SHEEPSHEAD BAY'S ONLY INDEPENDENT NEWS BLOG

THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED: “Halikarnas Reopen and Clean, Lost Big To DOH Mess”

We told you Wednesday that Halikarnas, a Turkish restaurant on Emmons Avenue, closed down by order of the Health Department. But we stopped by in the afternoon and – guess what – staff was there and they invited us in for a meal. Something about mouse droppings, cockroaches, and a lack of running water didn’t really turn us on, though, and we went on our way.

Photo of the sign before being blocked by a menu

As it turned out, Halikarnas reopened illegally. The DOH sign on the door explaining its closure and saying that it is a violation of law to damage or obstruct it was, well, damaged and obstructed. After attempting to tear it down, Halikarnas employees covered it with the menu, as you can see in the photo above.

Well, justice has been served. DOH inspectors returned last night. It was found operating and serving food to patrons. The Health Department re-closed the restaurant and cited it for operating against the agency’s order to close.

Are instructions that difficult to follow?

When a resident of East 19th Street first began complaining to us – months ago – about the graffiti here, we shrugged it off. We figured, “This is New York City, there’s always going to be graffiti. You just gotta report it and remove it, like everyone else does.”

When the resident continued to complain, saying the vandals were targeting homes, we thought it was weird and worth checking out. But we got caught up in other things and never went to take photos.

To that resident, we’re sorry. Very, very sorry. You’ve sent us these photos and shocked us. Then we went to take a walk of our own and saw even more graffiti, including on residential property. We dropped the ball on this one.

But we’re not the only ones. I’ve seen the way the the police handle your complaints at meetings. They have the same reaction we initially had. But it’s obvious that East 19th Street between Avenue X and Avenue W has a higher level of graffiti and vandalism than surrounding blocks. It could be because it’s not particularly well lit, and the United States Post Office sorting facility, the auto repair shop, and the apartment building prove to be appealing canvases.

Whatever the case, police officers ought to be making more frequent night patrols down the block and local leaders should work with the business owners to install security lights. This is preventable.

More photos after the jump.

(Photo courtesy of Ben Salomon)

Not all escapee shopping carts end up frolicking the streets of Sheepshead Bay or telling their stories to journalists. Some get pushed around, damaged, abused, hit by cars, and left for dead.

This shopping cart, now known only as Jane Doe, was found on the sidewalk under the Sheepshead Bay Road train station overpass. An eyewitness said he saw this shopping cart cahorting with the two drunken revellers from last week. Another eyewitness told us that this cart was just a hard working cafe table. If anyone is able to do a positive I.D. of this sad cart, we might be able to find her next of kin.

The new construction at 30 Dooley Street, between Emmons Avenue and Shore Parkway, is coming along pretty swiftly. We wrote about the building back in October as the supporting steel for the first floors began to go up. Now the towering building, hulking over Emmons Avenue from the Sunrise Assisted Living parking lot, has some real shape to it. As you can see from the sign, they’re seeking tenants for office, medical, and restaurant businesses. Your thoughts?

Just a reminder, here’s the photo from October:

Bay Improvement Group President Steve Barrison informed us yesterday of the untimely passing of Faith Palmer-Persen just before New Years. Palmer-Persen, who was fighting cancer, is the artist behind the mural on East 15th Street between Avenue Z and Sheepshead Bay Road. Her passing came as BIG prepared for a restoration of the 120-foot mural.

As Palmer-Persen was most recently a California resident, her funeral services will be near San Francisco this Sunday. Barrison is requesting that anyone with photos of Palmer-Persen send them to him by e-mail so he can forward them to family for the service. BIG is also helping organize a local memorial at the mural site in June.

Below is the obituary from the San Francisco Chronicle, published January 5:

Continue Reading »

Courtesy of Gene Berardelli

THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED: “Halikarnas Reopen and Clean, Lost Big To DOH Mess”

One of the handful of Sheepshead Bay’s Turkish restaurants closed down last week by order of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Halikarnas at 3075 Emmons Avenue (between Batchelder Street and Bay View Court) was shuttered after it failed its pre-permit inspection on January 5. According to a press officer at the Health Department, “The inspection found the restaurant operating without running water at the three compartment sinks, hand washing station and dishwasher located in its basement’s food prep area. Other factors that contributed to the restaurant’s closing included liquid waste found on the floor of the basement’s storage area, 60 mice droppings, and 10 live roaches in the restaurant’s kitchen and basement kitchen areas.”

We never tried eating here, but both Yelp reviews show the place is hit or miss. Many Yelp reviewers enjoyed the Turkish cuisine, while an almost equal amount were revolted by molding desserts or rude wait staff.

The DOH inspection reports, meanwhile, gave them grades that changed as drastically as an NBC contract (Ed. — OOF!!). They frequently jumped between highs of 79 point and single digit lows. Mind you – this is like golf, and par is 27.

I think subway platforms – especially Sheepshead Bay train station’s – make great scenes for photography. Gary Wong proves my point with this photo taken just a few days ago. He writes on his photoblog, The Wong Way, “With the temperature in the low 20s and the wind fiercely blowing, these people were smart and stayed in the stairwell while waiting for their train.” For those interested, check out his site. Wong has challenged himself to take and publish one thought out photo per day to document his 29th year of life. He’s going from birthday to birthday. Also, you can subscribe to his Flickr stream.

Courtesy of BK Southie

In the following screed, Brian Hedden argues for reclaiming the term “South Brooklyn” for the part of Brooklyn that’s actually… you know… south. The post was originally published on his blog BK Southie. Short and to the point, I think it’s something all “Southern Brooklynites” ought to read.

Streetsblog commenter “kapes” on a bicycling thread last month:

I don’t know why I have to be such a stickler.

But it is such a common mistake I have to say something.

“South Brooklyn” is an area of Brooklyn close to downtown.

It is called this because it was south of the original (and quite small) city of Brooklyn. It includes Red Hook, Gowanus, Cobble Hill etc.

Mill Basin, Marine Park, Gerritsen Beach etc. are in southern Brooklyn.

You know, I usually make that distinction myself, but quite frankly, I’m a little tired of it. I blame Wikipedia for reinforcing this A-in-history-F-in-geography mentality. I mean, listen to this drivel.

South Brooklyn is a region or composite neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, encompassing areas of Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Red Hook, Gowanus, Park Slope, and Boerum Hill… The somewhat historic name of South Brookyn has been revived in recent years to foster a closer connection among the constituent communities, though the name has always been popular nomenclature for the neighborhood’s locals… [no, don't stop there, here comes my favorite part] This hilly area is not to be confused with the actual flat southern region of the modern borough of Brooklyn…

Let me see… an area called South Brooklyn that’s not actually in, y’know, South Brooklyn – why would that be confusing? But hey, for those of us that noticed Brooklyn grew out of its onesie and into its big boy pants some 150 years ago, I propose the following revision.

South Brooklyn is the section of Brooklyn that takes its name from its location south of other parts of Brooklyn, and is not north of any other part of Brooklyn.

For archaic uses of South Brooklyn, see North Brooklyn.

Respect my geographah!

We at Sheepshead Bites are considering making the permanent switch to calling our territory South Brooklyn. Damn the hipsters and the yuppies. We know common sense down here, and South Brooklyn ought to be the part of Brooklyn that is south. What do you think?

1724 Ave Z: Tamada awning replaced with Luxury Dental, P.C.

Looks like the building at the corner of Avenue Z and East 18th Street will finally have a new tenant.

After what seemed like years, the burgundy awning for Tamada Restaurant – which served Georgian food – has been replaced with a bright sign of a cartoon tooth holding a toothbrush. That means we’re getting a new dental office – and since Sheepshead Bay is the home of a luxury day care center, it makes sense that there should be a luxury dental center. Okay, okay – so, it’s not exactly a grand opening of a luxury dental center in Sheepshead Bay. Dr. Vadim Firdman – the toothman of this new joint – is only making a move from his 1607 Sheepshead Bay Road location.

We’re not sure when the first appointments are getting made, but if you get in to see Dr. Vadim Firdman put in a good word for us. Sheepshead Bites’ teeth could use a little dental work, especially a little luxury cleaning  on the house.

The city has announced an initiative to eradicate 25 percent of salt from nearly all food products sold within the five boroughs. According to the Daily News, cereals, pretzels, potato chips, and canned vegetables, as well as fast-food favorites like fried shrimp and pizza, will be most affected by the changes. Though compliance is voluntary for now, companies are being asked to make the reductions by 2014 and several have already agreed. New York City officials expect that the initiative will have national implications as food providers change their recipes country wide. Salt companies have turned sour on the announcement, depicting it as the city’s attempt to “nanny the nation.”

Sheepshead Bites’ take?

First they came for the cigarettes, and I did not speak out—because I was not a smoker;
Then they came for the trans fatty acids, and I did not speak out—because I was not a McDonald’s patron;
Then they came for the salt, and I did not speak out—because I did not eat Lay’s;
Then they came for the booze—and it didn’t matter, since there was nothing left to eat or smoke when I drank.

(I dare you to come up with a better punchline.)