Greeting From South Carolina

Hi, dear Readers!Am spending the week at the beach in South Carolina.  Mercifully, I missed the freak snow storm in Brooklyn this past week-end. The weather is still pretty mild here by the ocean and we had a great cloudless day yesterday.  Today, less luck.  Its gray and windy and the ocean is churning.No complaints, though.  I am always happy to be here.Stay tuned for more photos and for some Brooklyn news I have wanted to post...

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The Lady Turns 125!

Happy birthday to the Statue of Liberty.  She is 125 years old today.  When I came to this country in 1975, I remember being disappointed that she was not the first thing  I saw when the plane landed. I can only imagine the emotion felt by those immigrants who came by boat and glimpsed her in the harb...

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Transformation Of The Small Gowanus House At 441 Carroll Street

441 Carroll Street back in May 2011and the new building, November 2011The view of the new building from Nevins StreetThe house at number 441 Carroll Street, between Nevins and Third Avenue in Gowanus, was never the prettiest on the block by any stretch of the imagination.  Actually, the two-story, aluminum-clad building was so crooked, its porch leaning so precariously, that one had to wonder how it held together.  And yet, it had a certain...

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Picture Of The Day: Wet Thursday

School yard on a cold, rainy day. No f...

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Today's "King Tide" Rises In The Gowanus Canal

As the New York Times reported on Tuesday, an unusual sun and moon alignment is responsible for a 'king tide" yesterday and today. The normal tide is expected to be higher by 2 feet. As per the Times article:"A king tide will be running Wednesday and Thursday because gravitational forces of the sun, the moon and the earth will be lined up in a cue shot of fleeting geometry and rare power. It will raise the water level between one and two feet...

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Picture Of The Day: Spider Web

Luckily not my house.  I hate spiders.  Even the fake ones spook me o...

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Neighborhood Launch For "Go Sit On Your Own Stoop"

John Khoury, author of Go Sit On Your Own Stoop"Social Club at 521 Henry StreetWhen I posted the interview with John Khoury, who recently completed his South Brooklyn memoir "Go Sit On Your Own Stoop"  back in September, I mentioned that the book is now available through John's web site and through Amazon.To celebrate, John and his neighborhood friends are getting together for a launch party next Thursday, November 3rd at the social...

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At Small Ceremony, Preservation League Of NYS Presents FROGG with Grant

Linda Mariano of FROGG reading a statementfrom l. to r.: Erin Tobin of the Preservation League of NY, with FROGG members Marlene Donnelly, Linda Mariano, Bette Stoltz, Lisanne McTiernan and Lizzie OleskerFounding FROGG Members Marlene Donnelly, Linda Mariano and Bette StoltzLisanne McTiernan with Susan GolbergOld map from c. 1839 of the Gowanus area showing the original creek, marsh and mill ponds.John Vetter, EPA archeologist for the Gowanus Canal...

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Last Night At The Gowanus Canal CAG General Meeting

Gowanus Canal CAG Facilitator Jeff Edelstein Gardiner Cross of NYS Department Of  Environmental Conservation (DEC) New York State Senator Velmanette MontgomeryCouncilman Steven LevinLast night's Environmental Protection Agency's Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group (CAG) gathered at the Brooklyn Historical Society for its monthly meeting. The evening's agenda included updates on the ongoing work done by the various CAG committees. -The...

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Picture Of The Day: Mummified

Perhaps the best Halloween decoration in the neighborhood.On Degraw at Clint...

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Late Fall Bumper Crop Of Tomatoes On Fire Escape

I always admire people who have a knack for growing tomatoes.  My own attempts have never been anything but disappointing.  So, my hat off to the Cobble Hill resident who has obviously a gift for coaxing a bumper crop of plum tomatoes from one plant on the third floor fire escape.  Though it is nearly the end of October, these beauties were still ripening and looked picture perfect.  Notice the one hanging down on the thinnest...

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Open Critique At Brooklyn Artists Gym

The Brooklyn Artists Gym, an artist and gallery space in Gowanus, is inviting serious artists to bring art and ideas to their monthly open critique on November 6th at 5 PM.The Brooklyn Artists Gym is located at 168 7th St. between 2nd and 3rd Aven...

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The Heights Players Present 'The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow' For Halloween

Just in time for Halloween, The Heights Players, "Brooklyn's oldest self- sustaining community theatre, is presenting "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow."Don't wait to get your tickets. Read on:The Heights Players Theater for Children kicks off its 56th season with The Legend of Sleepy Hollow on October 29 at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Tickets are $6 each and reservations can be made at: theaterforchildren@heightsplayers.org. There will be two other...

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Picture Of The Day: Hanging On President Street

Hanging on President Str...

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Super Turnout For Smith Street's Second Soup Festival

Smith Street was busy on Saturday, during the 2nd Annual Soup FestivalEvent Organizer Bette Stoltz of South Brooklyn Local Development Corp. with one of the students from Careers Through Culinary Arts ProgramAriane Gaguin of D'Artagnan, Diana DiMeo of Bootleg Farms, local food professional Linda La Violette, Chris Schonberger of Time Out NYThe four celebrity event judges tasting one of the entries before deciding who will get the gold, silver, and...

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