Thursday, May 22, 2008






In the late afternoon,
In the fading sun,
The fire escape on the rear of a neighboring building

Casts the most amazing shadows on the wall.

I find them quite fascinating.




The only reason not to bring your dog out into the street to do his or her business.
Curb your dog=
Bring Your Dog Into The Street!

Do not have your dog relieve itself on the sidewalk, stoop or gate of someone's property.

I saw this flier taped to a tree on Clinton Street between President and Union and had a good chuckle. Somehow, I can understand the frustration of the homeowner. I love dogs and wish I owned one, but I agree that it is rather uncool to walk out of my gate and to step into dog pee.
However, is it realistic to expect neighborhood dog owners to take their dogs into the street to do their business?
What do you think?




285 Court Street


For a very long time now, the former paint store at the corner of Douglass and Court Streets has been standing empty. Now, the entire building is for sale for
$ 2, 699,000.
Brooklyn Bridge Realty is marketing it as an:

"exceptional commercial space featur[ing] 1700 sq ft plus full basement with great ceiling height. In addition, sun-filled apartments with original wood moldings, tin ceilings and exposed brick with a high projected rent roll."
For more info and pictures of the place, click here.


Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking

Wednesday, May 21, 2008


A drab day in Carroll Gardens,
Brightened unexpectedly

And just for a few minutes

By a bouquet of colored balloons.





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Sign attached to Zaytoons outdoor dining partition


Hang on to your personal belongings while sitting at an outdoor restaurant table on Smith Street. While you are looking over a menu, someone may be eyeing your pocket book.

According to the Brooklyn Paper's Police Blotter, that is exactly what happened on April 22nd.
The newspaper article does not mention the name of the restaurant, but for about two weeks now, Zaytoons has posted signs like the one shown above to their outdoor area. So, next time you dine al fresco, be careful.



From The Brooklyn Paper, May 8th 2008

Unmasked man

A man brazenly reached over a gate at a Smith Street restaurant and stole a woman’s purse in plain sight of the victim and her friend on April 22, yet neither woman got a good look at him.

It wasn’t too long before police found a man with her purse on Hoyt Street at 10 pm.

The pocketbook was returned to its rightful owner, but because the lady wasn’t positive it was the same man who had interrupted her dinner, he was not arrested.


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Monday: Scaffold going up at 311 Warren Street / 180 Smith Street


View From Warren Street towards Smith


Tuesday: Bright red fencing hides the little garden completely



On Monday, I happened to walk by the corner of Warren and Smith Streets and saw with chagrin that construction crews were putting a scaffold around the empty corner lot at 311 Warren Street/ 180 Smith Street. There has always been a garden there with two small trees, one of them a beautiful red maple.

Today, I ventured back hoping that I had imagined the whole thing. But in the rain, the construction workers had blocked the lot from view completely, the trees and the little garden gone forever.
A five story building is coming in its place. That much I gathered from the D.o.B. web site.
Does anyone out there have more information?



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Tuesday, May 20, 2008





Sometimes,
I look up
And discover all over again
Why this is such a beautiful neighborhood.