Happy Anniversary to one of our prettiest bridges in the boros! 50 years since the Verrazano connected Brooklyn to Staten Island.

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Happy Odd Couple Day!

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Loved this article and related video from the NY Times this week! 88 year old Rita Ascione lived at 97 Orchard during the 1930’s. If that address doesn’t sound familiar to you, it’s one of my favorite museums in NYC, the Tenement Museum. Here, she goes back to visit and kina hora, she makes it up those steps!

I have a soft spot for that intact historic structure and the Lower East Side in general because that area is where my great grandparents settled with my grandparents and my own parents for a bit before moving out to the boroughs. Just like most New Yorkers with immigrant ancestors.

The thing is….ugh….I’m old enough to remember these tenement buildings myself. I lived in a couple of them during my “flee Brooklyn to the city” phase. Bathtubs in kitchens. The real deal. Do they still exist? There must be some seniors living in rent controlled apartments that haven’t been touched in years.

It’s nice to see a bit of NYC history every now and then. It’s disappearing so rapidly.

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Judging from the photos it looks like a museum, only better, since this hasn’t been curated and set up for public viewing.

Think about how many private homes may have rooms or sections like this. I know a family whose son died in a car accident at the age of 16. It was in the early 70’s and until I lost contact with them in the late 80’s, the room had remained the same as per his mother’s wishes. Being it was the 70’s, that meant psychedelic decor and blacklight posters. A real trip. I hope the father kept it the same.

I’ve looked at abandoned bungalows and country homes that hadn’t been cleaned up before being put on the market. Personally, I prefer to look at them that way so I get a sense of history. Would I love to be the one to clean it up and yet have it retain an antiquated ambience? Absolutely!

Kudos to the purchasers of this soldier’s home that they kept their end of the bargain even though they weren’t legally bound to do so.

Via The Guardian

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Bran Castle in Transylvania is the tourist attraction also known as “Dracula’s Castle“. Although there are other Romanian castles that have as much of a connection with Vlad III and Bram Stoker, Bran is the one marketed as such.

Whether or not this structure has anything to do with Dracula, it HAS seen a bit of history, beginning with the Teutonic Knights in 1212. By the 1400’s the fortress was used in defense against the Ottoman Empire. It later acted as a WWI hospital and remained a royal residence until the communists seized the property in 1948. It is said that the structure lacks bathroom facilities because they were ripped out during this time. So, it’s not perfect.

In 1956, the communists transformed the castle into a museum but it was in terrible disrepair. Restoration began in 1987 and was finally finished by 1993. By 2009, the castle was returned to it’s rightful heirs Archduke Dominic, Archduchess Maria Magdalena and Archduchess Elisabeth. It was reported earlier this year that the castle was placed on the market to the tune of $80m.

Other possible Dracula Castles include Poenari Castle and Corvin Castle.

But enough talk. Let’s look at pictures!

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Bridge Street in Callan, County Kilkenny, Ireland is a part of history that succumbed to the changing times. New highways diverted traffic. People moved away. Big box shops opened up. The Celtic Tiger came through and pretty much finished it off.

Or did it? Fortunately, there are still folks around with a sense of community and history who want to revitalize the once forgotten street.

One of those people is Etaoin Holahan, a cousin-in-law of mine. Yeah, easy post this morning. I picked it up from her mom’s Facebook share. Etaoin is bringing Fennellys, a well preservered old storefront, into this century. It’s now an event venue and gathering space with film/dinner nights and music gigs. People are coming back to the street thanks to the efforts of a group of people who are reviving the properties.

If you’re thinking these old forgotten towns in Ireland are like areas of The Catskills, you would be correct. The same thing happens all over, of course. It’s nice to see that some people are interested in something other than building casinos.

Check out the video @ Irish Times. It won’t let me embed it here.

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Even though we’re alta kockers, there are plenty of reasons to be grateful about our place in time. Experiencing life as it’s happening is one that I can think of. Not that old people haven’t succumbed to the digital age, but at least when we went to concerts as kids, we were able to enjoy the show instead of recording it.

Remember when going to the movies meant something? It didn’t cost a whole paycheck and the films weren’t on the telly within a week’s time, but that wasn’t the only thing. Theaters were something to behold. A single, huge screen and comfy seats. It was meant to be an escape from your home, not smaller than your living room.

One of those childhood theaters that I can barely remember now was the Loews Kings in Flatbush. It closed down and fell into disrepair in the mid 70’s, but guess what? It’s being restored as a performing arts space and is set to reopen in early 2015.

Check out the fabulous restoration photos and info over at Brooklyn Eagle. It’s ta die faw, Brooklyn!

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Wouldn’t you prefer to meet people while learning about history rather than hanging out on the beach this weekend? Then get thee over to Bed Stuy tomorrow for a guided tour lead by Suzanne Spellen and Morgan Munsey!

Tickets are $20.  Here’s the full blurb…

“The 19th century Eastern District of Brooklyn encompassed parts of modern day Bedford Stuyvesant, East Williamsburg and Bushwick. The Bedford Stuyvesant end of the community started out as farmland, then became a suburban enclave of large houses, all built for wealthy German-Americans who called this entire area home. Later 19th century development brought row houses and apartment buildings and some very important and impressive churches and civic institutions, including the original home of St. John’s University. Join tour guides Suzanne Spellen, writer and architectural historian, aka columnist “Montrose Morris” on Brownstoner.com, and Morgan Munsey, architect, historian, and expert on the architecture of Bedford Stuyvesant for a look at this development, the great architecture, and the history of the neighborhood then and now. For too many years, this part of Brooklyn has been neglected and forgotten, but no more. Join us for a re-discovery of this part of the Eastern District.”

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Check out these inspiring images from photographer Jennifer Greenburg‘s book The Rockabillies via The Daily Mail. Wow, if I wasn’t too lazy to dress and decorate like this, I’d love to live in this 1950’s world myself. Design only, that is. No need for civil rights to go backwards.

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Image via Brownstoner

Steven Soderbergh and his talented crew have transported a Bed Stuy corner back in time for the filming of a show called “The Knick”. They’ve been there for awhile now but this morning as I passed I thought it would be great if they could just leave the signage up forever. Walking through there makes me want to live in the past, man!

New York has been transformed over the years and change is good, blah, blah, blah, but I do miss some of those vintage shop fronts. Here are some that lasted longer than the rest.

Starting with a fairly obvious one, Vesuvio in Soho. Image from News Gallery.

Zig Zag Records closed it’s doors about two years ago, but will always be remembered by alt-rock Brooklynites growing up in the 80’s as the place that sold NME and rare UK records. Photo via Forgotten NY.

The Meat Market in Bed Stuy is now a vintage clothing shop, ironically called The Meat Market. Good for them. Vintage shop. Vintage signage.

Yonah Shimmel has been around forever. Forever! Did you know that back in the 80’s they had a shop on the Upper East Side? I used to go in there every morning to pick up my breakfast. Not a knish. A poppy seed mohn. Photo via Forward.

Bless DiFara Pizza. Honestly, I never considered this Midwood pizza shop to be anything special when I was growing up in the neighborhood, but look at them now…one of the highest rated pizzas in NYC. Same signage though.

Unfortunately, Walters Hardware closed a few years ago. Not sure what has happened to the storefront as I haven’t been out to Astoria lately.

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Summer 2013 has not been a good one for long-standing popular establishments. A sad farewell to the following local shuttered businesses.

Maxwell’s. 1978-2013. We’ve all done it at one point in our lives, no? Hopped on the Path to see one of our favorite bands play at this iconic venue? They close their doors tonight.

Odessa. Can’t find the year Odessa opened but it’s been there for as long as this 47 year old can remember. Definition: The 24 hour Ukrainian diner where you go for latkes and pierogi after a night out. These kids today don’t appreciate good diners. Bah!

Max Fish. 1988-2013. Jeez, I’m so old that I remember when this was the trendy new kid on the block that I didn’t like! The East Village bar is actually moving to Williamsburg. Not sure what that says about the East Village or Brooklyn, but methinks the groovy party is over in both locations.

Dressler. 2006-2013. The celebrated Williamsburg restaurant shut it’s doors back in June due to lease dis-agreements. DuMont may also be facing financial trouble. Sadly, this was too much for one of the owners, Colin Devlin, who took his own life last week.

Thanks to The Shutter and Vanishing New York for keeping us informed of closings.

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Red Hook, Brooklyn

Whether you loved him or hated him, nobody who lived in NYC in the 70’s could ever imagine a New York without Mayor Koch. That’s because Ed Koch WAS New York.

Born in The Bronx to Jewish Eastern European immigrant parents, his story was much the same as my parents, your parents or any other New Yorker you might find riding the subway. But that’s not why he was NYC. Ed Koch was New York personified because he took on the characteristics of the city at that time. The guy had chutzpah that you don’t find these days.

A few words to sum up Koch/NYC.

Bold
Loud
Outspoken
Funny
Eccentric
Rude
Aggressive
Arrogant
Motivated
No-bullshit
Defiant
Headstrong
Sarcastic
Non-conformist

RIP, Mayor Koch. I may not have always agreed with you, but your years running this joint will always be my favorite ones.

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I didn’t come up with the name “Reclaimed Home” for nothing. I love salvaging old materials and restoring neglected homes that were once full of life. Yesterday I was reminded why I torture myself with endless renovations.

You may look at the photo above and say “Meh, it’s a rotten old sign.” Indeed, you would be correct, but this find had me jumping up and down. I discovered it as I took up the rotten bathroom floor. (We’ll chat more about that later.) The previous owners or someone before them used it as subflooring. The writing was not facing up so I didn’t know it was there until I actually started taking up the floor.

Unfortunately, the sign is in bad shape as the bathtub and toilet were leaking for years causing rot all the way through to the joists. Yes, the hole in the second photo was what the bathroom fixtures were sitting on. At any given time, someone could have ended up in the kitchen below while bathing or taking a dump. BTW, this is NOT the first old house I found such rot. Live in an old home? Pray they did the right thing when “renovating” as they often just cover things up. Enjoy your bath.

Anyway, back to the cool find. It seems to be more than one sign because I see “Library” and I also see “Club”. Actually, I’m guessing that perhaps they were the destination signs on the boardwalk? Anyone have a clue?

Whatever the case, even though they crumble in my hands, they will most definitely stay with the house as part of the reclaiming process. Right now, I’m thinking of embedding the edges in a plaster or concrete wall.

But it was nice to see that folks were reusing salvaged material even back then!

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Love Letter Counter

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