Greenpoint
Lorven Pharmacy
Culture on the Cheap
Something Neat: New Mural on Richardson Street
There has long been a mural at the intersection of Lorimer and Richardson Street. Over the years it has fallen into a state of disrepair. Hence why I was very pleased to discover a new mural has taken its place! Follows are some highlights.
This mural, as with any work of art for that matter, is best experienced in person. For this reason I strongly advise that if or when the opportunity arises you swing by and give it a look-see. It’s really neat!
Miss Heather
Tis The Season: Menagerie
This delightful bit of holiday cheer hails from Union Avenue.
Miss Heather
THIS WEEK: Tits 4 Totes Calendar Party
Filed under: 11211, 11222, Advanced Life Forms, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
No, not those tits (as seen at left). This event will be showcasing the more comely (and hopefully less aromatic) variety to raise funds for the North Brooklyn composting project. My tipster Angela Barrow (of Cheek-ie Designs) writes:
greetings miss H!
I am an avid reader of your blog. I love it! and a fellow greenpointer, i have a great event this friday. It’s free! There are calendars for sale and a portion of the proceeds go to benefit the north brooklyn compost project! which is totally rad.  Hope you guys and gals can post this event and attend.
Here’s the deal:
On Friday, December 18, 2009 starting at 7:00 p.m. Williamsburg’s very own Fluke will be inaugurating the 2009 edition of the Tits 4 Totes Calendar. This 11″x17″ “black and white beauty” will feature (and I quote) “26 of Brooklyn’s loveliest tits as well as unique recycling tips”. This can be yours for a mere $20.00. How can you top that? Methinks I know what Santa will be putting in the Mister’s stocking this year…
Tits For Totes
December 18, 2009 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Fluke
169 Wythe Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11211
I have also been advised that refreshments will be served!
Miss Heather
Audience Participation Time: Lipstick on a Pig
I concluded the yesterday’s postage with a rather lengthy screed about derelict construction sites in Williamsburg and our city’s inability and/or unwillingness to police them. As you can probably deduce from said post, I have been stewing over this phenomenon for some time. I will not lie to you: it felt good to finally “get it out”. What’s more, I really enjoyed one of the comments left on the aforementioned post.
Xris of Flatbush Gardener writes:
It’s not a sidewalk, it’s a promenade.
It’s not graffito, it’s a fresco.
It’s not a vacant lot, it’s an atrium.
It’s not an abandoned foundation, it’s a sunken garden.The real estate moguls just need to turn that thing around and put lipstick on that pig!
I have given Xris’s proposition considerable thought and have decided that we, the residents of north Brooklyn, should lend a hand in this sterling endeavor. Which brings me to this.
I found this “enhanced beverage” at North 12 Street between Bedford and Driggs Avenue yesterday afternoon. I find many such specimens in north Brooklyn— usually at failed construction sites. They are known in some circles as “trucker bombs”. Per the Urban Dictionary:
A plastic container (could be a milk jug or a water bottle) that a trucker pisses in while he is driving his truck. Then he throws it out of the window so that he does not have to stop to relieve the call of nature. Can also be a plastic bag and feces may be involved. “Don’t get hit with that trucker-bomb”
This terminology may suit middle-America but it simply too pedestrian for the upscale haven that is Williamsburg (which, it should be noted, has reduced truck traffic). A neighborhood where a one bedroom apartment can run you anywhere from $2,000 a month and up deserves better. So far the best re-branding I have come up with for this human by-product is “McCarren Kombucha”. Certainly a better name can be found. This is where you come in: can you think of a snappy new name for this urban artifact? If so, please leave it in the comments.
Thanks!
Miss Heather
Coming to the Crosstown Local: Trains of Thought
Filed under: 11211, 11222, Crosstown Local, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
Yesterday I went for a walk to Williamsburg. After a mere two hours I was tired and wanted to go home. So I swung over to the Metropolitan Avenue stop of the G and waited.
AND WAITED.
Just as I was musing to myself how the Crosstown Local has an uncanny way of being extremely poky when I really need to go to the bathroom, I was approached by a young lady and gentleman. They asked me if I had any thoughts about the subway system. I smiled and replied:
Right now I am having a great many thoughts about the subway system.
They explained to me that they were working on a project and handed me this card.
They pointed out that the grid of squiggly lines at bottom left was the New York City subway system. I commended them on their rendering and I told them I was able to identify it. I was also able to identify the Tokyo subway system (which is at top right). They seemed really pleased by this. That’s one of the things I like about being an American: people from other countries harbor low expectations of you. But I digress.
As luck would have it just when our conversation was getting interesting lo and behold, the G train showed up! I explained to them I had to go (because I needed to buy groceries and had no idea when the next train would show up— such is the mystery that is the Crosstown Local). I asked how I could contact them and they pointed out an email address on the back of the flier.
Last night I shot them an email (entitled “Trains of Thoughts”):
Hi, I met a man and woman who struck up a conversation with me about this. Surprisingly, the G train showed up (lest you are not aware, it is one of the worst subway lines in NYC) and I had to go. But they gave me your card/flier. What is this about? Are you interviewing people? I’d love to know what you’re up to… (so I can write about it on my website)
And they wrote me back!
hi heather,
how are you?
thank you for responding…
where you the one who said to go the groceries?this is our project
Trains of Thoughts – Teaser from inLoops on Vimeo.
if you are on the subway, we can interview you…
that would be great. …… we are here for about 4 weeks…
if you would post on your website, that we are on this g-train station…
metropolitan to talk to people…
we would so much appreciate the help….you can also post our email adress: info (at) metrophiles (dot) com
everybody who wants to contribute is welcome… 🙂thank you thank you thank you.
I for one am not going to let an opportunity like this slip by. I have a few things I’d like to say about the G train and by gum someone is going to hear it! What’s more, Timo (the gentleman who was so kind as to reply to my email) is darned nice. So I wrote back with a question:
WHEN will you be there (the G train in particular)? Time/date wise?
And he answered!
we are from monday to friday – 11.00 am to 6 pm on the station. saturday as well, but not so fix :)….
we look forward to have as much people as possible… 🙂 its not easy sometimes, so we are happy to get people with that excitement on the project. next 4 weeks… 🙂thank you so much,
best from brooklyn,…timo (& team)
I am very excited about this. In fact, I have told Timo he can expect me to pay him a visit later this week. If you happen to bump into Timo and his partner Katica take a moment of your time and tender your thoughts about the New York City subway system. Not only will you be helping some really nice folks with a very interesting project, but this is our golden opportunity to give the MTA’s lowly Crosstown Local the international the attention it so richly deserves. Let’s not waste it!
Besides, if you run late to work you can always tell your boss the G train was running slow.
Miss Heather
New York Shitty Day Ender: The Unbearable Blightness of Being
Filed under: 11211, Bloomblight, Culture War, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
As I mentioned previously, the online and offline zeitgeist in north Brooklyn— be it northside, southside or even Greenpoint was on decidedly on the surly side today. I have spent a great deal of my day patiently listening to people complain about one thing or another that pisses them off. Now it is my turn.
218 North 9 Street
I have no idea who inscribed this on the rapidly deteriorating construction fence which graces this site, but he or she hit the nail on the proverbial head. Follows are a few amenities you can find at this property located in the heart of fashionable Williamsburg.
Pockmarked sidewalks and garbage.
LOTS OF GARBAGE.
As the previous photograph indicates, this open air loft has an open door fence policy. Any and all are welcome to come on over, sit a spell and hang their hat.
Or in this case, a coat.
Who wouldn’t want a balcony looking at this?
Or this?
184 North 8 Street
I have written about this site on a number of occasions. They have since sealed off the garage door which had been pried open. With predictable results.
CANT STOP US WELCOME MATE
236 North 7 Street
But Bloomblight isn’t just about derelict lots. Just take this, for example.
The above summons is for a defective sidewalk shed. Somehow the heap of garbage (which includes a suitcase) was overlooked.
And last, but hardly least…
This failed attempt at public safety hails from North 6 Street just west of Wythe Avenue.
Lest I have not made it clear already I strongly believe people respond to the environment around them. This is why I am a big fan of public art— especially in our subway system. Gestures as grand as a mosaic or as simple as keeping public facilities neat and clean send a positive message. The vigilance (or this case, lack thereof) with which our municipal government enforces the laws put in place to preserve our, the citizenry’s, quality of life speaks volumes about their attitude as public servants.
This is unacceptable. No one should have to live with this.
Miss Heather
P.S.: All the above photographs were taken December 14, 2009.
Stolen Dog Alert: Has Anyone Seen Buddy?
I found a number of these fliers on and around Bedford Avenue today. Per a different flier I found Buddy was taken between 12:00 – 7:00 a.m., December 10, 2009 from 100 Metropolitan Avenue . He is three years old and has neither a collar nor tags. If you have seen Buddy or know of his whereabouts, please contact his person at the above-listed telephone number. NOTE: do not try to handle Buddy yourself. He is fearful of strangers.
Miss Heather
UPDATE, 9:49 p.m.: Buddy has been returned to his rightful owner!
NYS Flickr Pool
You must be logged in to post a comment.