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Southside Paradise
Filed under: Williamsburg
Earlier this week I knocked around the Southside. I didn’t have any reason for doing so, I just felt like going there. Not unlike Greenpoint, the gardening options are very limited in this neighborhood. There are no spacious lawns to exploit, at best there is a tree pit (or two) and 80 square feet of frontage to make one’s own. And the people of Williamsburg’s Southside do. Magnificently!
This poignant reminder of man’s best friend can be found at South 2nd and Berry Street. The stone at the base of the tree reads:
In memory of a faithful friend.
As it would happen when I was taking the above photograph the owner of the house came out. I told him that I thought this was a very touching tribute. He thanked me and told me he still misses his best friend to this day.
Further down the block (heading towards the Domino Sugar Factory) you can find a wild assortment of (what I am guessing are) wildflowers gracing the frontage of a parking lot for the Department of Transportation.
If you have the time and/or inclination, you really should check this out. It is quite beautiful and no amount of picture taking can truly do it justice. Plants jutting out at all angles and flowers— vividly colored all— beg for your attention. It has the feel of an English garden and is a curiously pleasant respite from all the construction and destruction surrounding it.
Of course a lot of people are not afforded the luxury of having garden space. If so, why not take a page from this building on Marcy Avenue and create your own seaside paradise?
On the same, albeit ominous —yet cute— note, this piece of man-made foliage can be found at the Domino Sugar Factory on Kent Street between South 2nd and 3rd Street. Anyone out there care to feed it?
To wrap up I will take you back to South 2nd Street where this festively decorated stoop can be found. When it comes to beautifying one’s surroundings size does not matter. All it takes is a little ingenuity and some elbow grease. This post is for you, Southside Williamsburg! You never cease to make me smile.
Miss Heather
Greenpoint: Like No Other Place In The World!
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
What else can I possibly say about this photograph other than it was taken from the Pulaski Bridge and features blue digester tanks from the largest sewage treatment plant on the East Coast? Where else in the world can one behold bragging rights of this caliber? Seriously.
Greenpoint, you rock!
Miss Heather
This Sounds Like A Lot Of Fun
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
If any of you are wondering what to do this upcoming Saturday afternoon this might be worth checking out. Interested registrants (or people simply interested in getting more information about this event) should email the organizers of this event at brooklynrace (at) gmail (dot) com.
Be advised that this event costs $10.00 per person.
Miss Heather
Greenpoint Photo du Jour: Yankee Troll
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
From Humboldt Street.
Miss Heather
Would You Buy A Condo From This Man?
This is 68 Meserole Street. It was once the site of an enormous bottle recycling facility. Now it has been razed. Surprised and a little disappointed (I found the stench of stale beer that used to hang over this intersection strangely endearing) I took the above photograph.
Shortly after doing so I was confronted by a worker at this site. Not liking where his line of questioning was going, e.g.; Is there a problem here… (If I want to take pictures of a street corner it isn’t anyone’s damned business but my own) I took the liberty of filming our little interaction. Hilarity ensued. (WARNING: Contains “language”. In other words, NSFW!)
After shooting the above film the gentlemen of “MAJ Construction Services” heckled and took pictures of me on their cell phones. One even bothered to drive by and scream at me as I was walking down the street fifty feet away.
Take my advice: unless you want some goon to shove your camera where the sun don’t shine (and I have lived in this city long enough to know there are people here who will pay serious money for this kind of experience, lest any of you are reading, consider this a tip), avoid the corner of Meserole and Leonard Street like the plague. These chaps are real professionals.
Miss Heather
P.S.: Be sure to check out the recent complaints on the Department of Buildings online database. “MAJ Construction” was issued demolition permits June 5, 2008. But that didn’t stop them from getting a head start!
Four complaints called in over a mere 48 hours. That has to be a record! Here’s my personal favorite:
CLR STS COVERS 68-72 AND ILLEGAL CONSTRCTION IS CAUSING BUILDING NEXT DOOR AT 117 LEONARD ST TO SHAKE AND CLR IS CONCERNED ABT BLDG STABILITY CLR ALSO STS SHAKING HAS CAUSED FALLING BRICKS
Apparently the Building Inspector tried twice to get access to 68 Meserole to no avail. May I recommend he (or she) pull out a camera and pretend to take photographs? As we have seen, this is quite effective in getting their attention.
Anyone Want To Adopt A Rat?
Filed under: Crazy Cat Lady
No I am not talking about this rat (which can be found on Mott Street in Chinatown).
No, I am not talking about New York City’s ubiquitous scab busting rat either
While amusing, this Rattus Norvegicus is clearly deceased. Not a very fun pet!
I’m talking about these guys who now call Empty Cages Collective their home. Empty Cage’s Co-Founder, Lisacat, writes:
I can speak from experience, rats make awesome companions. They are affectionate, playful and very intelligent. These albino rats were going to be killed after being “used” for a semester’s class of vet tech students.
So if any of you out there want to give one of these little fellas a home (it IS the year of rat, you know) please contact Lisa at Empty Cages Collective via email at emptycagescollective (at) gmail (dot) com.
Squeak!
Miss Heather
P.S.: The more conventional among you will be pleased to know they also have plenty of cats and kittens for adoption!
Merde De Chien Avec Le Glaçage
Filed under: Williamsburg
Some may see fit to fling dog doo on some miscreant jerk’s car down south but we North Brooklynites are civilized people.
With all the gentrification that is coming to pass here even our doggie dumpings are getting the gourmet treatment nowadays. Our shit may very well stink but one has to admit the presentation is impeccable.
Bon Appetit!
Miss Heather
Wanna Be In Pictures?
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
The pay is nil but you get free beer and a listing in the film credits! Here’s the scoop per Filming in Brooklyn:
This afternoon Filming In Brooklyn stopped by the Manhattan Ave. shoot of Satan Hates You, an independent horror film shooting in Brooklyn. Written and directed by James Felix McKenney, Satan Hates You is still looking for people to be in some party and bar scenes this coming weekend and next.
When FIB (not to be confused with Found In Brooklyn— Ed. Note) got there they were getting ready to shoot a scene where actress Christine Spencer runs into the street and screams – at what, we don’t know. An oncoming car? Someone trying to kill her? Rising real estate prices? We’ll have to see the movie to find out.
Apparently the folks at Satan Hates You need some help with a few remaining shoots:
- June 22 they will be doing a “Halloween Party” shoot. Costumes are encouraged.
- June 27 will be bar scenes. Given that many of us Greenpointers are barflies, I suspect that we, the community, could lend this film a certain Cinéma vérité quality mere professional actors could not begin to comprehend.
Anyone interested in participating should contact the peeps at monsterpants by clicking here.
And did I forget to mention you get free beer?
Miss Heather
Photo Credit: Filming In Brooklyn.
Southside Photo du Jour: Blowing Sunshine
Filed under: Williamsburg
From South 3rd Street.
Miss Heather
Pile Drivin’
Filed under: Williamsburg
Most people who have the free time to enjoy a beautiful day (such as this one) would go to the park, do a spot of shopping or worship the sun under the auspices of 30+ SPF sunblock. Not me. I am not “most people”. When I received the following missive from my buddy over at Bad Advice this morning (after reading this over at the Gowanus Lounge) I knew what I had to do:
This piledriver is driving me CRAZY!!! The building is bouncing. Good times. Just thought I’d share!
It’s been awhile since I have had the pleasure of listening to a pile driver go about its nefarious business. I even found myself wondering if what I experienced at the hands of the Viridian last year was indeed as bad as I remembered. Faced with option of either getting a headache at the hands of National Grid or 5 Roebling, I chose the latter. Variety is the spice of my life masochism.
Follows is a sampling of my experience. Enjoy!
The acoustics of the area were very conducive to disseminating this din. Here is a map indicating where this pile driver could be heard. And by “heard” I mean not as mere “background noise”.
I found myself walking in time to the sound of 5 Roebling’s ground getting pounded. It was eerily reminiscent of this scene from Ben Hur. You can read more pile drivin’ hilarity from Bad Advice by clicking here.
Miss Heather
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