|
WINTER/SPRING 2005
THE CHANGING FACE OF CARROLL GARDENS Seems the residents aren't the only ones being priced out of Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. Small businesses have gone bye, bye as well. Most of the people who run businesses here rent and those prices have gone through the roof by landlords looking to capitalize on a thriving economy. I'm not against that. But, I mourn the loss of some of those mom and pop joints that for years have provided the luster of Carroll Gardens. A few years back, the old bakery that was featured in the movie Moonstruck was shutdown. The little soda fountain on Henry Street between Carroll and First Place was boarded up, Amici's, the Italian deli at the corner of the President and Union went out of business and the Latin family that ran a tiny deli across the street from Angry Wades on Smith street was scared away by doubling and tripling rents. The list goes on. Yuppies willing to pay nearly $3,000 a month for a two bedroom apartment have flooded the neighborhood with their baby carriages and Saabs. What's said is, they have no idea what they're missing. BROKEN ARM In case you're wondering, I'm doing fine, thank you. In mid January, I broke my arm. I've never broke anything on this aging 40 something body, but a few weeks back, I took a tumble down a flight of stairs and busted the bone that connects my upper arm to my shoulder. The hospital bills are mounting, so if you'd like to donate, feel free to make a contribution to the SAVE GEORGE'S ARM FUND. Fall 2003
SECRET GROUP REVEALS LOCATION OF SECRET BATTERED WOMEN’S SHELTER A group calling itself “Carroll Gardens Concerned Citizens” has launched a nasty campaign to prevent a shelter for battered Asian women from opening in the neighborhood. The location of shelters like this are typically kept private to keep the batterers away from the women. But, this cowardly group of “concerned citizens” has proceeded to plaster the address of the shelter all over the neighborhood using handbills and flyers. Get this. You can’t contact the people behind the flyers, because they’ve kept that PRIVATE. In fact, on the back of their “say no to the shelter” flyer, there’s this paragraph: “Anonymity is essential to free speech. It can be used for many functions where revealing a person’s identity would be damaging or threaten a person’s well being.” Say what! GREED IN BROOKLYN For years, I’ve popped into the little bodega at Smith and Butler streets in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. A nice Latino couple has run the 15-year old store and it was often a gathering place for local old-timers who would pull up milk cartons in front of the place and gab for hours.
I did some checking on the value of my place just a few blocks away from that bodega. My four-story building was bought just over ten years ago for $291,000. Today, it goes for nearly $1.5 million dollars. When I was a kid growing up, I always thought making $100,000 was being rich. In New York City, it doesn’t come close. Dozens of small mom and pop stores have been forced to board up or move out of the neighborhood. Smith Street is now dotted with oh-so-cool boutiques and cutesy little cafes and pubs. Now, don’t get me wrong. I love some of the changes and I patronize some of these chic little spots, but there’s no balance. Greedy landlords are pricing out the little guys to make way for Starbucks and Pottery Barn stores in a neighborhood that is rapidly changing into a trendy, yuppie enclave in the big city. Capitalism is fine. Making money is good. And, quite frankly, there’s a little I can do to reverse the trend. I do have one recommendation: PLEASE DO NOT VISIT MY NEIGHBORHOOD. GO AWAY. HALLOWEEN IN THE HOOD
I don’t have any kids, but went trick or treating with a lady friend who has two of the little monsters. As we strolled from block to block in a fairly affluent neighborhood of Brooklyn, I couldn’t help but notice how many children didn’t have costumes. The problem: most were barely children. They’re 6’1, 180 pound young men with deep voices and they scared me. Maybe they are 16 or 17 and technically still “kids.” I don’t know about you, but I think I stopped trick or treating when I was 13 or 14 and still under 5’5 tall. I don’t think my voice had changed by that time either. I actually watched two teenagers deciding what to wear. All they had on them were black ski masks. Don’t ya wonder what two kids are doing with ski masks on a 65-degree night in Brooklyn? On an upbeat note, It sure does seem like the candy selection has improved over the past few decades. More chocolate. Less pennies and apples. However, the size of the candy has shrunk dramatically, eventhough they are given names that make them SOUND large. “Bite size” has now been replaced by “fun size” and “party size.” Shame, shame, shame on the candy manufacturers for trying to trick us adults into thinking ---despite their actual size, that their candy bars are far larger than they may appear in the rear view mirror. GEORGE’S LIKENESS APPEARS ON BLACKBOARD
As passersby shopped and cars buzzed by, young thieves dismantled a perfectly good bike on Brooklyn’s Court street last week. Unable to break the lock, the thieves decided instead to snatch the rear wheel, seat, peddles, brake pads, water bottle and girly-like bike bell. The photo shows what remains.
Carroll Gardens
singer-songwriter Carla Lother made a rare public appearance in
front of her friends at Boudoir Bar on Smith Street.
Dani Marco, a 27 year old bartender at 13 Little Devils on the Lower East Side has become this year’s Miss Rheingold, beating out the Brooklyn favorite. Unfortunately, despite heavy ballot stuffing by the newsguy, free publicity on this website and on WABC radio, our favorite, Erin Baily, did not make the cut. She was one of six finalists whose mugs were plastered on ballot boxes in dozens of New York City bars including Angry Wade’s on Smith Street where she works. The Cobbler has
also learned that 13 Little Devils hasn’t even officially opened
as a full time bar and usually serves beer only during special events.
Not only that, Rheingold Beer has allegedly reneged on its promise
of offering each runner-up a health club membership….which
I might add, Erin does not need. TIPS & TIDBITS Got a tip, a wacky story, a neighborhood complaint, a secret? Send it to me and we'll likely print it for all of cyberworld to see. george@georgeweber.net
|
AND
THE NEW MISS RHEINGOLD BEER IS……a dosswerks development
