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Posts categoriezed as Brooklyn
Trees for Fulton Street
Over here in Bed Stuy, it’s been awhile since the Fulton Street sidewalk was dug up and temporarily filled with black asphalt. Word on the street was that we were going to get benches and trees, but some of us (me) were worried that they would forget about beautifying this neck of the woods.
Well, the trees have arrived! This lazy author only walked between Nostrand and Restoration Plaza so don’t ask how much of Fulton is getting dolled up. Alls I know is that it’s near my house and I don’t get paid enough to get any more information.
Anyhoo, yay Bed Stuy!
(I know. File under “lame post”.)
Landmarking Bedford Corners
Bedford Stuyvesant is a huge area broken up into a few neighborhoods such as Stuyvesant Heights, Weeksville, Ocean Hill and Bedford. No, Bedford Corners Historic District is not some new name the realtors just came up with. This part of Bed Stuy exhibits some of the finest architecture in the city but it does need to be preserved.
The Landmarks Preservation Commission will be answering questions and discussing the landmarking process of Bedford Corners Historic District this Wednesday, March 21st. This meeting is said to be the deciding factor as to whether or not the area will be receive landmark designation. The community is urged to come out and show it’s support.
If you live in the south west end of Bed Stuy, please join us at the meeting on Wednesday at Restoration Plaza, 1368 Fulton Street, lower level. 6:30pm.
New Vegan Bakery for Bed Stuy
Thanks to SuperVegan for filling us in on the recently opened vegan bakery at Greene and Classon on the Bed Stuy/Clinton Hill border.
Clementine Bakery will be serving up sweet pies and pastries, but they do have some savory treats as well. The dill and mozzarella biscuits sound delish. Yeah, that would be vegan cheese.
They use 100% fair trade and 90% organic ingredients. Drinks? Roasted Kitten Coffee using the Japanese Hario pour over method and also French press.
See ya there.
Preserve Bed Stuy
This home was listed as having “historic details” on the Craigslist ad. Perhaps they meant the one mirror.
This one goes out to all of the real estate investors, flippers and brokers. Stop the insanity in Bed Stuy! Yes, yes, I’m guilty of looking for an investment property to flip myself. What sets me apart from these bozos is that I aim to preserve the historic value of the home and respect the community. The state of the market in Bed Stuy isn’t suitable for my needs right now because all I’m seeing is crap renovations.
Flashback to six years ago when I was looking for my own place to live here. The beautiful thing about these brownstones was that they had so much detail still intact. During the “do or die” years people weren’t gutting their homes. Now that Bed Stuy is suddenly getting popular, it’s hard to find a place that needs some tender lovin’ care.
The prices aren’t bad for these gut jobs and one can always add detail. The thing is, I would never trust these fast-n-cheap flippers to do the right thing. What do you think is lurking behind those new walls and floors? Do you think they replaced rotting wood and pointed the bricks properly? Maybe. But you never know. I kind of doubt their integrity.
Listen you guys, leave some homes left for those folks who don’t want glossy oak floors and Home Depot light fixtures. Your cookie cutter shite doesn’t cut it with everyone. Seriously, people will pay more for plaster detail than new sheetrock. They’ll pay more for that gorgeous pier mirror and mantel that you’re dumping in the trash. They’ll pay more for the pocket doors that are lying in your dumpster out front.
I know they will. I’m one of those people.
Now run along and rape some other neighborhood with yucky housing stock. I hear that Long Islanders like shiny, new things.
What $345k Buys in Crown Heights
As we search for a home to restore and exchange (flip) we’ll be passing along the ones we decided against. This Albany Avenue single family is a bank owned property listed at $345k.
The photos speak volumes. The home is loaded with details! The ornate wood molding, 5 fireplaces (I believe some slate and some wood). Medallions. Doors and hardware. Stained glass. Original shutters.
So what’s the catch? Well, obviously it needs work. That’s a given. It’s currently being used as an illegal 3 family and that won’t fly with a mortgage. Two kitchens will have to be ripped out, but you can still mortgage it. And that’s ok, because there’s nothing special about the kitchens or baths anyway.
The biggest drawback for us was location, location, location. It’s right across the street from the projects. Now, that might not be an issue for someone looking to move in or rent it out, but since we’re only concerned with resale value, it’s a big deal for us as an investment.
So, we passed. Would it work for you? Check out the listing here.
Shoot Brooklyn (A Photography Show)
Ben Russell has had a camera attached to him since we met some 30 years ago back in high school, but this is his first exhibit. The Brooklyn native has been doing mostly commercial shoots all these years and hasn’t presented his work as art yet.
The images were shot over a period of two weeks. They are little snippets of a bigger picture that the viewer may or may not recognize. Russell lives in Carroll Gardens where quite a few of these shots were taken. Just for fun, try to guess where each of these shots are located. The answers will be in the comments section.
The show is hanging for the month of February at the 505 Gallery Lobby, 505 Court Street in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. Come see it!
Meet You at the Cemetery Gate
One of Brooklyn’s most beautiful landscapes is not a park or a water view. It’s a cemetery. Greenwood was founded in 1838 and soon became THE place to be buried. It was actually the tourist destination that inspired Olmsted and Vaux to create those other city parks.
So who resides at Greenwood? Charles Ebbets (he of the field), The Steinways of piano fame, Leonard Bernstein, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Frank Morgan (THE Wizard of Oz) to name a few.
The cemetery is nearly 500 acres of historic stones, structures and gorgeous landscape. You can totally visit on your own or you can take a trolly tour every Wednesday at 1pm. This Friday, historian Ben Feldman gives a free talk on the various stories involved with the property. It’s followed by a trolly tour. All tours are $15.
Disclosure: Keats and Yeats are not buried at Greenwood Cemetery.
2012 New Year’s Swim
We did our annual New Year’s Day romp at Coney Island with the Polar Bear Club. It was a record turnout this year, probably because the temperature was in the 50’s. It’s also getting more and more crowded with younger folks every year.
When I first started photographing the Polar Bear Club and Ice Bears (now Ice Breakers) my parents still lived across the street from the beach. Back then, it was just a few old Russians and some lovable eccentrics. Now, it’s EVERYBODY into the water!
These are the few shots I got before my camera got wet and stopped working. It would have been a great day minus the camera emergency. Happy New Year!
Elf Door
The Moxie Spot on Atlantic Avenue has the best door in the world. I’ve always thought of it as a door for adults, kids and dogs. Well, it being the holidays season and all, let’s just say that baby entrance is for little elves. Have you ever noticed that door? It’s da bomb!
Reclaimed Dog. A Holiday Miracle.
Sean Casey Animal Rescue does some amazing work. They try to find homes for less adoptable pets with illnesses and flaws. Sometimes these pets stay in the shelter a bit longer than they should.
Such was the case of Tyson, an 11 year old Pitbull with a history of cancer. Tyson was abused most of his life. He wasn’t just abandoned. He was a real rescue. Unfortunately, Tyson’s woes didn’t end once the shelter took him in. He had surgeries for his tumors and sat in a cage for 15 months. It would take a pretty strong person to love a dog knowing his time is very limited.
Anybody paying attention to Sean Casey’s site knows of Tyson, the longest running resident at the shelter.
Well, yesterday when we were at the park with our dogs, we ran into our doggy circle buddy, Ed. And guess who was with him??? (Excuse me, I’m getting verklempt.) Tyson has found a forever home with the couple and their two dogs, Bianca and Des! He looked so happy running around off leash. Not that he was able to stay off for long because he kept running off. Who could blame him? It’s his first taste of freedom! He wasn’t even house trained when they got him. Truly neglected dog.
Now Tyson will live out his last days knowing he’s loved. He’ll get to the park everyday and go upstate for hikes. Isn’t that a the best happy ending ever?
Are you crying yet? Yeah, me too.
Photo via Windsor Terrace Blog.
Captain Brooklyn. Our Own Superhero
I didn’t read about New York’s next big superhero in the local newspaper or on the blogs. I heard about it at the dog park. In Brooklyn, of course. Yes, Brooklyn has it’s own superhero now. And he’s not a chiseled, heroic Superman type figure. He’s a sanitation worker from Bay Ridge who winds up with powers after falling into the Gowanus Canal.
Garbageman Vinny’s alter ego will be fighting crime in just about every neighborhood. No cape or any of that goofy stuff. He’s just a superhuman guy who can’t escape trouble any better than the rest of us. Creators Frank Tieri, Jimmy Palmiotti, and Palmiotti’s wife, former “Supergirl” artist Amanda Conner are all Brooklyn natives. They came up with a the idea in a bar.
Check out their interview at Comic Book Resources.
Yes, Another Bed Stuy Blog!
My Bed Stuy is not a new blog, but I’m sometimes slow in catching on to things. Since the demise of Bed Stuy Blog earlier this year, the local blogosphere has been left with a void. Well, it hasn’t really, but I was unaware it’s been filled.
My Bed Stuy is “just a place for you to come and share all things Bed-Stuy”. Exactly. So, we DO have a neighborhood blog other than the Patch!
And it’s a good one! Go check it out.
Too Cool for School
When I first saw a group of adults installing a garden at Leadership Prep on Macon Street in Bed Stuy, I thought they were building a movie set. Back in the olden days when I was growing up, NYC public school’s didn’t even have a patch of grass. Well, public schools have turned into fancy schmancy charter schools now and the the kids get to learn about stuff like gardening and catching rain water. It’s pretty awesome.
I thought this Bed Stuy school was special until I passed by Frances Perkins Academy in Williamsburg and saw their fabulous garden. They too, had a rainwater system in place. Wonder who gets to bring home the vegetables?
Tennis for the Youths! Bed Stuy
Forgive me for the cut and paste I’m about to commit….
2nd Annual Bed-Stuy Open Free Youth Tennis Jamboree
On October 1, 2011 the Kings County Tennis League (KCTL) will hold their Second Annual Bed-Stuy Open Tennis Jamboree in the Marcy Playground on the corner of Myrtle Ave. and Nostrand Ave. in Brooklyn. The Jamboree is completely free for youth and parents residing in Bedford Stuyvesant. Students from the organization’s two local teams, Marcy and Tompkins Tennis Clubs will also be completing in their new team jerseys. Every participant will receive an award. The event includes trophies, donated prizes, barbeque, and live music. There will also be a voter registration table and outreach by Black Life study.
KCTL is a registered 501c3 non-profit located in Bed-Stuy whose mission is to use tennis as a vehicle for positive mentorship and community building. They literally bring tennis to the children of Marcy and Tompkins Houses using portable tennis nets, donated equipment, and young inspired volunteers.
Over 60 youth are planned to participant along with 20 volunteers. More information may be found at Marcy Tennis Club and on Facebook. Jamboree will be held on Saturday October 1st. Registration begins at 12:30. Jamboree runs from 1:00-3:00.