So who are these ‘Scene Stealers’ already? Well if you would like to judge for yourself whether or not they are truly fashion conscious, follow the link. But if you want my humble opinion, out of the fourteen captured in Sam Horine’s lens, I would say that Lori Cheek, the founder of Cheekd, looked great, with fantastic tie-up sandals, a gorgeous, comfortable-looking dress, and funky sunglasses all wonderfully complimenting her amazing silver hair and emphasizing her sweet, sincere smile. Also Alexa Klebanow, a technology consultant visiting Brooklyn from her home in Greenwich Village looked snazzy in a striped black and white blazer perfectly matched with a simple black dress and high-heeled pumps, which did look a bit uncomfortable. But we all know that’s the price us women must pay to get our pictures in the fashion pages. But my favorite was Grace Tsou, an economic consultant. (I wonder what that means exactly for someone who is only 22 years old. Does she train the cashier at the Gap store where she works?) Grace also came all the way out to Dumbo from her digs on the Lower East Side. Her photograph proves that no matter what you wear, even if it’s just a bag, your inner beauty will still express itself. There is no doubt she has a beauty that needs no other accompaniment for it to be appreciated. Complimenting Grace’s white linen bag-dress were a comfortable pair of ‘tong-style’ sandals and an over the shoulder black-bag perfectly chosen to match the sandals.  Definitely a woman (however young) with style and grace.

Yes, there were a few guys that made it to the slide show, but let’s just say that some of them look like they pulled their clothes from the top of the pile of laundry that was still in need of folding and putting away. One young man, who will go nameless, looked a bit silly in black shoes, no socks, ankle length! pants, and a grey and black conservatively striped tie. It’s hard to tell if he was serious, or if ‘fashion’ has taken a definite turn for the worse. And can someone please tell me how someone all of 22 years old can be a ‘financier?’ What, exactly, am I missing?

Summer hours at the aquarium are from May 29th – September 6th: 10am – 6pm weekdays and 10am – 7pm on weekends and Holidays. You can come by car and park in the parking lot for an extra fee, or you can come by subway. Take the F or Q train to West 8th Street station in Coney Island, Brooklyn, or you can take the N or D trains to the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue Station and walk two blocks to Surf Avenue, east of the station.

For more information you can visit the New York Aquarium’s official website.

Luna Park 1915

Saturday, May 29, 2010 marked the beginning of a new chapter in the long and eventful history of Coney Island, on the southernmost tip of Brooklyn. On that day Luna Park, beautifully designed by the Italian designer Zamperla, with 19 new rides, opened its gates on the grounds that used to be home to Astroland, the now defunct  amusement park which over the years fell into disuse and disrepair.

The opening Memorial Day weekend saw an astronomical rise in business for the surrounding shops and attractions. It was estimated that more than 40,000 rides were enjoyed over the weekend which, according to Alberto Zamperla the park operator, “far exceeded our projections for opening weekend.” Adjacent businesses reported a 30% to 40% rise in business since last year’s Memorial Day weekend. Carol Hill Albert, the operator of the famous Cyclone Roller Coaster, which is right next door, said that, “This was an incredible weekend for us,” adding that her profits were also up about 40%.

Although Luna Park takes its name from the beloved amusement park which was opened in Coney Island in 1903 but was destroyed in an electrical, 10 alarm fire in 1944 while an estimated 750,000 people watched from the nearby Coney Island beach, this new Luna Park is composed of 19 “state of the art” rides which were built in only 100 days.  Combining the most modern rides with the old favorites, the Cyclone, a wooden roller coaster built in 1927, and the Wonder Wheel, a 150 foot high giant Ferris wheel, built in 1920, both New York Landmarks, the new park is hoping to achieve a uniqueness not found in other modern, amusement parks.

Luna Park Today

For one thing, it is not too far away. You can get there by subway, or even taxi, making it a perfect fun summer destination for anyone living in New York City. Another unique feature is that the rides will not require a second mortgage to fund the visit for a normal sized family with a few kids. Rides are advertised to cost between $3 and $7 a ride.

There are plans to add an additional attraction, scheduled to open next summer, called The Scream Zone. Hopefully, and if the Memorial Day weekend success can be any indication, the new Coney Island will help local businesses, New York tourism, and families and others, by helping create a more fun, and modern amusement park that has not forgotten its special, and in many ways, glorious past. Good luck to Coney Island, Luna Park, Brooklyn and New York.

The Brooklyn Children’s Museum is the first museum created especially to serve the needs of children. Established more than 100 years ago, in 1899, this innovative idea inspired the creation of thousands more like it throughout the country and the world. Proving time and again that old does not mean “stale,” the museum continues to innovate and inspire children to explore, learn and discover.

The Brooklyn Children’s Museum is also a founding member of a special partnership among six of Brooklyn’s most beloved cultural institutions: Prospect Park; the Prospect Park Zoo; the Brooklyn Botanic Garden; the Brooklyn Public Library; the Brooklyn Museum, and the Brooklyn Children’s Museum. Togehter these six special places comprise the Heart of Brooklyn.

Come and visit. On May 15th at 2pm join the Brooklyn Children’s Museum in its celebration of Asian Heritage Month and the continuation of the new reading series W.O.R.D. UP! Standing for Words of Real Distinction, W.O.R.D. UP! celebrates the art of literature. On May 15, 2010 NYC Comptroller John Liu will debut as a story teller to celebrate this special month.

According to parents and child care-givers who have been frequenting the newly designed Brooklyn Bridge Park, some of the equipment poses a serious health and safety hazard to the children trying to just have some fun.

The offending structures are large, metal climbing domes, which, according to the laws of physics, become hot when the sun’s rays reach and are absorbed by their gleaming, metallic veneer. An added danger these structures pose is their hard, uncompromising surfaces, causing serious damage, in one case a broken nose and lost tooth, when children accidently fall against them.

Park officials responded to the complaints of parents with several aggressive actions. Tents were placed over the metal structures, shielding them from the harsh rays of the sun. However, despite park officials’ requests that the earth stand still, it didn’t, and within a few hours the sun once again shown upon the metal surfaces.

Even more drastic measures were then taken, and saplings were planted alongside the domes, in the hope that soon they would produce the necessary shade to keep the domes at safe temperatures- for the children of the children who are playing there today.

In one last attempt to keep the kids safe, park officials posted warning signs that the structures are a safety hazard and should be avoided. Too bad the under-six crowd that generally play on these structures have not yet learned to read.

No wonder this neighborhood was referred to on the Seinfeld show as DUMB. And it’s not because the toddlers can’t read.

Winner of the Sloppiest Kisser Award

Are you the kind of person that hates snooty, pure bread dogs, especially the prize-winning, upper-crust champions? If so, you might rather enjoy “The Mutt Show” which took place for the first time in the Brooklyn Lyceum this past March.

The show was a less traditional dog show but at least as much fun, if not more. Dogs could enter in a variety of doggie categories such as “Sloppiest Kisser”, “Best Lap Dog Over 70 Pounds, or “Most Nutritionally Advantaged.”

The Mutt Show was organized as a way for dog-lovers with dogs of indistinct lineage to have some fun and enjoy their dogs, while at the same time raising some money for the Brooklyn Animal Rescue Coalition.

The winner was a female, curly-haired cutie named Julie, who has been with her owner, Hannah Bailey, aged 22, since they met in Indiana where Hannah adopted Julie so she wouldn’t be “put-down.”

Since then they have lived together in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City, and shared their road trips with as much gusto as Bob Hope and Bing Crosby.

When asked what kind of dog Ms. Bailey believe she owns, Hannah replied,

“It’s crazy how many people try to tell me what she is. I’ve heard every breed in the book,” Bailey said. “But who knows, right Julie? To me, you’re just cute.”

A combination of driving winds and intense rains left hundreds of thousands without power and created serious obstacles to traveling distances both short and long around the New York metropolitan area on Saturday. Earlier in the day, gusts of more than 60 miles per hour reportedly contributed to two deaths, fanned a severe fire that destroyed historic homes on the Jersey Shore and knocked buildings to the ground.

All around the New York area we’ve been hit by storms of near-Biblical proportions, leaving homes without electricity and, it’s believed, two dead as a result of a falling tree.
Good wishes to all our readers; let’s hope that the next few days brings us some calm.

The city is afraid that the Superfund label could trigger legal battles with those polluting the canal, unnecessarily prolong the dredging of the canal, and scare away future developers because of the stigma surrounding the Superfund label.
On the other hand, according to Judith A. Enck, the E.P.A. regional administrator, designation of Superfund status assures the best possible results for the residents, the environment and guarantees that the tap will be picked up by the parties responsible for the pollution of the canal.

The EPA estimates the clean-up operation will take between 10 and 12 years at a cost of $300 to $500 million, compared to the city’s estimated nine years for the clean-up.

“It was the right thing to do,” said Marlene Donnelly, a leader of the neighborhood group Friends and Residents of Greater Gowanus. “It’s the beginning of a plan to start the restorative process for the Gowanus area.”

“But we are going to work closely with the E.P.A. because we share the same goal: a clean canal,” he added.

As spunky Splashers co-founder Earl Patton, 74, says, “We intend to bring home the gold this year. We still have the competitive spirit. We’re all fired up!”

These games, which will take place at the campus of SUNY-Cortland will see 2000 athletes compete in 22 land and water sports.  This will be the Splashers third year in the competition.  They have yet to bring home a gold, but they’ve got their goal for this year in place!