Recently in News Category

It seems that every day, the news from Burma becomes more and more devastating. Today's New York Times reports that one of the boats carrying some of the first aid to survivors, hit a submerged tree in the river, and sank. The government continues to deny visas and entry to foreign workers and to confiscate the aid that does make it into the country.

I traveled in Burma last November, visiting a friend who was working with the medical non-profit Merlin. (Check out their Web site to learn more about the country, the disaster, and what people are doing to try to help.) I've posted a few pictures here from town on the banks of the Irrawaddy. Twante is largely known as home to a thriving pottery industry. More impressively, however as any local will proudly tell you, the bodhi tree inside Shwesandaw Paya blooms every year--a feat not even duplicated in the capital city's spectacular Schwedagon Paya. It is that spirit--of survival and of strength--that I try to keep in mind when reading the morning news.

To read about the country in the words of Aun San Suu Kyi, the democratically elected leader who has been held under house arrest, check out Letters from Burma.

Above, a photo of lilies in the San Angelo International Water Lily Garden. Best tourist attraction in the city, in my book.

Brooklyn veg restaurant week lacking meat. Gothamist
How totally postmodern is it to see your doc over IM? Wired
Where to get cheesecake (3 spots in Brooklyn). Serious Eats
An online daily video segment about  NYC real estate. IntoTheBox
This week's look at Brooklyn in food news. Brownstoner

Sixty-nine events. Eight hours. The Brooklyn Book Festival is back.

Certainly, borough president Marty Markowitz does enough trumpeting for all of us, but I can't help but do a little extra promotion myself. Most impressive is the broad range of offerings—whether you are a writer, reader, publisher, comic geek, poet, wannabe or just someone who likes festivals, yep, there's probably something you're interested in. Everything is free, even the ticketed events—just pick up tickets an hour before the event.

Kick off the festival on Saturday evening with a free screening in Borough Hall Plaza of Paul Auster's film Smoke.

NYSDOT gives a measured response to complaints about the Atlantic Ave entrance to the BQE. BQE Watch
Bookcourt beats the McBook odds; set to expand into next door space. Brooklyn Heights Blog
Fake $20s get passed at stoop sales in Prospect Heights/Clinton Hill. Brooklynian
The answer to a lack of backyards: Roving pickup truck greenhouses. Gowanus Lounge
NYU opens grad dormitory in Brooklyn Heights. NYU News
Shark saved by Coney Island lifeguard. The Scotsman

This was our table at Suzie's Chinese food (near Sullivan on Bleecker Street), where we sat down to eat last night. That information would be uninteresting if just a few short minutes later we hadn't heard the eerie sounds of firecrackers that sounded a little too much like gunfire. It's amazing what one can brush off because it doesn't fit the ideal of what should happen on a tourist-filled Village street around 9:30pm on a balmy March night. However, shortly thereafter, when people from the street frantically rushed into the restaurant amid yet a truly convincing (and long) barrage of gunfire, we ducked under the table. And then we noticed that police cars had blockaded off the street, and it was empty.

When the shots were over and everyone in the restaurant started moving back to routine, it was hard to feel unsafe, since I have no doubt that we were--at that moment--in the most heavily policed area of the city. Of course being in New York means that you don't experience something like this alone, so people starting coming in, reporting a body in the street, a police officer shot, a suspect escaped (that last part now appears not to be true). It's amazing how many details escape the mind when under pressure. Between the three of us at the table, we couldn't decide, had there been two gun bursts or three, did the police officer cordon off the street before the second round of shots or after, did those officers run down the street before any shots were fired, and how much time elapsed between the series of "pops"? And so we told the waiter we needed some time, and instead of concentrating on the menu, we watched the police cars pull up, one after another, the officers get out, walk towards the scene, clear the streets. Eventually we got a glimpse of the  top suited brass make their way down the block.

Showing our true New York spirit, we eventually ordered and ate, but the talk turned to less happy topics like "When in your life did you think you might die?"  The odd thing about this experience was that it seemed so removed and impersonal, yet we were visibly shaken. And then there was leaving and walking away, which was easy, despite the fact that less than a block away someone lay dead on the ground.

Over the course of the weekend, my friends and I saw five shooting stars in total. Four at Harry's Water Taxi beach Saturday night and one on the roof of our friends building on Sunday. Did anybody else notice an ususual number of shooting stars? Was there a meteor shower? When I first told our group I'd seen a shooting star, no one believed me! And I was so shocked, I fogot to make a wish.

We took a bike ride over the weekend that involved scouring Red Hook's nooks and crannies. One nook we got a peek at was the Waterfront Museum Barge. Though it's not normally open on the weekends, a couple had an appointment to see the space for an event, so a man who I'm pretty sure was museum president David Sharpes let us onto the boat, too.

In addition to seeing the barge and getting some background on its history and recent restoration, we heard an impassioned argument for saving the dry dock where Ikea plans to build its parking lot. The shortened version of the argument says that it is one of three functional dry docks in the New York Harbor (dry docks lift ships out of the water so they can be repaired) and, as such, it could be an important part of continuing the shipping industry in this region--this in addition to it being a significant piece of history. Though no one has said it exactly, I'm sure part of the trouble is the indignity of something of this magnitude and importance being paved into a parking lot.

To further imprint the importance of saving the structure, today, while waiting for my slice to warm at Vinny's on Court Street (love their slices!), I picked up the Carroll Gardens/Cobble Hill Courier, and what's on the paper's page one and page two? Ikea and the Red Hook graving dock that the museum and Save the Graving Dock wants to protect. If you want to do your part in attempting to change Ikea's plans, contact either organization, and they'll point you in the right direction.

And do go down and check out the barge. Even if it's not open, the public gardens on the waterfront are absolutely gorgeous, and it's uber-close to Fairway. An added bonus: The day we were there, the fence on the water had a slight electrical charge, meaning one could touch it, get a shock, but then pass the shock onto one's companion. Almost as much fun as when I discovered that if you lick batteries your tongue tingles!

The folks over at Gawker usually catch these things, but I can't resist pointing out today's CNN's heat headline:

Another weekend away from Brooklyn. I'm really starting to miss you little borough. My trip to San Francisco wasn't for pleasure, but we did get to stop for a fab al pastor burrito at El Farolito (mmm the spicy meat--thanks, commenters, for the suggestion) and some lovely pastries at Tartine Bakery. Since I haven't actually been in Brooklyn in about four days, I thought I'd educate myself and bring back an occasional feature, BKLink.

NYState agency OKs Ratner complex Reuters
Tons of coverage of rally to oppose complex DopeontheSlope
NYDailyNews thinks Rosie Perez is rich and full of it
Village Voice has a great mug of Ratner
American Booksellers Association comes to BKLYN in '07 NYSun
Gothamist asks this burning question: "Is there any place in the world as varied, beautiful, and interesting as Brooklyn (besides Manhattan, of course)?"
Gowanus "really blowing up"; also hotel opening there NY1
The best place for Mexican food in Brooklyn 423Smith
He'Brew is partially responsible for me breaking my finger; also they have a new beer BrooklynRecord
List of New York hotels with pools NewYorkology
Cool off at city pools in Brooklyn Gowanus Lounge