Greenpoint
Lorven Pharmacy
Culture on the Cheap
New York Shitty Day Ender: A Very Greenpoint Father’s Day
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
I will end today’s offerings with the above photograph of a father, his daughter and niece enjoying the view of Manhattan from the end of Java Street. As with most things in life, it was not so much the destination as the manner in which they got there that was interesting. You see, today this proud father taught his daughter (who can be seen at left) how to ride a bike. On West Street.
Wearing a “My Dad Rocks” t-shirt, a grimace fueled by determination and training wheels she gradually got the hang of it. Albeit in fits and starts. That’s when dad decided to up the ante; he took her to Java Street.
Many of you might or might not recall that the western end of Java Street is paved with cobble stones. This can be very challenging terrain to tread upon, much less operate a bicycle on. Especially for a novice. But they raise them tough in Greenpoint. And so with a shout of encouragement from dear old dad:
If you can ride across this you can ride across anything!
and one minor “spill” notwithstanding— she did!
Miss Heather
More Thoughts Of The Day: Garden Spot Style!
Green Street
Don’t let anyone put you down without your consent. — Eleanor Roosevelt
West Street
Java Street
Miss Heather
Williamspoint Photos Du Jour: Eat Me On Bedford Avenue
Java Street
Manhattan Avenue
Bedford Avenue
Miss Heather
New York Shitty Day Ender: Some More People From My Neighborhood
Java Street
Greenpoint Avenue
Nassau Avenue
McCarren Park
Bedford Avenue
Jackson Street
Metropolitan Avenue
Miss Heather
Greenpoint Street Seating Du Jour: Luxe Living On Java Street
It’s been a while since I’ve hit you up with some street seating. I have to confess this has more to do with forgetfulness on my part than a dearth of good pickings. Luckily I was reminded of the error of my ways today as I walking down Java Street. Which is where I found the following blue chip ensemble.
All the essentials for a leisurely Monday afternoon in the Garden Spot of the Universe are present:
1. A comfy chair
2. A television set, albeit sans cable (it is a recession after all) and this piece of added value
3. A pair of 3-D glasses
All you need is a brewski (in the requisite paper bag, naturally) and perhaps a can of pickled herring and you’re set!
Miss Heather
Greenpoint Photos Du Jour: More People In My Neighorhood
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
From McCarren Park & Manhattan Avenue
Miss Heather
New & Noteworthy: Neither More Nor Less
Filed under: Manhattan
What I love about this blog (which hails from the East Village) is encapsulated by the above photograph. Before you, dear readers, get your self-righteous feathers in a ruffle you best look at the entire post. This site isn’t about vilifying or making fun of the homeless.
Neither Nor More Less showcases the disparity between the “New York City” run by and for the affluent and, well, the less photogenic people who actually live here. In the above example we see a well-to-do couple laughing while seemingly oblivious to a man pissing himself. The previous scenario is not dissimilar to what I see in Greenpoint or Williamsburg on any given day. What is transpiring in the East Village will and is happening in Greenpoint. Not that most of the people reading this will be around to see it. We’ll be “priced out”.
My question is how long can we afford to ignore them? Whether our (se)lected officials care to admit it the growing homeless population in our city deserves our attention and compassion. True civilization in my book is how we, as a people, care for those who cannot fend themselves. Be they two or four legged. In this regard our city has failed. Miserably.
Miss Heather
A Girl And Her Blog
It would appear that politicians (and the developers to whom they are beholden) have done a smashing job of removing “urban blight” (READ: the working class/poor) from north Brooklyn. Who needs nuclear bombs when re-zoning, complicity and bureaucratic incompetence/apathy will do the job? Nonetheless the end product is more or less the same: a community whose quality of life has been compromised.
Follows is a revue of developer-induced blight in north Brooklyn I captured yesterday, April 5. I have entitled it After The Gold Rush.
The sad reality is re-zoning, tax bennies, and easy credit have done little to benefit my neighborhood. There were once businesses that gave people decent, well paying jobs. Affordable rental property was once in abundance in Greenpoint as well. No more. Thanks to our city’s leadership much of my wonderful neighborhood has become a wasteland peppered by vacant lots, failed condominiums cum overpriced rental property, illegal hostels and super-sized tourist destinations operated by and for the affluent.
The time is long overdue for north Brooklyn to be developed in a manner sensitive to the needs of the people who constitute this community, not the ones Mayor Bloomberg’s rich cronies envision living here.
TO BE CONTINUED.
Miss Heather
P.S.: This one’s for you, Bob.
Williamspoint Photos Du Jour: Fire Hydrant Cavalcade
Evergreen Avenue, East Williamsburg/Bushwick.
Powers Street, Williamsburg.
Driggs Avenue, Williamsburg.
Java Street, Greenpoint.
India Street, Greenpoint.
Miss Heather
NYS Flickr Pool
You must be logged in to post a comment.