What better way to capture the spirit of Chirstmas Eve than a rock and roll video visit to the Dyker Heights lights? Enjoy. You can visit the 2006 Dyker Lights vid by clicking here.

Never thought that I’d see the day when this club would be involved in an event with Thor. Makes your speeches at the save Coney rally deemed meaningless. Shame on the Polar Bear Club.

The reference to the “rally” is to club president Louie Scarcella‘s vocal opposition to Thor’s Coney plans at a Save Coney Island Rally earlier this year. Here’s Mr. Scarcella’s response, which is interesting in terms of both Thor and other businesses in Coney Island:

…Now hear this and hear this good. For the last four years NO ONE, NO ONE in Coney Island except for Steve at Steve’s Grill house has supported us. People, I know everybody in Coney Island, I have been here and worked here 35 years AND NO ONE offered one red cent. A very well know bar on the boardwalk, which I will not mention, told us to drop dead when we asked them to place jars for donations for the Special Olympics on the bar two years ago. Yes, they refused to help this great cause. This makes me sick. This establishment has made thousands of dollars every New Years Day for many years. If it wasen’t for our club, they would remain closed…if Thor is willing to help me and my club raise money for kids with cancer, I say God bless him. As for calling us sellouts, don’t anyone dare to call this great club sellouts. If anyone wants to talk about this in person I am at Stilwell ave and the boards every Saturday and Sunday at noon…Remember what I have learned…no one in Coney Island except for Carol Albert and Dino at the Wounderwheel gives back to the community. All they are interestd in is THE LAST DOLLAR to be made on any given day. I promise you this is true.

Those of you who know me know that I love Coney Island more than any other place on earth. I will do everything to fight condos and hotels that may become condos. This Thor knows. I want the Coney Island of yesteryear to return. I hope in the coming years I live to see the changes. The changes that will make us, the poeple who love Coney Island happy. Sellouts, no not by a long shot.

The comments about other businesses are as interesting as those about Thor. The full thread and text of the email is here. Details on the New Year’s swim, proceeds from which support Camp Sunshine, are available here. The bears are trying to raise $50,000 for the camp for children.

The city still hasn’t reached a deal with the group that has the site of the Monitor Museum at the Bushwick Inlet, where it is planning a big park. The property owners–who got the land via donation for a museum commemorating the building of the historic vessel–say the city isn’t negotiating in good faith and intends to take their land via eminent domain.–amNY

If you’re vegetarian and you live in Brooklyn, there’s a chance you’ve had a veggie patty or something else at Veggie Castle on Church Avenue in Flatbush. Well, the NY Press reports that the veggie spot in a former White Castle is “closing by Christmas,” which means that today could be its last day if it hasn’t already closed. The Press writes:

The demise of this rare vendor of jerk tofu, porridge, elaborate juices and “Ital Jockey” – a brew of sea moss, bee pollen, Chinese herbs and cashews, among other things – shall be felt not only by the nabe’s Rastafarians and Caribbean residents, but by all those herbivores from Park Slope and beyond who have trekked southeastward to sample their steaming buffet that has been called, “a rite of passage” for serious vegetarians.

The end of a 10-year lease is to blame, according to Cindy Bernard, daughter of owner Viburt Bernard. She said the landlord wanted to sell the lot to someone who plans to tear down the building and develop a new commercial space. In the meantime, “distraught” describes the mood among her regulars.

So, we have story that blends veggie dining and real estate development on this Christmas Eve. There’s another Veggie Castle on Liberty Avenue in South Richmond Hill. Sad news.

A mere $260K will get you an Italian restaurant on 9th Street in Park Slope. Spirito is between Fourth and Fifth Avenues. It’s listed as “Beautiful Italian Restaurant With Rooftop Dining And Rooftop Dining (prime Park Slope).”–OTBKB

Today and tomorrow we’re going to veer off-topic by featuring a few holiday photos from cities in Europe and elsewhere. Enjoy.

Vienna, Austria

Today and tomorrow we’re going to veer off-topic by featuring a few holiday photos from cities in Europe and elsewhere. Enjoy.

Paris

• Old School Urban Policy and Parking at Atlantic Yards [AYR]
• In re G & D Television on Henry: I Told You So [Lost City]
• Residential Development for Orthodox Jews Coming to South Williamsburg [TRD]
• Weekly Dumbo Links [Dumbo NYC]
• Watch 185 Ocean Disappear Before Your Eyes [Across the Park]
• Gerritsen Beach Smackdown [GerritsenBeach.Net]
• Brit Blogger Visits, Goes to Brighton Beach [Erica’s Blog]
• Mister Heather’s Kamera Korner [New York Shitty]
• Le Conakry Brings West Africa to Broadway [Bed-Stuy Blog]
• The Vox Pop Community Publishing Party [OTBKB]
• Jumper at 69th Street Pier [Bay Ridge Rover]
• Christmas on the Place Streets [Esthetic/Aesthetic]
• Happy Holidays from Dumbo [Dumbo NYC]
• A Haircut at Beehive in the Burg [A Child Grown in Brooklyn]

Today and tomorrow we’re going to veer off-topic by featuring a few holiday photos from cities in Europe and elsewhere. Enjoy.

Hong Kong, China

If your heart doesn’t melt when you see the photos of these kitties available for adoption at BARC, well, you know…Give the gift of a loving home to some killer cute cats this Christmas.–New York Shitty

The first prediction involves New York Water Taxi and a big biodiesel fuel spill that will add a natural sheen of cooking oil to the petroleum mess gurgling about underfoot in different places.–INSIJS

Today and tomorrow we’re going to veer off-topic by featuring a few holiday photos from cities in Europe and elsewhere. Enjoy.

The Grand Place, Brussels, Belgium

As another local business on Court Street is being forced out by a new landlord and high rent, residents appear to be taking up the cause. They’re trying to get neighbors to sign a petition supporting the Trusting Tailoring & Cleaning laundry at 232 Court, which is at the corner of Baltic and they’re also writing to local elected officials to try to get them to help stop the eviction. Here’s an email that’s going around:

Many of you have used the Trusting Tailors on Court Street or have passed by their friendly shop. After being at that location for more years than I can remember, the OH’s are being evicted (new landlord, new HIGH rent). Some neighbors have been in touch with Bill DiBlasio and other elected officials to try to prevent their eviction in March. There is a petition in the store that will go to Bill DiBlasio to show community support to block their eviction. Please walk by and sign the petition. The store is generally open from 7 am to around 7 p.m.

THe Oh family is lovely and always donate to community causes plus have a collection box for people to send snacks, or holiday cards, (and non-perishable items) to our troops in Iraq. The Oh’s are wonderful neighbors and have a big heart. Please stop by and sign their petition.

Another day, another threatened business.

UPDATE: City Council Member de Blasio is said to be planning a drop by at the store to show his support, possibly on Monday (12/24). Supporters are also asking neighbors to stop into the stores as a sign of support for the threatened owners.

Ah, Sunday, the day when we turn our attention to that interesting world known as Craigslist Brooklyn Missed Connections. We’ve seen Missed Connections from the Park Slope Food Coop from time to time, but this week we have the ultimate “Park Slop” Food Coop Missed Connection:

To the girls at the Park Slop Food Coop – m4w

When I go to the Coop, not only am I shopping for cheese, produce, good beer, hummos, wild boar sausage. I am also shopping for wives.

Why, dammit, why, are there 7,008,379,984,332 amazing, beautiful, sexy, outrageously irresistable girls at the coop? Why? It’s fucked up!

If there are any Coop girls out there who dream about pulling some poor little lonely coop guy into the bathroom and making out, you should respond. No, it doesn’t mean that I am going to suggest that we do that. It’s just that, sometimes I wonder if the girls there feel the same way as I do.

Whatever, I’m drunk. I love you, coop girls. A special shout-out to: Hiroko, Nora, Kira…shit I don’t even know most of their names.

Well I guess I’ll just eat my fancy mustard all alone. A whole bottle of it. With my fingers.

Okay.

A by some students visit to Coney Island on a cold, wet December day. Desolate.

Every Sunday, we like to take a look at a few comments that GL readers have left during the previous week. Here’s a selection from the last seven days:

Burg’s Giant Fart Cloud Demolition is a Scary Mess. “A similar situation is going down on bedford ave. near reel life, on the same side of the street. these old NYC buildings were not meant to be pried apart after a century of being stuck together. especially when authorities don’t give a shit about the normal people being affected by it.” [Kate]

End of the Notary District: Russo Realty Falling. “Where’s all the outrage? Isn’t this a precious part of precious Brooklyn history? Anyone? Underground railroad? Irish migration? Italian-American history? The Notary Public Museum?” [Anonymous]

Another Look at Fifth Ave.’s Closing Donuts Coffee Shop. “I hate everyone. This story has tugged at my heartstrings for weeks. Park Slope should be sent packing to West 81st street where it belongs…Is nothing sacred?” [Anonymous]

Here’s a slideshow of photos sent our way from a special GL contributor who’s been showering us with photos and for whose contributions we’re grateful. These were shot on Sackett Street.