Nice view. via New York Observer

We’ve all presumably been there: you’re supposed to meet friends somewhere that doesn’t have outlets, and your phone battery is making its final stand. Then it dies and you and your friend spend the next 40 minutes trying to find each other. There’s got to be a better way! AT&T is trying to make sure there is now, with a series of free solar-powered phone charging stations in few New York parks, including four Brooklyn parks, according to the Observer. (more…)

Eating good in any neighborhood in the USA.

Hey cats, fire up the Instagrands, pop open your Fourscores and prepare to make some videotape on Vine dot com, because Coney Island will soon be bursting with “hip” spots, according to this story about the new chains coming to Coney Island. I know, finally, right?? God that place was boring before. I am going to apply for one Kickstarter to afford all this hipness. Chains such as:

-It’Sugar
-Johnny Rockets
-Red Mango
-Official NBA-branded merchandise store
-Applebeee’s

Oh but wait, the Applebee’s has a shark tank in it, so that’s pretty cool, because you can choose the fresh food you want to eat and they make it right there. LOL no, that would be more accurate if there were a Dumpster full of microwaves with boil-in-bag frozen vegetables swimming in trash juice, their natural habitat.  (more…)

The PitchBlack Brass Band will show you the light at Crest Fest. via Facebook

1. Friend-of-Hodgman Jonathan Coulton will be popping in to The Rock Shop’s punk karaoke night to help shepherd in some of the cheesiest songs of the last 40 years (Friday)

2. Greenwood Park has the hottest 80s, 90s, funk and party jams because that is how they do it (Friday)

3. Or maybe your tastes run more towards indie and surf rock, in which case check out the dance party chock full of it at The Secret Loft. Not much of a secret if they’re advertising (Friday) (more…)

Watch people slap some balls around at Coney Island

Did you grow up playing handball? It’s pretty easy to, no? All you need is a wall and a ball that will bounce some, and you can get to slapping at it with your friends. Turning your environment into a game is a hallmark of New York City of course, which explains why there are enough awesome handball players to convene a whole one-on-one tournament in Coney Island this Saturday. (more…)

Good place to see the Hulk do his Hulk thing. via NYC EDC

Into all the summer movies but wish you could go jump in the ocean after watching one? Well, that’s a mighty specific request, but lucky for you, with Coney Island’s Flicks on the Beach, you can do just that. What’s playing this year? The Avengers for one, and after that, what really matters? (more…)

Conspiracy of Beards: they might be clean-shaven, but they do look shifty. via Facebook

1. Brooklyn Launchpad invites you to perform any kind of art you can think of, provided you can do it in 10 minutes or less (Friday)

2. Party starters Brooklyn Wildlife get out of the lofts and into Public Assembly for a wild night of partying, dancing and body paint. Woo! Body paint! (Friday)

3. Live From Outer Space is a comedy show at the Cobra Club, but we haven’t been to it so we can’t tell you if it’s actually beamed in from a secret comedy base on bars or something (Friday)

4. Satiate your bloodlust with 70s revenge flick Act of Vengeance. Contains the FDA suggested daily requirement of blood and assorted gore (Friday) (more…)

Oh, and win Daily Show tickets

We’re getting there, but there’s still work to be done when it comes to rebuilding everything wrecked by Sandy. And that, of course, takes money. And while just donating money to charity can give you a nice feeling inside, sometimes it’s nice to get something back for giving. Like, say, Daily Show tickets. Starting tonight, you can bid on those, and other great items with the “Bid 4 BKLYN” auction that benefits a Sandy relief program in Coney Island, and there’s a launch party for the auction at Spike Hill tonight as well. (more…)

Land of fun, land of reduced rent. Via NPR.

While Hurricane Sandy was, is, and continues to be a hot messy mess of devastation for this city, at the very least, it showed you where everyone stood when it came to this city. The government didn’t care. Corporations didn’t care (unless it provided them an opportunity for new building space). You cared. Some places embarrassed themselves, while others found it to be a source of inspiration. Sandy brought with it a lot of surprises about the city, and here’s one more: real estate developers are being pretty cool about keeping rent prices down. (more…)

Get Happy: Just another normal night in Brooklyn’s comedy scene. via Facebook

1. OK, it’s finally here. Time to stuff yourself stupid at GoogaMooga, at least if you can afford to do that (Friday – Sunday)

2. As an alternative to GoogaMooga, you can check out the Bohemian Festival at the Onderdonk House. Should be a little more hippie-friendly (Friday – Sunday)

3. Learn about cocktails through whimsical illustrations at Powerhouse, and drink cocktails through your mouth because they’ll have those for you too (Friday)

4. It’s Bike to Work Day, so there’s nothing like a party celebrating the act of biking home from work. Because, ugh, work (Friday) (more…)

We will gladly be unhip and buy candy apples at Williams Candy. via Facebook

One particularly annoying thing about chains is that they’re all so big on “brands” and “lifestyle shopping.” You don’t just eat at Taco Bell, you have a fourth meal, for instance. And in the case of It’s Sugar, a new candy chain opening up in Coney Island, buying candy isn’t just a way to get a sugar fix, it’s a way to be hip and cool, according to their CEO. If you’re going to buy candy  in Coney, for the love of god, go anywhere else, please. (more…)