Opening Up to Bushwick
Last weekend my neighbors slipped a note in my mail slot about how they have seen us working hard on our house, welcoming us to the block, and if we need a break, here are two Starbucks cards. I thought that was really cool…even though I don’t know when I’ll be near a Starbucks again. So I invited them to lunch, and this Saturday we went to Northeast Kingdom, since they didn’t even know it existed. As we found out more about this couple of cousins who moved from the Bay Area suburbs, we realized they had never taken a single diversion off the path from their front door to the train.
And so we regaled them with stories of the best pizza in NYC, which happens to be on the coolest street in Bushwick; the piragua man at Knickerbocker and Starr who it has still been too cool outside to patronize, but for whose wares we lust; and the awesome Associated supermarket on Broadway that somehow squeezes a food court with 7 or 8 vendors into maybe 1000 square feet.
They seemed genuinely interested in checking out the rest of the hood…but I think we’ll have to take them by the hand at first. We were complaining about the crackhead on our street stealing everyone’s stuff, and described him — that white guy with the long ponytail? — and D actually said “I don’t notice…I never look at anyone.” She seemed sort of embarrassed by that, but then, Bushwick isn’t exactly here with open arms to newbies, so no judgements here.
One day soon, when it’s hot enough, we’ll take them to hang out with us at the gelato counter in front of Circo’s. Man I can’t wait for that to open for summer.
May 14th, 2007 at 11:15 am
how could they NOT notice that crackhead guy? i swear to god he is everywhere. is he really stealing stuff? not that i’m so surprised i guess but still - i hadn’t heard that. he got out of prison i guess, gosh, a couple of years ago and i’ve been watching his decline. it’s hard to watch. he says he was wrongly convited fyi. or at least that’s what he told my husband….i always wonder where he holes up at night.
by the way - did you hear any of that screaming match last week? man/woman 3 nights in a row around 11:30 pm. my street?
May 14th, 2007 at 11:23 am
Yeah, some old-timer around the corner on Jefferson told me he had to threaten him to get him to stay away from his house. My trash can was stolen, and as I was walking home from Ace with two new ones, crackmonkey asked me if I needed more, cuz he has a “friend” who has some. I said, yeah I bet one of them is mine. He feigned shock and offense, and I said “I’m accusing your friend.’” He went, oh, oh yeah. Then the other day my neighbor’s bike was stolen from inside his front gate. It was pretty stupid of him to have left it outside.
Nope, didn’t hear the screaming. Maybe the kids in the building next to me are drowning it out.
May 14th, 2007 at 11:32 am
ugh. the ongoing screaming match was out of control. i’m suprised you didn’t hear it. i wonder if cracky takes the garbage cans to that metal scrap place - is it ever open? the one on troutman? walking by it depresses me.things are pretty bad when you’re stealing garbage cans. ugh.
May 14th, 2007 at 11:34 am
This one was PLASTIC! and filthy, it was the old owner’s.