Another Look Behind Old Doors - Chic Elegance

Sylvie Morgan Flatow, ne-of the Carroll Gardens Diary, took a look at Chic Elegance, over at the Carroll Gardens Patch. Lets look behind some more old doors, as we've done plenty of times before:

"Anthony’s mother was the one who told him of the available space at 306 Court Street. He borrowed five thousand dollars from one friend, five thousand dollars from another, and soon enough was making monthly rent payments of two hundred and seventy five dollars.

How the hell am I gonna pay this back? was his first thought.

Easily. 

Chic turned into a neighborhood hotspot. In 1983, he made more money cutting hair than he makes today. And that was when the haircuts cost you less than ten dollars. "

Columbia Street Park - Finally!

The New York Post just found out about Columbia Street and the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway.

"It was supposed to be Brooklyn’s next Smith Street, but the Columbia Street Waterfront District never became the borough’s next hot spot thanks to years of being saddled by relentless street-repair work and failed redevelopment projects.

But now city officials hope to finally breathe some life into this long-isolated neighborhood by transforming a dingy, two-acre lot into a new waterfront park.

Preliminary renderings show a Department of Transportation storage lot at the corner of Columbia and DeGraw streets being converted into new green space, including a dog run and tree-lined lawns and paths."

I've been hearing about the Greenway since high school, so this "announcement" is on par with the Post's coverage of the PPW bike lane, but this park should benefit the community at large and the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway specifically. The Greenway folks have taken a unique, successful tact with their development efforts, focusing on specific nodes, of which this park is one of them. Congrats to Meg, Brian and Milton!

YET MORE Oysters in the Gowanus

From a TED Talk:


Some of the designs depicted here are way, way out there, and they seem to ignore the violent nature of New York Harbor, but any dialogue regarding the Gowanus and the Harbor can only lead to more awareness.

Amazing Interaction with the He-She of the Carroll Street Stop

 Ever wondered what the story was with the he-she who is always asking for money at the 2nd Street/Place exit of the Carroll Street stop? Well, someone stopped to ask him/her about their life. From Going Under NYC:

"There it was. I had broken the silence that was part of our relationship for the last year. I was talking to a stranger.

-Oh nothing, just away working on the masterpiece.

-The masterpiece? - I said, a bit curious.

-Yes, got myself a bit of a new face, don’t you notice it?

-I think I do, actually.

-Well, you better. Because that was about a year’s worth of standing here.

-huh?

-You see… I am on my way to be a woman, but those operations sure cost a lot. I don’t know how to do much –as a man, because I got plenty of plans when I become a woman- so I beg for money."

I will admit, I have been less than outgoing to this person, but this recanting of his/her story is very interesting.  I've seen him/her in Red Hook frequently, so I assume that he/she lives there.

Another Look Behind Old Doors - Court Pastry

Sylvie Morgan Flatow, ne-of the Carroll Gardens Diary, took a look at Court Pastry, over at the Carroll Gardens Patch. Lets look behind some more old doors, as we've done plenty of times before:

"Whether you’re new to the neighborhood or not, chances are you’ve been to Court Pastry. Let me rephrase that. Chances are you’ve smelled Court Pastry. It only takes one customer to swing that door open. And once that’s done, you have to forgive yourself. It’s okay that you're just another victim held hostage to an aroma so nutty and so sweet that you're forced to stop what you’re doing and immediately brainstorm an excuse as to why you’re about to buy a pound and a half of cookies.  (Um, shouldn’t everyone celebrate President’s Day with a pound and a half of cookies? No?)" 

As someone whose family is memorialized on the wall at Court Pastry (first tray of cookies!), their cookies and lobster tails hold a special place in my heart.