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LOOTING, RIOTING HIT BROOKLYN DURING BLACKOUT: NOT! Unlike blackouts past, Brooklynites partied in rare form on August 14th, when the lights went out for more than 24 hours. Neighborhood cops appeared as shocked as doomsayers who have often accurately predicted mob-like acts of violence during blackouts. They point to the blackout of 1977, which in size and scope, paled in comparison to the blackout of 03. During those dark hours, windows were smashed and teenagers went wilding in the streets. Fires destroyed many businesses, but alas 26 years later, New Yorkers partied and played in their homes, on their stoops and in the streets. Bars were packed, lit only by candlelight. Some pubs gave away their food. One supermarket set up a barbeque in front of its store and cooked up steaks and chops and gave them away to passersby. It took an hour or two for the blackout to sink in, but when it did, it didn't change how people reacted. At Angry Wades on Smith Street, sweaty businessmen packed in with the locals to cool off after a long walk from Manhattan over the Brooklyn Bridge. Across the street, Halcyon was offering one-dollar beers and on the stoops of dozens of Brownstones, residents hosted their own spontaneous beer and burger block parties. Instead of complaining about the inconvenience, New Yorkers not only persevered, but they played like there was no tomorrow. The next day as the power was slowly restored a new sort of darkness fell on the city. The giant love-in was over. The bonding and community spirit slipped back into the creaky old homes and that euphoria that was the blackout of 03 was now just a fond memory. FIRE HITS BUILDING ½ BLOCK AWAY FROM CLOSED FIREHOUSE It took firefighters six minutes to respond to a fire in Cobble Hill that should have taken just 30 seconds, the Cobbler has learned. The fire at 253 Smith street was less than a block away from the now shutdown Engine Company 204 on Degraw street. The fire was confined to the basement of the brick building and no one was hurt. But, with the average response time at just four minutes and 46 seconds, it’s clear response times have been affected. In fact, engines from a firehouse so close would typically arrive even quicker.This contradicts a study by the city that predicted response times would not slow because of the closing of six firehouses.
Pool table repair guys have got to have one of the best jobs. Sure, they replace the felt tops, clear the machine’s interior and replace old parts. But, two veteran table repairmen tell the Cobbler they’ve found all sorts of stuff hidden deep in the belly of the beast. While fixing the table at Angry Wade’s on Smith street, the duo spoke of finding $100 bills, several bracelets, watches, car keys and even knives, guns, ammunition and bags of drugs. The guys say bracelets and watches are lost when customers try to retrieve lost balls out of the pockets. The guns, knives and drugs, usually found in some of New York City’s rougher neighborhoods, they suspect, are usually stashed to avoid arrest by police.
Marc Elliot’s fish house on Degraw Street in Carroll Gardens just celebrated its one-year anniversary. I mention this because WHIM has become one of my favorite restaurants, not just in Brooklyn but also in all of New York. Several people have tried unsuccessfully to make a restaurant work at that location, a residential neighborhood near Clinton Street. Elliot on the other hand is a survivor. He’s a great host and he churns out bundles of yummy seafood day in and day out. Congratulations!
Recently, I rented a U-haul truck from Flash Rentals and Parking on Smith Street in Carroll Gardens. I jumped at the bargain rate of $19.99 for five hours. What I didn’t realize was that the company tacked on several additional fees, bringing my grand total to just under $50.00. First, there was the mandatory $14.00 insurance fee, and then there was the $2.00 a mile mileage fee and finally the sales tax. What hit us hard was the mileage. What ever you don’t plan any long hauls. We figured the round trip was just two or three miles, when in reality it was six. That set us back 12 bucks. A one-way trip to move to Philadelphia, for instance, would cost $200 just in mileage. THE BAR THAT LETS YOU SMOKE Ever since Mayor Bloomberg’s smoking ban took place, most bars appear to have complied with the “no smoking” rules. Several friends stumbled upon the popular Brooklyn Heights bar while leaving the 4th of July fireworks display along the Promenade. Ashtrays could be found everywhere, a clear violation of the city’s anti-smoking ordinance. Thinking it was just a fluke, the group waited and watched and sure enough the customers were using the ashtrays. I can’t tell you the name of the bar, but I can tell why I think they were able to skirt the law. The bar is owned by three New York City police officers!
Quietly, a few years ago Smith Street from Carroll Gardens to Boerum Hill was renamed “Eileen C. Dugan Boulevard.” In 1999, then mayor Rudy Giuliani renamed Smith Street between 9th street and Atlantic Avenue, “Eileen C. Dugan Boulevard.” Dugan was born in 1945 and served for 16 years as a New York state assemblywoman. After a long illness, Dugan died in 1996 at the age of 51. Residents could care less. No one calls it Dugan Boulevard. WHERE’S CARROLL GARDENS: A new restaurant is opening this month on Smith Street in Brooklyn, but the owners seem to have the neighborhoods confused. “The Carroll Gardens Diner.” Opens on Smith Street, but it’s actually located in Boerum Hill. In fact, one irate resident put some graffiti up on the window that read: “You’re in Boerum Hill, stupid.”
Did you know back in the 1930’s and perhaps prior, the Brooklyn Inn had installed buzzers in the back poolroom to summon waitresses. To this day, those buzzers still exist, along the wall, at about waist level. Push them all you want, no one will hear you.
Yes, like Robinson
Caruso, it’s a primitive as can be. After several months of
hand wringing, I thought, do I really need my residential home phone?
I’ve got a cell phone and I carry it wherever I go. So, the
decision was made, dump the house phone and switch my Verizon DSL
to Roadrunner Cable. 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 |
a dosswerks development
