Lucas wrote in the Prospect Heights Message Boards: “I just spoke with Fresh Direct’s PR. The story about the CMO handing over his business card was very compelling to me, so I had to get to the bottom of it (I work with a biz mag, thought it might have been a story.)”

“Fresh Direct says the CMO never met with Tessa, the blogger. Fresh Direct says it did send an official to meet with her, though the official was apparently a guy from the Transportation division. And while he did bring photos and leave his business card, the company says he ‘absolutely did not’ tell her to hold it up to the door - or present it to the delivery person.”

“Can’t say who to believe, but I gotta believe it would be pretty audacious for Fresh Direct to lie about all of the above…”

Discuss: Prospect Heights Message Boards

Discuss.

Heights Halloween

Originally uploaded by dailyheights.com.

Taken by Stacey Duda.

On. St. Marks near Underhill in that weird lot.

i walk downstairs to find my bike seat stolen

Originally uploaded by m.d.

queen_of_pies writes in the Prospect Heights Message Boards: “Last night, someone proved to me that my no-locking paranoia wasn’t enough to hold on to a bike when a thief wants your ride.”

“After riding home from work in the evening, I carried my bike up the three stairs of our stoop… After unlocking the hallway door, I turned around and saw a man hopping off the stoop carrying my bike…”

“I ran out of the building and down the stairs toward the thief, tripping on the bottom stair, which sent me sailing into him; me, the bike, and the thief all sprawling on the sidewalk. Me and Mr. Thief scrambled to our feet, and I grabbed my bike and screamed, ‘let go of my fucking bike!’”

“He took a few steps back–probably calculated that this shabby-looking bicycle wasn’t worth fighting this madwoman for–and said, ‘hey, I wasn’t trying to take your bike.’ What, then? trying to give it a tune-up? I picked up my bike and ran back into the building and turned to see him sauntering away.”

“Him: 5′ 8″, not badly dressed, slight caribbean accent, hair long and slightly dreaded. me: nursing knee bruises and glad to have my bike.”

Whoa: Prospect Heights Message Boards

Brooklyn Museum of Art

Originally uploaded by Frank Lynch.

Manufactured Landscapes: The Photographs of Edward Burtynsky

Through January 15, 2006

Morris A. and Meyer Schapiro Wing, 5th Floor

The first major retrospective of the internationally renowned photographer Edward Burtynsky will bring together more than 60 works by the Toronto-born artist from both public and private collections.

Burtynsky, a modern-day counterpart to nineteenth-century landscape photographers, examines the intersection between land and technology, creating images of unorthodox beauty. His subjects include locations that have been changed by modern industrial activity such as mining, quarrying, rail cutting, recycling, and oil refining.

Several adventurous projects have taken Burtynsky on a worldwide quest to photograph extraordinary landscapes. Most recently, he traveled to the construction site of the Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest hydroelectric engineering project, located on the Yangtze River in the People’s Republic of China. The dam is of unprecedented proportions, and it has required the relocation of millions of people. In addition to the dam itself, Burtynsky also photographed upriver sites of mass displacement, where residents destroyed their own homes at the behest of the government, recycling many of the materials in order to rebuild on higher ground.

Thanks to Maggie for the dispatch: “7:00PM: (10/21/05) I just witnessed a shooting on Carlton Avenue (between Dean & Bergen). We heard several pops, then we saw people running up Carlton (toward Flatbush) and then a man chasing another man, shooting. The guy being chased went down. Turns out the shooter was a cop. A lot of activity outside right now as well as the whole block taped off as a crime scene. Scary…”

This story is developing as we speak in the Prospect Heights Message Boards (click on yellow link above).

What’s gross?
A bag full of dead pigeons.

What’s grosser than gross?
A live kitten at the bottom.

What’s grosser than that?
It’s eating it’s way to the top.

What’s grosser than that?
It’s going back down for seconds.

Sorry to Ruin Your Breakfast: Prospect Heights Message Boards

Ben writes in the Prospect Heights Message Boards: “For those of you who have not happened down Vanderbilt Avenue recently, Aliseo has finally reopened. As far as I can tell, the main difference is that they renovated the kitchen. It looks like they’re still working on a garden.”

“… ate there last night and it was delicious as always. The menu is slightly larger — there are some more pasta dishes … The amazing bread that comes before the meal is slightly different but still heavenly. As usual, Albano was disappointed that we didn’t want wine.”

“Service was not quite up to the usual high standards — the waitress (who was new to me, but apparently has been working in Albano’s other place across the street) brought oil but no vinegar for the salad and took the bread away (!) before we were done to make room for the salad.”

Read more: Prospect Heights Message Boards

Peralta’s

Originally uploaded by Frank Lynch.

The former Peralta’s supermarket, now home to a restaurant called Sorrel.

sje wrote this review in the Prospect Heights Message Boards: “We finally went there Tues. night, and it was delicious. I had the flank steak (well done, and I got no attitude for that), everything on my plate was fresh, beautifully cooked and just the right amount. My dinner companion also had an excellent meal, the giant pork chop. The only thing I wasn’t crazy about was the smoked mackerel appetizer with pieces of watermelon in it, a little too experimental for me… Nice glass of wine as well (Cote’ de Rhone), and pot-o-chocolat.”

Ovos gelados

Originally uploaded by Eu Rics.

olivia writes: “Like fireworks around the fourth of July, egg violence peaks on Halloween but occurs duing the weeks building up to the holiday, then dies down. I wonder about the merchants who are selling the eggs to the kids? Do they know or care?”

daveb replies: “In Vermont, during the week before Halloween, you have to 18 to buy eggs. At least, that was how it was when I was growing up.”

Read more: [Crown Heights Message Boards]

Nebula78
writes in the Prospect Heights Message Boards: “Starting this weekend, the organic market on Nostrand btw. Lincoln and Eastern Pkwy. will be serving all sorts of serious raw organic specialties. They had a little impromptu get toether during the late, late night Friday sampling of the new goodies, along with some nice tunes… Included are some fantastic burgers made with raw organics and special dressing… mmmmm…”

“This is the real deal stuff…I highly recommend this place, also for your veggie/health food needs. There’s no other place like this in CH or PH….All you PH’ers, dont be scared to cross franklin and come discover the veggie goodness at this spot…plus they are super nice!”

Delicious Reading:
Best Veggie Burger in PH (or PS or CH … or elsewhere)
[Daily Heights Message Boards]

metulj writes: “There was a mighty stench of death wafting all over Plaza St East, and it had nothing to do with the construction starting at Union Temple…”

“A leaf-and-lawn sized trash bag was left inside the fence of Plaza right in front of #50. It started smelling like total rot. Police were called. What was it? A chopped up underworld figure? A sack of heads?”

“No. It was about 50 dead pigeons. Police left said bag stinking like shit-covered death. Calls to 311 ensued.”

Speechless: Prospect Heights Message Boards

dina writes in: “Today at the site of the Union Temple parking lot, workers were driving metal rods into the sidewalk. On asking what they were doing, I was told they are guarding off the site in preparation to build a foundation for a 16-story apartment building. Is this the famed Richard Meier building? Does anyone know anything about this?”

metulj: “Yup. There goes my bedroom view of the library and probably the park as well.”

Previously on Daily Heights: “Developers originally and laughably sold this condo project to us as ‘not luxury.’ However, Deb’s conversation yesterday with a “boasting” spokesperson for Richard Meier revealed that ‘It will be the most luxurious building in Brooklyn.’ Local agents speculate a 2-bedroom unit will go for about $1 million.”

LINK: Let the Construction Begin? [Prospect Heights Message Boards]

Details on DailySlope.com, Park Slope Neighborhood, Brooklyn, NY.

Atlas

Originally uploaded by Frank Lynch.

Not a day goes by that I don’t regret missing the era of Hot Bird in Brooklyn.

Must read: Aaron Naparstek’s lengthy treatise on Bollards, the hardened steel, concrete or stone posts buried into the pavement of city streets and sidewalks:

“In Northern European cities, you see bollards all over the place. They are used to make sure that if a motor vehicle accidentally jumps up on to a sidewalk, pedestrians are protected. Bollards are a kind of urban preventative medicine. They stop crashes before they happen.”

“We have bollards in New York City. But … rather than using them to protect people, we use them to protect things — fire hydrants, pay phones and important buildings into which we believe terrorists might want to drive car bombs.”

“…There is often a sense in New York City that motor vehicle traffic is akin to a natural phenomenon… we’ve become conditioned to motor vehicle carnage as the natural order of things … It’s no wonder. In the same week that the Reyes family was run over there were at least three incidents of vehicles jumping up onto the sidewalk and doing serious damage to people and property in Park Slope, Brooklyn, my neighborhood.”

“Bollards are cheap and easy. Even some of the most run-down and industrial parts of East Berlin have pedestrian bollards … We could afford this if we wanted. We could show they are successful and worth it …”

“This sad state of affairs on NYC’s streets is slowly beginning to change. Last year, a group of Park Slope advocates, myself included, teamed up with the Prospect Heights Parents Association and Transportation Alternatives and successfully lobbied DOT to install protective bollards around the intimidating traffic island in the middle of Flatbush Avenue between Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Public Library.

“It’s not ideal. The traffic signals are still timed in such a way that they trap pedestrians on the island in the middle of Flatbush. They could have done much better.”

LINK: Making NYC’s Streets Safe for Hydrants & Pay Phones [naparstek.com]

DISCUSS: Park Slope Message Boards

Freddy’s Karaoke is back! Tony sent this in just under the wire:

“People often ask ‘Is karaoke Japanese for “Empty Audience” or “Empty Orchestra”? You’ll have to judge for yourself. Karaoke Big Ass Ham (KBAH) is the low-tech sing-along night at Freddy’s Bar and Backroom at 485 Dean Street in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. Sign up and you can win a canned ham, or maybe a hand crafted iron-on T-shirt…

“…KBAH has a low-tech philosophy, using an MP3 laptop and printed lyrics.”

“Karaoke Big Ass Ham happens every third Wednesday night of the month from 9:00 until 12:00pm … Your Host Bill Carney guides you through the lo-fi singing safari. He also figures out who gets a prize, so be nice to him. This month we’re giving away a canned ham or a pumpkin as prizes. Scare up the nerve and join us tonight! Go to our web site for a list of songs and pictures from last year.

Discuss Karaoke: Prospect Heights Message Boards

Image: set speed

Thanks to set speed aka onehansonplace.com for giving us the link to his coverage the Atlantic Yards public hearing last night (Tuesday, Oct. 18):

“Billed as one of the few chances the tax-paying public has at speaking to the Empire State Development Corp., tonight’s public hearing … (was) not without many dull moments … the partisan crowd was split into anti-Ratner community members and pro-project construction workers…”

“… Marty Markowitz spoke, then councilman David Yassky, then Letitia James… Impassioned community members spoke of the need for the impact review to be held on a larger scale…”

“Then came the brusque member of the sheetmetal workers union and another construction worker, both of whom were yelling into the mic, much to the jolly of their fellow blue-collar brethren. One speaker pleaded with the crowd, saying that Ratner actually paid union wages, while other surrounding Brooklyn projects used low-cost workers, specifically naming the developer of 176 Johnson St., a.k.a. Toy Factory Lofts and Two Trees in Dumbo…” Read more…

Discuss: Prospect Heights Message Boards

One of the most unfathomable DOT decisions in recent Prospect Heights history — leaving aside for a moment the virtually useless and largely ornamental expansion of the “pedestrian island” where Flatbush Avenue meets Grand Army Plaza — is the decision to renovate a massive stretch of the Eastern Parkway median and yet somehow neglect the last few blocks from Brooklyn Museum up to Grand Army Plaza. That stretch, pretty much the public face of Prospect Heights to the millions of outsiders who come to visit the Museum, zoo, botanical garden and library.

As Robert Witherwax wrote: “Those of us who traverse this god-forsaken path every day, on foot, by wheel, or with paws, know that it is in DESPERATE need of repair between Washington and Plaza … the intersection at Washington is DANGEROUS, and that the median is a shameful welcome mat to put out for the millions of guests coming to our neighborhood, and our cultural institutions.”

So the money finally came through, and yesterday in front of the Brooklyn Museum, Mayor Bloomberg and Congressman Owens jointly announce their funding of the $5.9 million dollar project to renovate the Eastern Parkway median and the Washington Avenue/Eastern Parkway intersection.

This is good, right? If you don’t own a car, yes. We’ve heard that part of the plan involves taking away parking spots from Eastern Parkway, a move that could force more Prospect Heights residents to garage their cars in expensive and scarce lot space. [Update: This may be a scurrilous rumor… EasternPkwy reports: “The plan will actually ADD spots, on the eastern end of the block, since the currently zebra-striped area will become actual median (about 8 car lengths on both sides of the street). Still undetermined are the number and location of bus stops, and whether we will have loading/unloading zones at other points along the strip, which may mean no parking during the day…”]

Also, as Ben says: “I was disappointed to see that construction will not start until the fall of 2007 - 2 years from now - and will not be completed until 2009.”

While insiders say some parts of the project might begin and finish earlier than the 07-09 window, one can’t help but wonder why Bloomberg chose to make this announcement now, just 3 weeks before an election… FLUTE points out the need for time to design the project, do bidding and awarding of contracts, and so on: “A year for that is not entirely unlikely … But I do agree, the timing of the announcement is a bit suspect. I guess those are the benefits of being Mayor.”

Read more discussion: Prospect Heights Message Boards

Tessa writes on NYC Metblogs: “…The guy put his foot in my door and would not let me close it, demanding his tip. I tried to close it, my heart beating faster realizing I’m a single female who lives in a studio with all my neighbors out already for the night. I think by the third time, he realized it too, pushed his way into my apartment and demanded I give him money.

“I gave him all the cash I had which amounted to only about $10 … I immediately closed my door, shaking violently (still currently at this moment), locking all three locks and then got on the phone to Fresh Direct…”

Read more: Tessa on NYC Metblogs

Discuss: Message Boards

Thanks to Paul Berger for name-checking Daily Heights in his New York Times article about the renegade anagram bandit who’s been messing with the marquee of the long-closed Flatbush Pavilion movie theater:

“David Collins, a tall, thin, 43-year-old father of two, was tired of seeing the marquee of the Flatbush Pavilion display the same film titles since it closed in May 2004. There’s only so much staring at “Van Helsing” and “Man on Fire” that a man can stand, especially when the titles appear on both sides of the marquee. So one night last month Mr. Collins, an investor relations consultant, lugged out his stepladder and took matters into his own hands. He climbed up and rearranged most of the letters to spell ‘Hanna Have Snail Venom For Ginseng Firm.’”

Huh. Wasn’t that “Ginseng Fern”? Ah, anyway…

It would have been simple for Paul to point out that Sarah broke the story of the “sign enhancement” right here on Dailyheights.com … but even better, Paul gave a shout out to the chatter in the Prospect Heights Message Boards:

“Indeed, the message boards at the Web log Dailyheights.com have been full of suggestions for alternative films and even rumors that the graffiti is part of a guerrilla marketing campaign. Last week, someone complained that Van Helsing should be returned, and Mr. Collins’s reply was swift. Within a couple of days, he turned the M upside down to form ‘Van Helsings AWOL in Iran.’”

“With enough letters to spell Miers, FEMA and Nagin, expect more topical offerings coming to this theater soon.”

Finally, this line is great:

“I thought if I changed it, it might make people think a bit more about their surroundings.”

It’s exactly the reason Dailyheights.com exists.

More Procrastination: Read the chatter in the Prospect Heights Message Boards.

Thanks to anon_brooklyner for keeping his/her finger on the pulse of “The Community.“ The report comes from last week’s meeting of Community Board 8, featuring the ubiquitous and omnipresent Man Standing Behind Ratner (MSBR):

“James Caldwell told everyone to go to ‘his’ (i.e. about him) two new websites, dailyheights and nolandgrab. He claims some of the info on the site about him was wrong and that people should read what ‘the opposition’ is saying …”

“… he rambled along, and said these websites have misinformation: ‘my wife was not sick, she had open heart surgery.’ and ‘I did not have a quad-bypass, i had a triple bypass.’ and ‘my brother did not die, it was my cousin.’ he also ranted about the usual stuff, but I was pleased to see that he didn’t get that much vocal support … the only person loudly clapping was, hmmm. Marie Louis [also of BUILD], although, I think she abstained from the vote on CB8’s comments about the draft EIS for the ratner site…”

What is this all about? Read the Prospect Heights Message Boards.

From the Daily News: “In Brooklyn, Anthony Herbert is running for the Fort Green/Prospect Heights district currently represented by Tish James. Herbert, who also has the Conservative line, launched the Central Brooklyn Republican Club last week, with the avowed goal of luring black Dems across party lines. Given the fact that 90% of blacks vote Democratic, Herbert will be lucky to match Yablon’s 14% performance.”

Discuss: Prospect Heights Message Boards

chippenziedeutch pontificates: “‘hipster’ is sooo 2003… Nowadays, it’s Whatever-You-Are-Currently-Into + ‘mafia’.”

Examples:

“I went to the Tea Lounge last night, but couldn’t get past the Toddler Mafia.”

“Going to see the Portastatic and John Vanderslice show at Southpaw? It’s sure to be filled to the brim with the Horn-Rimmed Glasses Mafia.”

“I stopped going to Great Lakes once it got overrun by the Hipster Mafia.” [Please note acceptable use of “Hipster” in modern “Mafia” context - Ed]

“I went to 2 Toms for dinner last night. It’s an old standby for the Mafia Mafia.”

SOURCE: chippenziedeutch in the Prospect Heights Message Boards