Keep an eye on the sky today, and not just when walking past construction sites. Here’s the forecast: “A strong thunderstorm in the afternoon; thunderstorms can bring hail and damaging winds.” The high will be 82. There will be strong thunderstorms around this evening too. The low will be 64.–Accuweather

Do you dig people texting, sending emails and IMs and talking on their cell phones during dinner? Well, here’s a fun rant (what better thing than a rant on a Friday?) from Brooklynian that originates at Al Di La. It also veers from Blackberries and iPhones to shorts, t-shirts and flip flops:

I’ll just say that the catalyst for my current rant was dinner last night at my favorite restaurant Al Di La. We were seated at 9:30 PM and stayed until a little past 11:00 PM – in other words we were dining at the time when the current hoard of young, self-described hip people who have heard about and may even enjoy the consistently excellent food and service there, show up – iphones and blackberries at the ready.

It makes you such a bore, and dress properly while you’re at it.

Here are a couple of nice vids of last night’s 88 BoaDrum performance in East River State Park in Williamsburg featuring Gang Gang Dance. It was, you know, 88 drums starting their performance at 8:08PM on 8/8/08.

This week’s pet is from the wonderful Sean Casey Animal Rescue shelter in Kensington. They do wonderful work and have an abundance of great animals that need loving homes:

We went to Petfinder to find this baby named Tina, who’s eight months old. Here’s more about her:

Tina is an 8 month old Rottweiler mix…she is spayed, dewormed, treated with Revolution to prevent fleas, ticks, ear mites and heartworm and is up to date with vaccinations. Her adoption fee is $200.00 and she’ll get one free exam at our vet’s office, one free month of pet health insurance and a microchip. If you’re interested in adopting Tina please email us at nyanimalrescue@yahoo.com for an adoption application.

We’re friends with a 1 1/2 year old female Rottweiler who came from Sean Casey and she’s a sweet, wonderful pup. Sean Casey Animal Rescue is located at 155 East 3rd Street in Kensington. Their number is 718.436.5163. Check them out. Tina’s Petfinder ID, by the way, is 5643345.

If you enjoy reenactments of and events commemorating the Battle of Brooklyn, your time is almost at hand. The Battle was fought on August 27, 1776, turning places where we live, shop and recreate into, well, battlefields. The commemoration takes place on Sunday, August 24, 2008 at Green-Wood Cemetery. At 10:00 A.M. there’s a Tribute to George Washington’s Irish Generals, The Bold Fenian Men/The Civil War, Irish Korean War Memorial, Matilda Tone, John Gallagher & Charles Higgins. At 12:300 P.M., there’s the Battle of Brooklyn Revolutionary War Re-Enactors at Green-Wood’s Meadow. Then, at 1:30 P.M., the United States Merchant Marine Academy’s Annual Battle of Brooklyn Parade. And, finally, at 2:00 P.M. the Battle of Brooklyn Commemorative Ceremony on Battle Hill. Brooklyn Battle Week runs from August 15–27, 2008. More on the Battle of Brooklyn here.

Pays des merveilles from Lico on Vimeo.

Here’s a video from a French rapper named Lico with music and rap over some great historic archival footage of Coney Island. Enjoy.

[Photo courtesy of bestviewinbrooklyn/Gl Flickr Pool]

This kitty is perched on a ledge in one of the apartments above the Red Hook Fairway. The image comes to our GL Flickr Pool from bestviewinbrooklyn.

[Photo courtesy of Adrian Kinloch/Brit in Brooklyn]

This is something that one sees when one looks up in Sunset Park. It comes to us from the camera of Adrian Kinloch, a GL Contributor who has kindly hit us off with a major supply of superb photos this week.

Erykah Badu performed this week at the MLK Concert Series. Here’s a short vid of one of the songs.

The Times take a look at the simmer issue of the St. Ann’s Schools objection to a Federal probation office. “The school, St. Ann’s, has been educating the best of Brooklyn (and other boroughs) for four decades. The school, whose 1,080 students in prekindergarten through 12th grade are spread over six buildings…Parents who pay St. Ann’s tuition, about $25,000 per year, said they were shocked that the federal government would deem it acceptable to monitor convicted criminals just steps away from students of grade-school age or older…The 19-story building, with more than 700,000 square feet, is part of MetroTech Center. Tenants include Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and the offices of federal prosecutors. The St. Ann’s classrooms, which the school has rented since 1989, are on the ground floor, as is the proposed probation office, which also has space on the 16th floor. But the two spaces are practically on opposite sides of the building, separated by a wall, and have separate entrances.”–NYT

Are you a member of our GL Flickr Pool? If you’re not, please join and put you new Brooklyn photos there so that we can see and post some of your pics.

[Photo courtesy of Rubys Host/GL Flickr Pool]

This is the body of water separating Coney Island from the Mainland, Coney Island Creek. It comes from Rubys Host via our GL Flickr Pool.

It’s going to be a nice one today, specifically, “mostly sunny and nice” with a high of 81. The low tonight will be 65 and there will be patchy clouds.–Accuweather

The Dains are sort of visible to the left of the Obey. They come from Williamsburg.

We have no idea how this happened except that it’s from Clinton Hill and a GL reader sent this our way. It’s a perfect image for a summer Friday.

And now, a selection of some musical happenings this weekend in Brooklyn:

Friday 8/8/08
East River State Park: 88BoaDrum featuring Gang Gang Dance at the Williamsburg Waterfront- an unprecedented aural and visual experience. (All tickets already distributed…they’re on Craigslist, though.)

Saturday 8/9/08
Celebrate Brooklyn: Hal Willner’s Bill Withers Project: Many artists come together to celebrate the music of R&B pioneer Bill Withers.-Free!!, 7:00pm

Sunday 8/10/08
McCarren Park Pool: The Felice Brothers, Langhorne Slim, Eli “Paperboy” Reed & The True Loves, Deer Tick, and DJ Kool Gear (Indie/Country/Acoustic)-Free!!, 2:00pm

The Yard: Sunday Best: John Tejada, Justin Carter, Eamon Harkin, and Doug Singer (DJ’s)- $8, 3:00pm

—Dan Bennis

This is based on a post we ran about Holy Trinity Cemetery from the wonderful Ruth Edebohls at CUE a couple of weeks ago who, among other things, supplies us with “History Revealed” posts. In any case, WPGA picks up the thread with more history about the Burg’s Holy Trinity Church. “Now known as Most Holy Trinity and St. Mary*, the parish was originally founded as the German Church of the Holy Trinity in 1841. It was the first National parish in the Brooklyn diocese, and the first German Catholic Church in Williamsburg. It was also the mother church for a host of other German parishes over time…Most Holy Trinity & St. Mary Church is just one of many significant remnants of Williamsburg’s German past. The building itself, together with its associated structures, is a landmark in every sense of the word. With the recent merger of Most Holy Trinity and St. Mary, MHT’s might seem secure. But its roll of parishioners (now almost exclusively Hispanic) continues to dwindle, and most of its associated structures sit vacant. With any luck, the rectory, elementary school, asylum and faculty residence will find new and compatible uses.”–WGPA

There is activity for the first time in a year on the Whole Foods site in Gowanus. While the retailer is still waiting on permits from the state Department of Environmental Conservation, it does have some permits from the Department of Buildings allowing some foundation work. Here is what a tipster just sent to our GL Inbox:

Sometime today, between 10 and noon, new permits were posted on the Whole Foods site @ 3rd & 3rd. The permits allow for “earthmoving” and expire Sept. 1, 2008. I work at the Can Factory and saw cars in there the other day and didn’t think much of it, and today there is a big dumpster. It appears they are clearing away the green stuff.

There had been speculation earlier this week that the Gowanus store could be one of those cut or delayed given the retailers overall financial situation. Possibly not, it would appear. A check of DOB records for the site shows the city issued two new permits for work on the supermarket a week and a half ago.

Few people know about Brother Islands because they are so difficult to reach. But they have a long and fascinating story that is deeply entwined with the history of New York. Situated in the East River slightly north of Riker’s Island, North and South Brother Islands were claimed in 1614 by Captain Adriaen Block for the Dutch West India Company. He christened the islands “duo De Gesellen,” which translates to “The Companions.” They remained undeveloped for nearly two centuries, mainly due to the powerful and dangerous currents surrounding them. (The waters are still treacherous to this day.) North Brother was sold to the town of Morrisania in the Bronx in 1871 and South Brother remained a part of Queens until as late as 1964. In that year, the city felt compelled to unite the two islands by moving the borough boundary to include South Brother in the Bronx.

Taking each island on their own, their stories become more even more interesting… South Brother, the smaller of the two (approx. 7 acres), was once the summer home of Jacob Ruppert the beer magnate (and owner of the Yankees during the Babe Ruth era!) who built his summer place there in 1894. His tenure on this island was relatively short. He used it until 1907; it burned down in 1909. Eventually, the City of New York sold the island to John Gerosa, who intended to build a summer retreat for his workers. This never happened—and in 1975 the City sold it to Hampton Scows for $10.00. True to its quiet history, South Brother was never developed and has remained unused and unoccupied to date. In November 2007, the City of New York purchased the island and announced that it would be preserved as a wildlife sanctuary. The price was in the neighborhood of $2,000,000 – a very good investment for Hampton Scows!

North Brother Island has an especially sad and lurid history…

Our old friend 80 Metropolitan, which will occupy the entire block between Metropolitan Avenue and S. 1 Street and Wythe Avenue and Kent Avenue, is finished rising and is now acquiring touches like brick. (Well, the main building is done rising. The building along Kent Avenue, which got a later start, is still going up.) The complex occupies the site of the Old Dutch Mustard building, an historic industrial structure, which the developer, Steiner Equities says it couldn’t find a way to preserve as part of the new development. There will be townhouses on the S. 1 Street side and a “Zen Garden” in the interior. Street Easy shows 36 units in contract and 14 active listings. That’s the Metropolitan and Wythe side of the building above and the townhouse portion below.

Check out the bricks in another photo, ahead.

A longtime GL reader sent us an email asking if we could post something about an event that neighbors on 12th Street are having tomorrow. Of course, we can:

The following is about a Bake Sale that is going to benefit Operation Backpack….Neighbors from 438 and 444 12th Street (between 7th and 8th Aves) are getting together on Saturday August 9th from 11-2 to hold a bake sale which will benefit Operation Back Pack – a city run program that will benefit some of the thousands of homeless children in NYC who do not have back packs or school supplies in the fall. Please stop by and get yourself a treat! Yummy cupcakes, brownies, rice krispie treats and more!

More about Operation Backpack here, if you’re interested. It’s a good cause featuring our favorite thing: sweets.

“More than half of the 5,000 new hotel rooms once planned for Brooklyn may never see the light of day because of the nation’s dwindling economy, a top industry expert says. Sean Hennessey, CEO of Lodging Advisors, said that of the roughly 25 borough hotel projects in the pipeline six months ago only seven will be completed within the next three years. The rest, he said, are likely dead or in limbo indefinitely. The 25 projects were expected to bring up to 5,000 new rooms, but Hennessey estimated that only about 2,000 of these units would be completed.” Ruh roh.–NYP

Thor Equities didn’t publicize it’s “Night of Faith” at Astroland last night, but it’s doing so after the fact this morning. Here we go:

Thor Equities last night hosted more than 1,000 members of eight separate Coney Island religious congregations at Astroland amusement park in Coney Island — part of a free “Night of Faith.” Led by renowned local leader and founder of the Salt and Sea Mission in Coney Island, Debbe Santiago a.k.a. “Pastor Debbe;” she and her organization partnered with Thor to create the Night of Faith featuring free t-shirts, food, I-Pod giveaways and free rides for everyone.

“We are very pleased to be able to offer the Coney Island community nights of celebration and fun,” said Joseph J. Sitt, president of Thor Equities. “Pastor Debbe is an icon and a hero to many people in Coney Island. We are honored to do our small bit to help those who dedicate their lives to helping others. It is a thrill to partner with Pastor Debbe again and bring smiles to so many faces.”

It’s part of the Summer of Hope, of course.

[Photo courtesy of popattyny/flickr]

There are multiple reports (and photos) of raccoons in Boerum Hill courtesy of the Boerum Hill Group. One is around State Street:

I was walking home last night on State Street between Bond and Nevins when I suddenly realized that the “stray cat” walking along the curb near me was in fact a small raccoon! It seemed totally healthy, was appropriately wary of me, no foaming at the mouth, etc. I
called 311, assuming the city would remove it, and they said that if it appears healthy and normal and isn’t acting aggressively they leave it alone. I guess it never occurred to me that a raccoon on the street, while unusual, is perfectly natural. So if you see the raccoon, enjoy!

The one above is in backyards on Wyckoff Street and Warren, Bond and Nevins:

Wonder if the State Street raccoon, also between Bond and Nevins, somehow got separated from his/her friend? My husband also called 311 and got the same response. And I have to say, the kids and I LOVE watching the raccoon, who sleeps in our tree a couple times a week. If he starts eating our plants, fighting the local cats, or making a big mess maybe I’ll get annoyed but honestly, so far I’m getting a big kick out of him.

We always love our Brooklyn raccoons.

The State Street raccoon, ahead.

Brooklinks is a daily selection of Brooklyn-related information and images:

· BJ’s Planned for Bensonhurst and Canarsie [NYDN]
· Suit Says 10 Year Old Cuffed on School Bus [NYDN]
· One Year Anniversary of the Bay Ridge Tornado [Bay Ridge Blog]
· Third and Bond Development Needs a Logo [Brownstoner]
· Dumbo Nike Mural Still Taking Shape [Razor Apple]
· Neighbors Co-operate [Lost City]
· Excellent Sunset Park Bathroom [BVIB]
· It’s the Summer of Love in East Williamsburg [New York Shitty]
· Let Them Eat Cake [Bed-Stuy Banana]

The Wonder Wheel in Coney Island turns 88 today! There aren’t many details on the CIDC Coney Island Fun Guide, but there’s supposed to be a day-long celebration. Regardless, it’s a great excuse to go take a spin on an historic Ferris wheel and think about all the other people that have taken the same ride during the last 88 years.