The Word On The Street: On Strike

August 25, 2015 ·
Filed under: 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Wow, WTF 

On Strike NYS

As found today at 991 Manhattan Avenue (a nail salon).

Urban Artifact: Special India Street Pier Edition

August 20, 2015 ·
Filed under: 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Urban Artifact, Wow, WTF 

India Street Pier nys

For approximately the last month I have been foraging “urban artifacts” around the Garden Spot. These are being (tongue firmly in artisanal cheek) up-purposed to works of art. Ar some point I imagine I will write about this project here. Or maybe I won’t? Who knows.

What I do know is India Street between the East River Ferry Pier and West Street has proven to be a gold mine. It can be reliably counted upon to provide a number of interesting (and generally unsavory) items. For example:

Let’s just say I grown to expect the unexpected. Which brings me to today’s find. It is located at the foot of the India Street Pier where the red arrow is in the above photograph.

Fish heads! nys

Nothing says “Welcome to Greenpoint” quite like a combined sewer overflow sign festooned with not one, but TWO fish heads. After I took the above photograph a fellow at the adjacent construction site remarked that this was “pretty crazy”. That, it most assuredly is— but I have come to expect this kind of thing in the 11222. On that note I will leave you, gentle readers, with this. Happy Thursday!

New York Shitty Video Du Jour: The Shit They Don’t Show You On “Girls”

August 13, 2015 ·
Filed under: 11222, Culture War, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Wow, WTF 

Something interesting happened on Manhattan Avenue yesterday evening. NOTE: This video contains “language”. So if you are work and do not want a summons from your Human Resources Department exercise caution. Conversely if you DO want HR to pay you a visit, play this good and loud. It contains pretty something to offend everyone. Happy Thursday!

From The New York Shitty Inbox: A Dispatch From The NYPL

NYPLnys

This comes via an anonymous tipster who writes:

…noticed this amazing piece of graffiti this morning. the renaming of the branch in essence rewrote history, dismissing the significance of all previous efforts to create a public institution…

Wow…

UPDATE, 1:37 pm: Going.

goinggoneNYS

Gone.

goneNYS

New York Shitty Photos Du Jour: The Word On The Street

McGuinness Boulevard June 4 2015 nys

As spotted today, June 4th, on McGuinness Boulevard. While I am on the subject of dissent I would like to share with you, gentle readers, my latest snow globe project! While not yet complete I think you will agree it is quite wonderful.

DNAinfo Screencap1It was recently brought to my attention that our Mayor had a press event at Rockaway’s brand-spanking new boardwalk. This is in and of itself not interesting. Rather, what is that he/his created a “Free Speech Zone”. This was well removed from said “event” and therein any/all protesters were “free” to exercise their First Amendment rights.

Well, I have a problem with this kind of thing and, more importantly, the NYCLU and New York Press Club did as well. (You can read DNA.info’s article by clicking the image to the left or by clicking here.) I am not an attorney. I do not portray one on television. However, I do not think I am incorrect when I write that by creating a “Free Speech Zone” there is an implied message that everywhere else is not a “Free Speech Zone”. The First Amendment is pretty straight-forward. So much so even a “snow globe artist” can grasp it. So…

last weekend I embarked upon a “Free Speech Zone” snow globe. Today I sealed it. Tomorrow, hopefully I will fill (READ: finish) it.

Sealed Side one NYS

Side one is pretty straight forward: referencing a photo taken of Mayor DeBlasio’s press event, I replicated it.

Sealed side two nys

Side two is the “Free Speech Zone”. For logistical reasons I had to employ a metaphorical brick wall.

DNAinfo crime and mayhem nys

Some of you may recall that Ron Kuby (Yes, THAT Ron Kuby) purchased a “Stop & Frisk” snow globe from yours truly some time ago. Well, a mutual friend brought my latest project to his attention. And Mr. Kuby brought the above article (wherein he is quoted) to my attention. Note the category under which DNA.info has categorized this tome. “Crime & Mayhem”. I have to say the gentlemen featured (and I encourage each and every one of you to read their profiles) do not strike me as being purveyors of “mayhem”— but what do I know?

In closing I will leave you with this (closing) passage from the above-mentioned article.

Lawyer and radio host Ron Kuby said it’s hypocritical of the mayor to crack down on protests considering his crticisms (sic and emphasis mine — Ed. Note) of former Mayor Bloomberg.

“To come into office riding this wave of disapproval at Bloomberg over policing and contempt for dissidence, to be on the crest of that wave that says ‘no more,’ and [then] to banish a couple of people … it’s unconstitutional, it’s bad policy, it’s stupid,” Kuby said. “And it makes the mayor look very very thin skinned.”

He added that public spaces in the city are, by nature, open for free speech.

“We are all free speech zones in NYC,” Kuby said. “I am a free speech zone and so are you.”

BINGO.

Those who are interested in seeing the photo set I have created documenting the creation of the “Free Speech Zone” snow globe can do so by clicking here.

New York Shitty Photo Du Jour: No Exit

No exit 600

 

This bit of hilarity can be found at Court Square just above the platform for the Crosstown Local. Those of you who are wondering what the real reason is for the MTA want to implement another fare hike? Look no further. Here it is: a budgetary shortfall for “Caution” tape.

 

 

For Sale In Greenwich Village

April 12, 2015 ·
Filed under: 10009, 10011, Greenwich Village, Greenwich Village Manhattan, Wow, WTF 

(among other things)

Yesterday the husband and I ventured to Manhattan. Among the places we visited was Union Square. We wanted to take in the oddness (actual and contrived) to be found there and see what the Farmer’s Market had to offer. Sure enough, the Pigeon Lady was doing her thing.

The Pigeon Lady nys

I like the Pigeon Lady.

Pigeons nys

Sure she has her “schtick”, but I enjoy her work. It has a certain whimsy to it. Above all, I love how passersby (not just children either) interact/engage with her “brood”. Watching this makes me happy.

The fellow who writes the First Amendment in sidewalk chalk had clearly paid the premises a visit. This too is good.

Fourth Amendment nys

What’s more, he kicked it up a notch by throwing the in the Fourth Amendment for good measure. Excellent! However, unbeknownst to me at the time, while I was taking this photo a fellow approached my husband. He asked him if he wanted to see a card trick. My husband replied as follows:

Fuck off.

It is at such moments I am reminded why I married this man. I will make it a point to remember this the next time he does something trivial that pisses me off. But I digress. After apprising me of this interaction the Mister started getting grumpy and commenced his mantra of “God, I hate these people.” I advised him to lighten up. Union Square has long been a place for misfits and malcontents. You gotta take the bad ones along with the good ones. That’s just the way it is. And then they came.

I am perusing produce. I hear shouting. Actually it was more like chanting. I was thinking to myself:

Alright, we going to have some demonstrating/rabble-rousing!

If there’s one thing yours truly loves, it is malcontents and agitators. Such people provide a check and balance to complacency. This is a good thing. Alas, it was not to be. Once I saw their placards (which read, among other things “Turn that frown upside down” and “SMILE” I knew exactly what to do. And I did it.

hooliganism

Here’s the deal:

All because I am not smiling and/or emitting sunshine out of every orifice does not mean I am not happy. I was already having a good time and did not need a smiling gaggle of clowns assuming I was not and demanding I do. However, it should be noted that when the above finger was dispatched I did have a smile on my face. I was following their directive. I merely tossed in a little “value-added”. Best of all, my act of mischief/churlish revolt brought smiles to other people’s faces. Laughter even. Thus when you think about it they did get what they wanted. It simply did not manifest in the manner they had planned (ADVICE: revise any/all sign copy so they request smiles sans obscene hand gestures. This is New York City after all.). Conclusion: this was a win/win for all parties involved.

Upon having our fill of Union Square we headed to the West Village. Along the way the Mister wondered aloud exactly how much one of these houses would cost. He guessed $6,000,000 – $7,000,000. I told him I thought that figure to be low. Very low.

18 West 11 St nys

It was on West 11th Street he pointed out this rather unusual looking townhouse.

No Trespassing nys

It was not only for sale…

Sign nys

but sported this rather ominous “No Trespassing” sign to boot. It was at this moment is when my husband and I had our “eureka” moment. You see, gentle readers, the new(ish) facade of this building was not merely a flight of fancy on the owner’s part. It was a necessary replacement. The replacement was necessary because the original facade was blown clean off.

FDNY responds to Weatherman townhouse explosion.jpg
FDNY responds to Weatherman townhouse explosion” by Source. Licensed under Fair use via Wikipedia.

A Little History 101: 18 West 11th Street was once occupied by a radical leftist group called the Weather Underground. While endeavoring to build bombs in the basement of said building on March 6, 1970 one detonated. Three people died as a result.  There’s a piece of New York City history for you.

Now let’s get back to my husband’s question:

How much does a townhouse— albeit in this case one with a dubious place in history which, as a result, clearly attracts “visitors” (hence the need for a “No Trespassing” sign) and may come with a ghost or two as roommates— in an “a-grade location” cost?

Without further ado, here you go:

listing18west11

 

Just shy of $13,000,000 dollars. Not surprisingly the listing makes no mention of what happened here 45 years ago. I cannot really blame the agents for seeing fit to keep quiet about it. But happened here “it” most decidedly did.

So there have you.

From The New York Shitty Inbox: Discovery At East River State Park

March 16, 2015 ·
Filed under: 11211, 11249, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn, Wow, WTF 

deadchicken1cp nys

A fellow named Chris writes on March 15th (AKA: The Ides of March):

What is with all these dead birds being found? Saw this today on the waterfront of the east river state park. The next photo, you may not want to look at while eating.

deadchicken2cp nys

Indeedy. Clean up in aisle five…

Seriously folks, why? How? Ew.

Quicklink: Polish “Thugs” Wanted

March 4, 2015 ·
Filed under: 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Wow, WTF 

thugswanted

This was sterling opportunity was brought to my attention by an anonymous tipster. He/she forwarded me the following casting call:

UNION AND NON UNION MALES TO PORTRAY REAL POLISH TYPES – AVAIL 3.1015 READ! MUST HAVE ALL DAY AVAIL! NO CONFLICTS! MUST HAVE ALL DAY AVAIL! PLEASE SEND 1-2 PHOTOS TO CBSBBEXTRAS@GMAIL.COM PUT YOUR NAME / POLISH TYPE IN SUBJECT LINE. MUST HAVE VALID US PASSPORT OR VALID US DRIVERS LICENSE AND SS CARD OR BIRTH CERTIFICATE. PLEASE PASS THIS ALONG TO ANYONE THAT THIS MIGHT APPLY TO. PICTURE SELECTED BY DIRECTOR AND PRODUCTION! VERY PROMINENT SCENE! THINK POLISH THUG TYPES!!!

NOTE: “Blue Bloods” films quite frequently in Greenpoint. One has to wonder what, if anything, the Polish community hereabouts thinks of this. Anyone?

UPDATE, March 6th, 2015: We have another one, folks!

18-65 UNION AND NON UNION TO PORTRAY POLISH MALE SOCIAL CLUB PATRONS – AVAIL 3.10.15 READ! MUST HAVE ALL DAY AVAIL – THINK SKETCHY, CRIMINAL, MOB RELATED, POLISH NEIGHBORHOOD TYPES, ETC. NO CONFLICTS! PLEASE SUBMIT PHOTOS TO CBSBBEXTRAS@GMAIL.COM PUT NAME / POLISH TYPE IN SUBJECT LINE. MUST HAVE VALID US PASSPORT OR VALID US STATE ID WIT SS CARD OR BIRTH CERTIFICATE. NO CONFLICTS! PLEASE INCLUDE FULL NAME, SIZES, UNION STATUS AND PHONE NUMBER IN BODY OF EMAIL. 2-5 PHOTOS ARE GREAT! ***LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO PORTRAY TRUE POLISH TYPES*** Rate: SCALE/0 Shoot Date: 3/10/2015

Greenpoint Photo Du Jour: My Bloody Valentine

February 15, 2015 ·
Filed under: 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Wow, WTF 

My Bloody Valentine nys

From Manhattan Avenue.

  • NYS Flickr Pool

    christmas tree oddly placedDissociationMalevolent and asking for donations20241031_095113Hudson Yards  EDGELooking east-Northern view.
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