Open Thread Wednesday

By on March 15, 2022 11:33 pm in open thread

What’s on your mind? Comment away!

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  • nomcebo manzini

    somebody’s got to go first…. There’s a very reasonable sounding M.D. named Eric Topol, and he has an article in today’s Guardian warning that Covid is NOT down for the count yet.

    YES, we all want it to be, but I’d be much more inclined to get trip insurance (and take similar steps) than I was 24 hours ago.

    It really doesn’t read like clickbait, and the only reason for pointing to it is my family’s recent bout with Omicron (probably.) Triple vaxed – check; I had 12-24 hours that compare UNfavorably with any in my not short life. I’m big on “cause and effect,” so my laughing the week before about “elevator rules” and all the rest sure makes me think that “the big guy” was in a bad mood that day.

    Almost all of us are “phoning it in” at this point. How many times have you worn the mask you wore most recently? Is it cloth?

  • Rick

    We still need to be very careful. Today I see that the infection numbers in NYC are suddenly up 10%. Europe’s numbers are suddenly way up. China is getting slammed. There’s a belief that this may be a new strain, possibly not coming from Omicron, but from the previous version.

  • meschwar

    It’s definitely not down for the count. Anyone who thinks it is is a fool.

    My guess is that we’ll have a small wave soon, that will go down by early to mid-summer, then another bigger wave late-fall early winter.

    I’m growing into the camp of “take full advantage of the lulls while you can.” Wear a mask when it’s reasonable to, but if the COVID numbers are low, feel free to go to restaurants or parties or whatever.

  • CassieVonMontague

    Brooklyn Paper Blotter reports mailbox thieves are back at it again. This time they hit up a USPS mailbox at Middagh and Cadman Plaza multiple times at the end of February. (I don’t know of any mailboxes on that corner). With a stolen key, they opened the box and stole the whole bag. If you mailed any important documents using an outdoor mailbox, check to make sure they were received. It’s also a good idea to go to the main post office to mail important items. Mailbox thieves have been rampant the past few years. That’s why they changed the mailbox slots.

    https://www.brooklynpaper.com/84-precinct-marauders-mailbox/

  • meschwar

    Also you seem to be suggesting that it’s not okay to reuse a disposable mask, which isn’t true.

  • Jorale-man

    I really haven’t changed a thing, as anyone who reads this weekly thread knows. An N95 or KN95 anytime I go indoors, no crowded spaces, no indoor dining. Planning a summer vacation that’s focused on outdoor activities.

    Rick is correct – there are signs that numbers are heading up again. I’m getting a real May 2021 vibe from the politicians’ attempts to declare this almost over.

  • Andrew Porter

    Apparently there was book sale at Plymouth Church, Monday through today. I stumbled on this by accident, walking past the 75 Hicks Street entrance. Found one book I wanted.

    Asked them why they didn’t publicize this (mentioning the BHB) and they said they’d sent e-mail out to church members and posted flyers outside the building. Told them to put me on their e-mail list for future events of interest to the neighborhood.

    In other news, the redeveloped 124 Columbia Heights is going to be called “The Torrey.” Not that I’ve seen any work being done on it the last few weeks.

  • Banet

    It’s actually The Torre. No Y. Odd name for a building.

  • Andrew Porter

    Photo by John Vachon for Look Magazine, Sep. 21, 1948, shows people enjoying the view of the BQE construction from benches at Columbia Heights and Clark Street (anything to escape a pre-air-conditioner apartment). Supply your own sounds of jackhammers!
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/caf9f2bf56a67b44bdde05d1c17ae80475edbd9b91ac65641b9d9a7e713b09fa.png

  • CassieVonMontague

    Will Grace Church ever have a Winter Fair again?

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

    Spanish for “tower.”

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

    As a Grace parishioner, I hope so. If next February finds us not struggling with some new COVID variant, I think it’s all but a certainty.

  • Josh Appelbaum

    This happened at my building on Willow Street as well, twice in the past 6 months.

  • Cranberry Beret

    Our 11201 zip code continues to have the highest 7-day case count in the entire city. This has been going on for the past week or so.

    https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/covid/covid-19-data.page#maps

    I know several people in our nabe who are triple-vaxxed, who got it recently. And some (also vaxxed) who had omicron in the winter who are now getting it again less than 3 mos. later. This new strain is clearly evading the vax. Luckily all the cases I’ve mentioned have been mild.

  • Bornhere

    And here I was thinking a fine, if long-overdue, tribute to Joe… .

  • streeter

    Can anyone recommend a spot to pick up corned beef and cabbage tonight? What restaurants have it available?

  • Effective Presenter

    We bet Lassen & Hennings could pack up a beautiful meal for yall to take home .

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

    Custom House on Montague.

  • Andrew Porter
  • Andrew Porter

    Brief article about the Long Island Restaurant, Atlantic and Henry, just posted on Forgotten NY:

    https://forgotten-ny.com/2022/03/long-island-west/

  • Pierrepont

    Long Island Bar is one of my favorite spots that survived the pandemic (so far) in this whole ZIP Code. Honest! Food is good, and the drinks are exceptional. And don’t just take my word for it! Cocktail writers like Robert Simonson have called it their favorite bar in NYC. You can look it up!

  • Jorale-man

    Very interesting how the wealthier zip codes have the highest positivity rates now (with a couple of exceptions like Bed-Stuy). We’re at 3.71% as of Friday. It’s probably the new BA.2 variant, picked up from someone’s spring vacation in the Alps or St. Bart’s.

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

    I have a friend that worked for the USPS, He told me of the many “non mail” items often found in the drop boxes, some fairly disgusting. Hence, I haven’t used those boxes in decades.

  • KDHicks

    AGREE + the burgers there are destination worthy.

  • nomcebo manzini

    Masks are one of the many areas of “I once read…” – i.e., maybe, some scientist could tell you what to do, but I haven’t run across her/him. What I *do* know is that cloth isn’t as “robust” as some of the others, and counterfeits of those abound, and now that we’ve all been “trained” to re-use, that comes with risks in THIS connection.

    But I’m not “judging,” at least partly because I doubt I’m doing all that I should just to keep me & the people around me safe.

    Next, re someone else’s comment – restaurants?! No comment from me except the question mark at the heart of this paragraph.

    I hadn’t heard about 2+ omicron cases in short order, and it sounds like Every 3-6 months, somebody (intelligent) faults the 2+ D.C. info-centers as doing a very bad job re messaging.

    I get how PSA’s pretty much stick to “get yourself fully protected – and any eligible kids, too.” But as the NYT reported today, Friday, the world of business – even in NYC, where intelligence and non-Trumpism are above average – businesses are opting to let their employees “work it out”/”figure it out.”

    I recognize the problems with more prescriptive approaches, but there IS a good reason why most (?) school districts require certain shots if one wants to send one’s little ones to school.

    The world has changed – sorry for the cliche – but gov’t incompetence has not. NYC mass transit is at once indispensable and not quite viable without enforced rules or a much better behaved public & tourists. Not that I expect much from Mayor Adams, but I read his “planning” as “let’s assume that omicron is the last letter in the alphabet.”

  • nomcebo manzini

    Inga’s – mostly positive … except –

    Noise. My wife had an altogether LOVELY meal there last night. We agree that some restaurants LOVE lines out the door AND NOISE, because both signify “Good place” or “hot place,” and each attracts a crowd.

    But – and I’ll grant you this may be age-related – a place where you have to strain to hear a dining companion – CONSTANTLY – is going to disappoint (and basically limit repeat dining there) for no small number of Heightsers.

    “It is what it is,” I suspect, is the de facto response, but don’t say you had no idea. (Of course, dining on the early side and presumably not Fri-Sun, is a good adaptive strategy.) Plus, the problem might diminish over time for the obvious reason.

    But GOOD FOOD, service, pricing/choices, etc. (And I suspect many either expect “moderate+ noise” when dining out (but in) and/or aren’t all that troubled by it.)

    Hope others will “confirm” or “deny” – i.e., “review.”

  • Effective Presenter

    @ KDHicks,

    A great burger becoming more difficult to find . Thank you for your opinion we plan a trip to the Long Island Bar soon.

    Kevin

  • BH Mike

    The mask crybabies of Brooklyn Heights never stop crying.

  • KDHicks

    We went! Thought it was great — thrilled to see more liveliness in the neighborhood. We had the mackerel and burger, plus the summer sausage. Everything was great, loved the cocktails. Can’t wait to go back – highly recommend. They keep tables and bar seats available for local walk-ins, which is the best part. Well worth the wait :)

  • Jorale-man

    I remember Jack the Horse could be loud on certain nights too. I assume it’s partly the acoustic of the room and unwillingness to pad it appropriately. But you’ve got the right strategy: go before the noisy people arrive.

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