Brooklyn Bridge Park's Movies With A View Started Tonight...

I'll be watching Annie Hall in my non air-conditioned apartment thank you very much. Syfy and people at say, Time Out New York are bringing us some super awesome visuals this summer and the fun started tonight with Woody Allen's affecting comedy about being in and out of love.

The full schedule can be seen at the site, and because I know you're lazy, let me give you my top picks:

Thursday, August 19
Feature Film: The Blues Brothers (R) – 1980, 133 min
Short: Mr. Okra by T.G. Herrington
DJ: Soulstatic

Thursday, July 29
Feature Film: Rear Window (PG) – 1954, 112 min
Short: Sketches from Great Gull by Nicholas Laviola
DJ: DJ DRM

Now The Big Lebowski is playing too, something you might want to have a babysitter for if you have kids, but The Blues Brothers is just an ingenious pick. It's sloppy, It's funny, It's soulmatic, and I capitalize It's because It's that awesome. And John Landis is a totally underrated director. I own Into the Night on DVD. Yup.

That and the grass in the newer areas of Brooklyn Bridge Park are impeccably manicured.

I NEED YOU, YOU YOU!

Summer Streets on Vanderbilt in Prospect Heights, Another Reason To Have A Pint

"It's the event of the season" I hear on the Dog the Bounty Hunter commercial as I type this. Wait we're back to Intervention.

While not the event of the season, and would go great if it went beyond June (but I'll take any excuse to do up Prospect Heights considering all the shit that will go down there over the next 5 years), Summer Streets on Vanderbilt Avenue (that's what the site says, maybe next year they'll pimp out the name a little more) is something I'd like to take part in, maybe the 27th. Don't mind the slightly awkward blog. Prospect Heights is good for it.

Basically you've got a strip of an underrated street that is open for the kids and adults and best of all, Soda Bar is up for some pints of the Vos all up in it. Now, Soda Bar can be inconsistent in the evenings but one thing's for sure, the backyard and sunny front part of the bar are always welcoming for afternoon refreshments.

This summer event will happen on June 20 and the 27th as mentioned previously.

The following has a nice cover by Face to Face too:

Greenwood Heights - Underrated Brooklyn

I'm a pretty big fan of toiling around Greenwood Heights if nothing for the fact that it's the limbo between two more established neighborhoods (Park Slope/South Slope and Sunset Park) and if you have Time Warner you can visit their lovely Brooklyn office.

Besides having a couple of gems in Toby's and Living Room Lounge and some interesting blocks with fun real estate, there's the most prominent portion, Green-wood Cemetery. Check out Brownstoner's wonderful recap and several photo opportunities for you to peruse and picture yourself on a wonderful summer afternoon. A little piece of history learned makes summer that much more memorable because it adds to what is already a perfect little afternoon by building another story, another dimension to your little journey through an area that is still mostly untouched by new stuff.

I highly suggest if you're looking for something to do during the weekend you swing by sunset park and zig zag through several blocks of Greenwood Heights. For more info and tours, go to green-wood.com. Particularly do anything Greenwood Heights related to the following tune:

Goodbye Summer 2009

Great to have known you, and cheers. And now in tribute, a song that reminds me of summer, creamsicles melting in the hot sun, and funk on the corner.
To celebrate Michael Vick's return to football:

Sunburn in Far Queens

So I traveled to the beach at Neponsit for some noon sun and got a whole lotta deep burn. Still could not get away from those Bushwick hipsters, who somehow found us and decided to give their limited but loudly projected thoughts on the Middle East and cellulite. After they commented on my Midtown shirt.

Brooklyn Public Pools Are Now Open For The Pees

Get your chlorine on starting Saturday if you can't make it to the beach, Brooklyn Paper reports that BK's public pools are open for the tinkle-and-paddle-away. It was always hilarious that the kiddie pool was about ten times warmer than the deeper, grown-up pool. Granted, shallower pools with good sun exposure and just a penchant for warmer water can contribute, but I always imagined a couple bad apples just letting loose. Talk about hard water!

The Sunset Park pool is laid out quite nicely but nothing really beats the construction of that behemoth in Astoria Park from our sister to the north.

However, if you're not up for the beach, there's few things more unique in the summer than the public pool. The concrete against your bare feet, stubbed toes, hot sun, cool towels you wish you had, running in water, checking out babes underwater when you were like 10. Awkward bathing suit moments. Fear of the deep end. Your skin feeling funny tingly after all that cleanliness in the H2O. Snack stand. Smelly, damp bathrooms. The locals.

Having glasses, getting into the water was always a nuisance...

For a full list of pools (the season hasn't ended as the site says, it just hasn't been updated for this year) click on the Brooklyn tab at this link: Brooklyn Public Pools.

Photo by BridgeandTunnelClub.com:

NYC Casting Call: Food2's $12 Challenge reality dating show. aka getting 100 dollars to admit you're love lorn AND can cook

So the friends at Food2 are doing a casting call this summer (episodes will probably film in the East Village where the first three episodes take place) right here in New York City promising more blowtorches and irons, you basic tools of the trade to make a meal on the street with 12 bucks and 2 hours to spare. They'll be filming all during August, a mouthful of episodes so I would suggest going here to sign up: 12 Dollar Challenge Casting Call

Did I mention cast members will get 100 clams? That's right, I read the fine details. With a 50/50 chance of winning on each episode, chances are if you're charming enough your date will actually go out with you after the filming/eating is done. You can also use that Benjamin to go to Flash Dancers. Or get really wrecked.

The episodes so far have progressed into fun 5 minute low budget treats, not much romance but plenty of fun. Blowtorches are really key, check out the second vid for that:

Adult Swim Presents: Summer at Santos. It's Free and you'll want to go.

This past week I was fortunate to attend the first of a 6 part series (no it's not a Ken Burns documentary) that Adult Swim is presenting at Andrew W.K.'s Santos Party House, not to be confused with Dino's Party House USA in the land that time forgot, the Penn Station black hole.

W.K. hosted the first round; the crowd filled up very quickly right before the first act came on, a sprightly Sherri Lilly (W.K.'s wife). She basically took everyone through a 30 minute cardio workout with songs like "Pop Your Chest" and "Sweet Beat." It was absolutely mesmerizing. Between all the jabs and left roundhouses there were lyrics that were so upbeat you couldn't help but be charmed, it's like she forced you to lighten up.

Santos is the perfect place really; fitting a couple hundred concentrated doses of 80s style (there were two toners, Ratt look-a-likes, and just all around products of any club scene in Tough Guys), friendly staff, and W.K.'s incredible energy. With signs like "Santos Party House wants you to act like you didn't read this" you know there's a bit of irreverence here, and it's all in good fun.

I could only stay for half of Aleister X, but the eclectic nature of the show (with some bigger names later in the summer) makes for a fun way to do up Thursday nights at the Chinatown/Soho divide. Future acts include one of my favorite Fah Q.'s - A.C. Newman, and the creator of one of my favorite new shows, Jon Glaser of Delocated (both appear on the next round on June 25th). Adult Swim staples like Tim and Eric and Dave Willis of Aqua Teen will host a bevy of more bands.

It's every other Thursday folks, and it's totally free (except any beers you might be purchasing).

Remaining Schedule:
June 25 – Jon Glaser (Delocated!)
With The Woggles, Cheeseburger, A.C. Newman and masked burlesque dancers, The Pontani Sisters

July 9 – Brendon Small (Metalocalypse)
With Paul Green’s School of Rock

July 30 – Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim (Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!)
With DJ Douggpound, Gildon Works, The Party Animals and Beat Jams

August 6 – Dave Willis (Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Squidbillies)
With special guests

August 20 – Christy Karacas (Superjail!)
Featuring a night of local New York bands

The Powerstrip Circus Launch Party on Thursday June 4th: Be There, Or Be Lame

The friends at Powerstrip Circus, New York's premiere underground dance/hip hop/electro/awesomeness collective is finally giving themselves due props with an official launch party on June 4th (Thursdays in the summer are so bangin'). The place? Coco 66 in Greenpoint. How much? 5 bucks and a pristine mind to be blown.

All the details can be found at their site and on Facebook, but the real kicker is seeing the whole PSC mindtap in action. These guys hit a groove and just keep pinching it; even if you're not dancing, you automatically look cooler if you have people like KRTS at your back.

It's a great way to kick off summer and push the hotness to 11.


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