jacob riis, ft. tilden

there is a lot to see on rockaway peninsula. we only had a few hours to check things out, but more trips are in order before summer and the return of the beach crowds.

first stop was jacob riis. the old robert moses comfort stations look years abandoned instead of merely closed for the season. it's amazing what salty, damp wind does to these structures.

Community Board 1 and the McCarren Pool Update.

ok first of all, cb1 mtgs are actually really interesting and since they deal with everything from the public spaces (waterfront, mccarren, etc) to approving liquor licenses and gardens for restaurants and bars and dealing with the bike lane, um, stuff, i highly recommend attending them. plus it's a good way to keep track of other things going on in the neighborhood (i.e. the new chez bushwick arts project funded by a $150,000 award from the rockefeller new york city cultural innovation fund!!) here's the cb1 website for more info, agendas and a calendar of scheduled meetings: http://www.cb1brooklyn.org/




so drumroll please.....
...aaaaaaaand..... the plans haven't really changed since any of the last presentations. but in case you missed all of those as well....

here's the architect's site:
http://www.rogersmarvel.com/McCarrenPool.html

and gothamist's write-up
http://gothamist.com/2009/02/11/mccarren_park_pool_presented_to_com.php

and of course the official new york dept of parks and recreation capital projects mccarren highlight
http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_about/parks_divisions/capital/parks/mc_carren_park_and_pool.html

ghostbustour (ghostbusters tour) and flushing meadows park

one of the great things about our city is how often it's used as a backdrop in movies. it's fun (although admittedly also sometimes annoying) to spot parks you live in during the summer, bars you call home during the winter, and all the other places; random boutiques, landmarks, etc that you selfishly consider yours and yours alone splayed across the big screen for everyone else in the world to enjoy.

sometimes those "secret" spots aren't a part of your regular scenery's repertoire, but living in close proximity, and loving the movie they're from, you choose to seek them out.

this is where ghostbusters.net comes in. this convenient website offers free downloads for your phone, ipod, lapot, itunes, etc of some of the major locations where the movie ghostbusters was shot. not only are these locations revealed, but the tour includes some interesting historical trivia for each place.

starting the tour at city hall park, we look a little bit like a miniature flash mob.

city hall was new york city's original building center. the design of the hall was the result of a popular competition held in 1802 at the end of which, the winners received a first place prize of $350. construction of the building was slowed due to an outbreak of yellow fever, and although it was finally finished in 1811, it didn't open until 1812.
in 1991, construction workers at a site just north of the building unearthed the remains of more than 400 men, women and children. soon after, it was determined that this site was the burial ground of hundreds of african american slaves. the site extends across much of city hall park and under city hall itself.