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Muk. His Name is Muk. Rhymes with "Book."

Posted on April 21, 2005 by dailyheights

Now is the time that DAILY HEIGHTS engages in the time-honored tradition of pandering to advertisers and pretending it’s unbiased editorial content:

In my opinion, the proper response to the phrase “Open Mic Night” is to run in the opposite direction, screaming. So it was with great trepidation that I accepted an ad from Muk, a ProHo resident and self-described quasi-alt-country- insurgent-folk-americana artist who was once in a band that shared the stage with both the Dead Milkmen and Phish (different shows).

Imagine my surprise, then, to discover that Muk is actually a talented musician and songwriter–in fact, I can honestly recommend a visit Muk’s elegantly simple, no-nonsense website (see ad links, to your right) to download some absolutely free MP3s from a man who has “carefully honed his craft of marrying folk and Americana melodies to evocative lyrics.”

It didn’t hurt that Muk said some very flattering things about our non-blog: “I am true to the site’s name, reading it on a daily basis, usually a few times a day, actually … I have never bought ads anywhere, and thought why not give it a shot where the money at least goes to something that I want to support.”

APPROVED.

Finally, it was surprising to discover that this was the same Muk we met about 2 months ago at Soda Bar when we crashed his baby’s 1-year birthday party.

Small world. But that’s the point of Daily Heights, right?

Marty and Bruce: A Day in the Life

Posted on April 20, 2005 by dailyheights

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Excerpts from REBECCA MEAD’s “MR. BROOKLYN,” a profile of Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz (“the man, the plan, the arena”) that appears in the Apr. 25 issue of the New Yorker and online here.

“…In the car, Markowitz’s cell phone rang, and the voice of a female assistant announced that ‘Bruce’ was on the line.”

“‘Yes, sir, how are you doing, Bruce?’ Markowitz said, picking up the handset and falling silent as he listened. Bruce Ratner, it appeared … had some urgent questions about the way discussions concerning waterfront development in Williamsburg and Greenpoint might affect his own project. Markowitz, whenever he could get a word in, tried to be both conciliatory and upbeat. ‘I understand,’ he said …”

“Across the street, a small huddle of Boerum Hill residents handed Markowitz a sheaf of plans showing an arrangement of planters and greenery they would like to see in front of the restored subway kiosk. Perhaps, a resident suggested, Forest City Ratner might be persuaded to contribute the funds.’Does Ratner want to prove he cares?’ someone asked. ‘I haven’t asked him,’ Markowitz replied testily …”

“…The car looped west and turned up Pacific Street, into the footprint of the proposed arena. ‘Just take a look at what’s coming down,’ Markowitz said. ‘I want you to look at this and tell me in any manner, shape, or form that this has historical significance.’ On the block where we were, there were a few warehouses and row houses looking shabby and forlorn … ‘You can see this is gorgeous—just a beautiful, beautiful sight,’ Markowitz said, with undisguised sarcasm.”

“…Markowitz said, ‘When you take a look and you close your eyes you can envision beautiful housing, and retail, and some commercial space, and an arena, and activity, and people here, and people excited about living here. . . . ‘ He trailed off into urban reverie. … ‘The developers, unlike me, are not in the business of being public servants or social workers or do-gooders,’ he said. ‘I hate to say it, but they are businesspeople, and they should be businesspeople.'”

NYC Subway: Photo Bans, Fare Increases and Height Discrimination

Posted on April 20, 2005 by dailyheights

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A bit out of date, but here’s some coverage of that New York City Transit Riders Council forum earlier this month.

From OTBKB:“… my husband attended … The council was created by the New York State Legislature in 1981 to represent the official voice of New York City bus and subway riders … ”

“Like many photographers, my husband is deeply opposed to the ban on photography in the NYC subway that is about to go into effect. The MTA says that it’s for the safety of passengers and employees; a concern about terrorists taking pictures of subway train cars and tunnels. This would be the first new rule of conduct in ten years, joining graffiti, littering, spitting …”

“… my husband put his name on a list to speak about this issue. He never got a chance … (he) listened to long speeches on a variety of topics: opposition to fare increases, questions about getting rid of subway conductors, concerns about token booth attendants out in the station. There was a wacky proposal to change the name of subway lines, and a complaint that short people can’t reach the standing handrails.”

Construction Pit at 647-649 Washington Ave.

Posted on April 20, 2005 by dailyheights

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This is a panoramic night shot of the construction pit at 647-649 Washington Ave.(click to enlarge) where a “rag assorting” facility once stood.

It is my homage to Cornershots.com, which documents the travels of Jimmie, a Brooklynite and photo urbanologist, and his quest for the perfect image of cities after dark (though he does more than night shots, of course).

Somehow my pit panorama got lost in the queue, so the picture is a bit dated. What’s the latest behind that fence?

As previously reported here, this is likely to become a 7 story, 70-foot-high building, with 8 apartments and 12,200 total square feet.

Link: 647-649 Washington Ave.: from Rag Assortery to Object of Condo Lust [DAILY HEIGHTS]

Ladies and Gentlemen: We Have a Grand Prize!

Posted on April 20, 2005 by dailyheights

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Guess what you can win if you come to the first-ever DAILY HEIGHTS Real-Life Happy Hour/Raffle next Thursday, April 28, from 6 p.m. ’til whenever at Soda Bar (629 Vanderbilt Ave.; 718-230-8393)?

Shawn and Marilyn, operators of The Islands restaurant, have made an astoundingly generous offer of Dinner for Four (“reservations recommended”) to one lucky raffle participant. Location: 803 Washington Ave (Eastern Parkway and Lincoln). Phone: (718) 398-3575.

BONUS! Jon Friedman, producer of The Rejection Show (and host/director of the Mermaid Ball 2005) is donating two t-shirts from www.elamenotees.com (pronounced “LMNO Tees”).

If that’s not enough, Isa Chandra, co-host of The Post Punk Kitchen, America’s only anarcho-vegan cooking show, is donating a DVD.

And of course, as noted in last week’s happy hour/raffle announcement, you can also win a hand-embroidered “ProHo Ho” (or “ProHo” Male Edition) t-shirt courtesy of RedLipstick Boutique.

If Emeril were here, he would say, “BAM.”

Photo: Simposio Cafe Bar, Cyprus. [gilest.org]

Beast: Desserts, Dipping Suggestions for "Crack Bread", More

Posted on April 20, 2005 by dailyheights

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Is it a bar? A restaurant? DANA BOWEN writes in the New York Times: “… It sounded like a bar and looked like one, too. A blackboard advertised happy-hour specials. A relic of a video game – remember Tapper? – attracted a boozy crowd.”

“Ms. Bicknese’s herb bread – rolled flat and charred chewy on the grill – has rightly earned the nickname crack bread among servers bombarded with requests for more. Save a few wedges for the wine-marinated and sautéed chorizo splashed and sweetened with brandy ($11). Or use them to mop up the smoked paprika broth in the deep bowl of escarole, pine nuts and sweet sultanas ($6), a side dish that will make even the most hardheaded vegetable skeptic swoon.”

“And the always interesting desserts ($6) – bergamot-spiked pot au crème, savory pistachio ice cream with caramelized bananas – nothing beastly about them at all.”

LINKS:
Going Chomp in the Night [New York Times]
Anyone got the skinny on Beast Bar? [Jose in DAILY HEIGHTS forums]
Finally tried Beast… [emiloo in the Chowhound Outer Boroughs Board]

Nina Paley updates "Sita Sings the Blues" – Now with Bonus Demons!

Posted on April 19, 2005 by dailyheights

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Cartoonist and PH resident Nina Paley is slowly turning the narrative of Ramayana (a Hindu Sanskrit epic) into a series of remarkable animations set to a soundtrack of scratchy old 78s. The result is Sita Sings the Blues, a “self-animated, unfunded, destined-to- drive-me-to- the-poorhouse feature-in-progress.”

Nina describes the latest chapter, Hanuman Finds Sita: “Gags, gimmicks, AND narrative – hundreds of pages of text crammed into 3 minutes. Plus it contains all 4 main characters: Sita, Rama, Hanuman and Ravana, with extra added bonus demons … People already familiar with the Ramayana will probably enjoy these musical bits more, but I’m trying to make the story understandable to anyone.”

You can view the entire video (~25MB) here: “The compression knocked out significant detail of this web version, especially in the night scenes. But overall I think it’s a good’un.”

Allah Was Our Protector

Posted on April 19, 2005 by dailyheights

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Dueling ideologies on Dean Street, Brooklyn.

Allah: Excoriated
Jesus: Weathered

Photo Quiz – A Chef and a Doorbell

Posted on April 19, 2005 by dailyheights

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Lucas writes: “One of the things that I thought would be (mildly) amusing would be to occasionally post a photo from the neighborhood and see if people can tell where it’s from. Since Prospect Heights is such a small area, chances are even some obscure shots will be recognizable to some people. Here are a couple examples…” [Click the thumbnails for a larger view]

REVEALED: The Source of BUILD's Wealth

Posted on April 18, 2005 by dailyheights

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Revenue, thy name is Xerox?

Hmm… maybe. The situation: about 16 months ago, some people started a non-profit called “Brooklyn United for Innovative Local Development,” or BUILD, that appears to have been created for the express purpose of promoting and/or defending Bruce Ratner’s Atlantic Yards project.

Pretty much everyone who opposes Ratner thinks that he’s somehow behind the group. The BUILD people are acutely aware of their suspicion. From buildbrooklyn.org (yes, they have a real website now):

Myth: BUILD is financially supported by Forest City Ratner.

Fact: Since its inception BUILD has been supported by its members and community based supporters. BUILD’s faith in God and strong ties to the community has sustained and perpetuates our operations and advancement of our mission…”

Well… that’s nice. But not exactly what I would call full disclosure. I asked Dan Goldstein of Develop Don’t Destroy if anyone knows just a bit more precisely how BUILD gets its funding:

“It’s only been speculated upon. I do know that they have held fundraisers where Bruce gets his buddies to come and donate.”

“Nobody has proven that Ratner directly funds them. I think it hurts our cause to accuse them of that.”

“I also do know that Develop Don’t Destroy has raised all of its money from the community to this date, and we can’t afford an office on Vanderbilt.”

That’s about as far as we’ve got. We’ll post an update if we get any news from BUILD.

DailyHeights

Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, New York | Blog for the Prospect Heights Neighborhood.

Muk. His Name is Muk. Rhymes with "Book."

Marty and Bruce: A Day in the Life

NYC Subway: Photo Bans, Fare Increases and Height Discrimination

Construction Pit at 647-649 Washington Ave.

Ladies and Gentlemen: We Have a Grand Prize!

Beast: Desserts, Dipping Suggestions for "Crack Bread", More

Nina Paley updates "Sita Sings the Blues" – Now with Bonus Demons!

Allah Was Our Protector

Photo Quiz – A Chef and a Doorbell

REVEALED: The Source of BUILD's Wealth