The salty taste of Brooklyn culture

"I'm so happy to live in Brooklyn - the heart of America!" Marty Markowitz proclaimed proudly as scantly clad maidens surrounded him on the float parading through Coney Island. While I think the Brooklyn Borough President was being a tad generous with that declaration, I will admit that the Coney Island Mermaid Parade on Saturday was one of the most unique events I've been to.



Six-foot tall jellyfish, drunk lobsters, topless pirates on stilts and sexy mermaids a plenty gaily cavorted through the streets of the soon to be demolished Coney Island on Saturday. And I was there to watch and enjoy it all. Sure, I have a particular penchant for pirates, but I got the feeling that all 500,000 parade goers were having as much as I was. You really can't go wrong with a sunny day, a giant parade and a nautical theme.

My Brooklyn cultural weekend continued on Sunday with the Smith Street fair. Once again, there was Marty Markovitz, our jolly Borough President. This time he was handing over the championship belt to the winner of the Stinky Brooklyn Cheese Eating Contest. After posing for multiple shots with the Borough President, the belt, the cheeseshop owners, and of course, the cheese, Oliver Butler, the contest winner made a memorable speech.

"This morning I woke up a regular Brooklynite like all of you," He declared humbly over the microphone feedback. "And now I'm standing here with Marty Markowitz and 6 ounces of cheese in my belly. And... I just couldn't be happier."

Well said, my friend. Well said.



(look in the back left to see Saro, me and Cate!)