Thursday, August 30, 2012

A Fond Farewell To Neighborhood Feline 'Clump'

A Fond Farewell To Neighborhood Feline 'Clump'

Spied on a stoop on Sackett Street by friend and reader Mary.  A little memorial for Clump, a neighborhood cat that obviously was well loved.


Courtyard Improvement: Capital One Listens To Carroll Gardens Community

Courtyard Improvement: Capital One Listens To Carroll Gardens Community

IMG_7498IMG_7493May 2012.  From this...IMG_8945this in August 2012.IMG_7494Before and...IMG_8943after.IMG_8941IMG_8944IMG_8942The deep courtyards in Carroll Gardens are what makes this Brooklyn neighborhood pretty unique. Most of them are lovingly planted and taken care of by their owners. Some of them, however, have been totally neglected like the rather unsightly 'blacktop' yard attached to Capital One at 420 Court Street at the corner of Second Place. Several months ago, Jordan, one of my readers pointed this out to me.  In an email, he wrote:
"It is such a shame that they just do the cheapest, ugliest thing possible with that garden space rather than beautify it. To me it shows a disregard and disrespect for the neighborhood. I kind of doubt that your average Capital One branch in the suburbs doesn't have even the most basic landscaping outside of it. I did call them a few months ago and spoke to a manager and while the conversation didn't go anywhere (it's up to corporate, no one's ever even suggested that, etc.)Getting them to do something with the garden would be a major win for everyone."I couldn't have agreed more, so I took a few photos of the paved-over courtyard and in May, I posted them on PMFA.
And shortly afterwards, Capital One did something about it.  Apparently, Corporate heard about the complaints. A few weeks ago, the blacktop was taken out, fresh earth and plants put in, and now that corner looks beautiful.

Well done, Capital One. And my sincerest thanks goes out to Jordan, who took the initiative to bring it to their attention.  The newly planted courtyard in now worthy of the neighborhood and something we can all be proud of.





Picture Of The Day: Extreme Dashboard Decorating

Picture Of The Day: Extreme Dashboard Decorating

IMG_8958Dashboard of a car parked in Cobble Hill.Got to love the saints next to the Homie figures.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Picture Of The Day: Extreme Dashboard Decorating

Picture Of The Day: Extreme Dashboard Decorating

IMG_8958Dashboard of a car parked in Cobble Hill.Got to love the saints next to the Homie figures.

A Fond Farewell To Neighborhood Feline 'Clump'

A Fond Farewell To Neighborhood Feline 'Clump'

Spied on a stoop on Sackett Street by friend and reader Mary.  A little memorial for Clump, a neighborhood cat that obviously was well loved.


Courtyard Improvement: Capital One Listens To Carroll Gardens Community

Courtyard Improvement: Capital One Listens To Carroll Gardens Community

IMG_7498IMG_7493May 2012.  From this...IMG_8945this in August 2012.IMG_7494Before and...IMG_8943after.IMG_8941IMG_8944IMG_8942The deep courtyards in Carroll Gardens are what makes this Brooklyn neighborhood pretty unique. Most of them are lovingly planted and taken care of by their owners. Some of them, however, have been totally neglected like the rather unsightly 'blacktop' yard attached to Capital One at 420 Court Street at the corner of Second Place. Several months ago, Jordan, one of my readers pointed this out to me.  In an email, he wrote:
"It is such a shame that they just do the cheapest, ugliest thing possible with that garden space rather than beautify it. To me it shows a disregard and disrespect for the neighborhood. I kind of doubt that your average Capital One branch in the suburbs doesn't have even the most basic landscaping outside of it. I did call them a few months ago and spoke to a manager and while the conversation didn't go anywhere (it's up to corporate, no one's ever even suggested that, etc.)Getting them to do something with the garden would be a major win for everyone."I couldn't have agreed more, so I took a few photos of the paved-over courtyard and in May, I posted them on PMFA.
And shortly afterwards, Capital One did something about it.  Apparently, Corporate heard about the complaints. A few weeks ago, the blacktop was taken out, fresh earth and plants put in, and now that corner looks beautiful.

Well done, Capital One. And my sincerest thanks goes out to Jordan, who took the initiative to bring it to their attention.  The newly planted courtyard in now worthy of the neighborhood and something we can all be proud of.





Back To Brooklyn By Way Of Paris And Düsseldorf

Back To Brooklyn By Way Of Paris And Düsseldorf

IMG_8886After almost seven weeks, it was time to leave our small village in the Auvergne to come home to Brooklyn.  It had been a wonderful vacation, full of sun, new encounters, and new discoveries. 
The last few days passed way too quickly. There was just so much to do.  And as if to make leaving even more difficult, a warm wind from the South brought blue skies and high temperatures.
IMG_5295I won't lie, saying good-bye was hard.  "We will be back in ten months," we promised.  "Have a great fall and winter. And stay in good health."  A last wave to Michel, Claudine, Marinette, René and our other neighbors, and a special farewell to our little friend Evans...IMG_8903...and we were off to Paris.
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But before getting back to New York, we had one more day in Düsseldorf, Germany.
IMG_8914
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IMG_8924The stop-over made the transition to city life just a bit easier.

So, here we are back in New York, ready to get back to work and to life in Carroll Gardens.
Give me just a few days to make my way through the pile of mail that was waiting for me, to restock the fridge and to start weeding my garden, and I will be posting about the neighborhood again.

Hope your summer has been a good one as well.





Carroll Gardens Kids Organize Funday In Carroll Park

Carroll Gardens Kids Organize Funday In Carroll Park

IMG_9046Kathleen Henderson, Carroll Park Playground Associate with her little friendsIMG_9044Kids For Carroll Park Committee.Grace O'Keefe  (on far right) with her friends.IMG_9048IMG_9063IMG_9066IMG_9069IMG_9059Though summer is almost over and the beginning of school is just around the corner, the fun has not stopped at Carroll Park. On Tuesday, Kathleen Henderson, beloved Playground Associate, hosted a "Funday" party, completely funded by the Kids For Carroll Park committee.

Kids For Carroll Park was founded by young Grace O'Keefe and her girlfriends in the spring to help raise money to provide Kathleen with more funds for additional art materials and toys for the park.

The girls held a bake sale and, as Grace proudly told me, they made $170. Some of the proceeds were used to organize yesterday's Funday, but the group also donated $65 to Friends Of Carroll Park, which will go towards an improvement project in the park.
Well done, girls!

Yesterday's party was also an opportunity for the kids to say good-bye to Kathleen. Yes, alas, her summer program ended today.

Judging by the giggles and smiles on everyone's face, the party was a huge success.