Greenpoint
Lorven Pharmacy
Culture on the Cheap
LAST GASP: Newtown Creek Oil Watch
Filed under: 11101, 11206, 11222, East Williamsburg, East Williamsburg Brooklyn, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Long Island City, Newtown Creek, Queens
The Seine of north Brooklyn was particularly repulsive today. And Laura Hofmann and Christine Holowicz (who shot the above video footage) tendered the bad news to the DEC hotline. Laura has assured me that she has never before received the rude treatment she got today by the operator. The first (and last time) I called the DEP I faced an inquisition.
How do you know it is oil?
I was asked, among similar crass questions. I grew up with gearheads. In my car-owning days I never once had to pay for an oil change— a six pack of beer sufficed. I live in Greenpoint. I know petroleum when I see (or smell) it.
Regardless of what this is, it is GROSS.
Miss Heather
P.S.: On that note, here’s more reading about the Newtown Creek Experience from north Brooklyn’s very own Aaron Short.
Greenpoint Photo du Jour: No Parking
Since today’s offerings (for some inexplicable reason) seem to mostly revolve around minding one’s p’s and q’s I submit the following (which hails from Diamond Street) for your approval.
The sign gracing this two-wheeled totem indicates there is to be no parking on this side of the street Monday and Thursday mornings (for street cleaning). Today is Tuesday. It would appear that New York’s Strongest used a little ingenuity and some good ol’ elbow grease to work around this wayward bike.
Miss Heather
FOUND AT MCCARREN PARK: Dog
Filed under: 11211, 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
I stumbled upon this flier on Lorimer Street as I was walking home this evening. As the flier indicates, this lovely lass was found at McCarren Park yesterday, November 9, at 8:00 p.m. If this is your dog, please contact her good Samaritan, Elizabeth, at the above-listed phone number as soon as possible. If she does not hear from the rightful owner before November 19th she will assume this girl was abandoned (and if she was— SHAME ON YOU, whoever you are).
Thanks!
Miss Heather
From the CB1 Yahoo Group: Landlord Harassment & Then Some
Filed under: 11222, Crazy People, Criminal Activity, Culture War, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Kensington
Ann-Marie writes:
Yesterday my mother and I were assaulted by our landlord in the building’s hallway. Three real estate agents working for the Corcoran Group were there. While I would not expect them to risk physical injury I would expect them to call the police or try to calm the people involved.
They did nothing. Just stood and watched what unfolded. One of the agents laughed at what was happening. Even after the police arrived the agents still lingered in the hallway watching “the show”. I find them despicable as human beings and wonder if the Corcoran Group with its steller marketing ads would want something like this publicized.
I had called 911. The police took down all necssary information. My mother and I have each filed a complaint and will seek an order of protection through criminal court.
As the landlord was leaving he verbally tripled our rent and said he is going to get us out – by which he will probably file for eviction. We have contacted various agencies for help. Since we live in a “private” house and are not in a rent controlled or rent stabilized apartment not one agency seems to have our situation under their jurisdiction.
Unfortunately I am unemployed right now and lost what little savings I accumulated in the recent stock market crash. So while I would logically look for another apartment or to find a “rent to own” a townhouse (in another state – on my salary and my mother’s SSI we cannot afford New York) my hands are tied. I only ask everyone to pray for us.
I honestly do not know what to say about this other than if what Ann-Marie writes is true— and there is no reason I can think of to disbelieve her— this is appalling. And inexcusable.
Miss Heather
UPDATE, 7:00 p.m.: Laura Hofmann has brought this to my attention:
Ann-Marie served on the Brooklyn Community Board 1 Rezoning Task Force Open Space Committee for the duration of the rezoning process. It is in part, due to her work that everyone in the community will enjoy our community parks.
From The New York Shitty Photo Pool: Sprout
Ever had one of those moments when you find yourself thinking:
Wow, why didn’t I catch that?
Today when I checked in on my photo pool I had one. Great find, algul siento!
Miss Heather
Greenpoint Fashion Watch: Pretty In Pink
The other day we had a “family unit patronize the junk shop. It was of a variety I am seeing more frequently nowadays: an affluent co-ed, her boyfriend, mom and pop. My coworker Cass and I watched in amazement as this foursome spent no less than ten minutes debating the pros and cons of a $30.00 rug. At one point the mother even asked us if we knew where it came from— as if we would know such a thing in an unexpected Antiques Roadshow moment. We answered that we had no idea. Eventually they broke down, bought the rug and went on their way. I turned to Cass and said:
I cannot imagine having the kind of life where I need a team of four people to help me purchase a rug. Seriously, it must be interesting to have the luxury of filling your head with that kind of crap.
Cass nodded in agreement and I continued:
So help me I pray to god that when I get to be that woman’s age I will not dress like that. What is it about affluent middle-aged women and the “Stevie Nicks”/urban medicine woman look? She looks like she ought to be hawking smudge sticks in Santa Fe.
We all get older. This is a fact of life no one relishes. But I gotta ask: does it have to be like this? I learned the answer to this question on Manhattan Avenue yesterday afternoon:
No, it doesn’t.
I cannot over-emphasize the Greenpoint glory of what you are seeing here. This GGilf (I will leave it to your imagination to deduce what this acronym means) not only has a rose in her flaming red hair, but is sporting a magenta leather blazer (who knew they made such things?) and coordinating plum colored micro-mini. Her ankle boots sport spiked heels (anything else on Manhattan Avenue would be passe) and her stockings were nothing short of amazing. Their pattern was a mix of sheer and opaque diamonds. Very mod.
I want to give a special New York Shitty salute to this Manhattan Avenue fashion plate. She is living proof one can be older and stylish! When I get to be this woman’s age I want to look like this. Hell, I want to look this good now!
Miss Heather
Greenpoint Photos du Jour: Zeitgeist
Filed under: 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Street Furniture
Today’s “day starter” was probably a more than ample indication that I kicked off this beautiful day in a rotten mood. For those of you who are not “in the loop” I will use this post as my personal wailing wall:
- Friday morning Chez Shitty had neither heat nor hot water.
- Friday night Chez Shitty had heat and hot water.
- Saturday night Chez Shitty had ample heat and NO hot water.
- Sunday morning Chez Shitty was sweltering but no hot water was to be had from our taps.
After some investigation on the Mister’s and my part we deduced that only one of the three plumbing stacks in our building were, in fact, providing hot water. Or to put it another way: only one third of our building had hot water. Yet we were the first and to my knowledge, ONLY, people to complain about this. Go figure.
I consider myself to be a pretty simple person. I don’t ask for much. Life promises very little other than paying taxes and dying. I endeavor to use the time I have to enjoying myself, getting to know people and helping make my neighborhood a better place for those who are here presently and those will (inevitably) come.
The previous are difficult to do when one’s hair looks reminiscent of Don King in his prime and one’s skin is itching for lack of proper hygiene. A number of people (the Mister included) romanticize foreign locales or “the good old days”. I am not one of these people. I do not want to live in a world without:
- Penicillin
- Woman having the right to vote
- Legalized birth control
- Indoor plumbing/sanitation
And the all too relevant subcategory under “Indoor plumbing/sanitation”: HOT WATER. Does this make me arrogant American? I think not. I believe the latter most three points to be a human right (as a majority of humans populating planet earth are women). The first is a given— or if it isn’t— it should be.
Then again, I think feminine hygiene products (and birth control, for that matter) should be free. This may strike some as socialism but I see it as common sense. Viagra and its numerous brethren are covered by many health care plans in New York State but birth control and maxi pads aren’t. And now, thanks to certain politicians those who may have to seek the recourse of abortion, can’t .*
A friend of mine was once told (by a female practitioner, no less):
If you want to play, you gotta pay.
What is wrong with this picture? As I made it clear at the beginning of this post, dear readers, I am NOT in a good mood. But I digress.
This morning I was faced with two options:
- Stay home and fume over having no hot water.
- Go for a walk and fume over having no hot water.
I chose the latter. Follow are highlights from my jaunt with commentary. Enjoy!
MANHATTAN AVENUE
Anyone who has ever has to stand in line at Rite Aid (which is where this missive hails from) will understand the author’s state of mind. It’s almost as bad as our Post Office. ALMOST.
NORMAN AVENUE
A stuffed dog. On a leash. 100% Greenpoint.
GRAHAM AVENUE
A flickr contact of mine, Jon Feinstein (a very talented photographer), documented something identical to this in Williamsburg. He tagged his photograph as being “antisemitism”. I’m not certain if that is what is going on here.
But this annotation certainly suggests antisemitism on someone’s part. Which party, I do not know.
And last, but hardly least, what is probably the best piece of street seating I have ever beheld!
FRANKLIN STREET
EAT SHIT!
Clearly I was not the only person who was in a shitty mood today.
Miss Heather
*Those of you who take issue with “House Vote 884” AKA: The “Stupak” Amendment, click here for a list of who was naughty and nice.
From the New York Shitty Inbox: Another Catnapping?
Filed under: 11211, 11222, Crazy Cat Lady, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
Friday night I shared with you the good news about Larry the bodega cat’s (who can be seen at left) heroic rescue and return to his rightful owner. I will not lie to you: I was ecstatic when I saw his “mom” toting him back home. Unfortunately my revelry was short-lived. You see, I awakened the next morning to find a most troubling email in my inbox. Jason writes:
Hey Heather:
I don’t know if you have heard about the store cat over at Pets on the Run (989 Manhattan btwn Huron and India)? It seems that either last week or early this week the good proprietor’s cat was stolen. When I went in there at the beginning of this week to get some cat food he was telling another customer the whole story and he was pretty broken up about the whole affair. I am wondering if there are any connections between Larry’s journey and this? The businesses are quite close to the cat vortex….
Obviously it cannot be established if the same person who took Larry (whose intentions were good, if misguided) has taken our dear Lucas (who can be seen with proud papa, Zohar, below).
Nonetheless I find this to be a very, very worrisome trend. What part of DO NOT TAKE SOMEONE ELSE’S PET does the perpetrator of this, Manhattan Avenue’s latest catnapping, not understand?
If you have seen Lucas (who reputedly disappeared on Halloween) please contact his proud papas, Zohar and Malik, at the above telephone number (you can see this flier in larger format by clicking here). They (and Pet on the Run’s patrons) are heartbroken. Thank you.
You can see more pictures of Lucas (who it should be noted has a small tuft of white fur on his chest) via his foster mom’s web page.
Miss Heather
P.S.: It would appear another cat named Larry mas gone missing.
I found this flier on Metropolitan Avenue near Leonard Street, if my memory serves me correctly.
NYS Flickr Pool
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