[Photo courtesy of threecee/GL Flickr Pool]

It comes from 6th Avenue near Dean Street in Prospect Heights and the overturned chair just lends it a certain something.

[Photo for GL Courtesy of Adrian Kinloch/Brit in Brooklyn]

This is, of course, the world famous Gowanus water station on Nevins Street as captured in beautiful light by Adrian Kinloch.

[Photo courtesy of Rubys Host/GL Flickr Pool]

It comes from Brighton Beach, of course.

Wherever you are today and whoever you are with–whether it’s family, loved ones, friends or someone special to pass the day with–we wish you a happy and satisfying Thanksgiving. We all have something for which to be thankful, even in the most difficult of times. If you take a moment to reflect, you’ll find it. Happy Thanksgiving to our friends here and elsewhere, and thank you for all of your support and kind wishes throughout the year. It truly means more than any of you will ever know. Peace.

Happy Thanksgiving y’all!, originally uploaded by HelenaBXL.

It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without an appropriate wish from Red Hook, would it?

The caption on the photo says: “George Howard Lockwood & Mary Werrbach – Thanksgiving in Brooklyn, 1945.”

[Photo for GL Courtesy of Marie Viljoen]

This is the scene outside the Key Food on Atlantic Avenue on the edge of Brooklyn Heights last night. Our phtoographer writes: “Here is pre-Thanksgiving commercial happiness outside the Key Food on Atlantic and Clinton.”

It’s all there in one place on Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg. Several ATMS (which have appeared in the last several weeks), plus transportation. Happy and safe Thanksgiving travel to all.

[Photo courtesy of New York Pubic Library]

This is Fulton Street during a snow on January 21, 1978 in the good, old pre-tourismo days.

This isn’t just any missing dog. This is Key Lime Steve’s missing dog, Mango. Yes, the Key Lime Steve of Steve’s Key Lime Pies.

A full description ahead.

Over time, this construction site, which spans a good part of the block between N. 9 and N. 10 Streets and Roebling and Driggs in Wiliamsburg has proven itself to be one of the most vile in all of Brooklyn. The fence is constantly open somewhere. For a long time, there was a deep water and oil filled pit. The site is full of construction debris. The only real question when one passes by is exactly where the fences has been torn or fallen down. The site has looked abandoned for a long time, but the project architect is listed as Loadingdock5, which is responsible for this building currently under construction on Bedford Avenue among other things.

There’s an interesting discussion going on over at Brooklynian about what one tips the person that delivers one’s food. Here’s the original question: “If you order something and it’s the same thing you always order (ie: a pizza pie, chicken with broccoli, a burger ok, you get the picture…) but the restaurant increased their prices by, ALOT, then do you have to up the delivery tip because the prices are higher or can you still give them $2-3 for carrying the same exact bag or box to the same exact location?”

Every now and then there are so many Missed Connections from which to choose that run some during the week. Here’s one that caught our eye because it was so, uh, general:

95 graham? several pretty young ladies i wouldnt mind seeing again – m4w – 25 (L montrose)
i live at the corner, graham and siegel. the past few days ive seen several very pretty young ladies out and about, but its usually dark and cold and not the best time to say hi. i love this neighborhood, but lets call a spade a spade- im one of the only white kids on this stretch of graham. i wouldnt mind meeting one of you. lets go get a coffee at the cafe or a drink at duckduck. yes? is it you? send a picture, ill reciprocate.

Any of you, really. It doesn’t matter.

(Thanksgiving in 1911)

From at least the early part of the twentieth century until about the early 1960’s, Brooklyn children celebrated a curious custom on Thanksgiving morning. While Mom was cooking the turkey, kids would put on old, over-size, ragged clothes—usually belonging to one of their parents— and go door to door with small hands outstretched begging for pennies, apples or candy chanting “Anything for Thanksgiving?” The kids sometimes used burnt cork on their faces or wore masks to make themselves look more like ragamuffins while begging for change (see 1911 Thanksgiving photo, “Scrambling for Pennies,” in the G.C. Bain collection). The tradition may have had European roots—and Brooklyn, with a large European immigrant population, became a major borough for a custom that seemed largely limited to New York City neighborhoods and mostly unknown outside of the city. In Betty Smith’s “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,” for instance, Francie participates in the Thanksgiving tradition in Williamsburg, donning a mask.

You’ve got to click here for the rest of this fascinating history!!!

Oh, well, it’s the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, so why not? Here’s the description of the vid from the kids who made it: “This is a movie that my friend and I put together for our English book project on themes from-A Tree Grows in Brooklyn By: Betty Smith. Please enjoy! We spent only 1 hour on filming this, and I spent countless hours editing it, and I think it is very well done considering that we only shot for 1 hour (which is WAY too rushed in my opinion).” As we said, it’s the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

It’s just a little thing, but the horrendously noisy and disruptive de-paving of streets like Dean and Carroll in recent weeks to prepare for repaving has exposed some of the original paving stone that existed before pavement did. This is a shot of Carroll Street in between dust clouds raised by passing cars. Some of the re-paving is happening today and work started at 6AM. Seriously.

· And the Status of the Starrett City Deal Is…..? [NYO]
· Financing Delays Plague NYC Projects [AYR]
· Checking on Progress at Health House [Brownstoner]
· God No: Atlantic Avenue Loses Bad Indian Food [Cobble Hill Blog]
· New Menu at Cafe Tibet [Ditmas Park Blog]
· Things Happen When You’re Not Loking [Lost City]
· Confusing Bike Lanes at Williamsburg Bridge [Free Williamsburg]
· Revelations [A Year in the Park]
· BBG Free Winter Weekdays [Flatbush Gardener]

There was news last week that the Red Hook Initiative was losing their office space. Well, they’ve sent out an email about trying to secure some new space:

Many of you have heard about our space dilemma—the PAL was no longer able to provide space for RHI. Currently we are occupying a one room studio in Red Hook and running our programs throughout the community at schools, churches, and other organizations. While this scenario allows us to keep our central programs running, young people from the neighborhood have lost a place to go on a daily basis and part of the “spirit” of RHI is definitely missing.

Many of you have generously asked “What can I do to help?” Now is your chance. The first week in December we will hold two organizing meetings to start “The $5K Club.” We are looking for a team of people who want to dig in and help us ensure that the new RHI (a 3,000 square foot warehouse in the heart of the Red Hook Houses which we’ve planned to convert into a community center) comes to fruition. You don’t need to have any fundraising experience, just a willingness to tell our story and ask for money.

The rest of the details ahead.

[Photo for GL courtesy of Deborah Matlack]

This is the big parcel of land owned by developer Joe Sitt along Stillwell Avenue where rides were demolished two winters ago. People are now dumping trash there. While we don’t blame the developer for dumping the trash, we do wonder about how the property is secured and why it hasn’t been cleaned up. GL contributor Deborah Matlack snapped this photo a few days ago and the garbage had already been there for a while.

That hotel that’s been under construction on Third Avenue for a while is not going to be a Days Inn or a Quality Inn or anything of that nature. While no permits have yet been filed with the Department of Buildings for signs a very reliable source–one of the construction workers–tells one of our GL Correspondents that the hotel will be…a Super 8. Classy! The Super 8 will be at Third Avenue and President Street. Two other hotels are planned for President between Third and Fourth. It’s unknown if it will offer hourly rates, but it should be a cheap place to put up mom and dad. It will be the first of the new Gowanus hotels to open, adding to the Holiday Inn Express, Days Inn and, of course, the king of the Gowanus lodgings, Hotel Le Bleu.

[Image courtesy of I’mjustsayini’/GL Fickr Pool]

It certainly looks pretty from way up there in Dumbo.

Seaworthy Films and hot dog purveyor Willie’s Dawgs are teaming up at the Old Stone House for a night of Indie movies and award winning Sundance films to benefit The National Disaster Search Dog Foundation. Tickets are $20 and include free hot dogs, popcorn, beer and prizes. This is an excellent opportunity to support the Search Dog Foundation that produces highly trained canine disaster search teams whose job it is to find people buried alive in the wreckage of natural disasters and terrorist attacks. To buy tickets and for more information on films being shown check out the Willie’s website. It happens Thursday, December 4th at 7:30 pm at The Old Stone House: JJ Byrne Park, 5th Avenue between 3rd and 4th Streets, Park Slope.

[Photo courtesy of June Carter Cash Peep/GL Flickr Pool]

It’s Dean Street at night, looking quite impressionistic.

[Photo courtesy of Miss Heather]

Yes, this couch found on Eckford Street is missing its cushions, but its original beauty still shines through. Quite the specimen.