Another Productive Day in The Auvergne

The days have their own rhythm here. They are divided into two distinct parts: 9 to 12 and 2 to 8Pm. Yes, everything still closes for the sainted lunch period. Even here on our little hill, everything is quiet except the clanking of cutlery on plates. My little family has not quite gotten the hang of it yet. We get up early, work through lunch and start feasting on cheese and bread by 6Pm. Quelle travesty. I will try, I promise, to do better...

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My Second Life in France: Our Shackeau

We arrived yesterday morning in Paris. By the time we got the car, loaded all of our suitcases and filled up the tank for $ 80, we were on our way. This is were we were headed: If you look at a map of France and find Paris, move your finger down to the middle of France. You will find a big city named Clermont-Ferrand. Now this is were it gets tricky. You need a more magnified map. Try to find a place called Sauxillanges. Good. You are almost...

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Traveling To The Center Of France

By the time you read this today, I may already be on my way to the airport. Yes, I am leaving Brooklyn behind for exactly 5 weeks. I know! Isn't it decadent to take so much vacation? But you will never believe if I tell you the truth. I have to take a vacation in France. See! You don't believe me, right?The reason for the trip is simple. Since 1971, my parents have owned a stone farmhouse right in the center of France, four hours south of...

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360 Smith, Bill De Blasio vs. Scarano Update

For all my local Carroll Gardens Readers, here is a quick update from Triada over at C.O.R.D.It is still unclear to most residents here what the buildings department has already approved or will approve, what the place will look like and if Bill deBlasio is going to be able to stop architect Robert Scarano. Not that it matters much since the project can go on without Scarano. If I hear more, I will let you know.FROM THE PEOPLE AT C.O.R.D.Re...

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What Did You Say?

There are insults and the there are insults. I would love to have the quick mind it would take to come up with a really stinging and clever one. Most of the time I only think about a cutting retort long after the conversation. I guess I could memorize some from the list below. I think they would come in handy.When Insults Had Class "He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire." -- Winston Churchill "I have never killed...

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Smith Street Is So Over, Right?

I just read a little article by The Brooklyn Paper's reporter Ariella Cohen entitled: CRYING IN THEIR BEER IN RED HOOK. It sure seems that businesses in Red Hook are having a tough time making a go of it. Some of the more established places are closing one by one. Too bad! I was hoping that some of the Brooklyn "tourists" and night revelers would make the trip over the Gowanus Expressway instead of congesting Smith Street every week-end evening....

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Pigeons: Brooklyn's Official Bird

The official bird for New York State is the Bluebird. Here in New York City, I can't quite believe that. Pigeons are so much a part of New York City's landscape that we should just declare it our official bird. Some think they are cute, some others shudder when they see them. A friend of mine calls them "rats with wings." I guess that is a very apt description.If it is true that in this city, there is one rat for every inhabitant, the ratio...

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An Interesting 360 Smith Street Time Table

This little blog of mine has been hopping in the last few days. Foremost on everybody's mind here in Carroll Gardens is of course the shameless development that is going on on most of our residential streets. Though 360 Smith Street is the most attention grabbing construction project, the neighbors at 333 Carroll Street are still waiting to get some resolution. In the meantime they are staring at the ugly steel frame atop the building. Just check...

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Hey, We Are All Invited To Bill De Blasio's Place

Councilman Bill DeBlasio is on overdrive in his district. First, we never saw or heard from him, now he is EVERYWHERE. Could it be that he just remembered that he needs votes if he wants to become Brooklyn Borough Prez? The invite below extended to the community came through an email from the Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association. In response, a reader shot off this email:Bill de Blasio, everybody's favorite beamish boy, needs to sort out...

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I Say Pétanque, You Say Bocce: Lets Get a Tournament Going in Carroll Park, Brooklyn

How cool is this? After my entry on Bastille Day last week-end, someone posted a link to a pétanque or boule blog. Who knew that there were so many boule aficionados in Brooklyn. The blog is called Brooklyn Boule:They play in McCarren Park, Williamsburg, Greenpoint and other Brooklyn neighborhoods.So I was thinking: How about trying to get something going in Carroll Park, here in Carroll Gardens? For decades, Italian residents have been playing...

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Don't Be Such A Baby: No More (Water) Bottle For You

Now that New York City's Mayor Bloomberg's attempts to impose congestion pricing for Manhattan, I have a new challenge for him and for all New Yorkers. Stop sipping out of those wasteful little water bottles. Firstly, they make even the most mucho man look like a baby suckling from his bottle, secondly, they are so not environmentally correct. Bloomberg should take note:San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has banned bottled water for all city employees...

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The De Blasio Show Coming To A Street Corner Near You!

What are you doing at 11 Am today? Well, if you are not doing anything, Bill de Blasio would like you to join him once again to protest Robert Scarano, the " I know it's illegal, but I will do it anyway" architect whose firm has designed a Communist era apartment building which will be going up at 360 Smith Street right in my neighborhood.This is the second time that Bill De Blasio is organizing such a demonstration/photo op. The first time was...

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Bloomberg Wants To Retract Extra Ratner Money ?

That little sweetheart deal giving Atlantic Yards Developer "Bad Guy" Ratner even more of our tax-payers money to build his Ratnerville still needs to pass across Governor Spitzer's desk. Surprisingly, Bloomberg was not too pleased about the present form of the 421a Reform and would like to make a few changes. The most important one would be to withdraw the additional $300 million dollar tax incentive for Ratner. Read below:Mayor Seeks to Reform...

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Carroll Gardens Farmers Market Busier This Week

More Carroll Gardeners have come out to visit the Farmers Market on this, its second Sunday. Things were hopping this morning. And though there were still no tomatoes ( which may still not be ripe locally, I was told) there were more fruits. I bought two small baskets of local blueberries and some Bing cherries. And though I could have bought them cheaper at the new fruit stand on Court next to Winn Discount, I am willing to do my bit for local...

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Sunday Funny Picture!

I should be doing so many things, but here I am, munching on the blueberries I just bought at our new fresh market, lazily wasting time browsing the web. And all I got for my trouble is the picture above. I simply must post it here so that I feel just a wee bit productive, sharing it with you, my faithful readers. At least I washed the two bushels of basil with which I will be making pesto for tonight. It smells so incredibly good in my kitchen....

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"Fête Nationale": Brooklyn Bastille Day With a Twist

Storming Of The Bastille Tour Eiffel During Bastille Day celebration How We Do It On SmithToday is Bastille Day, a national holiday in France. And since there are more and more French living in Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens, it has become quite a celebration here too. For a few years now, Bar Tabac and a few other french restaurants have organized a very nice little...

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Don't Be So Down On Carroll Park. Volunteer!

The Diddle Diddle Dees Opus DittyIt has been a very tumultuous summer in Carroll Park. The message boards and blogs have been buzzing with the latest incident involving unruly teens hassling young parents and their tots.All this negative publicity is unfortunate for our neighborhood park. So many wonderful...

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Ugly Dog Of The Week!

Though this particular feature of the blog has not really been living up to its name, I am hereby resuming the "Ugly Dog Of The Week" picture posting. And to make up for the long wait, here are two ugly doglets at once. Only question I have: Who does that to their cani...

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Those Prudish Americans: The Mini-Penis Scandal

Illustrations by Rotraut Susanne BernerI got quite a kick out of the little story below. As a German living in New York, I sometimes puzzle over America's double standards: Violence on TV is O.K., female nipples are scandalous. But hey, I have adapted.It seems that German children can handle being exposed to some flesh, but American kids need to be protected from it at all cost. That is the case being discussed with bemusement in Germany right now...

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Across The Street From 360 Smith Street

As I was walking to the Carroll Street subway station yesterday for the first time after my vacation, I realized how truly ugly the entire corner of 2nd Place and Smith Street is. The broken, dented chain-link fence, the trash, the sorry looking trees in their below street level tree pits and of course the bright stuccoed walls of the new Hannah Senesh school. And I won't even mention the parking lot. That said, the monster Scarano building at...

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A Farmers Market For Carroll Gardens

I rushed right over to the very new Farmers Market along Carroll Street in Brooklyn on Sunday afternoon. We had just rolled back into town after a two week absence, so it was already 4 Pm by the time I stood in front of the stalls, ready to replenish my empty refrigerator. But it was meager pickings on the first day of the market. Granted, it was the hottest day of summer so far and the merchants were in the process of packing up, but I have to...

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Impeach Cheney (And Bush Too)

Enough vacation. Now it is back to reality. And frankly, there is nothing more real than the continuing corruption in Washington. Truly, my jaw dropped when I heard that President Bush commuted Scooter Libby's prison sentence. But then it dawned on me that it probably was all pre-arranged by Cheney and his ilk.Scooter takes the fall for Dickie in exchange for a full presidential pardon. Without such a pardon, Scooter is a dangerous man for this...

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Going Home To Brooklyn

I apologize to all my readers who checked this little blog in the last few days just to find the same old post. I am on my way back from the beach. I left Surside with a heavy heart yesterday morning and stopped in Baltimore for the night. We had a nice visit to a very overcrowded aquarium and a filling dinner. This morning, heading back to "Beautiful" Brooklyn. So check back for a new post tomorrow. You know I have lots to say about pretty...

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Bloomberg's Congestion Pricing Plan: There Is An Easier Way

Traffic is a nightmare in Manhattan, but congestion has been a problem in the Outer Boroughs as well. The streets of Brooklyn have become so impassable that simply driving from Carroll Gardens to Brooklyn Heights takes longer than just walking. So yes, we need to find a solution. It makes sense to encourage people to take public transportation. However, I don't think that Mayor Bloomberg's idea of charging people is fair to New York City residents.Under...

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A Very Sunny 4th Of July

It is a glorious day here in Surfside Beach, South Carolina. I feel as though I am moving lazily from the beach to the refrigerator, back to the beach. I just came back from one of these totally over-air conditioned supermarkets to buy some stuff for a BBQ. I feel absolutely suburban down here. People along the beach have strung up big American flags. There are the occasional Confederate ones mixed in. Very Southern and a bit spooky at times....

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