Fish Festival Across The Pond

I headed over to The Heights in New Jersey today to visit with the Mysterious Chinese Woman's family and to attend a Fish Festival that was being held. I love these little festivals, they remind me of an earlier, more innocent time. When the local fairs actually had side shows with deformed people affectionately called "freaks" that you could gawk at for only a quarter. Ah yes, how I remember holding the Lobster Boy's claw-like hand and peeling a bit of skin off of the Alligator Woman.

Of course any trip of any distance must start with the obligatory subway ride.



We headed down to catch the ferry in the Financial District that is pretty deserted during the week-ends, except for the tourists taking pictures of, well, of what I don't really know.



Only a couple of blocks away from the subway is the means of escape.



We got there about an hour early so we had some time to kill.



It turned out it was a good thing we got there early because the lines quickly grew.





In fact, many people waiting in line weren't going to be able to get on the boat and the next one didn't leave for another two hours.

But, the boat did arrive and we were able to board.



It was close enough to noon for me to belly up to the bar and order a Bloody Mary with a beer chaser.



We soon arrived at our destination where people lined the shore awaiting our arrival.



We quickly scouted out the area, the rides and the various booths selling food.

















Before making any decisions as to where to eat I decided to head to a place where, I suspected, there would be people who would have the inside information.





I popped in for a beer and chatted up the lovely bartender, Cheryl.



After hearing that Certified Clam and the Fire Department had the best food available we headed out to purchase some and then return to the beer garden in back to eat in a nice little shaded area.

I had the garlic clams from Certified Clam, $11 for a large and delicious plate of them.



The Mysterious Chinese Woman, still working on her Hot Dog jones, opted to hit the Fire Department's booth.



We spotted a lovely little get-away home that would be really fun for a vacation. I would have liked to have taken a peek inside, but there wasn't anybody home.





After spending the next day doing major cooking for a family barbecue I headed home on Monday just like a commuter.



On the way back we passed by Red Hook where a cruise ship was moored, I think it was The Princess something or another.



Soon enough we were pulling back into downtown Manhattan.



And, the early reminder that the weekend was over, the subway ride back home.

The Monk

Rest assured, the Monk is safe and well protected by a pair of mighty mastiffs, or, more accurately, large dachshunds.



For those of you who might not be familiar with the story of the Monk, suffice it to say he was once kidnapped by an evil relative and held in less than comfortable accomodations. I was able to rescue him and he is now under constant guard, for his own protection. There may be more of the Monk in the future.

Yankees Game

Today I head out to see a Yankees game courtesy of my friend Allen. Each year he and a bunch of cronies head here from God knows where, Philadelphia, or someplace like that. I hooked up with him last year as a result of this blog and we have met up several times since. He was at Pioneer to celebrate Number 1000 with me. This year he offered me six tickets, most generous, so I took along several friends and the Mysterious Chinese Woman.

Normally I could just catch the 4 Train form Borough Hall to Yankee Stadium but, because it is a week-end, that train doesn’t run here no more. Instead I had to start out taking the 2 Train to Times Square.



I love how the MTA, or whomever, can spend whatever it takes to install works of art in the subway stations yet not find the money to keep them clean and in good working order.



The MTA must also make a pretty penny encouraging drinking on the trains.



One good thing about the filth on the tracks is that the scurrying of the rats gives you a heads up on when the train is approaching.



From Times Square we grabbed the shuttle over to Grand Central.



We stopped to admire more artwork on our way to catch the 4 Train to where we were headed.



A bit of a hike and we were ready to catch our train.



Yet another dramatic shot of a train entering the station.



A relatively short ride later and we were standing on the platform overlooking Yankee Stadium.



A somewhat more important view from the platform was the one looking the other way, towards where I was meeting my friends.



We were all meeting at Yankee Tavern, a reliable watering hole about a block away from Yankee Stadium.



We got there a bit before noon so we were able to belly up to the bar and pre-order our beers. Then headed over to catch the game.



Once there a stop was made to replenish our supply of beer.



We had great seats on a hot day, up high but under an overhang so we were in the shade and caught a all to rare breeze when it blew. Lovely view of the neighboring skyline as well.



The fellow taking the picture is Allen and behind him you can see Bernie and my friend Bob. I think the women were off powdering their respective noses or something.



After the game the Mysterious Chinese Woman and I stopped by the Ball Park Lanes for a quick drink before catching the subway home.



We each had a delicious Hot Sausage on a bun. That was my first for the day but someone had already wolfed down two hotdogs at the game. Who that might have been I cannot imagine.



And there is no justice in the world because she never puts on any weight. Of course, as she reminded me, she didn’t have three beers (just one).

It was a quicker shot back home because I picked up the D Train so there were no transfers involved.



Even better, the D Train dropped me off a mere block from my favorite Dive Honky Tonk bar in Brooklyn, the infamous Hank’s Saloon.



The friendly bartender Jeanne was on duty and gave me a friendly greeting.



I learned that what I had suspected was, indeed, going to happen. The new owners who, originally said they were just going to add a second floor to the place, are going to tear it down and rebuild it. I figured this would be the case because I don’t think this building really could be saved, let alone added to.

They have promised to keep the existing atmosphere, but that will be hard to do. Places like this have to evolve, they can’t really be created.



After a quick Gin and Tonic to cool down I headed home but decided to stop into the Brazen Head for one of their specialties, a real ale on draft.



The bartender, Jill, pulled me a nice Six Point Double IPA from one of their casks.



This place always has one or two real ales available (the other one today was Victory Storm King Stout) and also hosts an annual real ale cask festival every year. Well worth taking in. You can find out more about them by going to their website:

BRAZENHEAD

I was just leaving when I ran into an old friend, Frantz, who I hadn’t seen for the longest time.



We repaired to the backyard garden area for another beer and he caught me up on his activities. He is an artist and had been over in Europe, working and putting on some shows. He is back now and if you get a chance check out his work. He is quite talented and sometimes you can see his work hanging on the walls of the Brazenhead.

Downtown Farmer's Market

One of the interesting juxtopostions of my neighborhood is that in the midst of bustling businesses and court houses you find a bit of an oasis. During the summer a couple of days a week, and always on Saturday their is a small farmer's market that sets up right in the shadow of Borough Hall.



Like just about everything here in Downtown Brooklyn it is easily accessible by subway.



Although compared to the work-week it is relatively uncrowded here, the farmer's market always attracts a good crowd of people looking to buy fresh vegetables, fruit, flowers, bread; you name it. Looking down the stretch of vendors you can just barely make out the Manhattan Bridge in the background.

The Brooklyn Bridge is right next to it and the adjacent area is now known as Dumbo, another stupid name dreamed up by a developer. In this case it stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. Nobody, to my knowledge, ever referred to the Manhattan Bridge and an overpass before. Oh well, the name must work, the real estate prices in that area are some of the highest in Brooklyn now.

You can just pop out of the subway, buy a fresh loaf of bread, and pop back down again if you choose to do so.



The flowers were particularly colorful on the sunny Saturday morning and I probably should have bought some for the Mysterious Chinese Woman. I failed to do so, however, and now feel remorseful. Oh well, I will buy her a hotdog and a beer at the Yankees game tomorrow. The flowers would have been cheaper though.





The vegetables and fruit were also looking particularly colorful.



As early as it was, they were already being picked over by hawk-eyed old women.



If you like tomatoes, but dislike the insipid, flavorless things you get in the supermarkets now, this is the place to go.

I took one last picture on the way back home that captured the lovely fountain in the very small Columbus Park that is right in front of Borough Hall, home of Marty Markowitz, our charismatic Borough Presdent who now has his eye on the exhalted title of Mayor. Watch for a run in 2010.



Tomorrow I head out to a Yankees game and, although it isn't in my neighborhood, I will try to take a few pictures and post them for your amusement.

My Neighborhood

I am no longer visiting bars on as regular a basis as before, who could. However I still visit interesting places on occasion, and I live in an interesting neighborhood. Well, it is interesting to me, at least. I thought I would change the direction of this blog a bit and start posting more on things and places that I find to be interesting, mostly in the area around where I live, Downtown Brooklyn, and the surrounding neighborhoods. Of course if I do visit a new bar I will certainly post on that as well. Let me know what you think about this idea.

Gowanus Yacht Club



While out for a morning walked I passed by the Gowanus Yacht Club prior to its opening for the day. This is a decent place to pop into for a cold beer and a hamburger or a hotdog. They have cheap PBRs and a decent selection of more exotic brews, all served in plastic cups. You can get pitchers too. They also have trivia contests for your amusement and enrichment.

The Specials



You can find this outdoor on a cement slab with picnic tables and umbrellas place at the corner of Smith and President Streets. You can get there on the F or G train (there is a stop right next to it) or just take almost any train to Boro Hall and walk up the ever entertaining Smith Street. This neighborhood is Carroll Gardens although there is a move underway to rename it BoCoCa for the three adjacent neighborhoods of Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, and Carroll Gardens. Resist the urge to use this name at all costs. It is absolutely stupid and unnecessary.

Not too far away, but far enough away so you can't smell it while sipping your beer, is the infamous Gowanus Canal. One day this may be a very upscale neighborhood itself. You could have a marina and boats can get out to the ocean from it. Right now it is still pretty industrialized and smelly at times. There has been talk of dredging it out, but there is so much chemical waste and stuff that there is a concern about how safe dredging would be.

The Gowanus Canal used to be a creek but it was made into a canal and became a major commercial waterway used to transport cement, oil and coal during the 1800's. A number of cement factories and coal and oil depost still line it. A flushing system was installed but for many years it didn't work and there is no natural outlet to the canal other than the one into the ocean. Supposedly the flushing system is now working again and water is clearing up somewhat. A study is underway to decide weather or not to do a major upgrade to the system down the road a bit.

Views From The Bridge

Looking South Towards Red Hook


Looking North Towards Downtown



There are a few art galleries opening up along here and at least one performance place, Issue Project Room at 400 Carroll Street between Bond and Nevins. This evening and tomorrow evening the School of Hard Knocks dance troupe is putting on a 7 hour piece along the banks of the canal. You could join or visit the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club if you wanted to get a more up-close look.