I had the pleasure of meeting a lovely young lady a few days ago at an event in Manhattan. We were just at the beginning of our niceties, exchanging some basic information about what part of the city we live in, when she stated something about her experience with Sheepshead Bay.
Young Lady: Oh, hi. It’s nice to meet you, Ray. And where do you live?
Me: I’m from Sheepshead Bay.
Young Lady: Oh, you’re from Sheepshead Bay?
Me: Yeah. You heard of it?
Young Lady: I used to go there a lot, but I don’t like to go to there, anymore.
Me: Really? Why?
Young Lady: Because, every time I go there all the Russian people start speaking in Russian to me. I tell them that I’m not Russian and I don’t speak Russian, but they still keep talking to me in Russian. I don’t know why they do that. I don’t even wanna go back there.
Me: (looking dumbfounded) Oh, I see.
Has anyone ever had a similar experience as my new friend? Would an experience such as the one my new friend described make you want to stay away from Sheepshead Bay or would it make you feel welcomed as part of the community? Speak up, here. Russian language speakers welcome.
Sheepshead Bites reader Paul (a.k.a PayPaul) came across this nasty scrape earlier today between a callous truck driver and an overpass at Avenue J and East 15th Street. That’s the B/Q station at Avenue J, and as you can see in the photo it has a 10 foot, 10 inch clearance. This truck was taller than that. We can only guess how fast he was going to get that wedged under. Here’s what Paul had to say, and a bunch more photos: Continue Reading »
Dr. Raymond Bartoli is hosting a canned food collection today and tomorrow, Friday and Saturday, November 20 – 21, 2009. The canned goods will be donated to the food pantry at St. Mark’s Church — just in time for Thanksgiving.
If you are an existing client of Dr. Bartoli, who is a chiropractor, you will get a free adjustment for your donation. If you are not a client already, you will get a voucher entitling you to a free 20-minute therapeutic massage.
The following is the information:
Canned Food Drive
Friday, November 20, 2009 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday, November, 21, 2009 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Dr. Raymond Bartoli, Chiropractor
1118 Avenue Y
Brooklyn, NY 11235
Between East 11 Street and East 12 Street
Call (718) 332-7873 for more information
This weekend — if you meet the eligibility requirements — you can get the H1N1 vaccine for free. The Brooklyn location for vaccines is at J.H.S. 234 (I.S. 234) Cunningham Junior High School in Homecrest.
The following are the details:
H1N1 Vaccine
Saturday, November 21, 2009 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday, November 22, 2009 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
J.H.S. 234 Arthur W. Cunningham Junior High School
1875 East 17 Street
Brooklyn, NY 11229
located between Avenue R and Avenue S
*Eligibility requirements for the weekend vaccination (from the Deparment of Health and Mental Hygiene website):
Beginning November 14 and 15 the H1N1 weekend vaccination centers will serve the following priority groups:
• Pregnant women
• Anyone 4 years through 24 years of age*
• People 25 through 64 years of age who have an underlying health condition that increases risk of severe illness or complications. These include people with asthma, diabetes, chronic heart and lung conditions, kidney failure, or a weakened immune system.
• Anyone who lives with or cares for children less than 6 months old.
* Students under age 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Those under 18 must bring a signed parental consent/screening form (available at each POD or through this link. If you are not part of any of these groups, you can get the H1N1 vaccine at other locations in your area. Choose “Get vaccinated against H1N1 Influenza” to find locations in your borough.
Renovation gone bad? The Discovery Channel is doing casting calls in the Tri-State Area for a show they are calling “Construction Intervention”.
If you are a business owner who started a renovation, but never got it done or had some such other tragedy involving botched construction work, you might do well in contacting the casting department. If you don’t own a headache business under construction, but have seen a Southern Brooklyn storefront in need of desperate help, why not nominate one? While it may be too late to save the now-gone Joanne’s Discount Center (formerly located at 2209 Avenue X), there may still be time to save some of the other staples of our community. The offer for intervention is open to even businesses in need of a “pick-me-up”.
Check the About Us page on their website for more information. You may contact the show organizers by e-mail or call them at (212) 264-3600 x 417 or 421.
We’re curious though: even if you’re not a business owner, what storefronts and commercial buildings in Sheepshead Bay do you think need an intervention? If you don’t have time to make the call, why not just leave the name of the most needy businesses in the comments section, here. We’ll be more than happy to call casting for you.
You may recall last week’s article about the confusing sign at Neptune Avenue and Cass Place allowing right turns on red. As of Monday morning the sign was missing in action. We’re not sure if the sign was upset by our article and decided to leave for greener pastures or if it was stolen by some prankster. Another possibility is the sign fell down due to damage; in fact last week the sign was swinging loose in the rain because the bottom rivet broke. Looking for answers Sheepshead Bites contacted Community Board 15 for some answers. They told us, “The sign was not removed by DOT. DOT will replace it as soon as possible.” While we wait for Brooklyn Borough Engineer to get back to us on what a “School Day” means we asked CB15 Chairperson Theresa Scavo for her opinion. According to Scavo, “It is meant to mean Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., September to June.” She goes on to say that the sign is mostly intended for weekend drivers.
Google search result: Zillow excerpt on house for sale listing.
Here it is, the middle of the night. I was having a dream of owning a house in Sheepshead Bay. I read and reread the paragraph:
Now onto the lowest priced sales listings. For $42,810, you could get 1,224 square feet (3 bedrooms/3 bathrooms) at 2552 E. 19th St. in Sheepshead Bay. The brick house has a front and backyard, too, and is six blocks from the Sheepshead Bay B/Q subway station. One thing to note, though—the Century 21 broker who listed the property says it needs “TLC.”
Imagine me, Ray Johnson — lowly, unpaid Senior Writer of SheepsheadBites.com — owner of a 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom house with a front yard, backyard, and a small garage. Plus, it’s close to my dream job and in my fave nabe. When I read the article in the November 18, 2009 edition of The Epoch Times — which said that the house was for sale for $42,810 — I figured I was dreaming. I decided I would stay awake all night so that I could be the first person to call the agent in the morning. Continue Reading »
With the city trying to breathe new life into Coney Island, they’re also looking to revive a dead idea: ferry service.
Following last week’s announcement that the city purchased 6.9 acres of amusement district real estate from Thor Equities developer Joe Sitt for $95.6 million, they have started a consultant search to reevaluate Coney Island’s potential for ferry service to Manhattan and northern Brooklyn. If the site is deemed worthy, it stands to receive $3.2 million in federal transportation funding. Continue Reading »
Born in Calcutta, India, Bivas Chaudhuri is an award-winning international artist whose journey to Southern Brooklyn’s waters resonates in his art.
Chaudhuri received his MFA in Painting and Print Making from Brooklyn College, studied at SVA, The Scottish Church College, The Government College of Art and Craft and the University of Calcutta. Though taught by wonderful teachers abroad, Chaudhuri notes that he had to “learn all over” once in America. No problem: he seems to be an eternal learner, serving as an art instructor and art restorer as he pursues his craft.
“One of my goals has been to blend some of the concepts and techniques of Western Painting into Indian Painting and vice-versa,” says the accomplished artist. Continue Reading »
This journalist over at Sheepshead Bites asked me if I would like to be featured in the Shopping Cart Series. Just as I was nodding my head, the door closed in on me. So, too bad I couldn’t stay in focus.
You may have seen me at the Sheepshead Bay Gourmet Market kitchen, located a few doors down from the dining area at 1518 Avenue Z, as I get traipsed back and forth from the kitchen to the garbage dumping area. The porters, here, pile me high with garbage bags and flattened cardboard boxes. It’s not that I’m blaming them, because I’m sure they’re just doing as they’re told.
I’ve wanted to make a run for it, but figured it’s just better for me to follow their example and do as I’m told. It’s what I need to do if I want to stay alive. Because, if there’s one thing I’ve learned from working in the food preparation area, it’s that I must stay clear of chefs holding cleavers.
I can only imagine the pressure of having to prepare that much tasty hot and cold food for sale by-the-pound six days a week. Any of us would wanna slash the tires (wheels) of a subversive cart looking to run away.
