DailyHeights

bill c:

“in today’s ny times.com, a photo spread of that hip new brooklyn neighborhood. “

sje:

“Prospect Heights is in the NY Times Travel section today, with 2 pictures of my shop! The photographer came a few weeks ago, and I totally forgot about it:
http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/travel/1…..surfacing.html?ref=travel
Nice!”

Indeed, Prospect Heights was featured as “Brooklyn’s New Hipster Outpost” in the NYTimes.com Travel section.  There is a slideshow of a handful of shops on Vanderbilt in addition to the article. While local shop owners were pleased with the shout-out, others found the location of the article amusing, if not insulting.
Nor’easter:

“It’s pretty cold that the NYT put this in the TRAVEL section.”

Prospect Heights (and local businesses) in the NYT :: Brooklynian.com | Brooklyn Blog and Message Boards

Neighborhood newcomer ams recently stopped by the PH boards to ask about safety near her new apartment by the PH/CH border.

“I just moved to the area, from the very different California. I love my apartment, but I haven’t been comfortable walking, especially by myself or at night. I know live at the edge of Prospect Heights (st marks & grand), but I just wanted to know how comfortable the people here felt in the area – especially females. Do you feel safe taking the subways/shuttle and walking home?”

People who live around there left varying responses about how safe they feel, and their street wise advice on how to avoid getting mugged.  But meanwhile on the Crown Heights board sillybilly was posting an account of a mugging that happened just up the street from ams’s new place.

“Just A Public Service Announcement: Friend & neighbor in my building was mugged last night (10/6/2008) around 10:30 pm on Prospect Place (btwn. Grand & Classon). Friend was coming home approaching our building and was accosted by a young fellow in hoodie asking for directions. The assailant wouldn’t let my friend pass and all of a sudden he was surrounded by 4 to 5 other “yutes” wearing hoodies and holding something metal to his neck, while rifling through his pockets & bag. Lost cell, wallet, etc. Punks demanded pin numbers but friend provided fake ones. The crew tried to withdraw cash (got nada) but were successful in charging several metrocards to the credit cards.

Friend called cops (the ol’ 77 pct.) who were serious and helpful. They all drove around for 30 mins. looking for the punks – to no avail.”

So to answer the original question, muggings do happen and it’s best to use some street smarts when walking home alone at night.  Stop by the thread to hear about how Slappy McBluelips suggests you use a decoy to minimize the risk when getting mugged.  And share your own street wise knowledge at Crown Heights Message Board – Mugging on Prospect Place (btwn. Grand & Classon) :: Brooklynian.com

The neighborhood’s greatest and only bike shop is leaving Vanderbilt Ave.  The news came courtesy of bill c who wrote “sad to hear they are relocating as the owners were great people and super knowledgable about bikes. but i hope they get some more space in their
new shop as this location was a bit submarine-like.”  Guvna shares in the sadness: “I saw the ‘store for rent’ sign yesterday and cried inside.”

The closest places to get a bike fix or to put some air in your tires are now R&A Cycles on 5th or Dixon’s on Union.  The new location of Bicycle Station will be 171 Park Ave. @ Adelphi.

Share in the grieving at Prospect Heights Message Board: bike station moving from vanderbilt (Brooklynian.com)

Get your head out the gutter, you.  We’re talking about those big, obsolete vehicles that some folks seem to fancy. Well, someone who lives on Lincoln between Washington and Classon, also reserves a parking spot for their Hummer using cones.

From Slappy McBluelips:
“Does anyone know the deal with the impeccably maintained Hummer H2s on Lincoln Pl? … I was amazed to see that they put up orange cones to protect the parking spot! And no one took the spot, of course. I came back down the block to get some food, and the black H2 was back and the cones were gone. How can they get away with this? Whoever owns this car must have some serious street cred in order to to this. I always wondered how those two cars always have the same spots – now we know.”

As if parking was already tough enough to come by.  Lox says he has some insight how someone manages to get away with this … but you’ll have to click the link below to read about this alleged reason.
Learn secrets of the streets at Prospect Heights Message Board: Hummers on Lincoln b/w Washington and Classon :: Brooklynian.com

Last week blyamanda hipped the board to a new theme night at Barrette on Vanderbilt Ave.  “Heads up–there’s going to be a queer night at Barrette this Sunday night (October 5) from 8-12. Special guest DJ, go-go dancer (Belle, from 9:30-11:30), and the bartenders you know and love! The more, the merrier!” It’s not yet clear from the thread if this will be a recurring theme night.  But we have received some word on how the first one went.

jarvis said it was “great. maybe 95% ladies.. mostly ph/slope/ev/so. slope peeps.”  alafairnadia writes: “I wandered in around 9:30 or so and the place was slammed. and loud. and young. so, er, I went and drank champagne
with the working peeps stuck at beast. whoops. I found out later some folks I know were near the stage but I
couldn’t see it from the door/2 ft. in that I could manage to wander into. how were the not-naked lap dances?”

So how were the not-naked lap dances?  Was your lap not-naked danced upon?  Do tell at Prospect Heights Message Board: New Queer Night at Barrette! (Brooklynian.com)

Start your weekend off right by entering to win one of “three beautiful, form fitting Australian wool sweaters, emblazoned and bedazzled with a ‘Sex Apples’ logo.” sje AKA the owner of Red Lipstick, a boutique on Vanderbilt is the poster of this contest and current proprietor of the Sex Apple sweaters.  “What’s a sex apple?” asks Lo Kee. There actually is an answer and it’s revealed on the owner’s blog at http://www.redlipstick.net/blog

Contest details at Prospect Heights Message Board: Sex Apples Sweater Contest (Brooklynian.com)

sterling2000 just recounted a beatdown he witnessed on his block of Sterling near Tom’s Diner: “I was working from home Monday when I heard a commotion on the street. There’s an older gent who…constantly sweeps and curses at the air or anyone who comes within his orbit (including dogs and children). I think his racial epithets are my favorite.

Anyhow, he got into it with a much, much younger kid and he went into one his his slurred, trash-talking rants I’ve become accustomed to
hearing. After a few minutes of this nose-to-nose showdown the younger kid just decks him with a single punch…I think there was a general feeling of karma at play.”

The discussion that follows explores the intricate ethical quandary of: “is it OK to punch an old man who is being a pain in the ass?”  Most posters say they’d choose a path of non-violence in this scenario, though many see the youth in the story as an agent of karma.  Everyone agrees that if this guy comes near their dog, he better watch out. Maybe you met this guy too?
What would you do? Prospect Heights Message Board: A karmic beat-down on Sterling (Brooklynian.com)

While many of the city’s Jews were in synagogue this week celebrating the arrival of the Jewish new year, other Jews were out asking passers-by if they were Jewish–presumably to assist them in the reciting of certain prayers.  Much to his chagrin, jgregorie was asked seven times during a five block walk if he was a Jew: “Oh New York,” he says, “You find new ways to annoy the shit out of me on a daily basis.”

whynot_31 apparently advocates the Bush Doctrine (look it up) to handle the “Are You Jewish” question during the High Holy Days: “First time, the man approached me and was about to ask, but I preempted him and stated “No, but Happy New Year”. He responded back “I was going to ask you if you were a wonderful person”. I replied “Thanks” and went down the steps to Eastern Parkway Station…

“Second time, Orthodox man begins his approach. I smile and shake my head, “no” before he asks. I then ask him “are you?”. He says “am I what?” …I respond “Jewish?”. He laughs, rolls his eyes, and says “yes”, and I say “Happy New Year”.

“…oh new york, I find new ways to amuse myself at you everyday.”

What else? Karl the Druid confesses: “i’ve been told i don’t look druish.”

Submit your score at Prospect Heights Message Board: how many times were you asked if you were jewish today? (Brooklynian.com)

Brooklynian’s very own madman has collaborated on this Digg-worthy project:

“Palin Bingo! My friends and I put this together today. Please pass it around to anyone and everyone you can before Thursday’s debate. I’m hoping it gets picked up by some political blogs.”

View topic – Palin Bingo! :: Brooklynian.com | Brooklyn Blog and Message Boards

What’s the only thing in town to get a boost by this week’s stock market plunge? Discussion about the stock market plunge, of course. Guvna and whynot_31 have reopened a two-week-old discussion to augur when and how we will start to feel the pain of our collapsing economy locally:

Per Guvna: “In light of today’s biggest stock market single day loss in history, I want to know ‘when’ (not if) we will officially begin to feel raped and pillaged?  Anyone?”

Perhaps a better question: when will people wake up? GOD writes: “NOT one reporter is asking people on the street (about) what is happening on Wall Street … How it’s going to impact them. The only thing being talked about is the “Lipstick” issue. No one cares. Guess we’ll have our bibles, guns and know how to field dress a moose to survive into the next century.”
Have you got the insight into where this increasingly dismal road is heading?  Do we move to Asia as whynot_31 has considered?  Bend over like Guvna advised?  Or perhaps you’ve got an even better suggestion.  Share it now at Prospect Heights Message Boards: Four Horsemen (Brooklynian.com)