SHEEPSHEAD BAY'S ONLY INDEPENDENT NEWS BLOG

Shopping carts photographed early New Year's Day. (Photo courtesy of a reader)

We would have had our picture posted since last week, but we were recovering from a serious hangover that lasted a couple of days.  Believe me, I would take a serious hangover like that one any day over having to spend a night in the slammer – which is where I and Party City, over here, were almost headed.

You see, we figured we would roll out the old year and ring in the new one by doing what everyone else in the neighborhood is, apparently, doing – drink it up — when some rookie cop started walking toward us at the corner of Avenue Y and East 27 Street. Just before he made eye contact, I threw my drink cup on the ground (if you look closely, you can see the cup in the picture).  He started questioning us, “Don’t you guys know it’s illegal to drink alcohol on a public street?, How old are you kids, anyway?, Where’s your ID?, Don’t you guys have a bed you can find yourself in, tonight?”

We were already drunk, but we managed to come up with some answers real quick: “See a drink in my hand, officer? We’re older than you think.  Don’t let our good wheels fool ya. Check our ID right there on the handle. That cart over there is Party City. He lost his voice when a car hit him, a couple months ago. Sure, officer, we’ll get right home, just this minute.”

Man, was I scared, ‘cuz Party City is a minor. I just wanted him to keep quiet, so I lied to keep him from having to talk. We tried to roll off into the night as the flat foot walked away, but, to tell the truth, our wheels were like liquid and we both just crashed right into the pole and the postal box.

Man, that was a rough New Year’s Eve and a tough couple days after, but would we do it again? Apparently, research shows that terrible hangovers don’t limit future liquor consumption. So, yes, I guess, you’ll see us drunk as a skunk around the streets of Sheepshead Bay, sometime in the near future.

Happy Belated New Year’s, everyone!

Jamie Guigno took this photo of the inside of M&M Catering on East 27th Street and Avenue Z the day it closed down. Before M&M Catering it was M&M Meat Market – both businesses were owned by her father, Mike Fischetti. The employees – many worked there for years – wrote the above on the door as a final goodbye. For those that remember, M&M was a neighborhood staple. But Fischetti, who passed recently, lives on through the non-profit organization he founded, Guardians of Hydrocephalus Research Foundation. You may recognize the name from the fading ad on the side of the same building that hosted M&M, which for many of us is as much a curious legend of the Bay as anything else. We’ll have more on the Guardians of Hydrocephalus and the Fischetti family in the weeks to come – but we thought this was a touching photo.

Jamie Guigno is a local photographer, and can be booked for private events through her website. You can see more photos from her Flickr photostream.

There’s a lot of voter outrage towards the mayor these days. The term limits fiasco, challenges to the mayoral control of schools policy, increased taxes and a crumbling of the political infrastructure statewide (okay, not sure if we can blame him for that one) – the challengers have a lot of ammo. Bloomberg, though, has even more bucks, and that means the other mayoral candidates will be kicking their campaigns old school: meet and greets.

“There is a Choice in the 2009 NYC Mayoral Election” is the main topic for the Madison-Marine-Homecrest Civic Association’s meeting on Thursday, June 18, at 7:30 p.m., in the auditorium of the King’s Chapel, Quentin Road and East 27 Street. Announced Democratic Party candidates Comptroller William Thompson and Councilmember Tony Avella have been invited to make statements and take questions. So bring your questions about their community and citywide initiatives, especially about important local issues like mayoral control, development and economic recovery.

This is Madison-Marine-Homecrest Civic’s final general meeting of the season. Also in attendance will be representatives for the 61st Police Precinct, the Department of Buildings, and elected officials.

When: June 18th at 7:30 p.m.
Where: King’s Chapel, Quentin Road and East 27th Street

We found this photo of Sheepshead Bay’s Tucker Place Park on the blog of photographer Marisa Rodriguez Lee. Adjacent to Stella Maris at East 27th street and Emmons Avenue, Tucker Place Park is easily overlooked by all save the old men and young lovers, so sometimes it’s easy to forget the mural reflecting the bay view… but Rodriguez Lee did an amazing job capturing it. Check out more of her photos at her blog.

Bay Improvement Group, organizers of the annual seaside soiree BayFest, is busy preparing for the 18th year of fun in the sun (though last year it rained). To help get the work done, the group is recruiting volunteers for the May 17th event.

Benefits of being a volunteer include free BayFest tags, T-Shirts (while they last), coffee and bagels in the morning and free lunch in the afternoon. Volunteers will set up flags/banners along Emmons Ave., distribute programs, help man information and iced tea tables, sell 50/50 tickets, help with the stage and performers, clean-up and take down at 6PM.

BayFest organizers are asking for a 4 hour minimum commitment from volunteers. That free coffee will come in handy, since setup starts at 7:45am on Emmons Ave & E. 27th St.

If you’re interested, visit the BayFest website, email bayimpgrp@aol.com
or call 718-646-9206.

The Madison-Marine-Homecrest Civic Association is having a meeting and party all in one next week and everyone is invited. You will have an opportunity to meet your neighbors, community leaders, and 61st Precinct representatives. Since all local elected representatives have been invited, you may have a chance to meet a few politicians, as well. This party-meeting is free and you are welcome to bring friends and relatives.

Here’s the information and some fine print from the flyer.

Holiday Party-Meeting
Thursday, Dec. 18th, 2008 at 7:30 p.m.
Kings Chapel
Quentin Road and East 27 Street (Enter at E. 27 St.)

We invite neighbors to stay informed, ask questions, become dues paying members–$10 annual/per family, payable to Madison-Marine Civic Association, please bring dues to meeting or send to: M.M.H.C.A., PO Box 432, Homecrest Station, Brooklyn, NY 11229. For information, 718-934-8214. Join e-mail list, send your e-mail to: GMEP123(at)verizon(dot)net.