Greenpoint
Lorven Pharmacy
Culture on the Cheap
Urban Fur: More Flatbush Fur
Ripley, the keeper of my buddy Flatbush Gardener*, would very much like to go outside.
Miss Heather
*Who was nice enough to show me around his neighborhood yesterday!
Urban Fur: Flatbush Fur
Don’t let this old fella’s tough looking-exterior fool you: he was all purrs and lovins’!
Miss Heather
Something Neat
(Or, Does Anyone Have $26,500?)
This has nothing to do with north Brooklyn but quite frankly I think it is rather neat so here it is. The junk shop serves as a library of sorts for yours truly. This is especially true of old periodicals. I bring these home in bundles and read them before I go to bed. Last night in one such magazine (the July 1903 issue of The Worlds Work) I found a real estate listing for one of my favorite houses down Victorian Flatbush way.
The Mister did some calculating and per 2009 dollars this house’s asking price comes out to $662,4666.56. Nowadays this will maybe buy you a modest house here in the Garden Spot— but back then this was a rather handsome sum. I wonder what it is worth today?
In any case 107 years later it is still looking good!
Miss Heather
From The New York Shitty Photo Pool: Ghana!
This bit of World Cup mirth was captured by Carnade at Flatbush’s Meytex Cafe.
Miss Heather
Reader Contribution Du Jour: Cortelyou PSA
These images do not hail from north Brooklyn (they come from the intersection of East 17 Street and Cortelyou Road). But when Flatbush Gardener brought these finds to my attention I simply had to pass them along here. Nice catch, Xris!
Miss Heather
671: The Reveal
I ended yesterday’s offerings on New York Shitty with a brain teaser. I wrote:
Today a young woman with a most curious tattoo came to the junk shop. As you can see it is the borough of Brooklyn, rendered in argyle, and includes a number. Anyone care to guess what it means? She told me and I will give the reveal tomorrow at noon. It’s really neat!
Well, it’s noon and here’s the reveal.
This very nice young lady (who is employed at Papasitos) came into the junk shop with her mother— who was a lovely lady in her own right. She was fabulous.
As they were exiting I got a passing glance of the above tattoo. I locked onto the visage of Greenpoint like the Garden Spot geek that I am. I can pick out the silhouette of our fair burgh a mile away. Probably because it bears a disquieting resemblance that fucked-up blob thing from the Gigglesnort Hotel I saw— repeatedly and much to my disturbance— as a little kid.
(To get a true grasp of how truly weird this show— and 1970’s childrens’ television in general— were click on the above image and watch the video. CAVEAT: Do not watch this under the influence of any mind-altering substances.)
I looked again at her tattoo. This time to the south. I recognized Coney Island. My eyes were not deceiving me: this was county of Kings rendered in Argyle. With a number: 671. So I asked her about it.
She said she grew up at 671 Argyle Road, Brooklyn, 11230. And she piquantly added:
I thought I grew up in the suburbs— until I actually saw what suburbs were.
Her mother laughed.
So there’s the reveal. A tattoo— which in hindsight— is not so cryptic. And pretty damned cool!
Hey, if her mother (who has since left Victorian Flatbush) likes it, who am I to judge? What’s more, I think it is neat!
Miss Heather
New York Shitty Day Starter: From Gowanus To Ditmas
Today’s slide show will take us on a venereal journey from the alpha:
The Gowanus Canal as seen above, replete in its septic, aromatic and Gonohorreaic glory, to Kensington, Ditmas Park, Flatbush (the shots of the old Loew’s Theatre are my favorites) and back again to Kensington for the omega:
S.T.D. Wines and Liquors at 89 Church Avenue.
Enjoy!
Miss Heather
P.S.: For more information about the fetid state of the Gowanus Canal watch this. And take note that our very own David Yassky— the ostensible chair of the Newtown Creek Monitoring Commitee— and frequent “no show” (he sends his P.R. hack Rami Metal instead) is against super-funding Gowanus. If Gowanus goes will Newtown Creek be next? I wouldn’t rule out the possibiliy. Ours is the best government developers can buy.
Great Moments In Marketing: Special Flatbush/Ditmas Park Edition
This example of marketing savvy comes courtesy of my friend down at Flatbush Gardener. He writes:
There’s more story behind the photo, too. As soon as I stood in front to take a picture, the (presumed) owner came out, with two or three of his staff. He wanted to know what I was doing. Not aggressive at all, just seemed concerned. I told him I was taking a picture of his sign.
Owner: What are you doing?
Me: Taking a picture of your sign.
Owner: Why?
Me: You know it’s misspelled, right? It’s supposed to be “Taliban”, right?
Owner: Are you going to get me in trouble?
Me: I don’t see why.I went on to explain that I already had a “Taliban scarf” – what I
know as a keffiyah – I just wasn’t wearing it at the time.Owner: What color is it?
Me: Red.
Owner: I have lots of colors inside.
Me: I know, I saw the sign (pointing to the sign that says “More colors inside”!)
Owner: Come inside.
Me: I don’t need another one right now.
Owner: Come inside.
Me: [Thinking there is some non-zero danger of being recruited for something] Another time.The sign is still up.
Say what you will about this chap’s advertising prowess (or lack thereof), it’s still better than this or this.
Miss Heather
NYS Flickr Pool
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