Smiley Brooklyn

In his NYT review of the Siren Music Festival last Saturday, Kelefa Sanneh asks "...when did Brooklyn get so smiley." Smiley Brooklyn! I hope we also have Smiley Queens, Smiley Bronx, Smiley Staten Island, and Smiley island of Manhattan. There's worse things.

Part of what's making us smile are all the free summer movies to view under the open sky, as described in Melena Ryzik's article "Midsummer Night's Screen." Why didn't they publish that article at the beginning of July instead of the end of it? Probably because they didn't have the shot of people watching "Crossing the Line" (see Rooftop Films) on the roof of the old American Can Factory in the fascinating (I am not being sarcastic) land of Gowanus. I am still looking closely at that image to see if I can recognize anyone in the audience.

Another thing that's making us so happy this summer is the weather that keeps flirting with heat and then coyly swinging back to pleasant.

I think the smile will grow next week after the stage rendition of Walt Whitman's "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry" at the Prospect Park Bandshell on Thursday 8/2 at 8pm, brought to you by The Brave New World Reperatory Theater and Celebrate Brooklyn. Who's cheerful if not the admirer of grass leaves, the advocate for the people of the future? Like, that's us! Walt, Dude, you had a HEART.

And of course, all the good news about rats no doubt increases our happiness. We have ways of making ourselves far sicker than the rats ever could. It's good to lose an enemy.

But Kelefa, I hope we the people of Brooklyn will bring you some darkness soon, to balance things out. Do you like black licorice?