my masterpiece, v1.0

I never knew why downtown Brooklyn had streets named after yummy things, but not I know it’s because of Miss Middagh. Miss Middagh’s family, who immigrated to the area when it was still New Amsterdam in 1652, was very influential in the area. She didn’t like that her wealthy neighbors were so arrogant as to name the streets they lived on after themselves, so, she tore the street names down and replaced them with botanical names. The city immediately removed these street names, but Miss Middagh did not stop there. She engaged in a long-term campaign against the city to return the botanical street names. After a prolonged battle, she won out, and the Board of Alderman allowed the names return to what Miss Middagh had appointed them as. The irony in all this, of course, is that there are streets right nearby named Middagh and Hicks Streets, after members of her family, even though she looked down upon the practice of naming streets after families. 

Nothing more fun than knowing the history of places we see every day!

(adapted from this post)

It’s just like Platform 9 3/4 - hidden in plain sight. See?

Right now, there’s some really cool art and Oaxaca, so I’m all for this hidden gem. Check it out!

Situated between the Bowery and 2nd Avenue, Extra Place is a former thru street that once connected East 1st Street to East 2nd Street. In the 1800s, Philip Minthorne divided his farmland between his sons and daughters. The land that was left over from the segmentation of land was an “Extra” street. Around the 1900s, Extra became a Place, where metal shops, garages, and speakeasies could be found. During the late 70s through the 90s, Hilly Kristal’s Country, Blue Grass and Blues venue (CBGB) on the Bowery had a backdoor that led to the alley where the club’s musicians, performers, poets and artists hung out. This graffiti filled backstage was an insider’s hangout for New York City’s Punk, No Wave, video, pop, and feminist art and activism sphere. Two decades later, AvalonBay Communities, Inc., attracted by the neighborhood’s history and culture, began to developAvalon Bowery Place, a mix of apartments and boutique retailers along the Bowery from East Houston Street to East 2nd Street. Being an integral part of Extra Place is an important aspect of Avalon Bowery Place’s identity.

(Reference: Forgotten New York, Kevin Walsh)

The New York Yankees just became the FIRST TEAM IN HISTORY to hit three grand slams in one game! That’s a pretty incredible feat.

Will New York City also become the FIRST CITY IN HISTORY to experience an earthquake, hurricane, and tornado in one week? That, too, would be a pretty incredible feat. And panic would certainly ensue. And I might give more credence to all this silly apocalypse talk crazing the nation.

Have fun, fact checkers!

I can appreciate the pride in our troops’ efforts, and that “justice” “has been served”. I understand how people are celebrating and that Bin Ladin’s death is an historic moment and a “success” for both current and past administrations and for the American people. Totally valid.

But, to me, it’s still murder, and while it may change the active face of terrorism, there are still and always will be disgusting acts of hate. There are still thousands of US soldiers risking their lives overseas to fight back against constant (perceived?) threat and enforce justice. Lives were lost in this effort, even if they weren’t in the final defeat. We can celebrate our banding together as a country if it’s truly representative of a connected, aware community, but what I’m seeing and reading seems to be framed more in terms of revenge and a reason to chant “USA! USA!”

I’m not saying we shouldn’t have gone on a Bin Laden manhunt (in fact, it may have been irresponsible not to). However, we have clear opportunity for substantial dialogue and reflection here, and it’s disappointing that we’re primarily celebrating.

I always thought MA was the site of all the big deal things in the Revolutionary War. But, after a visit to the Brooklyn Historical Society this past weekend, Margaret and I learned otherwise; the first and largest conflict of the Revolution was the Battle of Brooklyn! Here’s a cool map of how the battle went down. The Old Stone House now stands in the middle of where the battle happened and is both a museum and education center.

Houston St. in NYC is named after William Houstoun, which is why it’s pronounced how-stan and not like the city in Texas named after Sam Houston.

This makes more sense.

Here’s his face, too.