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Culture on the Cheap
From The New York Shitty Inbox: Gentrification?!?
Filed under: 11206, 11211, 11222, 11237, Bed-Stuy, Bloomblight, Brooklyn, Bushwick, Culture War, East Williamsburg, East Williamsburg Brooklyn, Ft. Greene, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Kensington, Long Island City, New York City, Queens, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
Interesting things happen when I stay up late. Mind you, they are not usually good things. But this case may very well be an exception: in the wee hours of the morning today the following found its way into my inbox.
Anni Atkinson of Earthsharing.org.au (Yes kids, that’s Australia) writes:
have you ever heard of GENTRIFICATION?
well, not many people have which is surprising as it effects us all.
so, I am attempting to do something about this! well, me and the team at Earthsharing Australia! I work with a not-for-profit called Earthsharing that offers free education services on economics and we focus on economic justice for all.
Currently we are working on an international film competition with the theme of ‘Gentrification’ which looks at issues of gentrification and how such cycles effect creative communities and artists in our cities. First Prize is $3000, with runner up prizes from Madman and Crumpler.
your blog is rad and we would be honored if you could throw a little love our way and mention the film competition to your readers!
Please contact me for more details including a press release or an e-flyer.
In the mean time, check out our website for more details!
The first line of this email made me erupt into fits of uncontrollable (and demented) laughter. Have I heard of gentrification? Feeling more than a little raffish, I wrote back:
You are asking ME, a resident of Greenpoint, Brooklyn, USA (which is located pretty much halfway around the globe from you), to inform my readership about film competition about GENTRIFICATION?!? Greenpoint: a neighborhood where a “luxury” condos proliferate in the shadow of the east coast’s largest WASTE TREATMENT PLANT? Where environmental issues the likes of which you cannot begin to comprehend remain unabated. And yet artists are being pushed out because there are people willing to dole out $2,000+ USD rent for a one bedroom/studio for this?
Give me the fuggin’ flier, your creds and press release— STAT.
Well, she did.
I’ve done some poking around and this contest is 100% legit. Let’s show our friends down under how our fair city treats the creative community and everyone else who cannot a condo or $2,000 a month rent? You can get the 411 on how to enter this contest by checking out Earthsharing’s web site or by emailing them at: timmah (at) earthsharing (dot) org (dot) au
NOTE: they are currently requiring that entries be mails. I have suggested they accept submissions via YouTube as mailing matter overseas can be both costly and dicey. They are looking into it.
Otherwise, you can play the Gentrification Game by clicking here. Simply put you are a landlord/speculator and your goal is to kick out tenants. Play it. It’s a fucking HOOT!
Miss Heather
P.S.: Earthsharing also has a number of interesting videos on YouTube. Check ’em out. You’ll find the tales contained therein eerily familiar.
New York Shitty Day Ender: Flushing Avenue
Although this lass had clearly seen better days I think the wear and tear only adds to her beauty. In any case she’s a nice way to kick off the weekend (yes, I am calling it an early day— hey, even “bloggers” like a little time off every now and then!).
Miss Heather
East Williamsburg Street Art Du Jour: Mixed Bag
Filed under: 11206, 11237, Bushwick, East Williamsburg, East Williamsburg Brooklyn, Street Art, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
From Vandervoort Street.
Miss Heather
A Choice Tidbit From The New York Times Archives
Speaking as someone who has lived in north Brooklyn for ten years I remember a time when Williamsburg was more or less defined as the first four stops on the L train— no “ifs” “ands” or “buts”. Over the ensuing years this has been expanded to include pretty much anything short of Ridgewood and given current trends they may very well be next. Only time will tell if my fair burgh will be rechristened “Williamsburg(h) Heights”. Lest the first three sentences of this post have not made it clear I have found a heaping help of black humor to be immensely helpful when living in the shadow such a capacious and rapacious giant. And what a shadow it is! Case in point:
I found this bad boy outside the Morgan Avenue stop of the L. Per the ad copy (which can be seen in larger format by clicking on the above image*) this Valhalla is located off the DeKalb Avenue stop of the L. Apparently eight stops out of Manhattan now qualifies as “East Williamsburg”. Albeit with a significantly smaller typeface.
Imagine if you will, dear readers, a time when real estate agents were not so fast and loose about “branding” a neighborhood “Williamsburg”. A time when Williamsburgers didn’t even want to be called Williamsburgers; they wanted to be simple Brooklynites. There was such a time. What’s more, the New York Times documented it on February 23, 1896. Enjoy!
Found In Brooklyn, who took the above photograph, writes:
And this Toll Brothers monolith on the other side. Ewwwww. Can you imagine being one of the numbers living in there? This would fit in better in a business district of a city such as Phoenix or Miami but whatever it’s here and they are not selling like hotcakes.
Welcome to the newer conditions of society.
Miss Heather
New York Shitty Day Ender: Diversification
Troutman Street
Irving Avenue
It would appear that someone in Bushwick belongs to the James Danforth Qualye school of spelling.
Miss Heather
Help Wanted On Troutman
I have never been a big fan of self-help industry. This is especially true of books like The Secret which lavish a great deal of attention on what is called the “Law of Attraction”. For those of you who are not motivational-speak savvy, here is a definition of this piece psycho-speak from Wikipedia:
…the Law of Attraction says people’s thoughts (both conscious and unconscious) dictate the reality of their lives, whether or not they’re aware of it. Essentially “if you really want something and truly believe it’s possible, you’ll get it”, but putting a lot of attention and thought onto something you don’t want means you’ll probably get that too.
Why anyone would need to outlay money on a book to figure this out is beyond me. My good friend Rachael (long before this idea became de rigueur to changing one’s life) coined a term for just this phenomenon:
Ass begets ass.
Which brings me to this solicitation from Troutman Street.
How can I not shake the feeling this advertisement for “good” carpenters failed miserably? Is it the fact it is written on a door with marker? The fact it will only be seen by people happen to walk down Troutman Street? The fact “ones” is misspelled? It is probably all of the above.
In any case if any “good” carpenters are reading this and are (still) need of work you might want head down to 114-124 Troutman Street.
You skills may very well still be in demand. And even if they aren’t…
you will be on the inside track to pursue this very novel business proposition just down the street.
Good luck— and remember: think positive!
Miss Heather
NYS Flickr Pool
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