and dish up the latest ferry gossip. "Seating will begin at 8:30, and the movie will start at 9.
Printed Tickets are not mandatory, though reserving a ticket online is preferred.
Click
here to reserve.
PS- When I went last week the first 40 people got a free beer. You are welcome to bring your own food and drink as well. The setting is fantastic. The skyline, the Statue of Liberty, an old tanker, the moonlight...a truly unique experience.
Where? Pier 11, Atlantic Basin, Red Hook (Pedestrian entrance at Pioneer & Conover)
Check out other events at Portside New York
here
You can't really tell but there was a group of completely random people doing the "Thriller" dance routine in this photo.
Scene from the Michael Jackson birthday party in Prospect Park
Skip the corporate multiplex and support a fine local independently run movie theater that is feeling a little neglected lately because the Brooklyn Heights Cinema has extended an amazing discount on admission to Found in Brooklyn readers. 
The Gowanus Canal
I received this from the people at We-Are-Famila who have been holding art shows in a pop-up gallery on Atlantic Avenue for the past few months. What is a pop-up gallery? Its a gallery in an unused store front, that's what! Anyway, they are holding a closing party for their latest exhibit showing the art of Jacob Williams.
First off, I would like to comment on the movie. It was very well made and as a Gowanus resident it was fascinating. It was basically about the history of the canal and about well known Carroll Gardens resident and local funeral home owner Buddy Scotto's personal crusade to clean the canal and about his vision to turn it into the next San Antonio "River Walk". Buddy seemed sincere, although he mentioned "development" a lot. It is sort of shocking 12 years later that when people (the EPA) have stepped in to sincerely clean the canal, he took the side of the Toll Brothers and the city...but that's ancient history!
F.I.B would like to congratulate F.R.O.G.G (Friends & Residents of the Greater Gowanus)on being awarded the Technical Assistant Grant from the E.P.A! F.R.O.G.G has tirelessly worked for years fighting for the environmental rights of the Gowanus Canal with absolutely no commercial interests whatsoever. I would like to think that their concerns and tenacity were the force field that suddenly brought the E.P.A's attention to the Gowanus Canal and the subsequent Superfund nomination which became a reality. Unlike other groups whose affiliation with the canal and whose priorities seemed to be tied with "development", F.R.O.G.G's has always been about clean water and clean land. That's it. Pure and simple.
F.I.B checked out the Ponderosa Stomp Detroit Breakdown on Saturday and got re-baptised by some fine american rock and roll. All of these originators still got their mojos working. Who did I see? 60's Girl group, The Velvelettes (Needle in a Haystack, Really Sayin' Something), mid 80's punk garage, The Gories (Nytroglycerin), 60's Farfisa Godz, ? & the Mysterians (96 Tears), Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels (Sock it to me baby, Devil with the blue dress but his gimmee shelter medley was a real downer i have to say..featuring a piano AND a drum solo that seemed to go on for hours) and a "pre-punk" metal trio from the early 70's called Death who were a real treat to hear. A big highlight was a surprise appearance by the lengendary Ronnie Spector! Here she is joining ? on "96 Tears"!
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