Greenpoint
Lorven Pharmacy
Culture on the Cheap
Food For Thought
I came across the following YouTube video courtesy of Bedbuggers.
The next time you think about taking home that old couch or buying a “used” mattress think of this. Lou Sorkin was present at the now infamous HPD bed bug workshop in Greenpoint last May. Not only does this gent have a rather extensive knowledge of how bedbugs breed but he also has his own bed bug farm! That’s dedication folks.
Miss Heather
The Waterpod Cometh
This item comes courtesy of Laura Hofmann of GWAPP. What is the Waterpod, you ask? Here’s a description from its brand-spanking new web site:
Waterpodâ„¢ is a floating sculptural living structure designed as a new habitat for the global warming epoch. It is currently scheduled to launch in New York in May, 2009, from the Newtown Creek between Brooklyn and Queens, navigate down the East River, explore the waters of New York Harbor, and stopping at each of the five boroughs it will dock at several Manhattan piers on the Hudson River, then beyond.
As a sustainable, navigable living space, Waterpodâ„¢ showcases the critical importance of the environment and serves as a model for new living technologies. It illustrates positive interactions between communities: private and corporate; artistic and social; aquatic and terrestrial. Built from recycled and found materials, Waterpodâ„¢ is structured as a triple-domed island for: (i) community and artistic activity; (ii) eco-initiatives including food grown with purified water from the Hudson River; and (iii) living space…
You can read the rest by clicking here. Those of you who have ever wanted to live on Newtown Creek* (and you know who you are) this might be your golden opportunity!
Miss Heather
*albeit briefly
Image Credit: thewaterpod.org
Jackson Heights Photos Du Jour: After Dark
Filed under: Queens
From Roosevelt Avenue.
Miss Heather
Crosstown Local Photos Du Jour: January 18, 2009
From the Greenpoint Avenue & Court Square stops of the G train.
Miss Heather
UPDATE: 4th Annual Walk & Ride
Filed under: Astoria, Brooklyn, Bushwick, Greenpoint Magic, Manhattan, Queens, Williamsburg
As many of you are aware Ghost Bikes will be conducting their 4th Annual Walk & Ride this Sunday, January 4. It has been brought to my attention by the folks at Ghost Bikes that they are experiencing some problems with their web site. That said, they have been kind enough to forward me the schedule for this Sunday’s event. Here it is:
Bronx/Manhattan Ride
10:45-11:10 gather at White Plains Road and Allerton Ave.
Subway: 2 to Allerton
11:15 Michael Needham Barnes Ave. north of Allerton Ave.
12:30 Faustino Morales Truxton St. and Randall Ave.
1:20 meetup & break NW corner of Central Park at Frederick Douglass Circle
1:35 Unnamed Central Park West at West 110th St.
2:30 Alvaro Olsen West 36th St. and Broadway
3:15 Amelia Geocos East 49th St. and 1st Ave.
Queens/North Brooklyn Ride
12:00 – 12:15 Gather in Astoria Park at the east end of running track (Hoyt and 19th St.)
Subway: N to Astoria Blvd.
12:30 Arturo Flores 27th St. and 23rd Ave.
1:30 Asif Rahman Queens blvd. @ 55th Rd.
2:30 Sze Man (Josephine) Chan Manhattan and Montrose Aves. (this is whose bike graces the beginning of this post —Ed. Note)
3:15 Unnamed under N side of Williamsburg bridge, Brooklyn
Brooklyn Ride
1245-1:00 gather top of Sunset Park hill (6th Avenue between 41 & 44th Sts.)
Subway: R to 45th st.
1:15 Pedro Fernandez-Pacheco 54th St and 7th Ave.
2:15 Jonathan Millstein President St. and 8th Ave.
2:45 Alexander Toulouse Livingston and Boreum
3:30 Jian-Lan Zhang Hester and Allen Sts.
Pedestrian Memorial Walk
2:30-2:45 gather at Bowery and Canal St.
Subway: 6, J, M, Z, R, Q to Canal
2:50 Lai Ho Bowery and Canal St.
3:10 James Dong in front of 106 Bowery between Hester and Grand Sts.
3:40 Josephine LaPlaca Delancey at Allen St.
Convergence of Pedestrian Memorial Walk & Cyclist Memorial Ride
4:00 Rides/Walk convergence Delancey at Allen St.
4:30 Rasha Shamoon Delancey and the Bowery
Gathering of Cyclists, Pedestrians, Families and Friends
Subway: 6 to Astor Place
5:00 Memorial for Unknown Cyclists and Pedestrians East 10th St. at 2nd Ave.
5:15-7:00 St. Marks Church 131 East 10th st at 2nd Ave.
For more information feel free to contact Ghost Bikes via email at info (at) ghostbikes (dot) org
Miss Heather
Reader Submission Du Jour: Calvary Cemetery 20 Years Ago
This image was generous provided by New York Shitty reader (and former Pastor of the Greenpoint Reformed Church), Bodmin. He writes:
I developed the film on Thursday, 15 December; it was probably shot either that afternoon, or on the 12th or 13th. The image is absolutely straight; I never manipulate, except in traditional terms like choosing when to shoot. I’d cased the location after seeing it used in Midnight Cowboy and Shaft (Shaft II, I think); when I saw the sky that afternoon I knew it was now or never for this shot, hopped in my car and drove over the Greenpoint Bridge and got it, somewhere between 4 and 4:30, as the sun set through the magenta murk. It became part of my Cemetery Series, which was put together as a personal memorial to a friend and fellow Greenpoint photographer, Bill Vetel, in that first wave of artists in the 1970s, who had rebuilt an old flophouse down on the block of Greenpoint Avenue between West and the pier/radio mast, and who had died of a heart attack at age 43 earlier in 1983. It kind of shook me; I was the last person to have seen him alive, and he was the first person more or less my own age to go.
Firstly, I would like to thank Bodmin for sharing this lovely image with us. It should also be noted that Bill Vetell’s widow, Barbara, is alive, well and very active in matters of Greenpoint interest. Including Friends of Transmitter Park!
Miss Heather
From My Friend Crappy
One subject of conversation at the junk shop I am rapidly tiring of is the subject of female drivers. Larry da Junkman and Steve are of the impression north Brooklyn’s women drivers are among the worst to be found anywhere. I, being the good little feminist I am, emphatically disagree: all north Brooklyn drivers, regardless of gender, are pretty damned bad. On any given day —at the bat of an eyelash —a pedestrian’s or G train commuter’s life crossing a street can become an outtake from Death Race 2000. I myself have beheld the result of the Greenpoint driver. It isn’t pretty. But back to gender politics and an item my buddy over at Queens Crap recently brought to my attention.
If women drivers are so bad here why are both the motorists who have managed to drive into Newtown Creek male. Yes, I just said “both”. It happened again last month folks, but this time the driver was able to walked/swam away from the incident. Literally. On November 27, 2008 Times News Daily writes:
Police said that 21-year-old Brian Espinal of South Third Street in Williamsburg was taken into custody on reckless endangerment charges after he returned to the scene of the accident while emergency personnel scoured the creek for possible victims.
Authorities later determined that Espinal was alone inside his vehicle at the time of the accident.
Law enforcement sources said the accident occurred at around 6:40 a.m. Sunday morning along Metropolitan Avenue near Scott Avenue.
Reportedly, Espinal was behind the wheel of a 1997 Toyota Camry traveling eastbound along Metropolitan Avenue.
According to information obtained by police, the suspect was observed allegedly traveling at a high rate of speed, crossing over the double-yellow line and dodging oncoming traffic.
Moments later, law enforcement sources said, the suspect’s vehicle lost control and crashed into the guardrail before splashing into the Newtown Creek.
Following the crash, police noted, the suspect exited his vehicle, waded back to the shore and made his way back onto the avenue on foot. Reportedly, he hailed a livery cab traveling on Metropolitan Avenue and fled from the scene…
You can read the story in its entirely by clicking here. Otherwise I would like to close with a couple thoughts:
- Can you imagine how bad that livery cab must have smelled after having Mr. Espinal as a fare?
- Are there any daring women out there who would like to (wo)man a four-wheel U-boat on a one-way journey into Newtown Creek in the the interest of gender equality?* If so you better get cracking: there’s only three weeks left of 2008!
Miss Heather
*This is satire.
Photo Credit: Times News Daily.
Pay Phone du Jour: 37th Avenue
It’s been awhile since I have found some quality public pay phone desecration. Fortunately I found this specimen in Jackson Heights. It rather tickled my fancy.
Unlike the general trend of mindless destruction I usually find, the defiler of this device took only the parts he/she needed. I for one think this was very kind of them: it leaves something for everyone else! To close on a (somewhat) related note. This weekend (as I stayed up until the wee hours watching a Planet of The Apes marathon) it came to my attention that jacked up pay phones in Queens has a little cinematic provenance.
If you think finding an operative pay phone in 2008 is bad, I assure in 3955 it is most assuredly worse. Note: the above model is a rotary phone. Oh, the humanity! Where is this item located, you ask?
Where most of the finer things in the county of Queens are to be found: Queensboro Plaza.
Dude. I don’t think I’d be laying my hands on this if I were you.
Miss Heather
Tis The Season: Kicking It Off!
It’s already beginning to look a lot like Christmas in and around the Garden Spot of the Universe. To this end I have decided to kick off my (hopefully) daily revue of Yuletide goodness from Greenpoint and beyond in grand style. In addition to featuring Christmas decor which graces homes I have decided to throw in some choice decorations from retail establishments. My reasons for doing so will become all too apparent later in this post. Enjoy!
This, my favorite Greenpoint feline from Kent Street, senses holiday spirit in the air!
Ever since this pharmacy (on Manhattan Avenue) featured a replica of the Empire State Building made of Fleet enema boxes back in 2002 I am always eager to see what they whip up.
While a bit of a disappointment (I mean, how could one honestly expect to top an edifice made of implements used to irrigate certain orifice?) this juxtaposition does have a certain charm.
However, if you want to get your sensuous Santa on make your way to the 7 train without delay and head over to Jackson Heights.
Why not get things started with a few naughty MAD LIBS underneath the mistletoe? As you can see it is a best seller at this Duane Reade (located at 73-01 37th Avenue). Need stocking stuffers? No worries. Roosevelt Avenue has ’em!
Who wouldn’t be delighted to receive this lovely work of art on Christmas Day (or at the office party)? I know I would! Of course such occasions demand proper apparel.
I don’t think I would want this chap coming down my chimney. What in god’s name has he stuffed in his pants? A bear claw?
HO! HO! HO!
What does this naughty little Santa’s helper hang on her bush, you ask?
Cock rings, anal beads and Spanish fly! DUH.
So you’ve got your Mad Libs, stripper sculpture (and/or other life style accessories), you and yours are dressed up and the Christmas tree is festooned with anal beads of many colors. You’re pimped up and ready to ho down. Now what?
The wine, of course. Yes, this bottle says exactly what you think it does.
Quite a bit(ch), as a matter of fact.
This libation can be found right here in Greenpoint at none other than Dandy Wine.
Home of Greenpoint’s foremost bitch: Miss Bonita.
Dandy Wine
153 Franklin Street
Brooklyn, New York 11222
Miss Heather
Jackson Heights Photos du Jour
Filed under: Queens
As I have previously mentioned the Mister and I spent our Black Friday in Jackson Heights. Follow are a few sights I found of particular interest. Enjoy!
Krishna, Radha and surveillance camera a la 74th Street.
The first family elect holds court on 82nd Street.
Here’s a few Roosevelt Avenue sombreros.
I love this guy.
And last but hardly least.
This item is by far the best bit of Obamabilia I have seen to date. Screw the New York Times, at Chez Shitty this is the periodical which will get framed and hung on these here walls!
Miss Heather
NYS Flickr Pool
You must be logged in to post a comment.