Garbage overflows regularly at public trash cans. (Photo by Ray Johnson, two weeks before the storm.)
The storm has caused so much destruction, sending boats, trees and their limbs, signs, and houses crashing to the ground. But it’s not just the trees that got whipped in the wind. Garbage like this gets blown onto the streets by the strong winds, just as well.
Sheepshead Bay, we have a major cleanup to do. Let’s hurry and clean up our act before our streets become one big trash heap.
Tree uprooted. (Photo by Ray Johnson)
The high winds during yesterday’s storm on Saturday, March 13, 2010 has uprooted this tree on East 19th Street, between Avenue Y and Avenue X. Park officials were on the scene assessing the situation.
Passersby were checking out the situation, apparently glad that the tree didn’t fall onto their house!
A parting glance. (Photo courtesy of nolastname)
Well, everyone, by now you must have heard all about the Belt Parkway roadwork. The traffic has been horrendous around here, because of all the construction.
It’s driving me batty. The other day, I felt like flinging myself into the oncoming traffic, but then I figured it wasn’t nice to get others involved in my Heavenly plan. So, I abandoned the plan and plotted my big escape. Here I am about to wander into the Flatbush woods for good.
Goodbye, traffic. Goodbye, all.
Miss Brooklyn Keelie Sheridan in Sheepshead Bay
Last week, we told you about Miss Brooklyn (and Manhattan Beach resident), Keelie Sheridan, shopping at the Nostrand Avenue Salvation Army store. That was after Brokelyn interviewed the contestant winner about her frugal ways.
This week, just a short while before she crowns this year’s winner, Keelie sat down with us to tell us about her life, as well to answer the burning question we all had after her ‘Miss Brokelyn’ interview: Is it really possible to be a struggling college student, gorgeous beauty pageant winner, broke actress, and live in Manhattan Beach? We already know the answer is ‘yes’ — but it was so much fun doing the investigation.
For the full pdf version of the Brooklyn Restaurant Week 2010 listing, clink the link below.
Brooklyn Restaurant Week is rolling around again. The dates of the 2010 event are set for March 15 to the 25. Last year we told you that the Sheepshead Bay had slim pickings when it came to participation in the prix fixe dinners and lunches. This year, Clemente’s Maryland Crabhouse does not appear on the list, but there is an added brunch deal, as well as a designation for the few Kosher offerings (look for the ‘K’ in a light blue circle). Below is a list of the local offerings, or visit the ‘Visit Brooklyn’ website and see the full list, in case you are looking to venture out of Sheepshead Bay.
Restaurant Weeks are usually held only on weekdays from Monday through Friday, but the flyer does not specifically list this limitation. You might want to to check with each restaurant, before making your plans. There may be a few of those restaurants that even extend the specials beyond March 25.
Here is a list of the restaurants participating in the neighborhood:
Baku Palace L D
2001 Emmons Avenue
718-615-4700
IL Fornetto Restaurant D and Lunch for 2 special
2902 Emmons Avenue
718-332-8494
Liman Restaurant L
2710 Emmons Avenue
718-769-3322
Osaka Japanese Restaurant L D
2805 Avenue U
718-891-6200
Overturned shopping cart, Summer 2009. (Photo courtesy of Lisanne Anderson)
Many of you have just about had it with winter. I never cared for the warm weather, just because people seem to think that they can drag me out into the streets with their groceries. In the winter, they’re less likely to do that. So, if you’re one of those who are seriously looking forward to the coming of the warm weather, think of what happened to me.
Last summer, I had an accident. A shopper was pushing me stacked high — watermelon perched right on top –away from my supermarket home to their own home. I tried to tell him by squeaking my wheels that I wasn’t built to travel on city streets — but this guy wouldn’t listen to me.
As I was rolling down Gravesend Neck Road, the load became too much for me and I started to lean. Next thing I knew, I was on my side and the man who “borrowed” me from the supermarket just stood there. The road was very narrow due to the MTA station construction, so the cars couldn’t avoid running right over the cargo. I may not have a brain, but the sounds that watermelon made when it was being squashed sure made me feel what it must be like to have a brain.
Because of a serious limp I now have, they just keep me in the store holding cans of caviar. Gets a little boring, but sure beats being rolled out into the street where I don’t belong.
You can wish for summer all you want. I’ll be sitting under the A/C unit.
Super Stop and Shop buckets up.
There are numerous leaks coming from the ceiling at the large store, prompting workers to place buckets and warning cones in at least four separate spots around the store. The usually unmarred drop ceiling is now marred with stains caused by the leaking water.
Let’s hope that the usually wide, dry aisles are dry again, soon — and that Super Stop and Shop gets the roof repairs done before the next snowstorm pummels us.
Until then, hold onto your egg carton.
Shopping cart in need of rescue.
I can’t be sure about this, but I think this building at Sheepshead Bay Road and East 16th Street used to be the H & R Block office.
I was kidnapped and brought here to help with the office cleanup. That explains the toilet paper and the paper towels that I’m loaded up with. The big question is: why are they even bothering cleaning this dump up, anyway? The last I heard this entire strip is set to be demolished by Acadia management. They’re just waiting for Citibank two doors down to vacate and the whole place is going to be razed. Anyway, that’s the word we’re getting behind these bars.
If anyone on the outside knows more, let me know. I’m loaded with some of the finest fluffy, white stuff you’ve ever seen (known by the street names of Charmin and Bounty) and as soon as you load me up in the getaway truck, I’ll hook you up real good.
The Lemonaid for Haiti kids and their mom. (Photo courtesy of YouTube)
(See the video press release for the concert on YouTube.)
You may remember the three Sheepshead Bay siblings, Chedera, Christopher, and Conner, who spent their summer afternoons selling lemonade on Emmons Avenue to help hungry people.
Their mother and main organizer, Paige Strackman, said that her kids feel a strong connection to this cause. Since her husband is from Haiti, she and her family are intimately aware of the poverty and hunger affecting its residents. She focused our conversation on the work that her kids were doing to raise money and awareness. What the humble Strackman never told us was that in October 2008, she won $100K grant from the American Express Members Project for the kids’ Lemonaid for Haiti charitable organization. That we found out about that from one of her blogs.
Strackman, a Sheepshead Bay resident and former lead vocalist with the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, didn’t stop at $100K. Using her connections in the world of performing artists, she helped organize a concert at Carnegie Hall to benefit the needy people in Haiti. Then, just as the concert planners were putting their near-final touches on the concert, tragedy struck Haiti on Tuesday, January 12, 2010.
As the world’s attention was centered on the needs created by the devastating earthquake, Strackman, her kids, and the charitable team would be putting in an even greater effort than before to call attention to the crisis need, as well as to the chronic hunger problems.
Strackman travels worldwide singing for her faith, but this concert will be closer to home. The concert tickets are sold out, but a representative at Carnegie Hall told us that on the day of the event it may still be possible to obtain tickets, since it is not uncommon to have tickets reverted back to the box office.
Check below for information about the concert, as well as links and information about how to support the Lemonaid for Haiti program.
Concert info from the Carnegie Hall event listing:
Benefit Concert for Haiti
PRESENTED BY Lemonaid for Haiti
Paige Strackman, Vocalist
Weill Recital Hall
Friday, February 26th, 2010 at 8:00 PM
Student and Senior Discount Tickets Available at the Box Office
Also performing: Jason Michael Webb, Music Director
Harlem Quartet
·· Ilmar Gavilán, Violin
·· Melissa White, Violin
·· Juan-Miguel Hernández, Viola
·· Desmond Neysmith, Cello
Program of gospel music
For more information, please call CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800
(Photo courtesy of Arthur Borko)
What does that little Dirt Devil vacuum cleaner think he’s doing over here on my curb? This is my territory. Well, it’s a lucky thing for that little pipsqueak that my wheels are hindered by the snow and ice, otherwise I would have rolled him right into that Coney Island Avenue traffic. Not even the doctors at the 24-hour emergency service would be able to save him.
