Greenpoint Photos Du Jour: Vandervoort Avenue

October 17, 2012 ·
Filed under: 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Street Art 

This post is dedicated to the fellow who admonished yours truly— ad nauseum— that I was not to take photographs of (t)his building. Not only did he make it quite clear that he either did not know or care that I was perfectly within my rights to do so (I am), but he could not grasp the concept that covering one’s edifice with pugilistic clowns might encourage this type of behavior. Go figure.

The Word On The Street: Vandervoort Avenue

Taken December 7, 2011.

Greenpoint Photo du Jour: Reflection

June 21, 2011 ·
Filed under: 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic 

From Sargent William Dougherty Playground.

Miss Heather

The Word On The Street: Hell’s Bells

From Vandervoort Avenue.

Miss Heather

New York Shitty Photo Du Jour: Seasons Greetings From Morgan Avenue

The above image goes out to the Department of Sanitation and the Department of Transportation— who, in their Solomon-like wisdom— decided building a snow fort on Vandervoort Avenue was a sterling idea. The end result was not only obstructed truck traffic from Beadel Street to Maspeth Avenue, but also a clusterfuck of Biblical proportions on Morgan Avenue. NOTE: the following photographs and video footage were shot today at 1:00 p.m.

You can read more about this fiasco at the New York Daily News.

Miss Heather

From The New York Shitty Inbox: Snow Woes On Vandervoort Avenue

January 3, 2011 ·
Filed under: 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic 

(Or: The DOT Builds a Snow Fort!)

Tara on Beadel Street (who forwarded me the above photograph) writes:

Hi Miss Heather

I have been reading your blog for years and enjoy it. I live on beadel street and vandervoort ave. I don’t know if you have seen the huge pile of snow the city started dumping last Thursday on vandervoort which has caused a ton of honking and horrible traffic.  It’s now Monday and the ave is still shut down. The city has been loading garbage trucks filled with snow and dumping them in front of key span on vandervoort – the actual street itself for more than 5 days now. Why would the city do this?  Seems very unproductive.  Thought  you could solve this riddle.

Aside from basic municipal incompetence I honestly do not know what to say. But then again, it was on Vandervoort where I once saw this:

The above photograph was taken March 10, 2010. A month or so later the DOT saw fit to stick a street cone in it. I can assure you this was truly a vision.

My advice:

Update, 5:35 p.m.: unlike a lot of the Snowmageddon posts I have erected over the last week, I have some very good news to report! After receiving Tara’s email— but before I wrote this post— I advised her to contact a number of people. This list included Community Board 1’s Transportation Committee Chair, Karen Nieves. Tara writes:

I got in touch with Karen and she has been a great help today. We had called 311 on Thursday night as well… She came and took pictures of the snow pile.* I wish I had taken pictures on Thursday when it was a complete nightmare.

You rock, Karen!

Miss Heather

*Here are a couple!

What were these people thinking?

East Williamsburg Photos Du Jour: Evergreen

November 23, 2010 ·
Filed under: 11211, East Williamsburg, East Williamsburg Brooklyn 

From Vandervoort & Maspeth Avenue.

Miss Heather

Spotted In McCarren Park: Call-A-Head

As I mentioned in this post we, the people of north Brooklyn, have been promised by the peeps of OSA (Open Space Alliance North Brooklyn) a handful of port-o-johns to help augment the rather inadequate— and in some cases downright disgusting— facilities which currently grace our public parks. While not what I consider to be an ideal solution (they should be repairing and upgrading existing facilities; and breaking ground for new ones) today I had a glimmer (or would that be a whiff) of hope. At the corner of North 12 and Berry Street to be precise.

Not one, not two, but three port-o-potties! But wait— there’s a catch.

All save one are locked! Perhaps to be dispatched to elsewhere? I can only hope so. In any case I decided to check out the one that was open to the public.

If it is any consolation, dear readers, this smelled worse than it looks.

Methinks another inspection is in order. But why cry over spilled vomit?

Shortly thereafter I discovered that Bushwick Inlet Park has received its promised privy! Two down, two to go…

Miss Heather

Image Credits: The photograph gracing the beginning of this post hails from Sergeant Dougherty Playground and was taken by yours truly.

New York Shitty Day Ender: Vandervoort Avenue

East Williamsburg: it’s not for the feint of heart.

Miss Heather

New York Shitty Videos Du Jour: Open House

Yesterday afternoon my buddy from the Newtown Pentacle and I sojourned to St. Cecilia’s Auditorium for the Kosciuszko Bridge Project Open House. While hardly standing room only, the peeps behind the presentation were pleasantly surprised by the turn-out. I suspect word about the blue chip refreshments (which included coffee, tea, cream, milk, zero fat milk, water and soda; cookies and crackers with an assortment of cheese) might have had something to do with this. But who’s to say for certain?

In any case, I filmed the proceedings for your entertainment and edification. Mostly the latter. This material might strike many of you as being boring (for the most part, it is) but if you reside in this southern Greenpoint or western Queens you should view this footage. How this projects proceeds (or not) will effect our community for a long time to come.

INTRO: (self-explanatory)

PART I: The process/research leading up to this project & how the bridge will be constructed

PART II: Property acquisition & park space (including a kayak launch on Newtown Creek!)

PART III: A run-down of the four bridge types under consideration

PART IV: End of Presentation, the Q & A session begins

PART V: A Lombardy Street resident asks some very compelling questions

PART VI: An Apollo Street resident speaks and the meeting concludes


I suppose some of you are probably wondering which design I voted for. Here you go.

The rationale for my decision was (more or less) as follows:

1. I found it visually compelling and felt it juxtapose nicely with the Manhattan skyline.
2. This design leaves more open space under the bridge. Given how oppressive this area is currently I believe this to be a big plus.

3. It embraces/showcases the Shit Tits rather nicely!

Priorities, people!

Miss Heather

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