Gentrification takes another victim. A yuppie, organic ice cream store??

"The rising rents of Atlantic Avenue have claimed another victim: Blue Marble Ice Cream, whose flagship store opened at 420 Atlantic Avenue back in 2007, will be moving out in the coming weeks, a result of the landlord's efforts to almost double the rent. "We're very sad to leave the neighborhood, especially since this was shop our 'first-born,'" said founder Alexis Miesen in an email, "but we were left with no alternative." Ice cream fanatics need not totally despair though: Blue Marble's other stores on Court and Underhill are going strong—and you can always get a scoop at The Flea on Saturdays! You can see the $3,500-a-month listing for the new space here, though, from what we hear, 900 square feet might be overstating the case a bit." (Brownstoner)

Design Boom

http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/8/view/11255/cornelius-comanns-bufalino.html

i love this type of stuff - "concept design"

Pentagon Mosque?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/19/AR2010081906506.html?hpid=dynamiclead

The Situation

Ok! is reporting, and the L.A. Times confirming, that the financially set Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino will be joining Audrina Patridge and Brandy on the next season of Dancing With the Stars, where he will revolutionize the ab-displaying male dance costume. [OK]

There seems to be some type of double-standard going on with The Situation getting much love and Snooki getting none. thoughts?

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Currently Reading: Gun, With Occasional Music

I am a big fan of Jonathan Lethem (probably it is that whole Brooklyn thing). I really enjoyed Motherless Brooklyn, Chronic City and Fortress of Solitude so now I am reading Gun, With Occasional Music

Something I noticed is how infrequently he uses "SAT" words. His characters are usually blue-collar detectives so I guess it makes sense...

His most famous line is probably this one

"There are days when I get up in the morning and stagger into the bathroom and begin running water and then I look up and I don't even recognize my own toothbrush in the mirror"

I really liked this one from Gun

"A waitress finally looked at her map somewhere and figured out we were on it. She bent low over the table and asked if we wanted anything"

Highly Recommended: Brunch at Dressler

http://www.dresslernyc.com

Amazing poached eggs, eggs benedict,  pork belly tacos and crab cake sandwiches

If this place was in Manhattan it would be insanely crowded. Thankfully it is in South Williamsburg. Unfortunately brunch is only available on Sundays

Side Effects of Unemployment

Extreme tan lines

Traffic in New York

http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2010/08/parking-fact-of-the-day.html

Wow, almost half the traffic in my neighborhood is coming from people looking for parking? WEAK

"In a recent survey conducted by Bruce Schaller in the SoHo district in Manhattan, 28 percent of drivers interviewed while they were stopped at traffic lights said they were searching for curb parking. A similar study conducted by Transportation Alternatives in the Park Slope neighborhood in Brooklyn found that 45 percent of drivers were cruising."

Snooki

http://www.observer.com/2010/culture/pricey-landscaping

"Allegedly, the anxious folks at these various luxury houses are all aggressively gifting our gal Snookums with free bags. No surprise, right? But here's the shocker: They are not sending her their own bags. They are sending her each other's bags! Competitors' bags!

Call it what you will — "preemptive product placement"? "unbranding"? — either way, it's brilliant, and it makes total sense. As much as one might adore Miss Snickerdoodle, her ability to inspire dress-alikes among her fans is questionable. The bottom line? Nobody in fashion wants to co-brand with Snooki."