Greenpoint
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Culture on the Cheap
Bodega Cats In Today’s NYTimes
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
Recently I met with Kate Hammer, a reporter from the New York Times. She was working on an article about bodega cats so I showed her around the neighborhood and introduced her to some of my favorite feline friends. Well, today it went to print and one of Greenpoint’s most beloved kitty cats is prominently featured. Check it out!
Miss Heather
‘Tis The Season: McGuinness Boulevard
What is this? Didn’t his spidey sense warn him that Mickey G’s is lined with dog poo? For shame, Spidey Claus, for shame.
Miss Heather
The Athens of the East River
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
After taking Thursday to unwind after my rather unpleasant experience at the hands of local constabulary, I am back at the keyboard to pass along this week’s piece of Greenpoint gold from the days of old. Before I proceed, however, I would like to thanks to the people at Curbed and Gothamist; my buddy Kevin over at Forgotten-NY, Icky in Brooklyn, Found in Brooklyn, Picture New York, Subchat, NYCPhotoRights, New York Magazine, The Angry New Yorker and last, but hardly least, The Gowanus Lounge for getting the word out about what was by far one of the most asinine, infuriating and degrading experiences I have ever had in my life. If what I beheld Wednesday is “New York’s Finest” god help us all.
But let’s get back to today’s story: after being ousted as Alderman, our very own Peter J. McGuinness set his sights on becoming the Sheriff of Kings County. Just as the catch phrase “Courtesy Professionalism and Respect” is a mere formality to our police force, Pete felt waiting to be elected before calling himself Sheriff was a mere technicality. He was also quite the gourmand, as you will learn from this article from the August 8, 1935 edition of the New York Times. Enjoy!
As it would turn out, Mr. McGuinness’s presumptuousness was well merited: not only did he win the election by a landslide, but he received over 10,000 letters of congratulation to boot. This was more than any other elected official in New York City, Fiorello La Guardia included. I can only hope Pete kept his campaign promise about improving the fare at the hoosegow; it’ll give me something to look forward to the next time I go out to take pictures.
Miss Heather
‘Tis The Season: Huron Street
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
These caroling critters sure look happy. They have not made the acquaintance of our local constabulary.
Yet: I have little doubt one of them will ticket that ginger bread man for loitering.
Miss Heather
‘Tis The Season: N.Y.P.D. Style
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
It must have been slow at the good ol’ 94th Precinct today. That’s the only reason I can conjure up as to why they saw fit to throw some holiday cheer my direction by detaining me and demanding identification.
Was I trespassing? No.
Was I loitering? No.
Was I dressed in a manner that would be construed as menacing?
If wearing hats bearing Sanrio characters is an indication of being criminally inclined, I guess the answer is “yes”.
After demanding to know why I merited their attention— AT LEAST THREE TIMES— I was told “someone reported a suspicious person was in the area taking pictures”. Is taking pictures against the law? Not as far as I know. But the line of questioning the (male) police officer posited to me would certainly suggest it is:
P.O.: If you live in north Greenpoint, what are you doing here?
Me: Taking pictures, is that against the law?
P.O.: No.
Me: Hausman Street always goes all-out with their Christmas decorations, I just got done taking pictures of them. Pretty days like today are going to become few and far between soon and I wanted to enjoy them while I can.
Barney Fife looked at me like I had eight heads.
I wasn’t lying.
Hausman Street has some of the best decorations to be found in Greenpoint. Note the presence of an American flag. These line the block on both sides. The homeowners on Hausman are proud to be Americans. After the experience I had today I do not share their enthusiasm: I felt more like I was in the D.P.R.K. than the good ol’ U.S. of A.
The peeps over on Apollo Street are no slouches in the patriotism/decoration department either.
Even their air conditioners exude holiday cheer.
The same goes for Kingsland Avenue.
I thought this Santa on Nassau Avenue was cute, so I took a photograph of it.
The same goes for this fat fella back on Hausman Street.
He’s a mean one, that Mr. Grinch! I wonder if he was the one who called the cops on my “suspicious person”?
But what kind of (suspicious looking) person would I be to get bitter during this season of cheer and goodwill towards men? This post is dedicated to Officer Gonzales, her delightful partner (who gave me the third degree) and the 94th Precinct. They must be doing a smash-up job of fighting crime if they have the time to intimidate a 30-something year old woman about taking pictures.
Miss Heather
Condos For Canaries?
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
I found this five unit domicile at the intersection of Dupont Street and Manhattan Avenue. Who knew the Garden Spot’s trees were zoned R6!?! I knew Bloomberg had an ulterior motive for planting all those trees here: condos for cash-rich canaries!
I wonder if it is a Karl Fischer? Nah. It’s way too small.
Miss Heather
P.S.: What about some public housing for pigeons?
Public Service Announcement
Anyone who has checked out Queens Crap recently has probably learned that sending Ms. Lancaster (the Commissioner of the Department of Buildings) an angry email may very well net you a visit from New York’s Finest. While I personally would have used different rhetoric than what this chap employed (I think asking if she is incompetent or merely corrupt would suffice), the fact of the matter is his missive scarcely merited the “response” it received.
Unlike our friends at New York City’s most-maligned municipal agency, I am a big fan of the Bill of Rights. What’s more, I understand the therapeutic value of blowing off steam when dealing with intransigent public officials. To this end I wish to introduce “Hard Hat Hannah”.
Since the Department of Buildings has such a heavy workload and their enforcement “activity” in my neck of the woods is virtually non-existent, I decided to make my own building inspector. Recently we went for walk.
Here is Hannah tut-tutting over a downed construction fence on Roebling Street.
The crack house over on Grand Street did not sit well with her either.
In fact, by the time we hit Frost Street she was begging me to put her back in my backpack.
If you, dear readers, need to vent a little frustration at a “building inspector” but do not want to risk intimidation from the cops you can shoot Hannah an email at:
missheather (at) newyorkshitty (dot) com
or you can post your thoughts in the comments. I will make sure she gets them.
Miss Heather
‘Tis The Season: Newel Street
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
I like to call this composition “Candy Canes with Tail Pipe”.
And next to it resides Greenpoint’s most patriotic Christmas tree.
Miss Heather
A Couple Events Tonight
Tonight at 7:30 p.m. Bob Eckstein, the author of The History of the Snowman (recently featured in The New York Times Holiday Books section) will be giving a slide presentation and Q & A session at Word Books. To facilitate extra holiday cheer, spiked hot cocoa is promised.
Word Books
126 Franklin Street
Brooklyn, New York 11222
(718) 383-0096
Those of you who are more civic-minded (or simply have a dark sense of humor) might be interested to know what is on tonight’s agenda over at Community Board 1:
- 53-65 HOPE STREET (BLOCK #2369, LOT # 38, 40 & 47) is applying for a partial waiver of the required accessory off-street parking spaces required by the conversion of the building location at 65 Hope Street to 92 residential units, generating a requirement for 46 parking spaces. The Special Permit seeks to reduce the number of required parking spaces provided from 46 to 11.
- Krzysztof Rostek of Belvedere III LLC wishes to file an application to extend the time to complete construction the four story, six (6) family dwelling facility at 135 NORTH 9th STREET (BLOCK #2324 LOT# 36)
- Ten Eleven Holdings LLC, better known as The Pencil Factory, seeks a renewal of their permit to operate a sidewalk cafe.
Tonight’s meeting will commence at 6:30 p.m. If you are interested in asking Mr. Rostek about the above “partial” stop work order, the Borough Commissioner’s ten day letter of intent to revoke his application to build (yet) another Belvedere, his failure to protect adjoining properties and (my personal favorite) working without a permit, you need to sign up no later than 6:15 p.m. at:
Lady of the Snow Society
410 Graham Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11211
And, oh yeah: be sure to tell him Miss Heather says “Hi”.
Miss Heather
Greenpoint Photo Du Jour: Manhattan Avenue
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
Yesterday when I was walking down Manhattan Avenue after getting some groceries I spied a rather nifty old car.
Amused, I went in for a closer look.
Nice teeth.
Miss Heather
P.S.: As I was taking the above photographs a S.U.V. across the street was blaring “Iron Man”. I mention this because it seems strangely relevant.
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