Greenpoint
Cafe Cito Bogota
A Newtown Creek PSA
Filed under: 11222, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Long Island City, Newtown Creek, Queens
Today I had the utmost urge to go out for a walk. I did not want to venture too far, however, lest I get caught in a torrential downpour. So I kept my wanderings local…
and went to the new park at the end of Manhattan Avenue. It was at this location that I found the following corker.
OK, I understand the city has to put these signs up. But who in their right mind would want to eat something that once called this home?
Gross.
Miss Heather
P.S.: WTF is this?!?
New York Shitty Day Starter: Polish Paradise
I recently learned that, contrary to popular belief, “Polish Paradise” is not located in Greenpoint. Those of you who are interested in paying this very special place a visit can can find it underneath the Pulaski Bridge in Long Island City.
NOTE: not only is “Polish Paradise” seemingly bereft of Polish people, it also appears to be BYOB.
Miss Heather
Williamspoint Photos Du Jour: Industriana
Cherry Street
Porter Avenue
Meadow Street
Bogart Street
Morgan Avenue
Miss Heather
Citypoint Photo Du Jour: Pink Pandas!
From The Pulaski Bridge.
Miss Heather
Introducing The Newtown Pentacle
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic, Long Island City, Maspeth, Newtown Creek, Queens, Sunnyside
Last night I had the damnedest time falling asleep. At 2:00 a.m. I found myself tossing and turning so I decided to get a glass of milk and poke around on the computer. I am glad I did because I came across a pingback from a new site called The Newtown Pentacle. Intrigued I checked it out. Although only a handful of posts strong I have to admit this site looks very promising. As for what it is about I’ll let the author, Mitch Waxman, do the talking (from his inaugural post dating from May 29, 2009):
The colonial era towns of Green Point, Brooklyn and the Queens towns of Astoria, Ravenswood, Hunter’s Point, Bowery Bay, and Middletown were called Newtown in Dutch and English times. In the early 19th century, the Queens villages combined to form Long Island City. The industrial center of the area was and still is Newtown Creek. The most polluted body of water on earth, this ancient inlet was once home to the Maspaetche Indians. Dutch Orchards and English farms gave way to Yankee rail and then Standard Oil as time went by. Today, its waters are a curious shade of copper green, and the largest oil spill in history gurgles back and forth through deep subterranean channels between Green Point and Long Island City. The architecture of the place is disturbingly heterogeneous. A rough tumble of styles are represented in this area — 19th century wrought iron row houses predominate, but 18th century warehouses are still on active duty in some places. Near Hunter’s Point and in Old Astoria, Antebellum mansions abut hideous Le Corbusier-influenced modernism. To the south and the east can be found some of the most interesting stone work in New York City as one explores the cemetery belt along the Brooklyn and Queens border.
Three million New Yorkers lie in Calvary cemetery alone. In this, the Necropolis of New York City, the living population of Queens is outnumbered three to one.
After a health scare a couple of years ago, my doctors recommended a course of clean living and regimen of physical exercise as the best curative. An amateur antiquarian and connoisseur of odd information, I elected to use my prescriptive exertions as an opportunity to explore and record. I toured crumbling Long Island City, the tree lined lanes of Victorian Astoria, and rusty coastlines of foetid Newtown Creek. Headphones on, camera in hand. The journey has taken me to many odd and forgotten places, and led me to discover a fascinating group of people. Follow me on these long walks, I promise you’ll see something amazing.
The previous isn’t just a bunch of verbiage either: Mr. Waxman delivers. Do give this site a whirl. It’s fascinating.
Miss Heather
Photo Credit: Mitch Waxman
Spotted: Greenpointer Actually Using New Park…
(or at least getting ready to!)
Christo (who took the above photograph) writes:
Sunday afternoon. Manhattan ave. Btwn Clay and Box. Heading toward the park/boat launch. I couldn’t stick around to see if they made it.
Speaking for myself I would want a LOT more boat between me and Newtown Creek than this. But as long as I’m not the one making the trip to Woodhull I say to each their own.
Miss Heather
Greenpoint Photos Du Jour: Hallelujah!
On April 21, 2009 I wrote (in regards to the waterfront park slated for northern terminus of Manhattan Avenue):
I’ll believe this park’s for real when my ass is firmly planted on one of those futuristic park benches!
Well here’s my fat ass planted on one such bench. This photograph was taken today, May 2, 2009, at approximately 2:30 p.m.
Although the Brooklyn Paper reported that this park would be open in either June or July.
It very much appears to be open.
TODAY.
Get down there and check it out!
It’s amazing how effective one news story the New York Times did NOT find fit to print (and as a result found its way onto a “neighborhood blog”) and one leaked Parks Department memorandum are at motivating our municipal entities to quit making excuses and get the job done. Looking at this couple enjoying their new park even warms the cockles of my cynical, jaded heart. Congratulations Greenpoint, you at long last have an honest-to-god (if still a little rough around the edges) waterfront park! Enjoy it.
Miss Heather
Last Gasp: Greenpoint Goes Green On Sunday!
…sort of. Some of you might remember the debacle at last year’s Earth Day celebration. For those of you who are not in the know fliers were posted advertising this event all over 11211 and 11222. None of them mentioned Exxon Mobil was a sponsor. But they were. A sponsor. When the word got out hilarity ensued.
This year Exxon and their funky bunch will sport a table instead. Per a tipster:
Thank you (excised) for giving me a heads up that Exxon Mobil, WILL have a table at the Go Green Event. I will not be attending the event after all. Even though I appreciate Town Sq(uare’s) efforts, I would feel personally responsible for misleading people, if I didn’t let this group know.
Furthermore, I personally feel that Exxon Mobil has contributed greatly to this community’s environmental problems and I will continue to not attend events that allow the corporation to present themselves as an entity interested in this community’s GREEN well being. Their time is better spent on actions that will get the Creek cleaned up & the affected community greened up.
Those of you who find Exxon’s intransigence and shameless (and regrettably, very effective) attempts to buy off this community by throwing around chump change and purchasing positive PR offensive— or are simply disgusted by the useful idiots who facilitate their green washing— mark your calendars:
GO GREEN! GREENPOINT!
April 19, 2009 starting at 11:00 a.m.
Nassau Avenue at North 15 Street
Brooklyn, New York 11222
Miss Heather
Great Minds Think Alike: Forgotten NY Does Greenpoint…
AVENUE, that is. Shortly after I took a jaunt down Greenpoint Avenue here in the Garden Spot my buddy Kevin over at Forgotten NY decided to write a “Street Scenes” feature about the wonderful things to be found on this thoroughfare both in its namesake ‘nabe and beyond! I was particularly moved by his coverage of what we Greenpointers fondly call the “Shit Tits” (as seen at left):
Anaerobic Digestion Boobs
Well, we’ve seen the udders … here are the boobs …These somewhat disturbing objects at North Henry Street are called digester eggs. Through a process called anaerobic digestion they reduce the volume of sludge (what’s left of sewage after debris and liquid are removed) by nearly half. The egg shape is a space-efficient and minimal maintenance European design. The green thing in between the eggs is an elevator, in case you want to see what’s going on up there.
I never, EVER thought I would see the day Kevin Walsh would use the word boobs on Forgotten NY. I suppose I am rubbing off on him. This may or may not be a good thing but I can state with 100% certainty that this post is well worth reading. Check it out!
Miss Heather
P.S.: For more information/infotainment about the Newtown Waste Treatment Facility check out my piece over at the Poop Report.
Introducing Mr. Floatie
On The Waterfront With Mr. Floatie from Heal The Harbor on Vimeo.
Methinks Greenpoint needs to have its very own spokesturd. Given that Newtown Creek contains both oil and “floaties” I would like to propose that his name be “Slick Willie”. Thoughts, anyone?
Miss Heather
P.S.: Special thanks go out to Laura Hofmann for bringing this gem to my attention.
NYS Flickr Pool
