Neighborhood Threat

On the way to work this morning, we conceded to each other the sad likeliness that the 50% off sale at Harricco Pharmacy was a precursor to the place going out of business. Jokingly, we suggested to each other that a Duane Reade would surely move in - based on my theory that the only people who will be able to afford Manhattan Ave. will be the chains.

Tonight, getting off the G train, we ran into a local couple who were complaining about the same thing we were, and overheard them say, “And Duane Reade, here we come.” They confirmed that it was going to be a Duane Reade, taking over the candy store on the very corner, the upstairs and the downstairs of the building, and that the buildings between it and the corner of Milton (except for the bank-now-medical-clinic) were going to be torn down and a highrise was going in.

This explains the businesses moving around, and the continual empty storefronts - who wants to move in if you’re going to have to close up shop soon?

Confirmations and/or denials appreciated.

Remember George’s?

Now, instead, we have this. Isn’t it an improvement?

They took all the personality out of that old wonderful storefront, stuck a plate glass window on the front, and here we go, the mall-i-zation of Manhattan Avenue continues. The commercial real estate prices are keeping storefronts empty, and I fear that the costs will keep everyone away except chains. That will turn Manhattan Ave. into a bland boring corridor. I know I say we don’t need another 99 cent store, but at least they have some quirkiness and personality and genuinely serve the community.

The Cheeseburger Deluxe, that stalwart lifesaver at the God Bless Deli Grocery, has gone up in price - from $2.99 to $3.25.

It’s been at least four years since the last price raise. I can deal.

Our house is not a bunch of sissies; I have travelled in Africa, India and Southeast Asia, and I will eat from street vendors judiciously. However, the DOH results in Greenpoint continue to make us sad, and we quietly have to avoid some favorites and go back to some former classics that had been retired from overuse - and vice versa.

I also find that the attitude of the staff at the restaurant makes a difference to me when I review the DOH rating. If it is someone who I feel like is making all best efforts, I might overlook an infraction or two. I’m not talking about things like not having a choking poster up, I’m talking the more egregious errors. However, if you’ve been a jerk when I’ve been in, or less than friendly, or if you appear completely incompetent, I have no confidence at all in your ability to keep things clean. No doubt, it is tough to run a restaurant in NYC. No doubt that the DOH is cracking down more zealously than they used to. I imagine the truth is somewhere in the middle, which is why I’ll give some people the benefit of the doubt.

You can look up the DOH results for Greenpoint here.

Given the last paragraph, I have no desire to call anyone in particular out. Just want to make people aware that the results are available to them and they can make their own choices.

We moved our car off of Banker.

We took a walk by the place on the way home from work. The tarps were off the openings at the front of the roof garden and they were attaching something that looked like guy wires to the front of the openings, clearly designed to stop the hipsters from falling out of the openings. That’s the kind of thing that strikes me that you do well before the night you open, but what do I know? They look flimsy and completely inadequate and given the kinds of things I’ve seen DOB refuse to license, kind of shocked me that they would be legal.

Oh, wait.

Now, it wasn’t nice weather Friday night, so we had the windows closed, and the baseball game started late, so we had an ambient noise filter. On the other hand, it doesn’t start getting obnoxiously loud at Studio B until well after midnight. We are lucky that our building is reasonably well insulated and that we were really goddamn tired, and the windows being closed was a big plus. So the first night of the roof deck didn’t seem to be any noisier than your usual Friday or whatever night. However, there was 100% more police presence than any night we have ever seen. We also saw what looked like a fire department official vehicle out front around 1am (Miss Heather says 1:30, I’ll trust her report).

But I don’t have the worst of it and I know it. So, neighbors, how was it for you this weekend? Oh, and they’re going to have another party on Wednesday. From 10-4 am. Because, you know, no one has to actually work - not when daddy’s paying the rent on your loft share out at Morgan.

(Sorry, couldn’t resist.)