Open Thread Wednesday

By on November 3, 2015 11:58 pm in open thread

What’s on your mind? Comment away!

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  • http://selfabsorbedboomer.blogspot.com/ Claude Scales

    Don’t miss this story and collection of Heights photos from 1958: http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/5-david-attie-brooklyn

  • Bornhere

    Oh, Claude — great find. And I remember the pet store so well (it was on Henry, next to where Fascati’s is now)….

  • Willow Street Watch

    Its 7:05 AM, and so far this morning there have been seventeen, yes seventeen, Helicopters hovering over or flying over our house. I had to go up to check the drains just now and that was the count! This is in addition to two really low hoverings last night one at 2:30 and one for some reason at 4 AM!!!. Its just like a war zone!

  • Roberto

    The New York City Council Committee on Environmental Protection will hold a hearing on the bills we’re supporting to stop the noise and air pollution of tourist helicopters. It’s scheduled for Thursday, November 12 at 1pm at City Hall. If you can, arrange to present your experience. Our health and quality of life are being degraded constantly.

  • Remsen Street Dweller

    Wanted to let you know that I had a great lunch at Friend of a Farmer yesterday. Food – delicious, atmosphere – cozy and warm, and the wait staff couldn’t have been more helpful and friendly. I had the grass fed beef hamburger and my friend had a salmon salad. She had eaten dinner there a few days before with her husband and they both really enjoyed it — so much so, that they have already made reservations for their Thanksgiving dinner there.

  • MaryT

    This in from Stop the Chop NY/NJ:

    “We have BIG news – and it’s all thanks to you! The New York City Council Committee on Environmental Protection will hold a hearing onthe bills we’re supporting to stop the noise and air pollution of tourist helicopters. It’s scheduled for Thursday, November 12 at 1pm at City Hall.

    In recent weeks, because of the heightened attention we’ve been bringing to the environmental, health and safety issues of helicopter tours, we’ve made great progress. But getting a hearing is only the first step. We need you to show your support by showing up!”

    Also, please visit their website, sign the petition, sign up for notices, and support restricting helicopter flights over neighborhoods in Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and New Jersey.

  • Greg

    This is, of course, amazing.

    Can anyone identify some of these locations?

  • Concerned

    Great find. Does anyone know the best places to actually buy old original pics of Brooklyn heights?

  • alyssabereznak

    Hello hello!

    This week’s episode of HeightsCast is out.

    http://bkheightscast.com/11-too-many-clarinets/

    In it, we discuss the David Attie photos (which are excellent), the elusive anchor, and much much more.

    Cheers,

    Alyssa

  • roar

    anyone else notice the small homeless village on Joralemon and Court? The same man has been there with all of his belongings for at least two weeks now. He has since been joined by a friend. They were burning rather pleasant incense this morning.

  • Roberto

    Is there room in Borough Hall for them at lunch time?

  • Alec

    eating out on Thanksgiving means the terrorists win.

  • Maggie

    There were several cops talking to them this morning when I was headed to work, not sure how much longer they’ll be in residence.

  • Arthur

    Can anyone explain to me why there is so little parking enforcement on certain blocks of the Heights?

    Anytime there is a suspension of alternate side parking, streets like Grace Court, Sidney Place, Garden Place or State Street suffer from an abundance of cars parked on both sides of the street. All these streets have posted signs saying No Parking Wednesday (or Tuesday) 8am-6pm. The other side of the street says Parking Allowed Wednesday (or Tuesday) 8am-6pm. It is definitely not alternate side parking as defined by the city code but people interpret it to be as such and take advantage of the lack of enforcement by clogging the streets and creating a potentially dangerous and tragic situation should an emergency vehicle need to access that particular street.

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlsiLOnWCoI Arch Stanton

    As far as I know the 8-6 rule was included in the Alternate Side rule sever years ago as it was confusing. When alternate is suspended it is legal to park on either side on that given day.

  • Brixtony

    So how do we think the speed “bumps” are working? Haven’t seen any enforcement of the new speed limits, but they seem to be having a calming effect.

  • CHatter

    I agree exactly. It’s subtle, but they do seem to be having a gradual socializing impact. I’m a frequent pedestrian and occasional driver–in the former capacity, it’s now noticeably easier to cross the street (especially the busier thoroughfares like Henry near Peas & Pickles), and as a driver I’m definitely more conscious of my speed. I also note that the lights on Hicks have been timed better so that it is impossible to make more than 2 at a time (ie, in a single “green interval”), which discourages speeding and through-traffic more generally. Thumbs up.

  • Willow Street Watch

    All of what you say is true, and I am glad to see the progress. But the real thing that is needed is high visabiliy pull overs by police especially Henry Street bet. Clark & Joralemon or state. There also has to be stops on Atlantic bet Clinton and hicks. Some of the crazies driving through or past the Heights need to see guys getting pulled over. There’s no substitute for basic police disability in controlling certain behavior.

  • Jorale-man

    I see a lot of break lights leading up to them, which suggests that they’re having a positive effect. I can think of a few places where they’re still needed – on Henry, south of Montague for instance. But overall, definitely a calming effect.

  • StudioBrooklyn

    Encouraged reactions, but I wish there were a way to get easy, quick, empirical measurements. As a parent I’ve trained myself right out of the habit of J-walking so my continuing gripe is honking–especially behind cars that yield to pedestrians at intersections (where the pedestrians have right of way anyway!).

    As I’ve said in the past, they should manufacture cars so that the airbag deploys if the horn is used when the car is stationary. A friend of mine also had a great idea: the horn should be as loud inside the car as it is outside.

  • Brixtony

    Yes Jeff, but do we really need more police disability? Hasn’t there been enough lately?

  • Willow Street Watch

    Sorry the *+&%$!@ word processor substituted disability for
    VISIBILITY!!

    If you want to official disability, try the accident investigation service for maddening the-public-be-damned, behavior. Cause an accident in
    many parts of the country and you can easily go to jail….not in nut house on the Hudson. And that’s a BIG part of every jerk thinking they can do anything at the wheel they want….there’s no penalty for their actions.

  • Love Laner

    Does anyone know why there are so many workmen (I assume workmen anyway) on Love Lane on weekday mornings? What construction project are they attached too? I guess it’s not really a problem, I’m more curious because I see them every morning when I leave for work…

  • Willow Street Watch

    Is that related to J- dating?

    No, where the speed bumps Should have properly been placed are on the two real Heights streets where drivers always naturally speed and there have been like 5000 near accidents:

    1) the section of Clark between cadman and henry street. Drivers invariably, or in the vast majority of times, at least 75% nail it as they turn coming in from cadman. They don’t have a long or continuous interval of time of road observation in travel towards henry. 101 Clark and Monroe are loaded with seniors who are slow walkers and there have been like 10,000 near misses! This just by observation from Henry St / the St George.

    2) the other really wild/dangerous spot is the natural hill climb race on Henry north of and just past cranberry. Drivers come off Fulton, turn into Henry and have to power up the hill. They get to the top and of course stay on the accelerator pump, oneone’s J walking just past Cranberry and POW!

    If anyone running the speed bump nanny state program was sane (boy is that a oxymoron) they would have put the bumps, and not low bumps, at the BH drag strip and the BH hill climb!!

  • ColumbiaHeightster

    As of this morning, they are still in residence.

  • Peter Loibl

    Are you really this whiney in real life? Or is this just an online persona? 40% of this blog is your draining, curmudgeon-esque rants … just move already! Big reason why I hardly frequent this site anymore.

  • original joe

    I had the opposite experience on Sunday. The host was slightly rude when I asked about their ability to accommodate a dietary restriction but what made me run for the door and never return was how rude he was to the next customer who asked about a reservation. My family went to Colonie instead and the waitstaff was super nice, informative & accommodating and the food was very good. They really need to get over themselves and stop treating BH residents like they are doing us a favor.

  • ltap917

    I don’t get your comment. One of the best Thanksgiving dinners I ever had was at BECCO. Our adult children had other plans and it was the first time ever in our lives that we had a holiday meal, just the two of us, without family. We had a good time. The food was extraordinary and there were many other couples just like us enjoying their Thanksgiving meal.

  • ltap917

    Really? Is this how you treat someone who actually cares about their neighborhood?

  • RJG

    New York Road Runners Open Run on Nov. 5
    in Brooklyn Bridge Park.
    Photo credit: Harry Silver, NYRR

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