Greenpoint Photo Du Jour: 184 Eagle Street

June 19, 2009 ·
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic 

If anyone from the Department of Buildings is reading this (and finally feels inclined to inspect this building which has a number of complaints filed that an illegal hotel is being operated on the premises— some of which date as far back as February) you might want to check out this unit located on easternmost corner of the 5th floor.

bunkbeds

As you can see a pair of bunk beds are clearly visible from the street. Bunk beds, I will add, which bear a striking resemblance to the ones featured on Luxe Guesthouse’s web site.*

bunks

It doesn’t get much more obvious than this, folks. Not that I expect this post (or any of my previous posts about this building) to motivate the Department of Buildings to actually do anything. They’ve sat on their hands for five months and I have little doubt they will continue to do so for at least five more.

I have said it before and I’ll say it again:

What is the point of having laws on the books if they are not enforced?

This is laughable.

Miss Heather

Image Credits/Information: The former photograph was taken yesterday, June 18 at approximately 10:00 p.m. The latter comes courtesy of Hostel Bookers dot com.

*Which is currently parked but a new and improved site is promised. Hence why I gleaned the latter image from Hostel Bookers dot com.

Citypoint Photo Du Jour: Pink Pandas!

June 19, 2009 ·
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic, Long Island City, Newtown Creek, Street Art 

ryker

From The Pulaski Bridge.

Miss Heather

Signs Of The Times

June 19, 2009 ·
Filed under: Dog Shit Signage, Williamsburg 

POUNDLAUNDRYlib

YOURMOTHERlib

When I stumbled upon these blue chip specimens of New York City signage in my photo pool (which come courtesy of Lost In Brooklyn) it reminded me that I have been woefully amiss in passing along a couple of my own finds. They hail from a recent sojourn through Williamsburg.

NO

This no frills, proletariat model comes from Wythe Avenue. Although it looks like they had a little trouble with the “g” it seemed to be effective, nonetheless. I did not spy so much as a single doggy dumpling.

NODOGPOOP

Bags of garbage, however, were another matter. Nice, but we can do better.

bluebag

Like this example from North 9 Street.

bluebag2

This is a private garbage can. Do not trespass on my property to leave your dog shit here. Take it home with your and smell it by your house. This is especially directed to the person with her little blue bags.

Now this is more like it! Granted there is no implicit threat being made here, but I for one find the “we know who you are” aspect endearing.

POEMS

In fact I was so impressed I shared the good news of my discovery with couple of folks writing poetry on Bedford Avenue. They were kind of enough to write a little something on the back of a flier for the Williamsburg Flea Market just for me. It was (appropriately enough) entitled “Shit”.

SHIT

Amen.

Miss Heather

New York Shitty Day Starter: Kent Avenue

June 19, 2009 ·
Filed under: Williamsburg 

iheart

iheart2

Ah, what would New York Shitty be had nature not seen fit to give us the finger?

Miss Heather

New York Shitty Day Ender: Over It

June 18, 2009 ·
Filed under: Williamsburg 

salami

Wishing to end today’s offerings on an upbeat note, I present for your approval this bit of self help a la sidewalk from Metropolitan Avenue. I don’t know about you but knowing that “Salami” is “over it” somehow makes me smile.

Miss Heather

Williamsburg Street Art Du Jour: Northside Vs. Southside

June 18, 2009 ·
Filed under: Street Art, Williamsburg 

Plus

loadingzone

silhouette

River Street

JFK

Grand Street

dain

redandgreen

silhouette2

Dunham Place

chair

Kent Avenue

Miss Heather

From The New York Shitty Inbox: More Criminal Activity?

June 18, 2009 ·
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic 

Man oh Manneschevitz, this is proving to be quite a week here in the Garden Spot! As if a suspicious drug-related death, what appears to be an INCREDIBLY SCARY car chase ending with a collision on Provost Street and belligerent drunks menacing a family at our new park are not enough, I now have two more tales from readers regarding recent hijinks in the neighborhood. I feel like my inbox has become the community crime blotter! Here it goes:

Lara writes (in an email entitled “High Speed Chase”):

My 2 year old daughter and I witnessed another high speed car chase on Franklin Street, it was approximately 2 weeks ago about 5 pm in the evening. I wish I remembered the date but alas I don’t, I believe it was the week before last on a Thursday.

We were coming out of our building on the corner of Franklin and Kent when an unmarked police car sped down Franklin street and turned right on Kent Street….HOWEVER, Con Ed just happened to be working on Kent Street and had erected orange cones blocking off Kent Street at Franklin….nevertheless, the unmarked police car ran over said cones and sped up Kent Street, they were followed by a regular cop car who swerved at the last minute to avoid the cones. The marked police car almost hit oncoming traffic on Franklin Street and a woman walking her dog in front of River Barrel ran to get out of the way!

The unmarked car being unable to pass the big Con Ed trucks decided to reverse at lightening speed back down Kent Street, run over the cones again and then peel out onto Franklin Street.  The driver and passenger in the unmarked car were frantically talking on the radio and seemed very upset. The police officer in the passenger seat was yelling “GO GO GO!”.

No police car came back to see if anyone was hurt. Passersby put the cones back.

Outrageous!

Granted, she makes no mention of a car being “followed” but this incident is disturbing nonetheless. There are a lot of people out and about at 5:00 p.m. on a weekday— commuters mostly. Yikes!

Next up, we have a little armed robbery by McGolrick Park courtesy of Lucy. She writes:

I just moved into the neighborhood, and am so glad to have found your blog! Anyway, as a tip/inquiry, I was wondering if you knew about an armed robbery that happened last night, on Driggs Avenue? My roommate and I were in the middle of dealing with a leaky fridge when a dectective buzzed our doorbell to let us know that the deli downstairs had been robbed at gunpoint! I don’t know the exact name of the deli (like I said, I only just moved in), but it’s on Driggs, right by the corner of Driggs and Monitor. My roommate was the one who talked to the detective so I didn’t get the full scoop (and I was a bit distracted by the fridge), but apparently the people are ok, but possibly slightly beaten up? Sorry not to have more information, but I thought it was worth passing along.

If this is how June is shaping up it begs the question as to what  July and August (when it’s hot as hell, thus making people more inclined to start trouble) will be like. Sheesh.

Miss Heather

Crosstown Local Photo Du Jour

June 18, 2009 ·
Filed under: Crosstown Local, Williamsburg 

broadway

And so the race to the bottom continues. Could someone please explain to me who watches this crap? Obviously someone does or they (in this case Oxygen) wouldn’t keep churning it out.

Miss Heather

Reader Contribution Du Jour: People In Our Neighborhood

June 18, 2009 ·
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic 

Lest I have it clear already tips and submissions are more than welcome here at New York Shitty. Although I may not have the time to post everything I am sent (I like my time away from the keyboard just like everyone else, probably more so) they are greatly appreciated. Today I am pleased as punch to share with you some photographs taken by a fellow Greenpoint named Tony Luib. He writes:

these are photos i took on my phone. they are certainly a different style than your more professional shots and not sure they are blog-worthy. they are interesting, though. if you would like to use them, please feel free. i’ve been hesitant to send you any photos because it’s really my phone that is on me when the time comes to shoot someone or something.  the iPhone distorts also but i still like the ease of its use…. i just decided today to actually send them to you to see for yourself. call me crazy.

Tony does himself a tremendous disservice: a number of his photographs are terrific! He does a great job at capturing the ephemeral quality of day to day life in the Garden Spot of the Universe. But enough talk. See for yourself.

buspeopleLUIB

coupleLUIB

girlwithciggie

IrenesLUIB

mcguinnessLUIB

waitingforthebusLUIB

thenseezeLUIB

steliasLUIB

I told you this was some good stuff now didn’t I? In closing anyone interested in submitting photographs of Greenpoint or beyond please do so, I would love to see them. But please keep them at 600 x 800 pixels so my inbox doesn’t get constipated.

Thanks!

Miss Heather

From The Brooklyn Daily Eagle Archives

June 18, 2009 ·
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg 

greenpoint

Yet another rainy day and with it yet another morning I have spent entertaining myself by poking around the Brooklyn Daily Eagle online archives. My armchair traveling has netted me a number of wonderful discoveries. Among them: a couple of long-forgotten graveyards (one of which was in Greenpoint!) and a school or two. Incidental to (or more accurately, as a consequence of) my numerous searches I came across today’s item. Which brings me to the above photograph taken on Milton Street.

Nowadays this diminutive stretch of road is a pretty quiet place. Save the sounds of children at play at the American Playground or the occasional film crew not much goes on here. But just over 130 years ago this location gained infamy for being one of the sites associated with the most notorious and downright gruesome murder stories of its day. All the elements for a truly sensational tale are to had in this item from the July 17, 1882 edition of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle: drinking, claims of infidelity, dismemberment and eventually madness. Enjoy!

7171882BDE

To learn where this most dastardly of deeds went down click here.

Miss Heather

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