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!
Williamsburg Photos Archives
February 9, 2006
This is from an ice machine outside a bodega on the corner of Marcey and Broadway. I just love old school hand lettering!
February 12, 2006
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.
Brooklyn Blizzard Photos
The view from my apartment of the blizzard - very Victorian looking, no?
South 5th street facing north between Rodney and Keap Street.
View from the J train leaving the Marcy Avenue stop looking down at the bus lot.
...back at my studio on Bleecker Street, the view of the courtyard.
February 14, 2006
Graffitti Creature on Marcy near 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 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.
February 21, 2006
Greenpoint Graffitti
From a series of photos taken in Greenpoint, Brooklyn on October 2004.
February 28, 2006
View of the BQE from South 5th near Marcy
Little known fact about the BQE:
March 2, 2006
Air Conditioner Graveyard
I found these sad little smashed AC units at the backyard of my apartment building at 331 Keap Street. It's hard to tell if they fell from above, or were just placed there by the building "management".
March 3, 2006
Bicycles in my Backyard
Found in my backyard at 331 Keap Street.
March 5, 2006
The Pupa & Zehlem Matzoh Bakery
The Pupa & Zehlem Matzoh Bakery is located at 346/348 Broadway, not far from Keap Street. It was hard for me to tell from the outside if the bakery is still baking matzoh.
March 11, 2006
Door to Nowhere
Yet another Williamsburg photo from Keap Street between South 5th and Broadway, this building features an interesting architectural detail - a door that opens up on the 2nd floor and leads to nowhere.
March 13, 2006
Homies on Havemeyer
"Urban themed toys" spotted in a vending machine on Havemeyer Street outside of a laundromat in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. When I did a Google lookup I was surprised to see that you can also buy them as collectors items on eBay! This is the description:
Full Set 24 figures Perico, Double O.G., Sister Mary Maria, Sancho, Gremlin, Mack Daddy, Quasiloco, Birdy, Fuego Man, Crickett, Bugsy, La Chunky, Baby Mama (with Lalo and Malo), Mariachi Pablo, Poco Loco, Adelita, Bullet, Sneaky, Payasa, Chaparro, and Da Fool.
March 16, 2006
Rodney Playground South
This collage was created from two photos I took during sunset at the Rodney Playground South, near South 4th Street. In this section of Williamsburg the Brooklyn Queens Expressway makes a gashing cut through the neighborhood (the expressway is sunk into the ground like an exposed subway system). The property on both sides of the roadway at street level is made up of these very sad narrow parks, which aren't too popular as it's hard to relax or play when you hear the never ending sound of a highway in the background. If you wanted to punish a younger child, taking him or her to Rodney Playground South would do the trick. Credit for the "park" goes to Robert Moses:
In 1952, as part of the construction of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, or BQE, the City of New York acquired this property and transferred jurisdiction to Parks. The BQE was built under the direction of Robert Moses (1888-1981) between 1946 and 1964. This massive, six-lane, 11.7 mile-long expressway cost $137 million in federal, state, and municipal funds to complete. Today, Rodney Playground South features timberform play equipment, a comfort station, picnic tables, swings, and benches. For local residents, it is a welcome place for rest and recreation.
March 20, 2006
Bnos Yakov of Pupa Synagogue
Wandering around Williamsburg it's amazing how much history is located on each block. Pictured above is the Bnos Yakov of Pupa Synagogue, which is just a block or so south of Broadway (and a bit east of the BQE). This building dates to 1876, which is amazing as it pre-dates the Williamsburg bridge itself.
March 21, 2006
To Cross Street: Push Button, Wait for Walk Signal
This is a collage made from two photos I took at a crosswalk on Broadway, not from from my apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. As an interactive media designer I always love to look at examples of interface design in the real world. As for the buttons I always see at crosswalks I have to admit that I've always been suspicious that they don't in fact do anything except give you something do to while waiting for the light to change.
March 26, 2006
Child's Chalk Drawing
I've been thinking about Springtime and nicer weather more and more of late. Going through my old photo collection I found this shot which was photographed at McCarren Park on June 25, 2005. It was a nice day and I was at this nifty crafts fair:
It's funny but it all seems such a short time ago, my how time flies when you're working day and night and day and night. My one regret as a workaholic is that I don't get to hang out and just explore Williamsburg more often, and what I do like about this place is that there are so many nice places to go.
Anyway the fair will be well worth checking out when it returns, that dates are:
June 17 + 18 in Williamsburg's McCarren Park from 11am - 6pm.
March 28, 2006
Roebling Street Art
On Sunday I was wandering around and I took the above photo of some street art which I spotted on Roebling Street and Metroplitan. It's funny how wandering around Williamsburg reminds me so much of what the east Village was in the 80s. It's very laid back on the whole, not posh and polished - although Bedford Avenue is heading in that sort of Soho direction. When I first moved out here I was spoiled by how close everything is in Manhattan, but now I sort of like how there are bits of cool things spread out here and there, it's like finding a mini-oasis of culture on every other street corner.
March 29, 2006
Fuel Injection
This is a slightly retouched photo that I took on Metropolitan Street not far from Havemeyer. The interesting thing about Williamsburg is that you'll see something like this scene which is very stark and industrial with barbed wire within a block of a yuppie style cafe or art gallery.
March 31, 2006
Ladybug Shoes
Hands down the L train is much better for spotting fun fashion items (the J train is much more hardcore when it comes to hipsters and has more of a blue collar crowd). In fact one of my favorite L train activities to play is to guess who will be getting off at the Bedford stop vs. staying on the train (hint: the Bedford folks always seem more trendy/yuppie in their attire). I spotted these creative shoes on the L train on April 2nd, 2005 (as I got on at Lorimer).
April 1, 2006
Stained Glass at the Marcy Street Station
The nice thing about the Marcy station is that there is a nice stained glass public art installation which lends a nice touch to the station. Photographed at the Marcy Street J train subway station on July 25, 2005.
April 2, 2006
Greenpoint Spaceship
Seeing these rides always reminds me of my childhood, I'm not sure why as it's not like I spent hours playing in these rides. But it's always a pleasure to spot them, as in an age of HDTV video games they remind me of a time gone past. Note that this shouldn't be confused with a "simpler time". Photographed on the streets of Greenpoint October 3, 2004.
April 3, 2006
Roebling Graffiti
Photo of graffiti on Roebling Street and Metroplitan (re-mixed in Photoshop), taken on March 26, 2006.
April 4, 2006
Graffiti Texture
Since I seem to be on a street art kick, above is a graffiti texture spotted in Williamsburg (not far from the main strip in Bedford) back on October 3rd, 2004. That was about a month before I moved here, and I was exploring about to get a sense of the hood.
April 6, 2006
The Windows at 331 Keap Street
The view from my living room looking at the center of my apartment building in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
April 14, 2006
Air Sign
Sign from a gas station for air to fill your tires. The gas station is by Keap Street and Metropolitan by the L train station in Williamsburg. Photographed December 18, 2004.
April 15, 2006
Sunshower Window
The view of my bedroom window on a rainy day, taken on March 26, 2006.
April 19, 2006
Clean up after your Deconstructed Sign
A "Clean up after your dog" sign found on Havemeyer Street. Speaking of which, I hate that on so many sidewalks in Williamsburg that nodoby seems to clean up after their dogs. It drives me crazy having to look down at my feet when I'm walking around town. Photo taken on March 26, 2006.
April 20, 2006
Old Movie Theater on Broadway and Rodney
Running to the Marcy train station I always go by this movie house, and wonder if it will re-open again one day. It's on the northeast corner of Broadway and Rodney in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. A cab driver told me once that he use to catch kung-fu movies there in the 70s, so my guess is that it's been closed for a good long time.
From time to time I see lights inside so I assume that someone is doing something with it. I'd love to see it restored to being a real movie theater again, or better yet some kind of theatrical performance or music space. The only down point to this would be the noise from the J line.
April 21, 2006
Schwartz Chemical Co. Inc.
Before I found my apartment in Williamsburg I was exploring a number of different non-Manhattan hoods, so one of the places that I explored was Long Island City (where I took this photo on on October 3rd, 2004). I didn't quite fall in love with LIC because it didn't seem to offer all the cool things that Williamsburg has, like art galleries and music spaces. But LIC did have some charm, but that may be changing as I heard that these stacks may be coming down to make way for a luxury hi-rise.
April 26, 2006
Sunset on the Williamburg Bridge
One of my favorite things about Williamsburg, Brooklyn is that you can walk over the bridge. As the weather becomes nicer I'm trying to do this at least several times a week.
This picture was taken on the Manhattan side of the bridge where the two walkways come together. Photo taken on February 6, 2005 with my handy Treo cell phone camera (and retouched in Photoshop).
April 27, 2006
St. Paul's Lutheran Church
I always pass by this church while running to the Marcy train station. I took the above photo of the corner tower of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on South 5th Street and Rodney. The church was founded in 1853, but the corner stone of the building dates to 1884. This means that the church pre-dates the Williamsburg bridge, so it's a true local landmark. It's amazing to think that when the building went up there weren't any automobiles on the streets. Sadly that stands in contrast to the BQE which is right across the street. Next to the church stands an amazing old movie theater.
April 29, 2006
Pink or Blue Sports Shoes?
Photograph of a bargain bin on Broadway by the Marcy subway station in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It's interesting that while Bedford and Havemeyer are becoming very yuppie, Broadway hasn't changed much. Photographed April 19, 2006 with my Treo Cell Phone Camera.
May 6, 2006
The Williamsburg Bridge in the Fog
One of the nicest benefits of living in Williamsburg is the Williamsburg Bridge. I work on Bleecker in Manhattan, so as the weather becomes nicer I love walking home across the bridge to go home to Brooklyn. It's even nice just to take a J train across the bridge, the views are amazing - that's one thing that the J line has over the L line. Photograph taken on April 30th, 2005.
May 10, 2006
Cowboy Hipster Havemeyer Loft Sale
Above: Collaged photographs from a yard sale near Havemeyer taken on Sunday April 30th, 2006. Someone with a loft had lost their lease (it may be the guy playing the guitar on the right) and put on a sidewalk sale. There was a somber yet slightly festive mood to the sale.
Above: Another collaged photo of various items for sale. You could tell by the items that the person had an interest in music and tiki gods.
May 26, 2006
Scram Kid!
Below is a collection of two unfriendly photos taken in Williamsburg, Brooklyn earlier this year. Willaimsburg isn't quite Soho yet (but is quickly getting there in parts) so there are a number of very anti-people signs that you'll see in front of vacant lots. But I guess for now I'll be happy that they aren't putting up 40 story buildings on those empty bits of land:
June 4, 2006
Portrait of My Shadow Crossing the Bridge
Photographed on the Pulaski Bridge on October 3rd, 2004. I took this photo with my Treo cell phone camera before my move to Williamsburg. Part of my exploration was to walk from Long Island City to Greenpoint to Williamsburg.
November 20, 2006
Sleepy L Train Hipsters Montage
Photographed Sunday, November 19th 2006 on the L train approaching the Bedford Avenue stop with my Treo Cell Phone camera. Click on thumbnail to see full size:
December 26, 2006
Cloudscape upon Marcy
Collage made from photos from Treo Cell Phone camera taken on December 26, 2006. Click on the image to see it full size.
January 8, 2007
Wrecking Ball at the Movie Palace
They're starting to make some real progress tearing down the old movie theater on Rodney and Broadway. My guess is that it's making way for condos. The odd thing is that I think the location is pretty bad for condos as the location kisses the elevated J line on Broadway, so if you have windows facing the street you'll be able to see the J train from your kitchen.
Collaged from a series of photos from January 8, 2006.
January 30, 2007
Jesus on Grand Street
Collaged photos from a knick-knack shop window near Leonard Street and Grand Street. This display had a very quirky quality to it as you had these oversized parrots looming over a set of cartoonish grandparents on the left, whom seem oblivious to poor Jesus on the cross to the right. Inverting the photos adds to the surrealism of the iconic images.
Click on the photo to see it at full size. Photographed on January 29, 2007 with my Canon PowerShot SD600.
February 3, 2007
Musical Note
Click on the image to view at full size...
I found this note in the center of the hallway at my apartment building. Although I don't speak Spanish I was able to translate bits via Google's translation tool. From what I can see the poster was upset at the loud music from apartment 26. The two replies seem to be from the person in 26 who seems to be upset about the public nature of the notice.
Photo taken at 331 Keap Street on February 3rd, 2007.
February 4, 2007
Street Art Bridge Entrance
Crossing the Williamsburg Bridge I'm always a bit let down by the street art, but I was recently very impressed by this work on the entrance sign on the Manhattan side of the bridge. This is a detail from the larger image of three abstract faces. I love the use of color and the quality of the line.
Photographed January 31st, 2006.
Wrecking Ball at the Movie Palace: Part II
They're wrecking the movie theater on the corner of Broadway and Rodney in Williamsburg. As a lover of cinema it's sad for me to see this palace of dreams be torn apart. Photographed January 30, 2006.
Here's some video footage that I also shot:
February 10, 2007
Plastic Childhood
Childrens store window display around Manhattan Street and Grand Street. In an era of multi-national chain stores, it always entertaining to view the unslick displays at local Mom and Pop stores. What made this display interesting was that the mannequins had a very Soviet quality to them. Inverting the photo adds to the surreaism of the scene.
Click on the photo to see it full size. Photographed on January 29, 2007 with my Canon PowerShot SD600.
June 9, 2007
Crazy Lights and Penguins
Shown above is a vending machine in front of a bodega on Keap Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Click on the photo to see it at a larger size. Photographed on May 20th, 2007.
June 23, 2007
View from the Hewes
Seen above is the sun setting on Broadway in Williamsburg, Brooklyn near the entrance to the Hewes subway station.
Seen above is a storefront sign on Broadway in Williamsburg, Brooklyn near the entrance to the Hewes subway station. I like how the "i" in the word wines is painted in place. I think it's only a matter of time until Broadway will bloom again as the real estate money moves east across Williamsburg.
To see the each photo at full size just click on it. Photographs taken on May 20th, 2007.