If you wanna understand why those of us in coastal Brownstone Brooklyn (as opposed to those Slopers) are so smug that we are in the world's most special place, come visit us this Sunday and enjoy our annual life cycle bacchanal—seemingly NYC's only indigenous Street Fest.
Gatemouth, Dybbuk, Domestic Partner and perhaps even Cerberus (still arguing that one) will be spending most of the time from 2:30 on watching Popa Chubby, Dmitri, Galea and the rest of the Black Coffee Blues Band (Dancing Hersh may also make an appearance) in the vicinity of the Waterfront Alehouse between Clinton and Henry Streets. If you're nearby, come and say hello. LDC Special Events- Atlantic Antic 2009 www.atlanticave.org
Even the Times notices. Atlantic Antic Street Fair Unfolds in Brooklyn www.nytimes.com
However, the Times is too polite to note that, perhaps most emblematic of the smug self-satisfaction of Coastal Brownstone Brooklyn is the idea the area's major highway should bypass us entirely, because, after all, we are so much more important than those who want to access the Battery Tunnel, the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, and the State and Federal Courts and other offices Downtown.
But, what would you expect from a neighborhood that believes it's entitled to a world-class park, and then votes out of office the guy who almost singlehandedly made it happen? Rebuilding the B.Q.E. Prompts 4 Tunnel Planswww.nytimes.com
But enough of the antics of our local civic "leaders;" let's talk about The Antic.
The guy who looks like Curly from the Stooges is Ted "Popa Chubby" Horowitz, who is bigger in France than Jerry Lewis. The lead vocalist on this one is Dmitri Archip, Bartender, actor, heartbreaker (former), and the most soulful Adriatic since Johnny Otis. Itsallgoodtv/popa chubby & black coffee blues band www.youtube.com Live from the Atlantic Antic
These folks will also be playing at the Antic in front of Brazen Head between Court & Boerum. A version of the band played at the wedding of Gate & DP. Melissa sang a lovely version of our wedding song: The Velvet Underground’s "I'll Be Your Mirror" Dysfunctional Family Jazz Band – DFJB on MySpace Music – Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Downl www.myspace.com
Back in 2001, the terrorist won, when in the wake of 9/11 the Antic was cancelled out of concern that the local merchants would be a venue for anti-Arab/Muslim hostility. As I recall, it poured on the day scheduled, meaning we avoided the only rainout in the Fair’s history. A make-up Fair the next spring turned into annoyance as the City refused to allow the Fair in the fall, because the community had already gotten its date for the year. Intervention of the elected was for naught as the brainless bureaucrats at the City’s Street Activities Unit won (Yes, Millie Duran, I have not forgotten you).
Anyway, the point is that we in coastal Brownstone Brooklyn have not forgotten how integral Arabs/Muslims are to our community (even if, in the ensuing years, greedy landlords–many of them Arabs themselves–have decimated the old Court to Henry Arabic Strip to a shell of its former self).
The rest of this column unfortunately proves that the rest of the Country has not learned this lesson.
Those damn Texas Muslims are always bragging how they're minaret is bigger than everyone else's Texas ed board considers resolution limiting Islam news.yahoo.com
The lot is two blocks away from the home of a retired first responder, so it would be insensitive to park there. LI Mosque's Parking Lot Becomes Battleground – Gothamist gothamist.com