Greenpoint
Cafe Cito Bogota
Southside Photo du Jour: Hey Ladies…
(Or gentlemen)
For those of you who are without a date this All Hallow’s Eve I would like to bring to your attention this handsome (and very naked) gent from South 4 Street. Exactly why a scrap metal business possesses such an item— much less has it for sale— I do not know (and I did not ask). However, be advised that this chap’s company will set you back a cool $75.00. This may sound like a king’s ransom to many of you but just think of the money you’ll save on dates!
Miss Heather
Williamsburg Photo du Jour: I Do
From Frost Street.
Miss Heather
Williamspoint Photos du Jour: Special Halloween Edition
Filed under: 11206, 11211, 11222, East Williamsburg, East Williamsburg Brooklyn, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
This is without argument my favorite day of the year. For this reason I put together slide show of spooky stuff from the greater Williamspoint area to get everyone in the Halloween spirit. Enjoy!
Have happy (and safe) Halloween everybody!
Miss Heather
Williamsburg Halloween Watch: BEWARE
From Lorimer Street.
Miss Heather
More Day of the Dead Fun
Filed under: 11211, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
Those of you who are in search of more Day of the Dead fun in north Brooklyn are in luck: I have two more events to pass along to you. Here they are!
First up, Huitzilli will be serving up chocolate and churros (imagine a cinnamon flavored cheeto and you have the general idea) Sunday, November 1st, from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m.. While you’re there be sure to check out some of their great Day of the Dead wares. Here are a few highlights.
Sugar skulls galore.
Fun jewelry.
And of course I would feel remiss if I didn’t mention this Porkysesque bit of mirth. CAVEAT: Previous link may not be safe for work.
Check it out!
Churros & Hot Chocolate
Sunday, November 1, 2009 starting at 3:00 p.m.
Huitzilli
624 Metropolitan Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11211
This item comes courtesy of my buddy Bitchcakes. Here’s the 411 per their email announcement:
Try and come by for our annual Dia de los Muertos holiday at our coffee bar where we honor our passed family and friends with food, drinks (e,g, new Azteca mex chocolate/espresso shots), decor, and more. Pass flyer on to your friends!
Although the official celebration is Monday afternoon after 6pm, the coffee bar will have the traditional ofrenda (altar) loaded with pictures and mementos of lost loved ones this weekend til next weekend. I’ll be working Saturday early afternoon til 3pm and Sunday morning til 1:30. Try our tamale plates (w/ elote/Mexican corn) and mexican mocha IF you haven’t been by yet.
I have tried the Mexican mocha. It is nothing short of amazing. Coupled with their tamales you have a winning combination!
Day of the Dead Celebration
Starts Saturday, October 31 and runs through November 7, 2009
(the “official” party will be November 2, 2009 starting at 6:00 p.m.)
Beaner Bar
447 Graham Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11211
Have a happy, haunted and safe holiday weekend, folks!
Miss Heather
Southside Halloween Watch: The Witching Hour
From South 3 Street.
Miss Heather
Williamsburg Photos du Jour: Autumn On River Street
Taken October 30, 2009.
Miss Heather
Williamsburg Street Art du Jour: SKULLS!
These not-so gruesome pre-Halloween twosome hails from North 4th and Berry Street. Go to Berry Street and take a peek behind the dumpster yourself— I dare you!
Miss Heather
GREAT MOMENTS IN MUNICIPAL IDIOCY: Southside Style
Filed under: 11211, Brooklyn, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Long Island City, Queens, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
Yesterday morning I was alerted by a neighbor of mine that, in their infinite wisdom, the Department of Transportation has removed the “dismount” signs from the Pulaski Bridge. I have yet to verify this in person (I will) but this struck me as being yet another indicator of our fair city’s cow-towing to a bicyclist agenda at the expense of pedestrians. What’s more, it is just plain stupid to have bicyclists (who are apparently now legally sanctioned to go full speed ahead) and people on foot sharing a “pathway” which is eight to (at best) ten feet in width. This is a nasty accident waiting to happen— white lines or not.
I spent a fair amount of my morning fuming over this. In fact, I racked my brain to think of anything our city has perpetrated/inflicted on its citizens (traffic-wise) that could begin to compare to what they have done to the Pulaski Bridge. I came up empty.
Then I took a walk on the Southside. Methinks I may very well have found something worse.
Many of you, dear readers, are aware that I spend a significant amount of time looking down. This may seem to some to be an odd practice but I assure you it has a purpose: to avoid stepping in dog shit. As time has gone on I have found a number of other interesting things on our city’s sidewalks. I have documented them on this web site often.
In the case of Marcy Avenue I present to you this.
These.
And these.
Why does this irritate me so, you ask? Well, for starters:
- This “bicycle lane” is on a public sidewalk. Bikes do not belong on sidewalks, people do.
- If my memory serves me correctly one can get ticketed for riding a bicycle on a sidewalk.
- As you can see above the city has sanctioned the use of a public sidewalk for use by bicyclists. Somewhere I hear Franz Kafka and George Orwell cackling their respective asses off.
Follows is a map of the intersection in question to further elucidate my point.
I have highlighted the bike lane in question (which is located on South 3rd Street) in yellow. The sidewalk cum bike lane (on Marcy Avenue) is highlighted in green. The more eagle-eyed among you might have noticed that someone walking towards South 3rd Street on Marcy Avenue would have a limited/obstructed view of oncoming traffic (be it petroleum-fueled or man-powered) from South 3rd Street. Here’s a street level view to drive the point home.
I am not a Southside resident, but I do walk around there pretty frequently. Who do I see walking along this stretch of Marcy Avenue most frequently, you ask? I’ll tell you:
- A large number of elderly people. Many of whom are pushing carts laden groceries, some of whom have limited mobility.
- Young women pushing strollers or accompanying small children.
- Hipsters who have turned on and tuned into their i-Pods.
In a nutshell, people whose ability to dodge an oncoming bicycle— for reasons of their own choosing or otherwise— is compromised. I do not know who thought up this “solution” to the bicycling problem but it is one of the WORST examples of municipal “planning” I have ever seen.
In fact, if this didn’t pose a serious public safety issue I’d find the above image downright hilarious. But it is a safety issue. And it is no laughing matter.
I have often been accused of being “anti-bicycle”. I am not. What I am becoming increasingly fed up with is this “have your cake and eat it too” mode of operation our city is espousing. Bikes neither belong on sidewalks nor any other pedestrian walkway. They belong on the streets. Safely. To make this happen entails making tough choices. Choices clearly the leaders of this city are unwilling to make (presumably because they will piss off motorists).
This is a farce.
Miss Heather
UPDATE, 10/30/09 2:00 p.m.: Sure enough, the dismount signs have been removed from the Pulaski Bridge.
Wiiliamsburg Election Watch: No Confidence
I suspect I speak for many when I say I harbor no, zero, ZILCH enthusiasm regarding the upcoming election. Even though we, the voters, ostensibly have a “choice” the selection of candidates for the 2009 Mayoral Race strikes me as being tantamount to selecting between syphilis and gonorrhea. Either way you’re still sick.
Which brings me to a “write-in” candidate I discovered at the Lorimer Street entrance of the L train earlier today:
NOBODY.
Miss Heather
NYS Flickr Pool
