Signs Of The Times
When I stumbled upon these blue chip specimens of New York City signage in my photo pool (which come courtesy of Lost In Brooklyn) it reminded me that I have been woefully amiss in passing along a couple of my own finds. They hail from a recent sojourn through Williamsburg.
This no frills, proletariat model comes from Wythe Avenue. Although it looks like they had a little trouble with the “g” it seemed to be effective, nonetheless. I did not spy so much as a single doggy dumpling.
Bags of garbage, however, were another matter. Nice, but we can do better.
Like this example from North 9 Street.
This is a private garbage can. Do not trespass on my property to leave your dog shit here. Take it home with your and smell it by your house. This is especially directed to the person with her little blue bags.
Now this is more like it! Granted there is no implicit threat being made here, but I for one find the “we know who you are” aspect endearing.
In fact I was so impressed I shared the good news of my discovery with couple of folks writing poetry on Bedford Avenue. They were kind of enough to write a little something on the back of a flier for the Williamsburg Flea Market just for me. It was (appropriately enough) entitled “Shit”.
Amen.
Miss Heather
New York Shitty Day Starter: Kent Avenue
Filed under: Williamsburg
Ah, what would New York Shitty be had nature not seen fit to give us the finger?
Miss Heather
New York Shitty Day Ender: Over It
Filed under: Williamsburg
Wishing to end today’s offerings on an upbeat note, I present for your approval this bit of self help a la sidewalk from Metropolitan Avenue. I don’t know about you but knowing that “Salami” is “over it” somehow makes me smile.
Miss Heather
Williamsburg Street Art Du Jour: Northside Vs. Southside
River Street
Grand Street
Dunham Place
Kent Avenue
Miss Heather
From The New York Shitty Inbox: More Criminal Activity?
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
Man oh Manneschevitz, this is proving to be quite a week here in the Garden Spot! As if a suspicious drug-related death, what appears to be an INCREDIBLY SCARY car chase ending with a collision on Provost Street and belligerent drunks menacing a family at our new park are not enough, I now have two more tales from readers regarding recent hijinks in the neighborhood. I feel like my inbox has become the community crime blotter! Here it goes:
Lara writes (in an email entitled “High Speed Chase”):
My 2 year old daughter and I witnessed another high speed car chase on Franklin Street, it was approximately 2 weeks ago about 5 pm in the evening. I wish I remembered the date but alas I don’t, I believe it was the week before last on a Thursday.
We were coming out of our building on the corner of Franklin and Kent when an unmarked police car sped down Franklin street and turned right on Kent Street….HOWEVER, Con Ed just happened to be working on Kent Street and had erected orange cones blocking off Kent Street at Franklin….nevertheless, the unmarked police car ran over said cones and sped up Kent Street, they were followed by a regular cop car who swerved at the last minute to avoid the cones. The marked police car almost hit oncoming traffic on Franklin Street and a woman walking her dog in front of River Barrel ran to get out of the way!
The unmarked car being unable to pass the big Con Ed trucks decided to reverse at lightening speed back down Kent Street, run over the cones again and then peel out onto Franklin Street. The driver and passenger in the unmarked car were frantically talking on the radio and seemed very upset. The police officer in the passenger seat was yelling “GO GO GO!”.
No police car came back to see if anyone was hurt. Passersby put the cones back.
Outrageous!
Granted, she makes no mention of a car being “followed” but this incident is disturbing nonetheless. There are a lot of people out and about at 5:00 p.m. on a weekday— commuters mostly. Yikes!
Next up, we have a little armed robbery by McGolrick Park courtesy of Lucy. She writes:
I just moved into the neighborhood, and am so glad to have found your blog! Anyway, as a tip/inquiry, I was wondering if you knew about an armed robbery that happened last night, on Driggs Avenue? My roommate and I were in the middle of dealing with a leaky fridge when a dectective buzzed our doorbell to let us know that the deli downstairs had been robbed at gunpoint! I don’t know the exact name of the deli (like I said, I only just moved in), but it’s on Driggs, right by the corner of Driggs and Monitor. My roommate was the one who talked to the detective so I didn’t get the full scoop (and I was a bit distracted by the fridge), but apparently the people are ok, but possibly slightly beaten up? Sorry not to have more information, but I thought it was worth passing along.
If this is how June is shaping up it begs the question as to what July and August (when it’s hot as hell, thus making people more inclined to start trouble) will be like. Sheesh.
Miss Heather
Crosstown Local Photo Du Jour
And so the race to the bottom continues. Could someone please explain to me who watches this crap? Obviously someone does or they (in this case Oxygen) wouldn’t keep churning it out.
Miss Heather
Reader Contribution Du Jour: People In Our Neighborhood
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
Lest I have it clear already tips and submissions are more than welcome here at New York Shitty. Although I may not have the time to post everything I am sent (I like my time away from the keyboard just like everyone else, probably more so) they are greatly appreciated. Today I am pleased as punch to share with you some photographs taken by a fellow Greenpoint named Tony Luib. He writes:
these are photos i took on my phone. they are certainly a different style than your more professional shots and not sure they are blog-worthy. they are interesting, though. if you would like to use them, please feel free. i’ve been hesitant to send you any photos because it’s really my phone that is on me when the time comes to shoot someone or something. the iPhone distorts also but i still like the ease of its use…. i just decided today to actually send them to you to see for yourself. call me crazy.
Tony does himself a tremendous disservice: a number of his photographs are terrific! He does a great job at capturing the ephemeral quality of day to day life in the Garden Spot of the Universe. But enough talk. See for yourself.
I told you this was some good stuff now didn’t I? In closing anyone interested in submitting photographs of Greenpoint or beyond please do so, I would love to see them. But please keep them at 600 x 800 pixels so my inbox doesn’t get constipated.
Thanks!
Miss Heather
From The Brooklyn Daily Eagle Archives
Yet another rainy day and with it yet another morning I have spent entertaining myself by poking around the Brooklyn Daily Eagle online archives. My armchair traveling has netted me a number of wonderful discoveries. Among them: a couple of long-forgotten graveyards (one of which was in Greenpoint!) and a school or two. Incidental to (or more accurately, as a consequence of) my numerous searches I came across today’s item. Which brings me to the above photograph taken on Milton Street.
Nowadays this diminutive stretch of road is a pretty quiet place. Save the sounds of children at play at the American Playground or the occasional film crew not much goes on here. But just over 130 years ago this location gained infamy for being one of the sites associated with the most notorious and downright gruesome murder stories of its day. All the elements for a truly sensational tale are to had in this item from the July 17, 1882 edition of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle: drinking, claims of infidelity, dismemberment and eventually madness. Enjoy!
To learn where this most dastardly of deeds went down click here.
Miss Heather
New York Shitty Day Starter: A Splash Of Color On A Gray Day
Filed under: Williamsburg
From Berry Street.
Miss Heather
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