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Oh Sunday Best how I love you, with your fabulous DJs, imported food carts from the Red Hook Ballfields and lazed relaxing under the trees with other likeminded Brooklynites. For those of you who haven't been, Sunday Best is at The Yard (just before you cross the Gowanus Canal on Carroll Street). It starts on May 24 and runs through September 6, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. It's all ages, with enough dancing kids to keep things cute. Pony up $10 without an rsvp, $8 with (rsvp@sundaynestnyc.com) or before 4 p.m.

Here's the lineup:

May 24 - QUENTIN HARRIS, the master of soulful house
May 31 - MR. SCRUFF, a UK-based illustrator, tea vendor and eclectic DJ
June 7 - LUKE SOLOMON, Rekids and Cajual producer
June 14 - JUS-ED, Bridgeport, Connecticut’s finest
June 21 - RUB N TUG, crazy but true
June 28 - JUSTIN MARTIN, the dirtiest Dirtybird of them all
July 5 - LOSOUL, maker of European dance music with big nods to soul and jazz
July 12 - KYLE HALL, the 17-year-old, Detroit-based producer who's never played New York
July 19 - I:CUBE, a forefather of French house and one half of Chateau Flight
July 26 - OMAR S blows our minds every time
August 2 - MAURICE FULTON, the funkiest DJ we've ever heard
August 9 - MOTOR CITY DRUM ENSEMBLE, a young German paying homage to Detroit
August 16 - TIM SWEENEY, the ever-eclectic Beats In Space man
August 23 - THEO PARRISH, a true master playing a long set
August 30 - JUSTUS KOHNCKE, a Kompakt artist playing a live set
September 6 - DJ HARVEY, closing it out crazily and properly

Get info via email.

Happy summer drinking!

 As I blogged about Monday, there was this little party at the Bell House in Brooklyn to watch the election returns. Please forgive the utter amateurness of the video, which coupled with some drinking and jumping up and down for joy, does not make it my best work on a four-year-old digital camera. Still, I think it captures the joy. I also have a few photos on Flickr. The whole evening was amazing. There are very few times in my life that I've been so overwhelmed by a sense of unity (and cheesy as it may sound) hope.

So, in case you missed it, there's this little thing called a presidential election tomorrow. Do make sure you check your status before you vote so you know you're registered and where to vote.

THEN, figure out where to party. My two suggestions: The Red and the Blue party at the Bellhouse, featuring Brooklyn's own Blue Album Group cover band (the blue) and Red Hook vendors (the red, duh). Oh, and it's free. Also, for something that's totally in stumbling distance to my front door, Abilene has a brand spankin'-new flatscreen that will be tuned to election coverage, alonside a brand spankin'-new menu that debuts tomorrow. Check the website for menu goodies like pulled pork sandwiches, fried chicken, smoked ribs ... yum.

I stumbled across the new Dawg Shack (252 4th Avenue at President Street) after a morning coffee and pastry run to Root Hill Cafe (which really does have fabulous coffee and espresso drinks, well worth the trek from Carroll Gardens). Due to my consumption of pastries and the 11 a.m. hour, I did not down a hot dog from Dawg Shack, but it looked nice enough for a hot dog place.

Prices are reasonable: $1.75 for a plain one, $2 for a sauerkrat and onion-topped New York dog, $3 for a onion, lettuce, tomato and pickle-topped Chicago dog, $3 for an onion, ketchup, mustard and jalepeno-topped California dog, $3 for a bacon, cheese, mushroom and barbecue sauce-topped Texas dog, and $2.50 for a chili dog, plus an extra .25 cents for cheese. There's also burgers, Italian sausage, and basic breakfast and lunch sandwiches. I forgot to snap a picture, but you can place a delivery order at (718) 855-0757.

If you've been to The Yard yet this summer, you know it's a great venue for listening to good music and chilling out by the Gowanus while nibbling on a Red Hook-approved huarrache. August is officialy kids month there (not that there weren't cute young things there all summer long), meaning kids get in free and get free popsicles. Everyone else pays $8 for the summer vibes.

Up this week: Daniel Wang

Lineup for the Yard (Carroll Street on the Gowanus) Sunday parties has been released and it looks to be a super fun summer--and all within walking distance:

Sunday Best! takes over The Yard, a leafy waterside lot on the Gowanus Canal for a nice, mid-afternoon barbecue. It's no ordinary weenie roast, though. The bar-b's organic and resident DJs Justin Carter, Eamon Harkin and Doug Singer play alongside some of the finest DJs to ever take on a back yard…

May 25
Roy Davis Jr – Chicago house legend playing his first New York set in years

June 01
King Britt – This party with the former Digable Planets member is FREE!

June 08
Trusme – A Manchester man walking in the very large shoes of Moodymann

June 15
Stefan Goldmann - Innervisions artist who makes jangling, melodic dance music

June 22
Afrika Bambaataa – The hip-hop progenitor and legend who still keeps it eclectic

June 29
Rick Wilhite and Jerome Derradji – Three Chairs member with Still Music founder

July 6
Riton – UK re-rubber on Berlin's Get Physical imprint

July 13
Kevin Saunderson – The Detroit legend plays a special house set

July 20
Move D – Former Warp Records ambient artist now making super deep house

July 27
The Wurst BBQ – My Cousin Roy and Doug Lee serving up sausages!

August 3
Danny Wang – The prodigal progenitor of disco house returns to New York!

August 10
John Tejada – Maker of the lushest and bumpiest techno of the past decade

August 17
Pilooski – Paris' edit-maker of the moment

August 24
Joakim – The Tigersushi and !K7 artist brings weird, organic dance jams

August 31
Metro Area – Hometown disco heroes close out the series nice and easy

Though you should never need an excuse to check out all the great art and design going on in Gowanus (and surrounding neighborhoods), the Annual Gowanus Artists Studio Tour does give you a good one. Today and tomorrow, between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m., artists open their studios and pretty much every medium is represented. There's a printable map on the website, or you can pick up a brochure at one of the stops.

Taken over Labor Day weekend.

While we're on the subject of The Yard (see Black Sabbath post), I thought I'd pass along this flyer for a Labor Day shindig there. Might interest ABL: Radio listeners.

Sometimes information converges. Like on Saturday when we were crossing the Gowanus Canal at Carroll Street and stumbled upon a performance at The Yard (that outdoor space on Carroll Street that every so often fills the Gowanus with sweet refrains of live music). I'm not a metal connoisseur,  but Dennis assured me it was a Black Sabbath cover band. And, lo and behold, but what do I find in my ABL inbox, but an email announcing "an afternoon of Black Sabbath, with the Rub and Sabbra Cadabra, the world's greatest Black Sabbath tribute band." I'm happy to report that the crowd was way into it (and cover was only $3). Also, the Gowanus was as high as I've ever seen it. Just FYI.