lornagrl:::

@ the 773 in Ditmas Park/Kensington

A few Sundays ago I stopped @ the 773 on Coney Island Avenue and had some drinks.  While I was there, I saw a guy with his sweet dog.  At one point the light hit him just right and I asked him if I could take his photo. He kindly said yes.  It's not easy to take a photo of a man in dark bar, and spritely dog after a few vodka and tonics.  But this one came out pretty well.  (with the help of PhotoShop)

Express Bus Driver Refused to Honor a "Request a Stop" after 10pm

On Monday night while taking the Express home after 10pm, the bus driver refused to drop me off at my requested stop.

The MTA offers a program called "Request a Stop".  After 10pm you can request the bus driver to make a specific stop and they will accomodate as long as the stop is on the route.   I saw Anna Karenina on Monday night, (Beautiful production) and the film got out at 9:30pm.  I waited  over a half an hour for the bus home.  Late nights it's best to take the BM3 because it drops me off closer to my apartment, but after waiting a half an hour the BM1 showed up.  Now the first stop the BM1 makes in Kensington is Cortelyou Road, but since it was after 10pm, I asked the bus driver to please drop me off at the stop on Beverly Road and Coney Island Avenue.  I didn't think it would be an issue because it's an actual bus stop, it's on the route, and since it was after 10pm the "Request a Stop" was in effect. 

The bus driver refused.  She insisted that she couldn't make the stop.  I tried to remind her that she could because it was after 10pm, but she still refused.  I asked the bus driver for her name or ID and the name of her direct supervisor. She refused to give me that information, but I got the bus number.

At nearly 11pm she passed my stop at Beverly Road and Coney Island Avenue and dropped me off on a deserted Cortelyou Road at nearly 11pm forcing me to walk an extra five blocks through some deserted streets.  I know this neighborhood is pretty safe, but I like to be extra cautious late at night. 

I called the MTA to lodge a complaint and I'm waiting for an update.  I spoke with a "Mr. Hoffman" who asked me if I would be willing to testify against this driver.  I told him I would.  I am pursuing this because it's a safety issue.  Over all I was okay getting home.  But the next person might not be.

Lark (Ditmas Park Coffee Shop)

This suppressing heat has made me a bit of a shut in.  All I can really do is sit in my bedroom sandwhiched between the fan and the air conditioner (and thank God I have an air conditioner).  By Sunday I was going a little stir crazy and decided to check out Lark - a new coffee shop in Ditmas Park that's all the buzz. 

It's located on Church Avenue just a few blocks off of Coney Island Avenue, right next door from a Thai place.  I managed to get there before the crowds.  The storefront it sits in is shallow (I think it was two placed) with wooden bench seats, and a window counter that faces a school. I was greeted warmly by a young woman covered with tattoos.   I ordered a black coffee (no sugar).  I didn't feel like a pastry so I got a bagel with cream cheese.  The bagel was very fresh. 

The best part is the "play room" complete with floor mats and pillows were kids are free to play and cavort while the other patrons can stay in the main part of the coffee shop to enjoy their brew and read without a screaming child.  It's not that I don't like children, but it's hard to read and enjoy your coffee while someone's toddler is bouncing around.

Ditmas Park Tenants Face an MCI Increase

Rent stabilized tenants in a Ditmas Park building are facing a huge increase in rent and it's causing a bit of an uproar.  The landlord of 596 East 22nd street has stated that in order to cover the cost of major repairs such as a new boiler and a new roof, they would have to instill an MCI increase (Major Capital Improvement) to recoup the cost.  For some tenants, this could mean an increase in rent of $100 - $300 per month. 

This is how  an MCI increase works: the landlord can take the cost of a major capital improvement, (for example, a new boiler) and collect it from their tenants per room.  So if one rents a three rooom apartment and the MCI is $80 per room, that would be an increase in rent of $240 per month.  These increases continue even after the landlord has recouped his or her costs.  In short, it's a way for landlords to present a whooping rent increase for rent stabilized apartments.

The tenants in this building have argued, that their landlord has not kept this building in good repair, thus creating the need for a new roof, new boiler etc.  This may be true, although all buildings would need these replaced eventually no matter how well it's maintained. 

This caught my attention because I will be facing an MCI increase sometime in the future.  The building I live in is undergoing extensive improvements. They just fixed the terraces, and they are getting ready to restore the lobby.  (it's a mess now).  So once these repairs are complete, I will most likely have an MCI increase.  What really sucks is that I will have to pay for the improvement on the terraces, even though my apartment has no terrace. 

Is this really fair?  I understand that landlords need to cover their costs, and that extensive improvements can be difficult to make when the majority of your tenants are paying well below the market value.  But what about someone like me who is paying close to the market rent for my apartment anyway even though my apartment is rent stabilized?  What about the tenant on the fixed income?  An increase of $240 is huge and may actually be cost prohibitive. Aren't landlords obligated to maintain the building?

I don't know when I will be facing my MCI increase, or how much it will be.  I'm confident I would be able to find another apartment in this hood for about the same price I'm paying now. But, I would most likely need to give up a lot amenities.  This apartment is large, I have plenty of space.  I have a dishwasher.  There is a doorman and although the hours are very limited I do have access to a pool in the summer.  It would be a challenge to find another apartment around here with all those attributes, but probably not impossible. 

Only time will tell.  In the meantime my heart does go out to these tenants who are facing these huge increases.  I know there are a lot of haters out there who would comment that someone paying just $800 a month for a one bedroom apartment shouldn't complain.  But that doesn't change the fact that $800 a month is hard to come up with when you only make about 24K a year.  Everyone deserves a comfortable safe place to live.

While I do think it's possible that the owners of 596 East 22nd street need to make repairs, I do have to wonder if this is just another attempt of gentrification.

 I certainly know what it's like to be priced out of this neighborhood.

 

Petition for Extended Pool Hours

This morning I was heading to the grocery store when I ran into neighbors in the lobby.  It seems that a group of people are starting a petition to get the management to open the pool on Saturdays.  There was a major heat wave on Saturday and it would have been nice to take a dip in the pool.  It does seem ridiculous that we cannot enjoy the pool on Saturdays, especially since we have to pay for it. 

The note from the angry tenant was of course removed from the elevators the very next morning, but my blog post was picked up by Gothamist and the Windsor Terrace/Kensington Patch where one commenter thought that the story was fake.  I assure you the story is true.  You can read the posting of the pool rules here. 

I know this is totally unrelated but whenever I go to the grocery story, this little clip from Sesame Street runs through my head. 

Jobby Wine and Liquor - Burned

A few nights ago I noticed that there was a big fire off of Church Avenue in Kensington but I didn't stop to look. I guess I've been a little self absorbed lately.  But this morning I noticed that Jobby Wine and Liquor had burned down.  At first I noticed the door was open and bottles of whiskey and vodka were laying around and I thought "cool, free alcohol" but alas, there were fire inspectors checking out the place.

I didn't shop here too much, but I always called this place "The alcoholic's liquor store" because it seemed that only alcoholics shopped there.  Walking into the place was like stepping into an episode of Hoarders.  There were cardboard boxes everywhere, and stacks and stacks of liquor. It has been here for decades.  I heard that someone was shot and killed their during a robbery which is why there was the bullet proof glass. 

 

Protests at Golden Farm

Nearly a year ago I posted about a bad experience I had at Golden Farm that resulted in my decision to no longer shop there.  Since then former employees have sued the owner for paying below minimum wages, and not paying overtime.   The Kensington Prospect has a post about protest that was held on Friday, that included a march insdie the store. 

Some commenters on the Kensington Prospect noted that they hoped the store manager could work things out because she enjoyed the lower prices at the store.  But I don't think lower prices is an excuse to underpay and exploit your employees. 

Thanksgiving in Kensington

Happy Thanksgiving Y'all.  My Turkey plans fell through the cracks when my friend got a surprise ticket to Houston.  I had other places I could go, (Nashville, Orlando, a friend in the slope) but I decided I didn't want to travel.  I am in the midst of a staycation that was meant to be spent catching up on my school work.  Instead I have been in the land of nothingness, or put another way, "doing what ever I feel like doing whenever I feel like doing it."

As for my Thanksgiving meal I hadn't given it much thought because I wasn't expecting anything to be open.  I walked over to Church avenue to get some much needed coffee and was gobsmacked that Connie's was open, so I had breakfast.  It was crowded too.  I noticed that Connie was having a thanksgiving special which I decided to make my plan B.  I checked on line and found that The Farm on Adderley was having a prix fixie for $55 which was more than I wanted to spend, but I knew it would be delicious.  I opted for the roasted parsnips, traditional turkey and an apple crisp and I got it to go, because the reservations were filled up.  So I enjoyed my turkey dinner while watching movies.  All in all, not a bad way to spend the holiday. 

But lazy time is over I need to get crackin on some assignments.

Dead Raccoon on Cortelyou Road

A few days ago, I was on my way to the bus stop on Cortelyou Road when a twelve-year old stopped to tell me there was a dead raccoon on Cortelyou. I have been hearing horrible stories of raccoons breaking into apartments in Park Slope and meeting an eerie demise. So it doesn't surprise me one bit that there would be raccoons around here.

Just a few moments after I snapped this photo, a woman, who did not look like she was from animal control, came to pick up the carcus.  I saw she was wearing rubber gloves, but I thought she was taking a bit of a risk.  Many New Yorker's don't know this but there is a rabies epidemic in New York State. Particuraly with raccoons.

The other day I saw a possum in the back of my building. 

Leiby Kletzy Candlelight Vigil 7/24/11

On July 24th 2011 a candlelight vigil was held in Kensington Brooklyn for a murdered boy named Leiby Kletzy.  Kensington is one of the most racially diverse neighborhoods in the United States, perhaps the world.  Leiby was a child from an Orthodox Jewish community.  But on this night people came out to honor Leiby regardless of their religious background or culture. It didn't matter.  He was a child in the neighborhood. It is a neighborhood that has pulled together under extremely sad circumstances.

If diverse cultures can live peacefully in community in Brooklyn, why can't we live in peace throughout the world.  I think Leiby would have wanted that.

You can see more photos here.