Keeping An Eye Out For Flirtation In Coney Island!

Since it is so bitterly cold today, I thought that we all need a reminder that summer is only 7 months away. Here is a bit of summertime Brooklyn trivia, circa 1920:

Did you know that policewomen once patrolled the beaches of Coney Island, keeping a vigilant eye out for, gasp!, flirtation? Dressed in full length uniform, they must have been suffering under the blazing sun. This stern-looking police matron sure seems to have matters firmly under control. Would you feel romantic under her stern gaze? No hankie-pankie on this stretch of Coney Island.

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Related reading:

There has been some buzz this morning about Clarett's 340 Court Street site . Fresh in from the Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association's email group:

"A neighbor just told me she had 2 days to get her car out of
lot-breaking ground was imminent"

So much for Clarett's intention of reaching out to the community with the proposed design. Figures!

Related reading:

Still Life With Chairs and Drum At Court Street's Clarett Site

Drilling Has Begun At Clarett's Court Street Site

Very Fetching: New Plywood Color At 340 Court Street



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We Wish You A Fishy Christmas

Does fresh fish and Christmas go together? I guess that's debatable. The Fish Tales store on Court Street certainly seems to have no problem mixing the two. Though it strikes me as truly funny.

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Good Food Arrives On Smith!

What Smith Street patrons have been waiting for all along: GOOD FOOD. It's finally here and it can be had at Savoia. But pardon me for asking, what have we had up till now? Bad Food?

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It Happened In January 1936 In Brooklyn

How incredibly dreadful. This newspaper clipping apparently comes from the William Randolph Hearst archive of the San Francisco Examiner.
The caption of the newspaper reads:
"Attracted by a gathered crowd, this man was horror stricken to find out that the victim of an automobile accident in Brooklyn was his own wife. He stood stunned as he waited for police."

I could cry!

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Violent Santa Incident On Court Street

Evidence!

In a cruel development so shortly before Christmas, evidence points to Santa having strangled one of his very own reindeer on Court Street. Obviously unrepentant, he continued to wave at passers-by, while Rudolph lay at his feet with a broken neck.

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The First Hotel Le Bleu Reviews Are In

( photo credit: curbed.com)

Here you have it: the first three traveler reviews on Trip Advisor.com for 4th Avenue's new Hotel Le Bleu. The ratings are a bit all over the place. With 5 being the highest score, Le Bleu managed to get a 3, 4 and 5 in its first month.
One of a handful of new hotels to have opened for business in the last few months here in Brooklyn, Le Bleu seems to be ahead of its neighborhood: a super trendy boutique hotel right next to a Staples and Pep Boys on one side and a taxi garage on the other.
As one guest wrote: "One day this "Hip" hotel will be in a "Hip" neighborhood as well" but the day has not quite arrived yet.
All agree, the rooms are wonderful and clean,but the common area is non-existent and the check-in,well, a disaster according to one guest.
Read the reviews below:


From Amit45, Washington DC Rating: 3

Hotel opened up last week. Nice, crisp and clean. Got a great deal at hotel.com as a special, basically 40% less that Manhattan hotel.
Location: a few subway stops from Manhattan. If you are comfortable with the Subway, this is a good option. The next street over is also a very nice part of Brooklyn with some cafes, etc... The street looks a bit industrial, but the location is good.
Rooms: Nice clean rooms. I think it is trying to be super hip and urban chic, too much in my opinion. But overall decent rooms and a decent size.
Common Area: Basically none. The lobby is very small and there were no other facilities.
Staff: Although nice and trying to be helpful, the staff at check-in was a disaster. They are very far from being as polished as the hotel would like to bill itself. Ex is getting wrong room type, sending us to wrong room after correction, taking 40 minutes to check in, etc...This aspect needs tons of work. Also need to learn how to properly talk to guests when problems arise. Hopefully, given more time, they can improve.
Overall, if you have time to check-in and don't mind being a few Subway stops from Manhattan, this is a good option. If given a comparable price in Manhattan, however, I would prefer Manhattan hotels.


From gomo42 Rating: 4

My family and I stayed in Brooklyn for the first time and opted to stay at Hotel Le Bleu. The hotel is located in an up and coming neighborhood. There really is no where to walk outside of the hotel. There is alot of construction going on outside of the hotel as well. Once you are on 4th Ave where it is located you will see it. The hotel is the only real "skyrise" with balconies. Beware there is no vallet parking but they have a parking lot and garage. Everyone at the front deck was very helpful. The doorman was the most helpful, he greeted us in the parking lot, carried our bags and got us some maps of Brooklyn and told us about the surrounding area. The lobby is very small..just a desk and three elevators which leads you to your room. The room was spectacular and very clean. We got the double bed room so we did not have a great view. If you get the Elite King room you should have a view of Manhattan. We had a large balcony. A huge flatscreen television and a Bose cd player and I-Pod docker. The hotel was very quiet during the night. The front desk was very helpful with getting us taxis since there are not as many in Brooklyn. The man at the front desk, Lameek was also very helpful. He helped us find a nice place to eat in Brooklyn Heights and even printed out the restaurant menu so we could see what it had to offer. The hotel does not have a restaurant or bar so there is not much to do in the hotel. So if you have a day packed with events and want to come back to a nice, relaxing hotel this hotel is for you! One day this "Hip" hotel will be in a "Hip" neighborhood as well.

From meekd, Austin Texas, Rating: 5
I was on a last-minute trip to lower Manhattan and there was no availability for any decent hotels. Found Hotel Le Bleu and decided to take a risk on an unknown, and was totally blown away. The hotel is 15 minutes by R train from Wall St., and the rooms were every bit as visually pleasing and clean as a W. I'm definitely planning on staying again.

Related reading: Will Tourists sing "The Blues"?

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