Public Hearing on the Disposal of Admirals Row

On Tuesday there will be a chance to have a say and listen to proposals for the future of the threatened Navy Yard Admirals Row buildings. Hosted by Lt. Col. Mike Milord of the Air National Guard, the public hearing will take place ar P.S. 307 (202 York Street @ Gold Street in DUMBO). Tuesday Dec 11, 7PM - For information call 1-703-607-2780 or view the announcement here. Scott Witter, founder and curator of Brooklyn's Other Museum of Brooklyn, is fighting to have the historically and architecturally significant buildings landmarked. Maybe you saw his publicity drive at the weekend?

Brooklyn Public Library

The Brooklyn Public Library as you see here is by Githens and Keally and was completed in 1941. However there was a 1908 design by Raymond F. Almirall for a Beaux Arts structure. A skeleton was completed before financial problems halted the project, and so the later Art Moderne design had to stick to the Almirall form. The gilded reliefs are by Carl Paul Jennewein who also has murals in the spectacular lobby of the Woolworth Building.

Hot Bird Hanging On: Atlantic Yards Destruction Update

There's a new construction update on the 'Yards over at No Land Grab. We swung past on Saturday to find the Hot Bird building on Vanderbilt has survived so far. * Demolition is complete at 465 Dean Street (block 1127, lot 54). Clean up and back fill will be completed within this 2-week period. * Demolition is complete at 814 Pacific Street (block 1129, lot 45). Clean up and back fill will be completed within this 2-week period. * Demolition is complete at 538 Vanderbilt Avenue (block 1129, lot 46). Clean up and back fill will be completed within this 2-week period. * Demolition is underway at 546 Vanderbilt Avenue (block 1129, lot 54) and will continue for the next two–three months.

Desktop Day: Christmas Yards

Mac and PC versions of the holiday spirit down on the Atlantic Yards footprint.

Ratner's Christmas Turn-On

Bruce Ratner (above left): Love child of Dick Cheney + Al D'Amato? (With a little bit of Norman Tebbit?) Bruce Ratner and his helpers (including Marty Markowitz, above right) were at Metrotech last night for the annual lighting ceremony.

Brooklyn on Film, 1899-2007: Free Screening at the BHS

The Brooklyn Historical Society are putting on a free screening tomorrow (Thursday) night at 7pm. It sounds excellent: "Films from the earliest days of cinematic technology, including the Edison Studios motion picture records of Brooklyn in the 1890s, and Sarah Bernhardt addressing a crowd in Prospect Park in 1917, will be shown. The screening will also include short documentaries about Brooklyn’s diverse neighborhoods and people. One of which, Brooklyn: Among the Ruins directed by Suzanne Wasserman, introduces audiences to Brooklyn born and bred Paul Kronenberg. Paul is a 60 year-old subway buff who built a life-size replica of a 1930s motorman's subway cab in his tiny bedroom in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn."

JC Park Slope

Sign-a-Rama Autographica

Some good examples taken along Stillwell Avenue, Coney Island. I'd like to think Autographica will become a regular feature.

Back in Bay Ridge: Lost Logo

I don't suppose any reader would know the whereabouts of the above loveable logo? It has been replaced with the graphic below.

Drizzly

But there's still colour on the Slope.

Making Movies About Making Movies in Iraq

Come, be part of the story. In Slate today, the Lady BIB looks at Brian De Palma's Redacted and other current films about the Iraq war.

Desktop Day: What, Not Where

We can tell you this is on 5th Avenue in Park Slope, but what is it? It's sized for both Mac (top) and PC desktop wallpaper so you can give it a closer inspection. Click on the picture to open the large version.

Another Fifth Avenue Fire

The small emporium of spiritual curiosities on Fifth Avenue and Douglass was burning just now (about 5pm). My favorite Chinese takeout next door was also damaged. Earlier this year another, bigger fire raged just two blocks away. UPDATE: Botanica La Fe was apparently torched in a robbery attempt. The NY Daily News has more. GL UPDATE: A great round-up of coverage and eyewitness stories here.

Gingerbread House - It's Beautiful Bay Ridge

Thanks to the commenters who helped place the Gingerbread House, also known as the Howard E. and Jessie Jones House, on the corner of Narrows Avenue and 83rd in beautiful Bay Ridge. It's an Arts and Crafts design from 1917 by J. Sarsfield Kennedy, who also designed the Prospect Park picnic house. We'd read about the Gingerbread House in Kevin Walsh's book 'Forgotten New York' some time ago, so were thrilled to finally get down and see it. You can find out more on the FNY website.

The Gingerbread House

More eccentric architecture in Brooklyn, but where?

Going Green

A scooter in Park Slope today.

The Colour Purple: Atlantic Avenue Rig

On the junction of Fifth Avenue and Atlantic this afternoon.

Desktop Day: Creek Out

Here's our first Mac and PC desktop day! We are pleased to present a tree growing from the rotting cabin of a boat in Coney Island Creek. The top image should fit nicely on a regular PC monitor, and the bottom on a wide-screen Mac. Left click on the image to open the full-size version.

Prospect Park Moonlight Ride

The moonlight cycle ride takes place in Prospect Park this weekend. Here's some information from photographer Jonathan Barkey, the tour leader: Prospect Park Moonlight Ride at 9pm this Saturday night. Meet at Grand Army Plaza and tour the paved inside paths to the park's treasured landmarks and hidden places. I suggest bringing lights, a pump and spare tube, and warm clothes, particularly socks and gloves. Ride lasts roughly an hour, longer if the group wants more. Serious rain at 8:45pm cancels. Find out more at Time's Up.

Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn: Klezmatics play at fundraiser

Daniel Goldstein of Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn addresses a sold out Lyceum last night, where the Klezmatics played an excellent set.

The New-York Ghost: Coney Island Creek

Vol. II, No. 33 hit inboxes today and features some Coney Island Creek photos by yours truly... for anyone still wondering about this image. Sign up for the free "Weekly Newsletter You Print Out at Work" here.

Brooklyn Crabs

Above, Coney Island and below Jamaica Bay

What a Drag: NYC Marathon Follow Up

As if simply running the marathon was not enough, Rima Chai from Surrey in the UK dragged 18 kilos (mostly car tyre) behind her for the entire course, to raise awareness on sustainability as well as funds for her Arctic Expedition. Afterward, she wrote, "I was interviewed by the New York Times by Nathaniel Vinton, who was reporting on the trash left behind and decided not to release all my political views on how businesses need to be wholly involved in sustainability of their environment and that the US needed to be more committed to environmental concerns due to their high consumption (has been indicated as 40% of the world's resources) and high waste (approx only 30% of their trash is recycled, the rest ends up in landfills). Although I did ask him why there was a lack of recycle bins in New York. Walking through the boroughs, I did not see any." You can read Rima's whole marathon story here.

NYC Marathon: Park Slope

As the last few runners came along 4th Avenue, many locals stayed to cheer them on.

Where the Cats Meow

You can always bump into interesting folks at the muddy and decaying edge of the city. (Tried to get the little fellow at top to come home with me, but he had other plans.) I also met another photographer, the talented Sam Horine, who was looking for the yellow submarine here in Coney Island Creek.

Desktop Day Double: The Monster and the Monitor

This week it's the last of the Halloween creatures from Park Slope, and a computer monitor in the tidal mud of Coney Island Creek. Thanks to those of you who took part in our poll to find the most common screen size. In future we will try supply our images in Mac and PC formats. Instructions Left-click on the image first to open up the large version. Windows PC: Right-click on the large image and select 'set as desktop background'. You can also right-click and 'save as', then use your desktop properties settings to add the file you just saved and format it how you prefer. There's more info on customising your PC desktop here.

Mac: Macintosh instructions can be found here.

Park Slope Halloween Parade

Borough President Marty Markowitz joined in the frightening parade on 7th Avenue last night.

Halloween Lands In Clinton Hill

The Society for Clinton Hill's Annual Halloween Walk begins at 5pm at the community garden at the corner of DeKalb and Hall. Alien visitations are expected at 313 Clinton Avenue, above, where the famous Halloween show will be playing every half-hour. The event is free.

NYC Traffic Congestion: Have Your Say, Brooklyn

This afternoon, we received the below info from Transportation Alternatives, part of the run-up to Thursday's public hearing with the Congestion Mitigation Commission: 1.) Poster-Making Pre-Game for the Brooklyn Hearing When: Tuesday, October 30th, 6:30-8pm Where: Ozzie's on 5th Avenue, between Carroll and Garfield What: Help make posters for the Brooklyn hearing, and hang out with like-minded Brooklynites. Email wiley@transalt.org if you can attend. 2.) Subway Flyering for the Brooklyn Hearing When: Wednesday, October 31st, 7:30-9:30am Where: Brooklyn Borough Hall (Joralemon between Adams and Court) What: Help us turn out Brooklynites to the hearing by passing out flyers at Borough Hall. Even an hour on your way to work is helpful! Email wiley@transalt.org if you can attend. 3.) Brooklyn Congestion Mitigation Hearing When: Thursday, November 1st, 6pm Where: NYC Tech, Klitgord Auditorium 285 Jay St. Directions: 2/3/4/5/M/R Train to Borough Hall What: Speak out for less traffic and better transit in your neighborhood at the Brooklyn public hearing on congestion pricing. Tell the commission Brooklyn needs less traffic and better transit options like more express buses and more frequent trains - and tell them you want congestion pricing to pay for it. To speak at the hearing, you need to sign up in advance. Go to this website and fill out the testimony form to speak out: https://www.nysdot.gov/portal/page/portal/programs/congestion_mitigation_commission#present

G Train Hustle in Fort Greene Park

Or "G Train Hassle" as the judges put it at the Pupkin dog costume contest yesterday.

Halloween Bungalow

Spotted in Coney Island this sunny afternoon.

Clock Face

We're pleased to see the Williamsburg Bank clock again.

Slab Night

In Park Slope.

True 54

Clermont and Myrtle

Desktop Day Double: Atlantic Yards, No

Two images sized to go up as your computer wallpaper. Kind of ideal if you are lucky enough to have two monitors, as you can juxtapose the shots for a snazzy visual statement. Instructions Left-click on the image first to open up the large version. Windows PC: Right-click on the large image and select 'set as desktop background'. You can also right-click and 'save as', then use your desktop properties settings to add the file you just saved and format it how you prefer. There's more info on customising your PC desktop here.

Mac: Macintosh instructions can be found here.

Carlton Avenue Bridge Set to Close

The closure is part of the preparation by Forest City Ratner for the Atlantic Yards development. It will shut over the next few weeks. Here's the location.
View Larger Map

Gowanus Paddle

What with all the auto action and live entertainment over the weekend, this image slipped through the net. So here we have Gowanus Dredgers returning from a gentle paddle.

Party for the People at the Yard

M1 of Dead Prez The perfectly placed Yard hosted the event yesterday, bringing together performers, poets, activists, and community organisations on a perfect still-summery afternoon. Thanks to G-Lounge for the event listing. Judah Tribe

Saturday Car-nography

On the same street as the leaning brownstones (left) and the Holiday Inn, you can find an excellent collection of customised cars. Residents inform us that the vehicle pictured below has 20 built-in speakers. On the way home, I spotted this yellow Corvette launching from 3rd and Carroll.

Desktop Day: Double D

Downtown Brooklyn and Dumbo scenes today, sized for your computer desktop. Instructions Left-click on the image first to open up the large version. Windows PC: Right-click on the large image and select 'set as desktop background'. You can also right-click and 'save as', then use your desktop properties settings to add the file you just saved and format it how you prefer. There's more info on customising your PC desktop here.

Mac: Macintosh instructions can be found here.

Gonorrhea in Gowanus

Biologist Dr. Niloufar Haque reports that students have found Gonorrhea in a drop of Gowanus water. Gonorrhoea is a bacterial sexually transmitted infection with some unpleasant symptoms.

Home and Away

The BIB Manor, Attracting Fuzz The American Planning Association has announced their "Great Places in America" for 2007. Park Slope made the top-10 "Great Neighborhoods" list, but more surprisingly, so did Elmwood Village, in the Lady BIB's home shire of Buffalo... which strikes us as an excellent opportunity to link to this.

Brooklyn! Bless Your Pets

"St. Francis of Assisi, he had it all down." - Harvey Keitel in Mean Streets Tomorrow is the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals (and ecology!). During the first week of October each year, many churches hold pet blessing ceremonies in his honour, including those organised by James Quitoni at St. Edmund Church in Brooklyn, as NBC5 tells us today.

Desktop Day: Dumbo Double

Due to an out-of-towner, desktop day is late this week. But it did give us a chance to get down to the Dumbo Art Under the Bridge Festival for you. Instructions Left-click on the image first to open up the large version. Windows PC: Right-click on the large image and select 'set as desktop background'. You can also right-click and 'save as', then use your desktop properties settings to add the file you just saved and format it how you prefer. There's more info on customising your PC desktop here.

Mac: Macintosh instructions can be found here.

Domino Sugar Factory Landmarked

The brick buildings, including that chimney stack, are now safe. The neon sign is not included in the landmarking, but the developer is "looking at ways to save it" reports AMNY today.

Pacific Pavement Clean Up

Faith Gertner, a resident of Brooklyn for over twenty years, helped with the clean up on Pacific Street on Sunday. Under the Forest City Ratner plan the street is to be de-mapped. But there is an alternative... Photos courtesy of Deb Goldstein.

Unity Plan: Press Conference

Unity Plan architect Marshall Brown The alternative Unity Plan for Atlantic Yards was officially unveiled to the public today at the Soap Box Gallery, Dean Street. There is also a community forum from 6pm tonight at the gallery. More images here. Council member Letitia James

Coney Island: Tattoo and Motorcycle Festival

Today's events marked the 22nd year for the festival.

5th Veil and Beirut at the Masonic Temple

Fifth Veil taking rapturous applause for their performance of The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind Fifth Veil and Beirut performed for a packed and enthusiastic house in Fort Greene tonight as part of the Wordless Music series (curated by Ronen Givony), which "brings together the sound worlds of classical and contemporary instrumental music." Beirut (bandleader Zach Condon is at left)

Celebrating Jane Jacobs: Atlantic Yards Footprint Tour

Center for the Living City have arranged some FREE walking tours of New York in celebration of Jane Jacobs. We're recommending the "Atlantic Yards Footprint and Environs" tour with Norman Oder. From the Center for the Living City website: "The walk reveals the historic and political context behind the controversial Atlantic Yards plan—beginning at the edge of Downtown Brooklyn, where the borough’s tallest building is being converted to luxury condos, a dip into the embryonic Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) arts district, a peek at revitalized Fort Greene. The walk will then take in the fruits of urban redevelopment—1970s tower apartments, 1990s low-rise housing, and two malls—before traversing the footprint itself in Prospect Heights." Meeting Location: In front of Williamsburgh Savings Bank (tallest building in Brooklyn) Hanson Place at Ashland Place Time: Saturday, Sept 29, 2 PM Tour Guides: Ron Shiffman and Norman Oder Also keep in mind the Municipal Arts Society exhibit “Jane Jacobs and the Future of New York,” which opens on September 26th.

Desktop Day: Goodnight Astroland

For this week's PC wallpapers, two images from what may have been the final night at Astroland in Coney Island. Instructions Left-click on the image first to open up the large version. Windows PC: Right-click on the large image and select 'set as desktop background'. You can also right-click and 'save as', then use your desktop properties settings to add the file you just saved and format it how you prefer. There's more info on customising your PC desktop here.

Mac: Macintosh instructions can be found here.

Hot Bird on Block 1129: Atlantic Yards Update

It's that time again: another demolition update is out for Forest City Ratner's Atlantic Yards project. There's more drilling and surveying underway at the corner of Vanderbilt and Pacific, block 1121.

Zipping Off to Honduras

So it's old news perhaps, but we wanted to show you these images of the Zipper. It was seen being carted away from Coney Island at the weekend, apparently to Honduras. Even a cursory glance over the structure will indicate that the physical forces this ride could exert on the human body and mind must have been profoundly uncomfortable. We very much regret we never got to try it out.

Break Dance

Scream if you wanna go faster.

Red Hook Food Vendors Celebrate

A unique exhibition of photographs taken by the vendors will be on display at the Red Hook site this weekend. It's to celebrate the extension of their permits to October 21st. There will also be music, more footy and of course food. Thanks for the tip Erin.

Astroland: Up Goes the Band

During their farewell parade through Astroland on Sunday, the Hungry Marching Band performed inside the Astrotower. They played as it rose and rotated.

Coney Island: Last Day for Astroland

Sunday was set to be the last day ever for Astroland. Thor Equities are keen to flatten the site so they can get on with their plans to build time-shares. As Gowanus Lounge puts it: "Our sadness isn't so much that Astroland is going, but that it may be going long before its replacement comes along. Next year, if developer Joe Sitt uses the land as a bargaining chip to pressure the city or exacts revenge for a rejected plan or evicts the former owners because he couldn't squeeze an extra $500,000 in rent from site, the vacant land surrounded by a blue wall of plywood will sit as a dagger through the heart of one of the most diverse destinations in all of Brooklyn."

Labor Day Carnival: Daytime Edition

Pictures from the 40th anniversary parade this afternoon on Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn.

J'Ouvert: Labor Day Early Edition

From around 4am this morning outside the Brooklyn Library, Carnival celebrants took party in J'Ouvert. From the WIADCA guide to Carnival: "J'Ouvert, or jour ouvert in French, meaning daybreak, began in Trinidad in 1937. Today J'Ouvert is also celebrated in New York as a predawn festival on Carnival day."

Movie's Stop Stopped

269B Court Street used to look like this.

Brooklyn Labor Day Parade and Carnival: 40th Anniversary

The 2006 carnival Labour Day marks the return of one of our favorite Brooklyn events: the West Indian American Day Carnival. The theme for this year is "Celebrate Culture, Embrace Diversity." The parade runs down Eastern Parkway; Mayor Bloomberg is to cut a ribbon at 11am at Utica Avenue to start the party.

Bergen Street Evictions: More Coverage

With message boards and internet chatter on the Bergen St. story growing by the hour, where better to go for an in-depth and rational investigation than Atlantic Yards Report. (Image, from left to right, Sillather Bullock, councilwoman Letitia James and a cop)

Bergen St: Stop the Evictions Rally

Evelyn Suarez (left) a tenant of 533 Bergen Street and her friend. On Sunday, the tenants of 533 Bergen Street organised a block party and rally to protest impending evictions. The New York Independent Media Center summarizes the case: “Owners Andre Wiesmayr and Deanne Cheuk, both well-recognized designers and artists (Cheuk was recently named one of “20 under 30” to watch by Print magazine) want to take over five rent-stabilized units and convert the apartments into a triplex for themselves and co-owners Felicity Loughrey, a celebrity journalist for Vogue Australia, and husband Dan Bailey. Eviction proceedings have already begun.”

Gowanus Yard: Sabbath Bloody Sabbath

Philadelphia's Sabbra Cadabra played the Gowanus Yard today, on the banks of the canal near the Carroll Street Bridge. The mud-splashed and beer-soaked crowd reserved their greatest enthusiasm for, yes, "Iron Man."

Wow. Ditmas Park.

Desktop Day: Flatbush and Fifth

The bright red JRG Cafe has been Ratnered and the Williamsburg Bank clock is still shrouded. Here they both are sized to fit your PC desktop. While you're here let us know what size desktop you have using the quick poll over on the right. Instructions Left-click on the image first to open up the large version. Windows PC: Right-click on the large image and select 'set as desktop background'. You can also right-click and 'save as', then use your desktop properties settings to add the file you just saved and format it how you prefer. There's more info on customising your PC desktop here.

Mac: Macintosh instructions can be found here.

August?

Puff on Pacific Street

A dragon lives forever but not so little boys Painted wings and giant rings make way for other toys. One grey night it happened, Jackie Paper came no more And Puff that mighty dragon, he ceased his fearless roar.

Atlantic Yards Demolition Update: JRG Cafe Gone

JRG Cafe when it was still open for business "Demolition is underway at 175 Flatbush Avenue (block 1118, lot 6), and 177 Flatbush Avenue (block 1118, lot 5); 177 Flatbush Avenue will likely be completed within this period." From the ESDC construction update. The space where JRG Cafe was, photographed today.

Desktop Day Double: Video Edge, Brighton Beach

Video Edge on the 7th Avenue Q stop is sadly no longer with us, but you can keep the dashing logotype on your PC desktop. The Brighton Beach video store pictured below is however open for business. Instructions Left-click on the image first to open up the large version. Windows PC: Right-click on the large image and select 'set as desktop background'. You can also right-click and 'save as', then use your desktop properties settings to add the file you just saved and format it how you prefer. There's more info on customising your PC desktop here.

Mac: Macintosh instructions can be found here.

Pacific Street Symbols

Anyone care to translate?

A Chat with Tracy Collins

A while back I got to spend some time with Tracy Collins, a photographer who lives next door to the Atlantic Yards footprint in Dean Street (check out his Flickr stream). He has produced a work-in-progress, print-on-demand book, Atlantic Yards: [De]construction of The Neighborhood, with proceeds going to the Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn legal fund. Tracy is also planning an Atlantic Yards group photography show and accompanying book. Q. What was your first camera? A. My first real camera was an Olympus OM1 that I bought used from a friend of mine who was in Asia. He could get a really good one cheap over there. I think the real bug came in high school. I took a photography class where you developed your own films and made your own prints. The hobby [grew] from the early 80s on, and just in the last few years I quit my engineering job and moved to New York. Q. How much did you know about Atlantic Yards when you came here? A. Almost nothing. I heard rumours. After I bought my place, I thought it might be nice to walk to a pro basketball game, and to see something other than the rail yards: shops, restaurants, open space. So initially I was pro-Atlantic Yards. Once I learned more about what was actually planned, I felt it was way out of scale for the area. And I wasn't happy about the process in which it’s been pushed forward. I’m against the use of eminent domain. It’s going to be a lot more costly to the public than what’s been stated publicly. Over time, the amount of money being ponied up by the city and state has seemed to edge up over the amount of benefits the public is going to get -- the housing and jobs -- slowly eating away to the point where it’s like, Why are we subsidizing this one guy with so much money? We haven’t even had competitive bids for what could go there. Why is this the best plan, why is this the only plan? It feels very undemocratic. As I understand it, the local community boards have no say at all legally in what happens. Q. How did you go about finding out more about Atlantic Yards? A. I just set up a Google Alert for any news about the neighborhood, and with those alerts I found blogs like Norman Oder's AY Report and No Land Grab. I started plugging into those outlets as well. I started going to block association meetings, the few community input meetings [laughs] hosted by the developer and the Empire State Development Corporation. Q. How did you feel about those meetings? A. I felt it was just them going through the motions, so they could say, 'Yes, we did solicit community input.' It felt very much like, 'The plan has already been decided on, but we need to sleepwalk through this process because that’s what we’re supposed to do.' It didn’t feel as if any meaningful changes came out of it. Q. Did your photography or your aesthetic change when you moved to Brooklyn? A. I’m definitely doing a lot more color than I used to do. That may be more of a function of the digital camera; color is so much easier to do than with film. There’s definitely more of a purpose now; I don't know if much has changed aesthetically, but the subject matter is clearly about changes in the neighborhood. I'm trying to capture things that I feel might not be around for much longer, trying to record the sense of the space. Q. What's the latest on your book project? A. I’m a babe in the woods right now. I guess it comes down to how much ownership I want over the project. It started out as an adjunct to a photo exhibit that I had. But now it looks like it could easily grow into something much bigger than that. It would be nice to have input and help; I’m not a great copywriter or copy editor. And Atlantic Yards is a huge space, 22 acres, plus all of the surrounding communities. If you are interested in getting involved with the Atlantic Yards exhibition and book, you can contact Tracy through his blog, Not Another F*cking Blog. His online portfolio is here.

The Weekend Seaside: Coney Island

A Coney Island photo story.

Pacific Street Slab

Obsolescence

“. . . the street finds its own uses for things.” --William Gibson, “Rocket Radio,” 1989

Oasis

This young tree survives amongst the shifting dunes of the Atlantic Yards project.

Bergen and Flatbush

Exiting the 2-3 underground station.

Rockaway's Bad Beaches

Today's Wave mentions a recent report that found the beach at Rockaway is without lifeguards and had "broken drinking fountains, closed bathrooms, littered shorelines and a deteriorating boardwalk". BIB also knows Rockaway as a place of beautiful dunes, wildlife and solitude.

Block Party: St Johns Place

Don't try and drive up St Johns between 5th and 6th tomorrow (Saturday).

Desktop Day: Williamsburg Bridge and Strange Fruit

Australian performance artists Strange Fruit are caught here mid swing and sized for your computer desktop wallpaper. Instructions Left-click on the image first to open up the large version. Windows PC: Right-click on the large image and select 'set as desktop background'. You can also right-click and 'save as', then use your desktop properties settings to add the file you just saved and format it how you prefer. There's more info on customising your PC desktop here.

Mac: Macintosh instructions can be found here.

Barrier

The view from Greenpoint.

Atlantic Yards Pile Driver

This contraption, pictured in front of the shrouded Ward Bakery, is for punching foundations deep into the ground. Pile drivers are an increasingly common sight (and sound) of Brooklyn's development frenzy. The origin of the pile driver is dated variously from as far back as 5000 years ago in Scotland up to the renaissance starchitects Francesco di Giorgio and Leonardo Da Vinci. Here is a pile driver you can drink. 1/3 oz vodka 1/3 oz orange juice 1/3 oz prune juice Pour all ingredients into a shot glass, stir and serve. UPDATE: An anonymous tipster informs us that the alleged pile driver is in fact a mere drill. We are investigating.

Greenpoint to Manhattan

Looking from West Street.

Graffiti Marriage

Strange Fruit in Dumbo

Australian performance artists Strange Fruit were in Dumbo this afternoon.

Prospect Park

Desktop Day Double: Ikea, Red Hook and Grand Army Plaza

The Ikea site in Red Hook , and an eagle in Grand Army Plaza are presented here this week, sized to fit your computer desktop. Instructions Left-click on the image first to open up the large version. Windows PC: Right-click on the large image and select 'set as desktop background'. You can also right-click and 'save as', then use your desktop properties settings to add the file you just saved and format it how you prefer. There's more info on customising your PC desktop here.

Mac: Macintosh instructions can be found here.

Narrow Streets: 9th

Where'd the new bike lane go?

Narrow Streets: Pacific

Since my last wander round the Atlantic Yards footprint a large new fence has been erected and a footpath closed. Pacific Street is now narrower by about a quarter.

Putting on a Brave Face

Verona Street, Red Hook

Directions from the Atlantic Center here.

Blue Paradise

Treasure on Our Doorstep

This tantalizing invitation (and look at that monospace print!) was left on our stoop earlier today.

Brownstoned

A Good Sign

First person who can guess where this picture was taken gets a free print.

Xibalba in Park Slope

Our own gateway to the underworld.

Coney Island: Clean Streets, Clean Beaches

The Huffy Windsprint: Spirited Away

The Huffy Windsprint -- transport of choice for BIB and veteran of the 5th-and-Atlantic combat zone -- has finally been reassigned to parts unknown. In the wee small hours of Sunday morning, an unidentified person or persons broke the lock and relocated the 'Sprinter from our stoop. (I know of one other red-and-black Windsprint in Park Slope, but my steed has a distinctive seat marked 'General'.) Fare thee well, beloved Huffy. Thanks for helping me explore the nabe. Best $30 I have ever spent.

A sign in Park Slope

Prospect Park Sunday Theatre Matinee

SCENE.—A pleasant summer afternoon. MAN is in the Drummers’ Grove in Prospect Park, kneeling near the performers and taking photographs whilst enjoying the music. He can see a half-dozen other people with cameras basking in the scene. A young woman, hereafter known as DWIGHT K. SCHRUTE, briskly approaches the MAN.

DWIGHT K. SCHRUTE. You can’t take pictures here without permission.

MAN [pats the grass]. I thought I was in the park. This is a public space.

SCHRUTE [looks shocked]. You can’t take pictures here because you are being disrespectful!

MAN. I’m not being disrespectful. I’m enjoying the music and I’m taking pictures and you haven’t even asked me what they’re for.

SCHRUTE. You are being disrespectful. You are disrespecting our culture. Do you want to take this to the cops?

MAN. Why, yes.

(MAN and SCHRUTE begin walking to a nearby fence where two policemen are perched.)

SCHRUTE. You can’t just come here from another country and disrespect our culture by taking pictures. You don’t know our culture, you don’t understand our culture.

MAN. Um, I live just over the other side of the park. I’m not disrespecting you or the performers. Why do you think it’s disrespectful to take people’s photographs?

SCHRUTE. It’s disrespectful to take people’s pictures without permission. The vendors pay for this space. You can’t take pictures here without our permission.

(MAN and SCHRUTE reach the policemen.)

SCHRUTE. He is taking pictures over here without permission and he is being disrespectful.

POLICEMAN NO. 1 [shrugs his shoulders] It’s a cultural thing.

INSANELY HANDSOME POLICEMAN NO. 2 [gestures toward the drummers’ circle]. These are good people.

SCHRUTE. It’s disrespectful!

MAN. I didn’t mean to be disrespectful to anyone. I’m enjoying the music and taking pictures.

SCHRUTE. We pay for this space. You have to ask permission to take pictures. [points at MAN] You can’t take pictures of the performers or our vendors without their permission.

MAN. I thought this was a public space.

POLICEMAN NO. 1. Yeah, you’re in a public space, but you can’t take people’s pictures.

[pause]

MAN. OK.

SCHRUTE. You come to me and you ask me if you want to take pictures.

MAN. OK, well, give me your phone number or your e-mail address and in future I’ll do that.

SCHRUTE. Here’s my business card. Now give me your card.

MAN. I have a variety of different picture cards and you can pick the one you like best. [Fans out his business cards and offers them to SCHRUTE] Do you want to choose one?

SCHRUTE. I don’t care.

MAN. Here’s one with a photograph of the Botanic Gardens. I’m sorry that you think I’ve disrespected you.

[silence]

MAN. Thank you for your understanding. [to POLICEMEN] And thank you for making things clear.

THE END.

Postscript: It’s funny that this little encounter happened the day after the Mermaid Parade, where I was appalled by the obnoxious, arrogant, and physically abusive—in a word, disrespectful—behaviour of many of the photographers. Too many photographers feel that simply holding a camera gives them carte blanche to show a complete lack of courtesy to people who just brought their eyes. And the professionals are worse than the amateurs. A friend reported a too-typical example: a photographer shoved him and then said, by way of explanation, “Listen, I’m working here.”

So the etiquette of public photography has definitely been on my mind this weekend. I know what my rights are, but what are my responsibilities? Generally, if I’m taking pictures of an individual or a small group, I’ll hold up the camera to signify that I’m about to take the pictures; if anyone says “No” or turns away, I automatically put my camera down. In the Drummers’ Circle, among scores of musicians and a hundred or so spectators, I didn’t take that precaution. At public events such as this one or the Mermaid Parade, I also take pains never to obstruct anyone’s line of vision just to get a better shot.

Photographers’ and non-photographers’ thoughts are more than welcome.