A TREE PLANTED IN BROOKLYN

THE CITY PARKS DEPARTMENT PLANTED A SERVICE BERRY TREE OUTSIDE THE LEONARD ST BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY IN HONOR OF BETTY SMITH, THE AUTHOR OF "A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN ". HER DAUGHTER WAS ON HAND FOR THE CEREMONY.

SAVE THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD HOUSE

AS REPORTED IN TODAY'S POST JOY CHATEL( RIGHT) WHO OWNS THE HISTORICAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD HOUSE AT 227 DUFFIELD ST OWES $300,000 IN MORTGAGE PAYMENTS AND IS DANGER OF LOSING THE HOUSE TO FORECLOSURE. THIS HOME WAS PART OF A SYSTEM OF TUNNELS THAT LED SLAVES TO FREEDOM IN THE 1800s. SLAVERY WAS ABOLISHED IN NYC IN 1827. TONITE AT 7PM THERE IS A FUND-RAISER AT THE RUSH CORRIDOR GALLERY, AT 334 GRAND AVE IN CLINTON HILL. STOP IN MAKE A DONATION.

A GREAT NIGHT

THIS EVENING I WAS AT MY FIRST BROOKLYN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EVENT. IT WAS HELD IN THE AKWAABA MANSION IN BROOKLYN.GOT A CHANCE TO MEET SO MANY WONDERFUL PEOPLE AND FELLOW CHAMBER MEMBERS. I AM SO HAPPY I JOINED THIS ORGANIZATION. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT EVENT, AND WOULD LOVE TO GIVE A TOUR TO MY FELLOW CHAMBER MEMBERS. A PERFECT NIGHT.

ON THIS DAY

BROOKLYN BORN ACTOR/PRODUCER AND ONE TIME PARK SLOPE RESIDENT JOHN TURTURRO WAS BORN ON FEB 28TH 1957.

SAVE THE RAIN FORESTS

THIS WEEK INSPECTORS ARE GOING TO DESTROY OVENS IN BRAZIL WHICH ARE USED TO BURN TIMBER TO MAKE CHARCOAL IN AN EFFORT TO STOP DEFORESTATION. SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE YEARS AGO. PRESERVE DON'T DESTROY.

READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY

THIS SUNDAY MARCH 2ND 2008 COME TO THE PROSPECT PARK AUDUBON CENTER FOR READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY. FROM 12PM TO 2PM KIDS CAN CELEBRATE DR. SEUSS BIRTHDAY AND OTHER GREAT CHILDRENS BOOKS. FOR ADULTS IT'S 2PM TO 4PM. BRING A BOOK FOR A BOOK SWAP. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. READ EVERYTHING.

FLIP FLOP

FOR MANY YEARS 5TH AVE WAS DESERTED AND ABANDONED, NOW 5TH AVE HAS TAKEN OVER FOOD WISE FROM 7TH AVE. MANY RESTURANTS ON 7TH HAVE BEEN CLOSING. AND TO EAT ANYWHERE ON 5TH BETWEEN UNION ST AND 1ST ST ON A SATURDAY NIGHT IS A 2-HOUR WAIT AT MOST PLACES.

STILL THE ONE

THE 100 STORY RENZO PIANO DESIGNED BUILDING CALLED "MR. BROOKLYN" SLATED FOR THE CORNER OF TILLARY ST AND JAY ST HAS BEEN SCRAPED. THE WILLIAMSBURG BANK STILL HOLDS THE TITLE AS BROOKLYN'S TALLEST BUILDING.IN THIS PHOTO THE BANK LOOKS LIKE A HAND GIVING RATNER THE FINGER.

GOT MY VOTE

I SEE IN TODAY'S PAPER THAT BROOKLYN BOROUGH PRESIDENT MARTY MARKOWITZ WAS THE FRONT-RUNNER IN NEW POLL TO BECOME THE NEXT MAYOR ON NYC. SOME PEOPLE SAY WHAT DOES HE KNOW ABOUT THE BRONX OR QUEENS. NOT SURE BUT IN THE LAST 8 YEARS HE'S BEEN RUNNING BROOKLYN DID U HAPPEN TO SEE THE GROWTH IN THE BOROUGH? BROOKLYN IS BECOMING MORE DESIRABLE THEN MANHATTAN. IF HE CAN DO FOR THE BRONX AND QUEENS WHAT HE DID FOR BROOKLYN HE'S WITHOUT QUESTION THE BEST MAN FOR THE JOB. I NOMINATE MARTY FOR MAYOR.

CATENE BEST LUNCH IN SLOPE

ON 9TH ST JUST OFF THE CORNER OF 4TH AVE IS THE BEST FOOD YOU WILL EVER HAVE FOR LUNCH IN YOUR LIFE. THIS IS FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED FOR OVER 40 YEARS. EVERYTHING THERE IS DELICIOUS, AND CHEAP. WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GET A SHRIMP HERO AS LONG AS YOUR FOREARM FOR $6.50. MY FAVORITE IS THE SHRIMP PARM HERO $7.00 .SWEET, MED OR HOT SAUCE WHICH IS REALLY HOT. GO IN, SEE VIN, IT'S A WIN. TELL EM RICK SENT YA. YOU MAY WANNA CALL IN THE ORDER AS PLACE CAN GET BUSY AT NOON TIME, 718-788-0929.

TARGET FIRST SATURDAY

THIS IS A DYNAMITE EVENT. THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM STAYS OPEN FROM 6PM TO 11PM ON THE FIRST SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH WITH LIVE MUSIC, DJ'S, DRINKS, FOOD. ITS A REAL PARTY AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE GO, I'LL BE THERE.

ABE IN BROOKLYN

ON FEB 26TH 1860 ABRAHAM LINCOLN VISITED BROOKLYN PLYMOUTH CHURCH LOCATED IN BROOKLYN HEIGHTS. SAT IN ON A SERMON BY HENRY WARD BEECHER. SIDE BAR, TONIGHT I WAS AT BROOKLYN HEIGHTS ASSOCIATION MEETING AND BECAME A MEMBER OF THE BHA.

THE GREAT ONE

FEB 26TH 1916 IN BROOKLYN THE GREATEST COMEDIAN OF ALL TIME WAS BORN. HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACKIE GLEASON. YOU COULD WATCH HIM 1000 TIMES AND KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HE'S GONNA SAY AND STILL YOU'RE LAUGHING. JUST WRITING THIS I AM LAUGHING THINKING OF HIM. AGAIN BROOKLYN PRODUCES THE GREATEST.

NOAH'S SEED BANK

A SEED BANK WAS BUILT ON A NORWEGIAN ARCHIPELAGO BURIED DEEP UNDER THE ICE. COUNTRIES CAN STORE SEEDS HERE WHICH WILL STAY FERTILE FOR 1000 YRS. THE BUNKER CAN WITHSTAND EARTHQUAKES AND A DIRECT NUCLEAR STRIKE. SO WHEN WE FINISH BLOWING UP THE REST OF THE WORLD WE CAN RETRIVE THE SEEDS AND START ALL OVER AGAIN. GOOD IDEA.

SAD STORY

A BROOKLYN MOM DIED ON AN AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT ON WAY HOME FROM HAITI WHERE SHE WENT TO HELP FEED HUNGRY PEOPLE. THIS IS A TRAGEDY REGARDLESS IF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT WAS WORKING OR NOT. IRONIC HOW YOU HELP SOMEONE AND YOU DIE DOING IT. GOD WORKS IN STRANGE WAYS. PRAYERS GO OUT TO THE FAMILY. IN BROOKLYN WE ALL FEEL YOUR PAIN.

1ST TIME EVER

A SCOTT'S ORIOLE NEVER BEFORE SIGHTED IN NEW YORK WAS SEEN IN UNION SQUARE PARK. THIS LITTLE YELLOW GUY IS ANYTHING BUT YELLOW, HAVING STRAYED SO FAR FROM HOME. THESE BIRDS ARE USUALLY NOT SEEN EAST OF TEXAS.

RED HOT

THERE IS A RED PANDA BEAR AT THE PROSPECT PARK ZOO. THEY ARE ENDANGERED SO GET OVER THERE AND SEE IT. ALSO CHECK OUT THE GREAT ARCHITECTURE OF THE ZOO'S BUILDING'S. VERY ORNATE.

THE ZANES GANG

CHILDREN'S MUSICIAN DAN ZANES FROM BROOKLYN WILL BE PLAYING 2 SHOWS AT BAM ON SUNDAY ALONG WITH REGGAE STAR FATHER GOOSE. BROOKLYN BOY TRAVELS WORLD ENDS UP BACK IN BROOKLYN WHERE IT ALL BEGAN FOR HIM.

COME ALONG

TO ANYONE WHO READS THIS BLOG COME ALONG TOMORROW ON A FREE TOUR. I HAVE 2 TOURS 10AM AND 130PM ALL ARE WELCOME. PROSPECT PARK SHOULD LOOK GOOD WITH THE SNOW, LEAVE COMMENT AND I'LL GIVE YOU INFO.

OLD NAME IS NEW NAME

J J BYRNE PARK WHICH HOUSES THE OLD STONE HOUSE IS GETTING A FACELIFT AND WILL BE CALLED WASHINGTON PARK AS IT WAS IN THE LATE 1800s

HAPPY 276TH

GEORGE WASHINGTON WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1732. LED THE TROOPS IN OUR FIGHT FOR INDEPENDENCE FROM THE BRITISH. AND IN 1776 OVERSAW THE BATTLE OF BROOKLYN FROM A HILL IN BROOKLYN HEIGHTS. HEAR MORE TAKE THE TOUR.

POT OF GOLD

THE LONG LOST AMBER ROOM PANELS SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED. THESE PANELS ARE COVERED WITH GOLD. CREATED BY GERMAN AND RUSSIAN CRAFTSMEN, THESE PANELS WERE STOLEN BY THE NAZIS 60 YEARS AGO AND DATE BACK TO 1716. FOUND IN A MAN-MADE CAVERN 60 FEET DEEP THERE IS BELIEVED TO BE TWO TONS OF GOLD DOWN THERE.THATS A LOT OF CABBAGE.

TOUR UPDATE

THIS 5 STAR REVIEW WAS WRITTEN BY MY CLIENTS THAT I TOOK ON THE TOUR SUNDAY.

You Must Take This Tour!!

Rick was one of the most interesting, informed and likeable guy you'd ever want to meet! His walking tour of Brooklyn exceeded our expectations. His passion for Brooklyn was evident by all the interesting things he knew from street to street. We would highly recommend this tour as a must do when you visit NY! Nashvile,TN

MOB IN ALBANY NOT BROOKLYN

I SEE OTB PARLORS ARE CLOSING AS REPORTED IN TODAY'S PAPER, GOING ON TO SAY MOB WILL PROFIT. WHY CAN THE STATE TAKE NUMBERS AND RUN OTB OPERATIONS BUT NOT AN INDIVIDUAL? THE MONEY THEY TAKE IN IS NOT GOING TO THE SCHOOLS AS THEY SAY IT IS, IF SO THE SCHOOLS SHOULD HAVE SOLID GOLD COMPUTERS. OBVIOUSLY SOMEONE IS SKIMMING THE TILL. WRONG MESSAGE STATE OFFICALS ARE SENDING. WE COULD DO IT BUT YOU CAN'T.

THE OLD SOUTH BROOKLYN

I WAS READING TODAY HOW CATHOLIC NUNS AND A PRIEST WROTE LETTERS TO A JUDGE ASKING HIM TO GO EASY ON A LOCAL MOBSTER. THIS REMINDS ME OF CARROLL ST - PRESIDENT ST WHERE I LIVED GROWING UP. THIS IS A CLASSIC. HEY THE GUYS 87 YEARS OLD AND GAVE LOTS OF MONEY TO THE CHURCH. SO WHAT'S A FEW MURDERS. BUSINESS AS USUAL.

RUSSO OUT CONDOS IN

THE TWO HOUSES ON 9TH ST AND SMITH, RUSSO REALTY WILL BE TORN DOWN. AND A FIVE STORY CONDO COMPLEX IS GOING UP. MR RUSSO DIED IN 2006 AND THOSE HOUSE WERE A REAL EYESORE FOR MANY MANY YEARS. NEW BUILDING IN THIS INSTANCE IS WELCOMED.

A STRANGE TWIST

FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED WHO ALONG WITH CLAVERT VAUX DESIGNED PROSPECT PARK. IRONICALLY HE ALSO LANDSCAPED THE GROUNDS OF MCLEAN HOSPITAL, WHERE HE SPENT HIS FINAL DAYS, AS A VICTIM OF SENILITY.

BROOKLYN TOPS AGAIN

Di FARO'S PIZZA ON AVE J AND E15 ST IS CHARGING $4 FOR A SLICE OF PIE. IT IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE AND BEST PIZZA IN BROOKLYN AND MAYBE ALL OF NYC. DON'T MIND THE PRICE BUT THE WAIT, SOMETIMES OVER A HALF HOUR IS NO FUN.

WE'RE GROWING

MY LITTLE TOUR BUSINESS I STARTED IS GETTING SOME PRESS. THIS WAS IN TODAY'S DAILY NEWS BROOKLYN SECTION. ONE BRICK AT A TIME. WHAT IT GROW.

Weekend events in Brooklyn
Tuesday, February 19th 2008

THE GREAT OUTDOORS
A tour grows in Brooklyn: Join Richard (Big Rick) Kadlub for a walking tour of historical Park Slope and Prospect Park. This three-hour stroll through the tony neighborhood includes lunch at Pino's Pizzeria. Tours are offered daily at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Fee: $25 for adults, $15 for children 14 and under. Visit www.brooklynwalkingtour.com or call (212) 209-3370.

SKYWATCH

TOMORROW NIGHT AT 8:45 THERE WILL BE A TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE. EARTH WILL BE BETWEEN SUN AND MOON. TAKE A LOOK, IF YOU MISS IT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO WAIT TILL DECEMBER OF 2010 BEFORE IT HAPPENS AGAIN.

HUNGRY HAWK

TODAY I WAS IN GREENWOOD CEMETERY RESEARCHING GRAVES AND MONUMENTS I HAD READ ABOUT. I'M PUTTING TOGETHER A WALKING TOUR OF THE CEMETERY. SUDDENLY I HEAR A CHIRP CLOSE BY, 15' FROM WHERE I WAS STANDING A RED-TAIL HAWK WAS ON THE GROUND EATING A SQUIRREL.SHORTLY AFTER A SECOND HAWK SHOWED UP IN TREE ABOVE FIRST HAWK.PROBABLY THE MATE AS THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR HAWKS BREED.I HAD MY BINOCULARS (WHICH I DIDN'T NEED) AS THIS WEEKEND IS THE GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT. WHAT A VIVED VIEW THROUGH BINOCULARS.FROM SO CLOSE I COULD SEE THE RED MEAT BEING RIPPED FROM THE SQUIRREL. HAWK LOOKED AT ME MORE THEN A FEW TIMES BUT DIDN'T BUDGE.I DIDN'T WANT TO DISTURB HIM SO I RETURNED LATER TO EXACT SPOT AND HAWK AND PREY WERE GONE. NEXT WEEK I LOOK FOR THE NEST.

NOT IN BROOKLYN BUT GOOD STUFF

MORE THEN 40 OF THE THE JOHN JAMES AUDUBON PAINTING OF ENDANGERED BIRDS ARE ON DISPLAY, AT THE NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY. THESE PAINTING DONE OVER 150 YEARS AGO ARE SO DELICATE THEY ONLY GO ON DISPLAY EVERY 10 YEARS FOR A SHORT TIME.NOT TO BE MISSED.

MOST DANGEROUS

THE ENTRANCE RAMP TO THE BQE ON CONGRESS ST OFF COLUMBIA ST IS THE MOST DANGEROUS IN ALL OF NY STATE. THAT'S ALOT OF ENTRANCE RAMPS AND BROOKLYN IS AGAIN NO 1. I KNOW THIS RAMP VERY WELL.ALTHOUGH I HAVE YET TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT THERE I HAVE HAD SOME CLOSE CALLS.MY COUSIN JOANNE HATES THAT RAMP.

WHAT A SHAME

TODAY'S NEW YORK TIMES REPORTED THAT IT COST THE U.S MINT 1.67 CENTS TO MAKE A PENNY AND 9.5 CENTS TO MAKE A NICKEL. DO THE MATH WE LOSE $50 MILLION EACH YEAR BY MAKING PENNIES AND $55 MILLION MAKING THE NICKEL. NO ONE IN WASHINGTON CAN COME UP WITH A BETTER WAY TO SPEND $105 MILLION A YEAR? LET'S FEED THE HUNGRY, BUILD SOME HOSPITALS,HELP THE LESS FORTUNATE. GUESS CONGRESS IS BUSY WITH BASEBALL.

A BROOKLYN KID

DID YOU KNOW THAT GREGORY HINES WHO WAS BORN IN MANHATTAN BUT WENT TO LIVE WITH HIS GRANDMOTHER IN BROOKLYN WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1946.LIVED ON NOSTRAND AVE CLOSE TO BROOKLYN COLLEGE AND EBBETS FIELD.HIS HERO'S WERE JUNIOR GILLIAM AND GIL HODGES.WE HAD SOMETHING IN COMMON I ALSO LIVED WITH MY GRANDMOTHER.

ST.VALENTINE'S DAY MASSACRE

FEB. 14TH 1929 10 YEARS AFTER HE LEFT BROOKLYN AL CAPONE SETTELED A DISPUTE WITH MEMBERS OF THE BUGS MORAN GANG BROOKLYN STYLE. THE MOST FAMOUS AND FEARED GANGSTER IN AMERICAN HISTORY HAILS FROM BROOKLYN.

FEB.14TH 1846

HARBOR PILOT THOMAS FREEBORN DURING A STORM HAD HIS SHIP THE JOHN MINTURN RUN AGROUND NEAR THE JERSEY SHORE.FREEBORN WAS BURIED IN MANHATTAN BUT WITHIN MONTHS FELLOW HARBOR PILOTS ERECTED A MONUMENT TO HIM IN BROOKLYN'S GREEN-WOOD CEMETERY AND HIS BODY WAS MOVED THERE.....WORKING ON A GREEN-WOOD TOUR...... STAY TUNED.......

2 NEW LANDMARKS

CONGREGATION TIFERETH ISRAEL (1911) THE OLDEST SYNAGOGUE IN QUEENS AND THE JAMAICA SAVINGS BANK BUILDING (1898) WERE DESIGNATED HISTORICAL LANDMARKS. PRESERVE DON'T DESTROY.

BROOKLYN NEXT

FROM FEB. 15TH -24TH BROOKLYN WILL BE ROCKING WITH 175 SHOWS FROM 17 VENUES. AT BAM AND AROUND THE BOROUGH. VISIT BAM.ORG FOR BANDS AND SCHEDULE. GOOD STUFF.

GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT FEB15TH-18TH

THIS WEEKEND PEOPLE ALL OVER NORTH AMERICA WILL BE COUNTING BIRDS AND SUBMITTING LISTS FOR THIS SURVEY.LAST YEAR OVER 80 THOUSAND LISTS, 613 SPECIES AND OVER 11 MILLION BIRDS WERE COUNTED.GET OUT YOUR BINOCULARS,MAKE A LIST,SUBMIT IT.LETS SEE IF WE COULD TOP LAST YEARS COUNT.

UP A PENNY

THE POSTAL SERVICE ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT ON MAY 12TH 2008 A 1ST CLASS STAMP WILL GO UP 1 CENT MAKING IT .42 CENTS TO MAIL A LETTER. I HOPE YOU GUYS SAVED THOSE ONE CENT STAMPS WITH THE AMERICAN KESTRELS ON THEM.PENNY PINCHERS NOT HAPPY.

JAZZ ON 4TH AVE

THE BROOKLYN LYCEUM IS HAVING A JAZZ SET ON SUNDAY NIGHT. RYAN KISOR WILL BE PLAYING TWO HOT SETS 9PM & 10:30PM. 4TH AVE & PRESIDENT ST.THIS BUILDING WAS CLOSED FOR 40 YEARS.GREAT TO SEE THIS LANDMARK BACK IN USE.

FRIDAY FREE ICE SKATING

WOLLMAN ICE SKATING RINK IN PROSPECT PARK IS OFFERING FREE ICE SKATING ON FRIDAY FEB. 15TH. SKATE RENTAL IS $6 FROM 8:30AM TILL 9:00PM.I USED TO GO THERE AS A KID ALL THE TIME.

EARTH HOUR

ON MARCH 29TH 2008 AT 8PM CITIES AROUND THE WORLD WILL BE TURNING OFF THE POWER FOR ONE HOUR. NYC HAS YET TO JOIN IN THE EFFERT TO CONSERVE ENERGY.EVEN IF NYC DOESN'T COMPLY THE PEOPLE SHOULD DO IT ANYWAY.WE COULD DO WITH NO POWER FOR ONE HOUR. PEOPLE POWER WILL SHINE.

BORN IN BROOKLYN

BILLY HALOP THE LEADER OF THE DEAD END KIDS WAS BORN IN BROOKLYN ON FEB 11TH 1921. I'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER WHEN HE TOLD JAMES CAGNEY IN "ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES", WE USED TO HAVE A RAT IN THE GANG BUT NOW HE AINT GOT NO TEETH IN HIS MOUTH. THATS WHAT WE DO TO RATS IN BROOKLYN.BEWARE RATS, YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN

HAPPY 199TH BIRTHDAY! ON FEB 12TH 1809 ABRAHAM LINCOLN WAS BORN. WENT ON TO BECOME THE 16TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. SERVED DURING THE CIVIL WAR. AND WAS THE FIRST PRESIDENT TO BE ASSASSINATED. HEAR MORE TAKE THE TOUR. http://www.brooklynwalkingtour.com/

GET OUT OF THE WATER

ROY SCHEIDER THE ACTOR WHO PLAYED IN JAWS PASSED AWAY AT AGE 75. WELL I SAW THE MOVIE WHEN IT CAME OUT IN 1975. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT FOR THAT SUMMER NO ONE WENT IN THE WATER AT THE BEACH. AND TILL THIS DAY EVERYTIME I GO SWIMMING I THINK OF SHARKS. A MOVIE AND A CAST NOT TO BE FORGOTTEN.