GL's Brooklyn Holiday Gift Guide, Part II

Here's the second installment of GL's Brooklyn Holiday Gift Guide. Part I focused on memberships in Brooklyn organizations and on Brooklyn groups one could support with a donation. Part II is, well, more traditionally materialistic, focusing on a very selective and random selection of books, products or interesting things made in Brooklyn. More will be forthcoming in Part III.

Brooklyn by Name, by Leonard Bernard and Jennifer Weiss. A fascinating gift for those who wish to learn things about Brooklyn neighborhoods and history and impress others with their deeep knowledge of the borough. Check out the author's website here.

Insiders NY. Cool bags and accessories made by artist Sigal de-Mayo at a Brooklyn Navy Yard studio featuring photos printed on leather. Dozens of options including messenger bags (small to large, $80 to $100) and wallets ($56). (GL has had one of the messenger bags since 2003 and it goes everywhere with us, functioning as our camera and gadget bag. Unique and durable as all heck.)

Coney Island: Portraits of America. Get a taste of Coney Island history as all of Coney Island prepares to become history--Steeplechase Park, Luna Park, Dreamland, Nathans and more with more than 100 black and white archival photogaphs of Coney Island from days gone by. From the collection of the Museum of the City of New York. Get it through the Coney Island USA online shop, which has a lot of other interesting Coney books, like Coney Island Lost and Found, plus Mermaid Parade posters and more.

Brooklyn Pass. Know someone coming to Brooklyn? Your significant other have time on his or her hands and wants to do Brooklyn like a tourist? Get 'em a Brooklyn Pass. $25 for a two day pass ($15.00 for kids) gains admission to the Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Children's Museum, New York Aquarium, New York Transit Museum, a ride on the Prospect Park Carousel and the Electric Boat and more.

Eat. Shop. Brooklyn. A pretty cool looking guide to eating and shopping in Brooklyn, it's a good gift for recent arrivals in the borough.

Coney Island Clown Baby Doll T-Shirt and other Lola Staar creations. For all the Coney Island lovers you know and even the ones you don't Coney and Brooklyn designer Lola Staar has got the perfect holiday gift for everyone. How about a Coney Island Snow Globe? A Parachute Jump beach towel? A Rocket Ride Carousel Tin Toy? A Coney hoodie?

Forgotten New York. This is Kevin Walsh's 384-page book filled with incredible information about New York City. It's not strictly about Brooklyn, of course, but the recipient of this gift will know a lot more about our favorite borough when he or she is done absorbing some of Mr. Walsh's knowledge.

Neighborhoodies. You name it--Park Slope, Clinton Hill, Dumbo, Bay Ridge, Mill Basin, Sunset Park, Red Hook--and you can get it made here. The company has branched out way beyond neighborhood hoodies, but if someone you know wants one, this is your source. We personally find the Dick Nixon Tricky Dick boxer shorts fascinating but they're a little off topic.

NYC Building Code with Update. Knowledge is power, especially in a borough under seige by developers and construction projects. Yes, this book is pricey, but it could also be priceless. It could be invaluable in helping someone that want to create a youtube video documenting the illegal work going on next door. Getting the Department of Buidings to pay attention, however, is another matter. Also of possible value to your favorite Brooklyn community person, the New York City Zoning Handbook, so your loved one can say with authority, "No way you can build that 40-story thing on my block...Uh...What do you mean we've been quietly rezoned?" For those looking for something a little less ironic might we suggest the New York City Parking Card, also available along with a lot of other stuff through the New York CityStore?

Related Post:
GL's Brooklyn Holiday Gift Guide: Part I