Birthday for Boulevard Books

By Meredith Deliso

Don your party hats — Boulevard Books is having a birthday bash.

The Dyker Heights bookstore is marking its one-year anniversary on May 21 with cocktails, cigars, music and readings. And at a time when bookstores seem to be closing left and right, it’s a cause for celebration.

Tatiana Nicoli opened her shop in June in the bookstore-deprived neighborhood as a way to connect with people — even naming it Boulevard Books because “the boulevard tends to be where everyone gathers.” It seems to have worked.

“Your acceptance as a community have been the core of Boulevard’s survival,” Nicoli wrote to her patrons this week. “Here’s to many more years of serving you and the Dyker Heights community.”

For now, you can enjoy readings from three diverse authors at the party: Suzanne Corso, author of “Brooklyn Story,” “Adults” phenom Alison Espach, and Jane Bordon, a comic behind the memoir, “I Totally Meant To Do That.” Because it wouldn’t be a proper bookstore birthday without a book signing, or three.

Boulevard Books [7518 13th Ave. between Bay Ridge Parkway and 76th Street in Dyker Heights, (718) 680-5881], May 21, 7 pm. Free.

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Twilight Tattoo returns

By JJ Despain

Here’s a military tattoo that has nothing to do with sporting an anchor on one bicep and “Mom” on the other.

The U.S. Army returns to Fort Hamilton on Friday with its Twilight Tattoo, the annual military-themed celebration of fifes, drums, bayonets and gun twirling.

The goal is more than pageantry.

“It’s an opportunity to not only bond with the community, but for the community to get a taste for what army history is about,” said Bruce Hill, a spokesman for the Army base at the tip of southeastern Brooklyn. “The soldiers interact with the community, they ask questions, they talk, they engage.”

Twilight Tattoo is based out of Fort McNair near Washington, D.C., but makes one of its rare sojourns every year to the Bay Ridge base.

“Twilight Tattoo doesn’t travel too much outside of Washington, D.C.,” said Cathy Santopietro, who works for Fort Hamilton public affairs. “We’re the one place they travel to, which is nice.”

So what is a Twilight Tattoo? First off, there are military bands, such as “Pershing’s Own,” the U.S. Army ensemble, plus the Army blues choir and the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps.

Plus, there’s military precision, thanks to the Army drill team strutting its stuff.

Bring a blanket and just revel in America’s military history.

Some songs or drills might be different from year’s past, but the Tattoo will delight even military families and civilians alike.

“The main things don’t change,” Santopietro said. “The old guard comes up, the drill team’s still here.”

The Twilight Tattoo at Fort Hamilton [Bay Eighth Street between Cropsey Avenue and Shore Parkway in Dyker Heights, (718) 630-4783], May 20, pre-ceremony pageantry at 6:30 pm; main show at 7 pm.

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They don't call it Dyker Lights for nothing

By Meredith Deliso

Do they know it’s Christmas? They do in Dyker Heights.

Year in and year out, thousands flock to the neighborhood to see some of the best holiday decorations in the city, even earning it the nickname “Dyker Lights.”

This year isn’t any different, as the six-block area bounded by 83rd and 86th streets and 11th and 13th avenues is decked out in two-story Santas, 10-foot tall dancers that pirouette to the music of the “Nutcracker Suite,” and 29-foot-tall toy soldiers marching in place.

Our favorites include the Polizzottos (1145 84th St. between 11th and 12th avenues), who have an absolutely gigantic Santa greeting visitors, as well as galloping reindeer and a life-size merry-go-round. Across the street, the Spatas (1152 84th St., above) are not to be missed. The family started the tradition 25 years ago, after all, and has one of the largest displays in the city. This year, it grew by two 15-foot-tall nutcrackers.

The larger-than-life figures have become very popular this year, said Tony Muia, a Bensonhurst native who runs the “Slice of Brooklyn” pizza tours and, more recently, a Dyker Lights tour.

“People are getting really imaginative with their decorations. It’s amazing what people are coming up with,” said Muia. “We didn’t schlep all the way to Rockefeller Center for the lights. We went to see the lights of Dyker Heights. It’s a tradition.”

For info on the “Slice of Brooklyn” Christmas tours, visit www.asliceofbrooklyn.com/christmas.html.

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Is this the best Halloween house in Brooklyn?

These pictures just came into our inbox. They're from Anthony and Marie George's house in Dyker Heights, on 79th Street between 11th and 12th avenues

Marie tells us: For the past several years, my husband has been entertaining Brooklyn residents with his Halloween displays. Each year the displays grow in size as does the number of people that drop by our home. This year, my husband really went above and beyond.

We'll say! Do you know of any houses that rival this horror house?

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New chapter for Dyker Heights

Dyker Heights residents finally have a bookstore to call their own.

Last weekend, Tatiana Nicoli (pictured with celebrated the grand opening of Boulevard Books, her independent shop located in the heart of Dyker Heights on 13th Avenue — and it was such a big deal that the borough president even showed up to cut the ribbon.

“We’ve never had a bookstore all the years I’ve been here,” said Nicoli. “And we need one.”

The spot features sections for children and young reader and adult titles (big sellers have been items in Oprah’s Book Club), as well as a cafe, reading nook, lounge and garden.

“I wanted a way to connect back with people again,” said Nicoli, who traded her job as an attorney to become more engaged in her community.

“And to be around books is amazing.”

Beyond selling books, Nicoli looks to have authors in for events (next up is Martin Rooney of “Ultimate Warrior Workouts” on June 11), as well as cooking demonstrations, a book club, speed dating nights, and family story time on Saturdays.

“I wanted it to appeal to everyone in the community, from the littlest of the littlest to senior citizens,” said Nicoli, who named her bookstore Boulevard Books because it’s on 13th Avenue, aka Dyker Heights Boulevard, and also because “the boulevard tends to be where everyone gathers.”

“I want it to be a gathering place,” said Nicoli.

Boulevard Books [7518 13th Ave. between Bay Ridge Parkway and 76th Street in Dyker Heights, (718) 680-5881]. Open Monday to Thursday, 10 am-8 pm, and Sunday, 11 am-4 pm.

Photo by Tom Callan

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