Brooklyn Purim parties

Get your costumes ready! The Jewish holiday of Purim is this weekend, and Brooklyn's throwing a lot of parties.

Pour 'em Party

3rd Ward

195 Morgan Ave., Bushwick

Saturday, February 27

9 pm-4 am

$10 tickets until Friday; $15 at the door

Dust off your costumes, shine your dancing shoes and get ready to guzzle. From the organizers: "When the Jews of ancient Persia avoided extinction, God commanded them to celebrate by getting so drunk they couldn't tell their friends from their enemies. Sounds good to us! Jewish or not, put on a costume and join us!"

The night features Team Facelift, The Shining Twins, Dirty Fences, Cowboy Mark, DJ Drew Heffron, and DJ Kook Jew.

Purim Dance Party

CastleBraid

114 Troutman St., Bushwick

Saturday, February 27

11 pm

Free

During its grand opening weekend of CastleBraid, an artist-focused support system of facilities, classes, and professional services, is holding a Purim-theme dance party, so grab a costume and enjoy two floors of DJs, dancing, drinks and more.

Purimpalouza

Jewish Music Cafe

401 9th St., Park Slope

Saturday, February 27

8:45 pm

$18

Mark the holiday with a traditional megillah reading, following by a performance from Soulfarm.

Purim Live

Chabad North Brooklyn

132 N. Fifth St., Williamsburg

Saturday, February 27

8 pm

$10, $5 if you're in costume

They brought you the Lecha Dodi remix of Akon, then the Shir HaShirim Moroccan beat meditation, now they are onto Israeli party music. Brody & Diwon will be joining the party fresh from their Israel and West Cost tour.

Purim Party

Death By Audio

49 S. Second St., Williamsburg

Monday, March 1

8 pm

$7

Rachel Coleman, aka "Pop Jew," aka the worst cook in America, hosts this bash, featuring the So So Glos, Beachniks, Tough Knuckles, and Sundelles. Costumes encouraged.

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The day after

The Mardi Gras celebration came and went last night, and while we're a ways away from New Orleans, Brooklyn was in full form.

Take, for instance, Anya Sapozhnikova, above, who won the best bike-float award during the L Magazine's Mardi Gras parade down Bedford Avenue.

The magazine has more photos at their site, as well as some celebrity band sightings at Brooklyn Bowl:

1. a Vivian Girl (at least 90 percent sure, although couldn't get an up-close look)
2. guy from Passion Pit
3. guy from Titus Andronicus
4. John Norris

Our favorite (non-celebrity) sighting? This alligator (aka Kate Burke). She definitely got into the spirit!

Photos by Stefano Giovannini

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Ten-hut! Fall in for U.S. military precision

By Meredith Deliso

A rich military ceremony returns to Brooklyn this month.

On June 20, the Bay 8th Street/Dyker Park ballfield in Bay Ridge will welcome Twilight Tattoo, an hour-long military pageant featuring soldiers from The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) and The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own.”

The spectacle, which has been in the U.S. Army Military District of Washington for many years but in Brooklyn since 1997, has traditionally been hosted by the United States Army Garrison Fort Hamilton. In 2006, the army base started construction on new military housing, forcing the pageant to be held in Marine Park. This year marks the return of the ceremony to the southern Brooklyn neighborhood.

“This is the first time in four years that it’s back in the Bay Ridge/Bensonhurst area and we are totally excited to bring it back home,” said Cathy SantoPietro, community relations officer for US Army Garrison Fort Hamilton.

Twilight Tattoo offers a fast-paced glimpse into American army history, from Revolutionary times to its current military operations, with the Commander in Chief’s Guard dressed in period uniform.

Performances will come from the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps and the U.S. Army Drill Team; The U.S. Army Band Blues jazz ensemble; vocalists from The U.S. Army Chorus; and The U.S. Army Chorale.

The event starts at 6 p.m., with pre-ceremonial music by the US Army’s jazz ensemble at 5:30 p.m.With over 2,000 spectators expected to come to this year’s pageant, there is limited bleacher seating, so be sure to bring a lawn chair or a blanket to enjoy the show. The event is free and open to the public.

To get to the park by bus, take the B-8 or B-70 to VA Hospital. By subway take the R train to 95th Street and transfer to the B8 bus to VA Hospital. Parking is next to the hospital.

For more information contact the Fort Hamilton Public Affairs Office at 718-630-4783 or visit www.mdw.army.mil.

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The weekend: 5.8-5.10

The weekend is finally upon us.

Here's a list of some events going on in and around Brooklyn.

Friday, May 8

Burlesque: Coney Island spices things up with Burlesque at the Beach, at Sideshows By The Seashore. Tonight's season opener features Chris McDaniel's Cowgirlesque, as well as Maximum Risk. It's more than just stripping: expect from knife throwing, trick roping, contortion, and bullwhipping. The show starts at 10 p.m., tickets $15. The Sideshow's located at the corner of Surf Avenue and 12th Street.

Music: Deli Magazine's Best of NYC Fest continues this weekend at The Bell House, with Crystal Stilts, Blank Dogs, Religious Knives and Dinowalrus tonight. Sunday's headliner is Chairlift. More information here. The Bell house is located at 149 7th St.

Art: This isn't exactly in Brooklyn, but caught our eye. The Greene Space in Manhattan scoured the city for Voices from the Boroughs, its first visual arts exhibition, celebrating New York City's diverse artistic community. Brooklyn works come from Chanel Kennebrew and Jason Lewis, with Diana McClure acting as Brooklyn's curatorial advisor. The exhibit runs through May 24, wtih an introduction tonight at 7 p.m. moderated by Kurt Anderson. Tickets $35. The Greene Space is located at 44 Charlton Street.

Saturday, May 9

Bikes: The Bicycle Fetish Day block party returns to Williamsburg's Havemeyer street, with awards and celebrations of bicycle culture, bike artwork, bicycle rides, cycling organizations, and bicycle beautification stations. A grill will be cooking up hot dogs and hamburgers, and the City Reliquary museum will host an after-party with DJ Darney Iller spinning. The party runs from noon to 10 p.m. on Havemeyer between Hope and Grand streets, and is free.

Music: Hang out at the Bklyn Yard this weekend, with Drew Torres, H. Wood, Psychedelic Disco Angels, Fall Of The Albatross, Jonny On The Rocks, Just A Lil Bit, The Sheppard Brothers, KMBS, Neuronautas, and Tayisha Busay making music on the Gowanus. The all ages event is free and starts at 11:30 p.m. The Yard is located on Carroll Street near the canal.

Cars: Ogle pre '64 Hotrods, Kustoms and traditional Bobbers and Choppers at the Rumblers Car Club Show, 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. in Coney Island. A trophy will be given for the "Best Ride in Coney Island." Stick around for live music will come from Dead Luck Devilles & Tombstone Brawlers inside the Sideshow at 8:30PM, free.

Sunday, May 10

Music: The Ditmas Park Concert Series, celebrating music from the vibrant neighborhood, continues with weekend with Janus, a flute-viola-harp trio, at Temple Beth Emeth (Marlborough Road at Church Avenue). The show starts at 4 p.m., with tickets $10.

Brunch: Honor Mom, and maybe get a little tipsy, with a Mother's Day brunch at BAM, buffet style with endless Bloddy Marys and mimosas. After brunch, take her to a movie at BAM Rose Cinemas or check out The Merchant of Venice at the BAM Harvey Theater. The brunch runs from noon to 3 p.m., last seating at 1:45 p.m., and costs $30 per person ($10 extra for the unlimited drinks). Call 718.623.7811 for reservations. BAM is located at 30 Lafayette Ave.

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Simply Guactacular

Cinco de Mayo presents another reason to party on a "school night," and The Bell House is combining appropriate drink specials ($2 Tecate and Modelo and $3 Coronas) with a food competition (increasingly, as we noted yesterday, a Brooklyn specialty).

Guactacular Invitational 2009 invites local restaurants to find out who has the best guacamole, and you're the judge.

Competitors include Pinche Taqueria, Mercadito, La Barra Cevicheria and Crema Restaurante, so get that chip hand ready.

That list is surprisingly Brooklyn-less, which begs us to ask - who do you think has the best guac in the borough?

Related: Next up, cupcakes

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