• Astroland can be in your backyard, cause the rides are on sale! [BrooklynPaper]
• Wow, riot in Tompkins Square! Arrests! Tasers! Wait, it was about donuts? [The Villager]
• A great new al fresco option in Williamsburg [Urbanite]
• I”m too sexy for my bike lane… [Gothamist]
• Green goodie! Power your cell/Blackberry/iPhone with your bike! [Gizmodo]

[At Nathan's in Coney Island]

Astroland Park’s last days may have been this weekend, but Nathan’s Hotdogs ‘aint going anywhere.  Apparently no one else got the memo because the lines were SWARMING outside the weiner booth on Coney Island.  So the “Best $2k” is missing its “k” today, but these dogs were more than worth their weight in gold, and that’s something more than that bottle of vodka at Pink Elephant can claim.

[Adventures In Astroland]

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[Photo via Flickr]

• Why should the tourists be the only ones getting double-decker views? [NYT]
• Wait one minute on mourning Astroland! (couldn’t they have done this last week?) [NYDN]
• The Beacon Theater will be better than ever! [NYT]
• More downtown museum news - the New Museum expands [NYSun]
• Another Rafi (not Nadal) also faces a disappointing September [NYMag]

[All photos from Steveobczuk]

It is a sad sad day.  After 46 years, Astroland will be closing its doors this Sunday after failing to reach a new deal with the property’s current owners.  A he said she said account of the failed negotiations can be found at Curbed.

Astroland and the surrounding attractions at Coney Island are a true piece of Americana, reaching its height during the WWII era.  It was incredibly popular and the center of New York weekends in the summer.  But over the years its appeal has simmered, and the winters have become so damn cold and lonely.  So while the clock is ticking for Astroland, jump on a train over to Coney Island and take part in a piece of New York history that will be gone forever.  Here are some things to check out on your homage to Astroland:

Coney Island Cyclone - Ride the drop in one of America’s oldest wooden roller coasters, and hear the beams creak as you fly around.  It only costs $8 dollars to ride and $5 dollars for a “re-ride”.  And if you’re daring you can try and break the current record of consecutive riding hours which is 401.  The Cyclone is a monument, so it will be preserved long after Astroland is gone.

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Nathan’s Hot Dogs - Grab a hot dog at the World famous Nathan’s after riding the Cyclone, but not before because it might come back up!

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