Open Thread Weekend

By on July 23, 2016 9:53 am in open thread

It’s the weekend! What’s on your mind?

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  • Andrew Porter

    I had decided to hunker down for the next several days, not going out into the brutal heat, until I lost a crown last night. So it’s off to Dr. Moshman on Remsen Street this afternoon. Going to slowly walk there, keeping to the shady side of the street!

    Hot town, summer in the city on Vimeo (gritty urban NYC scenes except for one of the wonderful Salamonica Market in Hobart, Tasmania):

    https://vimeo.com/34042300

  • Jorale-man

    Tazza finally got their outdoor seating license restored just in time for the heat wave. I saw a few brave folks out there this afternoon but the majority seemed to be eating inside.

  • Jorale-man

    Speaking of summer: The ice-cream truck at Pierrepont & Columbia Heights. Did the driver buy that at a “pollution special” sale? That has to be the most filthy, noisy ice-cream truck on the streets of NYC. Granted, at least it doesn’t play music 24/7 but the jackhammer-like compressor makes up for that.

  • Michael

    Graffiti on the promenade?

  • Tim_N

    Anyone know what was going on yesterday (Sunday) around 5:45? About a dozen police cars, vans, motorcycles, lights and sirens, speeding around BH, seemed to be focusing on Cranberry St area. Helicopter appeared moments later.

  • Peter C

    i live in dumbo… as i walked to pick up my car my wife and I noticed protesters with a large police presence following them playing “it is illegal to gather in the streets, what you are doing is unlawful and you must disperse immediately” from their loudspeakers. Our guess was the protesters were attempting to gain access to the Brooklyn Bridge.

    edit: the event im describing took place on Saturday Afternoon around 1:30p

  • Concerned

    I saw it. These losers think they’re creating some profound work of art that’s going to make us think… Although I can’t half blame them considering the massive signs of “Understanding” (rotating for maximum effect) and “Yo/Oy” pass as art in BBP.

  • neighboronhicks

    Does anyone have a recommendation for a trusted dry cleaner for my wedding dress?

  • redlola

    that was a black lives matter event

  • Bornhere

    It was something about a motorcycle being driven on the sidewalk and then abandoned when the cops gave chase. The police were unable to track down the rider.

  • Remsen Street Dweller

    Feds Investigating de Blasio’s Involvement in LICH sale !

    (Now if they would just open it up further to Cuomo.)

    http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn/feds-investigating-de-blasio-long-island-college-hospital-sale-article-1.2725903

  • Mary Kim

    Most of the cleaners in the area are good, but for a wedding dress, I would try Boerum Hill Dry Cleaners. I’ve had coats cleaned there and they did a great job. The owners are nice and they do the cleaning themselves. Check out the yelp reviews.

  • StudioBrooklyn

    I had to dig for a few minutes but your comment inspired me. Please see this sub-thread from a few months ago: https://disqus.com/home/discussion/brooklynheightsblog/open_thread_wednesday_709/#comment-2539108518

    I haven’t been to the Promenade in about a week so I haven’t seen the “artwork” you’re referring to. Could you please describe it? When it comes to the conversation about whether graffiti or other forms of vandalism can constitute art, on a scale from 1 to 10 where 1 means zero interest and 10 means obsessed, I’m a 6 or a 7.

  • gatornyc

    Proof that when it comes to art everyone’s a critic.

  • Concerned

    I’m pretty sure almost anything can constitute “art”, depending on the perspective. My personal perspective is that graffiti and vandalism can be considered “art”. Hell, I might even consider it “art”. But that’s not the point. The point is that I hope that art would enhance an experience at a particular location, not take away from it. If Da Vinci had created a masterpiece of a Mona Lisa with a 1000 ft by 1000 ft canvas, I would not want that masterpiece blocking my view of the sunset on the promenade, despite it being one of the greatest works of art of all time.
    The graffiti (white spray paint on the walking bricks of the promenade saying something like: “life is short so live it” or something banal like that) might be art to the idiot who decided to vandalize (and even sign his work…), but it’s a) against the law, and b) negatively takes away from my experience of the promenade (I’m guessing I’m in the vast majority).
    Regarding “Understanding”, it just seems like another sign to get in the way of the beauty of the water and natural surroundings. In regards to Oy/Yo, I think it’s kind of cute, but the location is right in the middle of a green space that is so hard to find in the area. What’s more beautiful than a few square yards of green grass to picnic on, or for children to play on, etc…
    So my main problem with the “Understanding” and Yo/Oy is that we have signs EVERYWHERE we go in the city. It seems to me that this art is overkill and negatively impacts the natural beauty.
    PS: I felt the same way about “Yoga”. Kind of a cool piece of art, but to put that steel monstrosity at the bottom of one of the best stretches of grass within miles was an absolute travesty. I’m glad it’s gone.

  • StudioBrooklyn

    Word. We don’t need more bad art in this world, intrusively presented or otherwise.

  • Concerned

    Lol. Funny guy over here!!!

  • StudioBrooklyn

    Yeah this is what I’d call a bumper sticker platitude applied to a “found surface”. This sort of thing has been done as high brow, even from blue chip artists such as Glenn Ligon. I don’t think this particular instance was successful because it strikes me as being derivative and lacking in craftsmanship. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d06eacfbc5b8b85d2a0b80ad32b8bd867ea271699c9d5a9d09ac0c1690057fa7.jpg

  • HistoryBuff

    It’s now possible for you to get involved and/or track NYC’s website for your neighborhood.

    Brooklyn Heights: http://www.brooklynheights.nyc/

  • Andrew Porter

    If you call 311 and report it, the Parks Dept. will remove it. Where is this on the Promenade?

  • Andrew Porter

    The guy on Henry next to the entrance to the St. George Arcade has a sign in the window that they do wedding dresses.

  • StudioBrooklyn

    Just south of the construction shed at Clark Street, as I recall. If someone feels really strongly that this [bad] “art” is negatively affecting them somehow, they can go ahead and call 311, but as an artist it’s very murky territory for me to say “I don’t like this person’s item of expression so I’m going to make it go away.”

  • Andrew Porter

    Okay, reported it. Here’s the service request number:

    C1-1-1285417781

    And I, too, have done artwork for a really long time. That doesn’t include writing on the pavement, though.

  • StudioBrooklyn

    No argument here, just didn’t want to be the one to do it. :)