New York Shitty Slide Show Du Jour: East Village Selections

As today’s decidedly NON-Brooklyn content indicates, yours truly knocked around the East Village yesterday.  I was experiencing the worst kind of wanderlust imaginable and finally succumbed. I’m glad I did: I had a very enjoyable afternoon. The Mister (who met me later) had a good time as well. Given that yesterday was his “special day” this is a good thing— because the other 364 belong to me. Highlights from our sojourn in the bog city included— but are not limited to:

  1. An interrogation from a very cute— if intense— 5-6 year old girl about my wardrobe. After asking exactly how I get my top on and off (and I answered as best I could without exposing myself) she directed her attention (and hands) to my Hello Kitty necklace and purse. Thanks to these items I passed— albeit by a hair— muster.
  2. Having a man (upon seeing me taking pictures on the Bowery) inform me that Drew Barrymore lived in the building across the street. He seemed to be puzzled by the fact I didn’t care. I thanked him nonetheless for this (hither to be useful) piece of information.
  3. The Mister stumbling upon a gaggle of 20-somethings poring over a map at Astor Place and deciding that if they kept walking east they would find Bedford Avenue and North 3rd Street. While not entirely correct, their assessment is not entirely wrong either. I’m guessing this is the reason the Mister decided not to intervene. As I write this post I wonder if they found their destination. I imagine if they managed to reach the outer limits of Alphabet City they had a rather provocative evening— and the kind genuine New York City experiences they don’t cover in the guidebooks.
  4. And of course, there is the above item which I found on the East 10 Street wailing wall. Naturally it reminds me of a story. Here it goes. A collage buddy of mine, we’ll call her D, had the rather unfortunate habit of dating some of the most useless specimens of manhood to be had. This was especially true of a guy we’ll call “Fuckhead”. Why the moniker, you ask? Very simple: he was a hockey fan and had the annoying habit of wearing a hockey puck shaped piece of head gear when enjoying the sport. This apparel was emblazoned with the word “Puckhead”. I and a few other folks who were not too fond of this gent simply changed a letter and this became our moniker for him. ANYHOO, “Fuckhead” also liked basketball— and did not like to do housework. So you can imagine how D felt when she came home from a hard day at work to discover Fuckhead (who, it should be added, only worked part time) sitting on his tuckus watching the game— and that the garbage had not been taken out. She had assigned him this one very simple task before she left for work. It should also be noted that D was also experiencing her period. You, dear readers, will quickly learn why this somewhat sordid piece of information is salient to my tale— so humor me.In any case, she was not the least bit happy and told him so. In return Fuckhead continued watching the game. After quickly deducing that employing words and reason were not working she went to Plan B: she reached into her underwear, grabbed her used sanitary napkin and affixed it to the monitor of the television set. This got Fuckhead’s undivided attention, but he did not feel compelled to remove it. He continued to “watch” the game— and she continued to fume. As I understand it, this used feminine hygiene product remained on the television set for several hours. D eventually removed it. I cannot recall who ended up taking out the trash. But that’s not really important— and I digress.

Without further ado here are highlights from my six hour trek around the East Village and beyond. Enjoy!

This slide show can be seen in larger format by clicking here.

Miss Heather

From The New York Shitty Inbox: Kosciuszko Bridge Free Verse

Yesterday afternoon I received a text message from none other than Queens Crap. It went as follows:

Great graffiti msgs on wall of bqe by crappy park

To wit I, the New York Shittite I am, inquired:

Which crappy park?

Let’s face facts: those of us who our “Parks Advocates” profess to serve in the 11211 and 11222 — the hoi polloi, if you will— while different in many ways can agree on one thing: our parks are overall, um, a bit lackluster. I was not being coy or cheeky when I asked Crappy for a clarification. I was a asking a legitimate question. If this is not damning indictment of the “system” which has been put in place to “benefit” my community I do not know what is. But I digress.

Crappy replied:

Vandervoort.

That’s all I needed to know.

Welcome to Sgt. William Dougherty Playground located at Vandervoort and Meeker Avenue in the armpit whoops, I meant on-ramp of Kosciuszko Bridge. I immediately noticed something amiss (as indicated by the above arrow). It took a little investigating— and a LOT of patience— but I unraveled this mystery. Or at least documented it. Here it goes.

(NOTE: You can view this section in larger format by clicking here.)

I love a happy ending.

Miss Heather

A New York Shitty Public Service Announcement, Part I: GILF

If Betty White is reading this.

You might be interested to know someone on Harrison Place likes you.

A LOT.

Miss Heather

New York Shitty Street Seating Du Jour: Ingenuity

There is genius and then there is GENIUS. This creation (which hails from Spanish Harlem where I went on a photo walk with the immensely talented Steven R. Hazlett today) falls into the latter category.

The elegance of this arrangement is truly stunning: cantilevered seating courtesy of NYPD barricades. Initially these chaps couldn’t understand why I, some dotty 30-something Greenpointer, was so fascinated by their creation. Once I explained respectfully (and made it clear they would not be in the New York Daily News) they had plenty to say.

The gent on the right claimed credit for this creation— and stated that the NYPD gives him plenty of guff about it. He told yours truly they come by regularly and roust him from his “bench”. Because it is their property. He then pointed to a NYPD squad car across the street and exclaimed:

There they are. Can’t you see them hating me?!?

I can’t honestly say I did. See hating. Then again, I suspect the NYPD would refrain from “hating” on these guys while a white chick with a camera is talking to them. In any case, street seating of this caliber demands a serious New York Shitty salute. Here it is. This one’s for you!

Miss Heather

P.S.: I will be rounding out today’s postage with a slide show of highlights from my sojourn in Spanish Harlem. Stay tuned!

New York Shitty Day Ender: ATM Abuse

My buddy Larry has a theory about what happens in New York City when the temperature reaches 90 degrees or more for an extended period of time. It goes more or less as follows:

  1. On the third day people will go absolutely nuts. Expect to see fighting.
  2. The fourth day will be pretty much be like the third. Stay indoors.
  3. By the fifth day people get tired and things settle down.

If what I have observed this week is any indication, his theory is spot on. CASE IN POINT: what I spied on Huron Street this afternoon.

Greenpoint’s first documented case of ATM abuse.

It takes a lot of strength (and anger) to do something like this.

Here’s a close up.

Methinks I’ll be staying indoors just a wee bit longer.

Miss Heather

LAST GASP: Presenting The Night Gallery

June 25, 2010 ·
Filed under: 11211, Advanced Life Forms, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn 

It is not as if I didn’t see it coming. I did. Yesterday when I went to grab a beverage from a local bodega I spied a man twitching and talking to himself. He helped himself to a fistful of ice cooling a bin of fresh fruit. This was summarily tossed in his mouth and crunched upon with much ferocity. Welcome to north Brooklyn in the summer. I’ve seen enough of them to know what they entail. However, I was not prepared for something I spied on Graham Avenue this evening. Something so extraordinary it simply cannot wait until tomorrow. Without further ado, here it is.

Whenever I see an arrangement such as this “my little voice” tells me that I have stumbled upon a very special find.

My little voice is rarely wrong.

Yup.

We’ll take these one by one starting with the item at the top left.

I have to admit it: I rather like this.

For “special people”, “friends” and “movie stars”— and by written invitation only? What is this, the Algonquin Round Table? This is one class operation!

I have no idea how these factor into this installation— but here they are.

But I suppose we should expect the unexpected at a place in north Brooklyn that calls itself  “The Night Gallery”. If any of you, dear readers, want to see something truly, um, interesting swing by this establishment. It can be found on the western side of Graham Avenue between Ainslie Street and Devoe Street methinks. I was unable to get an exact address because the street number was covered by a “No Trespassing” sign. Oh yeah, don’t tell ’em I sent you.

Miss Heather

P.S.: One thing I was unable to capture on film were all the flies milling about in the window. It was like something out of The Amityville Horror. Creepy.

Because I Can: Whitefish

June 24, 2010 ·
Filed under: Advanced Life Forms, Area 51 

This, um, creation has nothing really to do with north Brooklyn— or New York City for that matter. Although I suppose it could be argued that I acquired it in Greenpoint (and for the record, I did). Butt— oops I meant but— that is to miss what makes this so special. All I’m saying is I would liked to have been a fly on the wall when the group of people responsible for “Whitefish” had their eureka! moment.

Miss Heather

Greenpoint Dog Doo Sign Du Jour: Calling All Pigs!

From Monitor Street.

Miss Heather

New York Shitty Photo Du Jour: Ninth Avenue Polemic

April 7, 2010 ·
Filed under: Advanced Life Forms, Manhattan, New York City 

Mr Jobs

Taken April 7, 2010.

Miss Heather

Williamsburg Photo Du Jour: Kent Avenue

April 4, 2010 ·
Filed under: 11211, Advanced Life Forms, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn 

Taken April 2, 2010.

Miss Heather

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