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February 2006 Archives

February 3, 2006

Cool Idea: Making Bedford Ave. Car Free

There's a movement underway to tuen Bedord Avenue into a pedestrian mall. I love the idea!

Here's a link to a website with a petition:

Car Free Bedford

February 4, 2006

Music: When will the Fall return to Williamsburg?

Victoria music video by the Fall circa the 80s One of the reasons I moved to Williamsburg is the music scene, which sadly I haven't had enough time to take in of late. Anyway one of the things that got me out here is that one of my favorite acts - the Fall - played here a few times. They were suppose to return this February, but sadly it doesn't look like it's going to happen.

February 6, 2006

Distorted Stones Halftime Show

It's fun playing up the limits of camera phone photography - I was able to get these interesting distorted images off of my television set which were pushed further by the limits of my crude cell phone camera:




February 7, 2006

Local Treats: Sangria Soda!

Mmmmm Sangria Soda I found the above beverage at my local supermarket in Williamsburg. So of course I checked the label and sadly Sangria Soda has no alcoholic content in it what so ever at all - but maybe that's for the best?

Sheldon Cotler Paintings

Sheldon Cotler is a NYC based artist whom I share office space with. He use to run Cotler Design, and also did editorial design at Time Life before that.

February 9, 2006

Packaged Ice by Marcy and Broadway

This is from an ice machine outside a bodega on the corner of Marcey and Broadway. I just love old school hand lettering!

February 10, 2006

Animation worth checking out: Riba

Riba is a cool looking 3D animated film. I like that it has a nice sepia tone look to it instead of the typical primary colors we so often see in animation. Check out the websoute for he film:

http://yves.dalbiez.free.fr/riba_themovie/

February 11, 2006

Fast Pizza: Leo & Son's

A photo from Leo & Son's at 294 Broadway (near Marcy). It's your typical old school Brooklyn pizza joint - the curst takes best when it's crisp. If you're new to the neighborhood you can call them at (718) 387-7743 to order in.

February 12, 2006

Not Quite Mickey by South 4th and Keap Street

Not Quite Mickey by South 4th and Keap Street This is a kids amusement ride located outside my local laundry. Located next door is a small clothing store, barbershop, international phone call place, and a ladies hairdresser shop on the corner. It's a micro strip mall of sorts.

Polish Posters for Japanese Films

Poslish Poster features quite a few cool posters - but I love this page of Japanese film posters.

Via Linkfilter

Brooklyn Blizzard Photos

Brooklyn Blizzard Photos: The view from my apartment of the inner courtyard at 331 Keap Street. The view from my apartment of the blizzard - very Victorian looking, no?


Brooklyn Blizzard Photos: South 5th street facing north between Rodney and Keap Street.
South 5th street facing north between Rodney and Keap Street.


Brooklyn Blizzard Photos: View from the J train leaving the Marcy Avenue stop looking down at the bus lot.
View from the J train leaving the Marcy Avenue stop looking down at the bus lot.


Blizzard Photos: 77 Bleecker Street, the view of the courtyard.
...back at my studio on Bleecker Street, the view of the courtyard.

February 14, 2006

Graffitti Creature on Marcy near Broadway

Graffitti Creature on Marcy n' Broadway I found this creature on a wall near the J train stop - I love the unintended touch of the lock going down the middle of his face.

February 18, 2006

Bari on the Bowery: Pie Guys

Bari on the Bowery Bari on the Bowery Bari on the Bowery Photos taken in front of Bari which sells restaurant and pizzeria equipment. Located at 240 Bowery in Manhattan (just a block south of Houston Street).

February 20, 2006

The Marcy Train Station

View from the top platform at the Marcy train station (on the J line) looking out in the direction of the Williamsburg bridge. View from the top platform at the Marcy train station (on the J line) looking out in the direction of the Williamsburg bridge.

February 21, 2006

Greenpoint Graffitti

Greenpoint Graffitti Greenpoint Graffitti Greenpoint Graffitti

From a series of photos taken in Greenpoint, Brooklyn on October 2004.

February 22, 2006

The Supersizing of Bedford


S O S
Originally uploaded by Runs With Scissors.
Since moving into Williamsburg I've seen a very strong grassroots movement to keep it at a small scale. What makes the place special is that it is low rise, and isn't Manhattan.

But looking at the recent construction going on (you can spot as many as three tall buildings going up from the J line) I think it's only a matter of when (not if) that the Bedford area will change. Of course this isn't the first time that this has happened in NYC, if you want to see the future of the Bedford strip just take a look at Soho, Chelsea, and now the East Village.

But on the flip side I think the action will just move to the east. I live on Keap near Broadway and I still see many empty or sad looking store fronts. My thinking is that Broadway will look like Bedford in another three to five years with trendy clothing shops and upscale eating.

I also went to see some music in Bushwick last weekend, and from what I'm seeing Bushwick is what Williamsburg was ten years ago, and headed up. This isn't all to say that the community shouldn't fight the invasion of Tumpesque towers, but that there is a larger tend underway as Manhattan becomes too expensive for creatives and the middle class.

February 24, 2006

Police Crack Down On Subway Photography

Push for Help As a creative person who likes to take photos in the NYC subway system I was letdown to hear that the MTA is once again cracking down on subway photographers:

Police, MTA Officials Crack Down On Subway Photography

The vice president of the New York Press Photographers Association says police are routinely cracking down on amateur and professional photographers alike on city subways, even though it’s perfectly legal to take picture anywhere on the subway and commuter rail systems.

The previous excuse for the crackdown was concerns over terrorism, to which my thinking is that if a terrorist wants to do something nasty that a formal ban on photography won't stop them. It's also a bit of a lost cause as if they focused on taking a photo they could return to the same location several times until a police officer or MTA official wasn't in view, and afterall it only takes a second or two to take a picture anyway.

The subway should be treated like any other public space. Frankly a terrorist can target any space that has a large population, so while Grand Central Station is at risk, so is any major store at Christmas time.

If the MTA is serious about terrorism on the subway system they should work more on improving all of the exits on the subway system. The majority of stations that I see have exits that look like death traps in the making. In fact it's no even so much a terrorist issue as public safety one - if there was a fire at a subway station people might in fact get killed as everyone would rush to try and exit the station through the turnstiles.

Also if the MTA is going to crack down on anything, how about quality of life issues? I'm a regular at the Bowery Street stop for the J line and that stop needs quite a bit of love:
- The escalator breaks on a regular basis
- There are no chairs to sit on while waiting for a train
- I see rats on the actual platform on a regular basis

February 25, 2006

Artists of Note: Mizna Wada

Mizna Wada I discovered Mizna Wada via a website on gocco, a screen-printing system has been used in japan. Her own website is well worth checking out:

http://www.hihou.net/mizna/

Special thanks to Peggy for helping me find this jem!

February 27, 2006

The City Reliquary in Williamsburg

The other day I spotted this nice story on the City Reliquary which is about to move:

Brooklyn's City Reliquary Showcases Big Apple Artifacts

You can see it in the window of the City Reliquary in Williamsburg. This is a new location for the storefront collection of oddities and relics from New York City history, which doubles as a center for civic information.

Founder Dave Herman has moved it from Grand and Havermeyer to a larger space on Metropolitan Avenue. It's made up of his own items, along with the collections of neighbors and friends, like a sandwich pick from the now closed Second Avenue Deli, and an entire binder full of Statue of Liberty postcards.

“New York City's history is out on the curb or buried in people's basements," says Herman.

Here is the official website of the museum:

The City Reliquary in Williamsburg

February 28, 2006

View of the BQE from South 5th near Marcy

View of the BQE from Broadway near Marcy Little known fact about the BQE: The construction of the expressway was marred by tragedy in 1956, when nine children were trapped in a large dirt mound at a Williamsburg construction site. Six of the nine were killed in the accident.

About February 2006

This page contains all entries posted to The Williamsburg Nerd in February 2006. They are listed from oldest to newest.

March 2006 is the next archive.

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