Open Thread Wednesday

By on November 1, 2022 11:20 pm in open thread

What’s on your mind? Comment away!

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  • Karl Junkersfeld

    Attached is an exhaustive study about the history of the recently sold 24 Middagh home. It’s an article, dare I say, that may even make Jeremy proud. Can’t believe this account, written in Aug. 2018, eluded me until today.

    https://www.brownstoner.com/architecture/brooklyn-heights-oldest-houses-24-middagh-street-mysterious-past-history-architecture-federal-wood-frame/

  • Andrew Porter

    23 and 25 Cranberry Street on June 26, 1928. 23 is where “Whiz Gear Grease” is sold. See reply for a 1921 ad for the stuff. Click both to see larger images:
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/7f40104d7229652594c304422b4fc9059858e773d853d06cec26f8593d7c5108.jpg

  • Andrew Porter
  • Bornhere

    The prose of this ad is spectacular.

  • Eddyde

    Gee

  • CassieVonMontague

    I noticed the “Sinclair Gasoline” sign. Would they really have fuel pumps inside the garage?

    No. 23 later became the studio for artists John and Richanda Rhoden

    Info on John’s workspaces: https://blog.pafaarchives.org/blog/behind-the-scenes/john-rhodens-workspaces/

    New Yorker article on Richanda written two years after she died in 2016: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/richanda-rhoden-a-fascinating-painter-whose-work-was-rarely-shown-in-her-lifetime

    Now it’s the Asia Art Archive in America Reading Room

    AAA’s mission is to act as a catalyst for new ideas that enrich our understanding of the world through the collection, creation, and sharing of knowledge around recent art in and of Asia.
    To achieve this goal, AAA in A maintains a reading room in Brooklyn Heights which is open to the public free of charge and comprises over 5000 monographs, exhibition catalogs, reference books, periodicals, and audio-visual materials.

    http://www.aaa-a.org

  • CassieVonMontague

    More Trees Grow in Brooklyn, as Council Member Pushes to Fill Every Empty Pit

    Councilmember Lincoln Restler wants to cover his district with saplings, from Boerum Hill to Greenpoint

    https://www.thecity.nyc/brooklyn/2022/11/2/23435968/tree-planting-brooklyn-lincoln-restler-parks

  • Andrew Porter

    Saw that. Apparently going to be an event here in the Heights later this month.

  • Andrew Porter
  • Andrew Porter

    The BHA reports that “Books are Magic” will have its grand opening on November 5th.

    “Come welcome Books Are Magic to 122 Montague Street on Saturday, November 5th from 10am-6pm and enjoy book signings from Tessa Bailey, Ruth Chan, Brian Floca, Emily St. John Mandel, Adam Rubin, Doug Salati and Alejandro Varela.”

  • AEB

    I’ve just had the most remarkable experience. I bought a chocolate madeleine at the French Tart Cafe or Deli or whatever it’s called on Henry. There were two such pastries available. The serving person squeezed one to determine its freshness and threw it out. After similar testing, I was given the second one.

    Besides being less than fresh, the madeleine HAD NO FLAVOR WHATSOEVER! I put this in caps because it struck me as truly remarkable–something edible that tasted of…nothing! Not of butter, not of chocolate, not of vanilla, not even of flour. But for some texture, it was an edible hologram.

    Why bother to report this? Well, you know: buyer beware. So, buyer beware.

  • Jorale-man

    A pandemic update for 11201:
    Dates: October 25-October 31
    7-day percent positive: 10.27%
    People tested (reported to date): 691
    New people positive (reported to date): 71
    https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/covid/covid-19-data.page#maps
    Stay safe out there.

  • PierrepontSt

    Does anyone have any updates on when the Court St station might reopen? I think they originally said it would be early October. I’d love to know when it might be open again!

  • Junkman

    Surprised, AEB, you gave them a second chance with the chocolate madeleines.
    Judging from your prior excoriating review a year ago, see below, I assumed you would never patronize the establishment again, and especially the dreaded chocolate madeleines. Hehe

    “So I go into the new French bakery on Henry. I see the chocolate madeleines, they look good, and I buy two.
    Get home and discover they’re rock hard. Go back to the bakery with them. The woman behind the counter calls the manager, an older gent. I tell him they’re stale and that I’d like my money back. He takes the bag and tosses it in the garbage, the contents un-checked-out.
    I get my money back and say that I think they should dispose of the chocolate madeleins still on display. He says, “They’re supposed to be crunchy.”
    Of course they’re not. “They’re hard,” I say, “feel them.” He doesn’t. “We bake them every day,” ha says…..
    Moral: if you can’t admit that your madeleins are stale when they’re returned for being so you’re…very silly”

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

    The projection of an early fall completion was based on work starting in May, shortly after completion of work on the Clark Street elevators. However, work on Court Street didn’t start until July, so it seems that if the same schedule holds it might be completed by December.

  • Andrew Porter

    I buy the mini-tarts there, store them in my fridge and then nuke them for a few seconds before eating. They’re delicious!

  • Andrew Porter

    Thanks to whoever (was it you?) wrote here that I could get the booster at that relocated pharmacy on the south side of Atlantic between Court and Clinton.

    Went in, no waiting, and got the shot without any fuss.

  • AEB

    One lives in hope, I guess. One also likes to b*tch. But thanks for the rerun.

  • Banet

    It was me and I’m so glad you went. They’re lovely people and I worry that their location is deeply overlooked.

  • Banet

    Having samples every chocolate croissant within a 1.5 radius, I find Le French Tart Deli to offer the best option. Definitely superior to L’Apartment 4F. Very slighty
     inferior to their same location on Court & Degraw in Carroll Gardens. A bit buttery. Lovely chocolate. My only complaint is that maybe they’re very slightly overdone. So I’m surprised their madelines are inferior.

  • AEB

    I’m glad you had a good experience with them. I also had a croissant of theirs at one point. It was good–but, to me, lacked the fall-apart flakiness and super-tender, buttery crumb of the “Apartment” version.

    I think one issue must be–always is–consistency; it may not be hard to make a great croissant when the stars are in proper alignment, but it’s another thing to make great ones time after time.

  • Jorale-man

    Got my latest booster at CVS last week. Busy, and everyone there was masked, which was encouraging. The pharmacist said they’re hiring more people to try avoid any wait times – which would discourage people from getting the jab.

  • CassieVonMontague

    I got my flu shot in Manhattan. While i was standing at the pharmacy counter, two different customers, without masks and obviously sick, approached the pharmacist to ask questions about cold medicine. Now I refuse to go back to the city.

  • Jorale-man

    Oh, that’s not cool. But a sign of the times, I guess.

  • Andrew Porter

    I went into Trader Joe’s after and touted them as a good place to get a shot, without even stepping off the curb!

  • gc

    There is a very large Deploy coffee wagon out on the Promenade near the Pierrepont playground. Really takes up a lot of room and looks totally out of place.

  • JaneonOrange

    First–to be compared, croissants should be tasted on similar days: dry days produce vastly better croissants than humid days. That change alone could account for a differing opinion. Secondly, I have to say I was supremely disappointed with the chocolate croissant at LFTD as it seems they use a chocolate paste as opposed to hunks of chocolate a la LA4F. A matter of preference, but I will stick with plain croissants at LFTD.

  • Karl Junkersfeld

    Jane,
    That is an excellent point. I remember having a conversation with Herve’, owner of Almondine, about his baguettes not having the same consistency and he said it had everything to do with the humidity outside. Sure enough, on the dry days, the baguette was more crispy and my satisfaction elevated.

    Who would of thought.

  • Andrew Porter

    If they’re actually on the Promenade, not near it, that’s against the law.

  • RW

    I saw this promoted on BHA’s IG account a couple days ago.