Rabble

Originally uploaded by jorel845.

“if kids in Soda is bugging you now … well. wait a few weeks. when they open up the patio, the joint is kid central til 9 p.m. almost every single day. it doesn’t bother me at all, though. as others have said in this post and the countless others on this board, Soda isn’t an upscale, fancy restaurant, nor is it a busted-ass, broke-down drunkard bar. it’s a neighborhood pub. and, thankfully, that allows it to have an eclectic clientele.” - alafairnadia in the Prospect Heights Message Boards

Sounds like SODA on Vanderbilt Ave. now has their own “Stroller Manifesto” — an angry screed written by a non-parent who can’t tolerate the irresponsible parents who bring their babies/toddlers to bars. Apparently, this angry customer wants Toly, the proprietor of SODA, to ban kids from his establishment.

From what one Daily Heights regular reports: the complaint was specifically in response to a gathering that took place on the same night as a recent DH happy hour… though it was only indirectly related to a DH happy hour. We haven’t seen the letter yet, but it apparently contains some wild and somewhat humorous inaccuracies about what took place that night.

The opinions of this irate customer aside, the facts are as follows:

Toly absolutely encourages parents to bring kids to SODA…

The waitstaff is almost universally accommodating to kids…

They have lots of kid-friendly food …

The kids are generally out of there no later than 8 or 9 pm, latest…

The kids are being supervised, even if they seem to be running amok through the back room …

And in fact, “Music for Aardvarks” holds kids music classes at SODA at least 3 times a week.

So unquestionably, SODA is a kid-friendly bar.

Whoa… “kid-friendly bar”? The concept is certainly going to be quite confusing (and offensive) to Marge in Wisconsin… but kid-friendly bars are here, and you’re going to have to get used to them. Families want to hang out together. European countries have a long tradition (see Germany: Beer Gardens) of establishments where both kids and parents alike can hang out and socialize, and yes, alcohol may be served.

COMMENTS Abound: Prospect Heights Message Boards

Brownstone Brooklyn

Originally uploaded by pdberger.

PHeightsGirl writes in the Prospect Heights Message Boards:

“I am in some desperate need for some help and advice. I am 99% sure that our landlord/management company is trying to push us out. And, I mean the whole brownstone, not just my roommate and I…”

“Each of us has inhabited our apartments for about 4-5 years, and we all have a really low rent…”

“1.) A few weeks ago we get a notice of a past due bill for the water. Our landlord hasn’t paid it since January. The total? Over $4000.”

“2.) Then we get a bill saying our landlord hasn’t paid the electric bill and our electricity in our hallways is in danger of being shut off. (It’s still on, but I’m assuming only a matter of time before it’s shut off)”

“3.) Finally, this past weekend, we got a notice that our landlord has not paid the heat bill, and it will be shut off on March 30th. Thank God that by then, it’ll be warm enough to live without heat - except for at night. This kinda scares me… “

Tenants unite! Prospect Heights Message Boards

Secret cat at Bergen St station

Originally uploaded by dailyheights.com.

Secret cat at Bergen St station

via daniel:

“Someone sent this to me.”

“Is it real?”

Uploaded by dailyheights.com on 28 Mar ‘06, 10.51pm EST.

Have you seen it? Check out the message boards.

Amorina Cucina Rustica

Originally uploaded by Slice.

sweet tea writes in the Prospect Heights Message Boards:

“Amorina (on Vanderbilt Ave.) was BYOB only until a couple weeks ago. Now they have a very small wine selection, but still allow you to bring your own — even at Fermented Grapes prices, it’s a better deal to run across the street and pick up a bottle.”

“When I was there last (2? weeks ago) they said they were planning to institute a corkage fee, but they hadn’t yet, because they wanted to let their regulars get used to the change gradually.”

More about BYOB places in Brooklyn: Prospect Heights Message Boards

qtrain Grand Master Joined: 06 Jul 2005 Posts: 341 Location: VANDERBILT THIS CITY ON ROCK AND ROLL

qtrain REPORTS: Fire department was out in force investigating smoke on Vanderbilt, and found something smoldering in the back on the laundromat beside Met. Looks like no one was hurt. Details in the PROSPECT HEIGHTS MESSAGE BOARDS

Alecorock Regular REPORTS:

Alecorock REPORTS: The mini doc on the neighborhood has been released on Turnhere.com. Source: PROSPECT HEIGHTS BOARD

car service

Originally uploaded by Brooklyn Kim.

law&disorder writes in the message boards: “I’m still in a state of shock about what’s happened to me today. I had a couple things that I wanted to sell in that Isoldit Ebay store on Flatbush Ave. So I put the things - a juicer, camera and blender - into two small-medium boxes. I called the car service I always use - Legends.”

(fast forward through a dispute over the fare…)

“…I told him that I’d NEVER been asked to pay upfront before and that I wasn’t appreciating his attitude at all. He said, ‘I’m not driving you anywhere unless you pay me first you NIGGER BITCH. In fact, get the FUCK OUT OF MY CAR. I won’t drive you anywhere. Take your boxes and get out.’ “

“This went on. And on … He pointed to a dog on the sidewalk and said that I was a lower form of life than the dog … That the ‘piece of shit’ building I live in (which happens to be a beautiful brownstone) is ‘nothing’ compared to the house that he and his family live in.”

“… By the time the second driver arrived, there was such a scene going on, with the driver screaming, ‘TAKE YOUR BOXES OUT OF MY CAR, YOU NIGGER SCUM,’ that a passing police van stopped and four officers got out to find out what the hell was going on …”

“The irony is that the driver in question is Egyptian. Never knew the Egyptians had a pathological hatred of their fellow Africans (I’m actually African as opposed to African American). The cops - who all looked Hispanic told the guy to chill out and said, ‘look, we’re ALL minorities here.’ The driver denied that he was a minority and said that he shouldn’t have to drive ‘people like me’ anywhere…”

Read the Aftermath in the Park Slope /Prospect Heights Message Boards

7th_ave

Originally uploaded by cydne.

madamefoo55 writes in the Prospect Heights Message Boards:

“Coming home last Friday, I finally noticed that there are at least seven or eight cameras (or what looked like ceiling cams) that have been installed in the 7th avenue station. guess this means the token booth clearks may soon be history?”

Not sure if it’s elated, but according to EmilyM, there has been a strong police presence in the station recently (separate from the bag checks–on the platforms and in the station in the evening when there aren’t checks).

Watch yourself being watched: Prospect Heights Message Boards

prospect heights

Originally uploaded by fonem.

stacey writes in the Prospect Heights Message Boards to report on an e-mail she received from the Prospect Heights Parents group:

“…The DOT found that our concerns were justified: speeding is rampant on Vanderbilt and the road is wider than necessary to accomodate traffic. They agreed to create a median that begins between Sterling and Park Pl. and ends between Bergen and Dean Streets. It will be one lane wide and include cuts for left turns….”

According to the e-mail, the median should be painted by the end of spring, and a raised and planted median might be built if funds can be raised.

Get more details: Prospect Heights Message Boards

Brooklyn industries

Originally uploaded by thedrun.

Up now:

illegat writes: “So I know Brooklyn Industries is a local business that’s fun to support and the water tower logo is cool and all, but has anyone else had problems with these clothes being poorly made and their return policy?”

Then there’s this whole issue about “Bike Culture” not being for sale.

Get the full story: Posted on DAILY SLOPE | Park Slope Neighborhood, Brooklyn, NY