Aug. 8: Dog Days of Summer

For those of us not on vacation at the beach, Mondays in August can be a challenge. But there are plenty of ways to keep cool and entertained around the neighborhood—and best of all, most of them are free or low cost. 

Here are our top 5 picks to spend a beautiful mid-summer day. 

1. Browsing the stacks at . 686 Fulton St., Fort Greene. It's not just proof that the brick-and-mortar bookseller can make it in a 21st century economy. It's also a pretty neat—and informative—place to spend a warm, muggy afternoon. 

2. Catching a Hong Kong action flick at . 30 Lafayette Ave., Fort Greene. An informal survey of the lobby of BAM's five-screen movie theater during the mid-afternoon hours reveals perhaps one of Fort Greene's best kept secrets for keeping cool—and entertained—with some of the best cinema out there. Today check out Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain, a 1983 film directed by Tsui Hark.

3. Chilling with the commuters at Atlantic Terminal Mall. 139 Flatbush Ave., Fort Greene. There are more than a few residents of our neighborhood of small shops and eateries who shudder at the thought of patronizing Atlantic Terminal's retail megaplex. But on a 90-degree day with 80 percent humidity...? Considering the mall's phalanx of A/C units, a short ceasefire may be in order. 

4. Mix it up with the hoi polloi at . 249 Dekalb Ave., Fort Greene. by our resident stay-at-home dad John Rouse, this standby local bodega holds an impressive amount of ice cold merchanise—conveniently located on the borderline between Fort Greene and Clinton Hill. Check out John's self-proclaimed "hot dog of ice cream bars" at $1 a pop. Take that Pinkberry!

5. Forget your diet at . 305 Franklin Ave., Clinton Hill/Bed-Stuy. Is it possible that Clinton Hill is always a few degrees hotter than Fort Greene? It certainly seems so. So for all you Hillers out there not wanting to travel west to cool down with a great dessert—head east a few clicks to Dough instead. And don't bother calorie counting Dough's fried goodness.