Greenpoint
Lorven Pharmacy
Culture on the Cheap
New York Shitty Photos Du Jour: East Williamsburg Gothic
Filed under: 11211, Bloomblight, East Williamsburg, East Williamsburg Brooklyn, Recession, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
Yesterday, despite my better judgment (90+ degree weather and the aftermath of a cold do not mix), I took a walk. I went to the no-man’s land some call Greenpoint and others call East Williamsburg. Over the years I have developed a cynical disdain neighborhood taxonomy. This is due in large part to the real estate industry.
What I saw was the past, present and future of north Brooklyn. Do we, as a community, want to be the same or enjoy being different? Should we accept derelict testaments to speculation and greed such as 64 Maspeth Avenue as being a fact of life?
Miss Heather
From The New York Shitty Inbox: Bicyclist Struck On Kingsland?
Speaking as someone who has seen the traffic around Kingland Avenue and Nassau Avenue I wish I could be surprised by this— but I’m not. Jen writes:
hey Heather-
I figured you were the best person to reach out to to ask this questions to. I live on kingsland between nassau and norman which has become a very heavy truck & bus route. The light at kingsland and norman is on the same timing schedule as the light at kingsland and norman so trucks and cars tend to FLY down our street to make both lights, especialy at night. While i don’t know if installing a… camera would deter this behavior perhaps changing the timing of one of the lights ( so they didnt both turn green at the same time) would make drivers less inclined to speed through the block.
Last night there was an accident in front of our apartment because of this very thing, 2 cyclists were riding and one was hit by a large truck (both cyclists had full lights on their bikes front and back along with flashing lights on their tires. The truck was going too fast and has severely injured the cyclist.
Long story short… perhaps you know the best people to try and get in contact with to try and get a change in the lights made?
Off the top of my head I would recommend you and your neighbors:
- bring this to the attention of our local Community Board. They have a transportation committee and this is the kind of thing they would be very interested in knowing about.
- contact our State Representative Joe Lentol. I know one of his community liaisons, a very nice lady named Amy. She is very interested in pedestrian and bicyclist safety.
- attend the next 94th Precinct Community Council meeting and bring this to the attention of our Deputy Inspector, Dennis Fulton. Speaking as someone who has attended these meetings I can tell you traffic is a common complaint. You will NOT be alone.
If anyone has more advice for Jen or would care to recount their own observations about the traffic in this area (in my opinion it needs policing— BADLY) please tender them in the comments. I would love to hear them! In closing I hope this, the latest person to be struck by truck traffic in our community— makes a speedy and full recovery. My best wishes go out to his (or her) family, friends and loved ones.
Miss Heather
New York Shitty Day Ender: Culinary Conquest
Filed under: 11222, East Williamsburg, East Williamsburg Brooklyn, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic
From Boneshakers at 134 Kingsland Avenue.
Miss Heather
Greenpoint Photos Du Jour: Kingsland Avenue
As a young angst-ridden feminist I used to stew over the manifold perquisites given to my male counterparts for no other ascertainable reason than they sported a certain physical appendage I lacked. This was the source of a considerable amount of resentment and bitterness for yours truly for a very long time. Then, in the clarity of my 30’s I thought the better of it: if I were born a Mister I’d simply get into more trouble than I do as a Miss. I’d also probably get my ass kicked. A LOT.
Time heals all wounds.
There is a more than grain of truth to this adage. I’ve learned to accept my lot. Besides, if I was a he I wouldn’t have half the fun I do as a she. Among other things men wouldn’t offer me candy. Not in Bushwick anyway. But this is not to suggest I don’t feel the occasional pang that comes from being bereft of a wang. CASE IN POINT: something I found on Kingsland Avenue earlier today.
Even the older and (much) angrier feminist I am in 2010 cannot help but take a moment to admire this level of pen(is)manship.
Is that a cursive M I spy with my little eye? And to think some have the temerity to call our fair city’s public education system a failure…
Miss Heather
Street Seating Du Jour: Scratch-off Dreams
Filed under: 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Street Art
From Kingsland Avenue.
Miss Heather
New York Shitty Day Ender: Lookin’ Good!
Closing today’s (largely gustatory) offerings is a photographic progress report of the future Vinnie’s Pizzeria slated to grace 253 Nassau Avenue. Lookin’ good, fellas!
Miss Heather
From The New York Shitty Inbox: Vinnie’s 2.0.?
Filed under: 11211, 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
Anonymous writes:
Dear Miss Heather,
Although I currently reside in Florida (suckfest), I’m a huge fan and avid reader of your blog…
Although I could toot your horn all day, I’ll be honest and tell you I have an ulterior motive: my boyfriend (ex? current? we haven’t quite decided) recently linked up with his friends from Williamsburg. These boys are the current owners of Vinnie’s Pizza on Bedford Ave, known largely for their great selection of Vegan/Vegetarian specialty pies and their “T.HANKS” trash can featured on an array of blogs in recent months. AAAAnyshit, I was hoping to anonymously alert you and your readers to their new location, opening right in Greenpoint at Nassau and Kingsland.
I’m not entirely sure when they’re set to open, but from the sound of it the date should fall well before the new year. I don’t know if this is necessarily of any interest to you but figured it was worth a try to help out a friend. Thanks so much and keep of the great work – I always look forward to new posts!
Thanks for the kind words and head’s up, Anonymous. I am certain this will definitely be of interest to my friends in McGolrick Heights!
Miss Heather
From The New York Shitty Inbox: Fingers
Filed under: 11211, 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Street Art, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
Tony writes:
I’m not sure if you’ve seen this at the corner of Frost & Kingsland, but it’s well-executed. I think it’s air brush on aluminum.
No Tony, I have not seen this. However, I do know who the artist is. His name is Dan Witz and you can see more of his work (which I love) by clicking here. Thanks for passing along this great find!
Miss Heather
Reader Contribution Du Jour: Open House At 267-269 Kingsland Avenue
Tony From Grandparents Avenue writes:
Greetings,
If it interests you…
For starters, this building is ass ugly, but it’s also illegal. The top floor of this building breaks the law when it exceeds 5 feet height on what they call an attic. It wouldn’t be that big of a deal if it wasn’t what cropped out a third of our view of the city skyline, including our favorite: the Chrysler Building. It sucks. We got a stop work order on it and they took out the windows and just put walls up. But after a few months they re-installed the windows. We hate this building. And apparently not too many people do like it. In an unprecedented move (unless you can correct me), the developer is putting these 16 units up for auction (more on that) and today was the open house. These units were originally going for half a million a piece, but now have a starting bid at $150,000!! We had to go check it out. Here’s some pictures from today. And we are not done writing letters and although there doesn’t seem like there’s any way to get our view back, I would like to give them as much hell about it as we can.
And last— but hardly least— the attic.
Nice.
Miss Heather
Williamsburg Photos Du Jour: Separated At Barf?
Filed under: 11211, Abjectecture, Articles of Fedderization, East Williamsburg, East Williamsburg Brooklyn, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
When I was an undergraduate in art school my teachers frequently pestered me for not signing my work. I didn’t engage in this practice for two reasons:
- Over the years it had come to my attention that the size/elaborateness of the signature on a piece of art work was inversely related to the quality of said work.
- I had the presence of mind to know that 10-15 years down the line I would be appalled by my student work and destroy it. (And that is exactly what came to pass.)
Which brings me to this.
Driggs Avenue & North 9 Street
Kingsland & Skillman Avenue
I’m not in a particular chatty mood today but I couldn’t resist passing along these baby shit-hued beauties from the ‘burg. I fear this trend of going green (albeit via stucco) might be gaining momentum. Inasmuch as it pains me to write this the latter may very well be the least unattractive addition to what may very be one of the ugliest blocks in Williamsburg. Meet 253 Skillman Avenue’s neighbor.
Who wouldn’t want a balcony with scenic views of this?
Miss Heather
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