Greenpoint Photo du Jour: Howl

November 26, 2008 ·
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic 

From West Street.

Miss Heather

Ah, Greenpoint!

November 25, 2008 ·
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg 

Earlier today I made a rather fascinating discovery; when you run the search terms “drunk” and “Greenpoint” some mighty interesting things pop up on YouTube. The following are three of my more “choice” finds. Enjoy!

You know, inasmuch as people are angry at the prospect of doling out $2.50 to ride our fine city’s subways and buses I really do not mind. With “in flight” entertainment like this dude I have no qualms whatsoever with ponying up an extra fifty cents. As a matter of fact I consider money well spent.

Miss Heather

Williamspoint Photos du Jour: It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like X-Mas!

November 25, 2008 ·
Filed under: Bed-Stuy, Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg 

Kent Avenue, Williamsburg.

Lorimer Street, Greenpoint.

I would like to advise my fellow north Brooklynites not to overindulge this upcoming turkey day. The eyes in the Stuy will be watching us.

Miss Heather

TOMORROW: Portraits From The Soup Kitchen

November 25, 2008 ·
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg 

For those of you who are staying in the Garden Spot this upcoming Tofurky Day there are plenty of ways to get your fix of thankfulness. As I mentioned before, there will be an interfaith service at Ahavas Israel starting at 7:30 p.m. Volunteers are always welcome at the Greenpoint Reformed Church’s food pantry and soup kitchen. Especially tomorrow when they’ll be serving up an early Thanksgiving dinner. Ann Kansfield wrote (in her press release):

The Greenpoint Reformed Church Soup Kitchen will host a special Thanksgiving turkey dinner on Wednesday, November 25 from 6-7pm. The event will mark the opening of a new art exhibit featuring portraits of the soup kitchen’s patrons and volunteers painted by Janice Bridgers.

The soup kitchen has found innovative ways to help feed increasing numbers of homeless and low-income individuals. The kichen manages to feed a hot meal to 80-100 people each week on a shoestring budget.  We expect even more people to come for the pre-Thanksgiving meal on Wednesday night. The meal will consist of turkey and other traditional Thanksgiving trimmings.

Adding to the evening is the opening of an art show featuring portraits of the soup kitchen’s clients and volunteers. The artwork is meant to increase self-esteem and pride among individuals who are often demoralized and hopeless. The artwork is displayed with gallery lighting in the same room where the soup kitchen meals take place…

Founded in 2007, the Greenpoint Reformed Church Soup Kitchen is a non-sectarian program that provides a weekly hot meal for homeless and low income people in North Brooklyn.  The number of people served by the soup kitchen has risen signficiantly due to the downturn in the economy.

Janice Bridgers began painting portraits of people associated with soup kitchen after she began volunteering with the program. She holds an MFA from Columbia University and makes a great tasting pot of soup.

Here are a few works by Ms. Bridgers (which I have to admit as a painter who defected to sculpture I rather like. They are strikingly reminiscent of Alice Neel.) you’ll see tomorrow night at the soup kitchen. Each painting will be for sale (they’re $300 each) and all proceeds will go towards the soup kitchen.

You can see more of Ms. Bridger’s work by clicking here. In closing I’d like to mention that the soup kitchen and food pantry needs our help now more than ever:

Each day there’s a new story about how the decline in our economy is leading to an increase in demand for food pantries and soup kitchens. We’ve seen a huge increase in the number of people coming through the doors of the Greenpoint Reformed Church’s soup kitchen and food pantry. As you might guess, the funds needed to help feed so many hungry people haven’t kept pace with the demand. In fact, our city funding got cut this summer.  Our pantry is empty right now, otherwise I wouldn’t be writing to you.

We need your help, and we’re asking you to do two things. Please make a Thanksgiving donation to Greenpoint’s pantry and kitchen. No gift is too small – we can do a lot with just $5 or $10.  We’re able to buy food at a reduced cost from the NY Food Bank, so we leverage every dollar donated to us. Second, please help spread the word and forward this message to five friends asking them to donate a few bucks.  If everyone gives a little, we can do so much.

We’re aren’t a large non-profit.  We don’t have a fancy building or shiny equipment. You can be assured that your donation goes directly to help people who would otherwise fall through the cracks of our society.  Along with helping people, you also have the benefit of your donation being tax-deductable.

You can send a check to:

Greenpoint Church Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry
136 Milton St.
Brooklyn, NY 11222

Or make an online donation by clicking here.

Miss Heather

Brooklyn Photo du Jour: Advice

November 25, 2008 ·
Filed under: Clinton Hill 

From Taaffe Place.

Miss Heather

Promising New Brooklyn Blog Of The Year…

November 25, 2008 ·
Filed under: Area 51, Park Slope 

and perhaps this decade.

Yesterday I was busy doing what many of you, dear readers, have probably been engaged in: preparing for Thanksgiving. Thankfully I had some time to moderate comments this evening and after doing so I noticed a most curious incoming link:

Naturally I was all over this like a bedbug on a Greenpoint mattress. It’s not that I want to hate Park Slope or anything —although to be fair I kind of do. It’s just that the place is so damned weird. To my little Greenpoint eye it’s sort of like Levittown and The Stepford Wives got together and built an enclave in Brooklyn. With double-wide strollers and wifi.

Let’s consider the latter most advertisement for a moment, shall we? I seriously doubt anyone in Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Bushwick or Bedford-Stuyvesant would have to troll the webs in search of cockroaches. Just last week I watched one of our cats eviscerate one such creature in our kitchen. He was considerate enough to eat it afterwards. I don’t think it measured 1 1/2 inches though. What is Lee getting at here? Is waiting for the G train too much of a bother? Are Greenpoint cockroaches not good enough for him?!?

Size queen.

This is the latest entry. For those of you who are wondering follows are a few of the Facebook groups which F.I.P.S. has unearthed which hail from the Slope that is Park:

*New Park Slope Ladies Funtime Goodtimes Group (8 members)
*You Know You’re From Park Slope When… (426 members)
*Park Slope Ultimate Frisbee League (PSUFL) (54 members)
*The Inevitable Damnation of Park Slope (25 members)
*Ive (sic) Burned in Park Slope dis Summer (17 members)
*I Am Suspended from The Park Slope Food Coop (7 members)
*Get the NY Times To Shut Up About Park Slope Already (4 members)
*Dem Slope Boyz (a Park Slope Frat!!!) (request to join)

Yup. If the first three days Fucked In Park Slope has been in publication are any indication, I will be an avid reader for a very, very long time. Now if you don’t mind some cockroaches and I have a date with a can of RAID.

Miss Heather

Today’s Moment Of Zen

November 24, 2008 ·
Filed under: Area 51 

I found this gem over at Reflections From The End Of The Night. Other than that I honestly do not know what to say.

Miss Heather

Seeing Is Believing!

November 24, 2008 ·
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic 

After basking in the knowledge that Xtra Discount was coming back to Greenpoint I decided to go down to 856 Manhattan Avenue today and document this most auspicious development.

As I took the above photograph a woman passerby asked:

Why are you taking a photograph of this?

I gave the matter some thought (this IS a very good question after all) and replied:

Xtra Discount lost their lease at the space across the street (pointing at WaMU) and it was feared they were gone forever. This establishment was a great place to buy socks. I am very happy that I won’t have to schlep twenty minutes just to buy a pair of fucking socks. So I decided to take a photograph of the new storefront so I could post it online and share the good news with everyone.

Believe it or not, I think she understood.

Miss Heather

Anything f’ Thanksgiv’n?

November 24, 2008 ·
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic 

I imagine a number of you are preparing for Thanksgiving. Before I commence with the task of hunting and gathering all the proper vegetables for the feast I’ll be preparing (chile rellenos with rice, beans, salsa, soup and sangria!) I thought I would take the time to share a little bit ‘o’ of old New Yorkiana with you: Ragamuffin Day.

What is Ragamuffin Day, you ask? That is an excellent question. Imagine if you will a dash of Halloween on Thanksgiving Day. Children throughout our fair city would dress up in tatty clothes, blacken their faces and go door to door asking:

Anything f’ Thanksgiv’n?

If the man or woman of the house felt charitable he or she would throw them candy, fruit or change for their efforts. And just like the “trick or treating” we know today there was ample latitude on both sides— beggars and beggees alike —for mischief. Do you know what a “red penny” is? You will after reading this article from the November 27, 1931 edition of the New York Times. Enjoy!

Those of you who want to learn more about Ragamuffin Day from a distinctly Greenpointian point of view should point and click your way over to Greenpt.com. There you will find a number of amusing firsthand accounts of this long gone tradition.

Miss Heather

Photo Credit: SuzyO of Py-O-My (who I will ordering my apple pie from!)

Greenpoint Photos du Jour: Art Lover’s Special

November 24, 2008 ·
Filed under: Articles of Fedderization, Greenpoint Magic 

Ever had one of those moments when you realized something so fucking obvious you could kick yourself? Well, I had one of those epiphanies recently. It was as follows:

Greenpointers like chainsaw sculptures. A LOT.

Follows are a few of my favorite specimens. Enjoy!

Kingsland Avenue

India Street

The flower is a nice touch.

Eckford Street

Pope preaching to an assortment of woodland creatures and a Fedders box: priceless.

Miss Heather

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