Open Thread: Wednesday, July 11, 2012

By on July 11, 2012 12:01 am in Kids, Nature, open thread, Pets

Last Wednesday was the 4th of July, but let the festivities continue on this Open Thread Wednesday. Fire away!

FYI: Our bear friend pictured here lives in Palmetto Playground, located in the southwest tip of Brooklyn Heights, at State Street & Columbia Place, with the BQE behind it. According to NYC Parks, Palmetto Playground’s nomenclature was inspired by the names of its surrounding streets: Atlantic, Columbia & State. Columbia is the capitol of South Carolina, an Atlantic state, and the state tree is the Cabbage Palmetto, hence, Palmetto Playground. The park offers basketball courts, a kid’s playground and a small off-leash dog park. And, by golly, a working water fountain. (Photo: Chuck Taylor)

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  • Promenade Princess

    TERESA’S SERVICE ON MONTAGUE… OUCH…

    Here a comment on another topic (though, by golly, i agree about the CVS self check-out… every time, for one reason or another, they FAIL)…

    as hard as i want to support long-lived & local teresa’s on montague street, every time i go there — maybe once every few months — the service is consistently horrendous… most recently, i had company in town and we went there for what was supposed to be a quick & tasty lunch outside.

    getting waited on, refilled water, a smile or even close to the right order was next to impossible. the crew of women waitresses there seem to be trained to be stern, uncaring and downright rude. i’m guessing it comes from the top, because after waiting 15+ minutes to pay for our check, i took it inside to the female manager, who refused to ring me up — saying it was up to the waitress… who was nowhere to be found in the restaurant… and this woman, middle-aged, treated me as if she were a nun and i were her catholic school charge trying to write with my left hand in the 1950s!

    i hate to say it, but i’m pretty close to… NEVER AGAIN…

  • Pineapplecran

    promprincess- I have had a similar experience !

  • PromGal

    @PBL
    Great question!
    • Soft shell crab, Shrimp Scampi and Fra Diavolo @ Armando’s- deep fried!
    • Fried Chicken, Ribs, Walnut Crusted Chicken with Pears and Blue Cheese, West Indian Shrimp, Roasted Vegetable Platter with Goat Cheese Polenta @ Henrys Enf
    • Burger and Fries/ Fried Onion Rings, Fish Specials @ Height Cafe.
    • Osso Bucco with Polenta, Lasagna, pasta with Rabbit Ragu @
    Noodle Pudding
    • Gaspacho @ Le Pain Quotidien
    • BLT, French Fries, Homemade Babka, Applecake @ Teresas
    • Lahamjeen Pizza, Mergues Pizza @ Tutt
    • Plain Cheese Pizza @ Fascati It has been really good lately.
    BON APPETIT!
    •

  • Neighbor Hood

    @Mr Crusty..so you believe that corporations have no obligations other than to maximize profit? They have advocated for and attained “personhood”, but yet they have no reasonable moral obligations to their employees, consumers and the communities they operate in? Really? How does that work?
    Oh yeah, I forgot one other point…CVS self check outs SUCK. They are frequently jamming change, mis-scaning etc, and then try and find an employee to help you. I personally find the self check out process dehumanizing, but then again, I actually like interacting with the people who work in my community.

  • Cat

    Arch–thank you! Called Home Depot and they take old batteries. Have to go there anyway to buy more boxes (cheap compared to uhaul or any other moving place), so batteries will be recycled.

  • Mr. Crusty

    @Neighbor Hood: “I personally find the self check out process dehumanizing, but then again, I actually like interacting with the people who work in my community.

    Arent you special. I’m sure all the check out clerks thoroughly enjoy and look forward to their “interactions” with you as well. I imagine it is the highlight of their day to have the opportunity to bag your groceries.

  • Mr. Crusty

    Btw, thanks for letting me know CVS has self check-out. I didn’t realize that. I’ve been using Rite Aid and they always have long slow moving lines. I will now change to CVS. Apparently I must like being dehumanized. Now if we can only get Key Food to install the machines.

  • Neighbor Hood

    @Mr Crusty…I’ll check back in a week to give you time to post more snarky, evading, well thought out “rebuttals”.
    PS. your continued snide remarks about low wage jobs and the “miserable” people who do them (including “bagging your groceries”) is heart warming. I’m beginning to think your desire for “as little human interaction as possible” is something you should embrace and cultivate.
    PPS. you “didn’t realize CVS had self check outs”? That was the original comment that you were pontificating on! Maybe you need some time out at your 2nd home in Florida to rest up. You’ve been posting so very much!

  • Mr. Crusty

    When you mischaracterize everything I say and twist it to fit your preconceived idea of who you think I am you leave me no choice but to be snarky.

    I simply say I prefer automated checkout lines – you turn that into that I am advocating for the elimination of large amount of jobs

    I say corporations indeed have a responsibility to maximize profit – you interpret that and say I believe corporations have no moral obligations to their employees, consumers and communities.

    On two occasions you quote me calling minimum wage workers “miserable” when I said nothing of the sort.

    It’s tiresome debating someone who just makes stuff up, hence the snark.

    Oh and you can shove your ridiculous assertion that by not using the self checkout lines somehow you are the friend of minimum wage workers and those of us that prefer self-check out are their enemies. That is stupid, simplistic and insulting.

  • Jen

    When we moved last year we used Custom Closets and More for our new apt. They’re based in Staten Island and cheaper than California Closets for basically the same thing. Joe Rizzo is great.

    http://www.customclosetsandmore.com/

  • Knight

    @PromGal: when you mentioned the plain cheese pizza at Fascati’s, you added that “it has been really good lately.” I am caught by the word “lately.” Did they make some kind of change?

  • Neighbor Hood

    @MrCrusty, I did misquote you from memory and I apologize. I was remembering this line ” minimum wage cashier that probably hates his/her job.” No excuse for misquoting. I will cut & paste from now on. Here goes….
    “Give me a self-checkout register any day of the week. The less human interaction the better. ATM’s instead of bank tellers, self check out scanners instead of cashiers, etc. Online flight reservations rather than reservation agents.”
    Well if you advocate for the above, then tell me, what happens to the employees that did those jobs? That’s a lot of people being fired and replaced by self service machines, so it’s not a big stretch to say if you vocally advocate for more self service machines across a broad spectrum of business that, yes, you are advocating for the loss of those jobs whether you realize it or not. Some folks don’t stop and think about that, and that was one reason I brought that up.
    “It is not a corporation’s responsibility to employ as many people as possible, their responsibility is (hold on to your hat) to maximize profit” – Since you offer no example that you think they have any obligation beyond that, it was fair to assume you didn’t think they had any or you wouldn’t have used such a simplistic argument. (and no, CVS would NOT go out of business if they didn’t replace workers with self service.).
    “your ridiculous assertion that by not using the self checkout lines somehow you are the friend of minimum wage workers and those of us that prefer self-check out are their enemies” – so by using them whenever possible and advocating on this blog for as many as possible (“ATM’s instead of bank tellers, self check out scanners instead of cashiers, etc. Online flight reservations rather than reservation agents.”), you are a friend to the people whose jobs you so nonchalantly would prefer be replaced by machines, since after all, who knows better than you that they “probably hates his/her job.”.
    You know what is “simplistic and insulting” -this comment:
    ” I prefer machines to humans. I think I can do it faster, more efficiently and with fewer errors than a minimum wage cashier that probably hates his/her job.”

    I am not pretending to be “special” , you write about the self service check outs “I don’t understand people’s objection to it really.” and when I give you my personal opinion with a fact based argument to back it up, out comes the snark.
    And finally, in this day and age, I do find the statement “the less human interaction the better” troubling, to say the least.
    I would think an intelligent person such as yourself would see some validity in that opinion at least.

  • Mr. Crusty

    @Neighbor Hood: I’ll try to answer you questions as succinctly as possible as I am sure we are boring everyone else to tears.

    You ask, “Well if you advocate for the above, then tell me, what happens to the employees that did those jobs?”

    I’m not advocating anything. I was stating MY preference. I feel under no obligation to go about my life in a way that ensures that the most people possible are employed to service my needs. If you do fine but then be consistent.

    To be consistent, you should then always use bank tellers rather than using ATM machines. You should always go to the subway clerk to get your MTA card and not use the machine. You should always call the Flight Reservations Desk rather than purchase your airline tickets online. You should always go to the Ticket line at the airport to get your boarding pass instead of printing at home or using the kiosk.

    Now, unless you are doing all of those things all the time you have no right to suggest that my wishing to use a self-checkout line at a Home Depot somehow makes me “advocating for the elimination of huge numbers of jobs so large corps can maximize profit for a few” (proper use of quotes – your exact words)

    And yes, I make no apology for saying I prefer machines to humans when I am looking for a mundane, routine task to be performed which does not require any higher intellectual function than pushing a few buttons. I don’t need “human interaction” to get my money out of an ATM nor do I find it immoral to do so.

    Which brings me to the next point which is your arrogance to think that those cashiers appreciate your “human interaction”. That you are doing them some big favor, oh grand protector of the minimum wage worker. Give me a break. It is a job to them. I would bet my bottom dollar that the clerk at CVS wishes that MORE people would use the automated self-checkout line. (yes even if theoretically down the line that may mean fewer CVS cashier positions)

    You took a simple comment of mine regarding the preference for automated services, and for whatever reason, attempted to make me some kind of shill for corporate greed, someone that hates and insults minimum wage workers, someone that is less moral than you. What pomposity.

    I’m done with this conversation. Go about saving the world from those greedy corporations by having your “human interactions” with cashiers across the globe for all I care.

  • GHB

    Jeez… don’t you guys have jobs?

  • Mr. Crusty

    Neighbor Hood is a check out clerk at CVS

  • MonroeOrange

    After reading these two go at it all day I can’t believe I’m going to say it but, I would rather hear Gerry moan about the lack of an aquatics center or hick st. Guy complain about dogs peeing on his block!

  • Knight

    Really, guys, get a room already.

  • Neighbor Hood

    @Knight…LOL I was just thinking this has gone on so long when is someone gonna say “get a room”! We asked for that.
    (but I’m holding out for an invitation to the new 2nd home in Florida. I hear it’s been fixed up real nice!)

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/13189502@N02/ Eddyenergizer

    Why not convert the Heights Casino into an aquatics center?

  • Raisincat

    @PierrepontSkin I’ll buy the bike! How can I contact you?

  • PBL

    @PromGal … LOVE the Osso Bucco at Noodle Pudding, but it hasn’t been on the menu for some time (then again, I haven’t been to NP in a few weeks). I suspect the chef who left for Al Mar took the recipe with him, but that’s just a theory. That would have been atop my neighborhood list for sure if it’s still around!

    PS, great list, you gave me a few ideas to try …

  • PromGal

    @Knight
        FASCATI went through a low period. It really depends on who’s making the pizza, the weather, etc. 
         
     We never get delivery;  it arrives steamed and soggy in the box. All take out dies- it just doesn’t travel well. 

      So order it and pick it up yourself, is my advice. I ask them to make the crust thin, and I reheat in a 550-600 degree oven to crisp it up before serving. 
      Recently the pizza has been terrific, altho I do wish they would use fresh mozzarella instead of  commercial pizza cheese. 

      Does anyone know where you can purchase fresh pizza dough?  I’d like to make a pissaladière. 

  • WillowSt.Neighbor

    Crumbs!
    I ordered a variety of cupcakes a few weeks ago and served them with ice cream. They were fantastic especially the pistachio and coconut. I used to stress out about serving dessert to company but everyone likes the cupcakes from Crumbs and they go really well with a scoop of ice cream.
    In Vino (in the E. Village) has meatballs to die for.

  • gatornyc

    If you’re just reasonably handy the best way to do custom closets is to order them through easyclosets.com. I’ve done this many times (prior house and my apartment here in the Heights) and it’s not very difficult. The materials are Califormia Closets quality, they have all the options you could want, and you get the satisfaction of looking at it every day and saying “i did that.” I did a closet that would have cost me $10k from California Closets for $2700.

  • BH’er

    Has anyone noticed the car that has been parked for days at the corner of Hicks/Clark Sts? There is always 1 person sitting in it, and, by my best guess, the guy is – literally – being paid to watch cement dry

    The car has a ConEd cone on the roof, there are some construction gates scattered about and there is the most scattered collection of holes in the street and sidewalk

    BTW, as far as resurfacing – don’t push too hard to get Clinton or Hicks resurfaced… the bumps slow cars down quite a bit, which is far favorable to having a smooth runway for cars to jet through the ‘hood

    Let this sleeping dog lie

  • BH’er

    ps that bear statue is one of my favorites in the city… I also happen to like the Honey Bear statue by the CP Zoo (and the clock bears!), as well as the group of bears by the 79th St entrance

    Thanks for the great pic! So glad to have this one closer to home…

  • rusty

    @PromGal Not sure if it meets your definition of “fresh”, but I’m a big fan of the pizza dough at Trader Joe’s. They have white and wheat, and it’s only around a buck. Tasty for the price.

  • PromGal

    @Rusty
    Thanks for the response, but I meant fresh pizza dough from a pizzeria. Fascati used to sell me some once upon a time, but no longer do.
    FWIW, I’m not a fan if Trader Joe, and never shop there. I find they are more hype, about trendy, marketing, packaging and selling their brand than about quality.
    I much prefer Sahadis, Staubitz, Fairway, and Fish Tales.

  • bklyn20

    I’m late to this party but: it’s quite ironic that Willowtown, the most diverse area in Brooklyn Heights, is home to the park named “Palmetto.” I shuddered when I heard this was to be the park’s name 12+ years ago.

    South Carolina still flies the Confederate flag atop its statehouse. The NCAA hasn’t held a tournament in The Palmetto State in years for this reason. Yet Palmetto Park is home to a well-used basketball court! A new park name would be great, provided the neighborhood has the deciding vote in the choice.

    As for Texas, I have a number of forward-thinking friends from that state, so I hesitate to smear all Texans, Then again, Texas was the state where George W. Bush came to prominence. He is known as “He Who Must Not Be Named, ” abbreviated “HWMNBN” in my household, so I have just broken my own rule.

  • PromGal

    @Bklyn20
    This is still a free country where we have freedom of speech, thought, and association. I’m guessing diversity and tolerance are not your thing when it doesnt slant your way.

    There are many of your neighbors in BH who are from Texas, S.Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Louisiana, Virginia, etc and proud of it. Many are members of the DAR, SAR and the Sons and Daughters of the Confederacy.

    As a charter member if the VRWC, I can tell you there are lots of conservatives living in BH. New England Yankees, Southerners, and Mid Westerners, and native Brooklynites. There’s lots if diversity in BH.

    If you want respect for your ideas and political opinions, you might start by respecting your friends and neighbors who hold different views and political opinions.

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