The Onderdonk House Invites You Over For Movie Night!
This is nice: the Van der Ende-Onderdonk House (home to Arbitration Rock—aka the Brooklyn/Queens border) is hosting a new movie series, inviting cyclists and bi-peds alike to enjoy classic flicks under the stars. The kick-off feature for the Wonderdonk Bike-In Movie Series (happening July 29th) is Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, and we really hope someone makes a grand entrance like this:
Photos: Pee Wee Herman Plays Basketball at West 4th Street
Just after 12 p.m. today, Pee Wee Herman tweeted, "That was great! Now popping by @foursquare HQ and then HORSE at the basketball cage at 12:30 - 4th st and 6th ave." And lo and behold, there he was, right on time. Upon arrival, he dutifully checked into Fourquare, joking, "I can't wait to press this button...but it's AT&T so I'm going to have to." Ah, topical humor! The crowd that gathered was comprised of enthusiastic Pee Wee fans, and they were quick to boo a heckler who shouted, "You're the guy who touched himself in the movie theater!"
Idiotarod Cart CHAIRY Spotted in Greenpoint!
Since organizers of the Idiotarod this year, Corporation X, were being vague with any details prior to go time, but simultaneously wanted press coverage—our publisher sent them this little note (yes, in all caps): "WE CAN'T COVER YOUR STUPID HIPSTER RACE ON THE SITE IF WE DON'T KNOW WHERE IT IS."
Johnny Podres, Dodger Who Wouldn't Wait Until Next Year
Johnny Podres died last night in a hospital in upstate New York at the age of 75. He'd been suffering from serious medical problems for some time. In 1955, Podres ensured himself a place in Brooklyn and baseball history as a young left-hander who pitched the Dodgers to their only World Series Championship while in Brooklyn, and he did it against the hated Yankees.
Pencil This In
EXPLORE: Last call to visit the historic Governors Island this season! Free ferry rides depart hourly right next to the Staten Island Ferry terminal. Sitting 800 yards off the southern tip of Manhattan and about 400 from the Brooklyn waterfront, it isn't often you can get a view of the city and a house like that one to the right all from the same place.
Rock, Roll and Ride Through Bike Month
We're smack dab in the middle of Bike Month, and today the Bicycle Film Festival kicks off.
Baseball Honors Jackie Robinson
Sixty years today at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, Jackie Robinson made his debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers. When Robinson took the field to play first base against the Boston Braves, he became the first African-American player in modern era of Major League Baseball. Despite enduring constant harassment by fans and other players during his first year, Robinson won Rookie of the Year honors from the Sporting News and Major League Baseball. In what would become a Hall of Fame career, Robinson was a six-time All Star (1949-1954), the NL MVP in 1949, and made six World Series appearances with the Dodgers.
Noteworthy Televison This Week: Almost all your life is channel thirteen
A look at some noteworthy television programs this week:
When A Penny Costs More Than $.01
Let's all take a brief moment to contemplate the penny: Tiny, sometimes red, sometimes black, sometimes shiny, sometimes sticky, you can exchange them for goods or services, a hundred of them make a buck ... OK, we done? Good. Now think about this:
This week the cost of the metals in a penny rose above 0.8 cents, more than twice the value of last fall. Because the government spends at least another six-tenths of a cent — above and beyond the cost of the metal — to make each penny, it will lose nearly half a cent on each new one it mints
A Night of Movie Trailers
Too many times, we’ve suffered through a poorly directed film (or Brittany Murphy movie) and admitted the only aspect which kept us from banging our head up against the overpriced tub of popcorn was the trailer lineup. Sad, but for many of us, often the trailers are the best part of the money-sucking movie experience. Bam Cinematek understands our appreciation (as well as our ADD) and tonight at 7:00 PM, the theatre will present an entire evening of trailers, including campy hits (Bit Top Pee Wee), hilarious horror (Twisted Nerve), classics (The Shining), and even Orson Welles’ F for Fake. Thereafter, the audience gets to vote on their favorite trailer and the winning film will screen in December. And yes, we strongly suggest voting for The Shining. BAM, 30 Lafayette Avenue between Ashland Place and St. Felix Street; $10
Reading, Writing, Rat Droppings
Lieutenant Van Buren
S. Epatha Merkerson, Lieutenant Van Buren on Law & Order, stars in a new play at the Public Theater, "Fucking A." Ben Brantley of the Times feels it's well acted if uneven and another sign of playwright Suzan Lori Parks' talent. (Brantley's review is also amusing for how it tries to explain the full title: "The full title of '. . . A' cannot be printed here. Suffice it to say that 'A' is modified by an obscene word heard regularly on the streets of New York and is the adjective of choice on 'The Sopranos.'") S. Epatha certainly has come a long way from playing Reba the Mail Lady on Pee Wee's Playhouse, but her tough-yet-sympathetic demeanor was apparent even then.


