Sunset over Erie Basin by Danny L on Flickr Independence Day is turning out humid and gray. There will be an occasional light shower this afternoon and a pretty good chance for showers or thunderstorms this evening. You can probably make it through the Feelies/Sonic Youth show without getting too wet, but it would be a good idea to bring an umbrella if you're going to see the fireworks this evening. Humid and gray......

September 15 & 16: Party at the Red Hook Ballfields Celebrate the extension of the vendors' permit through the end of their season in October and add on extra festivities for Mexican and Central American Independence Day. Caesar Fuentes, the organizing force behind the vendors, promises that "the food vendors committee will host a livelier than usual weekend event - more soccer games, pinatas, music, and a 2 day art exhibit featuring photographs taken by......

A father of one of the arrested in a Staten Island 4th of July melée with cops, who were responding for a fourth time to the scene of a raucous party and illegal fireworks display, complained of the racial injustices Italian-Americans are forced to endure at the hands of the police and America's legal system. "If we were black, Al Sharpton would have been here," said the father of one suspect. "Because we're white and......

This week's weather looks like it will be a half-baked repeat of last week's weather. It won't be nearly as warm but the same general progression will take place. The combination of air mass size and speed of mid-latitude atmospheric circulation this time of year often yields a roughly weekly repeat of summer weather patterns. Today will be sunny, dry –the dewpoint is in the 40s– and a little cool. High only 75. Tomorrow, as......

Williamsburg's state park sort of opened back in May, with weekend-only entry times. The park will go full time starting July 3rd, just in time for the following days fireworks. There will be plenty of time to stake out some precious real estate for the extravaganza too, as the park will open at 10am on Wednesday. Come Wednesday evening, Northside Williamsburg will become the 50-yard-line luxury box for July 4th fireworks viewing in New York......

What with Paris Hilton's release earlier this week and the upcoming celebration of American Independence (sorry, Londonist!), we've been thinking a lot about freedom. Freedom to vote, freedom to choose, and most importantly, freedom to blog. Here are a few things we're happy we've been free to blog about this week. Being the nation's capital, DCist felt especially proud to let freedom ring this week by exposing the really important issues, like how sad they......

Earlier this year, I Am Legend, the latest Will Smith extravaganza took over the Brooklyn Bridge. Warner Bros. spent around $5,000,000 for a 6 night shoot in New York, after getting approval from 14 government agencies, with hundreds of extras, including 160 members of the National Guard in full combat gear. The plot: "Robert Neville (Will Smith) is a brilliant scientist, but even he could not contain the terrible virus that was unstoppable, incurable, and......

This is a novel way to get back at the people you think have screwed you over in the past: A jeweler in Brooklyn falsely claimed other Syrian jewelers were plotting to bomb the subway. Rimon Alkatri, a Syrian Jew, was arrested by police for making the false claim, which resulted in an extensive investigation by the city's various anti-terror teams. The NY Times describes Alkatri's tip and the details made the police believe......

Yesterday's July 4th celebrations went off without a hitch. The rain managed to stay away during the display and New Yorkers got to enjoy the biggest fireworks show in the world. Smiley face and rolling dice fireworks were in display, but in our book, the coolest fireworks were the ones that looked like jellyfish swimming around. This year's display was themed "It's About U.S." and the New York Pops played state-and-city themed songs, as......

With rapper Lil' Kim getting sprung from jail early yesterday morning, it was the perfect "Independence Day" cover for the city's two tabloids. However, the Post and Daily News decided to diverge in how to handle the news: The Post's headline - and story - focused on the former in-shape rapper's heftier post-prison physique while the Daily News' headline just notes her boobies. The Post is, naturally, more vicious (though the story does have......

Everywhere but here, that is. Even though we had enough rain since Saturday to surpass 1922 as the tenth wettest June ever, the city did not get nearly as much rain as expected. Locations immediately around the city got more rain than us and up to a foot of rain fell in Delaware and Maryland, causing some communities to evacuate. Rain continues today. As the National Weather Service states in their discussion "…juicy airmass will......

From Best Week Ever Blog, details on Tom Cruise's NYC trip next week for the premiere of Mission: Imossible 3. BWEB calls it's "shock and awe, up close and personal!" and it's no joke. Here's a map and how the afternoon and evening will work:2:30PM - Helicopter arrives at the North Cove Helipad (5 North End Avenue) 3-5PM - Screening of MI3 at 19 Rector Street 5PM - Speedboat from the South Cove (98 Battery......

Sylka and John, Flag Makers...

This weekend seems to be all about the music. Outside, in parks, on rooftops. It'll be everywhere, and here is where we would be if we were you... The Music of Nick Drake will be played at the Central Park Summerstage featuring New York musicians Josh Max and Julie James, (plus some special guests) and an orchestra led by arranger Robert Kirby, who collaborated with Drake on many of his songs. [via FreeNYC] Saturday, July......

July 3-4: Prix Fixe Menue at Barmarché They'll be donating a portion of the proceeds to City Harvest. Gotta love doing good while you eat. 14 Spring Street (at Elizabeth), call 212-219-2399 for reservations and more information. July 4: Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest Check out what is "believed to be the 90th installment" of this Fourth of July favorite at Coney Island watch four-time world champion Takeru Kobayashi of Japan......

The BBC reports that Warburtons graciously asked 2,000 filmgoers what the cheesiest movie lines were, and their answers are this: 1. "I'm the king of the world!" - Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) in Titanic 2. "Nobody puts Baby in the corner" - Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze) in Dirty Dancing 3. "Is it still raining? I hadn't noticed." - Carrie (Andie MacDowell) while standing in a downpour in Four Weddings in a Funeral 4. "Ditto" -......

September 16th is Mexican Independence Day, and today's New York Post offers you several options for celebrating. In addition to serving chiles en nogada, a traditional dish of a stuffed green chili with white walnut sauce garnished in pomegranate (highlighting the colors of the Mexican flag), several spots are offering special prix fixe menus and live mariachi music: Dos Caminos, 343 Park Ave. S., between 27th and 28th streets, [212] 294-1000; and 475 West Broadway,......

Sunday, scores of Americans were celebrating Independence Day, but Greeks we all watching the European Championships finals. Greece was a 100-1 long-shot to win the tournament, but pulled off a miracle. They defeated heavily favored, and host country, Portugal, 1-0. Greece was at 100-1 for good reason. Entering the tournament, they had never won a game in major competitions. The Greek goal came after 56 minutes, after a corner kick. Angelos Basinas kicked it......

Today is Flag Day, (an offshoot of Independence Day designed to celebrate our nation's um... flag), and we are encouraged to prominently display our country's true colors. But since today is looking really gloomy with potential for storms, do we fly the flag anyway? There are a lot of rules governing the display of Old Glory in Public Law 829, "The Flag Code". One of which states Sec. 6. -- Time and occasions for display......

On May 28th, the new Roland Emmerich film "The Day After Tomorrow" hits theaters, and it's already got NASA and NOAA talking. The film is the story of the new Ice Age. A paleoclimatologist (a scientist who studies the ways weather patterns changed in the past), tries to save the world from the effects of global warming... The plot focusses on New York, but the entire world is experiencing catastrophic hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, tidal waves,......

It's July 4th, Independence Day. There are lots of activities in the city, but the highlight is Macy's Fireworks over the East River. This year's fireworks display is called "Lights of Freedom." According to information from Macy's, the display will have 50,000 shells, which means 1,600 shells per minute. And the Macy's Fireworks show uses 55 times more fireworks than the average US fireworks display. WNBC's July 4th coverage is extensive, including thorough tips for......

I can understand why they light the building up blue and white for Greek Independence Day, but what is "Equal Parents Day" and why is the Empire State Building lit blue and red for it? Empire State Building : Official Internet Site [via Megnut]......

For some reason, I get very confused between these four white American male fiction writers named Richard. They are, from left to right, Richard Ford, Richard Powers, Richard Price, and Richard Russo. To break it down: Amongst the books Richard Ford has written are A Piece of My Heart, The Sportswriter, and Independence Day, mainly books about American life in intimate terms, set in the suburban middle class. Richard Powers is more of a......