Greenpoint
Lorven Pharmacy
Culture on the Cheap
New York Shitty Video Du Jour: Howl
There are many times I have considered erecting web cam so as to document the occasionally disturbing and often entertaining and ever-evolving “street theater” that takes place on Manhattan Avenue in the wee hours of the morning. I mention this because last night I pulled an “all nighter” preparing a friend’s costume for the Mermaid Parade. At times it got pretty tedious, if not a downright boring. Fortunately at around 3:30 a.m. (when I was growing very weary) I received a little unexpected and much appreciated pick-me-up in the way of a late night soliloquy.
Which brings me to the following video; I am not too sure what the fly in this man’s proverbial ointment was and truth be told I do not think he knew either. But I have to concede that he has quite an economy with words. Especially a certain four letter one which happens to start with “F”— in all its manifold incarnations, usages, and conjugations.
He marched up and Manhattan Avenue shouting his screed for some time. No one seemed to take notice, much less care. That is until the very end of our feature when a woman rather vocally objects to his “language”— while using a little of her own!
Their exchange had a Johnny and June Carter Cash meets north Brooklyn quality I found quite compelling, so be sure to listen for it at the end. Enjoy!
Anyone out there know how I can take the audio when this man screams “Fuck that shit!” and make it the ring tone for my cell? I ask because the more I think about it, the more I really want to make this happen.
Miss Heather
Williamspoint Photos Du Jour: Industriana
Cherry Street
Porter Avenue
Meadow Street
Bogart Street
Morgan Avenue
Miss Heather
New York Shitty Day Starter: “Shotgun”
Ordinarily this would qualify as a “person in my neighborhood” but “Shotgun” (as seen in the above photo at right) was so extraordinary I felt he deserved a post of his own. Here it is.
Yesterday and friend and I went for a walk. Just to mix things up I decided we would go to the “hinterlands” of the Garden Spot— in other words: east of Kingsland Avenue, due south to the on ramp to the Kosciuszko Bridge and beyond.
It was at the intersection of Vandervoort Avenue and Cherry Street— an area which can best be described as the “armpit” of Greenpoint— that we encountered a truck selling watermelons, potatoes, fruits, nuts and vegetables. And a very unexpected ray of sunshine.
Or would that be “Shotgun” Having interfaced with a number of gun nuts in my life— mostly from the south— I asked the proprietor what gives.
After striking a pose (actually two) he told me:
That’s my nickname! Are you a visitor?
Me: Yes, I’m a visitor… from THAT (pointing north) end of Greenpoint.
SHOTGUN: Greenpoint? That’s (pointing north) over there!
Me: But I am over here! I like to be a tourist in my own neighborhood…
(Laughter)
Me: I hope you have some earplugs or aspirin, Shotgun. How can you deal with all this noise?
SHOTGUN:
Hell, I’m 70 years old. I can take it!
(Even more laughter)
Anyone who can spend 8+ hours next to the:
- loudest
- filthiest and
- overall depressing
part of the Garden Spot and still have a sense humor, much less display a joie de vivre rarely seen by anyone nowadays, gets my infinite respect, admiration, and yes— affection.
I really like you, Shotgun. You rock!
Miss Heather
*Lest I have offended anyone by calling this area such, it was not intended. I use this term with tongue firmly placed in cheek.
Cookie Road: Open At Last!
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
After receiving numerous inquiries and beginning to wonder if this place would ever “happen” I am pleased to announce that, at long last, Cookie Road has opened for business! When did this most auspicious event come to pass, you ask? TODAY, that’s when!
I asked the co-proprietors what took them so long. Apparently they “checked off the wrong box” on one item in their paperwork. (You gotta love bureaucracy). Follows are a few delectable items you can expect to find if— or better yet, WHEN— you drop by.
An exotic assortment of iced tea, both sweetened and unsweetened. I tried the coconut “flavor”. It was pretty tasty and definitely quenched my thirst after walking for five hours.*
Canine-shaped cookies.
Pigs and a little bling.
An assortment of quiches and cakes. Well, there used to be an assortment. As you can see as of 6:00 p.m. today it has been pretty picked over. And of course, my personal passion:
Key lime goodness!
And of special interest to java enthusiasts: Cookie Road serves all manner and variety of caffeinated drinks— including, but not limited to cafe latte, espresso, cappuccino. Why not swing by this weekend and congratulate these very nice folks for making their long-awaited debut?
Cookie Road
97 Oak Street
Brooklyn, New York 11222
Happy indulging!
To close on a Franklin Street related note today I saw signs of activity at 162 Franklin Street, better known Casa Mon Amour. I talked to guys up and got the scoop. They are interested in opening a “small plate”, “American restaurant/grill”, but had some concerns about the conditions of the space.
It is a mess.
one of them said. I told them it was an excellent location to set up shop but to please, PLEASE keep the entrees reasonable, e.g.; UNDER $15.00**. They assured me they would. I guess we’ll have to wait and see what happens.
Miss Heather
*From Greenpoint to Flushing Avenue and back. Man, I’m beat.
**And under NO CIRCUMSTANCES open a Thai Restaurant. We have enough already.
Presenting The WTF Building
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
I suspect I speak for many in north Greenpoint when I say that I am happy this week’s film shoot on Manhattan Avenue is over. It was kind of novel at first but after a day or two of being redirected to side streets by lackeys bearing walkie talkies it became a more than a little annoying. However, I did reap something positive— or at the very least interesting— out of the experience. Like finding the following at 188 Freeman Street.
I have seen a lot of strange shit construction-wise in Greenpoint over the years but this one takes the cake. Follows is a shot taken after the folks at S & M Construction (I am not kidding— that is who is responsible for this) have called it a day.
I have to hand these folks credit for making this site “airtight”. Hell, it’s a jolly big blue fortress replete with concertina wire. But it does raise the question as whether their goal is to keep people out or to keep people in?
Very peculiar indeed.
Miss Heather
Greenpoint Photo Du Jour: 184 Eagle Street
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
If anyone from the Department of Buildings is reading this (and finally feels inclined to inspect this building which has a number of complaints filed that an illegal hotel is being operated on the premises— some of which date as far back as February) you might want to check out this unit located on easternmost corner of the 5th floor.
As you can see a pair of bunk beds are clearly visible from the street. Bunk beds, I will add, which bear a striking resemblance to the ones featured on Luxe Guesthouse’s web site.*
It doesn’t get much more obvious than this, folks. Not that I expect this post (or any of my previous posts about this building) to motivate the Department of Buildings to actually do anything. They’ve sat on their hands for five months and I have little doubt they will continue to do so for at least five more.
I have said it before and I’ll say it again:
What is the point of having laws on the books if they are not enforced?
This is laughable.
Miss Heather
Image Credits/Information: The former photograph was taken yesterday, June 18 at approximately 10:00 p.m. The latter comes courtesy of Hostel Bookers dot com.
*Which is currently parked but a new and improved site is promised. Hence why I gleaned the latter image from Hostel Bookers dot com.
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
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
NYS Flickr Pool
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