Riding the It Factor

The Times declares bicycling safe for grown ups (or at least for the well-dressed ones). Some people still refuse to slow down, though:

James Vicente, a court attorney at the Kings County Criminal Court in Brooklyn, knows the quandary. After a trip to Amsterdam five years ago, Mr. Vicente was inspired to ride to work in his suit and tie. (He converted his road bike to a fixed-gear bike, with detachable fenders.) … One day he collided with another rider, tearing a gash in his suit sleeve and another in his pride. Today his suits reside in an office closet, and he cycles to work in jeans and a polo shirt.

Bon Appetit: A Scene Grows in Brooklyn

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Image: Bon Appetit

In its May issue, Bon Appetit travels to “N.Y.’s Foodie Mecca”, Williamsburg. The article calls Williamsburg a “legitimate culinary hotbed”, and cites as evidence a pretty nice cross section of the neighborhoods dining experience. On the new side, there are write ups of Diner, Marlow & Sons, Bonita, Fette Sau, Egg and Dressler (briefly); on the old side, there are Bamonte’s, Peter Luger and Raymunds. For drinks, there is Spuyten Duyvil, and for shopping there is Marlow & Daughters and Bedford Cheese Shop (and non-food establishments Spoonbill & Sugartown, Brooklyn Industries and Earwax.

They left plenty of places out, but what they included makes a pretty strong case for culinary hotbed status.

Soul-Deadeningly Ugly on Havemeyer

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165 Havemeyer Street


A lot of ugly buildings have been built during the past few years, and Williamsburg certainly has more than its share. But few buildings transcend ugliness in the way that 165 Havemeyer Street does. This soul-sucking beauty comes to us from the atelier of Philip Toscano Architects*.

For the record, the building will have 9 apartments and stores on the ground floor. The DOB permit doesn’t specifically say that there is a hellmouth below the cellar, but I have my suspicions.

*2009, and still no website.

America at Fast Ashley’s

04/15/2009 | Comment

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“Tom on His Car, 1977” by Joseph Szabo


On Thursday, April 16, Fast Ashley’s will be hosting a one-night preview event showcasing masters and emerging talent of contemporary photography. More than fifty images by photographers such as Jock Sturges, Les Krims, Ben Watts, David Armstrong, Cass Bird, Jason Nocito, Joseph Szabo (see above) and Nadav Kander will be on display. The show (and accompanying auction) will benefit Americans for the Arts, a non-profit dedicated to advancing the arts in America.

From the press release:

Fast Ashley’s Studios, New York’s premier full service photography facility and its sister brand, the leading fine art digital printing service IC LAB, are co-producing a distinctive photography preview and benefit auction entitled ‘AMERICA.’ This exceptional event will showcase a wide range of stunning images from a highly influential group of established photographic masters and exciting emerging artists. This noteworthy event will take place on Thursday, April 16, at 7 pm in the heart of Williamsburg, Brooklyn at the renowned Fast Ashley’s Studios.

[via Brooklyn Based]



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CB1 Approves Greenpoint-Williamsburg Contextual Rezoning

04/15/2009 | Comment

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At its monthly meeting on Monday, Community Board 1 approved the contextual rezoning for Greenpoint and Williamsburg. The rezoning will bring height limits, restrictions on the use of the community facility bonus provision and some inclusionary housing to 180 or so inland blocks running roughly from Grand Street north to Newtown Creek.

The rezoning was the result of a two-and-a-half year collaboration between CB1 and the Department of City Planning, and followed a push by the community board and local council members following the 2005 waterfront rezoning to end the “finger building” and community facility abuse that has been so rampant these past few years. And while there was tremendous cooperation between DCP and CB1, there was not unanimous agreement. CB1 would like to see still lower height and density on Grand Street (between the BQE and Bushwick Avenue), slightly higher commercial density along Metropolitan (in the same area) and more commercial use allowed on the southern portion of McGuinness Boulevard. All of these changes are outside the scope of the current rezoning, and therefore will have to be addressed in future actions.



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Walter Foods

In the processing of reviewing (and very much liking) Walter Foods, the New Yorker remembers Oznot’s Dish and Planet Thailand (presumably the original on Bedford Avenue, not the ersatz disaster on Berry, which lately looks like it should just be put out of its misery).

Machetes

The new weapon of choice. One kid was arrested last week brandishing a machete in a bodega on South 4th.