Brooklyn Heights Blog

Democratic NYC Council candidate (D33)/ Brooklyn Heights resident Doug Biviano  announced today that he is starting a petition to provide a temporary playground for P.S 8 kids.  They’ll be losing their current school yard due to an expansion project announced earlier this year.
And as election year attention getting ploys go, this one doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.  In an email sent out today, Biviano writes:

The children at PS 8 in Brooklyn Heights are set to lose their school yard to construction this coming fall for two years, while nearby Squibb Park remains unused. As a PS 8 parent, I know this is unacceptable, so I drafted a petition asking the city to make Squibb Park safe and available for PS 8 students to use as an interim school yard for outdoor recess and phys. ed. space.

Biviano has posted a petition on his website and is asking anyone supporting his idea to sign it.

Brownstoner writes about the construction at 8 Hunts Lane today, but doesn’t mention that some neighbors are going mad over the accompanying noise.

Comment below!

It sounds like a setup for an episode of CSI: New York - the 2009 Little People of America convention is being held at the Downtown Brooklyn Marriot this week through Friday. [Conference brochure here]

Brooklyn Eagle: “Brooklyn has been a very gracious host, opening up her heart to us and showing us the small town feel of a small neighborhood. Everyone in the community has been very warm and friendly,” said Michael Petruzzelli, conference co-chair. “The area has been truly friendly.”

Looks like pouty vampire heartthrob / Twilight star Robert Pattinson is headed to Brooklyn Heights.   In-between sequels to the bloodsucker blockbuster, he’s shooting a flick  called Remember Me, which is being called “this generation’s Love Story“. A BHB tipster writes to us via Facebook:

I saw signs on Hicks between Middagh & Poplar (as well as other places in the area) for filming next Tuesday for a production called “Wikal”. After doing a little investigating, I found out it is the production co. for Robert Pattinson’s new movie “Remember Me”, but they are trying to keep it on the downlow to avoid the frenzy of the media/paparazzi/screaming fans. Definitely newsworthy and will make for some great photo ops I am sure!

Signs about this production are all over the North Heights on Cranberry, Willow and Hick Streets as well.  However, ladies please keep your distance.  Seems that the Brit pretty boy is a little tired of over bearing New York girls.  The Daily News quotes an insider who says, “”Robert is dying to get back home… He’s so over everything. He’s overwhelmed by all the girls — they terrify him! He says girls grab his neck and clothing all of the time, and he’s not used to that. Fans don’t do that to him in London. Everyone there is a little cooler about the fame thing, which is what he’s used to.”

As the holiday weekend began in Brooklyn Heights Thursday night, protesters pounced on our friendly neighborhood gastropub Jack the Horse voicing their opposition to the eatery’s fish monger, Wild Edibles. According to eyewitness reports, the ragtag crew of 5 -6 attempted to stop customers from entering JtH while shouting “their fish is crazy!”

Story updated with additional information. Read more »

DUMBO’s the Fitness Guru will launch its summer program of free pilates classes tomorrow evening (7/7) in Brooklyn Bridge Park.   Classes start at 7pm, but you’ll need to get there at 6:30pm to register. For more information call 718.554.3560. [DUMBONYC via our pal Kristin Maverick on the Twitter thingy]

BHB Photo Club member beaudog shot this photo of Saturday’s Hudson River fireworks from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade.

Here are some of last week’s headlines in case you missed ‘em… Have a news tip for this week? Comment below!:

Only on BHB:

A Beautiful Day in Mr. Junkersfeld’s Neighborhood

Park Progress: Piers 1 and 6 (Eighteenth Report)

The New Homer Fink Show: Adam Suerte, Brooklyn Tattoo Owner and Author of Apprendiz, 7/3/09

84th Precinct Police Blotter – 6/30/09

P.S. 8 Kids’ Trashed Urban Landscape is Better than Most Grownups’

In other news:

LICH to leave Continuum; affiliate with Downstate?

BHB Contributor Marc Hermann Profiled in NY Observer

From Cobble Hill Blog:

76th and 84th Precinct Police Blotter - 7/1/09

G train expansion: almost here!

One Year Ago on BHB:

Candy Factory Reconstruction Underway

Brooklyn Heights Stars on As The World Turns

Two Years Ago on BHB:

“Busy Chef” Busy Copying and Pasting?

Royal Navy Visits Brooklyn

The New York Post reports that the River Cafe is suing the New York Public Art Fund and Danish artist Olafur Eliasson for $3 million in damages they claim were the direct result of last year’s NYC Waterfalls art installation along the East River.

New York Post: There were 90 to 120 days of saltwater rain coming down on us,” restaurateur Buzzy O’Keeffe said.

“It ate up aluminum and steel. It short-circuited our electrics. We had fires on our roof.”

“The paint was ruined, the awnings were ruined, our outdoor lights are broken, and a lot of our trees just couldn’t take it. It’s left the place destroyed,” O’Keeffe said.

The restaurant’s gardens — much of which had been growing for more than 30 years — started to turn brown days after the waterfall was turned on, he said.

Amid complaints, a Parks Department official confirmed that the water was damaging trees — but the soaking didn’t stop.

“They did nothing,” O’Keeffe said. “They knew it was happening, but the waterfall kept on going.

BHB community member Karl Junkersfeld shot this walk through the neighborhood video recently.   Special cameo appearances by our pal Jason at Plaza Dry Cleaners and all the folks at Rocco and Jezebel on Pineapple Walk.  Also, the “Junkman” takes a peek inside the space formerly known as Busy Chef.  Watch at your own risk.

BHB Publisher/Brooklyn Bugle Media top banana Homer Fink interviews his pal Adam Suerte, owner of Brooklyn Tattoo [99 Smith Street] and author of Apprendiz a graphic novel chronicling his rise in the body art biz.