Open Thread Wednesday

Results of my just-completed Quick ‘n’ Dirty survey of Montague:

City Market Cafe site – nothing doing.

Mr. Souvlaki site – this was supposed to turn into a dental clinic, but no work seems to be underway, unless it’s all going on away from the street end of the space.

Five Guys – from the look of things, I’d say grand opening in about a week.

All other sites (upstairs from Loft/Jennifer, upstairs from Starbucks, ex-Tapestry and ex-Tas-t-Delite) – nothing doing, except Cincinnatti Photo site, where work is underway, but no indication of what’s going in.

Steel cage death match, eh? How about the Finks versus Hugh and Louise Crawford? The Heights versus the Slope!

Bloggeroke? What am I supposed to do, post an MP3 of myself singing “My Way”? Believe me, as a waiter in an authentic Chinese restaurant might say if you inquire about one of the “specials” listed on the wall in Cantonese, “You no like.”

My $.02 for today ….

• Thankful for the lack of soft ice cream from the truck – they typically don’t clean the machines & the ice cream is a bacteria festival
• Disappointed that Uncommon Grounds doesn’t open in the morning
• Really really excited for 5 Guys, but wish they had sweet potato fries as good as the Park Plaza diner! Those things are sooooooo good …
• What’s up with Bentley’s shoes? They have the world’s worst return policy and their sales are always out of date (in the window now is the “Winter Sale” poster – since February) and yet they’re still in business
• St. Ann’s building looks beautiful. Too bad their students are so rude to the local merchants & residents
• Does “turf park” make your throat itch? And how will the turf hold up to all the dogs urinating on the plastic?! There are no “No Dogs” signs :( … and how long ’till some unsuspecting toddler is trampled by the adult soccer players?
• PS8 going from almost closing with under 175 kids to eliminating the science room and maybe the Pre-K because they’re overrun with local kids (emergency PTA/community meeting tonight, 6pm)
• We need great chinese food … roaches & rats at Lichee & Andys is just discouraging

uncommon grounds – I have only had the regular coffee, its seattles best, fine. The place itself is charming. Its a pretty small place but each seating area has a character of its own, there is the “family table”, the “readers corner”, the “living room set up” the “casual dinner for two”. The staff is nice and checks up on customers regularly. There is always good music and it now has wifi. I have seen people eating/drinking and have not heard any complaints.

“Leaving New York” by going to Santa Fe is like “Leaving New York” to go to LA. Yeah, the geography changes, but for better or worse, not much else. Stick it out.

Henry St. flea market is definitely AN EYESORE. It’s total JUNK! Handmade crafts would be one thing but I don’t want to buy a People magazine from 3 months ago.

Also, anyone else completely frustrated by the noise (mostly music) from the dorm on Clark St now that it’s spring and people have their windows open?

Ditto for eyesore!
Speaking of crafts, it’s not in the nabe, but there is a new cool crafts market on Smith and Union: brooklynindiemarket.com

We’d like to meet the dorm guitarist. We’ll video tape his mad axe skills and let the BHB community decide if he/she indeed rocks or not.