For those that haven’t had their fill of the circus of the Coney Island Scoping Meeting on Tuesday Night, here’s a vid of NY 1’s report that’s been posted to the YouTube:

I”The residents of Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens are going nuts about the Ikea buses that have decided against HIcks and gone with Clinton as a route. The buses, every hour on the hour, seem to be trying to beat out Bonneville Salt Flats-type speed records, and [Tuesday] morning, due to construction, there was even an Ikea bus jam.”–Streets Blog

[Photo courtesy of Rubys Host/flickr]

Here’s one of those gorgeous Coney Island sunsets showing off the South Brooklyn Light. That’s KeySpan Park under the glowing cloud. This comes to our GL Photo Pool courtesy of Rubys Host.

Outside the Brooklyn Weather Observatory this morning there are clouds. The forecast calls for clouds and sunshine with a shower or heavy thunderstorm and more humid. The high will be 83. Tonight there will be some evening showers and thunderstorms; otherwise partly cloudy, warm and humid with a low of 72.–Accuweather

We were unable to check out the Red Hook Ikea from the land side this past weekend, but we did catch a view of it from the harbor behind the Erie Basin. Gothamist had a fun look at where things were a little crazy in a traffic sense and where things remained relatively quiet that is definitely worth checking out if you missed it. We must say the store, seen in its entirety as a big blue box from the water does make quite an impression.

Tomorrow is the big day, at least, for those waiting to catch more than a fleeting glimpse of Olafur Eliasson’s Waterfalls project. There’s a press event at 10AM to kick off the festivities and the falls are slated run every day from 7AM-10PM through October 13. Just every company with a boat will be running tours to see them from the vantage point from which we took these photos this week. The Brooklyn Bridge Pop-Up Park next to Fulton Ferry Landing also opens tomorrow. other two falls are on Pier 35 in Manhattan and on Governor’s Island. During test runs some of the falls seemed to be having issues with the wind.

From the Waterfalls that turn on tomorrow to “Burning Man for Lazy People” on Governor’s Island and the Cold War Kids Show at Celebrate Brooklyn to a Mizz Greenpoint thing, the Tip sheet has a lot of fun suggestions for the next few days.–Brooklyn Based

There is something about the absurdity of the situation described in the following email circulating via the Yahoo South Slope Group that caught our attention. It’s not a major thing, just an example of the hijinx that can ensue with construction equipment, particularly when no agency really wants to deal with the issue:

Here we go again. The wild west is open for business. 7AM this morning a tractor trailer, with a huge back hoe, rolls up on 16th Street in front of 163 16th street (The back of 182 15th street). Stops in the middle of the street an sits idling for 15 minutes. School buses and cars are backed up down to 4th. At about 7:15 the driver decides to drop off the Back Hoe. He gets out and proceeds to disconnect the trailer from the rig. He moves the Rig up the block and comes back to drive the Back Hoe off of the trailer. In the process he almost destroys 3 cars and run over 3 children walking to school. He leaves the Back hoe in front of the construction site. Half on the side walk and half in the street. Then reattaches the rig to the trailer and leaves. Please note that all of the above is against the law. I call 311 and speak to Ciprianna. After explaining the situation along with the fact that now children are climbing on the machine, she connects with 911.

911 doesn’t think it’s a 911 issue…

Still think that Scoping Meetings about land use proposals are as exciting as watching paint dry? Last night’s Coney Island rezoning scoping meeting was no doubt an exception to the rule, but what an exception it was. Check out this YouTube clip, even if it’s only to catch the circus atmosphere that prevailed at times. “Save Coney Island” is performed about 2:40 into the vid.

“For the past several months there has been a loud, annoying beeping noise on 16th street, between 7th and 8th. It sounds like a little ping, is high pitched and happens at 1 minute intervals. (I timed it!) I have walked outside and I know it is not a smoke detector battery or some sort; you can hear it for half of the block. We do have two new big condo buildings on this block, could it be coming from there?”–Brooklynian

No, not that Miss Brooklyn. The Miss Brooklyn whose photo appears here. She’s for hire. We know this because the listing appeared on the BoCoCa Parents email list. To wit:

Book Miss Brooklyn 2008 for your next event! Miss Brooklyn, official preliminary to Miss New York & Miss America, is available to sing, make an appearance, or speak on the importance of Volunteerism in the Community. For more information, please email us at missbrooklynmao@aol.com or visit www.BrooklynQueens.org.

What are you waiting for?

This clip juxtaposes scenes from the Australian home of Green Point Wines and Greenpoint, Brooklyn (what a difference the space between Green and Point makes). The info for the vid says brings the cool, bright style they’re famous for to Greenpoint Brooklyn for the McCarren Pool Film Series starting June 2008.”

Normally, we turn to our Brooklyn Craigslist Missed Connections on Sunday. Since we found a bunch of Mermaid Parade-related ones this week (as we knew we would), we’re doing a Midweek Mermaid Special. Enjoy:

The most beautiful mermaid – m4w – (Coney Island Mermaid Parade)
From Coney Island to Astoria N train yesterday.. – m4m – 30 – (astoria)
missed mermaid – m4w – (coney island) pic
Headed to Coney on the G and F trains – m4w – 27 – (Greenpoint)
“We have to believe in free will. We have no choice.” – w4m – (Mermaid Parade)
any one know her mermaid parade – m4w – 50 – (brooklyn ) pic
Jesus Christ Superstar TATTOO (Mermaid Parade). – w4m –
three star tattoo on inside of left wrist, slint next to slayer – w4m – 32 – (F train from Mermaid Parade)
Mermaid Parade– Fireman – w4m – (East Village)
You told me I looked like Scarlett Johansson at the Mermaid Parade! – – 26 – (Stillwell and Surf)

There was a steady stream of people wandering past Park Slope’s soon-to-be Red Hot II on Seventh Avenue yesterday evening looking into the windows and taking new carry out and delivery menus. There is a new sign outside and a slightly new look inside as well. The restaurant is reopening on Saturday with a menu almost identical to that of the defunct Red Hot I.

More photos ahead, including an exclusive glimpse of the interior.

There’s an update meeting coming up on the Public Place site between the Gowanus Canal and Smith Street, which will be developed into a large mixed use project called Gowanus Green by a development team that includes the Hudson Companies,the Bluestone Organization, Fifth Avenue Committee and Jonathan Rose Companies. It will take place on Thursday, June 26, at 6PM at PS 32 in Carroll Gardens. The development was originally planned to include 774 apartments, 38,000 square feet of retail and 100,000 square of open space. Details about the meeting per Community Board 6:

Landmarks/Landuse Committee Presentation and introduction by representatives for the Department of Housing Presentation and Development of the development team selected by the City of New York to develop “Public Place,” the City-owned 6-acre parcel at the southeast corner of Smith and 5Th Streets (Block 471, Lot 1).

Despite the uproar over such developments as 360 Smith Street, 340 Court Street and the Toll Brothers Gowanus proposal and organized opposition to them, Gowanus Green has attracted relatively little opposition in the surrounding neighborhoods. The development may nearly double in size as the owners of an adjacent warehouse property have said they will be joining in the project.

[Photo courtesy of GerritsenBeach.Net/flickr]
Normally, “scoping hearings” are boring in the deadliest way. Not last night’s hearing about Coney Island rezoning. Not by a longshot. You expected differently when the Mermaid Queen had been on a hunger strike to publicize it and get people to attend? There was a large turnout and it was a pretty spirited get together. Just ask Rev. Billy, pictured above, giving his, uh, testimony to city officials.

This is a meeting about an impact study? Really?

[Photo courtesy of GerristensBeach.Net/flickr]

The second Coney Island rezoning Scoping Meeting took place last night in front of a large crowd with testimony that ran toward performance art. An earlier meeting had been held, but the process has had to be redone, because the plan has been revised since then. Kinetic Carnival said the meeting “was a bit livelier with ‘Coney-lujah’ praises including the night’s theme song by Amos Wengler.” Urbanite described the atmosphere this way:

Colorful Coney Island regulars turned the public comments portion of the evening into a rock concert of sorts. There was Reverend Billy standing on a first-row chair screaming “Coney-lujah” to the audience at Lincoln High School. Then there was songwriter Amos Wengler strumming on his acoustic guitar while singing “Save Coney Island” as though he were at an open-mic night.

Of course, Scoping Hearings are actually technical proceedings to determine the parameters of the review for a big land use plan, but many of the public comments were of the “for” or “against” kind. Some people spoke in support of the revised plan, but a significant number spoke against it, most notably Coney Island USA’s Dick Zigun, who resigned from the Coney Island Development Corp. in protest of the plan. Mr. Zigun said of his resignation: “Two months ago, the process broke down. I didn’t change my mind on the plan; the city gutted our plan. I didn’t leave the CIDC; the CIDC left me.” Mr. Zigun said the city is intent on turning a significant part of the existing amusement district into a dressed up shopping mall: “It’s FAO Schwartz with a keyboard you can dance on. It’s Radio Shack with a demonstration video game. It’s a shopping mall by other names.” About 100 people signed up to speak.

We were lucky enough to trespa visit the roof of the historic Childs Building in Coney Island and get a look at some rarely seen Coney views as well as to see some of the building’s decorative sea creatures and other elements up close. Before last year’s Mermaid Ball there had been no public access to the building–which is one of Coney’s true jewels–in decades. The entire building just exudes the sense of a place waiting for someone with vision to come along and give it a new purpose and nowhere is that potential more obvious than up on the roof with its views of the beach, the water and the Parachute Jump. The building is owned by Taconic Investment.

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

· Brooklyn Mom Seeks Subway Platform “Angel” [NYP]
· Surprise: Buildings Dept. Criticized as Too Slow on Violations [Sun]
· More New Regulations to Improve Construction Safety [NYT]
· About the People Throwing the Atlantic Yards “Block Party” [AYR]
· Subway Love on the G [New York Shitty]
· Long Scaffolding on Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights [BHB]
· Afro Punk Festival Coming to Fort Greene [The Real Fort Greene]
· The Wisdom of Crowds & Exhibtions [Bay Ridge Journal]
· Is it possible for someone to “own” their parking space? [GerritsenBeach.Net]
· Pet Bird Flies Coup, Now Hanging Out in Sunset Park [Best View in Brooklyn]
· The Kids are Into Skateboarding [A Year in the Park]

There’s a “block party” taking place at McCarren Pool on Tuesday, July 8, with proceeds going to benefit the Open Space Alliance of North Brooklyn. The event is sponsored by L Magazine, and here’s more detail about it, per an email:

The L Magazine invites you to its FIRST ANNUAL WILLIAMSBURG BLOCK PARTY. Held in Mccarren Pool at 4pm on Tuesday, July 8th. There will be music, beer, wine and a Taste of Williamsburg, during which your favorite local restaurants will donate food with proceeds going to Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn. At sunset, Michael Showalter will introduce cult favorite Wet Hot American Summer, the first screening of this year’s SummerScreen. Come early, bring a chair or blanket, maybe wear some short shorts and bask in the Brooklyn summer.

There’s more info about the SummerScreen series here.

See the full invite by clicking here.

Coney’s Beer Island has food! Specifically, it has a BBQ truck. “It’s owned and run by Chris McGee, a veteran of Blue Smoke and Jean-Georges. He’s serving Kansas City Style BBQ (where he’s from)—KC ribs, Pulled pork, pulled chicken, Brisket, Chicken ribs (essentially a smoked chicken leg), burgers, hot dogs, smoked turkey burgers, salads, slaw, and chips…” Probably no veggie burgers, but hey, it’s Beer Island in Coney.–Strong Buzz via Eater

Okay, this vid is a little off the beaten path for us, as it concerns cooking, on the other hand, we found there was something compelling about watching “Doris Einbinder, Canarsie, Brooklyn, circa 1986” show how to make potato latkes in this old footage. Grandma Doris, here’s to your latkes.

“About a quarter of Thomas Greene playground has been fenced off so that National Grid can dig underneath the Parks Dept. facility and see how polluted it is.” The playground was part of the site of the former Fulton Manufactured Gas Plant, which left a mess of toxic underground coal tar behind. Most of the playground is still open.–Brownstoner

Have jumped into our GL Photo Pool yet? We’d love to see your photos, so please join and/or tag you photos “gowanuslounge.”

[Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Bred/GL Flickr Pool]

This is the view of the placid waters of the Gowanus Canal on a nice summer evening that found its way into our Gowanus Lounge Flickr Pool courtesy of Brooklyn Bred.

Outside the Brooklyn Weather Observatory it looks like a great early summer day is taking shape. The forecast calls for it to be mostly sunny and nice with a high of 84. There isn’t even a chance of thunderstorms noted. Tonight will be partly cloudy with a low of 70.–Accuweather