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Offensive NYC Veg Restaurant Guide

Offensive NYC Veg Restaurant Guide published on 6 Comments on Offensive NYC Veg Restaurant Guide

One day last year while I was in the Brooklyn Museum bookshop, I picked up a copy of “Veg Out, Vegetarian Guide to New York City“. I forgot I had it until yesterday. Is it a good guide? Well, it’s not bad, although the second edition I bought is slightly outdated.

But the problem isn’t the restaurant listings. Author Justin Schwartz’s comments on certain neighborhoods made my jaw drop. He speaks of Crown Heights and Flatbush as if it’s 1980…and even back then those areas were not as bad as he makes them out to be.

From a paragraph on Street Smarts… “A word of caution: If you’re a vegetarian freshman college student just off the bus from a farm in rural PA or a tourist visiting from Kansas, please don’t hop on a the subway alone at night to get some great Caribbean food in Crown Heights or Flatbush. Seriously, don’t.”

Ok, maybe he’s more insulting to out-of-towners than the residents of Crown Heights or Flatbush. The book is probably geared towards tourists as it’s a guide book. But he doesn’t stop there…

“Street-smart Manhattanites and residents of trendy neighborhoods like Park Slope and Brooklyn Heights may think I’m exaggerating. Let’s put it this way: if Crown Heights is so safe, why is the chef at the Caribbean Delicacy working behind bulletproof Plexiglas?”

Hmm. Plexi is old school. Hello, there were still some plexi places in “trendy” Park Slope up until the early 2000’s! Maybe the Plexi was installed back when the neighborhood was rough and they just never got around to taking it out? Yes, there are plenty of places with Plexi still around, but as shops renovate and as new businesses come in, the Plexi is becoming a thing of the past.

And why would only street smart residents of trendy neighborhoods think it’s an exaggeration? How about us folks living in these untrendy neighborhoods? Exaggerating? Yes. Insulting? Uh, ya-ah!

I figured I’d cut the guy some slack. The guide was written in 2006. Maybe it was ever so slightly grittier back then. So, I visited his website. From a 2009 blog post: “Crown Heights isn’t for everybody. Frankly, if I was a young woman alone after dark, I wouldn’t even think about going there. in fact, I wouldn’t even think about going there alone after dark myself, being a 6-foot tall guy. You definitely have to know your way around — you don’t want to look lost in Crown Heights.”

Wow. Am I overreacting? I mean, can’t the guy warn people it ain’t the Upper East Side without magnifying the situation? He makes it sound like a friggin’ war zone. A word of caution is fine, but dude…people live in these neighborhoods and walk around after dark all-the-time.

FYI, Mr. Schwartz, even white people.

Weatherization Assistance Program

Weatherization Assistance Program published on 1 Comment on Weatherization Assistance Program

The WAP or Weatherization Assistance Program helps low income families reduce their energy consumption and bills. Mark your calendars for March 8th, kids, because Sustainable Flatbush will be hosting an event to provide information on this important program.

Here’s the deal:

WHAT:
How to Fix Your Home and Save on Energy Bills

WHERE:
Mt. Zion Church of God
203 East 37th Street (between Church Avenue and Linden Boulevard)
Brooklyn, NY

WHEN:
Tuesday, March 8th from 7-9pm

The workshop will cover heating systems, insulation, energy efficient appliances, water saving tips and a number of things you should already be doing.

If you’re abode isn’t 100% energy efficient, you can probably learn something from this. Plus, refreshments will be served.

New Cafe for Bed Stuy

New Cafe for Bed Stuy published on 2 Comments on New Cafe for Bed Stuy

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Bed Stuy’s now defunct Food for Thought had so much going for it. It was on a quiet street where the sidewalk seating made sense. Location was great, right between “Bedford Corners” and Stuyvesant Heights. The food was excellent. I don’t know why they went out of business, but I did bitch about the slow service quite a bit.

Well, Cafe Mausaic is moving in! I noticed the sign last week and with a little research I see that they are set to open on April 1st! They are currently looking for staff and artists to take part.

Sounds like it will be a great addition to the neighborhood. Hopefully with good service.

DIY Classes at City Tech, Brooklyn

DIY Classes at City Tech, Brooklyn published on 3 Comments on DIY Classes at City Tech, Brooklyn

It’s that time of year again! City Tech is offering up their DIY classes. Learn everything you need to know about home repair so you can correct me when I pretend to know what I’m talking about here.

Hands-on Home Repair Workshops
Everything You Wanted To Know About Your Home (But Were Afraid to Ask)
Wed, 6 – 9 pm, 2/16 – 4/13  $50 per session
25 Chapel Street Room 106

Basic home repairs. How to fix a toilet, patch and plaster a wall, the basics of residential electricity, install a light fixture, install a lock, unclog a trap, spackle a wall and become your own favorite handyperson.

Weatherize – Caulk it up to Savings
February 16
Insulate, caulk, and weatherproof your house to keep the heat in. Low cost ways to save cold cash.

Homeowner ‘s Basic Tool Kit
February 23
Cut a board, level a shelf; install an anchor bolt in a hollow wall. This class will stock your toolkit with the most useful tools and give you hands-on tips for using them. Discover your inner handyperson and save on basic repairs.

Homeowner ‘s Guide to Basic Plumbing
March 2
Basic plumbing: How to fix a toilet, bleed a radiator, unclog a drain. Save on costly repairs that you can do yourself.

Lock Installation
March 9
Having a security complex? Install a deadbolt or mortise lock, update existing locks, and replace door knobs.

Plaster and Sheetrock Repair
March 16
Repair a crack, frame and tape, patch plaster, fill a deep hole or a nail hole. You can do it!

Everyday Electricity You Can Do Yourself
March 23
How to replace a fuse, change an outlet, install a fixture, test for power and splice a wire.

Installing Ceramic Tile for Floors and Walls
March 30
How to create a level surface, select floor tile, lay out a pattern and install like a pro.

Paint Like a Pro
April 6
A great paint job is method, not madness. This course teaches you how to prep the space, select the right tools, and apply paint like a professional. Please wear old clothes.

Blueprint Reading: The Grand Plan
April 13
Blueprints are diagrams that represent an interior space. They are the language that architects and contractors use to design and build. This course teaches you to understand electrical plumbing and construction symbols, read a floor plan, and even draft your own. Please bring a pencil, an eraser and a pad of tracing paper to the class.

Framy Frames

Framy Frames published on 2 Comments on Framy Frames

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The vintage clothing king and queen of the Brooklyn Flea are making frames now. Larry and Amy of Jellyroll Vintage are also Framy. Got that?

I do. I ordered five, count ’em, five custom Framy frames from these guys before Christmas and I finally hung them all today. So exciting!

A little background here. Amy has 15 years of framing experience behind her. She’s pretty meticulous with her work. I found out when I took the back out of one of them to change the photo and saw the crafts(wo)manship behind it. The frames are all made by hand from scratch. They’ve got a distressed look going on with a wax finish. That’s where Larry comes in. He does the mitering, joining and finishing.

Ah, but it’s not just frames. This rad couple does some pretty cool things with mats. Howzabout recycled vintage fabric?

Prices are totally fair. You have artwork sitting in a closet? Just do it already!

BTW, if the above photo looks familiar, it’s this one.

A Bit o’ Brooklyn in Dublin

A Bit o’ Brooklyn in Dublin published on 2 Comments on A Bit o’ Brooklyn in Dublin

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Honey, we’re home! You may notice some differences in the blog in the upcoming days/weeks. Right now, you may be noticing the amount of spam that has gotten through what with the upgrade and all. I’m dealing with it!

Anyhoo, we dubbed this little strip of shops in Dublin the “New York Street” because it had Bedford Stuy Barbers, a New York Ray’s Pizza (not the original though) and Flip Vintage. Ok, so Flip isn’t native to NYC, but I used to shop at the one on W. 8th Street all the time, so it made me homesick.

This Irish-now-American tourist insisted on being in the shot. Says he’s living in Bed Stuy now. Never saw him before in my life.

New Yawk Accents: All 5 Boros

New Yawk Accents: All 5 Boros published on 1 Comment on New Yawk Accents: All 5 Boros

This is too funny! It’s not a recent video, but I just discovered it. Some woman takes us through the distinct accents of each borough. I LMFAO at Da Bronx, but wasn’t too thrilled about her Brooklyn. After 45 years, I don’t think I could tell ya which borough a person is from by hearing them talk.

Sweet Home Brooklyn

Sweet Home Brooklyn published on 1 Comment on Sweet Home Brooklyn

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So, this Alabama chick desperately wants to move to Brooklyn and posts a donation listing on Etsy (actual listing deleted). You know, she’s a young artist, blah, blah, blah. She’s looking to raise $2500 and settle into a 1 bedroom apartment.

Brokelyn caught this non-story first and then Gothamist picked up on it. Now I feel sorry for her.

The Brokelyn comments are somewhat obnoxious but also apologetic. Basically, people are saying they worked hard to get to this paradise and there are no handouts for fresh faced wannabees. At the time of this writing (last night) there was only one native Brooklynite posting and that was me. I was all like “We don’t need any more artist transplants.” Seriously, we have enough.

Ok, I could see me being obnoxious. Most born and bred New Yorkers I know aren’t having a love affair with the skinny-jean-wearing-lose-that-stupid-beard-hipster-doofus-from-Ohio. But where’s the love from the fellow Alabama (or insert boring state here) doofusi? Lock the door behind you? Not very peaceloveandunderstanding of you.

Jeez, and the Gothamist comments are brutal! Insulting her art and her looks? You know these losers are just sore because they didn’t think of it first! I almost want to give her money just to prove these brats wrong.

But I won’t. I’ll just bitch about it instead.

Coney Island 1/1/11

Coney Island 1/1/11 published on 1 Comment on Coney Island 1/1/11

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Happy 2011! We made our annual trek down to Coney for the Polar Bear swim. Apologies for the photos in advance. Arrived too late to get the 1pm “Everybody into the water!”, then realized my lens filter was shattered and stuck on the lens. So, some artsy “cracked lens” technique going on here.

New Year’s Day Polar Bears 2009

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Check out the shot of me photographing this guy!

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Snow Day!

Snow Day! published on

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Wow, thought I’d get out and take some snappies of the snow this morning. I couldn’t walk more than half as block as nothing is shoveled or plowed yet. These are images of Verona Place and Macon Street. Fulton is a-ok.

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Most importantly, check out my car! I didn’t have to clear it. The wind blew the right way. I know, I know…I’ll be plowed in later.

We couldn’t even open the door to the back yard and the dogs didn’t want to go out on our tiny path in the front. Hubby had to climb down from the second floor window to shovel an area in the back for the finicky pups. Little bitches.

50 Years Ago in Park Slope

50 Years Ago in Park Slope published on

Many of us weren’t even born yet in 1960, but most of us now know what disaster looks like when a plane smashes into a crowded neighborhood. Such was the case in Park Slope 50 years ago today, when a United Airlines flight came down on 7th Avenue and Sterling Place.

It was the deadliest air disaster at the time, killing 134 people. One boy survived, only to die the next morning. Of all the people who perished that day, Stephen Baltz puts a human face on the disaster. Please read these two wonderful articles….

“A Little Brother Remembers” appears today in the NY Times written by William Allen Baltz, Stephen’s brother.

In 2002, Wendell Jamieson wrote a piece for the Times called “The Day The Boy Fell From The Sky“. He writes of Stephen’s rescue and introduces us to the nurse who stayed with the boy in the hospital.

RIP Zig Zag Records on Avenue U

RIP Zig Zag Records on Avenue U published on 1 Comment on RIP Zig Zag Records on Avenue U

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Yeah, it still existed up until recently. If you grew up in Brooklyn, you probably frequented  Zig Zag Records throughout your teens, rummaging through albums, imported 45’s and back issues of NME. And chances are, like me, you haven’t been there since the 80’s unless you’re a vinyl aficionado.

To tell you the truth, I was under the impression that Zig Zag closed years ago. I’m never on Avenue U and I hardly even buy CD’s anymore, no less vinyl.

Ah, but back in the day! There were two record shops worth traveling to Avenue U for. Titus Oaks and Zig Zag. Titus Oaks, which shut down years ago, was the larger of the two. They were major! But Zig Zag was cooler (IMHO). It seemed more “cutting edge” and “under the radar” so to speak.

Zig Zag opened it’s doors in 1977 and had a large punk and new wave following at the time. By the 80’s, it kind of went heavy metal. I only discovered it in the 80’s during my own British Invasion phase and there was enough punk, ska and new wave to satisfy me. Never got into the metal thing.

I found that this guy bought out the collection. What’s next? Bleecker Bob’s?

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