Open Thread Wednesday

By on April 22, 2020 12:03 am in open thread

What’s on your mind? Comment away!

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  • Karl Junkersfeld

    I have lived in North Heights for 35 years and Henry’s End and Cranberries have served us well and helped make living here an enjoyable experience. Cranberries is presently shut down. I feel for Moses desperately and hope he gets through these difficult times. Henry’s End, though, is still open for takeout and I plead with those in the neighborhood to order a takeout periodically to keep them afloat. Their takeout is delicious and a real treat and it would be great to support a restaurant that has been there for us all these years. Take out phone number: 718-834-1776. Help out our local restaurants that make the Heights great. Caviar delivers free:

    https://www.trycaviar.com/m/henrys-end-1368

  • CassieVonMontague
  • Jorale-man

    A good principle to apply to our local restaurants. There are a few that I wish were offering delivery but aren’t. Notably Hanco’s, which you’d think would do a good business right now. I’ll have to hold my craving for a Banh Mi or Chicken Pho for a while I guess.

  • CassieVonMontague

    Any news on the Clark Street Station Elevators?

  • Cranberry Beret

    The city’s DOT could be a great force for good these days by closing some streets to help maintain social distancing for pedestrians.

    Instead, this is what they’re spending their time on.

    Last week, DOT sent a guy out to the corner of Cranberry and Hicks Streets. He took down the “pedestrian” warning sign on Hicks and replaced it with a “children on a see-saw” warning sign.

    Why?? The existing sign was better. The playground at Plymouth is fenced in (only emergency exits) so no kids are running out from there. And no one under 40 even knows what a see-saw is. (I realize this has been the federally-mandated warning sign for playgrounds for ages, but these days, it’s stupid.) Also, the guy couldn’t figure out how to detach the old sign so he had to spend time cutting off the old pole, and jack-hammering a spot in the sidewalk for a new pole. For good measure, he also took down the one-way sign and moved it further from the corner (now less visible) so he could attach it to a second see-saw sign on Cranberry, which is also unnecessary.

    /RANT OFF

    (Don’t get me started on how Plymouth is sitting on a big chunk of empty land that used to be houses just so they can have a private playspace that’s used a couple hours a day at most.)

    Let’s go to the pics…

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/a19665166baf8a40496022294daff80e1b433c656bc5b8242d3779fe8697cd0c.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/265cd20dec3ee44aa67a51e8edecf41ab26ab7ee4adb0f7249aafac82ecd2cd9.jpg

  • meschwar

    I’m very much of two minds about or seeing takeout. I like the idea of supporting these local businesses, but I hate the idea of the workers having to risk their health by coming in to work for what we all know isn’t really essential. And probably taking public transportation to boot.

    No criticism for those who are ordering. I have been too, but I have reservations. And also respect for those business who have decided not to be open right now.

  • CassieVonMontague

    Sad story about the death a neighborhood author’s father:

    https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/18/nyregion/coronavirus-jjbubbles-joe-joyce.html

  • http://www.yotamzohar.com StudioBrooklyn

    Interesting that the part about the signs was your “rant” (I agree w/ you about the signs, btw), and not the part about Plymouth’s playground.

    Are you suggesting they should…sell the area where the playground is…to…a residential real estate developer?? I’ll speak for myself here but I’m not sure that would be better for our neighborhood than a safe playground (which, by the way, is becoming more and more open to the public as Plymouth has increased its open-door family programming in recent years).

  • KXrVrii1

    One sign you have been in NYC too long may be that you get upset that a pre-school / kindergarten has an outdoor playground…. Or that you think no one under 40 knows what a seesaw is?

    But please, rant away, its the open thread and I’m bored.

  • CassieVonMontague

    Kindergarten offers are out and PS 8 has a waitlist for in-zone children.

    Anyone with experience know how this usually plays out?

    https://brooklynbridgeparents.com/kindergarten-offers-out-for-public-schools-in-our-neighborhood-2020/

  • gc

    Blue Angels and Thunderbirds scheduled for flyover starting at 3PM today. Verrazano Bridge up Hudson to Tappan Zee, then back down to Statue of Liberty and Newark, then over East River to Flushing and Long Island.

  • Teresa

    I read on NextDoor that this was mistakenly reported and isn’t happening.

  • gc

    Thanks for clarification

  • Emily W

    In case anyone is having difficulty getting out to pickup groceries or other essential items, I wanted to recommend the Invisible Hands delivery service, which is a free volunteer service.

    I’ve been volunteering with them and it’s pretty straightforward to use and the volunteers are instructed to take strict precautions in accordance with the CDC & NY State guidance: https://www.invisiblehandsdeliver.com/request-a-delivery

  • Jorale-man

    Same here, completely. I don’t like the idea of people crowded into Hanco’s kitchen, sans distancing, to cook my meals.

    One flip side may be, it’s providing them with needed work. Anything I do order, I’m sure to tip generously right now (which at least helps the delivery person, though probably not the kitchen staff or cashier). Complicated issue, for sure.

  • Andrew Porter

    This just in: all bowling alleys, roller rinks and drive-in movie theaters in Brooklyn Heights have been allowed to reopen—and no social distancing rules apply.

    Incidentally, the Velodrome in Brooklyn Bridge Park evidently never closed. Didn’t know that…

  • Jane Van Ingen

    We’ve been using them. They’re great!

  • aconcernedneighbor

    The waitlists generally move quite a bit. I cant say for sure if all kids will get in but if memory serves, a good many get in off the wait list.

  • Cranberry Beret

    I wouldn’t be thrilled if the Plymouth playground lot were developed (after all, it’s my corner). But it does seem quite the luxury in a city with a housing shortage to have bought a bunch of houses, torn them down, and then sat on the land for years. This isn’t the same debate about commercializing public parkland, this is about a private owner who took housing stock out of circulation much in the same way townhouses in the nabe have downsized density by converting 4-family houses to 1-family.

  • SongBirdNYC

    I wrote about this and the rezoning extensively when the wait list hit 50 for the kids born in 2010. A wait list of 22 or 25 kids or so “should” dissipate. G&T offers aren’t out yet. Some parents will choose charters or private. Others move.

    Schools have NO idea how many kids will get off the wait list until parents whose kids were offered a placement actually register. You have to register your child in person so I have no idea how the DOE will handle that in the time of social distancing. Families notoriously forget to tell the zoned school their children are going elsewhere. So a lot of the time, a space doesn’t become available until a few days before school starts.

    Schools won’t tell you what number you are on the list because the “Pole Position” as it were, changes rapidly. They do have a list of the order of priority in which spots should be offered though. I can also tell you that the parent coordinator ABSOLUTELY checks for valid addresses and they have ferreted out families that have tried to fake a Brooklyn Heights addresses.

    All of this is to say “DON’T PANIC” and I would respectfully add that you be patient with the school’s Administration, especially now during social distancing. Being a squeaky wheel won’t get you a space faster. The list just has to shake out. I would absolutely register your child at the school which you received a placement. This will guarantee your child a spot for Kindergarten. It will NOT negate a space for your child at PS8 if one becomes available.

    Two additional notes: 1) Final enrollment numbers aren’t settled until Oct 31st of the school year. So schools can add students up until that time. 2) Some spaces open up for first grade. So if you don’t get in for Kindergarten there is a good chance you can get a spot for First.

    Hope this helps.

  • SongBirdNYC

    One other thing, your oder of priority on the waitlist is determined by DOE K Admissions, not the school itself.

  • Jorale-man

    Ah yes, the velodrome.
    The roller rink on Pier 2 in Brooklyn Bridge Park is closed it appears. I wonder if the park will host its film series or similar events this summer. Doesn’t seem likely at this point.

  • Heightsman

    how many of these types of businesses are in Brooklyn Heights?

  • L

    To the maskless joggers and runners who run down Joralemon Street, presumably on your way to the park:

    Why do you think you shouldn’t have to wear a mask? It’s imposssible to get six feet away from other pedestrians on those narrow sidewalks. I understand that it may be uncomfortable to wear a mask while running, but don’t you think you have some degree of responsibility to your fellow citizens? You’re running down the street, breathing hard, exhaling clouds of quite possibly virus-laden breath right in the faces of those around you.

    I’ve started confronting people like you on this anti-social behavior. I hope others do, too.

    You’re self-absorbed, solipsistic trash. Please behave like responsible adults. If you can’t do that, perhaps you can move somewhere else. I suggest Michigan — you can join the moronic Trumpist protesters there. They don’t think they should bother with masks either.

  • Love Laner

    We had the very unfortunate experience of our door being urinated on by a man in broad daylight yesterday. A decently put together adult, wearing jeans and a baseball cap, who didn’t stop even when confronted. My heart goes out to people who relied on public and semi-public (e.g. Starbucks and library) restrooms but WHO has said urine can spread this disease. Hope this hasn’t happened to anyone else but do keep on the look out. Especially disturbing that it happened in broad daylight and despite asking him to stop/move elsewhere.

  • KXrVrii1

    And arguably, for the really tough runners out there, there may be some advantages to wearing masks precisely to limit your oxygen!

    https://www.trainingmask.com/

  • aconcernedneighbor

    While I agree with the sentiment and I too am frustrated by runners who get too close without a mask, are we resorting to name calling now? We are better than that.

  • Ned on Joralemon

    Your concern for the health and well being of your neighbors is noble.

    It’s worth keeping in mind that it was after folks were specifically told not to wear masks that Andrew, son of Mario directed NY residents to wear one when social distancing is not possible.

    It’s reasonable that one could draw the conclusion that they could engage in outdoor, solitary exercise mask free and still be within both the letter and the spirit of the directive.

    A quick warning on “confronting” people. A couple of weeks ago, I watched a middle aged women be forcefully shoved to the ground outside of Perelandra by a 6′ + 230lb + man over a social distancing spat. So while, the comments section will always be a safe space for hateful rage, the streets of Brooklyn Heights may not be these days.

    People are on edge so we should do our best to meet them with kindness and understanding more now than ever.

    One final note on masks though – my pants have never once stopped a fart.

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7nPOzGeyaw Arch Stanton

    I simply feign a violent coughing episode, whenever some idiot gets too close to me. Works great!

  • aconcernedneighbor

    Not even funny. seriously.

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