From The New York Shitty Photo Pool: Caution
This missive can be found near the corner of Franklin and Milton Street and comes courtesy of algul siento. Great catch!
Miss Heather
New York Shitty Day Starter: A Vintage Siding Slice*
Filed under: 11222, Bloomblight, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Vinyl Siding
Today I had a moment.
I announced to Mr. Heather when he arrived home from work yesterday.
To wit he replied:
Good or bad?
Good… I think. Although it could be proof I have lived in Greenpoint WAY too long— or my aluminum siding fixation has turned me into an idiot savant of siding.
I replied. Curiosity piqued, the Mister wanted to know more. And I told him.
Well today I found a photo album at the junk shop. Naturally I went through it. (You would not believe the “Kodak moments” I have found at the junk shop dating from the pre-digital age whose subject matter is of such an intimate nature I honestly can’t imagine entrusting it to your local 24 hour photo to develop. But clearly quite a few people did just this. Over the last several years I have amassed quite a collection. Probably enough to start a blog whose sole purpose is to showcase them. Seriously. But back to the subject of this post: my moment. — Ed. Note.)Â I quickly deduced the contents were taken in New York City.
This one hit pretty close to home: Queensboro Plaza circa 1982. I dug around some more and found this.
I showed the above image to Mister Heather:
I knew where this was instantly. It’s in Greenpoint. I identified it by the siding.
Huron Street, Greenpoint, circa 1982 meet Greenpoint 2009.
Very little has changed.
There are sunflowers. Which I adore.
And Bloomblight, which I deplore. This photograph was taken at West Street around India Street. Very little of what you see in the above photograph remains nowadays— including the people. It’s a bunch of derelict development sites.
But we have a mural!
It’s particularly fetching when the DOS truck sweeps it up.
The beach (soccer? volley?) ball caught in concertina wire makes this locale ever more inviting. That’s probably why no one— save the beneficiaries of this project– wants to hang out there. It’s good P.R. for politicos, bad policy for citizens.
The above photograph, taken in the 1980,’s is prima facie evidence that Greenpointers had waterfront access— as humble as it was— before the 2005 re-zone. Now we have barbed wire fences. And self-elected intermediaries.
Miss Heather
*This is dedicated to Kevin Walsh of Forgotten New York. Whose “slices”, writings, rants, and person have enriched my life— and inspired me to start this “blog”. This lovable curmudgeon happens to have a birthday this month. Why not send him your regards?
P.S.: The India Street park is being built atop the existing asphalt so as to avoid DEP soil tests. I wonder if Dean Palin, when he razes this mural to build his 40 story testament to folly will test this site for pcbs, etc.?
New York Shitty Day Ender: Has Anyone Seen Tiger Lily?
Filed under: 11222, Crazy Cat Lady, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic
If you have seen Miss Lily or know of her whereabouts please contact her “person” at the above telephone number ASAP. As the above flier indicates she has a purple collar and health problems which require medication. Suffice it to say time is definitely of the essence!
Miss Heather
Greenpoint Photo Du Jour: Good Day, Sunshine
It is Friday. The stifling heat has abated and the sun is shining. I can think of no better way of kicking off the weekend than with this dapper dude from India Street.
Miss Heather
Greenpoint Photo Du Jour: (Speechless)
In a world of inflated prices you can only trust your Partner.
Amusingly enough this advertisement is for a Spanish to English translator. I wonder if it can translate, “Gee, this is kind of offensive”?
Miss Heather
New York Shitty Day Starter: McCarren Park
Filed under: 11211, 11222, Bloomblight, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Recession, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
August 12, 2009
July 2, 2009:
…I’ll call you late tonight – I am running to a meeting re. the homeless problem in Parks/on our waterfront street ends.
Stephanie Thayer
Administrator for North Brooklyn Parks – NYC Dept. of Parks & Recreation
Executive Director – Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn (OSA)
It would appear that meeting wasn’t very effective.
McCarren Park is pathetic.
These pits have become the norm for park goers. You get used to negotiating around them. It becomes natural after having ones shoes soaked in god-only-knows-what once— or twice.
Gross.
Grosser.
DISGUSTING.
Your tax dollars at work.
Miss Heather
New York Shitty Day Ender: Results
Filed under: 11211, 11222, Asshole, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
When Laura Hofmann asked Mister Heather to sign a petition to get Evan Thies on the ballot a couple months ago he gladly obliged.
As a result we have been receiving his campaign propaganda ever since. Like this postcard…
…which our cat, Bodhi, saw fit to annotate with his vomitus. As his name indicates, Bodhi is a very wise tabby. Greenpoint born and raised. This is what I call “results”!
I mention the previous anecdote because this evening I received a call from one of Evan Thies’s merry elves on my landline. This is curious for a number of reasons, among them:
- Chez Shitty’s landline is under Mister Heather’s name, not mine.
- It is unlisted.
- The caller/shill asked for me specifically. How did this chap know this phone number, indeed, belonged to me? I’m guessing OSA or GWAPP gave it to him.
In any case, this chap asked me what my feelings about Evan Thies were. I replied:
Negative.
To wit he asked:
Why?
I replied:
Among other things the fact he resigned from CB1 before the Broadway Triangle vote. He should have stayed on, voted and explained why he voted for or against this plan. As distasteful as the choice was either way.
Then I got a song and dance about how Thies’s resignation was ill-timed, e.g.; he didn’t know it would coincide with the Broadway Triangle vote. How he was against the Broadway Triangle plan, etc. I made it known, albeit politely, that I thought his argument was bullshit, he was not going to change my mind and I have other things to do. That brought this unsolicited phone call to a merciful end.
Closing thoughts (for Evan Thies’s campaign wonks/worker bees):
- Touting your years as David Yassky’s “Chief of Staff” is a minus, not a plus.
- I don’t care who you got my phone number from: do not call me. Especially in the evening. Per *69 you called from 1 (646) 594-4545 at 7:32 p.m. I have every intention of calling this number tomorrow— you have wasted my time, I want to return the favor. It’s better to give than receive.
- With Thiesisms like this (regarding campaign contributions he received from Dean Palin and family, who plans to build a 40 story tower at the end of India Street. Dean can be seen hamming it up for the camera with the Executive Director of OSA and David Yassky here):
Thanks for your email–I’d hate for you to think that I was keeping anything from you. I do not support a 40-story tower there and I said as much at the last debate and during community board discussions on the project, after which, as you probably know, we approved the proposal unanimously with suggested changes.
I do, however, think that the affordable housing component of the project is good, and that a smaller version of the development would be the best case scenario.
I’ve known Dean for a while now, and I think he will work with us on this–but we have to keep at it throughout the land use process.
I cannot, with clear conscience, vote for you Evan. You’re David Yassky 2.0. What’s more, when I get unsolicited phone calls from your campaign workers at dinnertime it pisses me off. Big time. Hence why I wrote this post and relegated you to the “asshole” category on my humble site.
Mazel tov!
Miss Heather
P.S.: The Mister and I are still for Jo Anne Simon. There is no perfect candidate in this race. At least Ms. Simon was frank and didn’t bullshit me when I met her last week. I liked her. What’s more, her workers don’t call me while I’m having dinner.
UPDATE, August 14, 2009; 12:20: I just received a prank call from Mister Heather. As soon as I picked up the phone he said “This is the David Yassky campaign”. I hung up.
From The New York Shitty Inbox: The Sweater Lofts Get DOB’d
Anonymous writes (in an email entitled “DOB is SO STUPID”):
“NO VISIBLE MEANS. OF EGRESS INTO BUILDING ” are you fucking KIDDING me?
I guess they didn’t notice the front door(s).* This is sort of funny given the tenants of this building clearly have.
As Kurt Vonnegut would say:
So it goes…
Miss Heather
Greenpoint Photo Du Jour: Peter Pan Bakery
I guess it’s still a “secret” if a lowly blogger writes about/reviews it first. In any case I’m glad Peter Pan Bakery got some well-deserved publicity for this fine creation. They deserve it.
Miss Heather
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